Introduction: The present study shows the genotoxic effect of phosphamidon on bone marrow of albino rats and this study was conducted in the cytogenetic laboratory, at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. Materials and Methods: Rats were treated by drinking water containing 35 parts per million and 50 parts per million concentration of phosphamidon(an organophosphorus compound) for 30 days. After 30 days, they were sacrificed. The femur was dissected out and the bone marrow from femur was aspirated. The bone marrow was immediately processed and then slides were prepared and then observed in 100X oil immersion microscopy for chromosomal aberrations. Results: Different type of Chromosomal aberrations were observed in both experimental groups like gaps, accentric fragments, containing single and double minutes, fragmentation, centromeric breakage and premature condensation of chromosomes. Conclusion: Phosphamidon has profound genotoxic effect in experimental albino rats. Key words: Phosphamidon, Bone marrow, chromosomal aberration, genotoxicity, chromosome The full text of this paper is available from the Journal of Institute of Medicine website Journal of Institute of Medicine , December, 2008; 30:3 34-36


Abstract We employed a simulated production task that mimics the real-world skill acquisition required of operators working in control rooms of power plants to assess short and long-term effects of transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS). tRNS has shown potential for enhancing learning and performance of cognitive skills. Forty subjects (24 female) learned how to execute the simulated production task during the training phase and were required to perform a secondary task during the skill acquisition phase while they received active (12 min) or sham tRNS on DLPFC. After 2 weeks they had to recall the task again without any stimulation. The results demonstrate that tRNS promoted better multitasking as reflected by better performance in a secondary task during and immediately after tRNS. However, 2 weeks later, beneficial effect of tRNS on retention was moderated by general mental ability. Particularly, tRNS benefited those with lower general mental ability. Practitioner summary: By using a simulated production task, we assessed the effects of tRNS on learning and skill retention. The study indicates that neurostimulation can enhance the learning of multiple complex tasks. Moreover, it shows that retention of those tasks can be supported by neurostimulation, especially for those with lower general mental ability.


Cetaceans are ecologically important marine predators, and designating individuals to distinct populations can be challenging. Passive acoustic monitoring provides an approach to classify cetaceans to populations using their vocalizations. In the Hawaiian Archipelago, three genetically distinct, sympatric false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) populations coexist: a broadly distributed pelagic population and two island-associated populations, an endangered main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) population and a Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) population. The mechanisms that sustain the genetic separation between these overlapping populations are unknown but previous studies suggest that the acoustic diversity between populations may correspond to genetic differences. Here, we investigated whether false killer whale whistles could be correctly classified to population based on their characteristics to serve as a method of identifying populations when genetic or photographic-identification data are unavailable. Acoustic data were collected during line-transect surveys using towed hydrophone arrays. We measured 50 time and frequency parameters from whistles in 16 false killer whale encounters identified to population and used those measures to train and test random forest classification models. Random Forest models that included three populations correctly classified 42% of individual whistles overall and resulted in a low kappa coefficient, κ = 0.15, indicating low agreement between models and the true population. Whistles from the MHI population showed the highest correct classification rate (52%) compared to pelagic and NWHI whistles (42% and 36%, respectively). Pairwise random forest models classifying pelagic and MHI whistles proved slightly more accurate (62% accuracy, κ = 0.24), though a similar pelagic-NWHI model did not (56% accuracy, κ = 0.12). Results suggest that the time-frequency whistle characteristics are not suitable to confidently classify encounters to a specific false killer whale population, although certain features of whistles produced by the endangered MHI population allow for overall higher classification accuracy. Inclusion of other vocalization types, such as echolocation clicks, and alternative whistle variables may improve correct classification success for these sympatric populations.


In this work, the effect of the deformation, caused by cold wire drawing, on the microstructure and the texture of low carbon steel wire (0.06 wt % C) is examined. The combined influence of the deformation level and the recrystallization temperature on the development of new grains is studied for all wires. Isothermal tests of annealing allow the determination of the critical temperature of recrystallization estimated above 450°C. The temperature effect is studied below the eutectoid level, at 500°C, 600°C and 680°C. The appearance of a homogeneous recrystallization is noted over the section of the wire. The recrystallized grains keep the same orientation as the deformed grains. The expansion of time of annealing lead to recrystallization in the ferritic grains accompanied by a spheroidization of the lamellar pearlite. The kinetics of recrystallization and spheroidization are accelerated by increasing of annealing temperature and the deformation level. The experimental techniques used in this study are: the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), the Electron Back Scattered Diffraction (EBSD), the X-ray diffraction and Vickers microhardness.


We provide a reformulation of the multidimensional semantics of the Pottsean LCI and its extensions which (i) solves issues of compositionality and (ii) reduces the amount of composition rules. This is done by changing to a system that embraces true compositional multidimensionality, so that every expression is represented by three fully specified for meaning dimensions in the logic. Restrictions on possible expressions and combinations are implemented at the lexicon-syntax interface of the logical language that extend otherwise at most 2-dimensional expressions into 3-dimensional objects that can be used in the semantic derivations. This helps to keep the lexical entries simple and allow to account for possible cross-linguistic variance without needing to change the underlying logic.. . .


Listeria monocytogenes is problematic to public health and food industries due to listeriosis and its transmission via contaminated food. Dealing with L. monocytogenes typically involves hurdle technologies to minimise risk. Simple approaches that could be applied within food production environments and during food processing that further eliminates or controls L. monocytogenes would be ideal. Since temperature essentially governs rates of inactivation we used shotgun proteomics of strain ScottA to try to discern weaknesses that could be exploited in situations where mild heat (< 50°C) is applied during food processing or during sanitation. For this purpose the proteomes of lineage I strain ScottA were determined throughout its supraoptimal temperature growth range (37-45°C) and at a non-growth permissive temperature of 50°C. Tryptic peptides were identified in extracts using label free LC/tandem MS-MS with filtered spectral counts analysed by multivariate statistics to detect significant changes in protein abundances. Results demonstrate that while protein turnover and chaperones dramatically collapse when temperature attains non-permissiveness, oxidative stress management as well as DNA replication, RNA polymerase, and tRNA charging collapse in the range of 42-45°C. This inherent thermally induced weakness may provide the means to better optimise decontamination strategies and processing steps in industrial scale operations.


Nanofabrication is an essential process throughout industry. Technologies that produce general nanofabrication, such as e-beam lithography, dip-pen lithography, DUV lithography, immersion lithography, and laser interference lithography, have drawbacks including complicated processes, low throughput, and high costs, whereas nano-transfer printing (nTP) is inexpensive, simple, and can produce patterns on non-plane substrates and multilayer structures. In general nTP, the coherency of gold-deposited stamps is strengthened by using SAM treatment on substrates, so the gold patterns are transferred from stamps to substrates. However, it is hard to apply to transfer other metallic materials, and the existing nTP process requires a complicated surface treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to simplify the nTP technology to obtain an easy and simple method for fabricating metal patterns. In this paper, asnTP process with poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) mold was proposed without any chemical treatment. At first, a PVA mold was duplicated from the master mold. Then, a Mo layer, with a thickness of 20 nm, was deposited on the PVA mold. The Mo deposited PVA mold was put on the Si wafer substrate, and nTP process progressed. After the nTP process, the PVA mold was removed using DI water, and transferred Mo nano patterns were characterized by a Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) and Energy Dispersive spectroscopy (EDS).


The mechanical models formed by packed circular discrete elements were used to investigate the mechanical properties of Si3N4. In these models, the distribution of elements is random in the specified region, and the average radius of elements is 6m. The main mechanical properties investigated here are Young's modulus, compressive strength, Poisson's ratio, fracture toughness and bending strength. Some numerical simulation analysis of the size effect of the mechanical properties in these discrete element models were carried out. The simulation results suggest that there is no obvious size effect for Young's modulus, compressive strength and Poisson's ratio in these discrete element models. However, for bending strength, when the number of elements in model is less than about 9000, there exists obvious size effect, with the increasing of the number of the elements, the size effect will become less and less until disappeared. The value of fracture toughness decreases with the increasing of the number of the model elements. The classical continuum fracture mechanics model about material fracture under tensile stress is also established by discrete element method. The simulation results are just the same as the simulation results of single edge notched bending (SENB) and the experimental values reported in other literatures. The results provide a more reliable foundation for the application of DEM in simulating the mechanical behaviors of advance ceramics.


Motivation is the key to all learning. Lack of motivation is perhaps the biggest obstacle faced by teachers, counselors, school/college/university administrators, and parents. Behavioral problems in the classroom often, or always, seem to be linked to the lack of motivation. Intelligent students are often out- performed by the less bright students with high motivation. If a student is motivated enough, s/he can accomplish learning of any scale. This paper, based on personal observation, focuses on some aspects of motivation as well as how teachers of English, can apply it to students. Our aim is to discuss how motivation in the classroom can help students develop their potentials and make them learn English effectively.


Gas cylinders are used in many different situations, such as in research, in industry, in healthcare, and even in the home. Due to demand in such a wide variety of circumstances, there is the inevitable ambition of gas suppliers to improve the efficiency of their business. To this end, a tracking system is proposed in this paper in order to provide such improved efficiency whilst also integrating sensors in order to monitor gas cylinders from a safety perspective. A prototype system is presented and its operation described in detail. Preliminary results from the prototype system are also shown and the sensors implemented for demonstration are discussed. Future work to be conducted is also alluded to.


Fluorinated alcohols such as trifluoroethanol (TFE) or hexafluoropropan-2-ol (HFP) catalyze addition of the N2-amino group of O6-allyl-3',5'-di-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-2'-deoxyguanosine (3) to cyclopenta[cd]pyrene 3,4-oxide (CPPO). The reaction occurs via a carbocation intermediate at C-3 such that cis- and trans-opened dGuo adducts are formed in a combined yield of approximately 37% together with the 4-ketone and a cis-opened solvent adduct. Fluorinated alcohol-mediated regioselective substitution at C-3 of the CPP cis- (11) and trans-3,4-dihydrodiol diacetates (15) with the N2-amino group of 3 proceeded smoothly to give the O6-allyl di-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl) cis- and trans-opened dGuo-adduct acetates (8a,b and 9a,b) in 75-85% yields. The cis-opened adducts predominated (56-70%) from both 11 and 15. Interestingly, trans-3-acetoxy-4-bromo-3,4-dihydro-CPP and 3 in TFE or HFP gave a mixture of 8a,b and 9a,b in 75-85% yield with cis:trans adduct ratios similar to those observed for 11 and 15. This observation is consistent with initial formation of a cyclic acetoxonium intermediate followed by formation of the same carbocation as that derived from 11 or 15. Absolute configurations of 8a,b and 9a,b were assigned by using enantiomerically pure (+)-trans-[3S.4S]-dihydrodiol as the starting material, which afforded a single cis-[3R,4S]-dGuo adduct and a single trans-[3S,4S]-dGuo adduct. The optically active trans-3,4-dihydrodiols were obtained by HPLC separation of their bis-(-)-menthoxyacetates. Their absolute configuration was determined by several empirical methods in addition to application of the exciton chirality CD method to their bis-(p-N,N-dimethylamino)benzoates. Removal of all blocking groups from the protected cis- and trans-opened dGuo adducts (8a,b and 9a,b) in three steps (overall yields of >70%) gave the free dGuo adducts, which are useful markers for DNA-binding studies. Adducts 8a,b and 9a,b were also converted to the appropriately protected phosphoramidites in three steps (overall yields of 72-81%).


The present study was conducted over a period of one year to find the right time for measles vaccination when maternal antibody titer in infants was decayed rendering them susceptible to wild virus infection. Blood samples were collected from the cord of new born (147), 2-5 months (47) and 5 to 7.5 months (24) of age. The mean measles IgG antibody titer detected in cord blood at birth (0 months) was 348.8 mlU/mL which steeply decreased to 155.6 mlU/mL by the age of 2-3 months. After that the fall in antibody becomes relatively slower and decreased to 101.6 mIU/mL by the age of 3-5 months and 38.8 mlU/mL by the age of 5-6 months and to 19.2 mIU/mL between the age of 6 to 7.5 months. The fall in antibody level with the advance of age was statistically significant (p < 0.001 ). Majority of the subjects (97.6%) exhibited protective level of antibody at birth. But only a little above one-quarter (25.5%) of them persisted the protective level between the age of 2-5 months and none had protective level from 5 months onwards.


The cancer risks posed by ten substances in raw and purified water were estimated for each municipality in Japan to compare risks between raw and purified water, and inter-municipality. Water concentrations were estimated by use of statistical data. Assigning cancer unit risks to each substance and applying the assumption of additive toxicological effects to multiple carcinogens, total cancer risks of the waters were estimated. As a result, the geometric means of total cancer risks in raw and purified water were 1.16 × 10 -5 and 2.18 × 10 -5 , respectively. In raw water, the contribution ratio of arsenic to total cancer risk accounted for 97%. In purified water, that of four trihalomethanes (THMs) accounted for 54%. The increase of total cancer risks in purified water was due to THMs. In regard to the geographical variation, the relationship between population size and total cancer risks were investigated. The result was that there were higher cancer risks in the big cities with the population more than a million both in raw and purified water. One plausible reason for the higher risks in purified water in the big cities is a larger chlorination dose due to the huge water supply areas. The reason for the increase in raw water remained unclear.


Purpose: Children with cerebral palsy who have associated feeding difficulties are at risk of aspiration and poor nutrition. This study aimed to measure the changes in knowledge, confidence, anxiety and behaviour among 25 Sri Lankan mothers with responsibility for feeding children diagnosed with cerebral palsy, after they attended an experiential workshop. Methods: Data collection was done through pre- and post-workshop questionnaires, observations and semi-structured interviews. Results: There was a significant improvement in reported levels of knowledge and confidence and a decrease in the caregivers' level of anxiety during mealtimes. The qualitative data analysis indicated changes in participant knowledge, particularly about the signs of aspiration and positioning during mealtimes. Observations showed better adherence to recommendations on communication, bolus size and utensils. Conclusion: The findings support the utility of experiential training for caregivers, to ensure that children with cerebral palsy are fed safely.


N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide (EtFOSA) is the active ingredient of Sulfluramid, a pesticide which is used extensively in South America for control of leaf-cutting ants. Despite being a known precursor to perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), the importance of EtFOSA as a source of environmental PFOS remains unclear. In the present work, uptake, leaching, and biodegradation of EtFOSA and its transformation products were assessed over 81 days in soil-carrot ( Daucus carota ssp sativus) mesocosms for the first time. Experiments performed in the presence of carrot produced PFOS yields of up to 34% using a technical EtFOSA standard and up to 277% using Grão Forte, a commercial Sulfluramid bait formulation containing 0.0024% EtFOSA. Perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetate (FOSAA), perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) also formed over the course of the experiments, with the latter substance attributed to the presence of perfluorooctanamide impurities. The leachate contained low levels of transformation products and a high FOSA:PFOS ratio, consistent with recent observations in Brazilian surface water. In carrots, the more hydrophilic transformation products (e.g., PFOS) occurred primarily in the leaves, while the more hydrophobic products (e.g., FOSA, FOSAA, and EtFOSA) occurred in the peel and core. Remarkably, isomer-specific analysis revealed that the linear EtFOSA isomer biodegraded significantly faster than branched isomers. These data collectively show that the application of Sulfluramid baits can lead to the occurrence of PFOS in crops and in the surrounding environment, in considerably higher yields than previously thought.


Purpose: A prospective work to study and evaluate surgical and endoscopic techniques used in management of post cholecystectomy problems. Patients and Methods: In the period from Mars 2000 to October 2009, a random sample of 630 patients (366 females and 264 males) were collected from general surgery department, and gastro-intestinal endoscopy unit, Assuit University hospitals, and managed accordingly using surgery in 143 patients, and endoscopy in 482 patients (plus percutaneous techniques in 25 patients). Results: Endoscopy was very successful as an initial treatment of 457 patients (73%), as being less invasive, low morbidity and mortality, competitive to surgery in treatment of missed stone (88%), mild to moderate biliary leakage (82%), and biliary stricture (74%). Its success increased by addition of percutaneous techniques in 4%, 2.8% & 8.3% for missed stone, leakage, and stricture respectively. But endoscopy was somewhat complementary to surgery in major leakage, and massive stricture, and surgery was resold to in 15%, and 17% of cases. Surgery remain as the treatment of choice in complex problems, and endoscopy play a complementary role in such cases of transection, ligation, combined problems of stones, stricture, and leakage (<40%), compared to 60% for surgery. Bilio-enteric anastomosis was the procedure of choice, done in 86 cases, with stent splintage in unhealthy, or small sized ducts. And stricture complication was encountered in 6% of cases treated by percutaneous rout in 4, and redo surgery in 1 case. The learning curve seems influential in both endoscopy and surgery. The cumulative experience increase the success rate of endoscopy from initial 50% to 95% nowadays, also surgery improved with decreased morbidity and mortality as complications encountered was seen in initial experience and decreased with time. Conclusion: Endoscopy was competitive to surgery in simple problems and advised to be the initial treatment choice, but complementary in major leak, ligation, transection, and complex problems, where surgery plays the main role in treatment with its invasiveness, high morbidity and morbidity. Cumulative experience influence endoscopic and surgical treatment of such problems and it is mandatory with other facility and equipment for management of such challenging cases.


This paper proposes a stress detection system based on fuzzy logic and the physiological signals heart rate and galvanic skin response. The main contribution of this method relies on the creation of a stress template, collecting the behaviour of previous signals under situations with a different level of stress in each individual. The creation of this template provides an accuracy of 99.5% in stress detection, improving the results obtained by current pattern recognition techniques like GMM, k-NN, SVM or Fisher Linear Discriminant. In addition, this system can be embedded in security systems to detect critical situations in accesses as cross-border control. Furthermore, its applications can be extended to other fields as vehicle driver state-of-mind management, medicine or sport training.


In 1995, the European Union (EU) Member States and 12 Mediterranean countries launched in Barcelona a liberalization process that aims at establishing a free trade area (to be realized by 2010) and at promoting a sustainable and balanced economic development by the adoption of a new generation of Agreements: the Euro-Mediterranean Agreements (EMA). For the Mediterranean partner countries, the main concern is a better access for their fruit and vegetable exports to the European market. These products represent the main exports of these countries, and the EU is their first trading partner. On the other side, for the EU the main issue is not only the promotion of its products, but also the protection of its fruit and vegetables producers. Moreover, the trade with third countries is the key element of the Common Market Organization of the sector.
Fruit and vegetables represent a very sensitive sector since their high seasonality, high perishability, and especially since the production of the Mediterranean countries is often similar to the European Mediterranean's countries one. In fact, the agreements define preferences at the entrance of the EU market providing limited concessions for each partner, for specific products, limited quantities and calendars.
This research tries to analyze the bilateral trade volume for fresh fruit and vegetables in the European and Italian markets in order to assess the effects of Mediterranean liberalization on this sector. Free trade of agricultural products represents a very actual topic in international trade and the Mediterranean countries, recognised as big producers of fruit and vegetables, as big exporters of their crops and actually significantly present on the European market, could be high competitors with the inward production because the outlet could be the same.
The goal of this study is to provide some considerations about the competitiveness of mediterranean fruit and vegetables productions after Barcelona Process, in a first step for the European market and then also for the Italian one. The aim is to discuss the influence of the euro-mediterranean agreements on the fruit and vegetables trade between 10 foreign Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, and Turkey) and 15 EU countries in the period 1995-2007, by means of a gravity model, which is a widespread methodology in international trade analysis. The basic idea of gravity models is that bilateral trade from one country to another (as the dependent variable) can be explained by a set of factors:
- factors that capture the potential of a country to export goods and services;
- factors that capture the propensity of a country to imports goods and services;
- any other forces that either attract or inhibit bilateral trade.
This analysis compares only imports' flows by Europe and by Italy (in volumes) from Mediterranean countries, since the exports' flows toward those foreign countries are not significant, especially for Italy.
The market of fruit and vegetables appears as a high heterogeneous group so it is very difficult to show a synthesis of the analysis performed and the related results. In fact, this sector includes the so called "poor products" (such as potatoes and legumes), and the "rich product", such as nuts or exotic fruit, and there are a lot of different goods that arouse a dissimilar consumer demand which directly influence the import requirements. Fruit and vegetables sector includes products with extremely different biological cycles, leading to a very unlike seasonality. Moreover, the Mediterranean area appears as a highly heterogeneous bloc, including countries which differ from the others for economic size, production potential, capability to export and for the relationships with the EU.
The econometric estimation includes 68 analyses, 34 of which considering the European import and 34 the Italian import and the products are examined in their aggregated form and in their disaggregated level. The analysis obtains a very high R2 coefficient, which means that the methodology is able to assess the import effects on fruit and vegetables associated to the Association Agreements, preferential tariffs, regional integration, and others information involved in the equation. The empirical analysis suggests that fruits and vegetables trade flows are well explained by some parameters: size of the involved countries (especially GDP and population of the Mediterranean countries); distances; prices of imported products; local production for the aggregated products; preferential expressed tariffs like duty free; sub-regional agreements that enforce the export capability.
The euro-mediterranean agreements are significant in some of the performed analysis, confirming the slow and gradual evolution of euro- Mediterranean liberalization.
The euro-mediterranean liberalization provides opportunities from one side, and imposes a new important challenge from the other side. For the EU the chance is that fruit and vegetables imported from the mediterranean area represent a support for local supply and a possibility to increase the range of products existing on the market. The challenge regards the competition of foreign products with the local ones since the types of productions are similar and markets coincide, especially in the Italian issue.
We need to apply a strategy based not on a trade antagonism, but on the realization of a common plane market with the Mediterranean countries. This goal could be achieved enhancing the industrial cooperation in addition to commercial relationships, and increasing investments' flows in the Mediterranean countries aiming at transforming those countries from potential competitors to trade partners and creating new commercial policies to export towards extra European countries.


This paper presents a collaborative model-based development method for a manufacturing system and its control system. The method is aimed towards improving the traditional manufacturing and control systems development approaches that are often done independently and in sequence. First the interactions and dependencies in the multi-disciplinary development process are identified. Depending on the desired the level of abstraction, a system is modelled in a discipline neutral modelling language from which domain-specific models are automatically transformed to a language of a target modelling environment. These models are then used as a basis for further development by domain experts. As an illustrative case, SysML is used for modelling of a high level system concept of a manufacturing cell. The subsequent modelling, simulation and the associated verification, validation and control code generation steps are described.


Teachers often recommend that families engage their children in shared book reading to support literacy learning at home. When teachers purposefully provide families with home literacy activities there are benefits for everyone involved. The purpose of this article is to report the findings of a study that examined parental participation and response to a home book reading component (i.e. a classroom lending library) that took place in 32 kindergarten classrooms as part of a larger study examining the efficacy of a curriculum focused on promoting kindergartners' positive attitudes towards individuals with disabilities. Findings suggest that parents considered shared book reading to be enjoyable and beneficial for their children's language and literacy development. Additionally, parents' comments provided evidence that both they and their children learned a variety of new concepts, including those related to science and disabilities, through shared book reading. Implications for practice and ideas for future research are discussed.


Finite element analysis of the time-dependent deformations of layered viscous solids serves as the basis of the study of the mechanics of folding. The progressive development of folds by buckling in single and multilayer models compressed parallel to the layering is reviewed. Fold geometries are shown to vary from parallel, for large viscous contrasts, to nearly similar, for low contrasts. For models with the same viscosity contrast the geometry depends upon the wavelength/thickness ratio, so that thin-layer folds behave in the most £ competent5 fashion with a great amount of buckle shortening. The development of stresses around folds is discussed. As the fold grows the principal stresses rotate and the magnitude changes quite drastically for models with high viscosity contrast. These folds also have the gradient of mean stress directed perpendicular to the layer in the hinge part of the competent layer. The heterogeneous stress distribution, as it appears in a fold structure, generates a free energy gradient, and diffusion current will tend to bring the system to a state of equilibrium by one or more of the following events: (1) introduction of new mineral species; (2) polymorphic phase changes; (3) a change in chemical composition and (4) a change in grain size. Future development of the finite element analysis of folding is discussed.


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Gain-scheduling control is one of effective methods for plants whose dynamics changes significantly according to its operating point. A frozen parameter method is known to be a practical gain-scheduling controller synthesis, which interpolates the controllers designed at the prespecified (frozen) operating points according to the current operation point. Hyde et al. proposed a gain-scheduling control that H∞ loop shaping procedure is adopted as a controller synthesis at each operating point. H∞ loop shaping procedure is based on loop shaping of an open loop characteristic by frequency weights and is known to be effective for plants with bad condition number. However, weight selection satisfying control specifications is a hard job for a designer. This paper describes the design of a suboptimal weight and a controller by means of algorithm that maximizes the robust stability margin and shapes the open loop characteristic into the desired shape at each operating point. Moreover, we formulate a weight optimization problem as a generalized eigenvalue minimization problem, which reduces the designer's burden of weight selection. Finally, we realize robust and high performance control system by scheduling both weights and controllers. The effectiveness of the proposed control system is verified in terms of the achieved robust stability margin and experimental time responses of a rotary inverted pendulum which involves strong nonlinear dynamics


Background:  Intraoperative  ischemia   during   coronary   surgery   may   have   severe   consequences   for the patient and may also pose a difficult diagnostic problem  to the  surgeon.  There  is no  clinically used direct  method  to evaluate  the  effect on  the  circulation of various therapeutic maneuvers  to the heart. Augmented (mixed)  reality using projection  of color- coded  infra-red  (IR)  images onto  the imaged  tissues in real  time  may  give an  intuitive  representation of the tissue surface temperature and thus,  information about   myocardial   perfusion   on  the  surface  of  the organ itself.Purpose:  To demonstrate in animal experiments the feasibility of presenting  IR tissue temperature images  reflecting  myocardial  perfusion into  the  surgical  field  with  augmented reality.Method: We  have  constructed a  system  consisting of an IR camera  and  a projector  integrated in such a way that  they  have  identical  optical  axes,  solving the  geometrical  correspondence problem  in an easy way. In 5 pigs (weight = 57.5 ± 7 kg), the thorax was opened    by   median    sternotomy.   After   exposing the  heart,  an  elastic  vessel loop  was placed  around the  middle  of  the  left  descending  coronary  artery. A  2  mm   ultrasound  probe   was  inserted   distally around the LAD for flow velocity measurements. Subsequent ischemia-reperfusion periods  were induced using a fixed protocol. Results:  The  time course of  an   occlusion   was  clearly  seen   in  quantitative curves  as well as in  color-coded temperature  maps on the surface of the heart.  The  difference in surface temperature between the three areas more or less affected  by  the  ischemia   was  also  clearly  demon- strated.  During  ischemia,  the surface of the myocardium  showed  concentrically  arranged  zones  of different temperatures (IR penumbra) potentially cor- responding to different  degrees  of severity of ischemia. Conclusion: Surface  temperature changes  due to ischemia can be assessed quantitatively and visualized  in situ during occlusion of a coronary  artery and   subsequent  reperfusion of  the myocardium. This method shows potential  as  a  fast  and  simple way of  following  myocardial  perfusion  during surgery. The  change  of the  extension  of the  penumbra zone  is a potential monitoring device  for the  thera- pies used  in the salvage or prevention of ischemia  in experimental or clinical cardiac surgery and may introduce new practices in monitoring  duringcardiac  and vascular anesthesia.


The Tor1p and Tor2p kinases, targets of the therapeutically important antibiotic rapamycin, function as components of two distinct protein complexes in yeast, termed TOR complex 1 (TORC1) and TORC2. TORC1 is responsible for a wide range of rapamycin-sensitive cellular activities and contains, in addition to Tor1p or Tor2p, two highly conserved proteins, Lst8p and Kog1p. By identifying proteins that co-purify with Tor1p, Tor2p, Lst8p, and Kog1p, we have characterized a comprehensive set of protein-protein interactions that define further the composition of TORC1 as well as TORC2. In particular, we have identified Tco89p (YPL180w) and Bit61p (YJL058c) as novel components of TORC1 and TORC2, respectively. Deletion of TOR1 or TCO89 results in two specific and distinct phenotypes, (i) rapamycin-hypersensitivity and (ii) decreased cellular integrity, both of which correlate with the presence of SSD1-d, an allele of SSD1 previously associated with defects in cellular integrity. Furthermore, we link Ssd1p to Tap42p, a component of the TOR pathway that is believed to act uniquely downstream of TORC1. Together, these results define a novel connection between TORC1 and Ssd1p-mediated maintenance of cellular integrity.


This paper focuses on pulse shaping, modulation techniques, randomization by pseudo noise (PN) and other sequences, and power spectral density (PSD) shaping of ultra wideband (UWB) wireless communication signals and their effects on interference into and by other communication signals. The evolution of techniques proposed for these, and implementations based on research and development since the early 1990's, to those that have been recently reported, are described and critically examined and discussed. The advantages and shortcomings of pulse shaping, modulation techniques, randomization, and spectrum shaping schemes, and their interference effects are compared and discussed for both the single and multiband (MB) cases, and a few illustrative plots are given


The main objective of the present work was to develop sustained release matrix tablets of Atenolol. To reduce the frequency of administration and to improve the patient compliance, a once daily sustained release formulation of Atenolol is desirable. So sustained release Matrix Tablet of Atenolol was designed by using different polymers viz.Starch, Xanthan Gum, Vee Gum , Guar Gum, Gum Accacia, Tragacanth, Hupu Gum were used as natural polymers and Eudragit-L100, Ethyl Cellulose, Sodium Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (Na-CMC) ,Hydroxy Propyl Methyl Cellulose (HPMC) (5&15cps), Methyl Cellulose, Kollidon were used as synthetic polymers. After fixing the ratio of drug and polymer for control the release of drug up to desired time, the release rates were modulated by Single polymer, combination of two different rates controlling material. The FT-IR study revealed that there was no chemical interaction between drug and excipients. The granules were prepared by dry granulation method. Precompressional parameters i.e. angle of repose, percent compressibility, and Hausner's ratios were studied. These results indicate that granules are good flowing characteristics. After evaluation of physical properties like Weight variation, Hardness, Thickness, Friability of tablet, the different formulations checked for the Percentage Drug content which having good uniformity. The results of drug dissolution studies showed improved drug release, retardation effects of the polymers and could achieve better performance. After eight hours dissolution test, dissolution profiles showed that better sustained release was observed from starch and veegum containing formulation and eudragit and ethyl cellulose containing formulation of atenolol matrix tablet. It was also observed that the presence of starch caused an increase in the release rate of atenolol matrix tablet. The present study shows a relatively simple method to design and develop Atenolol matrix tablet.


Scholars frequently distinguish between "hard" and "soft" forms of judicial review: "hard" review gives courts the final say on constitutional questions, whereas "soft" review attempts to strike a balance between judicial and legislative supremacy by giving the legislature the ability to override or set aside what the courts have done. However, the binary hard/soft distinction does not convey the full spectrum of possibilities between the extremes of legislative and judicial supremacy. On the one hand, so-called "hard" review can in practice operate like soft review because, even in systems of nominally hard review, the government usually retains the ability to effectively override the courts via constitutional amendment. On the other hand, courts have increasingly turned to options that are harder than "hard" review. A small but growing number of courts—the Taiwanese Constitutional Court among them—have claimed the power to invalidate constitutional amendments as unconstitutional. Yet even judicial review of constitutional amendments does not exhaust the options at their disposal.

Analysis of Taiwan's experience with judicial review over the last thirty years holds a number of lessons about judicial power and constitutional politics. First, "soft" review, "hard" review, and even review of constitutional amendments are merely intermediate points on a spectrum of judicial power that ranges from no judicial review to the judicial initiation of constitutional amendments. Moreover, the spectrum itself is dynamic and prone to expansion. In the face of new challenges, courts find new ways of asserting themselves, and in so doing, they continually remake the frontiers of judicial power.

Second, there is no point on this spectrum where a court—or any other institution—is guaranteed the last word. Whenever courts assert themselves, other institutions have the ability to respond, and vice versa. Different responses are available at different points on the spectrum, but a response always exists. It is a defining characteristic of politics that, for every move, there exists a countermove. Finality is as elusive in constitutional politics as in any other form of politics.

Third, the celebration of "dialogic" judicial review—in which constitutional questions are resolved via interaction between courts and legislatures rather than by judicial fiat—is problematic because, in some sense, all judicial review is "dialogic". The fact that courts are never guaranteed the last word means that every plausible institutional configuration can be characterized as "dialogic" in the sense of allowing or inviting some degree of interaction, or "dialogue," between the courts and the legislature.

Finally, a court's position on the spectrum of judicial power is not necessarily fixed by the constitution and can instead be highly fluid. As the recent history of the Taiwanese Constitutional Court demonstrates, it is possible for a court to traverse the entirety of the spectrum in a relatively short period of time without any corresponding change in the constitution itself. Major shifts in judicial power can occur without formal constitutional change because judicial power is at least as much a function of the political and institutional context as of the constitutional text.


Background: Data comparing risk factors for in situ and invasive breast cancer, particularly with additional differentiation by ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), are limited. Some previous studies have found similar risk relations for DCIS and invasive carcinoma, consistent with molecular and clinical data showing that DCIS lesions are non-obligate precursors of invasive breast cancer. However, some risk factors may act as promoters at later stages of carcinogenesis and may show differential associations with invasive as compared with in situ disease. We therefore evaluated the relationship between established breast cancer risk factors and the risk of DCIS, LCIS, and ductal and lobular invasive breast carcinomas. Methods: Among 192,315 postmenopausal women ages 50–71 years, enrolled in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Cohort study, who did not have a prior history of any cancer, we identified 1,228 in situ (1,085 DCIS, 143 LCIS) and 6,185 invasive (5,345 ductal, 840 lobular) incident breast carcinomas from enrollment (1995–96) through last follow-up (2006). Participants provided information on established breast cancer risk factors via mailed questionnaires including: ages at menarche and first birth, breast cancer family history, alcohol use, and body mass index (BMI) or kg/m2. Relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: Risk associations for age at menarche, age at first live birth, and family history of breast cancer were similar for DCIS, LCIS, and their invasive counterparts. Later age at menarche and earlier age at first live birth were associated with significant risk reductions while family history of breast cancer increased risk. Alcohol intake (>35 grams/day vs. none) was significantly associated with an increased risk of invasive breast cancer (RRductal=1.31, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.51; RRlobular=1.50, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.15) and suggestive of an increased risk of LCIS (RRLCIS=1.32, 95% CI: 0.51, 3.43); in contrast, no association was observed with DCIS (RRDCIS=1.04, 95% CI: 0.73, 1.50). BMI of 35 kg/m2 or greater was related to increased risk of invasive ductal carcinoma (RR=1.45, 95% CI: 1.31, 1.60) but not for in situ or invasive lobular cancers. These differences, however, did not translate into any statistically significant differences in risk factor associations for DCIS vs. LCIS, DCIS vs. ductal invasive, or LCIS vs. lobular invasive (p-heterogeneity >.10 for all comparisons). Conclusions: In this analysis, most established breast cancer risk factors showed similar associations for in situ and invasive ductal and lobular cancers among postmenopausal women, apart from marked obesity, which only increased risk for invasive ductal carcinoma. These data support the view that many of the risk factors considered in predicting risk of invasive breast cancer are also applicable to estimating risk of in situ breast cancer. Furthermore, obesity was differentially associated with increased risk of ductal invasive breast cancer, suggesting that this exposure may act as a promoter later in carcinogenesis. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):A71.


A detailed analysis of the quantization error encountered in the CORDIC (coordinate rotation digital computer) algorithm is presented. Two types of quantization error are examined: an approximation error due to the quantized representation of rotation angles, and a rounding error due to the finite precision representation in both fixed-point and floating-point arithmetic. Tight error bounds for these two types of error are derived. The rounding error due to a scaling (normalization) operation in the CORDIC algorithm is also discussed. An expression for overall quantization error is derived, and several simulation examples are presented. >


Following an application from SmithKline Beecham Limited, submitted for authorisation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of United Kingdom, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to caffeine and increased alertness. The food constituent, caffeine, which is the subject of the health claim, is sufficiently characterised. Increased alertness might be a beneficial physiological effect. A claim on caffeine and increased alertness, in the general adult population, for products containing at least 75 mg of caffeine per serving, has already been assessed by the Panel with a favourable outcome. In the present application, the applicant proposed that, in order to bear the claim, a product should contain at least 40 mg of caffeine per serving. In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that most studies which measured reaction time in various cognitive tasks found no effect of caffeine at doses < 75 mg. In the particular dose range between 40 and < 75 mg, no effect of caffeine was found on the majority of outcome measures of reaction time. The Panel notes that the majority of studies with caffeine doses of 75 mg or higher showed a significant reduction in measures of reaction time. On the basis of the evidence provided, the Panel reiterates its previous conclusion that, in order to bear the claim, a product should contain at least 75 mg caffeine per serving. The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of caffeine and increased alertness under the conditions of use proposed by the applicant.


Causal inference goes beyond prediction by modeling the outcome of interventions and formalizing counterfactual reasoning. Instead of restricting causal conclusions to experiments, causal inference explicates the conditions under which it is possible to draw causal conclusions even from observational data. In this paper, I provide a concise introduction to the graphical approach to causal inference, which uses Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) to visualize, and Structural Causal Models (SCMs) to relate probabilistic and causal relationships. Successively, we climb what Judea Pearl calls the "causal hierarchy" --- moving from association to intervention to counterfactuals. I explain how DAGs can help us reason about associations between variables as well as interventions; how the do-calculus leads to a satisfactory definition of confounding, thereby clarifying, among other things, Simpson's paradox; and how SCMs enable us to reason about what could have been. Lastly, I discuss a number of challenges in applying causal inference in practice.


In addition of the protein coding information viral RNA genomes code functional information in structurally conserved units termed functional RNA domains. These RNA domains play essential roles in the viral cycle. Members of the Flaviviridae family are responsible of important worldwide human diseases (e.g. hepatitis C, dengue, zika, west Nile fever, among others). Their genome consists in a (+) single stranded RNA molecule, which contains numerous highly structurally conserved RNA domains. They represent a good model to study and characterize the functional roles of RNA domains in the regulation of essential viral processes (e.g. translation, replication). Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind their function is essential to understand the viral infective cycle. Interfering with the function of the genomic RNA domains offers a potential means of developing antiviral strategies. Nucleic acids tools and in particular aptamers are good candidates for targeting structural RNA domains. Besides its potential as therapeutics, aptamers also provides an excellent means for investigating the functionality of RNA domains in viral genomes.


We present a new kind of silicon device: a High-Voltage vertical JFET, originally conceived as a candidate for the High-Voltage Multiplexing switch in the ATLAS upgrade of the silicon microstrip Inner Tracker (ITk). The development of the geometry as well as of the technology process flow was carried out by the help of numerical simulations, which confirmed the feasibility of such a device. Using a planar process flow, both n-type and p-type HV-JFETs have been successfully fabricated in the silicon processing facility of Brookhaven National Laboratory, starting from epitaxial wafers which have been grown according to strict specifications. Probe station measurements of un-irradiated devices show low leakage current and high breakdown voltage (up to 600V) in the OFF state, and high currents in the ON state. These JFETs, thus, satisfy most of the specs required by the HV Multiplexing switch. However, only irradiation campaigns with protons and neutrons will assess their suitability as rad-hard switches.


Scottish sandstone buildings are now suffering the long-term effects of salt-crystallisation damage, owing in part to the repeated deposition of de-icing salts during winter months. The use of de-icing salts is necessary in order to maintain safe road and pavement conditions during cold weather, but their use comes at a price. Sodium chloride (NaCl), which is used as the primary de-icing salt throughout the country, is a salt known to be damaging to sandstone masonry. However, there remains a range of alternative, commercially available de-icing salts. It is unknown however, what effect these salts have on porous building materials, such as sandstone. In order to protect our built heritage against salt-induced decay, it is vital to understand the effects of these different salts on the range of sandstone types that we see within the historic buildings of Scotland.

Eleven common types of sandstone were characterised using a suite of methods in order to understand their mineralogy, pore structure and their response to moisture movement, which are vital properties that govern a stone's response to weathering and decay. Sandstones were then placed through a range of durability tests designed to measure their resistance to various weathering processes. Three salt crystallisation tests were undertaken on the sandstones over a range of 16 to 50 cycles, which tested their durability to NaCl, CaCl2, MgCl2 and a chloride blend salt. Samples were primarily analysed by measuring their dry weight loss after each cycle, visually after each cycle and by other complimentary methods in order to understand their changing response to moisture uptake after salt treatment.

Salt crystallisation was identified as the primary mechanism of decay across each salt, with the extent of damage in each sandstone influenced by environmental conditions and pore-grain properties of the stone. Damage recorded in salt crystallisation tests was ultimately caused by the generation of high crystallisation pressures within the confined pore networks of each stone.

Stone and test-specific parameters controlled the location and magnitude of damage, with the amount of micro-pores, their spatial distribution, the water absorption coefficient and the drying efficiency of each stone being identified as the most important stone-specific properties influencing salt-induced decay.

Strong correlations were found between the dry weight loss of NaCl treated samples and the proportion of pores <1µm in diameter. Crystallisation pressures are known to scale inversely with pore size, while the spatial distribution of these micro-pores is thought to influence the rate, overall extent and type of decay within the stone by concentrating crystallisation pressures in specific regions of the stone.

The water absorption determines the total amount of moisture entering into the stone, which represents the total amount of void space for salt crystallisation. The drying parameters on the other hand, ultimately control the distribution of salt crystallisation. Those stones that were characterised by a combination of a high proportion of micro-pores, high water absorption values and slow drying kinetics were shown to be most vulnerable to NaCl-induced decay.

CaCl2 and MgCl2 are shown to have similar crystallisation behaviour, forming thin crystalline sheets under low relative humidity and/or high temperature conditions. Distinct differences in their behaviour that are influenced by test specific criteria were identified. The location of MgCl2 crystallisation close to the stone surface, as influenced by prolonged drying under moderate temperature drying conditions, was identified as the main factor that caused substantial dry weight loss in specific stone types. CaCl2 solutions remained unaffected under these conditions and only crystallised under high temperatures. Homogeneous crystallisation of CaCl2 throughout the stone produced greater internal change, with little dry weight loss recorded.

NaCl formed distinctive isometric hopper crystals that caused damage through the non-equilibrium growth of salts in trapped regions of the stone. Damage was sustained as granular decay and contour scaling across most stone types.

The pore network and hydric properties of the stones continually evolve in response to salt crystallisation, creating a dynamic system whereby the initial, known properties of clean quarried stone will not continually govern the processes of salt crystallisation, nor indeed can they continually predict the behaviour of stone to salt-induced decay.


OBJECTIVE
Genetic linkage studies in schizophrenia (SZ) have primarily focused on the phenotype of disease susceptibility. A limited number of studies, however, have reported suggestive linkage to specific SZ symptom domains including regions on chromosomes 6, 8, and 20. We examined these chromosomal regions for association to positive, negative, and disorganized symptom clusters, using a dense set of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

METHODS
We ascertained 178 Caucasian patients with SZ for lifetime severity of clinical symptomatology using a structured diagnostic interview. The cohort was genotyped with the Affymetrix 500K microarray, from which we selected, a priori, 4833 intragenic SNPs located within chromosomal regions previously linked to specific SZ symptom clusters. Parametric tests, corrected for multiple testing, were used to compare the effects of allelic variation within these SNPs to the lifetime severity of the specific symptom domain that had been implicated by prior linkage studies.

RESULTS
We were able to extend previous reports of linkage between chromosome 6q and both positive and disorganized symptoms. Lifetime severity of positive symptoms was significantly (P = 2.50 x 10(-5)) associated with a SNP within the origin recognition complex subunit 3-like (ORC3L) gene, a gene implicated in synaptic plasticity. Level of disorganized symptoms was significantly (P < 6.00 x 10(-5)) associated 2 SNPs within the brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 3 (BAI3) gene, which is highly expressed in brain during development.

CONCLUSIONS
These data point toward specific candidate genes located within previously implicated linkage peaks for clinical symptomatology. Identification of functional variants within these regions and a characterization of the effect of these risk genotypes on the treatment of specific clinical symptoms are needed.


The gradual upward changes of standards in normal everyday life have significant environmental implications, and it is therefore important to study how these changes come about. The intention of the article is to analyze the social construction of normal expectations through a case study. The case concerns the present boom in bathroom renovations in Denmark, which offers an excellent opportunity to study the interplay between a wide variety of consumption drivers and social changes pointing toward long‐term changes of normal expectations regarding bathroom standards. The study is problem‐oriented and transdisciplinary and draws on a wide range of sociological, anthropological, and economic theories. The empirical basis comprises a combination of statistics, a review of magazine and media coverage, visits to exhibitions, and qualitative interviews. A variety of consumption drivers are identified. Among the drivers are the increasing importance of the home as a core identity project and a symbol of the unity of the family, the opportunities for creative work, the convenience of more grooming capacity during the busy family's rush hours, the perceived need for retreat and indulgence in a hectic everyday life, and the increased focus on body care and fitness. The contours of the emerging normal expectations are outlined and discussed in an environmental perspective.


Nine healthy male volunteers were exposed to head-down tilt (-4.5 degrees) for 120 days. The concentrations of parathormone, calcitonin, gastrin, growth hormone, total and ionized calcium were measured in plasma. Prolonged exposure to antiorthostatic hypokinesia led to significant changes in the hormonal regulation of calcium-phosphorus metabolism, the most important of which was an enhanced secretion of the parathyroid hormone. The increased concentration of calcitonin and gastrin was a secondary response to the higher content of ionized calcium. The phase-like changes in the somatotrophic hormone secretion were induced by variations in the parathormone concentration in blood, on the one hand, and by a reduction of plastic processes, on the other.


Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to examine the accounting education systems in three countries – Australia, Japan and Sri Lanka – to inform the development and testing (by application) of a Design/methodology/approach - – An action research methodology is applied with a case study and model development approach. Findings - – The case studies reveal variations in accounting education systems, which exist across the three countries examined in this research. Key differences (some significant and others nuanced) were found between accounting education systems and include: entry requirements to professional programs; accreditation processes; and benchmark discipline standards. These differences are provided for in the questions that underpin the model developed and applied as a key part of the research. Practical implications - – This model is presented as a tool to assist interested parties in any country to take initial steps to identify their own unique system of accounting education. It may also be of particular use in those countries in the early stages of developing an accounting education system. This understanding of accounting education systems enhances the opportunity for global convergence of accounting education. Originality/value - – The model, informed by the case studies, is an original contribution to the literature and discussions around global convergence in accounting education. The model is designed for practical application and the value is that it provides an important starting point for considering issues of importance in the development of a system of accounting education, and/or, better understanding the similarities and differences across existing systems.


A finite group is called semi-rational if the distribution induced on it by any word map is a virtual character. Amit and Vishne give a sufficient condition for a group to be semi-rational, and ask whether it is also necessary. We answer this in the negative, by exhibiting two new criteria for semi-rationality, each giving rise to an infinite family of semi-rational groups which do not satisfy the Amit-Vishne condition. On the other hand, we use recent work of Lubotzky to show that for finite simple groups the Amit-Vishne condition is indeed necessary, and we use this to construct the first known example of an infinite family of non-semi-rational groups.


Pulse pressure and isolated systolic hypertension: Association with microalbuminuria. Background The long-term risk of end-stage renal disease is high in persons with isolated systolic hypertension, that is, those with an elevation of pulse pressure and not of diastolic pressure. Other data suggest that pulse pressure is a predictor of the hypertension-induced organ damage. Microalbuminuria is considered an early sign of glomerular damage caused by hypertension. The study shows the relationship of pulse pressure and isolated systolic hypertension to microalbuminuria in nondiabetic subjects. Methods This is a cross sectional analysis for a population sample of 677 men and 890 women, aged 45 to 64 years, who were without diabetes mellitus and macroalbuminuria. Data collection included: overnight urinary albumin and creatinine excretion; fasting plasma glucose, cholesterol, and creatinine; creatinine clearance; and blood pressure, weight, height, medical history, and smoking habit. Pulse pressure was calculated as systolic minus diastolic pressure. Isolated systolic hypertension was defined as systolic pressure ≥140 mm Hg in persons not on antihypertensive drugs and with diastolic pressure Results Pulse pressure and isolated systolic hypertension were significantly related to urinary albumin excretion and the prevalence of microalbuminuria in univariate and multivariate analyses. Controlling for gender and other variables, the risk of microalbuminuria was 1.71 with a 15 mm Hg higher pulse pressure (95% CI, 1.31 to 2.22) and 4.95 in the presence of isolated systolic hypertension (95% CI, 3.15 to 7.76). Conclusions In nondiabetic, middle-aged adults, pulse pressure and isolated systolic hypertension are directly related to microalbuminuria, independent of diastolic pressure and other correlates.


Biochemical decomposition of catechol and 4-chlorocatechol, degradation intermediate products of 4-chlorophenol, was investigated using enzymes and their immobilized forms by clay minerals. An oxygenase that can initiate oxidative ring-fission of aromatic compounds was obtained via cloning of its gene (cphA-1) encoding hydroxyquinol dioxygenase contained in Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus A6 and overexpression and purification of the enzyme. The enzyme expressed in vitro was then immobilized onto the clay mineral (montmorillonite). Michaelis-Menten kinetic analysis was conducted to compare the expressed enzymes and the immobilized biocatalysts with regard to their degradation activity and capability to sustain activities under severe environments. Vmax values for the immobilized enzymes were smaller than those for the originally cloned enzymes, indicating that loss of enzyme activity was accompanied in the enzyme immobilization process. However, the immobilized enzyme demonstrated far more stable degrading activity in response to wide environmental changes such as marked variation of pH, temperature, and ionic strength. This supported that the enzyme immobilization can provide great advantages for its field application and also should be useful for establishing the concept of ecological green U-City.


Constructing a credible foreign threat is a key activity in the US national security community. By adopting a narrative approach to threat formation, we attempt to delineate the contours of the Soviet Union, Japan, and China in the US threat discourse spectrum. The Soviet threat is constructed through a story of two ideologically opposed rivals competing for world domination and the Japan-bashing narrative is of victimisation due to Japan's unfair competition. China threat stories, however, are now more complex, conflating a story of US victimhood at the hands of China's unfair competition, advocated by President Trump, with a widely embedded but malleable epic tale of power competition between a rising power and the ruling power, and a new Cold War script propagated by the 'deep state' hawks. We have found that as long as a country may potentially threaten the United States' hegemonic identity, be it a formidable power with an antagonistic outlook like the Soviet Union, an ally from inside like Japan, or a rising peer competitor like China, the United States will invariably construct a diametrical self-other story in a zero-sum mindset and resort relentlessly to its superior Self while customising its threat story scripts in accordance with the rival's characteristics and dimensions of challenges.


Hydrogenated Zr-Cu-base metallic glasses (MGs) are the potential high-damping and high-strength materials. On the other hand, the knowledge on the material parameters which govern the peak temperature, Tp, and the peak height, Q-1 p, of the hydrogen internal friction peak (HIFP) remains poor. In order to pursue this issue, the hydrogen concentration dependence of Tp and Q-1 p in the Zr-Cu-base MGs were investigated in the point of view of the hydrogen induced structural relaxation (HISR). It is found that the Tp vs. CH data and the Q-1 p vs. CH data are well fitted by the relationships of Tp = Tp exp(-CH/τH) +Tp,0 and Qp -1 ∝ ln(CH/τH), respectively, for various Zr-Cu-base MGs including bulk MGs, Zr55Cu30Al10Ni5 and Zr60Cu30Al10. That is, the observed relationship between Tp and CH is mainly governed by HISR. It is suggested that Tp,0 in Zr-Cu-base MGs is the highest among various MGs resulting in the highest Tp in Zr-Cu-base MGs. In other words, the control of Tp,0 is the key issue to find the high-Tp MGs.


The activated carbon loaded copper oxide catalyst was prepared from Hainan abandoned coconut shells using chemical activation method and applied in treatment of acid bright red GR simulation dyeing wastewater. The effects of phosphoric acid concentration, ratio of liquid to solid, activation time and activation temperature on the COD and color removal rates were investigated by orthogonal experiment. The results showed that the optimal values of the parameters above were 65% (in mass), 3:1, 2.5h and 500°C under the designed copper oxide loading conditions of calcining temperature 300°C,calcining time 3.0 h and use level of copper nitrate 15 mL. Using the prepared sample for the treatment of the wastewater, the COD and color removal rates reached 94.384% and 99.840%, respectively.


Let $A \in \{0,1\}^{n \times n}$ be a matrix with $z$ zeroes and $u$ ones and $x$ be an $n$-dimensional vector of formal variables over a semigroup $(S, \circ)$. How many semigroup operations are required to compute the linear operator $Ax$?
As we observe in this paper, this problem contains as a special case the well-known range queries problem and has a rich variety of applications in such areas as graph algorithms, functional programming, circuit complexity, and others. It is easy to compute $Ax$ using $O(u)$ semigroup operations. The main question studied in this paper is: can $Ax$ be computed using $O(z)$ semigroup operations? We prove that in general this is not possible: there exists a matrix $A \in \{0,1\}^{n \times n}$ with exactly two zeroes in every row (hence $z=2n$) whose complexity is $\Theta(n\alpha(n))$ where $\alpha(n)$ is the inverse Ackermann function. However, for the case when the semigroup is commutative, we give a constructive proof of an $O(z)$ upper bound. This implies that in commutative settings, complements of sparse matrices can be processed as efficiently as sparse matrices (though the corresponding algorithms are more involved). Note that this covers the cases of Boolean and tropical semirings that have numerous applications, e.g., in graph theory.
As a simple application of the presented linear-size construction, we show how to multiply two $n\times n$ matrices over an arbitrary semiring in $O(n^2)$ time if one of these matrices is a 0/1-matrix with $O(n)$ zeroes (i.e., a complement of a sparse matrix).


Matrix embedding is a previously introduced coding method that is used in steganography to improve the embedding efficiency (increase the number of bits embedded per embedding change). Higher embedding efficiency translates into better steganographic security. This gain is more important for long messages than for shorter ones because longer messages are, in general, easier to detect. In this paper, we present two new approaches to matrix embedding for large payloads suitable for practical steganographic schemes-one based on a family of codes constructed from simplex codes and the second one based on random linear codes of small dimension. The embedding efficiency of the proposed methods is evaluated with respect to theoretically achievable bounds


In this paper we present a multi issue negotiation model which can be used for guiding agents during distributed problem solving. This model is composed of protocols which govern and manage agent interactions, and an agent architecture which represents decision mechanisms which assist agents during distributed problem solving processes.


Analysis of amplitude and phase characteristics for delta, theta, and alpha bands at localized time instant from EEG signals is important for the characterizing information processing in the brain. In this paper, complex demodulation method was used to analyze EEG (Electroencephalographic) signal, particularly for auditory evoked potential response signal, with sufficient time resolution and designated frequency bandwidth resolution required. The complex demodulation decomposes raw EEG signal into 3 designated delta, theta, and alpha bands with complex EEG signal representation at sampled time instant, which can enable the extraction of amplitude envelope and phase information. Throughout simulated test data, and real EEG signal acquired during auditory attention task, it can extract the phase offset, phase and frequency changing instant and decomposed amplitude envelope for delta, theta, and alpha bands. The complex demodulation technique can be efficiently used in brain signal analysis in case of phase, and amplitude information required. Keywords—EEG, Complex Demodulation, Amplitude, Phase.


We examine the implications of shape on the process of finding dense correspondence and half-occlusions for a stereo pair of images. The desired property of the depth map is that it should be a piecewise continuous function which is consistent with the images and which has the minimum number of discontinuities. To zeroeth order, piecewise continuity becomes piecewise constancy. Using this approximation, we first discuss an approach for dealing with such a fronto-parallel shapeless world, and the problems involved therein. We then introduce horizontal and vertical slant to create a first order approximation to piecewise continuity. We highlight the fact that a horizontally slanted surface (ie. having depth variation in the direction of the separation of the two cameras) appears horizontally stretched in one image as compared to the other image. Thus, while corresponding two images, N pixels on a scanline in one image may correspond to a different number of pixels M in the other image, which has consequences with regard to sampling and occlusion detection. We also discuss the asymmetry between vertical and horizontal slant, and the central role of nonhorizontal edges in the context of vertical slant. Using experiments, we discuss cases where existing algorithms fail, and how the incorporation of new constraints provides correct results.


Abstract Dental classification of carcasses is used as a parameter of cattle maturity at slaughter, and it can influence carcass and meat quality traits. Brazilian beef-packing companies use the number of permanent incisor (PI) teeth as a parameter for bonus and certification of carcasses with superior quality. However, when non-castrated male such as F1 Angus-Nellore (Bos taurus×Bos indicus) are slaughtered, only animals without PI teeth are subsidized by the breed association. We evaluated these animals finished in feedlot for 180 days with zero versus two PI teeth on the carcass and meat quality traits. At the time of slaughter, 88 carcasses were selected, forming two treatments according to dental carcass maturity (0 versus 2 PI teeth; 44 animals per category). It was demonstrated that the number of PI teeth (0 versus 2 PI) did not influence (p>0.05) carcass (weights, yield, cooling loss, ribeye area and the backfat thickness) and meat quality traits (Longissimus thoracis chemical composition, color, cooking losses, shear force and pH). Thus, dental carcass maturity (zero versus two PI teeth) does not influence non-castrated male F1 Angus-Nellore finished in feedlot for 180 days. This is the first study to demonstrate that carcasses of non-castrated male F1 Angus-Nellore with two PI teeth should be subsidized in a similar way to those with zero PI teeth. Moreover, Brazilian beef-packing companies could produce heavier and leaner carcasses of acceptable quality though the use of crossbred cattle such as non-castrated F1 Angus Nellore.


The growth of high-quality two-dimensional (2D) layered chalcogenide crystals is highly important for practical applications in future electronics, optoelectronics, and photonics. Current route for the synthesis of 2D chalcogenide crystals by vapor deposition method mainly involves an energy intensive high-temperature growth process on solid substrates, often suffering from inhomogeneous nucleation density and grain size distribution. Here, we first demonstrate a facile vapor-phase synthesis of large-area high-quality 2D layered chalcogenide crystals on liquid metal surface with relatively low surface energy at a growth temperature as low as ∼100 °C. Uniform and large-domain-sized 2D crystals of GaSe and GaxIn1-xSe were grown on liquid metal surface even supported on a polyimide film. As-grown 2D GaSe crystals have been fabricated to flexible photodetectors, showing high photoresponse and excellent flexibility. Our strategy of energy-sustainable low-temperature growth on liquid metal surface may open a route to the synthesis of high-quality 2D crystals of Ga-, In-, Bi-, Hg-, Pb-, or Sn-based chalcogenides and halides.


We live in an increasingly pluralistic legal and ideological universe. Nation-state legal regimes are currently supplemented by numerous transnational and global orders that defy any workable hierarchy or cogent unity. As a consequence, the various applicable legal regimes are often inconsistent with one another and even, at times, mutually contradictory. This problem is compounded by the proliferation of competing ideologies and by the increasing rifts among them. This makes it seemingly impossible to reconcile all the legal norms to which one is subject or to harmonize the prevailing plurality of legal regimes within the confines of a commonly shared ideology. Based on an analysis of contemporary legal and philosophical pluralism and of the convergences among the two, the article argues that it is possible to reconcile legal and ideological pluralism by abandoning hierarchy and countenancing inconsistencies falling short of incompatibilities in a highly layered and segmented legal universe.


Many Golgi membrane-bound glycosyltransferases are released from cells in a soluble form. To characterize this release process, we stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells with three myc epitope-tagged forms of cloned β1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (GalNAcT); two of these forms resided in the Golgi, while the third was retained in the ER. GalNAcT was released into the culture medium from cells transfected with the Golgi forms but not with the ER form of the enzyme. The medium from cells transfected with the Golgi forms contained disulfide-bonded dimers of GalNAcT, which carried neuraminidase sensitive, complex N-linked carbohydrate chains. This soluble species represented the major degradation product of cellular GalNAcT, which turned over with a half-time of about 1.7 h. The soluble species consisted of a mixture of truncated GalNAcT molecules, the major form of which was produced by cleavage near the boundary between the transmembrane and lumenal domains between Leu-23 and Tyr-24. This cleavage site fits the sequence pattern for sites cleaved by cathepsin D (van Noort, J.M., and van der Drift, A.C.M. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 14159-14164). These findings suggest that GalNAcT is converted from a membrane-bound to a soluble form as a result of cleavage by a cathepsin D-like protease in a compartment late in the Golgi secretory pathway.


This thesis investigates the potential role of Wegner's (1994) theory of ironic processes of mental control in a performance context. Chapter 1 reviewed the literature on Wegner's (1994) theory in a performance setting. Chapter 2 addressed a significant limitation of previous ironic effects research by differentiating ironic performance errors from non-ironic performance errors. Specifically, when instructed not to miss in a specific direction, anxious performers did so a significantly greater number of times; importantly, there was no difference in non-ironic performance error, which provides the first specific support for this prediction of Wegner's theory in a performance context. Chapter 2 also presents the first examination of the precision of ironic errors. When anxious, participants performed not only more ironically but also performed more precisely in the to-be-avoided zone than when they were not anxious. Chapter 3 reports the first examination of neuroticism as a predictor of the incidence of ironic processes of mental control. Moderation analyses revealed a consistent moderating effect of neuroticism on the incidence of ironic errors under pressure. Specifically, when anxious, neurotics displayed prominent increases in ironic performance error, and more dramatic decreases in target performance. Chapter 4 present three novel tests of Wegner's (1994) theory in an externally paced task under conditions of low-and high-anxiety. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that participants made significantly more ironic errors when anxious during reactive motor tasks (Study 5 and 6). Results from Study 7 provide the first evidence that instructional interventions can reduce the incidence of anxiety-induced ironic performance errors in reactive motor tasks. The performance of movement is more successful when (self-) instructions pertain to what to do as opposed to what to avoid. The last chapter (Chapter 5) discusses the findings emanating from this thesis in relation to the theory of ironic processes of mental control (Wegner, 1994) and the anxiety-performance relationship more globally.


Recently a large number of studies have been published that claim that accelerated uptake of electrical vehicles (EVs) and fuel efficient cars in the market for automotive transport may have positive employment benefits. A literature review on this issue has been undertaken by CE Delft, to investigate if it is possible, from this literature, to determine whether a large-scale switch to advanced powertrains would yield positive employment benefits. The key conclusion from the study is that 'employment benefits are likely' to result from CO2 regulations.


Cephalopods are important in biologic and biomedical research, yet relatively little objective information is available toguide researchers and veterinarians regarding the best methods for anesthetizing these animals for various experimentalprocedures. Recent studies demonstrate that ethyl alcohol and magnesium chloride are effective at depressing efferent andafferent neural signals in some tropical cephalopod species when measured via the pallial nerve. Here we used similar methodsto test 2 temperate species (Octopus bimaculoides and Sepia officinalis) and demonstrate that (1) ethyl alcohol and magnesium chloride were effective at reversibly depressing evoked activity in the pallial nerve, (2) ethyl alcohol generally had shorter induction and recovery times compared with magnesium chloride, (3) both agents were associated with a latency between the behavioral and neural effects, and it was longer with magnesium chloride, and (4) senescent animals generally had longer induction or recovery times than young animals. Both agents successfully anesthetized both life stages; however, our data show that assessing anesthesia based solely on behavior may lead to premature commencement of invasive procedures. We conclude that temperate cephalopods can be humanely, effectively, and completely anesthetized by using these 2 agents and that the loss of neural signal we show here is consistent with true anesthesia and not merely paralysis. This relatively simple, nondestructive nerve recording technique can be applied to the study of other prospective anesthetic agents in cephalopods.


To program pixel transistors to conduct predetermined currents by charging/discharging parasitic capacitors of source signal lines, a relatively large current needs to be made to flow from each source driver circuit of current output type. However, if such a large current is made to flow through a source signal line, this current is programmed to flow through the pixel, and consequently a current larger than a desired current flows in the EL device (15). For example, if an N-times (N=10) current is programmed, a 10-times current flows in the El device (15), which emits light with a 10-times luminance. So as to achieve a predetermined luminance, the time during which the currents flows in the El device are set to 1/10 of one frame (1F). By thus driving the EL device, the parasitic capacitors of the source signal lines can be charged/discharged, thereby achieving a predetermined luminance. ® KIPO & WIPO 2007


Background:
 In patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), the CHA2DS2-VASc risk factors (Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age, Diabetes, prior Stroke/transient ischemic attack, vascular disease, female sex) are known to be associated with developing ischemic stroke. However, the mechanisms how the CHA2DS2-VASc risk factors increase the risk of ischemic stroke in NVAF has not been well understood in terms of the pathophysiologies of thrombogenesis. Virchow's triad, including atrial tissue damage, hypercoagulable state, and blood stasis, was proposed to play a role in the pathophysiologic mechanism of thrombogenesis in NVAF, and blood stasis in AF occurs not only because of loss of atrial systole but also in relation to left atrial dilatation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between CHA2DS2-VASc risk factors and left atrial enlargement. We also assessed which factors among the CHA2DS2-VASc risk factors are most contributable to left atrial enlargement.

 Methods:
 Consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke and NVAF who were anticoagulation-naïve were enrolled. Left atrial volume (LAV) and left atrial volume index (LAVI) were assessed using the biplane area-length method, following the American Society of Echocardiography standard guidelines. The association between CHA2DS2-VASc risk factors and left atrial enlargement were assessed. The contribution of each individual burden of CHA2DS2-VASc risk factors to left atrial enlargement was also evaluated.

 Results:
 A total of 98 patients who presented with acute ischemic stroke due to NVAF were enrolled. Correlation analysis showed that total CHA2DS2-VASc score was significantly correlated with left atrial volume index (r=0.33, p=0.002). The regression analysis showed that hypertension (t=0.25, p=0.014), congestive heart failure (t=0.20, p=0.045) and peripheral vascular disease (t=0.39, p<0.001) among the CHA2DS2-VASc scores were associated with left atrial enlargement.

 Conclusion:
 The CHA2DS2-VASc scores, particularly hypertension, congestive heart failure and peripheral vascular disease, were associated left atrial enlargement (LAE) in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to NVAF.


Soybean is a food crop with a growing interest in Benin. This study aims to provide insight about the main quality characteristics of the grain preferred by small-scale soy processors and the main socio-economic factors which drive their preferences. 116 small-scale processors related to three main soy food products - "Soy Amon" (soy cheese), "Soy Afitin" (soya fermented condiment) and "soymilk" - were asked to express their preferences about important soybean grain properties regarding their activity. Collected data were processed using a conjoint based preference analysis. "Density of the grain" appears to be an important quality criterion for the processors, whatever the soybean food produced. Less important attributes are "use of inoculant", "use of fertilizer", "soybean production origin", "soybean provider", depending on the soy food produced. Moreover, soy Afitin producers dislike soy grain distributed by "individual farmers" and prefer "support organization" as providers, in contrast to soy cheese and soymilk producers. Regarding the social and economic factors influencing the processors' preferences for grain provided by farmers, processors whose main activity is "merchant" are probably not favorable to soy sold by farmers and the higher the purchase frequency is, the more the processor is likely to buy soy from farmers.

 Key words: Soybean, grain, small-scale processing, preferences, criteria, conjoint analysis.


Each of 7 illustrated units focus on one area and provides 50 reproducible worksheets, a handy teacher's guide, progress chart, and more.


This paper is focused on the automated and unattended optimization of a type of planar wideband bandpass filters by means of aggressive space mapping (ASM). The considered filters are microstrip filters implemented through a combination of shunt connected stepped impedance resonators (SIRs) and grounded stubs coupled through admittance inverters. The most relevant and novel aspect of this paper is the fact that the filter layout is automatically generated from filter specifications, i.e., central frequency, fractional bandwidth, in-band ripple and order, without the need of any external aid to the design process. To achieve this layout generation, filter optimization has been divided into two independent ASM processes. The first one generates the filter schematic (circuit element values) providing the required specifications. This first iterative process is necessary since, due to the narrow band operation of the admittance inverters, the target specifications are achieved by compensating the effects of such narrow band operation. The purpose of the second ASM algorithm is to automatically generate the layout from the filter schematic resulting from the first ASM process. To validate the new two-step ASM optimization tool, two sets of filter specifications (inputs of the developed tool), are considered. The generated filter layouts exhibit frequency responses that satisfy the specifications, and are in excellent agreement with the responses of the schematics.


This paper deploys a discursive approach to the 'scripting' of the November 2008 Mumbai 'terror attacks' and their aftermath, including ensuing debates about counter-terrorism in India. It explores the perspectives of a range of actors who participated in very different ways in the social construction of the attacks, including media consumers and producers, key participants in public debates, and even the masterminds of the attacks. Important insights into the planning and implementation of the attacks are drawn from phone conversations intercepted by Indian intelligence, between the gunmen and their 'controllers'. The Mumbai attacks were scripted and staged in a conscious effort to obtain maximum media coverage, which also made the masterminds dependent on the media. The war story created by the media featured violence simply as a means of 'fighting a battle', obscuring the significant role of violence as a display of force by both security forces and 'terrorists'.


African countries and peoples have often been examined through the lenses of European and North American cultures. These analyses have sometimes been helpful and other times have resulted in inaccurate portrayals of African life and people. This course uses texts written predominantly by African authors for various parts of the continent to provide African perspectives of transitions that have occured on the continent. These transitions include: the transition from traditional life to colonial rule; the shift to independence; attempts at democratization; adaptations rural Africans make when moving to urban areas; and the clashes between Western and African cultures that continue today. Using themes of governance, community and reference groups to examine different African cultures, the course incorporates theories and concepts from the disciplines of political science and sociology.


Background: The 1999 National Educational Act stated that "in schooling, learners need to be considered as primary importance".  In addition, to fulfill the Khon Kaen University (KKU) Council's resolution and strategic plan on learning and teaching development, KKU is committed to developing and implementing a "learner" centered curriculum.  This commitment is one of the principal targets requiring the collaboration of all related parties adopting this approach.  In this study, the Cippa action research Model was applied, which in turn provided substantial opportunities for students and staff to hear opinions from each other. Objectives: To investigate outcomes of learner-centered activities following implementation of the Cippa model in Medical Photography I, a course in the program leading to a Bachelor of Technology in Biomedical and Communications Methodology. Setting: Bachelor of Technology in Biomedical and Communications Program at the Faculty of Medicine Khon Kaen University, Thailand Methodology: This was action research. Data were collected through both qualitative and quantitative methods.  Learner-centered activities were adopted through the Cippa model.  The study required 8 sessions, including 4 lesson.  In order to improve follow-on teaching plans, information from current lesson was collected.  The learning outcome was assessed by giving students an achievement test, which was analyzed for means and percentages, based on 60% as the passing score.  Evaluation of learner-centered teaching was made every session in the class, and its outcome statistically translated. Results: The students developed a better understanding for subject contents.  Given opportunities to be practically involved in the class activities, the students enjoyed studying and were able to integrate previous with new knowledge.  The achievement test indicated that the mean score from the achievement test accounted for 77% of the mean score, and 17 students (100%) passed the specified criteria of 60%. Keywords : 1.  Lesson plan; 2.  Opinion Records from teachers; 3.  Achievement


Categorization of scenes is a fundamental process of human vision that allows us to efficiently and rapidly analyze our surroundings. Several studies have explored the processes underlying human scene categorization, but they have focused on processing global image information. In this study, we present both psychophysical and computational experiments that investigate the role of local versus global image information in scene categorization. In a first set of human experiments, categorization performance is tested when only local or only global image information is present. Our results suggest that humans rely on local, region-based information as much as on global, configural information. In addition, humans seem to integrate both types of information for intact scene categorization. In a set of computational experiments, human performance is compared to two state-of-the-art computer vision approaches that have been shown to be psychophysically plausible and that model either local or global information. In addition to the influence of local versus global information, in a second series of experiments, we investigated the effect of color on the categorization performance of both the human observers and the computational model. Analysis of the human data suggests that color is an additional channel of perceptual information that leads to higher categorization results at the expense of increased reaction times in the intact condition. However, it does not affect reaction times when only local information is present. When color is removed, the employed computational model follows the relative performance decrease of human observers for each scene category and can thus be seen as a perceptually plausible model for human scene categorization based on local image information.


An effort is made to give a description of a computer-aided conceptual design system. A novel Function-Action-Behavior-Mechanism (FABM) modeling framework is proposed to realize mapping from the overall function to principle solution according to customer's requirements. Expansion and modification rules in the demand behavior are developed to extend the innovation of principle solution. A case study on pan mechanism design for cooking robot is presented to show the procedure of how to implement the intelligent reasoning based on the FABM model.


Strengthening the effectiveness of metropolitan smart growth policies requires an understanding of the role and conditions of inner ring suburbs. Nevertheless, the issue of the deterioration of the inner ring suburbs has only recently received significant consideration by urban scholars and policy makers. In this article, the authors review the literature on metropolitan formation and the smart growth movement to critically assess how well it characterizes and explains the evolution of inner ring suburbs, as well as to emphasize the role that inner ring suburbs can play in metropolitan smart growth strategies. They next characterize the literature specifically focused on inner ring suburbs in terms of what it has to offer on defining such areas. After identifying the gaps in the literature, the authors offer a methodology for accurately defining inner ring suburbs and conclude with a discussion of policy for effectively addressing the socioeconomic needs of the inner ring suburbs within the context of metropolitan smart growth.


Nanomaterials
The properties of two-dimensional sheets of layered transition metal dichalcogenides such as tungsten diselenide (WSe2) depend on how the layers stack. For example, the more common 2H phase has a two-layer AB repeat and is centrosymmetric, but the rare 3R phase has a three-layer ABC repeat and different electronic properties because it is noncentrosymmetric. Shearer et al. grew WSe2 nanoplates through chemical vapor deposition that had screw dislocations. A triangular dislocation grew noncentrosymmetric layers, a hexagonal dislocation grew centrosymmetric layers, and mixed dislocations grew weakly noncentrosymmetric layers. They explored the changes in properties with stacking, such as strong second-harmonic generation with the noncentrosymmetric material.

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 10.1021/jacs.6b12559 (2017).