Relationships between entities are a very important part of each conceptual model. The participation of an object in a relationship influences the behaviour of that object: It needs the ability to interact with related objects. In the classic object oriented models and languages, relationships and their semantics are hidden behind attributes and specific object methods. Instead, the Role-Relationship-Model provides an explicit relationship concept which comprises relevant methods for objects participating in the relationship. The Role-Relationship-Model is based on a role model which allows objects tho change their types during their lifetimes. By defining a relationship, the participating entity types get new subtypes which contain the methods for interacting with related objects. An object is related to another object by acquiring such a subtype. Based on this relationship concept, generic and composite relationships are introduced. By specifying a generic relationship, the operational semantics of a class of relationships is described. The generic relationship can be instantiated as a relationship between specific entities. By instantiating relationships in the context of another (generic) relationship definition, (generic) composite relationships are built which represent more complex structures and their behaviour.


1. Ciliary activity is significantly influenced by chemical and physical properties of the liquid medium in which the cilia beat. 2. We studied the effect of changes in pH, ionic strength and viscosity on the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of explants of human respiratory mucosa. 3. Optimal CBF was elicited at pH 7 . 0-9 . 0, with a marked reduction of CBF outside these limits. The CBF was well preserved at NaCl concentrations between 5 g/l (80 mmol/l) and 12 g/l (200 mmol/l), but there was rapid loss at concentrations below 0 . 5 g/l (10 mmol/l). The cilia beat best at viscosities below 1 . 0 centipoises (1 mN s m-2). Increase of the viscosity gradually decreases CBF with a significant drop at viscosities above 87 millipoises. 4. It is concluded that the above limits may fairly accurately indicate the actual physical characteristics of the periciliary environment ('sol layer') in vivo.


The
aim is to optimize the anti-inflammatory effect and the therapeutic dose and
time window of picrosede II by orthogonal test in cerebral ischemic injury in rats. The forebrain ischemia models
were established by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) methods
in 30 Wistar rats. The successful
models were randomly divided into sixteen groups according to orthogonal
experimental design and treated by injecting
picroside II intraperitoneally at different ischemic time with different
dose. The concentrations of aquaporins 4 (AQP4), matrix metalloproteinases9
(MMP9) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) in serum and brain tissue were determined by
enzyme linked immunosorbent assay to evaluate the therapeutic effect of
picroside II in cerebral ischemic injury. The best therapeutic time window and
dose of picroside II in cerebral ischemic injury were 1) ischemia 2.0 h with 20
mg/kg and 1.5 h with 20 mg/kg body weight according to the concentration of
AQP4 in serum and brain tissue; 2) ischemia 1.5 h with 20 mg/kg and ischemia
2.0 h with 20 mg/kg according to the concentrations of MMP9 in serum and brain
tissue; and 3) ischemia 1.5 h with 10 mg/kg and ischemia 1.5 h with 20 mg/kg according
to the concentrations of COX2 in serum and brain tissue respectively. According
to the principle of the lowest therapeutic dose with the longest time window, the optimized therapeutic dose and time window were injecting picroside II intraperitoneally with 10 - 20 mg/kg
body weight at ischemia 1.5 - 2.0 h in cerebral ischemic injury.


In 2012, JPMorgan accumulated a USD 6.2 billion loss on a credit derivatives portfolio, the so-called "London Whale", partly as a consequence of de-correlations of non-perfectly correlated positions that were supposed to hedge each other. Motivated by this case, we devise a factor model for correlations that allows for scenario-based stress testing of correlations. We derive a number of analytical results related to a portfolio of homogeneous assets. Using the concept of Mahalanobis distance, we show how to identify adverse scenarios of correlation risk. In addition, we demonstrate how correlation and volatility stress tests can be combined. As an example, we apply the factor-model approach to the "London Whale" portfolio and determine the value-at-risk impact from correlation changes. Since our findings are particularly relevant for large portfolios, where even small correlation changes can have a large impact, a further application would be to stress test portfolios of central counterparties, which are of systemically relevant size.


With the closure of several mills within the state, industrial procurement managers became concerned about the status and trends of Minnesota's logging sector. A mail survey and follow-up focus groups were conducted to assess the health and viability of the sector. Although there are many logging businesses producing up to 5,000 cords annually, those businesses produce a small percentage of the total annual volume harvested, have the oldest equipment, work during the winter, and are operating at the lowest level of their reported capacity. Over time, there has been a trend toward larger producers who harvest an increasing percentage of the total annual volume harvested. Business owners are keeping their equipment longer than in the past, which has both positive and negative effects. Although those small logging businesses will continue to have a niche with private landowners in the future, it is likely that their number will continue to decline and that there will be continued growth of producers harvesting 15,000 cords annually. To be successful in the future, the logging sector will need to help itself and will need assistance from public forest management agencies, procurement mills, and lending institutions.


Recognizing that the civil engineer needs to know more about the aerodynamic characteristics of structures, this paper analyzes the work of past and present investigators and correlates data relating to shape coefficients for various building shapes. Included is a series of tables from the Swiss Building Code which is the latest and most extensive data published. It is hoped this paper will assist the civil engineer in establishing more logical design criteria for proper economy and safety in structures.


A canonical Hamiltonian formalism is derived for a class of Ermakov systems specified by several different frequency functions. This class of systems comprises all known cases of Hamiltonian Ermakov systems and can always be reduced to quadratures. The Hamiltonian structure is explored to find exact solutions for the Calogero system and for a non-central potential with dynamic symmetry. Some generalizations of these systems possessing exact solutions are also identified and solved.


Working together as co-investigators on the professionol staff at the Medical CoUege ofWzsconsin, the authors of this article have had over five years of experience in the diagnostic use of monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) for colorectal and ovarian cancer. We would like to share with you our approach to those MoAb imaging studies. While such agents have great potential for diagnosis and therapy, at the same time there can be problems and pitfalls. We present a practical and organized approach, which is the secret to success when undertaking MoAb imaging procedures. A complete review of MoAb technology and its application to nuclear medicine is beyond the scope of this article. However, a number of authoritative articles dealing with this topic have been published recently (1-12).


With the identification of increasing number of chromatin modifiers, histone variants, histone post-translational modifications and their cross-talk, it is essential to validate these findings and interactions in vitro for which pure histone complexes are required. Although, the production of such complexes has been described earlier but still it remains a challenge for a non-specialist lab. Here we describe a protocol to quickly obtain large quantities of highly pure histones using bacterial expression system for GST pull-down and reconstitution experiments. In addition, we describe methods to quickly reconstitute and purify H2A/H2B dimers, H3/H4 tetramers and histone octamers for in vitro experiments. We demonstrate that these sub-complexes are properly folded and are hence, true representatives of the actual substrates in vivo. We also show that histones have a propensity to be non-specifically cleaved by proteases. Our results suggest that TEV protease is the most suitable protease while working with histones. The methodology described here should allow researchers to purify histone complexes in three days enabling functional and structural analyses of histone variants, mutants and post-translational modifications.


Ten groundnut genotypes were grown under adequately irrigated conditions or subjected to drought during the pod filling phase (83-113 days after sowing) in a medium deep Alfisol at the ICRISAT Centre during the 1986-1987 post-rainy season. Crop growth was measured in both treatments, but transpiration (T) and water-use efficiency (W) were quantified only in the drought treatment. Leaf samples from both treatments were assayed for discrimination against (CO2)-C-13 fixed in leaves (DELTA) to examine the relationships between DELTA, crop growth, and W under field conditions. The shoot dry matter accumulated during the period of drought (Y) ranged from 72-150 g m-2 and was closely related to transpiration. This indicates scope for selection of traits and practices to increase T. Water-use efficiencies ranged from 1.38-2.50 g kg-1 and were inversely related to DELTA in eight out of the 10 genotypes. For the other two genotypes, there was evidence that T was under-estimated by field measurements. Water-use efficiency and transpiration were not correlated suggesting that these two traits might be combined through breeding. Variation between genotypes was greatest for the partitioning of total dry matter to pods (73%), followed by water-use efficiency (31%) and transpiration (29%). Crop growth rates were negatively related to DELTA under irrigated conditions but not under drought.


Until the 1990s, the passive and active length-tension (L-T) relationships of smooth muscle were believed to be static, with a single passive force value and a single maximum active force value for each muscle length. However, recent studies have demonstrated that the active L-T relationship in airway smooth muscle is dynamic and adapts to length changes over a period of time. Furthermore, our prior work showed that the passive L-T relationship in rabbit detrusor smooth muscle (DSM) is also dynamic and that in addition to viscoelastic behavior, DSM displays strain-softening behavior characterized by a loss of passive stiffness at shorter lengths following a stretch to a new longer length. This loss of passive stiffness appears to be irreversible when the muscle is not producing active force and during submaximal activation but is reversible on full muscle activation, which indicates that the stiffness component of passive force lost to strain softening is adjustable in DSM. The present study demonstrates that the passive L-T curve for DSM is not static and can shift along the length axis as a function of strain history and activation history. This study also demonstrates that adjustable passive stiffness (APS) can modulate total force (35% increase) for a given muscle length, while active force remains relatively unchanged (4% increase). This finding suggests that the structures responsible for APS act in parallel with the contractile apparatus, and the results are used to further justify the configuration of modeling elements within our previously proposed mechanical model for APS.


The purpose of this study aims to examine the effect of corporate governance on tax evasion. Corporate governance is proxied represented by the audit committee, the proportion of independent board of commissioners, institutional ownership and audit quality. Tax evasion is measured by the size of the gap of an effective tax rate. This study uses quantitative research design and data from the Finance Authority Service / OJK listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. By using purposive sampling in the observation period of 2013-2016, it has obtained 92 observations. The Data has been analyzed by using ordinary least square regression model. Regression results has identified that the proportion of independent board of commissioners and corporate performance have negatively affected tax evasion. Audit committees, audit quality and the size of company positively affected tax evasion. However, the institutional ownership has had no significant effect on tax evasion. These results have indicated that some of the mechanisms of corporate governance in Indonesia have been effective according to its function for the shareholders.


Site-directed antisera have been developed against the two endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) isoforms cloned to date in humans, ECE-1 alpha and ECE-1 beta. Antisera were raised in rabbits against synthetic peptides corresponding to the deduced amino acid sequences that differ between ECE-1 alpha and ECE-1 beta. Antisera were highly selective for their corresponding antigen (titer 1 x 10(4)) and did not detect ET-1 or big ET-1. Furthermore, no detectable crossreactivity was observed between the different site-specific antisera and the other immunizing peptides, suggesting that the antisera would be selective for ECE-1 alpha and ECE-1 beta. Standard displacement curves have been developed to determine the levels of immunoreactive ECE-1 alpha and ECE-1 beta in solubilized microsomal fractions of human tissue. In conclusion, we have described the first production and characterization of site-directed antisera raised against ECE-1 alpha and ECE-1 beta capable of discriminating between the two ECE-1 isoforms. Furthermore, using these antisera, we have found that ECE-1 alpha appears to be the predominant isoform in human tissue.


NIH3T3 cell lines expressing different polyoma virus oncogenes were found to differ by almost three orders of magnitude in frequencies of methotrexate-resistant (MTXr) cells in single-step selections. Cells expressing the polyoma small T antigen showed the highest frequencies of MTX resistance, whereas cells expressing the polyoma middle T antigen showed the lowest frequencies of MTX resistance. Amplification of the dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) gene was not a mechanism of MTX resistance in these cell lines. Cells expressing large T antigen also showed a high frequency of MTXr colonies with only two of 20 such colonies showing evidence of marginal (less than threefold) dhfr gene amplification. Cells carrying the cloning vector without an oncogene showed intermediate frequencies of MTX resistance, and in contrast to the oncogene expressing lines, two-thirds of these MTXr colonies showed marked dhfr gene amplification. The results suggest that the plasticity of the genome as measured by frequency or extent of dhfr gene amplification is not increased by expression of either immortalizing or transforming polyoma oncogenes. These oncogenes may, however, influence MTX resistance through epigenetic mechanisms. In addition, there appears to be no relationship between frequency of methotrexate resistance and frequency of dhfr gene amplification. It is clear that mechanisms of resistance other than dhfr gene amplification can be exclusively associated with either very high or very low frequencies of resistance.


To the Editor.— In response to the Special Communication by Dr Stafford 1 regarding cesarean sections, I would like to make a few comments. Why is the trend toward more and more cesarean sections? I submit that, in this day of advanced anesthesiological and surgical techniques, cesarean section is both easier and safer than vaginal delivery. Why should the modern woman undergo the sweaty, gut-wrenching ordeal of labor that may last 12 to 24 hours or more? Why must she face the frantic rush to the operating room for a stat section when the fetal heart rate drops? Why should she and her physician worry about the cord wrapped around the neck, fetal distress, breech presentation, pelvic dystocia, injured fetal parts (arms or necks), retained placenta, or transmitting herpesvirus to the infant during vaginal delivery? The mortality and morbidity rates of planned cesarean section, I am sure, are as low


Critically ill patients are a high risk population for medication errors and neonates represent a more vulnerable group. Errors can occur in each step of the path from prescription to administration and their rate varies widely due to the error definition and identification methods used in the different studies. Identifying medication errors is a challenge in neonatal care and should be a priority among care-givers in order to prevent future incidents and to improve patient safety.


Rock mass characteristics such as applied stress, pore pressure, and fracture density are coupled to the seismic wave propagation velocity. Therefore, measuring small relative changes of seismic wave velocities in operational mines has the potential for tracking changes in these important rock mass properties. To this end, we have conducted an experiment with the aim of measuring seismic body wave velocities in situ at Williams mine, Hemlo, Canada, using a pneumatic source and multiple receivers. We determine that the signal-to-noise ratio is improved by deconvolving the source signal from the signal recorded at the remotely grouted geophones. We evaluate the estimated relative changes in traveltimes and assume that these are due to changes in the body wave velocity caused by mining-related activities. We are able to successfully detect the source response at remote receivers in an operational mine at a distance of more than 430 m.


The superfluid weight, free carrier density, and specific heat of the three-dimensional tJ model are calculated by renormalization-group theory. We find that optimal hole doping for superfluidity occurs in the electron density range of n_i approximately between 0.63 - 0.68, where the superfluid weight n_s/m* reaches a local maximum. This density range is within the novel tau phase, where the electron hopping strength renormalizes to infinity, the system remains partially filled at all length scales, and the electron-hopping expectation value remains distinctively non-zero at all length scales. The calculated superfluid weight drops off sharply in the overdoped region. Under hole doping, the calculated density of free carriers increases until optimal doping and remains approximately constant in the overdoped region, as seen experimentally in high-T_c materials. Furthermore, from calculation of the specific heat coefficient gamma, we see clear evidence of a gap in the excitation spectrum for the tau phase.


The clinical, radiographic, and histopathologic features of 26 primary and 35 secondary vertebral tumors of the dog with varying periods of clinical signs, possibly influenced by their being referred dogs, are presented. Pain without neurologic signs was the predominant initial sign with both primary and secondary tumors. However, by the time of hospital admission, most dogs had neurologic deficits. The time from pain onset to neurologic deficit ranged from two days to nine months. German Shepherd Dogs, Standard Poodles, and Labrador Retrievers were heavily represented; the average age was 7 years and there was a slight predominance of male dogs. Both primary and secondary tumors showed a destructive pattern, often with cortical destruction and adjacent disc space collapse. An associated paravertebral soft tissue mass was frequently present in the secondary tumors, 13 of 35 being secondary to intrapelvic tumors. Osteosarcomas were the most common primary tumor; the secondary tumor cell type varied. Most dogs were euthanized immediately upon histopathologic confirmation of the disease.


ABSTRACT Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the factors of prolonged urinary leakage (PUL) after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and develop a new and simple scoring system to predict it. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with renal stones who underwent PCNL at the University of Health Sciences Izmir Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital between April 2011 and January 2020. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of PUL, and their preoperative and perioperative data were compared. A multivariate regression analysis was applied to examine the relationship between perioperative descriptors and PUL, and a nomogram was developed using significant predictors. Then, the individual components of the nomogram were assigned points to form a scoring system. Results: There were 92 and 840 patients in the groups with and without PUL, respectively. The results of the univariate logistic regression analysis showed that hydronephrosis grade, parenchymal thickness, duration of nephroscopy, and duration of nephrostomy catheter were significantly associated with PUL. Subsequently, a multivariate regression analysis was carried out with these four factors as possible independent risk factors of PUL after PCNL. Based on the results of this analysis, a nomogram prediction model was developed with an area under the curve value of 0.811, which was consequently used to develop a new simple score system consisting of three characteristics: parenchymal thickness (1–5 points), duration of nephroscopy (1–3 points), and hydronephrosis grade (1–3 points). Conclusion: A novel scoring system is a useful tool for predicting PUL in patients who have undergone percutaneous nephrolithotomy.


I am 40 years old and I am writing on the 4th anniversary of being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD). As a consultant geriatrician, I thought that PD was a disease of older adults, so the shock of being diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's Disease (YOPD) should not be underestimated. The reader may be surprised that I did not realise I had PD given my occupation and symptoms that I will describe in this brief article. My story will be illustrative of the kind of challenges that people with YOPD live through. I hope that the reader will come away with a greater understanding of what it is like living with PD.
Good health is often assumed to be the normal experience of young people and I fell for this delusion. I ran the London Marathon in 2004 and have enjoyed running since then. My early symptoms were, therefore, put down to running injuries. My stiff hip and ankle were put down to back problems. My lack of sense of smell was put down to allergic rhinitis. Looking back, I had signs and symptoms of PD for many years prior to my diagnosis in November 2017. This is a common experience of people diagnosed with YOPD. Most people have to wait many years before they are diagnosed and start receiving effective treatments. I was fortunate that my GP referred me to the neurologist straight away and my diagnosis was made promptly – within 5 months. Being informed I had PD was a shock, even though my symptoms were there for all to see.


Background: Allergic disease is suspected to play a role in the development of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Studies conducted over the last several decades have yielded mixed results. Methods: We examined the association between allergy, a common immune-mediated disorder, and ALL in the California Childhood Leukemia Study (CCLS), a case–control study of 977 children diagnosed with ALL and 1,037 matched controls (1995–2015). History of allergies in the first year of life was obtained from interviews, mainly reported by mothers. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), controlling for birth order, daycare attendance, and mode of delivery. In addition, we conducted meta-analyses with data from the CCLS and 12 published studies and employed a new method to estimate between-study heterogeneity (R_b). Results: Overall, no associations were observed between childhood ALL risk and specific allergy phenotypes or any allergy, as a group. However, having any allergy was associated with an increased risk of ALL among the youngest study participants. In the meta-analysis random-effects models, reduced odds of ALL were associated with hay fever (metaOR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.47–0.90); however, restricting the analysis to studies that used medical records for assessment of allergy or recently published studies led to null or attenuated results. Conclusions: Overall, our findings do not support a clear association between allergy and childhood ALL. Impact: The degree to which epidemiologic studies can inform the relationship between allergies and risk of childhood ALL is limited by R_b. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(10); 1142–50. ©2018 AACR.


The model of half a tracked vehicle semi-active suspension is established. The fuzzy logic controller of the semi-active suspension system is constructed. The acceleration of driver's seat and its time derivative are used as the inputs of the fuzzy logic controller, and the fuzzy logic controller output determines the semi-active suspension controllable damping force. The fuzzy logic controller is to minimize the mean square root of acceleration of the driver's seat. The control forces of controllable dampers behind the first road wheel are obtained by time delay, and the delay times are determined by the vehicle speed and axles distances. The simulation results show that this control method can decrease the acceleration of driver's seat and the suspension travel of the first road wheel, the ride quality is improved obviously.


Methotrexate (MTX), a synthetic folate analog, is a tight-binding inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), a key enzyme for the biosynthesis of purines, thymidylate, and several amino acids. As a consequence, MTX decreases titres of reduced folates, interferes with DNA synthesis, and results in the arrest of rapidly proliferating cells, making it a drug of choice for the treatment of a variety of cancers and auto-immune disorders. MTX is also a known teratogen in all higher animals tested, but there is little information about the effects of this drug on invertebrates. Here we show that MTX has little effect on the survival of Drosophila melanogaster adult flies, but severely diminishes female fecundity. Reduced oviposition, coupled with aberrant egg morphologies, resulted in near sterility of MTX-treated females. Rare surviving progeny showed developmental abnormalities including larval tumors, and bristle, wing, eye, and leg defects. To determine if these phenotypes could be attributed solely to DHFR inhibition, microarray analysis was undertaken and included MTX-treated females, ovaries, and cell line samples. Genes encoding transcripts that were perturbed by the drug were verified using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Many of these genes were involved in cell cycle regulation, signal transduction, transport, defense response, transcription, or various aspects of metabolism. These studies show that MTX treatment has multiple targets and, in addition, provides a new invertebrate model for the study of teratogenesis.


To make the results reasonable, existing joint diagonalization algorithms have imposed a variety of constraints on diagonalizers. Actually, those constraints can be imposed uniformly by minimizing the condition number of diagonalizers. Motivated by this, the approximate joint diagonalization problem is reviewed as a multiobjective optimization problem for the first time. Based on this, a new algorithm for nonorthogonal joint diagonalization is developed. The new algorithm yields diagonalizers which not only minimize the diagonalization error but also have as small condition numbers as possible. Meanwhile, degenerate solutions are avoided strictly. Besides, the new algorithm imposes few restrictions on the target set of matrices to be diagonalized, which makes it widely applicable. Primary results on convergence are presented and we also show that, for exactly jointly diagonalizable sets, no local minima exist and the solutions are unique under mild conditions. Extensive numerical simulations illustrate the performance of the algorithm and provide comparison with other leading diagonalization methods. The practical use of our algorithm is shown for blind source separation (BSS) problems, especially when ill-conditioned mixing matrices are involved.


In flat Origami (Origami which is folded flat), some cases exist that have a closed-loop in the overlap order of faces after they are folded. It is difficult to display this shape correctly on the screen when Origami is expressed by sets of plane polygons of zero thickness as is generally used in CG because all faces are placed on the same plane. In the present paper, we propose a new rendering technique to solve this problem. In the proposed method, we prepare a matrix that represents the overlap relation between two faces and a face ID buffer, the concept of which is similar to a Z buffer in the z-buffer algorithm. With this buffer, the face located in the uppermost is monitored in each pixel at the rendering stage. We render the shape on the face ID buffer using a scanline algorithm and display the folded shape by outputting the result in which the edges are extracted. Moreover, we render the shape in technical illustration style by coloring each vertex according to the number of mountain and valley folds connected to the vertex. In addition, we propose a simple pseudo shading algorithm.


Objective: To assess and create awareness towards risk factors like Kath chewing and other tobacco related habits and prevalence of premalignant lesions and early detection through light based Screening tool. Methodology: -First stage comprised of an interview to get demographic and preliminary data for the study. In the second stage, the entire recruited participants underwent an oral examination, and suspected lesions were further seen by specialist dental surgeon. Exclusion is done by a specialist dentist to group them into clinical types based on clinical provisional diagnosis and are referred for histopathologic examination for further management. Third stage all suspected red and white lesions, inconspicuous lesions are screened by Acetic acid and VElscope to identify & confirm visible changes which required histopathological examination for further definitive treatment options. Result: 75% study subjects showed Aceto-whitening, 9.3% subjects showed negative result and 11.4% subjects showed false positive results and 2.8% projected as No Abnormality Detected in acetic acid test. In VElscope examination, 65.6% Showed Positive Dark areas, followed by 34.3 % False Positive results. There were no negative finding. Positive Predictive Value stands more with age old Acetic acid test (75%) when compared with advance methods like VELscope (65.6%). Conclusion: The oral cavity should be carefully examined in tobacco users. Any changes in color or texture of oral mucosa should arouse suspicion of the presence pre malignant lesions and/or oral cancer. Devices like VELscope can be used as a diagnostic aid for identification of these lesions. However, we have to realize that still the histopathological examination is the most accurate method to confirm the diagnosis.


Installation of the four-converter generalized unified power flow controller (GUPFC) has been scheduled in Sichuan power grid. As a long-distance transmission system, Sichuan system has an undesirable power flow distribution, which has seriously infringed on its security. In this paper, a novel control law for the four-converter GUPFC has been proposed, which not only realizes the desired power flow distribution in Sichuan power gird, but also the voltage control of a substation. Furthermore, based completely on the locally measurable variables, the proposed controller could be very practical. Simulation studies have verified the effectiveness of the proposed controller. Compared with the conventional application of the UPFC, the GUPFC under the proposed controllers have shown great advantages and a very promising future.


Field potentials in the ambiguous nucleus induced by stimulation of the recurrent, superior laryngeal and vagus nerves have been recorded in the anesthetized cat. Stimulation of the ipsilateral recurrent nerve induced a positive-negative-positive antidromic field potential in the ambiguous nucleus indicating a close-field organization of laryngeal motoneurons, which showed a preferential projection of their dendritic trees in dorso-medial and ventro-lateral directions. Superior laryngeal nerve stimulation induced the sequential synaptic activation of laryngeal motoneurons. Besides laryngeal motoneurons activation, stimulation of the vagus nerve also induced the antidromic invasion of a distinct population of efferent neurons with a latency longer than those of laryngeal motoneurons.


Currently, ZnO-based diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS) attract much attention, mainly because of the predicted possibility of ferromagnetism at 300 K. Among these materials, Zn1-xCoxO takes a prominent position. In spite of numerous investigations, a general understanding of its magnetic properties is still missing. Moreover, its detailed magnetic behavior depends on the sample fabrication and after growth treatment. We present a systematic analysis of structural Zn1-xCoxO properties by micro-Raman scattering for a wide variety of different sample parameters. Bulk mixed crystals (x < 0.05) and thin layers (0.03 < x < 0.12) were investigated between 1.6 K and 295 K. Beside the common eigenmodes of the ZnO host lattice, we observe disorder-induced lattice vibration modes and structures, which we assign to vibration modes of Co-related precipitates. We present their dependence on the composition, the applied preparation technique, and the annealing process. Furthermore, the possible impact of such precipitate formation on the magnetic properties is discussed.


This article proposes a novel approach to assess the stability of linear systems with delayed and sampled-data inputs. It proposes an extension of existing results on the stability of sampled-data systems to the case where a delay is introduced in the control loop. The method is based on a continuous-time modelling of the systems together with the discrete-time Lyapunov theorem, which provides easy tractable sufficient conditions for asymptotic stability. Those conditions cope the problem of stability under asynchronous samplings and time-varying delays. The period and delay-dependent conditions are expressed using computable linear matrix inequalities. Several examples show the efficiency of the stability criteria.


Sound administrative theory and research may ultimately provide the knowledge whereby administrative leaders in education can function most effectively. Such knowledge will never tell us, however, whether it is desirable to take a particular administrative action in any society at any time. Thus, an administrator should understand his personal philosophical foundations and value system, and do his best to construct a philosophical position that is as consistent and logical as possible. Five such positions, reconstructionism, experimentalism, idealism, realism, and existentialism, can serve as guidelines. Each position, whether it is basically progressivistic or essentialistic, has a reasonably distinct approach to the nature of reality, educational aims and objectives, and the educative process. The development of language analysis as philosophy's most important contribution to man is discussed briefly. A self‐evaluation check list has been developed, which may be employed by an administrator to assess his present philosophy of educational administration.


We investigate model reduction of large-scale linear time-invariant systems in generalized state-space form. We consider sparse state matrix pencils, including pencils with banded structure. The balancing-based methods employed here are composed of well-known linear algebra operations and have been recently shown to be applicable to large models by exploiting the structure of the matrices defining the dynamics of the system. In this paper we propose a modification of the LR-ADI iteration to solve largescale generalized Lyapunov equations together with a practical convergence criterion, and several other implementation refinements. Using kernels from several serial and parallel linear algebra libraries, we have developed a parallel package for model reduction, SpaRed, extending the applicability of balanced truncation to sparse systems with up to O(105) states. Experiments on an SMP parallel architecture consisting of Intel Itanium 2 processors illustrate the numerical performance of this approach and the potential of the parallel algorithms for model reduction of large-scale sparse systems.


Based on a review of historical development of sex equality discourses, and practices in Turkey, and Britain, this paper idcntifies patterns, and trend s of change, and explores how real change towards sex equality could be achieved in both countries. Three aspects of equal opportunities discourse, and practice were evaluated: legal framework, national machinery, and organisational approaches in both countries. it is argued that Turkish, and British women, despite the geographical, historical, economic, and cultural differences between their countries, share a common position as disadvantaged groups in employmenL The statistical indicators of employment, and gender gap in pay, legislative provision. and the sociological studies of equality of opportunity in employment in both countries suggest that there is stiıı ample opportunity for progress towards sex equality. However, the nature of proposed agendas of change in legislative, state policy, and organisational approaches to equality shows divergence between Turkey, and Britain.


: Electron microscopic studies were made on the fine structure of the rhabdomeric tubuli of the honey bee-eye after exposure to white and monochromatic light. Several preparation and fixation techniques were tested. A method to irradiate the eyes in vitro by high intensity of white or monochromatic light was developped.


We study the dynamical process of braiding Majorana bound states (MBS) in the presence of the coupling to photons in a microwave cavity. We show theoretically that the π/4 phase associated with the braiding of MBS, as well as the parity of the ground state are imprinted into the photonic field of the cavity, which can be detected by dispersive readout techniques. These manifestations are purely dynamical, they occur in the absence of any splitting of the MBS that are exchanged, and they disappear in the static setups studied previously. Conversely, the cavity can affect the braiding phase, which in turn should allow for cavity controlled braiding.


SUMMARY Tissue physical properties from a Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) neonate head are reported and compared with computed tomography (CT) X-ray imaging. Physical properties measured include longitudinal sound velocity, density, elastic modulus and hysteresis. Tissues were classified by type as follows: mandibular acoustic fat, mandibular blubber, forehead acoustic fat (melon), forehead blubber, muscle and connective tissue. Results show that each class of tissues has unique, co-varying physical properties. The mandibular acoustic fats had minimal values for sound speed (1350±10.6 m s–1) and mass density (890±23 kg m–3). These values increased through mandibular blubber (1376±13 m s–1, 919±13 kg m–3), melon (1382±23 m s–1, 937±17 kg m–3), forehead blubber (1401±7.8 m s–1, 935±25 kg m–3) and muscle (1517±46.8 m s–1, 993±58 kg m–3). Connective tissue had the greatest mean sound speed and density (1628±48.7 m s–1, 1087±41 kg m–3). The melon formed a low-density, low-sound-speed core, supporting its function as a sound focusing organ. Hounsfield unit (HU) values from CT X-ray imaging are correlated with density and sound speed values, allowing HU values to be used to predict these physical properties. Blubber and connective tissues have a higher elastic modulus than acoustic fats and melon, suggesting more collagen structure in blubber and connective tissues. Blubber tissue elastic modulus is nonlinear with varying stress, becoming more incompressible as stress is increased. These data provide important physical properties required to construct models of the sound generation and reception mechanisms in Ziphius cavirostris heads, as well as models of their interaction with anthropogenic sound.


The authors (father and daughter) debate the necessity for and the (im)possibility of scientific research in the human sciences. As a researcher, the daughter (E) completed her PhD thesis on a study of the effectiveness of online treatment for depression. The father (A) has always doubted the claim of human scientists that they were able to explain, predict, and control human behavior. The conclusion about whether to do scientific research in the human sciences or not is, to paraphrase the Dodo bird from Lewis Carroll's (1865/1962) Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, "Both win and both deserve prizes!"


Cellular oxidative thymines, 5-hydroxymethyluracil (5hmU) and 5-formyluracil (5fU), are found in the genomes of a diverse range of organisms, the distribution of which profoundly influence biological processes and living systems. However, the distribution of cellular oxidative thymines has not been explored because of lacking both specific bioorthogonal labeling and sensitivity methods for single-cell analysis. Herein, we report a bioorthogonal chemical signature enabling amplified visualization of cellular oxidative thymines in single cells. The synthesized ATP-γ-alkyne, an ATP analogue with bioorthogonal tag modified on γ-phosphate can be specifically linked to cellular 5hmU by chemoenzymatic labeling. DNA with 5-alkynephosphomethyluracil were then clicked with azide (N3)-modified 5hmU-primer. Identification of 5fU is based on selective reduction from 5fU to 5hmU, subsequent chemoenzymatic labeling of the newly generated 5hmU, and cross-linking with N3-modified 5fU-primer via click chemistry. Then, all of the 5hmU and 5fU sites are encoded with respective circularized barcodes. These barcodes are simultaneously amplified for multiplexed single-molecule imaging. The above two kinds of barcodes can be simultaneously amplified for differentiated visualization of 5hmU and 5fU in single cells. We find these two kinds of cellular oxidative thymines are spatially organized in a cell-type-dependent style with cell-to-cell heterogeneity. We also investigate their multilevel subcellular information and explore their dynamic changes during cell cycles. Further, using DNA sequencing instead of fluorescence imaging, our proposed bioorthogonal chemical signature holds great potential to offer the sequence information of these oxidative thymines in cells and may provide a reliable chemical biology approach for studying the whole-genome oxidative thymines profiles and insights into their functional role and dynamics in biology.


The task of three-dimensional (3D) human pose estimation from a single image can be divided into two parts: (1) Two-dimensional (2D) human joint detection from the image and (2) estimating a 3D pose from the 2D joints. Herein, we focus on the second part, i.e., a 3D pose estimation from 2D joint locations. The problem with existing methods is that they require either (1) a 3D pose dataset or (2) 2D joint locations in consecutive frames taken from a video sequence. We aim to solve these problems. For the first time, we propose a method that learns a 3D human pose without any 3D datasets. Our method can predict a 3D pose from 2D joint locations in a single image. Our system is based on the generative adversarial networks, and the networks are trained in an unsupervised manner. Our primary idea is that, if the network can predict a 3D human pose correctly, the 3D pose that is projected onto a 2D plane should not collapse even if it is rotated perpendicularly. We evaluated the performance of our method using Human3.6M and the MPII dataset and showed that our network can predict a 3D pose well even if the 3D dataset is not available during training.


OBJECTIVES
We aimed to retrospectively investigate the patients with acute rheumatic fever (ARF) by evaluating their clinic and laboratory properties, echocardiographic findings as well as the reactivation and the compliance to penicillin prophylaxis.

STUDY DESIGN
The study involved 255 patients (143 boys, 112 girls; mean age 10.1±2.7 years) with ARF. Their sex, age, clinic and laboratory properties, echocardiographic findings, the reactivation and the compliance to penicillin prophylaxis were recorded.

RESULTS
Patients spent 13.3±4.3 days in the hospital, and 94 had a history of ARF. Arthritis was found in 233 patients, carditis in 166, Sydenham's chorea in 14, subcutaneous nodule in 2, and arthritis-carditis in 151 patients. Erythema marjinatum was not found in any patient. Arthralgia (n=15) and fever (n=246) were found in patients. Throat culture was positive in 94 patients and anti-streptolysin-O titers were high in 124 patients. Mitral involvement was found in 205 patients while the combination of mitral and aortic valve involvement were observed in 118 patients.

CONCLUSION
ARF still continues to be a major public health problem in our country. A bad prognosis may be prevented by early diagnosis and treatment. The importance of appropriate prophylaxis should also be emphasized.


A diverse range of topological quantum phenomena and potential applications of three-dimensional topological insulators (TIs) hinge on opening an energy gap of Dirac-cone surface states. Layered van der Waals (vdW) topological materials, especially the recently discovered MnBi 2 Te 4 family magnetic TIs, have aroused great attention, where the interlayer vdW gap is expected to play a crucial role in topological surface states. However, it remains a serious controversy whether the surface states are gapped or gapless for magnetic TI MnBi 2 Te 4 , which is a crucial issue for the prospect of various magnetic topological states. Here, a 3-Dirac-fermion approach is developed to generally describe surface states of nonmagnetic/magnetic vdW TIs under the interlayer vdW gap modulation. In particular, we apply this approach to solving controversial issues in the surface states of vdW antiferromagnetic (AFM) TIs. Remarkably, unexpected topologically protected gapless Dirac-cone surface states are found to arise due to the interlayer vdW gap expansion on the surface, when the surface ferromagnetic layer has a zero Chern number, while the surface states remain gapped for all other cases. These results are further confirmed by first-principles calculations on AFM TI MnBi 2 Te 4 . The unexpected gapless Dirac-cone states are invaluable in solving the puzzle of the observed gapless surface states in MnBi 2 Te 4 . This work also provides a promising way for experiments to realize intrinsic magnetic quantum anomalous Hall effect with a large energy gap in MnBi 2 Te 4 films.


Several long-term studies have monitored populations of algal symbionts, Symbiodinium sp., in coral hosts over different temporal and spatial scales, and among multiple host species. The extension of these studies to include environmental pools of algal symbionts from sources such as the water column, sediments, free-floating mucus mats and those settling on biofilms has only been studied by a few, yet has the potential to enhance our understanding of the dynamics and controls on symbiont populations. Adaptive changes in the coral symbiont complement rely either on the uptake of new strains from the environment or population expansion of rarer strains in the existing symbiont population. The relative scope for these alternative pathways of uptake is unknown. This study therefore examined spatial changes in Symbiodinium clades within the water column at two different time periods and compared these with other environmental pools (biofilms, sediments, and mucus mats) and those within the dominant reef-building species at the study site, Acropora muricata. A diversity of algal symbiont clades were detected in environmental pools, with specific clades associated with different habitats. At an island scale, there was significant variation in clade composition between sites separated by 0.5–7 km, a result which was repeated for both sample periods encompassing different seasons (March 2009 and August 2010). Although no single environmental pool contained a Symbiodinium complement comparable to that of the host coral species investigated, the dominant coral Symbiodinium were available in combinations of the environmental pools, indicating that the coral has the potential to obtain its symbionts from a variety of environmental sources.


This study analyzes the performance and financial credibility of six Turkish banks for the period of 2005-2016. The sample comprises two state-owned deposit banks, three private-owned deposit banks, and one foreign bank. As one of the most popular methods for measuring banking performance, CAMELS method is used to analyze the performance of the banks. CAMELS stands for Capital Adequacy, Asset Quality, Management Efficiency, Earning Quality, Liquidity, Sensitivity respectively. When the average rates of 2014, 2015 and 2016 ratios –for each one of these mentioned categoriesseparately examined, none of the banks is found to be superior to the others. As for the composite rate for CAMELS though, Ziraat Bank has the highest rate (29.32%) and Halkbank stands at the last row (21.94%). Overall, the values of the CAMELS ratios for 2016 seem to be quite close to each other. However, when the yearly analysis is conducted, some significant differences in the categories of CAMELS ratio are observed. In addition, ANOVA test results state that the means of CAMELS ratios are significantly different over the years. Finally, comparison of CAMELS ratings with institutional ratings shows that the latter does lag the financial indicators of the companies and even can be not reflective of the current financial condition of the company. On the other hand, the trends of the institutional ratings and of financial indicators are consistent over a long period of time.


BACKGROUND
Approximately 20 years after the launch of managed care (MC) in Germany, the initial dynamics have turned into an MC backlash with a poor image for MC among physicians and the insured. Factors in MC contract rejection by physicians have not previously been studied systematically.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study is to show that observed physician characteristics explain MC contract rejection in a quantitative model. These econometric findings will be related to suitable political measures to foster physicians' MC acceptance.

METHODS
Results are based on 500 completed responses to a survey among practicing physicians in Northern Germany. Physician cooperation, attitudes toward MC, and practice characteristics are addressed. A Heckman approach accounts for potential preselection of physicians by insurers. Econometric findings are complemented by a qualitative analysis of free-text answers.

RESULTS
Private patient share, physician age, and number of physicians per practice significantly increase rejection probability, whereas it is decreased by rural location. Qualitatively, administrative burden and loss of professional autonomy are the main reasons for MC refusal.

CONCLUSION
Current health policy focuses on institutional measures such as innovation funding to promote MC. Our results show that it may be more effective to turn attention to practicing physicians' preferences as a bottleneck to MC development.


Twelve adult volunteers were given 24 81-mg aspirin tablets and were randomly assigned into the following treatment groups: (1) control aspirin, (2) 30 mL of ipecac repeated if vomiting not induced, (3) 60 g of activated charcoal per 15 g of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4), and (4) ipecac repeated if needed, followed by activated charcoal/MgSO4 given 1 1/2 hours after the last vomiting episode. All treatments began 60 minutes following aspirin ingestion. Urine was collected for 48 hours for percent total salicylate excretion. Mean +/- SD recovery of salicylate from urine was as follows: aspirin, 96.3% +/- 7.5%; ipecac 70.3% +/- 11.8%, activated charcoal/MgSO4, 56.4% +/- 12%; and ipecac and activated charcoal/MgSO4, 72.4% +/- 14.1%. Ten subjects completed the study. In group 4, eight of ten subjects vomited the activated charcoal/MgSO4 immediately, making statistical analysis impossible. Analysis revealed that activated charcoal/MgSO4 significantly lowered the absorption of aspirin compared with the control and ipecac-treated groups. Furthermore, ipecac significantly lowered aspirin absorption compared with the control group. We conclude that activated charcoal/MgSO4 used alone is superior to the other treatment modalities at inhibiting the absorption of multiple aspirin tablets.


Abstract The oxidation reaction of singlet oxygen with 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran was investigated in cyclohexanic reversed micellar solutions of dodecylammonium propionate, using pyrene as photosensitizer. The furan oxidation was effectively inhibited by azide ion-bound reversed micelles. Empty reversed micelles also inhibited the furan oxidation to some extent. The inhibition of the furan oxidation was due to the quenching of singlet oxygen by azide ion-bound and empty reversed micelles. Such singlet oxygen quenching was dependent on the concentration of water added. Results obtained were discussed in connection with the polarity in the interior of reversed micelles, micellar size, the state of water solubilized in reversed micelles and the lifetime of singlet oxygen. The heavy atom effect on the quenching of singlet oxygen was also studied using heavy water.


In the period 1985-1988 23 infertile patients with pelvic endometriosis underwent conservative surgery with microsurgical technique. 8.7% (only 2 women) of the patients were in 2nd stage, 43.5% in 3rd stage and 47.8% in 4th stage of the American Fertility Society classification (1985). Associated pathology was found in 52.2% of the patients. Surgical techniques and results are presented. We obtained 13 (56.5%) full term pregnancies. The postoperative birth rate was 50% in 2nd stage, 80% in 3rd stage and 36.4% in 4th stage. Associated pathology was present in 69.2% of pregnant patients. Ten women (43.5) did not conceive: 10% were at 2nd, 20% at 3rd and 70% at 4th stage. Associated disease was present in 30% of women that did not become pregnant.


A spectral scanning radiometer and corresponding algorithm of analysis were developed to evaluate optical stratification of aerosols from airborne measurements. Several flights were carried out to measure direct and circumsolar radiations simultaneously by a Swerlingen Merlin IV and a Cessna 206 aircraft. Results of the data analysis showed that our scheme can evaluate the optical depth of aerosols at any flight level from the ground to 400 mb, the highest flight level, with relative error of <10%. Vertical distribution and latitude–height cross sections of the optical thickness of aerosols and volume spectra of stratospheric aerosols were investigated.


This study estimates rates of deterioration and depreciation for a sample of used privately owned single- and twin-engine aircraft over the period 19711991. The adoption of a strict liability standard in the 1970s lead to a 775 increase in liability expenses for the manufacturers of private planes between 1977 and 1985, resulting in sharp increases in the prices of new and used planes throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. This period of rapid price inflation coincides with a decrease in the depreciation rates for used single- and twin-engine aircraft after 1975. In addition, our results indicate that the rate of deterioration is positively related to the required cost of engine maintenance. These findings call into question the commonly invoked assumption that depreciation rates may be treated as exogenously determined constants, and lend support to the hypothesis that deterioration and depreciation rates respond systematically to key economic variables.


The sharing of information to support business processes execution is a central challenge to many organizations. Enterprise Content Management Systems (ECMS) hold promise in this regard, offering support and approach that enables efficient sharing of business-related information. However, there is still a significant lack of knowledge on how to efficiently make use of ECMS for sharing information that support organizations' business operations. In this paper, we investigate the ways ECMS is used for sharing information that support organization ntegration and standardization processes. A qualitative case study research approach is employed. Our findings indicate that in organizations that are highly integrated ECMS is useful for sharing information that supports the interdependence between units. While in organizations that are highly standardized ECMS is useful for sharing information about those standardized processes. The finding is significant for business and IT managers because it will guide them with ways to use ECMS and gain more benefits from it.


In previous studies the later parts of the electrically evoked R2 blink reflex has been found to be more susceptible to the inhibitory effects of repetitive stimulation and prepulses. Consequently, it has been suggested that the R2 reflex may be composed of distinct subcomponents. However, as of yet, no study revealed electromyographical evidence for this hypothesis, probably due to a putative temporal overlap that makes it difficult to clearly separate distinct R2 subcomponents. In the present study we investigated the electrically evoked blink reflex in 26 healthy volunteers by using the paradigm of self-stimulation, which has been found to inhibit the R2 and may thus help to differentiate putative R2 subcomponents. In most of the participants self-stimulation resulted in inhibition of the reflex involving predominantly later sections of R2. In addition, in three subjects it was possible to clearly separate distinct R2 subcomponents. These findings suggest that the electrically elicited R2 blink reflex--like the acoustic blink response--consists of superimposed distinct subcomponents. Based on their differential modulation evoked by habituation, pre-stimulation and self-elicitation it is hypothesized that the early portions of the R2 represent the electrically evoked blink reflex, whereas the later sections belong to the generalized startle reaction in man. However, due to their temporal overlap a differentiation might not be possible in conventional recordings.


We provide the material synthesis method, crystal structure information, and characterization of a novel mixed-valent metal oxide KIn0.33IIITe0.67VITe2IVO7, closely related to zirconolite (CaZrTi2O7), a radioactive waste immobilized material, having a 3D framework. The reported metal oxide containing an alkali-metal cation (K+), main-group cation (In3+), tellurate, and tellurite has been synthesized as both single crystals and a pure polycrystalline phase through a hydrothermal synthesis method. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction indicates that KIn0.33Te2.67O7 crystallizing in the orthorhombic space group Cmcm (No. 63) reveals a 3D framework structure with a 1D channel consisting of Te/InO6 octahedra and TeO4 polyhedra. An interesting transition reaction from KIn0.33Te2.67O7 to KIn(TeO3)2 under hydrothermal conditions at 230 °C is discussed.


This research aimed at finding Human Resources Management pattern in Indonesian business organization, like BUMN. Focus of the research were finding correlation pattern between commitment orientation with trust for management and transformational leadership. This research also assesed about carrier-oriented commitment, team-oriented commitment, and organizational-oriented commitment.  Data were collected from 208 employees at BUMN in East Java.  One of the reasons, organization climate was conducive for change. Furthermore, three scales used in this research: Orientation Commitment Scale, Trust for Management Scale, Transformational Leadership Scale. Data analysis is regression analysis.    The results of the research are: a) Transformational Leadership and trust for management correlate with Commitment Orientation, b) Carrier-Oriented Commitment was influenced by trust for management, c) Transformational Leadership and trust for management correlate with Team-Oriented Commitment, when, d) Organizational-Oriented Commitment was influenced by Transformational Leadership. Key Words: Commitment Orientation, Transformational Leadership.


Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is a rare, ubiquitous, vascular tumor, difficult to diagnosis but sometimes identified after detection of metastases, and with a prognosis intermediary between angioma and angiosarcoma. The tumors have been described as developing in the large venous trunks and recently lesions have been reported in liver. Little documented data exist with respect to radiologic appearances. A case is reported with a histologically confirmed hepatic localization in association with a lesion in superior vena cava.


Suppose an agent asserts that it will move through an environment in some way. When the agent executes its motion, how does one verify the claim? The problem arises in a range of contexts including validating safety claims about robot behavior, applications in security and surveillance, and for both the conception and the (physical) design and logistics of scientific experiments. Given a set of feasible sensors to select from, we ask how to choose sensors optimally in order to ensure that the agent's execution does indeed fit its pre-disclosed itinerary. Our treatment is distinguished from prior work in sensor selection by two aspects: the form the itinerary takes (a regular language of transitions) and that families of sensor choices can be grouped as a single choice. Both are intimately tied together, permitting construction of a product automaton because the same physical sensors (i.e., the same choice) can appear multiple times. This paper establishes the hardness of sensor selection for itinerary validation within this treatment, and proposes an exact algorithm based on an integer linear programming (ILP) formulation that is capable of solving problem instances of moderate size. We demonstrate its efficacy on small-scale case studies, including one motivated by wildlife tracking.


Purpose of review Postbiopsy infections (PBIs) are among the most common complications associated with transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUSPB). This article discusses the pathogenesis of TRUSPB-associated infectious complications and reviews the most recent findings on techniques to prevent PBIs. Recent findings Risk stratification is a powerful tool for identifying TRUSPB candidates whom warrant additional preventive measures. Bowel preparation with povidone-iodine-based enemas and needle disinfection with formalin solution are simple and attractive strategies, but their effectiveness needs to be thoroughly assessed. Antibiotic prophylaxis represents the mainstay for the prevention of PBIs: the prophylactic regimen must respect the principles of antimicrobial stewardship, and local antibiotic resistance patterns among uropathogens should always be considered. Augmented and targeted antibiotic prophylaxes are powerful options, but their role in current clinical practice has yet to be clarified. The transperineal approach has shown a near-zero rate of PBIs, and should therefore be considered for the highest-risk patients. Summary Several procedures have been introduced to prevent TRUSPB-related infectious complication, but their utility and applicability in the clinical practice has yet to be elucidated. More robust evidence based on randomized control trials is needed to establish the efficacy of these tools in improving patient outcomes.


The youths have consistently been hypothesized to be disproportionately responsible for crime and are more vulnerable to violence than any other age group which is costing the community billions of dollars per year, creates a sense of fear and lowers the quality of life for many people. In the first section of this paper, risk factors of youth offending were studied. This research deals on protective factors of youth offending in East Gojjam Zone which is located in Amhara Regional state of Ethiopia. Led by constructionist approach, this research used qualitative exploratory case study strategy. In-depth interview with youth offenders and non-offenders, key informant interview with officials mainly from police and correctional center were the central data collection technique. In addition, document review was also used to get any supportive data from various offices and researches. Generally sixteen youth offenders and thirteen key informants, a total of twenty eight participants were participated. None probability sampling method of purposive sampling technique was employed to select the research participants. Age, gender, and social setting of rural vs. urban were considered to select research participants and get comprehensive information. The finding of the study shows that economic improvement including employment opportunities, increased level of awareness, affiliation to law-abiding youths, consistent parental supervision, family stability and free familial relationship, proper family socialization, adequate income of the family, youth's steady enrollment to school, and provision of extra circular activities are protective factors of youth offending. In addition, separated rehabilitation center for adolescent and adult, , economic development of the community, limiting the accessibility of alcohol and guns, strong culture against crime, strengthening traditional conflict resolution mechanism, expansion of youth centers with possible services, well equipped lawyers and police officials, strong organized community policing strategy, and improved rehabilitation service are also another opportunities found that reduce the risk factor of youth offending behavior. The finding shows that those multi-level personal, peer, familial, school, cultural, and community level opportunistic factors are not exclusive rather interdependent. Therefore, in order to reduce youths' involvement in offending behavior, stockholders could work collaboratively.


There is an increasing interest in the integration of computational thinking (CT) in the K-12 curriculum. By integrating CT into other disciplines, the aim is to equip students with essential skills to navigate domain-specific challenges. This study conducts a systematic review of 108 peer-reviewed scientific papers to analyze in which K-12 subjects CT is being integrated, learning objectives, CT integration levels, instructional strategies, technologies and tools employed, assessment strategies, research designs and educational stages of participants. The findings reveal that: (a) over two-thirds of the CT integration studies predominantly focus on science and mathematics; (b) the majority of the studies implement CT at the substitution level rather than achieving a transformation impact; (c) active learning is a commonly mentioned instructional strategy, with block-based languages and physical devices being frequently utilized tools; (d) in terms of assessment, the emphasis primarily lies in evaluating attitudes towards technology or the learning context, rather than developing valid and reliable assessment instruments. These findings shed light on the current state of CT integration in K-12 education. The identified trends provide valuable insights for educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers seeking to effectively incorporate CT across various disciplines in a manner that fosters meaningful skill development with an interdisciplinary approach. By leveraging these insights, we can strive to enhance CT integration efforts, ensuring the holistic development of students' computational thinking abilities and promoting their preparedness for the increasingly interdisciplinary domains of digital world.


This course takes a practical approach to introduce the principles, methods and tools in task modeling and how this technique can support identification of automation opportunities, dangers and limitations. A technical interactive hands-on exercise of how to "do it right", such as: How to go from task analysis to task models? How to identify tasks that are good candidate for automation (through analysis and simulation)? How to identify reliability and usability dangers added by automation? How to design usable automation at system, application and interaction levels? And more...


This paper discusses solving the forward problem for electrical resistance tomography (ERT). The mathematical model is governed by Laplace's equation with the most general boundary conditions forming the so-called complete electrode model (CEM). We examine this problem in simply-connected and multiply - connected domains (rigid inclusion, cavity and composite bi-material). This direct problem is solved numerically using the boundary element method (BEM) and the method of fundamental solutions (MFS). The resulting BEM and MFS solutions are compared in terms of accuracy, convergence and stability. Anticipating the findings, we report that the BEM provides a convergent and stable solution, whilst the MFS places some restrictions on the number and location of the source points.


The transitory laxative threshold of a partially digestible disaccharide, trehalose, and an undigestible disaccharide, lactulose, was estimated by the dose-response relation between the test substance and the prevalence of diarrhea in 20 healthy female subjects. The subjects ingested several indicated amounts of trehalose or lactulose once daily 2 to 3 h after a meal. The intake of the test substance was stopped at the dose level that caused diarrhea or when the dose reached the maximal level. A record of physical conditions, gastrointestinal symptoms, and fecal conditions was made by all subjects before and after each ingestion of the test substance. Half the subjects experienced no diarrhea even with the ingestion of the maximal dose level (60 g) of trehalose in this study, and the ingestion of up to 40 g of lactulose caused diarrhea in 75% of all subjects. Abdominal symptoms such as flatus, distension, and borborygmus appeared at high prevalence with lactulose and trehalose ingestion, and the effect of lactulose was significantly stronger than that of trehalose at the same dose level (p < 0.05). The quantity of trehalose and lactulose that induced diarrhea differed greatly from person to person. The transitory laxative threshold was estimated as 0.65 g/kg body weight for trehalose and 0.26 g/kg body weight for lactulose by using the regression equation between the dose levels of the test substances and the cumulative incidence of diarrhea. These results suggest that it would be quite acceptable to administer trehalose up to 33 g and lactulose up to 13 g in a person weighing 50 kg.


The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has recently announced that a Women's Commission would be set up in Hong Kong. This is a welcome, albeit long-overdue, development. This issue of the Hong Kong Medical Journal includes articles related to women's health and one on screening programmes in local private hospitals. Some of the critical issues on women's health in Hong Kong will be discussed here.


This study is mainly aimed to describe the direct request and conventionally
indirect request in direct speeches. This study answers two questions (1) how is
the frequency of direct request and conventionally indirect request used in Andrea
Hirata's novel The Rainbow Troops? (2) How direct request and conventionally
indirect request used in Andrea Hirata's novel The Rainbow Troops is analyzed
using Hymes' ethnography of SPEAKING? The writer used a descriptive
qualitative method to categorize and anal yze the direct speeches. The data were
gathered from Andrea Hirata's novel The Rainbow Troops. In the analysis of the
data, the entire main request acts are categorized according to Rue and Zhang
(2008) and Hymes' (1974). There are three findings in this study. Firstly, the
frequency of direct request to occur in Andrea Hirata's novel extremely higher
(90.9%) than conventionally indirect request (9.1 %). The findings contradict to
Blum-Kulka and House (1989) findings. It is assumed that the reason is a matter
of cultural and grammatical issues arised from the data. Secondly, direct request
strategy used in this study can be classified into four categories (mood derivable,
performative, obligation statement, and want statement) and for conventionally
indirect request there are two different categories (suggestory formula, and query
preparatory). Mood derivable is the most dominant form among the other three
categories which support the previous findings. Thirdly, based on Hymes'
ethnography of SPEAKING, expressions showing request strategies, is not merely
to show the real request. Based in the data in this study, there are six different
aims inferred from the context to show how direct request and conventionally
indirect request are used. Although, among six aims, to express the real request is
still the most dominant one.


The purposes of the authors in this study were: (1) to determine whether published body mass index and bioelectrical impedance analysis equations agreed with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry body fat percentage measures and (2) to estimate new body mass index and bioelectrical impedance analysis equations in a sample of African American women. Linear regression was used to determine how well 10 body mass index and bioelectrical impedance analysis equations reflected dual energy x-ray absorptiometry body fat percentage measures in this sample of 74 African American women; new body mass index and bioelectrical impedance analysis equations were created using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry body fat percentage measures as the dependent variable. Participants (M = 47.6 years, SD = 7.7) were classified as overweight or obese (BMI Mean BF% = 35.4, SD = 8.2; BIA Mean BF% = 43.3, SD = 6.9; DXA Mean BF% = 41.5, SD = 6.1). R2 and SEE values indicated that all body mass index and bioelectrical impedance analysis equations were a poorer fit with less precision, and the new bioelectrical impedance analysis equation discussed in this article was a better fit and was more precise. All 10 body mass index and bioelectrical analysis equations inaccurately estimated dual energy x-ray absorptiometry body fat percentage measures in our sample. The new body mass index equation discussed in this article had less estimation bias and more precision than the published body mass index equations and may be a more accurate equation in African American women.


This study aims to find out the EFL students' perception in regards to basic English vocabulary teaching through pictures. This study was conducted in a senior high school situated in Makassar, South Sulawesi, called SMA Datuk Ribandang Makassar. This study is about students' teaching English basic vocabulary through pictures. A quantitative method were use to how the effects of basic vocabulary teaching through pictures are. A qualitative study determine students' perception in teaching vocabulary through pictures. Based on the findings and discussion the previous chapter, the researcher concludes that the effect vocabulary through pictures by the students' in Learning English showed from pre-test and post Mean score of 27 students pre-test was 48,74 (with standart deviation 14,482 and standard errror mean was 2,5787) and the students' post-test mean score was 77,70 (with standart deviation 10,498 and standard errror mean was 2,020). Furthermore, Students' perception of English basic vocabulary through pictures for the firsy years students of SMA Datuk Ribandang Makassar gives the positive perception that exactly students' perception of the teacher method in teaching English.


Objective: The purpose of this feasibility study was to evaluate whether the use of a shorter-length cochlear implant (10 mm) on one ear and a standard electrode (24 mm) on the contralateral ear is a viable bilateral option for children with profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. A secondary purpose of this study was to determine whether the ear with the shorter-length electrode performs similarly to the standard-length electrode. Our goal was to provide an option of electrical stimulation that theoretically might preserve the structures of the scala media and organ of Corti. Study Design: The study is being conducted as a repeated-measure, single-subject experiment. Setting: University of Iowa-Department of Otolaryngology. Patients: Eight pediatric patients with profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss between the ages of 12 and 24 months. Interventions: Nucleus Hybrid S12 10-mm electrode and a Nucleus Freedom implant in the contralateral ear. Main Outcome Measures: The Infant-Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale (IT-MAIS) parent questionnaire, Early Speech Perception, Glendonald Auditory Screening Procedure word test, and Children's Vowel tests will be used to evaluate speech perception and the Minnesota Child Development Inventory and Preschool Language Scales 3 test will be used to evaluate language growth. Results: Preliminary results for 8 children have been collected before and after the operation using the IT-MAIS. All 3 children showed incremental improvements in their IT-MAIS scores overtime. Early Speech Perception, Glendonald Auditory Screening Procedure word test, and Children's Vowel word perception results indicated no difference between the individual ears for the 2 children tested. Performance compared with age-matched children implanted with standard bilateral cochlear implants showed similar results to the children implanted with Nucleus Hybrid S12 10-mm electrode and a Nucleus Freedom implant in contralateral ears. Conclusion: The use of a shorter-length cochlear implant on one ear and a standard-length electrode on the contralateral ear might provide a viable option for bilateral cochlear implantation in children with bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss. Further study of this patient population will be continued.


In last month's issue of Advances in Skin & Wound Care, we unveiled our new editorial advisory board and peer-review panel. We have welcomed several new members, as well as thanked many others for their years of service as they leave their positions. In addition, a number of ongoing members remain active on the advisory board or panel. We are pleased to welcome the following new members of our editorial advisory board: Teresa Conner-Kerr, PhD, PT, CWS, CLT; Jose ContrerasRuiz,MD; Laura E. Edsberg, PhD; Caroline E. Fife,MD;Debra L. Hecker, RN, MBA, WCC; Susan D. Horn, PhD; James McGuire, DPM, FAPWCA; Madhuri Reddy, MD; Omaida C. Velazquez, MD; M. Gail Woodbury, BSc, BScPT, MSc, PhD; and S. H. Wu, MD. We are also pleased to welcome the following new members to our peer-review panel: AfsanehAlavi, MD;MonaM. Baharestani, PhD, APN, CWON, CWS;HaroldBrem,MD;MaryBrennan, RN,MBA,CWON,CNS; Robert E. Burrell, PhD; Janet Cuddigan, PhD,RN,CWCN,CCCN; Subhas Gupta, MD, CM, PhD, FRCSC, FACS; Michael L. Lacqua, MD; Jeffrey M. Levine, MD; Paul A. Liguori, MD; Ron Shannon, MPH; Darryl Werner, MD; and Kevin Woo, MSc, PhD, RN, ACNP, GNC(c). Several members of the editorial advisory board and peerreview panel have rotated off their positions after several years of service. The staff at Advances in Skin & Wound Care would like to extend their gratitude to these wound care professionals who have contributed their time and expertise to the advancement of the journal: Lawrence A. Lavery, DPM, MPH; Maryanne McGuckin, DrScEd, MT (ASCP); George C. Xakellis, MD, MBA; Gary N. Goldstein, MD; Davina J. Gosnell, PhD, RN, FAAN; Richard J. Kagan, MD; Thomas A. Krouskop, PhD, PE; Ralph J. Marino, MD, MSCE; Virginia A. McNaughton, BA, MPA, RN, ET, CWOCN; Gerit D. Mulder, DPM, MS; Liza G. Ovington, PhD, CWS; Mercy Mammah Popoola, PhD, RN, CNS; Michael M. Priebe, MD; Reg Richard, MS, PT; and Donald E. Saye, DPM. The importance of our editorial advisory board and peerreview panel members' contributions to the annual Clinical Symposium on Advances in Skin and Wound Care and the Advances in Skin & Wound Care journal is invaluable. The wound care community and our patients are enriched in many ways by our colleagues' tireless contributions to the peer-review process, the editorial process, and the advancement of scholarship through their thoughtful and cogent recommendations for improving the manuscripts to reach their final form. Moreover, they typify the term scholarship as defined by the late Ernest Leroy Boyer. Dr Boyer (September 13, 1928–December 8, 1995) is credited for organizing scholarship in a meaningful purpose-driven paradigm. He was rightfully concerned that the academewas narrowly focusing the definition of scholarship to connote hypothesis-driven research. Thanks toDr Boyer's principles, there are clarity and legitimacy of research beyond hypothesis models, which include health services research, demonstration projects, patient-oriented research, applied research, and so on. In his seminal work about themeaning of scholarship, ''Scholarship Reconsidered,'' he lays out several core principles. The scholarship of discovery refers to the pursuit of inquiry and investigation in search of new knowledge (scientific inquiry). The scholarship of integration consists of making connections across disciplines and advancing knowledge through synthesis (journal clubs, journal articles, and clinical conferences). The scholarship of application asks how knowledge can be applied to the social issues of the times in a dynamic process that generates and tests new theory and knowledge (public policy, professional organizations, industry, and patient participation). The scholarship of teaching includes not only transmitting knowledge, but also transforming and extending it (journals, books, Web-based interactive learning materials, and the peer-review process). The scholarship of engagement connects any of the above dimensions of scholarship to the understanding and solving of pressing social, civic, and ethical problems (professionalism, communication, teaching, and through public policy). The union of our journal to the editorial advisory board and peer reviewers embodies the definition of ''advancing scholarship.'' For scholarship to be successful and to be disseminated across the broadest base, it must be multidirectional. Thanks to the multiple contributors in our editorial processVour editorial advisory board, peer-review panel, editorial team, conference leaders, and our readersVwho all help us to advance skin and wound care scholarship.&


Background: Following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) many cytokines and proteolytic enzymes are released. Among these, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are important proteolytic enzymes that lead to degradation of the extracellular matrix and to change in cardiomyocytes in both infracted and noninfarcted myocardium. This process is known as cardiac remodelling. It has been demonstrated that more than one type of MMP is present in the circulation after cardiomyocye injury. A number of studies have demonstrated the correlation between these MMP levels and the severity of coronary lesion, the prognosis of left ventricular dimension and the survival rate following AMI. Aim of the work To assess the usefulness of matrix metalloproteinase and other factors as predictors of outcome of patients with acute myocardial infarction. Patients and methods: This study was done in Cardiology department and biochemistry department, Zagazig University on 92 patients; 75 males (81.5%)) 17 females (18.5%) with acute myocardial infarction. Patients were divided into 4 groups ; group I(Revascularization),group II (Morbidity),group III(Mortality),group IV(Control) All patients were subjected to full laboratory examination and Plasma MMP-3 was measured , wall motion score index(WMSI) ,systolic and diastolic function were assessed by echocardiography pre-discharge and after 6 months . Results: MMP-3 peaked prior to discharge. MMP-3 was associated with patient cholesterol (p<0.001), triglyceride (p<0.05) ,WMSI (p<0.05) and Gensini score (p<0.001). MMP-3 inversely correlated with fractional shortening at follow-up (p=0.019), Ejection fraction and Isovolumic relaxation time In the 37 patients who had complications or died, MMP-3 was higher (p<0.001). And subjects with levels above optimum cut off identified via ROC curve were more likely to suffer a clinical event (p=0.000). Conclusion: MMP-3 is associated with left ventricular dysfunction, adverse left ventricular remodelling and prognosis after AMI.


Smart grids (SGs) promise to deliver dramatic improvements compared to traditional power grids thanks primarily to the large amount of data being exchanged and processed within the grid, which enables the grid to be monitored more accurately and at a much faster pace. The smart meter (SM) is one of the key devices that enable the SG concept by monitoring a household's electricity consumption and reporting it to the utility provider (UP), i.e., the entity that sells energy to customers, or to the distribution system operator (DSO), i.e., the entity that operates and manages the grid, with high accuracy and at a much faster pace compared to traditional meters. However, the very availability of rich and high-frequency household electricity consumption data, which enables a very efficient power grid management, also opens up unprecedented challenges on data security and privacy. To counter these threats, it is necessary to develop techniques that keep SM data private, and, for this reason, SM privacy has become a very active research area. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of the most significant privacy-preserving techniques for SM data, highlighting their main benefits and disadvantages.


Abstract The language used in the press has aroused interest in recent years for a variety of reasons. It not only provides evidence for a register that is so widely used and encountered in all modern societies but also shows how means can be manipulated to "justify the ends." In the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (henceforth TRNC), where Turkish is the state language, ten daily newspapers are published with an approximate circulation of 12,000. The aim of this article is to try to find out to what extent the ideological viewpoint of these papers influences the language they use. The data comprise samples from headlines and advertisements over a 45-day period of the five most popular papers. The analysis shows that the language used in the papers is not a simple, neutral representation of reality as such, but an effective means to manipulate it in line with the ideology of the newspaper and the expectations of its readers, which is best done through the language used in the headlines. The study of the sample advertisement texts, on the other hand, indicates that the global role of English as a means of communication is increasing every day even in a small community such as that in the TRNC.


AIM
The increased demands placed on the Achilles tendon in recreational and professional sports have led to a rise in pathological changes in this anatomic region. Magnetic resonance evaluations of the tendon have proven to be a valid but expensive and stationary diagnostic tool. In this study, a new mobile NMR sensor was to be tested in the evaluation of the Achilles tendon.

METHOD
The technical development of the so-called NMR-MOUSE ( Mobile Universal Surface Explorer) represents a novelty with an open and portable sensor. To appraise its diagnostic efficacy, healthy athletes (professional soccer players, track and field, as well as aquatic athletes), healthy controls and patients with Achilles tendon lesions were evaluated. As an accessible, sensitive and reproducible parameter for the study the transverse relaxation time T2 with its angular dependency was chosen. As part of the examination, the relaxation times of the skin, the tendon and the surrounding soft tissue were determined.

RESULTS
During the evaluation with the NMR-MOUSE, the skin and peritendineous tissue exhibited relatively long T2 relaxation times, while the tendon itself had significantly shorter T2 times, allowing for a clear differentiation of the structures. The T2 relaxation time of the Achilles tendon in the control group averaged 5.8 ms. The MRI-MOUSE was able to demonstrate an increase in the T2 relaxation times in patients with pathological lesions of the tendon due to the increased water retention of the tissue.

CONCLUSION
The novel NMR-MOUSE represents a cost efficient and portable sensor, which allows for a reliable evaluation of surface structures, such as the Achilles tendon. The anisotropic structure of the tendon and the surrounding soft tissue can be reliably differentiated with the help of the NMR-MOUSE.


Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) based lane management technologies were introduced to work zones in an attempt to reduce congestions and diminish queue lengths. Two forms of lane merging namely the early merge and the late merge were designed to advise drivers on definite merging locations. This study suggests two Simplified Dynamic Lane Merging Systems (SDLMS) (early merge and late merge) to supplement the current Florida maintenance of traffic (MOT) plans. Data was collected in work zones on I-95, Florida for three different maintenance of traffic plan treatments. The first maintenance of traffic plan treatment was the standard MOT plan employed by Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The second MOT was the early SDLMS, and the third MOT was the late SDLMS. Results showed that the maximum queue discharge rate (or capacity) of the work zone was significantly higher for the early SDLMS compared to the conventional FDOT MOT plans. The late SDLMS increased the work zone capacity; however, this increase was not statistically significant. Moreover, results showed that early merging rate was the highest for the early SDLMS and the lowest for the late SDLMS which suggests that some drivers are complying to the messages displayed by the system.


Let M be a symmetric m ×m matrix with entries from the set {0, 1, ∗}. The M -partition problem asks whether the vertices of a given graph G can be partitioned into m parts V0, V1 · · ·Vm−1 such that any two distinct vertices in (possibly equal) parts Vi and Vj are adjacent if M(i, j) = 1, and non-adjacent if M(i, j) = 0. This problem generalizes k-coloring and H-coloring problems, as well as many other well-known graph problems. In its list version, which is called the list M -partition problem, a list is assigned to each vertex to restrict its placement into certain parts. An open problem, called the dichotomy problem, asks whether each (list) M -partition problem is polynomial or NP-complete. The difficulty of this problem led to the study of restrictions on the input graphs. A secondary goal was to identify the well-known graph classes for which all (list) M -partition problems are polynomial. Several graph classes including perfect graphs, chordal graphs, etc. have been studied so far. In this thesis we continue this line of research, focusing mainly on the list version. We identify certain graph classes defined in terms of geometric configurations, and we prove that for these classes all list M -partition problems are polynomial. These classes include such well-known classes as interval and circular arc graphs. We also consider other standard graphs classes including some generalizations of the aforementioned classes, line graphs and their extensions to quasi-line graphs and claw-free graphs, and some special cases of H-free graphs. For these classes we provide a positive answer to the dichotomy problem for certain kinds of matrices M .


INTRODUCTION
We have previously evaluated the usefulness of venocutaneous fistula (VCF), also called "dermatorrhea." VCF is a technique of blood removal/return by advancing a dialysis cannula to the femoral vein for each hemodialysis session using a fistula created between the great saphenous vein and skin.

METHODS
In this study, we evaluated 46 limbs of 40 patients for whom VCF was created at our hospital between May 2017 and April 2022. In all the patients, it was difficult to construct an arteriovenous fistula or arteriovenous graft because of the general/vascular conditions. The usefulness of this method was evaluated based on the results of dialysis treatment after fistula creation and the use of fistula.

RESULTS
Fundamental evaluation confirmed the progression of vascular wall thickening over time. During clinical review, no serious complications were found in any patient during or after fistula creation surgery. The infection rate was 0.30/1000 days of fistula maintenance. Secondary patency rates by the Kaplan-Meier method were 87.0% at 1 year and 42.6% at 3 years.

CONCLUSION
This method has demonstrated a good patency rate, low infection rate, and seems to be a potentially useful alternative in patients in whom it is difficult to establish vascular access.


In this paper, the application of equivalent source methods for the numerical computation of total and local forces in three-dimensional magnetostatics is proposed. A nodal two-scalar potential formulation and a mixed face-edge formulation are used to solve the field problem and to derive force values, which are then compared to analytical results. The numerical accuracy of the proposed methods, in connection both to the used formulation and to the level of refinement of the mesh, is analyzed and discussed. It is shown that results coming from the mixed solution are more accurate than those obtained with the nodal one.


Ligand immobilization on solid surfaces is an essential step in fields such as diagnostics, bio sensor manufacturing, and new material sciences in general. In this paper a photochemical approach based on anthraquinone as the chromophore is presented. Photochemical procedures offer special advantages as they are able to generate highly reactive species in an orientation specific manner. As presented here, anthraquinone (AQ) mediated covalent DNA immobilization appears to be superior to currently known procedures. A synthetic procedure providing AQ-phosphoramidites is presented. These reagents facilitate AQ conjugation during routine DNA synthesis, thus enabling the AQ-oligonucleotides to be immobilized in a very convenient and efficient manner. AQ-conjugated PCR primers can be used directly in PCR. When the PCR is performed in solution, the amplicons can be immobilized after the PCR. Moreover, when the primers are immobilized prior to the PCR, a solid-phase PCR can be performed and the amplicons are thus produced directly on the solid support.


The simultaneous oxidation-sulfidation of pure iron in CO/sub 2/-10%SO/sub 2/ atmospheres has been studied at 871/sup 0/C. Although thermodynamic calculations predict the formation of an oxide layer, complex product layers of oxide and sulfide porous structures are observed. The sulfide within the scale is formed due to depletion of oxygen adjacent to the scale/gas interface, shifting the thermodynamic equilibrium to a sulfide stable region. The scale consists of three layers. The outer layer is a magnetite matrix, containing sulfide-rich streaks and protrusions. The inner layer is a mixture of wustite and sulfide. At the scale/metal interface, there is a layer of large grains formed by inward diffusion of anions. The protrusions on the scale are thought to be developed by the fast transport of iron ions through the sulfide-rich streaks. The wrinkles which spread all over the scale surface are due to grain boundary diffusion. Unbalanced diffusion is proposed to account for the formation of the porous structure.


With the exploration and development of oil and gas expanded to deepwater area, many new floating structures are developed to reduce the cost. Steel catenary Riser (SCR) is a flexible steel pipe that conducts well fluids from the subsea wellhead to the production floating vessel. SCR has the advantages of low manufacturing cost, resistance of high temperature and high pressure, good adaptability of upper floating body's motion, etc, and is widely used in the development of deepwater oil and gas fields. Because of the complicated marine environment, SCR theory research involves fluid dynamics, nonlinear mechanics, soil mechanics and other disciplines. This chapter presents the numerical calculation for soil-riser interaction, vortexinduced vibration (VIV), fatigue, the coupling of floating vessel and riser, riser installation, etc, and provides a theoretical basis of SCR design.


Al 0.85In0.15N/AlN/GaNmetal-oxide-semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MOS-HEMTs) employing a 3-nm ultra-thin atomic-layer deposited (ALD) Al2O3 gate dielectric layer are reported. Devices with 0.6μm gate lengths exhibit an improved maximum drain current density of 1227mA/mm at a gate bias of 3 V, a peak transconductance of 328mS/mm, a cutoff frequency fT of 16 GHz, a maximum frequency of oscillation fmax of 45 GHz, as well as significant gate leakage suppression in both reverse and forward directions, compared with the conventional Al0.85In 0.15N/AlN/GaN HEMT. Negligible C — V hysteresis, together with a smaller pinch-off voltage shift, is observed, demonstrating few bulk traps in the dielectric and high quality of the Al2O3/AlInN interface. It is most notable that not only the transconductance profile of the MOS-HEMT is almost the same as that of the conventional HEMT with a negative shift, but also the peak transconductance of the MOS-HEMT is increased slightly. It is an exciting improvement in the transconductance performance.