Preeminent medieval scholar, George Duby, argues that the structure of sexual relationships took its cue from the family and from feudalism - both bastions of masculinity - as he reveals the role of women, what they represent, and what they were in the Middle Ages. Written in Duby's characteristically nuanced and powerful style, this collection is an ideal entr e into Duby's thinking about marriage and the diversities of love, spousal decorum, family structure, and their cultural context in bodily and spiritual values. "Love and marriage in the Middle Ages" is intended for students in social and cultural history, medieval and early modern history, and women's studies, as well as those interested in the nature of social life in the Middle Ages.


This paper develops an Urban Sustainability Index System as part of a broader effort to provide better quality data and statistical analysis for local environmental decision-making. We show that urban sustainability can be measured in a comprehensive and synthetic way. In providing fair comparison across cities while keeping sensibility to local context, this index system can be used by policy-makers as a powerful tool to identify critical trends and policy gaps. This Urban Sustainability Index System has been applied to 57 cities in the metropolitan areas of Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The results indicate two different paths in relation to sustainability. The first is characterized by a gap between environmental quality and human development, leading away from sustainability. It is followed by the core cities and highly industrialized ones in both metropolitan areas. The second leads towards sustainability and is followed by a heterogeneous group of cities in both regions. sustentabilidad urbana calidad de vida desarrollo humano


Some years ago it was not uncommon for materials scientists, even within the electronics industry, to work relatively independently of device engi- neers. Neither group had a means to determine whether or not the materials had been optimized for application in specific device structures. This mode of operation is no longer desirable or possible. The introduction of a new material, or a new form of a well known material, now requires a close collaborative effort between individuals who represent the disciplines of materials preparation, materials characterization, device design and pro- cessing, and the analysis of the device operation to establish relationships between device performance and the materials properties. The develop- ment of devices in heteroepitaxial thin films has advanced to the present state specifically through the unusually close and active interchange among individuals with the appropriate backgrounds. We find no book available which brings together a description of these diverse disciplines needed for the development of such a materials-device technology. Therefore, the authors of this book, who have worked in close collaboration for a number of years, were motivated to collect their experiences in this volume. Over the years there has been a logical flow of activity beginning with heteroepi- taxial silicon and progressing through the III-V and II-VI compounds. For each material the early emphasis on material preparation and characteriza- tion later shifted to an emphasis on the analysis of the device characteristics specific to the materials involved.


Information systems enable many organizational processes in every industry. The efficiencies and effectiveness in the use of information technologies create an unintended byproduct: misuse by existing users or somebody impersonating them - an insider threat. Detecting the insider threat may be possible if thorough analysis of electronic logs, capturing user behaviors, takes place. However, logs are usually very large and unstructured, posing significant challenges for organizations. In this study, we use deep learning, and most specifically Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) recurrent networks for enabling the detection. We demonstrate through a very large, anonymized dataset how LSTM uses the sequenced nature of the data for reducing the search space and making the work of a security analyst more effective.


Modern society is marked by crisis of spiritual values among young people. However, young people can create happy families and a developed state on the basis of renewed mind. The problem can be solved by including spiritual component into the training process of university. Biblical values can be integrated into courses of the Humanities and Social sciences. The authors have conducted the research in four universities in Ukraine. In order to estimate the level of the development of spiritual values among university students, it has been used the method E. Pomytkin. The result of the study demonstrates that students give preference to family values. The challenge is that university students do not have enough spiritual knowledge to create good families. Therefore, it becomes necessary to develop and introduce a program for the spiritual development in the training process of higher education in Ukraine. Thus, the topics "The Bible as the Word of God", "Good and Evil", "Contemporary Anthropological Problems", "The meaning of life in the context of political understanding", "Gender problems and the Modern Family" and the trainings "Appreciate life", "My words" and "Lifelong Marriage" are included in the course of "Philosophical Problems of Biology", "Psychology", "Ethics and Aesthetics".


Characteristics of plasmas formed by repetitively-pulsed electrical discharges in sodium chloride and barium chloride saline solutions are reported. Spectroscopic observations in conjunction with an analysis of the voltage and current behavior of the discharge lead to a model in which the liquid is vaporized and ionized to form a plasma containing excited water fragments H* and OH* as well as ions and neutrals from the salt. For typical conditions under which plasma is formed, the plasma density is estimated to be of order 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -3/ and the electron temperature about 4 eV.


Motivation is recognized as a vital component in successful second language learning, and has been the subject of intensive research in recent decades. This review focuses on a growing branch of this research effort, that which examines the motivational effects of language teaching. This is pertinent because, despite enhanced mobility and expanding access to foreign languages online, most learners' early encounters with the second language (L2) still take place in classrooms, and these encounters may shape attitudes and determine students' willingness to invest further in the L2. Four main types of research are reviewed: first, that which deliberately seeks to identify and evaluate strategies to motivate L2 learners; second, that which has tested the validity of psychological theories of motivation by applying their precepts in L2 classrooms; third, that which assesses the motivational effects of a pedagogical innovation or intervention; fourth, research on what has been too often the unintended outcome of language education, namely learner demotivation. The review highlights the complexity of the relationship between teaching and learner motivation but an attempt is made to articulate some emerging verities and to point towards the most promising avenues for future research.


This paper examines the symmetry of correlation of sovereign bond yield dynamics between eight Eurozone countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain) in the period from January 3,2000 to August 31, 2011. Asymmetry of correlation is investigated pair-wise by applying the test of Yongmiao Hong, Jun Tu, and Guofu Zhou (2007). Whereasthe test of Hong, Tu, and Zhou (2007) is static, the present paper provides also a dynamic version of the test and identifies time periods when the correlation of Eurozone sovereign bond yield dynamics became asymmetric. We identified seven pairs of sovereign bond markets for which the null hypothesis of symmetry in correlation of sovereign bond yield dynamics can be rejected. Calculating rolling-window exceedance correlation, we found that the time-varying upper-(i.e. for positive yield changes) and lower-tail correlations (i.e. for negative yield changes) for pair-wise observed sovereign bond markets normally follow each other closely, yet during some time periods (for most pair-wise observed countries, these periods are around the September 11 attack on the New York City WTC and around the start of the Greek debt crisis) the difference in correlation does increase. The results show that the upper- and lower-tail correlation was symmetric before the Eurozone debt crisis for most of the pair-wise observed sovereign bond markets but has become much less symmetric since then.


This study aimed to establish a closed-cycle operation technology with high thermal efficiency in the thermochemical sulfur-iodine cycle for large-scale hydrogen production. A series of experimental studies were performed to investigate the occurrence of side reactions in both the H2SO4 and HIx phases from the H2SO4/HI/I2/H2O quaternary system within a constant temperature range of 323–363 K. The effects of iodine content, water content and reaction temperature on the side reactions were evaluated. The results showed that an increase in the reaction temperature promoted the side reactions. However, they were prevented as the iodine or water content increased. The occurrence of side reactions was faster in kinetics and more intense in the H2SO4 phase than in the HIx phase. The sulfur or hydrogen sulfide formation reaction or the reverse Bunsen reaction was validated under certain conditions.


Necessary principles of rehabilitation for burn patient are based on empirical findings recently corroborated by discoveries about healing pathophysiology. Risks are assessable immediately from the extensive, depth and situation of the burns, problems appear only if the dermis is affected: retraction, hypertrophy and losses of substances. To cutaneous problems it is necessary to add those linked to the prolonged immobilization and to complications of the resuscitation. To be effective, re-education has to be precocious, continuously suited to cicatricial processing and to the different therapeutic steps: resuscitation, surgical treatment, processing in a re-education and rehabilitation center, steady at home and processing of the sequelae. The processing rests on the repressive cloth port 23/24 hours during more of a year, the port of orthesis of immobilization and segmental posture (to stretch the dermis permanently) and the mobilization of articulations to avoid their stiffening. The cooperation of the patient is essential, it needs the share of therapies as well as the totality of problems and difficulties met by the patient, that they are physical, psychological, social, family or occupational. The steady has to be insured by a pluridisciplinarity team during at least the two necessary years for the cicatricial maturation.


A novel heat sink based on a multi-layer stack of liquid cooled microchannels is investigated. For a given pumping power and heat removal capability for the heat sink, the flow rate across a stack of microchannels is lower compared to a single layer of microchannels. Numerical simulations using a computationally efficient multigrid method [1] were carried out to investigate the detailed conjugate transport within the heat sink. The effects of the microchannel aspect ratio and total number of layers on thermal performance were studied for water as coolant. A heat sink of base area 10 mm by 10 mm with a height in the range 1.8 to 4.5 mm (2–5 layers) was considered with water flow rate in the range 0.83×10−6 m3/s (50 ml/min) to 6.67×10−6 m3/s (400 ml/min). The results of the computational simulations were also compared with a simplified thermal resistance network analysis.


The prevalence and incidence of patients with endstage renal disease (ESRD) is growing, and it already consumes a significant proportion of the healthcare resources in the United States. As of December 1993, there were 217,479 ESRD patients in the U.S., of whom 160,127 were on dialysis (1). The annual cost of treating ESRD is in excess of $11.1 billion, a cost that is constantly increasing. Despite the considerable resources committed to ESRD care, the morbidity and mortality among chronic renal failure (CRF) patients on dialysis continues to be high. The death rates adjusted for age, race, gender, and primary diagnosis during the first year of dialysis therapy are 25.7%; cardiovascular disease (48%) and infection (16%) are the leading causes of death. Historical perspective studies using data from large national or regional databases have suggested an association between morbidity and mortality in general, and deaths from cardiovascular disease or infection in particular could be a result of inadequate dose of dialysis, poor nutrition, bioincompatibility of the membrane, or reuse of dialyzers. The current study by Hakim and colleagues is also a historical perspective based on a population drawn from the Case-Mix Adequacy Study (CMAS) designed and implemented by the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) in collaboration with the ESRD networks in the U.S. Briefly, patients on chronic dialysis as of December 31, 1990 were randomly selected from 523 dialysis units. Patients on dialysis for less than one year or those on acetate dialysate, unspecified dialyzers, and without data on dialysis adequacy were excluded. The remaining 2,410 patients were followed from December 30, 1990 until death, transplantation, switch to peritoneal dialysis, or end of study (median 1.4 years). Dialyzers were classified as unsubstituted cellulose, modified cellulose, and synthetic, and were used by 65.8%, 16.1% and 18.1% of patients, respectively. In a Cox proportional hazards model, compared to patients on unsubstituted cellulose dialyzers (relative risk 4 1.0), the relative risk of death for patients on modified cellulose and synthetic dialyzers was 0.72 (95% confidence intervals of 0.59–0.89) and 0.72 (95% confidence intervals of 0.59–0.88), respectively (2). When adjusted for Kt/V, the relative risk of death for patients on modified cellulose and synthetic dialyzers was 0.74 (95% confidence intervals of 0.60–0.92) and 0.75 (95% confidence intervals of 0.61–0.73), respectively (2). These data suggest that use of less biocompatible unsubstituted cellulose dialyzers was associated with an increased mortality in patients on chronic hemodialysis. These results are in keeping with similar studies published previously. Levin and colleagues compared clinical outcomes among 438 patients on cellulose dialyzers and 548 on high-flux polysulfone dialyzers and observed that patients on polysulfone dialyzers had a 0.19 relative risk (RR) of death, 0.17 RR of death due to cardiovascular disease and 0.14 RR of death due to infection (3). Although these risks were adjusted for age, gender, race and cause of ESRD, dose of dialysis and flux may have confounded the analysis. Likewise, in a comparison of non-contemporaneous cohorts, Hornberger and colleagues observed a 0.24 RR of death among 107 patients on high-flux polysulfone dialyzers compared to 146 patients on cellulose dialyzers (4). However, the higher dose of dialysis, flux and albumin levels in the polysulfone group may have influenced these results. Three recent studies have prospectively examined the effect of biocompatibility on clinical outcomes in patients with ARF requiring dialysis. Schiffl and colleagues randomly assigned 52 patients with ARF following surgical procedures to HD treatment with either a biocompatible (PAN) or a bioincompatible dialyzer (Cuprophane). Compared to patients in the PAN group, patients in the Cuprophane group had a higher mortality (35% vs 62%) and required more dialysis sessions (9 vs 12). Dialysis with Cuprophane dialyzers was associated with greater activation of the complement system (C3a) and lipooxygenase pathway (leukotriene B4) resulting in alterations of neutrophil kinetics and function (3). However, a higher proportion of patients in the Cuprophane group had gram-negative sepsis, raising the possibility that there may have been an imbalance between groups. Hakim and colleagues prospectively randomized 72 patients with ARF to HD with a biocompatible dialyzer (PMMA) and/or Cuprophane. The two groups were similar with respect to Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE-II) scores, age, gender and cause of ARF. Compared to PMMA, the Cuprophane group had a higher mortality (43% vs 63%) and were less likely to recover renal function (37% vs 62%) (6). The biocompatibility benefit was more apparent among patients with non-oliguric ARF. However, as many as 30% of patients in the PMMA group recovered renal function after a single dialysis, again raising the possibility that there may have been an imbalance between groups. Kurtal and colleagues prospectively compared 25 with ARF dialyzed with biocompatible dialyzers (polyamide) to 32 dialyzed with Cuprophane. Survival rate was similar among the polyamide and Cuprophane groups (64% vs 72%) and so was the recovery of renal function (7). Although two of the three studies suggest that biocompatible dialyzers could improve clinical outcomes among ARF patients requiring dialysis, the mechanisms behind this benefit have not been elucidated.


Objective: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with considerable postoperative pain. We compared the effects of intraoperative intraarticular levobupivacaine and bupivacaine on postoperative analgesia and analgesic consumption after total knee arthroplasty. Methods: Sixty ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) physical status II-III, 18-75 years old patients scheduled for unilateral TKA were included in this study. For the operative procedure combined spinal epidural anesthesia was given by injecting 15mg levobupivacaine in subarachnoid space at L3-4/L4-5 in sitting position for all patients. In Group L 20ml levobupivacaine(0.5%), in Group B 20ml bupivacaine (0.5%) was injected intraarticularly 10 minutes before opening of the tourniquet at the end of the surgery. For all patients postoperative analgesia was provided with PCEA (levobupivacaine+fentanyl) and oral 1gr paracetamol four times a day. Patients' intraoperative-postoperative hemodynamical data, postoperative sensorial-motor block characteristics, side effects, PCEA demand ratios and bolus volumes, total analgesic consumption, VAS values, first mobilization time, hospitalization time were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 13.00 software. Results: There was no intergroup difference in demographic data, hemodynamical data, PCEA demand ratios, total analgesic consumption, first mobilization time, hospitalization time and VAS values at 0,2,72 hour. Postoperative lower VAS values were determined at 4,8,12,24 hours in Group B and at 48th hour in Group L(p<0.05). Conclusions: Intraarticular local anesthetic administration in addition to PCEA for post operative pain relief provides good analgesia after TKA surgery.


In a detail data mining study about 150 wells that have been completed in the Codell formation, DJ Basin, have been analyzed to identify successful practices in hydraulic fracturing. The Codell formation is a low permeability sandstone within the Wattenburg field in the DJ Basin of Colorado. Since 1997 over 1500 Codell wells have been restimulated. As part of a Gas Research Institute restimulation project 150 wells were studied to optimize candidate selection and identify successful practices. Hydraulic fracturing is an economic way of increasing gas well productivity. Hydraulic fracturing is routinely performed on many gas wells in fields that contain hundreds of wells. During the process of hydraulically fracturing gas wells over many years, companies usually record the relevant data on methods and materials in a database. These databases usually include general information such as date of the job, Service Company performing the job, fluid type and amount, proppant type and amount, and pump rate. Sometimes more detail information may be available such as breakers, additives, amount of nitrogen, and ISIP to name a few. These data are usually of little use in complex 3-D hydraulic fracture simulators. These models require additional and more detailed information. On the other hand, the collected data contain valuable information that can be processed using virtual intelligence tools. The process covered in this paper takes the above-mentioned data and couples it with general information from each well (things like latitude, longitude and elevation), any information available from log analysis and production data. The conclusion of the analysis is a set of successful practices that has been implemented in a particular field and recommendations on how to precede with further hydraulic fracture jobs. In this paper the results of applying this process to about 150 Codell wells during the GRI sponsored project is presented. This process provides an important step toward constructing a comprehensive set of methods and processes for data mining, knowledge discovery, and data-knowledge fusion from data sets in oil and gas industry. Introduction Patina Oil and Gas has been very active in the DJ basin in recent years. They have been one of the most active operators in the United States in identifying and restimulationg tigh gas sand wells. Patina has over 3,400 producing wells in the basin, and has restimulated over 230 Niobrara/Codell completions so far. Furthermore, it is estimated that the results they are achieving in terms of incremental recoveries are up to 60% better than other operators. Studies and analysis such as the one being presented in this paper has the potential to help operators like Patina Oil & Gas to increase their chance of success even to a higher percentage. It also has the potential to help other operators in increasing their chances of success in DJ Basin or any other locations throughout the North America. This stuy is probably one of the most comprehensive analyses of its kind ever to be performed on a set of wells in the United States. In this technical paper the authors' intention is to introduce this new and novel methodology in its entirety and present as much of the results as the page limitations of this paper allows. Please note that due to the comprehensive nature of this methodology many of the topics cannot be discussed in much detail. It is our intention to introduce these topics in much more detail in series of upcoming technical papers. Methodology The process of "Successful Practices Identification" using state-of-the-art data mining, knowledge discovery and dataknowledge fusion techniques includes the following five steps. In order to comprehensively cover the theoretical 2 MOHAGHEGH, POPA, GASKARI, AMERI & WOLHART SPE 77597 background of each step involved in this process, a separate paper may be needed for each. Some of the ideas have been introduced in the past and are referred to in the references. Detail on other topics will be the subject of future papers. In this article the goal is to provide a view of the methodology as a whole, and therefore, authors will simply introduce and give a brief explanation of each of the topics to clarify their role in the process. Step One: Data Quality Control The process starts with a thorough quality control of the data set. During this process the outliers and their nature (are they really valid data elements or are they the result of human error either in measurement or in recording the values?) as well as missing data are identified, and using advanced intelligent techniques, the data set is repaired. It is important to note that the repair of the data set at this stage of the analysis is aimed at rescuing the remaining data elements in a particular record (a data record here is referred to a row of the data matrix) that includes many features (features are the columns of the data matrix). The goal is not to "magically" find the piece of the missing data or substitute the outlier with the correct value. The goal is merely to put the best possible value in place of the missing data or the outlier that would allow the analysis to continue without losing the information content that exists in the rest of the features in a particular data record. Moreover, a new and novel methodology has been developed in order to identify and eliminate erroneous data records from the data set. These techniques, verification of their accuracy and how they are implemented are subjects of a future paper. Step Two: Fuzzy Combinatorial Analysis The second step of the process is a complete "Fuzzy Combinatorial Analysis – FCA" that examines each feature in the data set in order to identify its influence on the process outcome. The process outcome is a feature (usually a production indicator such as cumulative production, 5 year cum., 10 year cum., best 12 months of production, etc.) in the data set that is designated to identify the success of the practices in a field. For example if 5 year cumulative gas production is selected to be the process outcome, then a high 5 year cum. would indicate performance of good practices for that particular well. During that "Fuzzy Combinatorial Analysis" each feature's influence is examined on the process outcome both individually and in combination with other features. This is due to the fact that influence of a particular feature (say a fracturing fluid) on the process outcome may be altered once it is combined with the effects of other features (say specific additives) that are present in the process. Therefore it is important to perform the analysis in a combinatorial fashion (hence the name combinatorial analysis) in order to reveal the true influence of the features present in the data set on the process outcome. A note of caution is in order here. Many commercial, off-theshelf neural network software applications claim to identify the influence of features on the output once a neural network model is build for a data set, and many practitioners in our industry have been using them as the true influence of parameters on the output. These products simply use the summation of the weights connected to a particular input neuron in order to achieve this. Authors believe that this is a gross simplification of a complex problem, and does not provide an accurate account of the influence of each feature and therefore should not be used as such. This method simply is an artifact of the modeling process and in the event of changing the architecture or learning algorithms of the modeling process the influence of features may be altered. Step Three: Intelligent Production Data Analysis The third step in the "Successful Practices Identification" methodology is a process called "Intelligent Production Data Analysis – IPDA." The word "intelligent" in the above phrase refers to the use of intelligent systems techniques in the production data analysis process. During the IPDA process production data is used to identify a series of "Production Indicators" that would represent the state of the production from a particular field in time and space. The time and space representation is aimed at capturing the depletion and pressure decline in the field as new wells are drilled and put into production at different rates. The dynamic nature of this analysis (simultaneous analysis of the data in four dimensions x, y, z, and t) allows the user to identify the sweet spots as well as bad (unproductive) spots in a field. Such analysis would prove quite valuable during field development strategies that include infill drilling programs and candidate selection for stimulation, restimulation and workovers. Step Four: Neural Model Building Next step (Step 4) in the process calls for building a predictive neural model based on the available data. This step has been coved in detail in the several prior papers and will not be repeated here. Step Five: Successful Practices Analysis Once a representative neural model is successfully trained, calibrated and verified, the process of "Successful Practices Identification" using state-of-the-art data mining, knowledge discovery and data-knowledge fusion techniques is concluded with a three stage analysis. The three stage analysis combines the neural model with Monte Carlo simulation, genetic algorithms search and optimization routines, and fuzzy set theory to identify the successful practices on a single well basis, on groups of wells basis, and on a field wide basis. During the single well analysis, each well is thoroughly analyzed in order to identify the sensitivity of that particular well to different operational conditions. This analysis can identify the distance of actual practices on that well from the successful practices that could have been performed on that well. The larger the distance the higher would be the potential SPE 77597 IDENTIFICATION OF SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES IN HYDRAULIC FRACTURING 3 of a goo


resourceful approaches. One of the introductory chapters carries 91 footnotes and three and one-half pages of bibliography. Several of the other chapters also provide extremely strong additional resources. This work shows the seriousness with which evangelicals are struggling with modernity and mission. Missiologists and seminary professors will be stimulated by it. Parish leaders reading it will understand better what is happening to parish and people as a new context is being shaped, socially, culturally, intellectually, and therefore, religiously.


Background: Propolis (PRS) and probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus are natural products used as dietary supplement for their therapeutic benefits. This study was performed to examine the possible hepatoprotective effect of PRS and probiotics (PRCs) against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury. Methods: Experimentally, intoxicated rats received 0.5 ml/kg CCl4 (i.p.) daily for six days, pretreated rats received per os PRS 100 mg/kg or PRCs 109 CFU for six days followed by a single dose of 0.5 ml/kg CCl4. Control groups received either PRS, PRCs or olive oil for six days. Then, serum biochemistry (total protein, cholesterol, triglycerides and albumin) and oxidative stress parameters were measured. Results: We showed that CCl4 treatment was associated with an increase of the serum aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), cholesterol and triglycerides levels. In parallel, serum total protein, albumin and blood sugar levels were significantly decreased. Regarding the oxidative stress parameters, catalase and glutathione S-transferase (GST) levels were lower, conversely to the lipid peroxidation (MDA). Conclusion: Our results strongly support that administration of PRS and PRCs may significantly protect liver against CCl4-induced toxicity by enhancing antioxidative stress pathway and preventing lipid peroxidation.


Do political parties respond to shifts in the preferences of their supporters, which we label the partisan constituency model, or to shifts in the mean voter position (the general electorate model)? Cross-national analyses — based on observations from Eurobarometer surveys and parties' policy programmes in 15 countries from 1973 to 2002 — suggest that the general electorate model characterizes the policy shifts of mainstream parties. Alternatively, when we analyse the policy shifts of Communist, Green and extreme Nationalist parties (i.e. 'niche' parties), we find that these parties respond to shifts in the mean position of their supporters. The findings have implications for spatial theories and political representation.


The diminished-one modulo 2n+1 addition is an important arithmetic operation for a high-performance residue number system. In this paper, we propose a new circular-carry-selection (CCS) technique for modulo 2n+1 addition in the diminished-one number domain. The architecture design of CCS modular adder is simple and regular for various bit-width inputs. For actual VLSI implementation, the proposed modular adder can demonstrate its superiority of savings up to 39.5% in AreaxTime and 46.3% in TimexPower performances over those of the previous existing solutions under 180-nm CMOS technology. Finally, the chip area and the clock rate of CCS diminished-one modulo 216+1 adder are 26746 mum2 and 476 MHz, respectively.


Summary.
1Oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions of arterial blood were determined in 14 young athletes, at rest and during muscular work of defined absolute and relstire intensities.
2The oxygen tension of arterial blood was lower during heavy work (pulse-rate 168) than at rest, the mean difference being 17 mm Hg. Exhaustive work caused a further decrease in 02 tension (mean 7 mm Hg). Carbon dioxide tension tended to decrease during exhaustive work, and was remarkably low in some cases.
3The divergent results reported earlier were probably obtained at different relative work loads. The necessity to define the work, at which measurements of arterial gas tensions are made, is stressed. The results are discussed with regard to the factors limiting the aerobic working capacity.


Photonics: large-scale crystals In photonic crystals the refractive index varies periodically on length scales comparable to optical wavelengths [1]. With a sufficient contrast and a proper 3D lattice a photonic band gap can be opened, which will allow one to manipulate light similar to semiconductors manipulating electrons. An important area of application is infrared telecommunications, operating at wavelengths of 1.3 and 1.5 μm, where silica fibres display high transport performance. Fabrication of such materials is challenging and one possible route is through self-organisation of colloidal particles. By tuning the interparticle interaction potential, various lattices can be achieved [2]. By filling dried colloidal crystals with silicon and etching out the silica, 'inverted crystals' of silicon can be made, which have the desired band gap [3].


Apigenin is an edible flavonoid widely distributed in natural plants including most vegetables and fruits. Previous studies have revealed that apigenin possesses multiple biological functions by demonstrating anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-tumor and cardiovascular protective effects. Furthermore, recent progressions have disclosed a novel perspective of the anticancer roles of apigenin through its immunoregulatory functions. With the rapid progression of the groundbreaking strategies being developed for cancer immunotherapy, its immunoregulatory roles have become to be recognized as an intriguing feature of the multifaceted apigenin. However, our current understanding about this emerging role of apigenin still remains limited. Therefore, in the present review, we summarize recent advances on the immunoregulatory properties of apigenin in various diseases with a special focus on neoplasm. We briefly introduce clinical strategies of cancer immunotherapy and bring together findings on apigenin linked to immunoregulatory roles in immunotherapy-associated aspects. We discuss about the bioactivity, bioavailability, toxicity, and potential of apigenin to be considered as a therapeutic agent in antitumor immunotherapy. We summarize disclosed molecular mechanisms underlying the immunoregulatory roles of apigenin in cancer immunotherapy. Based on findings from the literature, apigenin has the potential to serve as a prospective adjuvant for anticancer immunotherapy and warrants further investigations.


The spike in restatements in the early 2000s prompted an important question: Are retail investors able to react to the large volume of restatements, and in particular are they able to differentiate between non-fraud restatements and more serious fraud-related restatements? The latter are associated with more negative announcement-window and post-announcement returns. Using a unique dataset, we directly examine retail investor trading reactions to restatement announcements. We find that retail investors display significantly higher trading volumes during restatementannouncement windows, as well as significantly higher abnormal trading volume for fraud-related restatements than for non-fraud restatements. However, retail investors increase both their buying and selling, and do not sell any more strongly as a percentage of trade for fraudversus non-fraudrelated restatements. We examine the returns following retail investors' trades and find that retail investors' share purchases for fraud-related restatements earn significantly negative raw and abnormal returns (e.g., -8% raw returns over three months). This suggests that retail investors' failure to differentiate between fraudand non-fraud-related restatements may have significant welfare consequences. We further examine the potential role of press coverage and find that retail investors sell more strongly for fraud-related restatements when restatements receive more press coverage. However they continue to buy significantly for fraud-related restatements even when press coverage is high, which leads to subsequent negative returns. Overall, our results suggest that retail investors fail to understand the negative implications of fraud-related restatements.


ABSTRACT Introduction: As a result of progress in medical care, a huge number of medical devices are used in the treatment of human diseases. In turn, biofilm-related infection has become a growing threat due to the tolerance of biofilms to antimicrobials, a problem magnified by the development of antimicrobial resistance worldwide. As a result, successful treatment of biofilm-disease using only antimicrobials is problematic. Areas covered: We summarize some alternative approaches to classic antimicrobials for the treatment of biofilm disease. This review is not intended to be exhaustive but to give a clinical picture of alternatives to antimicrobial agents to manage biofilm disease. We highlight those strategies that may be closer to application in clinical practice. Expert opinion: There are a number of outstanding challenges in the development of novel antibiofilm therapies. Screening for effective antibiofilm compounds requires models relevant to all clinical scenarios. Although in vitro research of anti-biofilm strategies has progressed significantly over the past decade, there is a lack of in vivo research. In addition, the complexity of biofilm biology makes it difficult to develop a compound that is likely to provide the single 'magic bullet'. The multifaceted nature of biofilms imposes the need for multi-targeted or combinatorial therapies.


The aim of study was to develop in situ gel of Besifloxacin by using blend polymer of sodium alginate, ethylcellulose and Xanthan gum to increase the pre-corneal residence time and better bioavailability of drug. In situ ocular gels of Besifloxacin (F1 to F6) were prepared by using polymers xanthan gum, Ethyl cellulose and sodium alginate in different ratio. The formulations F1 to F6 were evaluated for Clarity, visual appearance, pH, gelling capacity, drug content, assessment of drug release and ocular irritancy. The F1 to F6 were transparent and clear, and possessed a satisfactory gelling capacity. The drug content capacity for F1 to F6 ranged between 96.24% to 98.63%. The in vitro releases of drug from in situ ocular gel demonstrated that F3 (98.67%) has maximum drug release for 8 hrs compared to other formulations, and showed sustained release. The ocular irritancy study of F3 formulation showed non-irritant and safe to use. The studies suggested that prepared in situ ophthalmic gel of Besifloxacin will be an alternative for conventional eye drops and valuable alternative to counter the precorneal loss.


We present the labscript suite, an open-source experiment control system for automating shot-based experiments and their analysis. Experiments are composed as Python code, which is used to produce low-level hardware instructions. They are queued up and executed on the hardware in real time, synchronized by a pseudoclock. Experiment parameters are manipulated graphically, and analysis routines are run as new data are acquired. With this system, we can easily automate exploration of parameter spaces, including closed-loop optimization.


Streptococcus sanguinis is a primary tooth colonizer and is typically considered beneficial due to its antagonistic relationship with the cariogenic pathogen Streptococcus mutans. However, S. sanguinis can also act as an opportunistic pathogen should it enter the bloodstream and colonize a damaged heart valve, leading to infective endocarditis. Studies have implicated manganese acquisition as an important virulence determinant in streptococcal endocarditis. A knockout mutant lacking the primary manganese import system in S. sanguinis, SsaACB, is severely attenuated for virulence in an in vivo rabbit model. Manganese is a known cofactor for several important enzymes in S. sanguinis, including superoxide dismutase, SodA, and the aerobic ribonucleotide reductase, NrdEF. To determine the effect of manganese depletion on S. sanguinis, we performed transcriptomic analysis on a ΔssaACB mutant grown in aerobic fermentor conditions after the addition of the metal chelator EDTA. Despite the broad specificity of EDTA, analysis of cellular metal content revealed a decrease in manganese, but not in other metals, that coincided with a drop in growth rate. Subsequent supplementation with manganese, but not iron, zinc, or magnesium, restored growth in the fermentor post-EDTA. Reduced activity of Mn-dependent SodA and NrdEF likely contributed to the decreased growth rate post-EDTA, but did not appear entirely responsible. With the exception of the Dps-like peroxide resistance gene, dpr, manganese depletion did not induce stress response systems. By comparing the transcriptome of ΔssaACB cells pre- and post-EDTA, we determined that manganese deprivation led to altered expression of diverse systems, including ethanolamine utilization, CRISPR/Cas, and a type IV pilus. Manganese depletion also led to an apparent induction of carbon catabolite repression in a glucose-independent manner. The combined results suggest that manganese limitation produces effects in S. sanguinis that are diverse and complex, with no single protein or system appearing entirely responsible for the observed growth rate decrease. This study provides further evidence for the importance of this trace element in streptococcal biology. Future studies will focus on determining mechanisms for regulation, as the multitude of changes observed in this study indicate that multiple regulators may respond to manganese levels.


Abstract We report 2 cases of relapsing nummular dermatitis according to mercury sensitivity, which was confirmed by patch testing. Removal of the amalgam from dental metal alloys markedly improved their skin eruptions. One of the patients, a dentist, experienced exacerbation of the eruptions on his lower legs after handling dental amalgam. Hypersensitivity to haptens such as metals is possibly involved in, at least in some patients, the pathogenesis of nummular dermatitis. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;43:383-5.)


&NA; This review attempts to provide comprehensive consideration of three phases of psychosocial intervention in coronary artery disease (CAD): preventive, acute, and convalescent/rehabilitative. Toward this end, a wide variety of literature, ranging from clinical‐anecdotal reports and prescriptive exhortations to controlled systematic studies, is considered. The prevention literature is limited to the Type A behavior pattern (TABP). Despite conceptual and methodological problems. TABP modification research seems promising, though its significance for ultimate CAD‐reduction remains to be demonstrated. The acute phase literature consists almost entirely of clinical lore. Systematic research is recommended on several aspects of denial and on the efficacy of the many anecdotally recommended interventions. The rehabilitative phase literature also includes a rich clinical lore, and, in addition, several systematic studies indicating psychological and perhaps physiological benefits from both individual and group supportive psychotherapy. It is concluded that the current state of knowledge in this area is promising but controversial, and that advance beyond this point requires a shift from global, clinically derived impressions to specific, tested hypotheses.


Parâng Mountains belong to Southern Carpathians, having the maximum altitude in Parângul Mare Peak (2519 m a.s.l.). The geology is dominated by crystalline schists, due to whom the relief is characterized by steep slopes. Between 1400 – 1700 m the average annual temperature is around 2-3ᴼC and the total precipitation about 1000-1200 mm/year. Coniferous belt extends roughly at the mentioned altitudes, being dominated by Norway spruce ( Picea abies ) forests. Above 1800 m the average annual temperature drops below 2ᴼC and the average rainfalls reach 1200 mm/year, allowing the development of alpine shrubs and alpine grassland (Oancea et al ., 1987). Crests and steep slopes in these subalpine areas are prone to snow accumulation and avalanche release. Despite the favorable conditions for avalanche trigger in this area, only one avalanche event is historically recorded, with severe impact on forest areas, but no destructive impact on infrastructure or fatalities.


The ELMs in H-mode plasmas manifest themselves as short bursts of increased edge transport, which expel energy and particles, including impurities from the plasma edge to the SOL and further towards target plates and limiters (Zohm H 1996 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 38 1213, Loarte A et al 2003 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 45 1549). ELMs are considered beneficial events with respect to impurities since they can prevent impurities from accumulating in the plasma core. JET has recently performed an experiment in which a controlled influx of noble gas impurities was successfully used in order to reduce the amplitude and frequency of type-I ELMs. An interesting correlation between the level of the main gas puffing and the radial redistribution of impurities has been found in this experiment: it was shown that impurities are contained near the separatrix in discharges with a relatively strong level of main gas puffing. Reduction of the puffing below a certain level leads to impurity accumulation in the core followed by thermal collapse. This paper describes the results of predictive modelling of impurity seeding experiments on JET using a coupling of the 1.5D core transport code JETTO (for the main ions) and 1D transport code SANCO (for impurities). Two sets of boundary conditions for the density and temperatures, which correspond to two different deuterium gas puffing rates, were used in the modelling. An explanation for the experimentally observed phenomenon is presented.


ABSTRACT Connections to research and professional practice are both essential components of engineering education, although handled differently across engineering programmes. The aim of this paper is to identify discourses on these components across three engineering programmes to in depth understand these variations. A discourse analysis was conducted on interviews, documents and observations and the results show three distinct discourses: the relevance and usefulness discourse, primarily emphasising engineering professional practice and connections to industry; the research and independence discourse, primarily accentuating research connections and independence from external actors; and the dual coupling and sustainability discourse, mainly highlighting a combination of connections to research and professional practice, along with a focus on sustainable development. The overall function of the discourses is interpreted as enhancing the particular characteristics of each programme and resisting different types of influences that threaten to undermine the characteristics of each programme.


The Aarhus Convention raises new questions about the future of the German "Schutznormtheorie" limiting access to justice before the administrative courts. The text and history of Article 9 (2) Aarhus Convention and of Directive 2003/35/EC on public participation seem to recognise this German concept. However, a closer examination of the objective of wide access to justice and of the case law of the European Court of Justice reveals a clear need for changes with regard to the application of this concept by the German courts. In this context, the interrelation of limited rights of action with the depth of judicial control has to be regarded, as well. New German legislation does not satisfy the need for a reform.


The proton spin-lattice relaxation time T1 in iron-doped serum was measured with a magnetic resonance imager operating at 0.5 T. The T1 in aqueous solutions of iron and iron-doped solutions of albumin and gamma globulin was also measured in order to analyse the paramagnetic contribution in iron-doped serum. The enhancement in serum is not linearly dependent on concentration of iron added. It is known that Fe(III) added to serum is mainly complexed with transferrin, albumin, gamma globulin and water. With serum pH (7.9) Fe(III) in the protein solution results in enhancement. Fe(III) in water does not cause any enhancement. As a result, the 1/T1 enhancement in serum should be caused solely by iron-binding serum proteins.


Thermal effects were investigated in a liquid crystal display (LCD) backlight unit (BLU) that was composed of light emitting diode (LED) arrays. The driving power for a single LED in a BLU is determined by the desired brightness of the LCD panel and the pitch distance between adjacent LEDs. As the pitch distance increases, individual LEDs need to be driven by a higher power in order to maintain the same brightness. Since the junction temperature of an LED plays an important role in LED performance, such as optical efficiency, intensity degradation, and lifetime, the maximum driving power for an LED should be limited by a critical level of the junction temperature. A guideline for designing LED BLU panels taking account of the junction temperature is presented using various parameters of LED arrays.


Closed-cell stochastic foams are widely used in engineering field due to the excellent energy absorption capability. In this paper, the crushing response of three dimensional closed-cell foams is investigated under quasi-static and dynamic compression loading. Voronoi tessellation is employed to generate the mesoscale geometric models of closed-cell stochastic foams, and subsequently numerical analysis is carried out using LS-DYNA software. Results reveal that the plateau stress of Voronoi model under quasi-static compression linearly increases with the increase of relative density. In addition, the mechanical properties of Voronoi model under quasi-static and dynamic compression are related to a shear band collapse mode and a layer-wise collapse mode, respectively. The plateau stress and the densification strain under high-speed loading are higher than those under quasi-static and low-speed loading.


Facilitated transport membranes by utilizing π complexation reactions between metal ions and penetrants have been actively explored, however, the different facilitated transport abilities of metal ions remains to be disclosed. In this study, poly(N-vinylimidazole) coated carbon nanotube particles (PVI@CNT) were prepared via precipitation polymerization of N-vinylimidazole monomers on a CNT surface. The PVI@CNT particles were then loaded with four kinds of divalent metal ions, Cu2+, Fe2+, Ca2+ and Mg2+, and incorporated into polyimide (PI) to prepare M2+–PVI@CNT hybrid membranes. The structure of M2+–PVI@CNT particles and PI–M2+–PVI@CNT membranes was analyzed by different characterization tools. Taking CO2/CH4 as the model separation system, the hybrid membranes containing Cu2+ and Fe2+ at filler content of 7 wt% showed the maximum increase of CO2 permeability of 89% and 87% compared with those of a pristine PI membrane. Meanwhile, the selectivity of these membranes shows little increase. However, membranes containing Ca2+ and Mg2+ show only little enhancement in the separation properties. Such results can be interpreted based on the π complexation mechanism, transition metal ions Cu2+ and Fe2+ possess a strong CO2 facilitated transport ability whereas main-group metal ions Ca2+ and Mg2+ possess a weak facilitated transport ability. Finally, a correlation of the electronegativity of metal ions with their CO2 facilitated transport abilities was explored.


Lake Baikal is one of the most unique natural environments in Siberia, and it affects to a large extent the natural state in this region. Processes of gas exchange in the air-water system have been studied in Lake Baikal since 2002. Measurements have been carried out in the littoral area on the western shore of Southern Baikal (51°51'N, 105°04'E). The method of accumulative chambers was prioritized for measuring carbon dioxide fluxes in the air-water system. Chemical analysis of the water samples collected every three hours at the chamber locations was carried out in the on-land laboratory. We measured pH, content of dissolved oxygen, bicarbonate, nitrate and phosphate. The CO2 content in the water was measured from pH values and the bicarbonate concentration. The total sink of CO2 on the water surface is increasing in the littoral area of Lake Baikal from 20 mg·CO2·m-2·day-1 in June to 110 mg·CO2·m-2·day-1 in August. The decrease in the flux rate usually begins in September from 95 mg·CO2·m-2·day-1 to the zero balance in late October - early November. The maximal rate of mean diurnal CO2 emissions is recorded in December in the pre-ice period (110 mg·CO2·m-2·day-1). Based on the long-term measurements during all seasons, the sink of atmospheric CO2 in the littoral zones of Lake Baikal was estimated to be 3 - 5 g·CO2·m-2.


This paper is a discussion of perfect fluid forces involved in fish propulsion. First, the two-dimensional problem is solved in elliptic cylinder co-ordinates in which the surface, or strip μ = 0 is used to approximate a 'fish'. A travelling wave with linearly increasing amplitude is imposed on the strip to represent the motion of the fish. The problem then is investigated for a rigid strip of finite width oscillating about the forward end. Results of this calculation are used to correct the general force expression to the case of low aspect ratio. Experimental results are then discussed which verify the validity of the calculations.


Effectof exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by a consortium of cyanobacteria on germination of three crops wheat, maize and rice was studied at different salt concentrations. Production of EPS was found to be stimulated by salts, which in turn had a significant Na+ removal capability from aqueous solution. Seed germination, vigor index and mobilization efficiency in all the three crops remarkably improved when cyanobacterial EPS was applied. While germination improved significantly by 13 to 30%, mobilization efficiency increased marginally by 1.03 to 1.1 times and vigor index increased by 1.15 to 2.4 times in these crops in response to EPS under non-saline conditions. Salinity had an inhibitory effect on seed germination of all the species showing 18 to 54% reduction. However, in the presence of EPS, the salt induced inhibition diminished to 13 to 18%. Inhibitory effect of salt on chlorophyll concentration, vigor index and mobilization efficiency of the seedlings was much less in these crops in the presence of EPS, indicating the latter's role in salt stress alleviation.


We report herein an iron-catalyzed azidotrifluoromethylation method for expedient vicinal trifluoromethyl primary-amine synthesis. This method is effective for a broad range of olefins and N-heterocycles, and it facilitates efficient synthesis of a wide variety of vicinal trifluoromethyl primary amines, including those that prove difficult to synthesize with existing approaches. Our preliminary mechanistic studies revealed that the catalyst-promoted azido-group transfer proceeds through a carbo-radical instead of a carbocation species. Characterization of an active iron catalyst through X-ray crystallographic studies suggests that in situ generated, structurally novel iron-azide complexes promote the oxidant activation and selective azido-group transfer.


This study traces the use of wine in ancient China. Employing archaeological and literary sources, the author discusses the manufacturing of wine, the use of wine in rituals and festivities, the attitudes toward wine-drinking, and the government control of the production and consumption of wine. Wine was a prestigious drink in both religious ceremonies and secular gatherings, yet it was also a symbol of wanton behaviour when used excessively.


A deep-sea core from the Caribbean contains a layer of sediment highly enriched in meteoritic iridium. This layer underlies a layer of North American microtektites dated at 34.4 million years ago and coincides with the extinction of five major species of Radiolaria. It is suggested that a massive, chemically undifferentiated meteorite collided with the earth, producing the tektites and leading to extinctions 34 million years ago.


Abstract A spatial variant of the basic reproduction number (R 0), here defined as the number of subsequent deaths attributed to an initial mortality, can be used to identify geographic variation within an epidemic. A spatial R 0 was calculated at the neighborhood level, here defined by a 50-m buffer surrounding an index case, for mortality data from the 1878 yellow fever epidemic of New Orleans. The highest number of secondary mortalities linked to a neighborhood index case was twelve, with a further eighty-seven extrapolated morbidity cases. Results also highlight the importance of multideath residences and cultural contacts in neighborhood-level disease spread.


This thesis studies the applicability of the Dynamic model reduction method that is used for direct plant order reduction in the active vibration control of large and flexible structures. A comparison of the performances between the reduced models produced by the Dynamic model reduction method and those obtained by other common model reduction methods such as the Guyan method, and the Mode-displacement method have been carried out. By using a full analytical model of a twenty storey building as the reference, each three degrees of freedom model was compared by computer simulation. The open-loop frequency response simulation, open-loop earthquake simulation, and the closed-loop earthquake simulation were all used to initially evaluate the reduced models. The accuracy of the frequency responses was assessed with sinusoidal applied forces, and for the closed-loop dynamic analysis, an active mass damper at the top storey and a recorded earthquake excitation was used. When compared with the simulation results of the Guyan method, the Dynamic method has many advantages, especially in terms of its accuracy at the high frequency range. The Mode-displacement method produces reduced models that are good for dynamic analysis of open-loop systems, but it was found to be inconvenient for use in active control. Finally, the Dynamic model reduction method and Guyan method were compared using experimental test results. A 2.5m tall building model with 20 floors was used as the plant, with a linear motor installed at the top storey for the purposes of active-damping. Although the results of simulations would suggest that both models perform sufficiently, experimental testing proved that only the Dynamic model performs adequately for this specific application of active control. The problem associated with most model reduction methods, such as the Guyan, is that they are based on full-order models that were derived from the linear elastic theory. The versatility of the Dynamic model reduction method is such that it provides the option of obtaining system parameters directly from experiment, not just from theory. The experimental procedure ensures that the Dynamic model reduction method forms an accurate description of the real system dynamics. The applicability of this method for obtaining low-order plant models was demonstrated through real-time active control testing of the model structure, while it was subject to a sinusoidal excitation. The tests have shown that the Dynamic model reduction method can be used as an alternative approach for the model reduction of structural systems for the purpose of active vibration control.


Abstract Economic research on labor migration in the developing world has traditionally focused on the role played by the remittances of overseas migrant labor in the sending country's economy. Recently, due in no small part to the availability of rich microdata, more attention has been paid to the effects of migration on the lives of family members left behind. This paper examines how the temporary migration of parents for work affects the health outcomes of children left behind using the longitudinal data obtained from the Indonesia Family Life Survey. The anthropometric measure of the child health used, height-for-age, serves as a proxy for stunting. The evidence suggests that whether parental migration is beneficial or deleterious to the child health depends on which parent moved. In particular, migration of the mother has an adverse effect on the child's height-for-age, reducing height-for-age Z-score by 0.5 standard deviations. This effect is not seen on the migration of the father.


ABSTRACT For the past two decades, satellite-derived activef fire data have been used in a multitude of operational applications and in a large and growing body of research on the role of fire within the Earth system. More recent work with satellite-based active fire data has been directed toward estimating what are in effect broad-scale fire spread rates that are in turn used as an important temporal parameter for the extraction of individual-fire boundaries from burned area maps. Here we use data mining to identify active fire clusters that serve as an input to a fire spread reconstruction algorithm to derive optimal global fire spread rates suitable for fire-perimeter extraction. The spread rates calculated for the active fire clusters, which are useful for applications beyond perimeter extraction, correlate with the spread rates based on reference fire boundaries (R 2 = .82, NRMSE = 2.6%) and are generally compatible with other studies, despite key differences in data acquisition methods and quantities measured.


This study draws on Pierre Bourdieu's sociology of culture in order to shed new light on the ongoing fragmentation of media audiences and users. We use a multiple correspondence analysis on national survey data (n = 1604) collected in Sweden in 2015–2016 to (1) create a statistical representation of the contemporary Swedish class structure and proceed to (2) analyze the distribution of a broad range of media practices and media preferences in that space. Results show that social groups reproduce their social status by monopolizing distinct media repertoires. We are able to show that class matters for how people orient themselves in an increasingly high-choice media environment – even in a so-called media welfare state. Following the results of our media-sociological approach, we introduce the concept of audience islands which promotes a non-media-centric understanding of the fragmentation of society and media audiences.


In this paper we propose to exploit multiple related tasks for accurate multi-sensor 3D object detection. Towards this goal we present an end-to-end learnable architecture that reasons about 2D and 3D object detection as well as ground estimation and depth completion. Our experiments show that all these tasks are complementary and help the network learn better representations by fusing information at various levels. Importantly, our approach leads the KITTI benchmark on 2D, 3D and bird's eye view object detection, while being real-time.


Current software specification techniques and specification languages are reviewed, emphasizing research activities in software specification languages. Alternate software life cycle models are described and compared to a simulation life cycle model. The importance of constructing a model specification before creating a programmed model is emphasized. Disadvantages in using simulation programming languages as model specification languages are discussed. The multiple uses which are made of a model specification are presented; these uses correspond to the alternate uses made of a requirements specification for general software. To evaluate where specification tools for general software will be effective for simulation modeling, both areas where the simulation life cycle corresponds to a general software life cycle and areas in which they differ are characterized. Important


Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the interaction of the relationships between group behaviour, group process and learning outcomes in online executive education.

Design/methodology/approach
A systematic review of literature in the relevant conceptual domains is performed.

Findings
A framework is proposed from the systematic review and proposes a dynamic classroom environment where instructor capability interacts with group process and behaviour to generate new learning outcomes. The impact of institutional context and technology infrastructure are highlighted as drivers of both the classroom and instructor effectiveness.

Research limitations/implications
The systematic review highlights several future research trajectories posing the questions: How disruptive innovation impacts on instructor capability development? How alternative theories explain the routines underpinning instructor capability? What is the role of external partners in the development of learning in context? What is the nature of instructor innovation capability? and How does instructor technology capability impact on learning outcomes?

Practical implications
Human resource development practitioners are presented with insights as to their existing and potential future roles in enhancing group behaviour, process and learning outcomes in executive classrooms impacted by technological change. The subsequent potential for practitioner enabled learning innovation is highlighted.

Originality/value
This paper contributes to contemporary debates regarding the interaction of emerging technologies and the executive online classroom, specifically focusing on the area of group behaviour process and learning.


Abstract In this work, the authors report the operation of a cylindrical dielectric resonator antenna (CDRA) in the high gain HEM13δ mode, for the first time. This mode, excited with a standard microstrip slot, radiates in the broadside direction with gain in the range of 8−10 dBi. It is shown that through feed optimization, the HEM13δ mode can be excited dominantly by suppressing the fundamental HEM11δ mode of the CDRA. Detailed simulation studies show that the HEM13δ mode is supported by cylindrical dielectric resonators with an aspect ratio (radius to height ratio or a/d) >1, and it resonates at a frequency approximately 2.2 times that of the fundamental HEM11δ mode. The above features of the HEM13δ mode CDRA can be used as approximate design rules. For a CDRA with dielectric constant ɛr = 24, diameter 2a = 19.43 mm, and height d = 7.3 mm (a/d = 1.3), the HEM13δ mode is excited at 6.125 GHz with a peak gain of 10.14 dBi in simulation. Corresponding values from prototype measurement are 5.981 GHz and 9.62 dBi, respectively for the resonant frequency and the gain, verifying the simulation.


Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) has multiple physical and psychosocial effects on individuals. Therefore, this study aims to determine the sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, depression and attention span in patients with OSA. This was a cross-sectional study among patients who were recently diagnosed with OSA in a Malaysian hospital. The socio-demographic and clinical data, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Patients Health Questionnaire and Comprehensive Trail Making Test were used as instruments. Findings were analysed and presented using Chi-Square, One-Way ANOVA and Independent- Sample T-test statistical analyses. Most of the respondents presented with poor sleep quality and impaired attention span. Approximately, half of the respondents had excessive daytime sleepiness. There were significant associations between sleep quality and daytime sleepiness (p-value=0.051), daytime sleepiness with depression (p-value=0.049) and severity of OSA with depression (p-value=0.026). Daytime sleepiness was significantly associated with working status (p-value=0.009) and driving status (p-value=0.033). In conclusion, most patients with OSA had poor sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and impaired attention span. Hence, OSA should be diagnosed and treated early, particularly in patients who are still working and actively driving.


After the Second Karabakh War, a new geopolitical situation has developed in the South Caucasus. The serious strengthening of the positions of Azerbaijan and its ally Turkey in the region is beginning to worry neighboring countries, first of all Iran. The authorities of the Islamic Republic see this as a threat to the stability of the country, primarily in the Northeast, where ethnic Azerbaijanis live. In addition, Iran is concerned about the close ties, especially in the military sphere, between Azerbaijan and Israel. In the autumn of 2021, there was a serious aggravation in the relations between neighboring countries. Although the crisis was overcome by the efforts of diplomats, it cannot be ruled out that relations between Iran and Azerbaijan will be unstable in the future.


DURING the first six months of the life of the National Convention, that is between October, 1792, and March, 1793T the Girondin party struggled to assert its political control over Revolutionary and war-torn France. That same period found General Charles Dumouriez playing the part of France's successful general. Between the party and the general extremely important relationships existed. The Girondins needed a successful war policy if they were to stay in office, and on his side Dumouriez needed, despite the flux of revolutionary conditions, a dependable civil administration which would furnish him the wherewithal to wage war. The future of party and general depended upon continued co-operation. Between Dumouriez and the Girondin leaders there had been a liaison of some duration which on occasion was troubled and uncertain. The basis of this alignment was self-interest on both sides, and its strains had come at periods when interests could not be reconciled. Both Dumouriez and the Girondins had served in the ministry of Louis XVI from March to June, I792. Dumouriez co-operated with this ministry-the Roland ministry-at the outset, but it is important to note that Dumouriez entered the ministry at Louis XVI's request ten days before the Girondin members, Roland and Claviere, became a part of it. He entered via the court and with the tacit approval of Narbonne, the outgoing minister, for whom he had drawn a plan of defense for the Midi.' Therefore, though the general was supported by the Girondin leader, Gensonnen, he was more closely associated with the interests of the king than of the party. Dumouriez was given the disposal of six millions in secret funds, anid, through his conniections in the court, he


Quite a large bibliography has arisen around these Roman fragments; the most authoritative book is Esperandieu's Signacula Medicorum Oculariorum (1904). By the kindness of the Librarian of the Roman Society, 19, Bloomsbury Square, London, W.C.1., I was enabled to consult this work, which is now out of print. It gives details of more than 200 specimens. Those who are interested in the pharmaceutical side of the collyria would do well to read the small pamphlet on Roman Oculists' Medicine Stamps and Collyria (1925) by Mr. C. J. S. Thompson, Curator of the Wellcome Historical AMuseum, to whom I am also greatly indebted for assistance. Lastly, I must record my thanks to the Deputy Keeper of the British Room of Roman Antiquities at the British Museum, who kindly gave me all facilities for examining the specimens in his care; and to Sir Alexander Lawrence for so generously allowing me to include his specimen.


Complications of tattooing include infection, hypersensitivity reaction and scarring. Hypersensitivity reaction is most common. Components of the red pigments used in some tattoos are the most commonly known cause of delayed tattoo reactions. A 22-year-old woman presented with 3∼4 mm sized, well-defined indurated scaly plaques confined to red portion of rose tattoo on the dorsal surface of the left foot. She complained of mild pain and severe pruritus on the lesion. Histopathologic examination showed granulomatous reactions from a permanent red tattoo. The patient was transferred to the plastic surgery for surgical intervention. We document an unusual tattoo reaction presenting as plaques from red portion of tattoo, which on histopathologic examination showed granulomatous reaction. (Korean J Dermatol 2008;46(3):408∼410)


The Influence of young, mature and senescent leaves of bitter gourd Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae) on the feeding, growth and reproduction of Epilachna dodecastigma (Weid.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) were studied under laboratory conditions (27 ±0.5 °C, 12 h light: 12 h dark photoperiod, 65 ±5% RH). Larval developmental time of E. dodecastigma was longest on senescent leaves followed by young and mature leaves, whereas the pupal period was shortest on young and mature leaves. The longevity of females was generally higher than males. Male and female longevity were highest on mature leaves and lowest on senescent leaves. Fecundity was highest on mature leaves followed by young and senescent leaves. The growth and development of E. dodecastigma were related with nutrient and phenol content of three types of bitter gourd leaves. Carbohydrate content was higher in young and mature leaves, whereas protein, nitrogen, amino acid and lipid content were in greater quantities in mature leaves followed by young and senescent leaves. Phenol content was greatest in senescent leaves and least in mature leaves. Higher level of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nitrogen and amino acids including water content and lower phenol content of mature leaves had Influenced higher growth rate and fecundity of E. dodecastigma.


Wetlands evapotranspire more water than other ecosystems, including agricultural, forest and grassland ecosystems. However, the effects of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration (Ca) on wetland evapotranspiration (ET) are largely unknown. Here, we present data on 12 years of measurements of ET, net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE), and ecosystem water use efficiency (EWUE, i.e. NEE/ET) at 13:00–15:00 hours in July and August for a Scirpus olneyi (C3 sedge) community and a Spartina patens (C4 grass) community exposed to ambient and elevated (ambient+340 μmol mol−1) Ca in a Chesapeake Bay wetland. Although a decrease in stomatal conductance at elevated Ca in the S. olneyi community was counteracted by an increase in leaf area index (LAI) to some extend, ET was still reduced by 19% on average over 12 years. In the S. patens community, LAI was not affected by elevated Ca and the reduction of ET was 34%, larger than in the S. olneyi community. For both communities, the relative reduction in ET by elevated Ca was directly proportional to precipitation due to a larger reduction in stomatal conductance in the control plants as precipitation decreased. NEE was stimulated about 36% at elevated Ca in the S. olneyi community but was not significantly affected by elevated Ca in S. patens community. A negative correlation between salinity and precipitation observed in the field indicated that precipitation affected ET through altered salinity and interacted with growth Ca. This proposed mechanism was supported by a greenhouse study that showed a greater Ca effect on ET in controlled low salinity conditions compared with high salinity. In spite of the differences between the two communities in their responses to elevated Ca, EWUE was increased about 83% by elevated Ca in both the S. olneyi and S. patens communities. These findings suggest that rising Ca could have significant impacts on the hydrologic cycles of coastal wetlands.


Introduction: Secondary hyperparathyroidism is a known and early complication of Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) patients. Renal hyperparathyroidism leads to a host of bone and cardiovascular problems that ultimately can cause fractures, decreased quality of life, and an increased risk of death. Aim: To determine the hospital-prevalence of secondary hyperparathyroidism in CRF patient and establish the correlation between Serum Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) level, Serum calcium and Serum phosphorus level. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted on 50 patients with CRF at Government Hospital of Bhavnagar, Gujarat. Detailed medical history and blood investigations were done as a tool for data collection. The study variables were described by using statistical parameters like proportion, mean and standard deviation. Correlation coefficient was used for analysing relationship between Serum PTH, calcium and phosphorus. Results: Mean age of the patients was 42.57 (SD 15.19) years with almost equal representation of both genders. Hypertension was the most common aetiological morbidity (62%) among the study participants followed by diabetes (20%). The hospital prevalence of secondary hyperparathyroidism was 86% in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Serum PTH negatively correlated with serum calcium and positively correlated with serum phosphorus with correlation coefficient value of -0.32 and 0.15, respectively. Conclusion: Parathyroid abnormalities and disorders of mineral metabolism are common among patients with CKD. Parathyroid abnormalities detected early may prevent future long term extra-renal complications.


Maintaining a consistent attribute profile is crucial for dialogue agents to naturally converse with humans. Existing studies on improving attribute consistency mainly explored how to incorporate attribute information in the responses, but few efforts have been made to identify the consistency relations between response and attribute profile. To facilitate the study of profile consistency identification, we create a large-scale human-annotated dataset with over 110K single-turn conversations and their key-value attribute profiles. Explicit relation between response and profile is manually labeled. We also propose a key-value structure information enriched BERT model to identify the profile consistency, and it gained improvements over strong baselines. Further evaluations on downstream tasks demonstrate that the profile consistency identification model is conducive for improving dialogue consistency.


Eighteen patients with localized colorectal carcinoma were randomized to receive intravenous nutrition or to be fasted during the 24 h before surgery. Protein synthesis, an index of tumour growth, was then measured by the incorporation of [13C]/eucine into tumour protein immediately before surgery. The mean(s.e.m.) rate of tumour protein synthesis in patients receiving nutrition (42·7(3·5) per cent per day) was 89 per cent higher than the rate in the fasted group (22·6(1·9) per cent per day) (P = 0·002). As tumours consist of a variety of different cell types, in vitro rates of protein synthesis were measured in malignant cells isolated from colorectal tumours and cultured with autologous serum obtained from the patient in either the fasted or the fed state. There was a mean increase of 81 per cent in protein synthesis when fed rather than fasted serum was used (P<0·02), indicating that the malignant cells themselves respond to nutrient supply. This increase in tumour protein synthesis provides the first evidence in vivo that the exogenous supply of nutrients can modulate the rate of growth of a human tumour.


The objective was to investigate the antiurolithiatic activity of aqueous plant extract of Melia azadirachta using the zinc disc implantation model in male Wistar albino rats. A significant increase in urinary excretion of calcium, oxalate, magnesium and phosphate was observed after four weeks of implantation of zinc discs. After treatment with aqueous extract of Melia azadirachta caused a significant reduction (p < 0.001) in stone weight and urinary excretion of electrolytes in both the preventive and curative group of animals as compared to those of control groups. This explains the effect of the aqueous extract of Melia azadirachta in preventing urolithiasis (59%) and dissolving the pre-formed magnesium ammonium phosphate type of stones (46%). The possible mechanism could be due to the urinary stone-formation, lowering, antioxidant, diuretic, nephroprotective constituents present in Melia azadirachta. These results suggest the usefulness of aqueous plant extract of Melia azadirachta as an antiurolithiatic agent.


Zettl, J. D., Barbour, S. L., Huang, M., Si, B. C. and Leskiw, L. A. 2011. Influence of textural layering on field capacity of coarse soils. Can. J. Soil Sci. 91: 133-147. The current method of designing reclamation covers for land disturbed by oil sands mining in northern Alberta, Canada, relies on an estimate of the field capacity (FC) of both natural soils and reclamation soil prescriptions. The objective of this research was to examine the influence of layered, textural heterogeneity on FC. Field testing was performed on seven natural sites with coarse-textured soils that support a range of ecosite classes. Double-ring infiltration and drainage tests with real time monitoring of water content were undertaken along with test pit excavation and detailed profile sampling. The measured water storage at FC following drainage demonstrated that higher water storage at FC values are associated with increased textural heterogeneity, and these sites reflected more productive ecosite class. Rigorous, physically based modeling illustrated that a texturally heterogeneous site can have water storage at FC within 1 m profile that is between 110 to 330 mm higher than a homogeneous profile with the same average texture. These higher values of water storage at FC in texturally heterogeneous sites could account for the differences in observed ecosite productivity. This work highlights the importance of textural layering in designing reclamation covers in coarse-textured soils to maximize FC.


This paper investigates the problem of data routing in flying ad hoc networks (FANETs) composed of multiple flying nodes, i.e., unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), supported by communication platforms. The objective is to exploit the mobility of UAVs in order to establish routing paths and transfer a message between two ground nodes at minimum transmission time. Assuming that the UAVs are already deployed to execute a given primary task, the cooperation of the UAVs in the data transfer process, considered as a secondary task, becomes subject to three conditions. First, the energy consumed by each UAV has to respect the allocated budget for the data routing process. Second, the UAVs cannot move out of the boundaries of a tolerated and well-defined region in order to maintain the operation of the primary task. Finally, the UAVs need to reduce their traveled distances in order to reduce the delay of the transfer. A mixed non-linear integer programming problem determining the routing path and the new locations of the UAVs participating in the data transfer process is formulated. Due to its nonconvexity, we proceed with a deterministic exploratory strategy inspired from the Hooke-Jeeves algorithm to meet the problem goals. Selected numerical results investigate the performance of the proposed solution for different scenarios and compare some of them to those of a metaheuristic approach based on swarm intelligence.


Background Nationally, Hispanics experience health disparities manifested as a higher prevalence of chronic diseases in comparison to non-Hispanic Whites. Factors that influence health disparities in this population include inadequate dissemination of culturally and linguistically appropriate health information. Method Our qualitative analysis is based on data obtained from three focus groups with Spanish-speaking Hispanic adults conducted at a clinic in Nebraska. Participants were asked about their perceptions of health information in the form of videos, brochures, and websites. We followed the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research and used the theoretical framework of content analysis. Results For videos, attributes associated with higher levels of trust included a friendly health professional, the logo or name of a health care institute, and a reference specifying "se habla Español." For brochures, attributes associated with trust included use of visual aids, use of numerous colors and big font sizes, the year of printing, and a health care agency logo. For websites, characteristics associated with trust were inclusion of plain language, use of pictures and videos, and date of last update. In all focus groups, participants perceived the use of mixed English/Spanish language in health information from pamphlets and websites as unprofessional. The use of unknown governmental logos in health promotional videos and websites was perceived as untrustworthy information. Conclusions Spanish-speaking Hispanics prefer health information supported by a health care agency or delivered by a health care professional. Health communication strategies should avoid the use of mixed English/Spanish language in sensitive information especially when combined with governmental logos.


Smart contracts are decentralized applications running on Blockchain. A very large number of smart contracts has been deployed on Ethereum. Meanwhile, security flaws of contracts have led to huge pecuniary losses and destroyed the ecological stability of contract layer on Blockchain. It is thus an emerging yet crucial issue to effectively and efficiently detect vulnerabilities in contracts. Existing detection methods like Oyente and Securify are mainly based on symbolic execution or analysis. These methods are very time-consuming, as the symbolic execution requires the exploration of all executable paths or the analysis of dependency graphs in a contract. In this work, we propose ContractWard to detect vulnerabilities in smart contracts with machine learning techniques. First, we extract bigram features from simplified operation codes of smart contracts. Second, we employ five machine learning algorithms and two sampling algorithms to build the models. ContractWard is evaluated with 49502 real-world smart contracts running on Ethereum. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of ContractWard. The predictive Micro-F1 and Macro-F1 of ContractWard are over 96% and the average detection time is 4 seconds on each smart contract when we use XGBoost for training the models and SMOTETomek for balancing the training sets.


In this paper, we introduce and study the system of generalized
vector quasi-variational-like inequalities in Hausdorff topological vector spaces,
which include the system of vector quasi-variational-like inequalities, the
system of vector variational-like inequalities, the system of vector
quasi-variational inequalities, and several other systems as special cases.
Moreover, a number of C-diagonal quasiconvexity properties are proposed for
set-valued maps, which are natural generalizations of the g-diagonal
quasiconvexity for real functions. Together with an application of continuous
selection and fixed-point theorems, these conditions enable us to prove unified
existence results of solutions for the system of generalized vector
quasi-variational-like inequalities. The results of this paper can be seen as
extensions and generalizations of several known results in the
literature.


The aim of this article is to characterize the current situation of family farmers or smallholders in Brazil and establish a connection with the rural public policies that exist in the country. This study analyzed the most current available data regarding family farming in Brazil, which included almost 4.7 million smallholders and their characteristics. Two analytical tools for unsupervised learning were combined, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and K-means clustering, which enabled the analysis of such a large database and the extraction of information concerning this sector. It was found that cooperative smallholders are considerably more likely to achieve higher incomes. A family farmer's income and productivity are related to their region and are higher in the South and Southeast and lower in the Northeast region. Crop diversification presented a negative impact on family farming activity, although this practice is considered highly important for agricultural sustainability. These results confirm, based on the data, empirical findings regarding the sector and also reveal new information such as the negative impact that rural assistance services are demonstrated to have on smallholders' income. Therefore, this study provides essential information to support policy makers in the process of formulating better and more efficient policies in order to strengthen smallholders in Brazil and guarantee food security in the future.

 Key words: Family farm, rural programs, unsupervised learning, government support.


The Internet has changed the way people look for information. Users now expect the answers to their questions to be available through a simple web search. Web search engines are increasingly efficient at identifying the best sources for any given keyword query, and are often able to identify the answer within the sources. Unfortunately, many web sources are not trustworthy, because of erroneous, misleading, biased, or outdated information. In many cases, users are not satisfied with —or do not trust— the results from any single source and prefer checking several sources for corroborating evidence. In this paper, we propose methods to aggregate query results from different sources in order to save users the hassle of individually checking query-related web sites to corroborate answers. To return the best aggregated answers to the users, our techniques consider the number, importance, and similarity of the web sources reporting each answer, as well as the importance of the answer within the source. We present an experimental evaluation of our technique on real web queries, comparing the corroborated answers returned with real user clicks.


The multispectral method for the remote sensing of water depth proposed by Lyzenga has been widely applied to shallow-water bathymetry by researchers. The predictor of water depth used in this method is a linear function of image-derived variables for each visible band. The coefficients of the predictor are estimated by using a number of pixels with known depth as training data; this depth information is usually obtained by performing in situ depth measurements. Theoretically, if an appropriate set of coefficients is chosen, the predictor can be insensitive to some variations in the optical properties of the bottom material and water. However, it is sensitive to variations in atmospheric and water surface transmittance and sun and satellite elevations. Consequently, a single set of coefficients cannot always be applied to multiple images. In this letter, we propose a simple method to estimate a general set of coefficients for Lyzenga's predictor that is relatively less affected by the aforementioned factors. We derive and utilize the theoretical fact that these factors affect only the intercept (constant term) of the predictor function. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method using WorldView-2 images of coral reefs. The proposed method will enable the application of a single set of coefficients (except for the intercept) to a broad range of images. This will significantly reduce the number of pixels with known depth required for the prediction of an image and thereby improve the feasibility of remote sensing of water depth.


Discloses compounds having enhanced efficacy in the regulation of NMDA receptor activity. Covering such compounds for the treatment of diseases such as depression and related disorders are. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutically available oral formulations of the pharmaceutical compounds and other delivery forms, including intravenous formulation.


This article analyses verb/complement patterns in the speech of a
20-22 month old girl and provides an account of the optionality in the
position of the complement by assuming basic proposals of the
Minimalist Program (Chomsky, 1992, 1995). A crucial starting point is
that the initial state is a reflex of Fundamental Operations made available
by UG to the child and that lexical entries are sets of features which
are acquired gradually. Ordering constraints are not present in lexical
entries nor are morphological features in need to be eliminated. Feature-checking
is not activated until 24 months when freedom in word
order is lost.


To investigate the effect of age and gender on ethanol metabolism, first-pass metabolism (FPM) and gastric alcohol-dehydrogenase (ADH) activity were compared in 32 elderly and 30 young adult nonalcoholic subjects. The FPM was obtained from the difference between the area under the curve of ethanol blood concentration after intravenous or oral administration of ethanol 0.3 g/Kg b.w. The ADH activity was determined in samples of gastric mucosa obtained during diagnostic endoscopy. In the young adult group the FPM was higher in men than in women (3.3 +/- 2.3 vs 1.2 +/- 0.9 mmol/l/h, respectively, p < .01). In aged subjects FPM was found to be very low for men (1.1 +/- 0.8 mmol/l/h, p < .001); conversely, FPM was not significantly reduced in women (1.7 +/- 0.8 mmol/l/h, p = n.s.). The gastric ADH activity was significantly (p < .01) higher in young adult men than women, whereas in aged subjects the activities were low (p < .0001) in both sexes. Thus, gender-related FPM differences equalize in the elderly or are even reversed, most likely because of gastric mucosal atrophy, which occurs more in men than women.


For a frequency-modulation relay link carrying television, a simple general form is suggested for the relationship between baseband signal-to-noise ratio and the ratio of carrier power to noise power density applied to the receiver discriminator. The bandlimiting, emphasis, and weighting functions prescribed by various standards are characterized by effective noise bandwidths with respect to triangular noise.


This work applies neural-network technologies to the quality assessment of digital pictures processed by image-enhancement algorithms. The objective model uses a circular back-propagation (CPB) neural network to mimic human perception: the feed-forward structure maps input 'feature' vectors characterizing images into the associated quality ratings, obtained from human voters. "Objective" feature vectors describe images by measuring global statistical properties, which are worked out on a block-by-block basis. CPB networks can handle multidimensional data with non-linear relationships; at the same time, the neural model allows one to decouple the feature-selection task from the mapping-function set-up. Experimental results confirm the approach effectiveness, as the system provides a satisfactory approximation of the results of tests involving human viewers.


The paper explores the heterogeneity behind the production of innovation at the regional level. We empirically estimate the innovation equation with EU regional data using either patents or innovative sales in the region as dependent variable. The empirical model accounts for external, spillover, effects and allows for parameter heterogeneity among pre-selected groups of regions. Findings suggest that expenditures in Research & Development (R&D) lead to patents while non-R&D expenditures drive the innovative sales. For both types of expenditure, we find relatively weaker effects on innovation in the regions belonging to the New Member States and in Convergence regions but we find significant spillover effects. The evidence provides full support to the argument that a faster diffusion of knowledge can accelerate the process of technological convergence in Europe, but still draws a picture of the innovation Union characterized by a marked and persistent core-periphery pattern


This study aims to determine the direct indirect influence of service quality, store atmosphere and customer satisfaction as an intervening variable on customer loyalty. The population of this research is customer of Martabak Platinum Ruby Pekalongan Cafe. The number of sample is 116 respondents with purpose sampling technique through likert scale questionnaire. Data analysis using descriptive percentage and path analysis. The results show that service quality affect customer loyalty, store atmosphere affect customer loyalty and customer satisfaction influence customer loyalty and mediate the influence of service quality and store atmosphere on customer loyalty.