The electronic excitation spectra of unsubstituted linear silanes (n-Si(m)H(2m+2), m = 1-6), cyclopentasilane (c-Si5H10), and neopentasilane (neo-Si5H12) have been studied at the coupled-cluster approximate singles and doubles (CC2) level using Dunning's quadruple-zeta basis sets augmented with diffuse functions (aug-cc-pVQZ). Comparisons with measured ultraviolet spectra for Si2H6 and n-Si3H8 show that CC2 calculations using these basis sets yield excitation energies in good agreement with experiment. The calculated excitation thresholds for Si2H6 and n-Si3H8 of 7.61 and 6.68 eV are only 0.05 eV larger than the gas-phase values of 7.56 and 6.63 eV, respectively. For n-Si4H10, n-Si5H12, and neo-Si5H12, the calculated excitation thresholds of 6.51, 6.14, and 6.87 eV for the lowest dipole-allowed transitions are about 0.4 eV larger than the corresponding liquid-phase data of 6.05, 5.77, and 6.53 eV; the discrepancy can mainly be attributed to solvent effects. The obtained excitation thresholds for n-Si6H14 is 5.85 eV, whereas no experimental data are available for its optical gap. Calculations using the Karlsruhe triple-zeta valence basis sets augmented with single and double sets of polarization functions show that very large basis sets augmented with diffuse functions are needed for obtaining accurate excitation energies. The optical gaps for silanes obtained using the triple-zeta polarization basis sets were found to be 0.4 and 0.2 eV larger than those obtained using Dunning's quadruple-zeta basis sets. Excitation thresholds calculated at density functional theory levels using generalized gradient approximation are 0.7-1.0 eV smaller than the experimental values and by employing hybrid functionals they are 0.3-0.4 eV below the experimental thresholds. By adding the present basis-set correction and environmental effects to the previously calculated CC2 value for the excitation threshold of the Si29H36 silicon nanocluster, the extrapolated absorption threshold is 4.0 eV as compared to the recently reported experimental value of 3.7 eV.


Digital design and modelling refers to aspects of two-dimensional (2D) and threedimensional
(3D) design work that can be undertaken within a computerised
environment. This has become increasingly common over the past few decades
with the improving speed of desktop computers and advances in user interfaces.
Traditionally, 2D and 3D design and modelling are done using manual
techniques such as sketching, hand rendering, engineering drawings and handmade
physical models. These techniques can be employed in a range of
disciplines including industrial design, fashion design, furniture design and
architecture. They are still used widely used today, often to complement the use
of digital techniques, and a competent designer will be comfortable in both the
manual and digital realms. [...continues]


Abstract : Medical data for combat casualties at the first echelon of care are often unavailable. The NATO-approved method for recording battlefield medical data, DD Form 1380 Field Medical Card (FMC), is frequently missing from casualty medical records. The objective of this study was to address this problem by investigating factors that affect tile documentation of medical data during combat missions. Measurements were obtained to determine the amount of time required to complete a FMC and to assess the accuracy and completeness of the data recorded. Measures obtained during simulated combat training exercises were made during daylight, twilight, and nighttime conditions, and under varying levels of combat intensity. The results of the investigation showed that accuracy and completeness of FMC data were directly related to the time available or allotted to documentation by the corpsman. The average amount of time taken to complete the FMC was 3:09 min. This was estimated to be approximately one half of the amount of time allotted for the entire patient encounter. The average amount of time required to obtain data of acceptable accuracy and completeness was 3:26 min. These results indicate that it takes longer to produce satisfactory documentation using the FMC than conditions typically permit. Consequently, corpsmen appear to be making a rational decision to spend all available time on casualty treatment rather than use precious time to produce documentation that may be of little use.


Objective Laryngeal verrucous carcinoma (LVC) is a rare, locally invasive neoplasm comprising 1% to 3.4% of laryngeal carcinomas. Management strategies are a topic of ongoing conversation, and no definitive treatment protocol based on T stage and presentation exists. This review examines characteristics, treatment modalities, and patient outcomes of LVC. Data Sources PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Methods Databases were searched through October 29, 2015, for literature detailing individual patient cases of LVC. Variables analyzed included patient demographics, tumor characteristics, tumor size, treatment, and outcomes. Results Thirty-seven articles with 369 cases were included. LVC was found more commonly in males (13.8:1), at an average age of 58.7 years, and located in the glottis (74.0%). Most patients had local disease at presentation (94.9%). The most common presenting symptom was hoarseness (92.3%). The most common primary treatment was surgery alone (72.3%), with local excision as the most common technique (56.8%). In patients with data available on both surgical modality and T stage, most patients who presented as T1 and were managed surgically underwent local excision (79.2%). Surgical treatment alone led to high rates of disease-free survival at follow-up (86.8%). A large number of patients presenting with T1 disease were disease free at follow-up (88.6%). Overall survival was 80.3%. Conclusion LVC is most often managed surgically. The extent of surgical resection may be guided by T stage, with smaller tumors resected via local excision and larger tumors via partial or total laryngectomy. Regardless of T stage or therapy, LVC has a good posttreatment prognosis.


Introduction and Objectives The patient experience is an important component of the quality of care. The objective of this survey was to explore the experiences of patients who were admitted to hospital with an exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Methods Patients were asked about their last hospital admission for COPD using a 14-item, self-administered questionnaire. They were approached through Breathe Easy groups, the British Lung Foundation website and a commercial market research panel Results 307 COPD patients responded to the survey of whom 83% were aged ≥56 years; 89% had established COPD (diagnosed >12 months), and 39% had been admitted to hospital within the last 12 months. Only 45% were aware that "exacerbation" had been the cause of their admission. 56% had ≥24 h notice of illness prior to admission and 43% initiated the admission themselves, without contacting a health care professional (HCP). Only 25% patients felt 'very' confident that they were ready for their hospital discharge and 26% in their ability to cope at home. 34% patients felt very well informed about their COPD, the reasons for admission and their ability to identify early signs of an exacerbation. Only 37% were very reassured at receiving adequate support at home and only 24% were very positive about the future. 75% patients wanted more information regarding the reasons for their admission, 80% on treatment choices, 68% on COPD patient organisations, 78% on HPC support available at home and 69% on lifestyle, social and other coping problems. More contact from HCP support services and support via a telephone helpline were also requested (75% and 64%, respectively). Despite this, 60% felt 'very' confident about how and when to take their medications. Conclusions Hospital admission remains a significant risk to patients with established COPD, especially if they have had previous admissions. Data suggest that many patients feel unready for hospital discharge and are poorly prepared for the future management of their COPD. Hospital admission should be taken as an opportunity to provide patients with more information on COPD and available support services.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different surface treatments: sandblasting, liners, and different laser irradiations on shear bond strength (SBS) of pre-sintered zirconia to veneer ceramic.

BACKGROUND DATA
The SBS between veneering porcelain and zirconium oxide (ZrO2) substructure was weak. Various surface treatment methods have been suggested for zirconia to obtain high bond strength to veneering porcelain. There is no study that evaluated the bond strength between veneering porcelain and the different surface treatments on pre-sintered ZrO2 substructure.

METHODS
Two hundred specimens with 7 mm diameter and 3 mm height pre-sintered zirconia blocks were fabricated. Specimens were randomly divided into 10 groups (n=20) according to surface treatments applied. Group C, untreated (Control); Group E, erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser irradiated; Group N, neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser irradiated; Group SB, sandblasted; Group L, liner applied; Group NL, Nd:YAG laser irradiated+liner applied; Group EL, Er:YAG laser irradiated+liner applied; Group SN, sandblasted+Nd:YAG laser irradiated; Group SE, sandblasted+Er:YAG laser irradiated; and Group SL, sandblasted+liner applied. The disks were then veneered with veneering porcelain. Before the experiment, specimens were steeped in 37°C distilled water for 24 h. All specimens were thermocycled for 5000 cycles between 5°C and 55°C with a 30 sec dwell time. Shear bond strength test was performed at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. The fractured specimens were examined under a stereomicroscope to evaluate the fracture pattern.

RESULTS
Surface treatments significantly changing the topography of the yttrium-stabilized tetragonal zirconia (Y-TZP) ceramic according to scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images. The highest mean bond strength value was obtained in Group SE, and the lowest bond strength value was observed in NL group. Bond strength values of the other groups were similar to each other.

CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that sandblasting+Er:YAG, sandblasting, Er:YAG+liner, sandblasting+Nd:YAG, and Er:YAG laser treatment on pre-sintered ZrO2 substructure increased the bond strength to veneering porcelain, compared with other surface treatments. After different surface treatments, there was no difference in surface roughness of pre-sintered zirconia to compare after sintering; sintering enhanced the bond strength within the limitations of present study.


Thesis for obtaining the scientific degree of Economic Sciences Candidate on specialty
08.00.09 – Accounting, Analysis and Auditing (by the types of economic activity). – Zhytomyr
State Technological University of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Zhytomyr, 2017.
Economic activity of an enterprise is affected by the internal and external factors and can
be a reason for emergency situations of anthropogenic nature and can fail in the result of
anthropogenic, natural and social emergency situations. These days there exists a need in
developing organizational and methodological accounting statements, emergency situations
results to figure out data on their influence on the economic activity figures and also new
methods of analytical estimation of the influence.
The aim of the thesis paper is to ground theoretical statements and to design practical
recommendations in improving accounting and economic analysis of emergency consequences.
The research target is enterprise's economic activity in emergency situations conditions,
consequences of which are described in accounting and economic analysis systems. The
research subject is theoretical, methodological and organizational accounting statements and
economic analysis of emergency consequences. The methodological basis of the research is
general scientific and specific methods of perceiving phenomena and processes in the
accounting and economic analysis systems.
The scientific novelty of the received results is in improving theoretical, organizational
and methodological statements of accounting and economic analysis of emergency situations.
In the research paper the emergency consequences are explained as an integrated
accounting object and identification of its features as a phenomenon affecting economic
systems of different levels (global, state, regional and enterpreneurial) is defined and requires a
special approach to informational support of economic activity in emergency conditions.
Accounting system components are defined in the following way: object component –
emergency situations features are estimated on different economic system levels on the basis of
static analysis methods application; methodic component – critical points of organizational and
methodological statements of accounting reflection on the basis of testing and questioning
methods application at the local manufacturing enterprises are explained. Theoretical and
methodological accounting statements of emergency consequences as an integrated management
object are developed through inventing a complex of emergency consequences identification
models as a component of non-current and current assets, manufacturing process and costs that
is the basis for information production about their influence on the enterprise's economic activity.
Methodological accounting statements of emergency consequences are improved on the basis
of transit accounts application, in particular the mechanism of transit accounts application is
designed on the request (8th grade of accounts "Transit accounts on the request", account 82
"Emergency consequences") and an excerpt of accounts working plan is introduced through
extending analytical section to sub - accounts 821 "Production costs caused by emergency
consequences", 822 "General production costs caused by emergency consequences", 823
"Administrative costs caused by emergency consequences",824 "Marketing costs caused by
emergency consequences", 825 "Other operational costs caused by emergency consequences", that
made an order of accounting reflection taking into consideration peculiar features of the
management object and allows to provide a complex of information requests as for their impact on
the economic activity results. An accounting mechanism of developing and distribution of general
production costs related to emergency consequences is designed and it foresees a two stage
separation according to manufacturing department, sorts of production and a range of distribution
basis according to each of them. It lets estimate the emergency consequences impact on the separate
business processes and, accordingly, enhance accounting informativeness. Financial statements
system improvement through extending its form and developing the order in components
formation as it follows: 1). Report on financial results ("Statement of comprehensive income") –
chapter 1, line 2270 is extended "Other costs" in the direction of revealing information on
emergency consequences and the structure of chapter 5 is developed "Impact of internal and
external environmental risks", that provides an explanation to emergency situations impact on the
accounting objects; 2). Notices to the annual financial statements on the basis of their fragments
development describing the emergency situations' impact on the accounting objects.
Methods of analytical estimation of emergency consequences impact on enterprises
economic activity results are introduced. It is possible on the basis of extending analytical
processes allowing to estimate planned and actual meaning of figures and impact on the latest
emergency consequences in the scopes of effective basic means and current assets application
and production process. It gives an opportunity to identify a number of cause-and-effect
connections and to estimate emergency consequences impact on economic activity effectiveness.
Theoretical and methodic statements of economic activity analysis in the emergency
conditions are developed through the given explanation of their impact on the resulting
analytical figures describing the effectiveness of current and non-current assets application and
production process. It is the basis for information and analytical support formation in making
management decisions to prevent and redress emergency consequences. Results of accounting
development and economic analysis of emergency consequences can be applied by economic
entities. Basic theoretical, methodic and organizational statements of investigation resulted in
definite achievements to be addressed to by the enterprises.
Methodic statements of analytical estimation of emergency consequences' impact on the
economic activity are developed and that are information basis in management decision making
to prevent and redress emergency consequences. It is defined that emergency consequences affect
the economic analysis figures that causes the economic activity management system
transformation. Methodic statements relate to the effectiveness of basic means application,
current assets, resulting quality of production process in the scopes of which there is a need to
define: projected value of the resulting analytical figure in the beginning of reporting period,
actual meaning in the end of reporting period and figures and their changes in the result of
emergency consequences. To form a complex analytical procurement of emergency
consequences management, analytical estimations and mechanisms of their usage are improved,
an order of formation and information basis application is explained and a set of analyst's
documents is elaborated that allowed to optimize analytical activity at the enterprise. Analytical
estimation of emergency consequences impact on economic activity is suggested and it gives an
opportunity to make strategically important management decisions by internal users and to make
investment decisions by external users and as a whole it allows to enhance qualitative
characteristics of accounting and analytical systems of economic activity management.


The authors report the results of clinical and phlebographic investigations in 34 patients with congenital hypoplasia of profound veins of the extremities. The specific weight of this lesion among phlebological patients was 2.7%. An extreme degree of aplasia--the total absence of deep crural and femoral veins was diagnosed in 4 cases, arteriovenous fistulas--in 14. The studies performed allowed wider indications to operative treatment employed in 21 cases. It was accomplished with the purpose to unload the lower limb venous system (ligation of arterio-venous fistulas, excision of angiomas and varices, ligation of communicant veins). These interventions improve considerably the patients' state and prevent a progression of the disease. However, they are but of a palliative character.


A pair of synchronous line-tracking robots based on STM 32 are designed.Each robot is actually a small intelligent car with seven reflective infrared photoelectric sensors ST 188 installed in the front to track the line.Two rear wheels each driven by a moter are the driving wheels,while each moter is driven by an H-bridge circuit.The running direction is controlled by the turning of a servo fastened to the front wheel and the adjustment of speed difference between the rear wheels.Besides,the light-adaptive line-tracking can be performed.The speeds of the motors are controlled by adjusting pulse-width modulation(PWM)values and an angular displacement transducer is used to detect the relative position of the cars in real time.Thus,the speeds of the cars can be adjusted in time so that the synchronism of the cars can be achieved.Through experiments,the fast and accurate synchronous tracking can be well realized.


Abstract Prospective memory (PM) has been shown to be impaired in children with acquired brain injuries (ABI) and is a major concern for parents. Few studies have addressed this issue and most used tasks that are not ecologically valid. The aims of this study were (1) to explore if children who have sustained an ABI suffer PM impairment, measured both by the Children's Cooking task (CCT) PM score and using the 2 PM subtests of the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test (RBMT), and (2) to explore if the CCT PM score is sensitive to developmental changes in PM in typically developing children and in children with ABI. Fifty-four children with ABI and 33 typically developing controls participated in the study. Children with ABI had significantly lower PM scores and poorer performance in the CCT than their typically developing peers. PM scores increased significantly with age, indicating developmental progress of PM performance.


The quality and stability of Paracetamol Syrup/Elixir produced in 15 north-eastern hospitals were comparatively studied with those produced by 5 local manufacturers.  The quality of samples from the hospitals are as follows : the content of paracetamol in 6 samples did not comply with the British Pharmacopoeia Limit (95-105% LA) ; p-aminophenol, degraded product of paracetamol, was detected in 6 samples at the level of 0.3-2.2 mg%, all complied with the British Pharmacopoeia limit (12 mg%); pH of 5 samples did not comply with the nited States Pharmacopoeia Limit (3.8-6.1). the samples from local manufactures gave the following results: content of paracetamol in all samples complied with the limit : p-aminophenol was detected in 2 samples, 0.77 and 0.98 mg%; pH of 1 sample did not comply with the limit. Stability test of the samples was conducted by keeping all the samples at 45°C for 45 days.  Some samples showed some physical changes.  The content of paracetamol in all samples decreased significantly (t cal = -5.61, t crit = 1.734, F = 18, p = 0.05) ; the level of p-aminophenol increased significantly (t cal = 3.003; t crit = 1.729, F = 19, p ± 0.05).  There was no quantitave relationship between the changes of the 2 compounds.  None of the samples were found to contain p-aminophenol more than the limit even those which showed drastic physical change.  The pH of the solution did affect the decomposition of the paracetamol.


During the past decade, several studies have explored the characteristics of Born International and Born Global business firms, and the reasons for their increase in size and numbers. The objective of this study is to explore the influence of financing strategies and the commensurate finance management capabilities on the globalization of Finnish Born International and Born Global small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). The resulting knowledge from this study should prove valuable for academic researchers, political decision‐makers and business managers. Interestingly, the results of the study show that Born Globals had greater access to superior financial resources and stronger finance‐related managerial resources right from the start‐up phase than did Born Internationals. An interesting finding also focused on the fact that Born Globals were able to more quickly obtain global management‐related skills and industry‐specific business experience through the use of external business partners and venture capital representatives. These findings may partially explain the Born Globals' rapid expansion into world markets in comparison to Born Internationals, and also the failures of other types of enterprises in these same markets.


Objective Interactive Health Communication Applications (IHCAs) can make a valuable contribution to rheumatological care. The development of online health applications is moving quickly, and positive results have been shown. Yet solid research on use and acceptance of different information, communication and participation tools by patients is still lacking. In this qualitative study, we examined the health-related internet use of patients with rheumatic diseases, their motives for using or not using certain applications, and their needs and preferences with regard to a rheumatology IHCA. Method Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with eighteen patients, who were selected from a hospital's patient panel. Participants were diagnosed with eight different forms of rheumatism and their mean age was 50.7 years. The interviews were coded by two independent researchers. Results The applications most preferred by participants were: information provision on both medical and support topics, online communication with their doctor and insight in their personal health records. Patient support groups were less valued as were participation tools such as symptom monitoring and online exercise programs. Furthermore, a large discrepancy was shown between patients' current use and their future preferences with respect to information about care and support, access to personal health records and having online contact with their doctor. Conclusion Patients see great value in an IHCA provided by their own hospital, since it could increase reliability, and would give them the confidence to use the application. The current study shows a significant discrepancy between current use and future preferences rheumatism patients have regarding online communication with their doctor, online symptom monitoring and insight in their personal health record. Overall a rheumatology IHCA should contain communication and participation tools, both linked to the hospital, and information about disease, care and practical support. Since this study focused on the communication with patients regarding a technological ehealth system which will include information, communication and participation, this paper is relevant on the conference topics eHealth systems and communcations, eHealth technology and devices and Telemedicine/ehealth applications.


【This paper presents real examples of quality statistics for users to easily understand the concept and purpose for obtaining the degree of freedom. Moreover degree of freedom by Satterwaite can be used for linear combinations of unbiased variance. Finally effective degree of freedom by Welch-Satterthwaite is applicable to obtain expanded uncertainty considering type A and type B uncertainty.】


Female and male participants (in their early 20s) attributed the success of same-aged (Study 1A-1C) male and female stimulus persons of varying attractiveness to ability, effort, luck, and looks. Consistent with the evolutionary prediction that mating motivation and intrasexual competition determine achievement ascriptions, female participants explained the success of attractive women with luck more and with ability less (i.e., in a derogative way) than they explained the success of less attractive female stimulus persons. However, when the stimulus person was male, women attributed his success to ability more and to luck less (i.e., glorifying) when he was attractive than when he was unattractive. Male participants made derogative attributions for attractive male stimulus persons and unattractive female stimulus persons and glorifying ascriptions for unattractive male stimulus persons and attractive female stimulus persons. We label this pattern of findings sexual attribution bias. The bias disappeared when prepuberty stimulus persons were used as targets (Study 2) and reversed for gay men (Study 3).


Against Adolescent Hospitalizations Two doses of the BNT162b2 (PfizerBioNTech) vaccine were 93% effective against adolescent hospitalization for COVID-19, a case-control study at 19 pediatric hospitals in 16 states showed. The study provides real-world evidence that the vaccine was highly protective against hospitalization among adolescents even as the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) became the predominant strain. The highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variant contributed to a surge in pediatric hospitalizations over the summer and into the early fall. Previously, a clinical trial showed the vaccine was 100% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 among individuals aged 12 to 15 years. The new study involved 179 individuals aged 12 to 18 years hospital ized for laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and a control group of 285 adolescents hospitalized for other causes between June and September 2021. It excluded partially vaccinated individuals. Vaccination coverage was 3% in the COVID-19 group and 33% in the control group. Six vaccinated patients were hospitalized for COVID-19, and none were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) or died. In contrast, 173 unvaccinated patients were hospitalized for COVID-19, 77 were admitted to ICUs, and 29 required life support, including 2 who died. Unvaccinated patients with COVID-19 stayed a median of 5 days in the hospital, 2 days longer than their vaccinated peers with the illness. Only 46% of US children and adolescents aged 12 to 15 years and 54% aged 16 to 17 years were vaccinated when the study was published. Boosting these rates could help prevent severe COVID-19 in the US, the authors wrote. "[A]s in-person school attendance increases, multicomponent preventive measures to reduce the incidence of severe COVID-19 among adolescents, including vaccination, are imperative," the authors wrote.


The effect of labor market institutions on the unemployment rate has been widely studied in macroeconomic dynamics. Union influence is one of the most important issues in the labor market institutions. Thus, this study investigates the effects of union influence on wages with regard to employment dynamics using an overlapping generations model with closed economy. We assume a wage setting equation that is discussed in the existing literature and we consider an economy in which unemployment exists. The model shows that high upward pressure on wages leads to low employment rates not only in the steady state but also on the equilibrium path.


Abstract The Beryl Field is located within Block 9/13 in the UK North Sea, in the west central part of the Viking Graben. The block was awarded in 1971 to a Mobil operated partnership, and the 9/13-1 discovery well drilled in 1972. The Beryl A platform was installed in 1975 and oil production started up the following year. The Beryl B platform was added in 1983 and production and gas re-injection pressure support commenced in 1984. The first 3D seismic survey was shot over the field in 1986, and the most recent in 1997. As of January 1999, 133 wells have been drilled into the field and development drilling is expected to continue well into the twenty-first century. Commercial hydrocarbons occur in sandstone reservoirs ranging in age from Triassic to late Jurassic, with the primary reservoir being the Middle Jurassic Beryl Formation (1.4 billion barrels of oil originally in place). Total ultimate recovery for all reservoirs in the field is expected to be about 960 million barrels of oil (MMBBL) and 2.1 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas. As of January 1999, the field has produced nearly 710 MMBBL of oil, or almost 75 % of the ultimate oil recovery. The field has been described previously by Knutson and Munro (1991), and Robertson (1993). Recent drilling data (more than 30 new wells) and new 3D seismic have updated the initial field descriptions. These data allow the mapping of two key unconformities, the Mid Cimmerian (Jt) event and a Base Callovian (Jb3) event. Reservoir facies models and isochore maps have also been developed, which together with the refined structural model, allow a better understanding of the reservoir distributions and will guide future production strategies.


Variables' annotations in over-constrained problems are proposed and described in order to express preferences for optimal solution selection using preferences on variables. The basic interpretation of variables' annotations is presented and correspondence with hierarchical CSP and possibilistic CSP is described. An algorithm for solving systems of constraints with variables' annotations using mappings to hierarchy is designed. The potential application areas are also mentioned .


Northern Nevada is one of the Earth's premier gold- and silver-producing regions, and gold and silver are mined from a wide range of deposit types (Table 1). Current production largely comes from Carlin-type sedimentary rock-hosted disseminated gold deposits (Christensen, 1995; Teal and Jackson, 1997; Bettles, 2002), many of which lie along linear trends (Fig. 1; Roberts, 1960, 1966; Berger and Bagby, 1991). The small area of the Carlin trend (approximately 8 x 65 km) is North America's most prolific gold mining district, producing nearly 125 t (4 Moz) of gold annually. Since large-scale mining began in 1965 with the opening of the Carlin mine, the Carlin trend has produced more than 1555 t (50 Moz) of gold. During 2001, gold production from the entire state of Nevada was nearly 253 t (8.13 Moz), which accounted for approximately 76 percent of the United States and 10 percent of the world production (Price and Meeuwig, 2002). In 2001, only the countries of South Africa and Australia produced more gold than the state of Nevada. In addition, Nevada produced 543 t (17.4 Moz) of silver in 2001—about 31 percent of the United States production and 3 percent of the world production.

In 1996, the Mineral Resources Program of the U.S. Geological Survey began a multidisciplinary project to investigate the origin of gold deposits in northern Nevada. This project was undertaken in collaboration with the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, the Ralph J. Roberts Center for Research in Economic Geology at the University of Nevada, Reno, several other universities, and numerous mining companies active in the region. In addition, several universities and mining companies were conducting research on the origin of gold deposits in northern Nevada. This research built on more than a century of studies by the …


In this paper, we consider a full duplex (FD) system using spatial modulation (SM) technique for simultaneous transmission. Despite the recent studies on the combination of these two techniques, nonlinear effects of devices have been ignored. This paper demonstrates, for the first time, the nonlinear power amplifier (PA) effects on a full duplex spatial modulation (FDSM) system. A digital canceller is adopted to deal with the strong self-interference (SI) in presence of PA nonlinearities. The results are verifying that the considered canceller can suppress SI close to the thermal noise level and has high reliability to ensure the performance of the system.


The validity of the classical dielectric theory of HREELS is investigated. Group theory is employed to obtain a tabulation of SO phonon modes expected to appear strongly in the spectra of given faces of many common crystal structures. The effects of crystalline anisotropy and surface defects are considered in detail. The theoretical investigation is used in conjunction with experiment to obtain a more detailed understanding of the HREELS of rutile (110), (100) and (001) surfaces than has been obtained previously. XPS, UPS and HREELS are used to investigate the surface composition and electronic structure of Sn-doped In2O3 ceramics (containing 1-6 at.% Sn) and thin films. XPS of the well-equilibrated ceramics reveals substantial tin enrichment in the surface atomic layer, with a heat of segregation of ~-20kJmol-1, and provides evidence for a sub-surface region partly depleted in tin. UPS and HREELS results are consistent with a free-carrier concentration close to the surface considerably below the bulk nominal value. XPS of the thin films reveals considerably less surface tin segregation, suggesting that thermal equilibrium is not attained during film production. Vacuum annealing dramatically increases the free carrier concentration, as shown by the shift in the surface plasmon frequency in HREELS. There is a substantial discrepancy between the bulk plasmon frequency predicted from HREELS, and that measured directly from optical transmission. The shift and attenuation of the HREELS plasmon is compared with a model where the surface layer is completely depleted of free carriers. Surface depletion layers have been created on rutile (001), and Sb-doped SnO2 ceramics containing 0.1 and 1 at.% Sb, by adsorption of Cl2 and NO2. The surface coverage of adsorbate is monitored by XPS. Shifts in work function and valence band edge are measured by UPS. HREELS of Cl2-dosed Sb-doped SnO2 show changes consistent with a depletion layer model.


Abstract : The European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) missile defense system was initiated by the Barack Obama administration in 2009 to defend against current and future missile threats posed by Iran to bases and cities in Europe. The plan, however, garnered strong opposition from Russia. In particular, Phase 4 of the system, in which Standard Missile (SM)-3 IIB would be deployed in Redzikowo, Poland, was cited by Russia as a threat to its nuclear deterrent. After the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was signed in 2010, Russia refused to engage in further nuclear arms control talks with the United States unless its concerns about EPAA were addressed. In March of 2013, Phase 4 of the EPAA system was canceled. Analysis in this report shows that the restructured system does not affect Russia s deterrent and is still capable of kinematically reaching and intercepting Iranian missiles. This policy action has opened a window for the United States and Russia to come together on additional bilateral nuclear arms reduction measures and missile defense cooperation. The research reported here was prepared as part of the Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows program at the RAND Corporation. Research was conducted during a one-year fellowship at RAND under the guidance and supervision of a RAND mentor. This fellowship is sponsored by the Stanton Foundation. This research was conducted within the International Security and Defense Policy Center of the RAND National Defense Research Institute, a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the Unified Combatant Commands, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the defense agencies, and the defense Intelligence Community.


The paper develops a positive theory of dynamic competition between credit card lenders, featuring balance transfers and default. Based on our theory and our quantitative results, we argue that the observed outcomes in the US credit card market are consistent with reduced effectiveness of personal bankruptcy protection, and inefficiently elevated costs of unsecured credit for intertemporal smoothing purposes. The model also delivers balance transfers as an equilibrium phenomenon. JEL: D1,D8,G2 Keywords: credit cards, personal bankruptcy, credit lines, non-exclusivity, unsecured credit, balance transfer, credit score ∗Drozd: Finance Department, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, email: firstname.lastname@example.com; Serrano-Padial: Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin Madison, email: firstname.lastname@example.com. Drozd acknowledges generous support provided by the Vanguard Research Fellowship as well as Cynthia and Bennet Golub Endowed Faculty Scholar Award. Serrano-Padial acknowledges generous support provided by a Graduate School Research Committee Award. We thank George Alessandria, V.V. Chari, Harald Cole, Dirk Krueger, Urban Jermann, Pricila Maziero, Lones Smith and Amir Yaron for valuable comments. We are grateful to Rasmus Lentz and Salvador Navarro for granting us access to computational resources at the University of Wisconsin. We thank Matthew Denes for an excellent research assistantship. All remaining errors are ours. 1 Introduction A statistical US household holds an option to draw as much as $40k in credit card funds. Perhaps not all, but a significant fraction of these funds can be used to finance day-to-day consumption, and can be defaulted on under Chapter 7 or 13 of the US personal bankruptcy law. By historic standards, this is an unprecedented level of insurance provided by the private credit markets, raising an important question whether the provision this type of insurance is efficient. By design, the institution of personal bankruptcy in the unsecured credit market is meant to provide state contingency when private contracts cannot be made state contingent. According to the theory of incomplete contracts, bankruptcy protection can result in significant welfare gains, potentially leading to an allocation that exhibits some notion of constrained efficiency or second best. The typical conditions to achieve second best are: two-sided commitment contracts that can be signed by lenders and borrowers, and default that is sufficiently costly for borrowers in the absence of any shocks that bankruptcy is intended to insure against. In practice, it has been shown that a simple form of punishment for default can come a long way in insuring particularly severe shocks like persistent job loss, or health and serious family problems (e.g. divorce, unwanted pregnancy). In terms of policy, this research has provided a powerful argument in support of some form of personal bankruptcy regulations. In the case of the credit card market, due to the two-sided commitment requirement, the above arguments are somewhat questionable. In fact, the credit card market features the most extreme form of lack of commitment on the borrower side: full non-exclusivity of contracts with increasingly popular options of balance transfers attached to more than 60% of credit card offers. In this context, a characterization of the possible distortions caused by non-exclusivity is very much needed to better understand the economic impact of personal bankruptcy protection laws. This should allow to assess potential solutions, welfare costs, and give policy makers some guidance about what the observable symptoms of the underlying inefficiencies might be. To study these questions both theoretically and quantitatively, we develop here a posiData for 2007. Source: Page 226 of H.R. 5244, the Credit Cardholder's Bills of Rights: Providing New Protections for Consumers, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumers Credit, House Committee on Financial Services, 110 Cong. 109, 226 (April 17, 2008) (testimony of Travis Plunkett, Consumer Federation of America), available at http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/ financialsvcs_dem/hr041708.shtml. See, for example, Livshits, McGee & Tertilt (2006) tive theory of competition in a lending market featuring credit lines, balance transfers and default. By doing so, we hope to be able to examine more closely the conflict between noncommitment and implicit insurance provision in the context of the observed outcomes in the credit card market. Specifically, in our model borrowers use unsecured credit lines to smooth consumption intertemporally, and can default on their debts by maxing out on available credit limits. Consumers can accept multiple credit lines to optimize on the interest payments to their existing debt. Lenders observe time-varying credit-worthiness of borrowers and choose whether to extend credit and what kind of contract to offer in order to undercut incumbent lenders. Charge-‐offs 45% Opera1ons/ Marke1ng 33% Cost
  of Funds 21% Fraud 1% Expenses:
  $73.9
  Billon Interest 68% Interchange 17% Penalty
  fees 8% Cash advance
  fees 4% Annual
  fees 2% Other 1% Revenues:
  $96.5
  Billion Figure 1: Credit Card Revenue and Cost Structure, 2003 (Daly (2004)). The key features of our model are generally consistent with what we see in the data. First, the income statement of the credit card industry illustrated in Figure 1 reveals that default is, in fact, an important feature of this market, and lenders must secure significant revenue sources to offset the losses associated with default. Second, the same figure shows that lenders actually rely on interest to generate the bulk of their revenue, consistent with the view that credit cards are primarily credit lines. Third, a centralized credit reporting system effectively removes any informational barriers between entrants and incumbent. Furthermore, the fact that a whopping 17% of balances are transferred per annum (Evans & Schmalensee (2005)) suggests that entry frictions are potentially small in this market. Using our model, we show that non-exclusivity of contracts creates a strategic entrantincumbent relation between lenders, resulting in a mis-allocation of both credit and implicit insurance. Both underinsurance and overinsurance are possible. The source of underinsurance


Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) has been declining across much of its range in North America because of the combined effects of mountain pine beetle epidemics, fire exclusion policies, and widespread exotic blister rust infections. Whitebark pine seed is dispersed by a bird, the Clark's nutcracker, which caches seed in open, pattern-rich landscapes created by fire. This study was initiated in 1993 to investigate the effects of various restoration treatments on tree populations, fuel dynamics, and vascular plant cover on five sites in the U.S. northern Rocky Mountains. The objective of this study was to restore whitebark pine ecosystems using treatments that emulate the native fire regime - primarily combinations of prescribed fire, silvicultural cuttings, and fuel enhancement cuttings.


A compound of lithium and nicotinic acid--lithonite was used phonophoretically in complex with non-steroid antiinflammatory drugs in 40 patients with rheumatoid arthritis according to a method developed by the authors. The efficacy of complex treatment was 95%. There were no side-effects. Further perfection of this method is desirable.


The objective of the present study was to evaluate the lambari's performance (Oligusarcus argenteus) using fly worms ( Musca domesticus) as a feeding source in substitution to ration. Six hundred fingerlings of lambari bocarra were used with initial mean weight of 0.88 ± 0.14 g and an average length of 3.62 ± 0.30 cm. A complete randomized experimental design was used with five treatments, T1: 100% of ration, T2: 25% of fly worms and 75% of ration, T3: 50% of fly worms and 50% of ration, T4: 75% of fly worms and 25% of ration, and T5; 100% of fly worms with four repetitions and 30 fingerlings in each aquarium. Fingerlings were kept in an aquarium of 1.000 L volume. T1 treatment showed no significant differences (P>0.05) for final weight, weight gain, daily weight gain, and total length compared to the other treatments, obtaining the worst results. For the standard length, treatments T2, T3, and T5 obtained the best results (P 0.05) for specific growth rate for all treatments. For the carcass yield the best results were observed in treatments T2 and T4. Treatment T1 obtained the worst result for viscer somatic index (P<0.05). For the production of lambari, it could be used 75% of fly worms instead of 32% PB ration, which provides better results for carcass yield. For final weight, weight gain, daily weight gain and total length it could be used up to 100% of fly worms in substitution to 32% crude protein ration.


We present measurements of the solubility of Fe(II) and Fe(III) extracted from bulk and size‐fractionated African dust collected in summer trade winds at Barbados, West Indies. Iron solubilities typically ranged from 1% to 3%. Fe(III) dominates the iron solubility over the entire range of particle sizes. At mineral dust concentrations below about 5 ug/m3 Fe(II), believed to be largely derived from anthropogenic and biomass burning sources, becomes increasingly important. Samples containing large soluble iron fractions and high Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratios are associated with South Atlantic back trajectories; the gray coloration of the filters suggests that the source may be biomass burning in southern Africa. In general, much of the variability in Fe solubility is linked to Fe(II) concentration changes. Vanadium is often used as a tracer of anthropogenic impacts. Although many of our samples yielded V/Ti ratios much greater than average crustal abundances, we could find no relationship between the enrichment of V and Fe solubility. Our Fe solubility results are quite similar to those obtained by others despite the fact that the measurements were made in diverse ocean regions and the protocols used were quite different in all cases. This uniformity implies that the factors controlling aerosol iron solubility are largely inherent in the properties of the aerosols themselves and not the procedures used to extract the iron. Our results suggest that dust transport models that focus on the role of iron in ocean biogeochemistry must take into account aerosol origin in order to better model the solubility of iron.


Learning-based methods have achieved excellent performance for compressed video restoration (CVR) in recent years. However, existing networks aggregate multi-frame information inefficiently and are usually developed for specific quantization parameters (QPs), which are not convenient for practical usage. Moreover, current works only consider compressed video restoration in Constant QP (CQP) setting, but do not discuss the performance of the model in more realistic scenarios, e.g., Constant Rate Factor (CRF) and Constant Bitrate (CBR). In this paper, we propose a generalized quality-aware compressed video restoration network, namely QCRN. Specifically, to achieve multi-frame aggregation efficiently, we propose a multi-scale deformable temporal fusion. Meanwhile, QCRN decouples the global quality and local quality representations from input via the hierarchical quality score estimator, and then employs them to adjust the feature enhancement. Extensive experiments on compressed videos in various settings demonstrate that our proposed QCRN achieves favorable performance against state-of-the-art methods in terms of both quantitative metrics and visual quality.


The mineralogical and geochemical assessments are presented in this paper to constrain the mineralogy and copper concentrations of the shale-hosted copper in the Middle Buanji Group of the Upper Paleoproterozoic (1.67 Ga). The XRD analysis revealed that illite and chamosite are the major clay minerals present in the shales together with pseudomalachite, quartz, and muscovite that constitute over 95% by proportion of the sample. The minerals biotite, birnessite, ferroselite, bearsite, chloritoid, and anatase are present in association with shale-hosted copper in low amounts (i.e., <5% by proportion of the sample). The pseudomalachite [Cu5(PO4)2(OH)4] is considered as ore mineral of copper in the shales of the Middle Buanji Group. Field observations revealed the presence of different shale layers within the Middle Buanji Group such as red, grey and green/blue in which copper mineral is distributed. On average, the copper concentrations in the shale layers were unevenly distributed throughout the red-grey-green shales layers with values of 0.31 wt%, 5.2 wt% and 13.19 wt%, respectively. A noticeable amount of copper mineralization up to 25.7 wt% was restricted within the green shale layer as compared to red (0.31 wt%) and grey (10.9


Before the introduction of successful antiretroviral therapy (ART), cardiovascular complications in HIV-infected patients were largely those resulting from immunosuppression (e.g. myocarditis, pericarditis, tamponade). With the advent of ART, there has been a spectacular decrease in morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected individuals. However, alongside metabolic complications caused by ART such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and lipodystrophy syndrome have been observed, which potentially increase the risk of cardiovascular complications, in particular coronary artery disease. Whether HIV infection and ART are independent and individual coronary risk factors is still controversial. More and more data are available demonstrating that increasing the duration of exposure to ART, and in particular protease inhibitors, increases the risk of myocardial infarction. At the same time, chronic infection, inflammation and the disruption of immune balance as a result of HIV infection itself may have the potential to alter vascular structure and function. In this article, we will review cardiovascular complications in HIV-infected patients before and after the advent of ART, focusing on coronary artery disease, its diagnosis, prognosis and therapy.


We investigate the thermal entanglement in the Lipkin—Meshkov—Glick (LMG) model which consists of spin-1/2 particles with XXZ-type exchange interactions between any pair of them. The ferromagnetic (FM) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) cases are completely analyzed at both finite temperature and zero temperature. According to the results obtained by accurate numerical calculation, several interesting physic phenomena and characteristics of thermal entanglement in the LMG model are found. Not only do we evaluate the entanglement of the LMG model, but also discover the correlations between macroscopic physical quantities and thermal entanglement.


Global logistic design is becoming a keen interest to provide an essential infrastructure associated with modern societal provision. For examples, we can designate green and/or robust logistics in transportation systems, smart grids in electricity utilization systems, and qualified service in delivery systems, and so on. As a key technology for such deployments, we engaged in practical vehicle routing problem on a basis of the conventional saving method. This paper extends such idea and gives a general framework available for various real-world applications. It can cover not only delivery problems but also two kind of pick-up problems, i.e., straight and drop-by routings. Moreover, multi-depot problem is considered by a hybrid approach with graph algorithm and its solution method is realized in a hierarchical manner. Numerical experiments have been taken place to validate effectiveness of the proposed method.


[1] There continue to be surprises in the identification of the terrestrial nightglow components. Comparison of the nightglow as measured in astronomical sky spectra and Optical Spectrograph and Infrared Imager System (OSIRIS)/Odin orbiter data with that on FeO emission in meteor trains and laboratory experiments demonstrates that this emission is an important part of the nightglow, appearing as a quasi-continuum between 540 and 680 nm, with maximum intensity at 595 nm. In order to study the FeO emission, account must be taken of other nearby emissions, including the 589 nm sodium emission lines, and the underlying 8−2 OH Meinel band. The temporal behavior of the three emissions is normally closely related, but strong excursions can occur, which could provide valuable information on atmospheric processes. The temporal behavior of the FeO and OH emissions was compared to model results from the one-dimensional and time-resolved model FeMOD, which describes the iron chemistry in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere. Further observations and comparisons with satellite and lidar data as well as models will make it possible to improve our understanding of mesospheric chemistry, meteor ablation, and the role of iron in the atmosphere.


In the midst of the difficult and tragic changes wrought by COVID-19, many of us have also been given the gift of a reminder to return to the basis of our spiritual life, our connection to the natural world The pandemic has challenged almost every aspect of modern life;in particular we have been forced to reconsider our humanity, the relationship between climate change and racial justice, and the very threat to our physical and spiritual survival as our natural environments degrade and entire ecosystems vanish The cover photograph, created by artist and international photographer Schaun Champion, is a stunning portrayal of a Black woman in deep communion with nature I couldn't think of a more fitting image as a balm for our very fractured relationship with nature highlighted so keenly by COVID-19 Champion is not only a photographer, but also a filmmaker and instructor specializing in portraiture, fine art, and cultural documentary that explores the themes of diversity and nostalgia In this image I see a number of things: an homage to the rite of spring, a reminder that soul and spirit live in nature, and an acknowledgement that climate change has always been a racial justice issue This pandemic has revealed that BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) have been disproportionally impacted by the novel coronavirus due to environmental conditions in communities of color, weaker public service provision, marginalized employment, and many more factors As the first two of the following articles describe, nature is everything © 2021 C G Jung Institute of San Francisco


Multiple myeloma (MM) has been considered as low immunogenic incurable disease. The attempts has been made to invert the immune status to recognize myeloma cells by T cells or other cells of the immune system. Here we studied biology of myeloma-specific T cells in vitro. Irradiated myeloma cell line ARH 77 has been used as tumor antigen to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 8 healthy volunteers. Dendritic Cells loaded by irradiated autologous MM cells has been used to stimulate PBMC of 10 MM patients. Activated responder T cells have been immunomagnetically separated based on surface expression of interferon gamma (Miltenyi Biotech) and expanded in 5 cases by phytohemaglutinin and repeated high-doses of interleukin 2. Cytotoxicity against the original myeloma cells has been tested after the expansion using propidium iodide or 7-amino actinomycin D. Responder T cells were labeled by CFSE to distinguish them from myeloma cells. Third-party PBMC and interferon gamma negative fraction of T cells served as controls. The percentage of interferon gamma positive cells in healthy donors has been enriched from 2.8±0.9 and 2.6±0.8 to 48.6±23.4 and 73.2±25.9 of CD3 + CD4 + and CD3 + CD8 + T cells, respectively, by immunomagnetic separation. Interferon gamma positive T cells have been further expanded in vitro from 0.54x10 6 ± 0.05x10 6 to 214.00x10 6 ± 103.46x10 6 within 4 weeks. A specific cytotoxicity has been tested after expansion. The killing of myeloma cells by expanded IFN g + T cells reached 68.1±14.2%, while interferon gamma negative fraction killed only 0.8±0.3% of myeloma cells. As another control, killing of third-party PBMC by expanded interferon gamma positive T cells was 6.9±2.5%. Similar observations were made in MM patients and will be presented at the meeting. These data demonstrate a specific cytotoxic effect of expanded interferon gamma positive T cells against myeloma cell line ARH 77 and open the possibility for clinical use of tumor-specific T cells in MM.


Earthquake engineering applications is an emerging area for sensor networks where survivability is a major concern. Due to the nature of the application, it is not possible to depend on a continuously connected network. It is vital to sustain the functionality during the disconnected times that might occur following seismic activity. In addition, due to resource constraints such as data storage capacity as well as the power supply, it is important to reduce the amount of communication and data storage requirements. Data aggregation is a technique to reduce the amount of data to this end. To date, however, data aggregation for accelerogram readings has either been computationally intensive, representing a barrier to its acceptance in sensor networks, or resulted in critical data loss and inaccurate interpretations. In this article we study the application-based requirements of accelerogram-based sensor networks. We then propose a data aggregation method to enable orders of magnitude improvement in storage and transmission of the observations of a seismic activity without losing critical information. We present results from our performance analysis based on a wide variety of real earthquake data. Our results suggest orders of magnitude improvement in storage and communications with our approach.


While achieving great fluency, current machine translation (MT) techniques are bottle-necked by adequacy issues. To have a closer study of these issues and accelerate model development, we propose automatic detecting adequacy errors in MT hypothesis for MT model evaluation. To do that, we annotate missing and wrong translations, the two most prevalent issues for current neural machine translation model, in 15000 Chinese-English translation pairs. We build a supervised alignment model for translation error detection (AlignDet) based on a simple Alignment Triangle strategy to set the benchmark for automatic error detection task. We also discuss the difficulties of this task and the benefits of this task for existing evaluation metrics.


Fucoidan refers to a type of polysaccharide which contains substantial percentages of l-fucose and sulfate ester groups, mainly derived from brown seaweed. For the past decade fucoidan has been extensively studied due to its numerous interesting biological activities. Recently the search for new drugs has raised interest in fucoidans. In the past few years, several fucoidans' structures have been solved, and many aspects of their biological activity have been elucidated. This review summarizes the research progress on the structure and bioactivity of fucoidan and the relationships between structure and bioactivity.


Objective To investigate the effect of diabetes with and without vitamin E treatment on testicular metallothionein (MT) and metal (zinc, copper and iron) changes. Methods Diabetes was induced with a single intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of streptozotocin in rats, and diabetic rats were given Vitamin E by i.p. every other day for 4 weeks. MT protein was measured by the cadmium-haeme assay and metal levels were detected by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results Diabetes did not change testicular MT protein, but significantly increased hepatic MT protein. Diabetes significantly decreased testicular copper, but not hepatic copper. Zinc and iron levels were unchanged in both diabetic testis and liver. Vitamin E significantly enhanced both testicular and hepatic MT, and zinc levels in diabetic rats. Vitamin E slightly decreased the copper levels, but did not change the testicular and hepatic iron in diabetic rats. Conclusions Testicular MT protein expression was not increased, even though hepatic MT significantly increased independent of metal changes, in diabetic rats. Vitamin E enhanced testicular and hepatic MT, which correlated with increased zinc levels.


In this note, we present criteria for marginal stability and marginal instability of switched systems. For switched nonlinear systems, we prove that uniform stability is equivalent to the existence of a common weak Lyapunov function (CWLF) that is generally not continuous. For switched linear systems, we present a unified treatment for marginal stability and marginal instability for both continuous-time and discrete-time switched systems. In particular, we prove that any marginally stable system admits a norm as a CWLF. By exploiting the largest invariant set contained in a polyhedron, several insightful algebraic characteristics are revealed for marginal stability and marginal instability.


Abstract With increasing availability of near-complete, structured bibliographical data, the past decade has seen a rise in large-scale bibliometric studies attempting to find universal truths about the scientific communication system. However, in the search for universality, fundamental differences in knowledge production modes and the consequences for bibliometric assessment are sometimes overlooked. This article provides an overview of article and author characteristics at the level of the OECD minor and major fields of science classifications. The analysis relies on data from the full Web of Science in the period 2000–2020. The characteristics include document type, median reference age, reference list length, database coverage, article length, coauthorship, author sequence ordering, author gender, seniority, and productivity. The article reports a descriptive overview of these characteristics combined with a principal component analysis of the variance across fields. The results show that some clusters of fields allow inter-field comparisons, and assumptions about the importance of author sequence ordering, while other fields do not. The analysis shows that major OECD groups do not reflect bibliometrically relevant field differences, and that a reclustering offers a better grouping.


Biodegradable hollow poly-lactic acid (PLA) microcapsules were synthesized by directly adsorbing the polymer to N2 (air) microbubbles using the bubble template method. In this method microbubbles nucleate inside droplets, made of a solution of PLA in dichloromethane, as a result of solvent diffusion into a continuous phase of either water or a PVA aqueous solution. Subsequently PLA adsorbs to the microbubble surface, covers it and then the microbubble covered with PLA is spontaneously released from the drople's interior yielding to hollow PLA microcapsules. For special fabrication conditions, it was found that the final capsules were uniform in size. It was found that the high uniformity is directly correlated to the type of release. This was classified into either single or multiple bubble release. When the predominant type of release is single bubble release, the resultant microcapsules were uniform. In this study we also aim to elucidate the conditions required to attain single bubble release. It is believed that this type of release is attained when the energy barrier at the liquid-liquid interface is lowered, thus microcapsules can be smoothly released. From experiments, it was understood that the use of PVA, a low molecular weight PLA and an initially low PLA concentration is the requirement in order to attain single bubble release. Furthermore, based on rheological and the surface tension measurements at the liquid-liquid interface and inner flow circulation inside the droplet we proposed two plausible mechanisms for single bubble release: (a) mechanism based on the repulsive force between two adjacent microbubbles and (b) mechanism based on the imbalance of interfacial tensions around a bubble.SEM images revealed that microcapsules obtained from 'multiple bubble' type can display a non-spherical cores. In addition, these capsules can have briged shells or bridged cores (share cores). Microcapsule bridging can happen inside the droplet (when cores are shared) or outside (when only the shell is bridged). Increasing the initial concentration of PLA or using a PLA of high molecular weight yields to this phenomenon. The zeta potential of these capsules at pH = 7.0 was above 20mV, and thus the colloidal suspension of microcapsules in water was stable.Copyright © 2012 by ASME


Most scholars would agree that the frontier was a violent place. But only recently have academics begun to examine the extent to which frontier settlers used violence as a way to empower themselves and to protect their interests. Moreover, when historians do talk about violence, they typically frame it as the by-product of American nationalism and expansion. For them, violence is the logical result of the American nation state's dispossessing American Indians of their lands. Perhaps one of the most striking representations of the violent transition from frontier to nation state is that of Indiana Territory's contested spaces.  While many scholars see this violence as the logical conclusion to Anglo-American expansionist aims, I argue that marginalized French, Miamis, and even American communities created a frontier atmosphere conducive to violence (such as that at the Battle of Tippecanoe) as a means to empower their own agendas. Rather than a moment of defeat for the French and Miamis, the violence at Tippecanoe was in fact the culmination of years of manipulating regional diplomacy. The French and Miamis watched in horror as their borderland began collapsing in 1787 as American settlement ushered in a period of chaos and violence. Rather than simply abandon their ethnic interests and familial obligations, the French and Miamis chose to rework, shape, and use the violence that was becoming increasingly uncontrollable and endemic to the region.


We performed Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) imaging microscopy of endogeneous myosin-rich and collagen-rich tissues in amphibian and mammals. We determined the relative components of the macroscopic susceptibility tensor chi((2)) from polarization dependence of SHG intensity. The effective orientation angle theta(e) of the harmonophores has been determined for each protein. For myosin we found theta(e) approximately 62 degrees and this value was unchanged during myofibrillogenesis. It was also independent of the animal species (xenopus, dog and human). For collagen we found theta(e) approximately 49 degrees for both type I- and type III- rich tissues. From these results we localized the source of SHG along the single helix of both myosin and collagen.


The new power market scene has made its actors aware of the importance of offering customers a set of products according to their specific needs. At the same time, a desirable massive deployment of distributed energy resources would require that the products be designed for specific purposes for each type of customer. For these reasons, it is essential to identify the energy behaviour of different customer segments existing in the electricity market. This paper presents a segmentation methodology that allows the identification of different types of customers in accordance with their energy use. This segmentation is conceptually different from the one that is currently performed by the utilities, which is based on commercial premises, but has been designed to be compatible with the current data organisation at the utilities. These characteristics make the proposed segmentation unique and useful to many energy-related applications. This segmentation methodology presented has been developed in the framework of EU-DEEP, a large VI-Framework Program of the European Commissions, where it was used to assess which segments are suitable for the implementation of distributed energy resources. The connection with this project is also discussed in the paper.


Eighteen patients underwent splenectomy for hypersplenism from a group of approximately 1,000 patients admitted to four hospitals with a diagnosis of malignant lymphoma. The results indicate that splenectomy is without benefit in Hodgkin's disease. However, it may favorably influence the course of lymphosarcoma. Six of the eight patients with Hodgkin's disease and one of the nine patients with lymphosarcoma died within 30 days of the operation. The overall operative mortality was 39%. Surgeons attempting this procedure should carefully review the indications, the goals, and the technique of this operation owing to the high morbidity and mortality associated with splenectomy in malignant lymphoma.


A method for evaluating compounds as nucleating agents in isotactic polystyrene (IPS) is described that involves measuring the polymer heat of fusion by differential scanning calorimetry after a prescribed thermal history. Twenty-nine compounds are described that increase the overall crystallization rate of three IPS samples. In general, the effective compounds contain an aromatic nucleus, are polyfunctional, and are high melting. Most are organic nitrogen heterocyclics. The most effective nucleating agents are thymine, melamine, oxamide, 2-hydroxybenzimidazole, and 4-hydroxy-6,7-dimethylpteridine. The use of plasticizers such as butyl stearate, diisobutyl adipate, or paraffin oil with nucleating agents often results in a synergistic increase in crystallinity.


Gestational diseases such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes cause inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in the placenta and changes in placental kisspeptin levels. Although maternal hypothyroidism also reduces the kisspeptin/Kiss1R system at the maternal-fetal interface, there is still no information on whether this dysfunction causes inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in the placenta or influences the modulatory role of kisspeptin in these processes. This study aimed to evaluate whether hypothyroidism activates the inflammasome-NLRP3 pathway and pyroptosis at the maternal-fetal interface of rats and whether kisspeptin can modulate these processes. Hypothyroidism was induced in Wistar rats by the administration of propylthiouracil. Kisspeptin-10 (Kp10) treatment began on the 8th day of gestation (DG). Gene and/or protein expressions of NLRP3, Caspase 1, IL-1β, IL-18, and Gasdermin D (Gsmd) were evaluated in the deciduae and placentae at the 18th DG. Hypothyroidism increased the decidual and placental stainings of NLRP3, IL-1β, and Gasdermin D, and increased the gene expressions of Nlrp3, Ilβ, and Il18 in the placenta and of Gsmd in the decidua. Treatment with Kp10 suppressed the increase in NLRP3/Nlrp3, IL-1β, Il18, and Gasdermin D/Gsmd caused by hypothyroidism at the maternal-fetal interface. However, Kp10 increased the placental gene expressions of Casp1 and Il1β. The findings demonstrated that maternal hypothyroidism activated the inflammasome-NLRP3 pathway and pyroptosis at the maternal-fetal interface of rats and that treatment with Kp10 was able to block these processes, thus suggesting that kisspeptin analogues may be promising in the treatment of gestational diseases that involve inflammasome activation and pyroptosis.


This multi author book describes one expert laboratory's integrated approach to the assay of 13 naturally occurring gut regulatory peptides. It is based on teaching programmes on the methodology of radioimmunoassay techniques in use there; indeed the book might be described as an expanded methods section for the many papers on gut hormone physiology and pathology already published by this group. The text falls into two parts. One part deals briefly with principles and provides method details which are common to the assay of all 13 peptides. It also includes a description of the precautions taken to ensure assay validity. Much of this material is handed down as lore in established assay laboratories and it is useful to have it collected here. Thus there is a discussion of conditions for storing tissues for extraction and of non-specific plasma effects which may interfere in assays. In the other part, substances and their assay are considered individually with sections on gastrin, cholecystokinin, secretin pancreatic and enteroglucagons, pancreatic polypeptide, gastric inhibitory polypeptide, motilin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), bombesin, somatostatin, neurotensin, and substance P. For each substance the book also includes information on the chemistry, physiology, and pathology as well as the laboratory's estimates of plasma and tissue concentrations. Realistically the authors note that differences between reagents in use in different centres are associated with variability between estimates obtained. A glossary provides some unusual definitions but is a feature which may be appreciated by non-medical readers. The presentation is good and the reviewer has few quibbles. One is that although the VIP assay described "provides an assay range for plasma of 5 to 500 pmoVl" estimates are reported in the range 0-5 to 4 pmol/l. Another is that it is surprising if an assay with a working range 2 to 200 pmol/l plasma is able to detect "changes of as little as 1 pmol/I with 95% confidence" overall parts of the dose range of the assay. The book is an authoritative report and a practical guide to one laboratory's present methods for estimating an important group of substances. It will be helpful to any one needing to set up or evaluate assays for the gut regulatory peptides and usefully summarises the chemistry and methodology used by one laboratory to eli where recent advances have endocrinology. Book reviews


Corona inception voltage (CIV) due to water droplet sitting over the surface of epoxy nanocomposite material depends on supply voltage frequency, the conductivity of water droplet and the contact angle of the test specimens. The contact angle of the specimen and CIV due to water droplet has a direct correlation. It is realised that the CIV is high under negative DC and the least under AC voltages. Surface charge accumulation studies indicate that the accumulated charge and its decay time constant reduces in the damage-caused zone due to corona activity. The ultra-high frequency (UHF) signal generated due to water droplet-initiated corona activity has frequency content in the range of 0.8-1 GHz. The localisation of incipient discharges is demonstrated by using the non-iterative technique and the cross recurrence plot (CRP) technique is used to estimate the time difference of arrival (TDOA) of UHF signals generated due to water droplet-initiated discharge. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) depicts the elemental composition and reveals the difference in plasma temperature and threshold fluence between all the test specimens. In short, the performance of ion trapping particle filled epoxy nanocomposite performance is found to be best followed by titania filled epoxy nanocomposite and the base epoxy resin.


Enhanced bioremediation is increasingly used to accelerate cleanup of recalcitrant compounds and has been identified as the preferred remedial treatment at a substantial number of contaminated DoD (Department of Defense) sites. However, blind introduction of amendments can lead to suboptimal or ineffective remediation and it is generally unknown how the introduced amendments are distributed throughout the treatment zone. Consequently, performance monitoring tools are needed which provide operational staff and regulators timely, actionable information on the spatiotemporal behavior of amendments. As amendments and degradation products often have electrical properties which differ from ambient soil properties time lapse electrical geophysical monitoring has the potential to be such a tool. We discuss the field implementation and initial results of a Hydrogeophysical Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) which provides performance monitoring data on an enhanced bioremediation effort which is currently occurring at the Brandywine site in Brandywine, Maryland. Introduction Bioremediation Due to the potential for substantial cost savings there is a continuing interest in the use of in situ remedial approaches. These include both the use of permeable reactive barriers, monitored or enhanced natural attenuation and contaminant sequestration approaches. One of the most appealing approaches for organics is the use of biological processes which break down the contaminants in benign components. This process can be enhanced or facilitated by the injection of amendments and/or microbes. A range of different amendments exists, all of which serve as nutrients for the microbial communities. Amendments include both water soluble amendments (such as lactate, ethanol and molasses) as well as slow release compounds (such as vegetable oil, Hydrogen Release Compound ®, a proprietary mixture, and mulch) (table 1). In general, it is not uncommon to inject thousands of gallons of amendment mixture per injection point. One of the primary challenges for a remediation based approach is to ensure the adequate distribution of amendment in the subsurface. While analysis of aqueous samples can provide accurate information on amendment distribution the cost of sampling and subsequent laboratory analysis is substantial. In addition, sampling effort only provide limited spatial and temporal information on amendment distribution.


Five novel strains of Photobacterium (A-394T, A-373, A-379, A-397 and A-398) were isolated from bleached coral Madracis decactis (scleractinian) in the remote St Peter & St Archipelago (SPSPA), Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Brazil. Healthy M. decactis specimens were also surveyed, but no strains were related to them. The novel isolates formed a distinct lineage based on the 16S rRNA, recA, and rpoA gene sequences analysis. Their closest phylogenetic neighbours were Photobacterium rosenbergii, P. gaetbulicola, and P. lutimaris, sharing 96.6 to 95.8% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. The novel species can be differentiated from the closest neighbours by several phenotypic and chemotaxonomic markers. It grows at pH 11, produces tryptophane deaminase, presents the fatty acid C18:0, but lacks C16:0 iso. The whole cell protein profile, based in MALDI-TOF MS, distinguished the strains of the novel species among each other and from the closest neighbors. In addition, we are releasing the whole genome sequence of the type strain. The name Photobacterium sanctipauli sp. nov. is proposed for this taxon. The G + C content of the type strain A-394T (= LMG27910T = CAIM1892T) is 48.2 mol%.


1. The inhibition of cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated substrate oxidations by alkylamine-based drugs was investigated in rat hepatic microsomes. The effects of pre-incubation of the drugs with NADPH-fortified microsomes on inhibition potency was evaluated in relation to the formation of metabolite intermediate (MI) complexes with CYP in vitro. 2. The selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine (FLU) emerged as a potent and preferential inhibitor of CYP2C11 in rat liver microsomes. After FLU biotransformation in NADPH-supplemented microsomes, IC50 values of 2 and 1 μM were determined against CYP2C11-dependent testosterone 2α- and 16α-hydroxylation; in the absence of pre-incubation, the corresponding IC50 values were 47 and 39 μM. MI complexation of CYP appeared to contribute significantly to inhibition by FLU, as evidenced by the 21% decrease in apparent microsomal CYP content produced by 50 μM FLU in the presence of NADPH. 3. The secondary amines nisoxetine (NIS), and especially, desipramine (DES) and nortriptyline (NOR), also inhibited CYP2C11 and generated MI complexes with microsomal CYP. In contrast, with the exception of SKF-525-A, tertiary alkylamines (10 compounds) inhibited specific CYP activities but did not form MI complexes. Pre-incubation of these agents with NADPH-supplemented microsomes did not enhance inhibition of CYP activities, thus suggesting that formation of inhibitory metabolites was minimal for these compounds. 4. These findings implicate drug-mediated MI complexation of CYPs in the inhibition of hepatic biotransformation processes by secondary alkylamines. In contrast, tertiary amines did not generate significant quantities of CYP–MI complexes under the test conditions. Despite their diffusion from the CYP active site, inhibition produced by tertiary amines and stable metabolites of other drugs may be significant. However, such inhibition would be of shorter duration than that from MI complexation, which involves quasi-covalent binding to the haem and prevention of oxygen activation.


Financial risk tolerance is defined as the highest level of uncertainty an individual is willing to take during a financial decision. Previous studies found that financial risk tolerance can be influenced by age, gender, marital status, and ethnic groups. Therefore, it is important to analyse the influence of demographic factors on financial risk tolerance as it influences the investment decisions of South African investors and their financial well-being. Financial well-being is defined as a state of being financially free and being able to meet present and future standard of living desires. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the financial risk tolerance of South African investors is influenced by their subjective financial well-being. South African investment companies can use this study as a prediction tool to use on their client base in order to assume their risk tolerance levels, and if possible, improve their financial well-being depending on their demographics. The results from the study indicates that African, female investors between 35-49 years who are not married and have high financial well-being are willing to invest in high risk portfolios as they indicated higher levels of risk tolerance.
Keywords: Financial risk tolerance, financial well-being, demographics, investors, binary regression, South Africa


ABSTRACT Background:Postpancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) hemorrhage (PPH) is a life-threatening complication after PD. The main objective of this study was to evaluate incidence and factors associated with late PPH as well as the management strategy and outcomes. Methods: Between May 2017 and March 2020, clinical data from 192 patients undergoing PD were collected prospectively in the CHIRPAN Database (NCT02871336) and retrospectively analyzed. In our institution, all patients scheduled for a PD are routinely admitted for monitoring and management in intensive/intermediate care unit (ICU/IMC). Results: The incidence of late PPH was 17% (32 of 192), whereas the 90-day mortality rate of late PPH was 19% (6 of 32). Late PPH was associated with 90-day mortality (P = 0.001). Using multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for late PPH were postoperative sepsis (P = 0.036), and on day 3, creatinine (P = 0.025), drain fluid amylase concentration (P = 0.023), lipase concentration (P < 0.001), and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration (P < 0.001). We developed two predictive scores for PPH occurrence, the PANCRHEMO scores. Score 1 was associated with 68.8% sensitivity, 85.6% specificity, 48.8% predictive positive value, 93.2% negative predictive value, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.841. Score 2 was associated with 81.2% sensitivity, 76.9% specificity, 41.3% predictive positive value, 95.3% negative predictive value, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.859. Conclusions: Routine ICU/IMC monitoring might contribute to a better management of these complications. Some predicting factors such as postoperative sepsis and biological markers on day 3 should help physicians to determine patients requiring a prolonged ICU/IMC monitoring.


The Flight Deck or cockpit is designed to support the prosecution of aircraft mission.  For aircraft with commercial purpose such as passenger transport aircraft, there must be good "fit" between the human, the machine which composed of various aircraft system and the aircraft mission; and these are what the Flight Deck design process needs to ensure but not limited to display design, aircraft control, automation, HCI on the Flight Deck and pilot's view to outside through cockpit windows namely external vision. The external vision of cockpit windows must satisfy regulatory requirements which intended to ensure that the view is adequate for pilots to operate the aircraft safely and gives them a reasonable opportunity to see and avoid other aircraft that pose a collision threat.Concurrently during critical periods of flight, it is important that the flight crew access information in front of his view with minimal head rotation.  Cockpit-Displays with critical flight information should then be located to these locations.  Compromising both external vision and internal vision as Pilot's visibility should be attained.


Labor migration is usually considered as economically benefiting the household family members who are left behind through remittances. The extent of migration and remittances have shown significant growth however the empirical evidence on the casual impact of migration on economic status and wellbeing of those who are left behind is not well documented at the regional level in Pakistan. The study aimed to assess the impact of regional remittance flow on household economic status and wellbeing by using propensity score matching (PSM) technique. The first approach is to develop Multidimensional Poverty Index and second to show how pattern of inter and intra-provincial and regional remittances flow decreases the probability of poverty and affects the household wellbeing. For the analysis, the study utilized the nationally representative Pakistan Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2013–2014. The results of the analysis lead to the conclusion that internal labor mobility occurs because of poverty, instead of benefitting the households who are left behind further had dragged them into risk of poverty. The poor individuals moving to urban or other areas in search of job opportunities had not been able to support themselves in new areas but also had failed to support their family back at home.


Light scattering from nanoparticles is significant in nanoscale imaging, photon confinement. and biosensing. However, engineering the scattering spectrum, traditionally by modifying the geometric feature of particles, requires synthesis and fabrication with nanometre accuracy. Here it is reported that doping lanthanide ions can engineer the scattering properties of low‐refractive‐index nanoparticles. When the excitation wavelength matches the ion resonance frequency of lanthanide ions, the polarizability and the resulted scattering cross‐section of nanoparticles are dramatically enhanced. It is demonstrated that these purposely engineered nanoparticles can be used for interferometric scattering (iSCAT) microscopy. Conceptually, a dual‐modality iSCAT microscopy is further developed to identify different nanoparticle types in living HeLa cells. The work provides insight into engineering the scattering features by doping elements in nanomaterials, further inspiring exploration of the geometry‐independent scattering modulation strategy.


The present study compares isolated and non‐isolated substorms in terms of their global morphology and energy deposition. The analysis is based on a list of geomagnetic substorm onsets identified with magnetometer data from SuperMAG and published previously by Newell and Gjerlove (2011a). Isolated substorms are defined as those with separation of two consecutive onsets no less than 3 h. The auroral data are obtained from the global ultraviolet imager (GUVI) on board the TIMED satellite and are rebinned into typical magnetic latitude‐magnetic local time maps. The auroral maps are then averaged in 1 min intervals to show the dynamic change of the aurora. The three phases of the substorm are clearly demonstrated in both isolated and non‐isolated substorms. However, there are noticeable differences between the two types of substorms: (1) While the nighttime auroral power for both types of substorms slightly increases in the growth phase, isolated (non‐isolated) substorms are associated with smaller (greater) nighttime auroral power. (2) In the expansion phase, isolated substorms are associated with greater and more explosive energy release than non‐isolated substorms. (3) The time for the recovery phase is ~2 times longer for isolated than for non‐isolated substorms. (4) The winter‐to‐summer auroral power ratio is approximately constant throughout the three substorm phases and the ratio is larger for isolated (~30%) than that for non‐isolated (~10%) substorms. It is also found that the polar cap area increases during the growth phase until ~10 min prior to the magnetic substorm onset and decreases rapidly thereafter. The decrease is found to result from the closure of the nightside polar cap associated with substorm expansion. It is found that the observed differences between the two types of substorms simply reflect the differences in the solar wind and EUV drivers. Thus, we conclude that there is no intrinsic difference between isolated and non‐isolated substorms in terms of auroral energy release and subsequent auroral power decay.


The purpose of this study was to identify whether sleep onset latency (SOL) and rapid eye movement onset latency (ROL) increased or decreased after consuming alcohol. Researchers, Lobo and Tufik (1997), stated that "acute doses of ethanol significantly change the sleep of healthy volunteers" (p. 52). The current study was based on the foundation of alcohol's effects on sleep among healthy individuals. The populations studied were alcohol-use dependent individuals and healthy individuals. The following measurements were included: Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire Index (PSQI), Schlaffragebogen-A/R (SF-A/R), polysomnography (PSG), and electroencephalogram (EEG). The research design for the present study was a meta-analysis of existing, experimental, and quasi-experimental studies. Overall, 23 studies were included in the data analysis and extraction. Hedge's g was used to calculate the magnitude of effect sizes; the analyses were calculated with a random effects model with a 95% confidence interval. Overall, there was no statistical significance for the PSQI measure with SOL among the populations. Likewise, there was no statistical significance between the SOL and the ROL of healthy and alcohol-use dependent individuals. However, the ROL for healthy individuals who consumed alcohol prior to sleep was statistically significant and had a large effect size when compared to heavy alcohol users. Future studies should compare specific subgroups of healthy individuals (e.g., age, gender, & ethnicity) and include definitive blood alcohol levels (BALs).


Lignin as a renewable natural resource has been the focus of numerical interest in applications ranging from pitch to porous carbon material. Herein, a facile approach is reported to transform lignin into porous conductive carbon structures and interdigitated circuits for supercapacitor devices using femtosecond laser direct writing. Comparative studies revealed that the laser irradiation induced tetrahedral amorphous carbon while only graphitic carbon was obtained through pyrolysis. Meanwhile, the composite membrane was easily prepared to further optimize the capacities by mixing functional materials (MoS2) into the lignin/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) composite polymers. A MoS2 decorated porous carbon network material could be fabricated through focused femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation of the corresponding composite membranes. The microstructure and spectroscopic features of these laser induced hybrid carbon materials have been deeply investigated. The supercapacitor based on lignin/PAN has high areal specific capacitances of 6.7 mF cm−2 (0.9 F cm−3) at 10 mV s−1. Moreover, doped microsupercapacitors with MoS2 demonstrated enhanced areal capacitances up to 16 mF cm−2 (2.2 F cm−3) and at 10 mV s−1, respectively. The relatively high areal capacitances indicate that the proposed method is potential for innovative manufacturing energy storage devices based on natural lignin.Lignin as a renewable natural resource has been the focus of numerical interest in applications ranging from pitch to porous carbon material. Herein, a facile approach is reported to transform lignin into porous conductive carbon structures and interdigitated circuits for supercapacitor devices using femtosecond laser direct writing. Comparative studies revealed that the laser irradiation induced tetrahedral amorphous carbon while only graphitic carbon was obtained through pyrolysis. Meanwhile, the composite membrane was easily prepared to further optimize the capacities by mixing functional materials (MoS2) into the lignin/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) composite polymers. A MoS2 decorated porous carbon network material could be fabricated through focused femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation of the corresponding composite membranes. The microstructure and spectroscopic features of these laser induced hybrid carbon materials have been deeply investigated. The supercapacitor based on lignin/PAN has high areal spe...


Commercial operations to recover carbon fibre from waste composites are now developing and as more recovered fibre becomes available new applications for recovered fibre are required. Opportunities to use recovered carbon fibre as a structural reinforcement are considered involving the use of wet lay processes to produce nonwoven mats. Mats with random in-plane fibre orientation can readily be produced using existing commercial processes. However, the fibre volume fraction, and hence the mechanical properties that can be achieved, result in composites with limited mechanical properties. Fibre volume fractions of 40% can be achieved with high moulding pressures of over 100 bar, however, moulding at these pressures results in substantial fibre breakage which reduces the mean fibre length and the properties of the composite manufactured. Nonwoven mats made from aligned, short carbon fibres can achieve higher fibre volume fractions with lower fibre breakage even at high moulding pressure. A process for aligning short fibres is described and a composite of over 60% fibre volume fraction has been manufactured at a pressures up to 100 bar with low fibre breakage. Further developments of the alignment process have been undertaken and a composite of 46% fibre volume fraction has been produced moulded at a pressure of 7 bar in an autoclave, exhibiting good mechanical properties that compete with higher grade materials. This demonstrates the potential for high value applications for recovered carbon fibre by fibre alignment.


In the social system of Muslim society in Indonesia, pesantrens play a vital role in forming the ideal Muslim society order. Pesantrens and their sources also become the agent of social change because of their inclusive characteristics.The more rapid shariah economy, either as the economy system or as economics, makes sure the role of pesantrens because of the potencies that they have. The potencies that we can get from pesantrens to develop shariah economy are: (1) pesantrens as  agents of social changing in the field of shariah economy; (2) pesantrens as shariah business laboratoriums, and (3) pesantrens as the centre to learn syariah economy.


Dengue fever is a major public health problem in the world, because it is especially endemic in the tropical and subtropical areas. Arbovirus infection is less well documented in African countries. We aimed to assess the distribution of patients in the dengue epidemic and the seroprevalence of different serotypes of the circulating dengue virus. A retrospective study included analyses of human blood samples sent to the National Reference Laboratory for diagnosis during dengue infection outbreak. Samples were screened by IgM capture ELISA (MAC-ELISA) or by RT-PCR. Of the 2,849 serum samples from suspected dengue cases, 2,297 (80.6%) were from Abidjan. The seroprevalence of dengue was (15.1%) during this epidemic. The seroprevalence of dengue virus serotypes in cocirculation was predominated by DENV-2 with 189 cases (6.6%), followed by DENV-3 77 cases (2.7%), and DENV-1 14 cases (0.5%). The seroprevalence in children was 8.7% compared to 19.0% in adults. The age group of 16 to less than 45 years accounted for 54.0% of total positive cases. In addition, positive peak was observed in July (28.3%) and Abidjan East was the most affected locality. The increasing trend of serotypes of the dengue virus cocirculation suggests that Abidjan is becoming a hyperendemic state from an endemic one.