This paper presents a new technique for the compression of multispectral images, which relies on the segmentation of the image into regions of approximately homogeneous land cover. The rationale behind this approach is that, within regions of the same land cover, the pixels have stationary statistics and are characterized by mostly linear dependency, contrary to what usually happens for unsegmented images. Therefore, by applying conventional transform coding techniques to homogeneous groups of pixels, the proposed algorithm is able to effectively exploit the statistical redundancy of the image, thereby improving the rate distortion performance. The proposed coding strategy consists of three main steps. First, each pixel is classified by vector quantizing its spectral response vector, so that both a reliable classification and a minimum distortion encoding of each vector are obtained. Then, the classification map is entropy encoded and sent as side information, Finally, the residual vectors are grouped according to their classes and undergo Karhunen-Loeve transforming in the spectral domain and discrete cosine transforming in the spatial domain. Numerical experiments on a six-band thematic mapper image show that the proposed technique outperforms the conventional transform coding technique by 1 to 2 dB at all rates of interest.


Curing is the key to the bonding, the study indicate that: curing effect on the glue bond strength, formaldehyde emission as well as Productive Efficiency; the better curing system can ensure the Productive Efficiency in basic to decrease the FE. This paper considered the production practice, studied the curing properties of different MUF resin with TGA. The experimental result: Different curing systems, made different curing process. For A curing system, curing rate is the fastest, the degree of curing is best. Cured stability is well. While in the C curing system, Because of their poor degree of cross-linking, poly-condensation cross-linked imperfect. While, Along with the increasing of n(F):n(U1), initial decomposition temperature increased, the maximum rate of mass loss moved to higher temperature, mass loss declined, decomposition activation energy increases, aging resistance increased.


This study presents novel evidence on the effects of conflict on trade in non-conflict areas. We examine the context of the ongoing ethnically-fuelled Russian military intervention in Ukraine. In a difference-in-differences framework, we leverage a newly compiled firm-level panel with the universe of Ukrainian trade transactions from 2013 through 2016 and exploit substantial spatial variation in the ethnolinguistic composition of Ukrainian counties. The estimates suggest that Ukrainian firms from counties with fewer ethnic Russians experienced a deeper decline in trade with Russia. We argue that this result stems from increased inter-ethnic tensions and a differential rise in negative attitudes toward Russia. Evidence indicates that possible mechanisms include consumer boycotts of Russian products, reputational concerns of Ukrainian firms, and a breakdown of trust in contract enforcement. In contrast, we find no evidence for individual-level animosity between firms' key decision makers or discrimination at the border. JEL: D22, D74, F14, F51, H56


This thesis argues that Heidegger's existential analytic of human existence challenges the traditional understanding of responsibility as lying in the power or mastery of the subject. In contrast to secondary literature that attempts to read Heidegger as showing that we take responsibility through some kind of self-determination or control, I argue that Heidegger's account of our thrownness, and its first-personal manifestation in our attunement, contests such understandings and points to an account of responsibility that does not find its locus in the power of the subject. In light of this, I argue that taking responsibility for our being-in-the-world should be understood as becoming attentive.

By emphasizing the 'movement' of thrownness and the meaning of this as finding ourselves always already gripped by way of being attuned, my analysis demonstrates the pervasive power of that which is beyond the subject. I show that we must always already find ourselves submitted to particular possibilities and, more fundamentally, to the enigma of being Dasein. From this analysis, and via the work of Harry Frankfurt, I demonstrate how our thrownness speaks against seeing responsibility for our being-in-the-world in terms of choice, rational judgement, or wholeheartedness. A further analysis of anxiety, contrasting with accounts which read it as manifesting a privileged space for freedom and self-determination, emphasizes the revelation of the 'I' as essentially bound to what is beyond it. I then argue that a Heideggerian account of responsibility should be understood in terms of attention or attentiveness, a notion that is developed through phenomenological analysis, and in dialogue with the work of Iris Murdoch. Through the use of the examples of the film 'Locke' and the novel 'Disgrace', I propose that attentiveness, with its accent on that which is beyond the subject, is a more appropriate way of conceiving responsibility on a Heideggerian account.


Multi-agent path finding (MAPF) represents a task of finding non-colliding paths for agents via which they can navigate from their initial positions to specified goal positions. Contemporary optimal solving algorithms include dedicated search-based methods, that solve the problem directly, and compilation-based algorithms that reduce MAPF to a different formalism for which an efficient solver exists. In this paper, we enhance the existing Boolean satisfiability-based (SAT) algorithm for MAPF via using sparse decision diagrams representing the set of candidate paths for each agent, from which the target Boolean encoding is derived, considering more promising paths before the less promising ones are taken into account. Suggested sparse diagrams lead to a smaller target Boolean formulae that can be constructed and solved faster while optimality guarantees of the approach are kept. Specifically, considering the candidate paths sparsely instead of considering them all makes the SAT-based approach more competitive for MAPF on large maps.


Scarce successes in Enterprise Risk Management implementations are largely due to long process of risk register development, poor monitoring of emerging risks, lack of collaborative effort and lack of effective communication and training. A recent study published by Arthur J. Gallagher Think Tank, indicates that it takes the enterprise 18-26 month to develop a risk register, after which the effort gets stuck, as the risks are reviewed periodically by a single appointed Risk Officer or a Team. The enterprise, however, frequently faces emerging risks that have to be assessed and mitigated. They are addressed most efficiently by multidisciplinary, interdepartmental teams in a collaborative environment. This paper describes a framework for Collaborative Risk Management based on the model of Multidimensional Preemptive Coordination. The risk register modifiable structure allows for run time expansion, making mitigation a continuous process. Variable risk structure depth allows risk management at different hierarchical altitudes.


The experiment was conducted on 80 Polish Merino ewes, their 82 lambs and 40 fattening rams. Merino ewes were divided into two groups: experimental (E) and control (C), each composed of 40 animals. Four weeks before lambing, 1 day, 3 weeks and 6 weeks after lambing 40 ewes of the experimental (E) group received intramuscular injection of 5 ml 0.1 % Na2SeO4 (selenium [Se]: 2.09 mg), 10 ml 10 % ZnSO4 (Zinc [Zn]: 227 mg) and 250 mg vitamin E (α-tocopherol), and control group (C) – no received. From birth all the lambs were maintained with their dams and then weaned at the age of 8 weeks, placed in individual straw-bedded pens and fattened individually with a granulated concentrate mixture until reaching a body weight about 32 kg. During fattening 20 lambs from experimental group (E) was given per os 1 ml 0.1 % Na2SeO4, 3 ml 10 % ZnSO4 and 60 mg vitamin E (α-tocopherol) daily, and control group (C) – no administered. The levels of Se, Zn and vitamin E in the blood plasma of ewes and ram- lambs were within the reference values. The lambs born by the treated ewes (E) experienced much lower body live weight at birth (P≤0.05), body weight on day 28 and 56 (P≤0.01), compared to lambs born from group (C). Also the daily live weight gain from birth to 4 week and from birth to 8 week were significantly lower (P≤0.05) in lambs born by the treated ewes. Se, Zn and vitamin E treated rams contained less fat in leg (P≤0.05), less fat thickness over ribs (P≤0.01) and less fat thickness over loin-eye than non treated rams.


This paper describes the challenges of introducing a digital tool to trainee teachers.  A group of nineteen undergraduate students studying primary education and in their third year of a four year course was introduced to PebblePad5. PebblePad is an online tool which is not new in the world of ITE.  However, the latest version has more useful features and is less 'clunky' than older versions.  The students each had their own private account where eventually they would be expected to store all of their placement files, add multi-modal content and then choose to share some or all of this content publically or by personal invitation via email.  One of the benefits for us as an ITE provider is that we can view our students' files electronically and comment on them without necessarily making the one/two hour round trip to the placement school.  Although students used some technology, this research shows that students need more training in using technology competently in the workplace setting. Phase One of the project was to encourage the students to write their reflections on placement digitally.  It was hoped that the students would be enthusiastic about using PebblePad and I would see an improvement in the levels of engagement with the reflective process and thus, the quality of teaching and learning as a result of this.  Data obtained from questionnaires and a focus group indicate that PebblePad was viewed as a useful tool, but training issues and time constraints of the project meant it was not as successful for this cohort as was hoped.  This paper discusses the issues that arose and the plan to overcome these barriers in the next phase of the implementation of PebblePad.


Objective: This study was conducted to find whether, among women without preoperative stress incontinence who underwent surgery for repair of anterior vaginal wall prolapse, the placement of a prophylactic midurethral mesh along with the prolapse correction surgery helped to reduce the incidence of post-operative stress urinary incontinence (POSUI). Materials & Methods: 145 women with anterior vaginal compartment prolapse were randomly assigned to receive either suitable corrective surgery for prolapse or corrective surgery along with concurrent placement of a prophylactic midurethral sling by a transobturator Prolene tape. The primary endpoint was urinary incontinence at three months and twelve months post surgery. Secondary outcomes included expected and unexpected adverse events. Results: At three months follow up the symptoms of urinary incontinence and/or positive cough test did not differ significantly between the two groups. But at twelve months, both the symptoms of urinary incontinence (9.59% versus 23.61%, p = 0.025, 95% CI = 25.93% to -2.11%, CMLE OR =0.346) and positive cough test (8.22% versus 25%, p = 0.007, 95% CI = -28.60% to -4.96%, CMLE OR = 0.271) were significantly lower in the study group compared to the control group. Expected and unexpected adverse events during operation and through the first year after surgery were comparable in both groups Conclusion: Placement of a midurethral sling by a Prolene mesh at the time of prolapse repair surgery significantly reduces the incidence of POSUI in women who were continent preoperatively. For this, the transobturator tape method is safe and effective with a low rate of


High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnections have seen an increased rate of deployment, in particular to exploit distant renewable energy sources. In order to design and understand their behavior, including their effect on the overall network, different computer tools are used for modeling and simulation. This approach results in several challenges in modeling and simulation consistency, particularly for HVDC systems. In this paper, to address some of these issues, the standardized Modelica modeling language is used to model a VSC (Voltage Source Converter)-based HVDC and its upper-level controllers, suitable for dynamic analyses. The use of Modelicatools that support the FMI standard for model-exchange allows to utilize the model in different environments. In this work, the FMI standard is used to import the VSC-HVDC model into the RaPId toolbox environment, thus allowing to calibrate the VSC-HVDC phasor model against reference waveform generated from its corresponding EMTP-RV model. Model calibration is carried out through parameter identification and a sensitivity analysis is carried out to interpret the identification results.


Many employers or their group health insurance plans offer wellness programs to promote healthier lifestyles for their employees. These employer wellness programs (EWPs) often involve medical questionnaires, health risk assessments (HRAs), and weight, cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure screenings. Some employer and group health insurance plans offer financial and other types of incentives to participating employees or to those who achieve certain targeted health outcomes. Until 2014, it seems to have been clear sailing for employers on the EWP front as long as they complied with certain federal nondiscrimination provisions. In 2014, however, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) starting filing lawsuits against employers alleging that their EWPs were not voluntary as required by Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While the courts have uniformly ruled in favor of the employers in these cases, the EEOC, nevertheless, proceeded to propose new regulations under the ADA and Title II of the Genetic Information Discrimination Act (GINA) that imposed new standards and ignored an existing ADA "safe harbor" provision for bona fide employer benefit plans. Despite both Congressional concerns and numerous industry comments asking the EEOC to align its new ADA and GINA final rules with the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (P.L. 104-191) and the HIPAA privacy and security breach notification requirements, with which employers had worked so hard to comply, the final rules made no concessions to these concerns. This Strategic Perspective first examines the federal law applicable to EWPs, the recent court challenges by the EEOC, the new ADA and GINA final rules, and the status of proposed legislation to void the rules. It closes by providing the results of a Q&A session with industry experts and advice on what employers should do to ensure that their EWPs pass muster with the new EEOC rules, both applicable on January 1, 2017.


The clinical and pathologic features of Mycobacterium fortuitum infection in 11 patients with AIDS were characterized. Nine patients had cervical lymphadenitis; 2 had disseminated infection. The infection occurred late in the course of AIDS, and the only laboratory abnormality seen in more than half of patients (7/11) was relative monocytosis. Absolute monocytosis also was seen in 4 of 11 patients. In both cytologic and histologic preparations, the inflammatory pattern was suppurative with necrosis or a mixed suppurative-granulomatous reaction. M fortuitum, a thin, branching bacillus, stained inconsistently in direct smear and histologic preparations. Staining was variable with Gram, auramine, Brown-Hopps, Gram-Weigert, Kinyoun, Ziehl-Neelsen, modified Kinyoun, and Fite stains. Organisms, when present, were always seen in areas of suppurative inflammation. Incorrect presumptive diagnosis, based on misinterpretation of clinical signs and symptoms or on erroneous identification of M fortuitum bacilli as Nocardia species, led to a delay in proper therapy for 7 of 11 patients. Definitive therapy after culture identification resulted in complete resolution of infection in all patients except 1.


Results for the single-particle motion in a realistic simulation model of the intermediate-strength, network-forming liquid ZnCl 2 in the vicinity of its melting point are presented. The shape of the self-intermediate scattering function, as seen in incoherent neutron scattering experiments, is compared, qualitatively, with the predictions of the mode-coupling theory.


Equipping the office deserves the young ophthalmologist's utmost attention. A qualified designer and decorator will make a tremendous difference in creating the most comfortable and efficient office for the individual. Consultation with the office management team will answer questions concerning whether to lease or to buy outright all of the equipment described. The beginning practitioner should always look for the best way to finance outright purchases of equipment, if that be the case. Finally, all used equipment should be checked by an expert mechanic before purchase.


This report is a terminal evaluation of a UN Environment-GEF project implemented between 2011 and 2018. The project's overall development goal was to mainstream energy efficiency in buildings in East Africa, thereby contributing to significantly reduced carbon emissions. The evaluation sought to assess project performance (in terms of relevance, effectiveness and efficiency), and determine outcomes and impacts (actual and potential) stemming from the project, including their sustainability.


Understanding the physical mechanisms at play in the interaction between turbulent plasma and neutral particles is a crucial issue that we approach in this Thesis by using a first-principles self-consistent model of the tokamak periphery implemented in the GBS code. While the plasma is modeled by the drift-reduced two-fluid Braginskii equations, a kinetic model for the neutrals is developed, valid in short and in long mean free path scenarios. The model includes ionization, charge-exchange, recombination, and elastic collisional processes. The neutral kinetic equation is solved by using the method of characteristics. We identify the key elements determining the interaction between neutrals and the turbulent plasma focusing on a tokamak with a toroidal rail limiter on the high-field side equatorial midplane. For this purpose, we simulate the dynamics of the plasma and the neutrals in a domain that includes both the confined edge region and the scrape-off layer (SOL). It turns out that, in the considered plasma conditions, neither the fluctuations of the neutral moments, nor the friction between neutrals and the plasma impact the time-averaged plasma profiles significantly. Thanks to this study, we derive a simple model for the neutral-plasma interaction, which is helpful to identify and understand the principal physical processes at play in the tokamak periphery. By studying the dynamics of the neutral-plasma interplay along the magnetic field lines in the SOL, we derive a refined two-point model from the drift-reduced Braginskii equations that balances the parallel and perpendicular transport of plasma and heat, and takes into account the plasma-neutral interaction. The model estimates the electron temperature drop along a field line, from a region far from the limiter to the limiter plates. The refined two-point model is shown to be in very good agreement with the simulation results. Finally, we self-consistently simulate a diagnostic neutral gas puff, which is often used experimentally as a tool to learn about the turbulence properties in the tokamak periphery. In particular, we investigate the impact of neutral density fluctuations on the D-I± light emission, finding that at a radial distance from the gas puff smaller than the neutral mean free path, neutral density fluctuations are anti-correlated with plasma density, electron temperature, and D-I± fluctuations, while at distances from the gas puff larger than the neutral mean free path, a non-local shadowing effect influences the neutrals, and the D-I± fluctuations are correlated with the neutral density fluctuations.


In this study, it was aimed to develop a model that provides Time-Cost-Quality optimization in construction projects using Genetic algorithm method. In order to fulfill that, Matlab codes for a multi-purpose genetic algorithm that performs Time-Cost-Quality optimization were developed and applied to the problem, and the targeted success level was substantially achieved. This model is capable of performing and visualizing an advanced three-dimensional time, cost, quality tradeoff analysis instead of the traditional two-dimensional time-cost tradeoff analysis. It was possible to select the desired alternative under the project conditions obtaining pareto images called a set of solutions rather than a single solution. In addition, one of the main objectives of this study is to develop an effective model to assist the main contractors of the construction in selecting the most suitable subcontractors.


This paper proposes a new method for mapping image segments to words in three layers for image retrieval. Our main goal here is to incorporate higher-level semantics into the retrieval process and thus narrow the gap between the user's interpretation and the automatically extracted low-level visual features of the same image content. The method is based on nonlinear segmentation, as well as clustering and statistical learning applied to both visual and textual features to find semantic relations between visual segment clusters and words of various abstraction levels. Experiments conducted on a wide, natural image domain shows that step-by-step semantic inferencing in image-word mapping helps to improve retrieval performance. The method supports various textual and/or visual browsing and searching schemes and is proved to be very useful for effective browsing and retrieval in large image data sets.


e-Learning has turned to be a necessity for everyone, as it enables continuous and life-long education. Learners are social by nature. They want to connect to othersand share the same interests. Online communities are important to help and encourage learners to continue education. Learners through social capabilities can share different experiences.Social networks are cornerstone for e-Learning. However, alternatives are many. Learners might get lost in the tremendous learning resources that are available. It is the role of recommender systems to help learners find their own way through e-Learning. We present a review of different recommender system algorithms that are utilized in social networks based e-Learning systems. Future research will include our proposed our e-Learning system that utilizes Recommender System and Social Network.


Gibbs's phase rule treats mixtures by relating the number of independent variables governing their state to the numbers of phases and independent substances. For the case of a single substance, it provides a criterion of purity. But where more substances are involved, the notion of independent substance is less readily understood. Textbook writers sometimes use algebraic terminology in ways that are suggestive but cannot be taken as literally accurate. I suggest that a mereological interpretation applies to these cases, as it captures more concisely the insights underlying the use of algebraic terminology and illuminates the general notion of substance.


A f-glucoside of D-pantothenic acid was formed from n-pantothenic acid and jl-glucosyl donors such as cellobiose, phenyl-(3-n-glucoside, salicin, and 4-methylumbelliferyl-f-D-glucoside and naphthol AS-BI-J4-D-glucoside by various 9-glucosidases, i.e., almond (3-glucosidase, cellulase type II and III, naringinase, and hesperiginase. The compound was isolated from a reaction mixture of almond /1-glucosidase by treatment with active charcoal, Amberlite CG-50, and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, paper chromatography, and Sephadex G-10 gel filtration. Then, the compound was characterized as 4'-O-(f-D-glucopyranosyl)-Dpantothenic acid by various analytical methods including bioassay, paper chromatography, NMR and specific optical rotation. The microbiological activities of the compound were also determined.


Osteogenic differentiation, the process by which bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal (a.k.a. skeletal stem) cells and osteoprogenitors form osteoblasts, is a critical event for bone formation during development, fracture repair, and tissue maintenance. Extra- and intracellular signaling pathways triggering osteogenic differentiation are relatively well known; however, the ensuing change in cell energy metabolism is less clearly defined. Here we tested the effect of osteogenic media containing ascorbate and β-glycerol phosphate, or various osteogenic hormones and growth factors on energy metabolism in long bone (ST2)- and calvarial bone (MC3T3-E1)-derived osteoprogenitors. We show that osteogenic media, and differentiation factors, Wnt3a and BMP2, stimulate mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) with little effect on glycolysis. The activation of OxPhos occurs acutely, suggesting a metabolic signaling change rather than protein expression change. To this end, we found that the observed mitochondrial activation is Akt-dependent. Akt is activated by osteogenic media, Wnt3a, and BMP2, leading to increased phosphorylation of various mitochondrial Akt targets, a phenomenon known to stimulate OxPhos. In sum, our data provide comprehensive analysis of cellular bioenergetics during osteoinduction in cells of two different origins (mesenchyme vs neural crest) and identify Wnt3a and BMP2 as physiological stimulators of mitochondrial respiration via Akt activation.


Photocatalysts able to trigger the production of singlet oxygen species are the topic of intense research efforts in organic synthesis. Yet, challenges still exist in improving their activity and optimizing their use. Herein, we exploited the benefits of plasmonic nanoparticles to boost the activity of such photocatalysts via an antenna effect in the visible range. We synthesized silica-coated silver nanoparticles (Ag@SiO2 NPs), with silica shells which thicknesses ranged from 7 to 45 nm. We showed that they served as plasmonically active supports for tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II), [Ru(bpy)3]2+, and demonstrated an enhanced catalytic activity under white light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation for citronellol oxidation, a key step in the commercial production of rose oxide fragrance. A maximum enhancement of the plasmon-mediated reactivity of approximately 3-fold was observed with a 28 nm silica layer along with a 4-fold enhancement in the emission intensity of the photocatalyst. Using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and boundary element method simulations, we mapped the decay of the plasmonic signal around the Ag core and provided a rationale for the observed catalytic enhancement. This work provides a systematic analysis of the promising properties of plasmonic NPs used as catalysis-enhancing supports for common homogeneous photocatalysts and a framework for the successful design of such systems in the context of organic transformations.


Antibiotic resistance and the resulting risk for ineffective treatment of infections are serious and growing problems. The national and international efforts by governments and nongovernmental organizations are many and high-powered. For example, the Transatlantic Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance was established by joint presidential declaration in 2009 by the European Union and US presidencies. It issued recommendations in 2011 for collaborative efforts to fight antibiotic resistance. In the US, the federal Interagency Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance updated its "A Public Health Action Plan to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance" document in 2011. Despite these and many earlier efforts, antimicrobial resistance continues to increase, as does public awareness of the issue. In this Q&A article, 5 experts with different roles have been asked to address several questions about antibiotic resistance, including questions focusing on how to best combat this growing problem.

We frequently see frightening reports about antibiotic resistant bacteria in the media. How serious is the problem of antibiotic resistance?

David Hooper: Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria is a serious problem in healthcare today. Although most patients with infection will not necessarily have a resistant one, bacterial resistance can occur in a substantial minority of infected patients and particularly those who have other underlying health conditions, frequent hospitalizations, or recurrent exposures to antimicrobial agents. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)8 is widespread in patients in hospitals and is sufficiently common in the community that for patients with serious infections, alternative antimicrobial agents, such as vancomycin, must be part of treatment until specific microbiologic data about susceptibility are known. Resistance to vancomycin also occurs commonly in Enterococcus species, another common hospital pathogen. Perhaps most concerning is the emergence in some patients of multidrug-resistant infections with gram-negative bacteria, for which few or no active therapies are currently available.

Alfred DeMaria: I agree that antimicrobial-resistant pathogens …


Acute urticaria is a clinical clue to viral hepatitis as is emphasized in this report of three patients. It may develop during either the prodromal phase of the disease or in the icteric phase, assuming added diagnostic significance in the latter. Although the urticariogenic mechanism is unknown, there is a close temporal association of the urticaria and the hepatitis, whether it be of serum, infectious, or mononucleosis origin. Inasmuch as two of the three patients were drug addicts, it is apparent that heroin users who develop urticaria should be carefully studied to exclude hepatitis as well as drug allergy.


Abstract Describing the complex dependence structure of extreme phenomena is particularly challenging. To tackle this issue, we develop a novel statistical method that describes extremal dependence taking advantage of the inherent tree-based dependence structure of the max-stable nested logistic distribution, and which identifies possible clusters of extreme variables using reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques. Parsimonious representations are achieved when clusters of extreme variables are found to be completely independent. Moreover, we significantly decrease the computational complexity of full likelihood inference by deriving a recursive formula for the likelihood function of the nested logistic model. The method's performance is verified through extensive simulation experiments which also compare different likelihood procedures. The new methodology is used to investigate the dependence relationships between extreme concentrations of multiple pollutants in California and how these concentrations are related to extreme weather conditions. Overall, we show that our approach allows for the representation of complex extremal dependence structures and has valid applications in multivariate data analysis, such as air pollution monitoring, where it can guide policymaking. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.


The continuous growth of investment in R&D in Russia and the world increases the demand for optimal allocation of public funds to support the most productive scientific performers. These are, however, hard to conceptualize and measure. First, we need to consider the nature of research activity itself and, second, we need to evaluate a number of factors that influence such activities at the national, institutional and individual levels. One of the key issues is motivation of academic personnel, who are considered to be the main producers of new knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to analyse the employment characteristics of researchers, and develop adequate mechanisms to facilitate their scientific productivity. This paper aims to examine determinants of publication activity among doctorate holders employed in an academic sector in Russia. Data for the analysis was derived from a survey on the labour market for highly qualified R&D personnel conducted in 2010 by the HSE, within the framework of the OECD/UNESCO Institute for Statistics /Eurostat international project on Careers of Doctorate Holders (CDH). With the use of regression analysis, we assess the effects of scientific capital, international cooperation, employment, and socio-demographic characteristics of researchers on their productivity, which is measured through their total publication output as well as through the number of papers in peer-reviewed academic journals. The differences between factors were assessed for two generations of researchers – below 40 years old, and above. It was shown that the quality of scientific capital, measured through diversity of research experience, has a stronger impact on research productivity, rather than the age or other socio-demographic characteristics of doctorate holders. It was also demonstrated that direct economic stimuli and actual research productivity of researchers are weakly correlated. Consequently, we identified that a potentially winning strategy for universities and research institutions that want to improve their performance indicators would be to provide younger scholars with wider opportunities for professional growth, including intense global cooperation in the professional community.


Abstract What is a metaphoric picture of an evil person made of? In a study devoted to the development of the ability to use metaphorical descriptions of humans, the semantic fields of four target metaphors - Human-Swamp, Human-Snake, Human-Knife, and Human-Nettle - were established and compared. Subjects (365 young adults) were asked to decipher the metaphors' meanings. The results were obtained mainly by qualitative analysis, with frequency analysis of clusters containing synonymous meanings. The results indicate that when creating imaginary characteristics of evil people, young adults seem to be more concerned about the possibility of suffering verbal harassment (most commonly: vulgarity, mockery, gossip, jeering) than the threat of actual physical assault. The results may prove useful for developmental comparisons.


Once associated with astrology and occultist prophecy, the art of interpreting personal character based on facial and other physical features dates back to antiquity. About Face tells the intriguing story of how physiognomics became particularly popular during the Enlightenment, no longer as a mere parlor game but as an empirically grounded discipline. The story expands to illuminate an entire tradition within German culture, stretching from Goethe to the rise of Nazism. In About Face, Richard T. Gray explores the dialectical reversal - from the occult to the scientific realm - that entered physiognomic thought in the late eighteenth century, beginning with the positivistic writings of Swiss pastor Johann Caspar Lavater. Originally claimed to promote understanding and love, physiognomics devolved into a system aimed at valorizing a specific set of physical, moral, and emotional traits and stamping everything else as "deviant." This development not only reinforced racial, national, and characterological prejudices but also lent such beliefs a presumably scientific grounding. In the period following World War I, physiognomics experienced yet another unprecedented boom in popularity. Gray explains how physiognomics had by then become a highly respected "super-discipline" that embraced many prominent strands of German thought: the Romantic philosophy of nature, the "life philosophy" propagated by Dilthey and Nietzsche, the cultural pessimism of Schopenhauer, Husserl's method of intuitive observation, Freudian psychoanalysis, and early-twentieth-century eugenics and racial biology. A rich exploration of German culture, About Face offers fresh insight into the intellectual climate that allowed the dangerous thinking of National Socialism to take hold.


Abstract. This study details development and validation efforts for a new strength-based assessment instrument: the Social-Emotional Assets and Resilience Scales, Teacher rating form (SEARS-T). A large and diverse nationwide sample of more than 1,500 teacher ratings of students in kindergarten through Grade 12 was obtained. Factor-analytic procedures revealed a robust four-factor structure. The factor scores and total score of the SEARS-T were shown to have strong internal consistency. Convergent construct validity of the SEARS-T was established through findings of significant correlations with two established strength-based rating scales. Construct validity was supported through findings of significant gender and special education classification status differences in scores. Limitations and future research needs are discussed, as are implications for research and practice in school settings.


Objectives Vein grafts are commonly used for coronary artery bypass surgery but poor long-term patency and high failure rate make the idea of 'designer' bypass vessels attractive. Here we have investigated the possibility of forming bypass vessels from populations of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) selected for their anti-thrombotic potential. Methods Clonal populations of rat VSMCs were derived and characterised for their morphology, protein expression and mediator production. Selected cells were also seeded into vascular scaffolds derived by decellularising rat aortae and cultured for periods of up to 40 days. Results Clone 5 was found to be the optimal clone due to its ability to produce the anti-platelet hormone prostaglandin (PG) I2 and inhibit platelet activation. In experiments combining the synthetic vessels with platelets, a notable inhibition of platelet activation was seen with a reduction in platelet aggregation (72±4% to 31±9%) (Abstract 024 Figure 1), adhesion (43±2% to 19±6%) (Abstract 024 Figure 2), decreased production of thromboxane A2 (58±8 ng/ml to 31±3 ng/ml) and increased prostaglandin I2 production (0.6±0.5 ng/ml to 5.5±0.8 ng/ml), in response to collagen (3 μg/ml). Abstract 024 Figure 1 Platelet aggregation in response to collagen (3 μg/ml). Mean±SEM. n=5. Abstract 024 Figure 2 Platelet adhesion in response to collagen (3 μg/ml). Mean±SEM. n=5. Conclusions These results demonstrate that clonal VSMC populations with favourable characteristics, such as the production of anti-thrombotic PGI2 can be isolated and used to produce anti-thrombotic vessels. This raises the possibility of producing vessels for bypass surgery by the simple seeding of selected VSMC populations into inert vascular scaffolds.


Natural bone is a composite mainly made from nano/micro-structure of hydroxyapatite and collagen fibers. For bone regeneration by tissue engineering, it is important to synthesize nano-composites with good biocompatibility, high bioactivity and great bonding property as potentially useful scaffold. In this study, we fabricated chitosan nano-nonwoven scaffold via electrospinning and modified chitosan scaffolds by carboxymethylation (CM). Moreover scaffolds were macerated in SBF (simulated body fluid) to form hydroxyapatite on its surface. Surface morphologies (SEM) showed that nano/micro particles formed on the surface of the carboxymethyl chitosan fibrous scaffold. Results of FT-IR and XRD confirmed that the nano/micro particles were hydroxyapatite crystalline. Moreover by employed mice osteoblast (MC3T3-E1) cell for adhesion, proliferation and differentiation assays, and the hydroxyapatite particles appeared to have a great effect on the late stages of osteoblast behavior (alkaline phosphatase ).


The micron-size grain refinement of pure a-zirconium obtained with elevated temperature tensile deformation was investigated. The development of low-misorientation subboundaries caused the serration of the original grain boundaries at low strains. The final microstructure (e.g. strains > 3) was predominantly composed of fine, equiaxed "crystallites" with ⅔ of the boundaries being of very low misorientations (< 3°) and the remaining ⅓ being high angle boundaries (θ > 8°, and typically 25-35°). Discontinuous dynamic recrystallization was excluded as a possible mechanism due to the absence of newly formed grain nuclei. The bimodal distribution of the crystallite or (sub)grain boundary misorientations is inconsistent with the occurrence of continuous dynamic recrystallization and rotational recrystallization. The continual thinning of the original grains, the serration of the high angle boundaries, the bimodal misorientation distribution of misorientations, ⅔ of boundaries of very low misorientations at high strains all strongly suggest geometric dynamic recrystallization and dynamic recovery as the grain refinement and restoration mechanisms.


"Encyclopedia of Virology, Third Edition" continues its success as the largest single reference source of current research in virology. Unique in its use of concise 'mini-review' articles, this praised work covers biological, molecular, and medical topics concerning viruses in animals, plants, bacteria and insects. Now in five volumes, this new edition has been extensively revised and updated to reflect the 50 per cent increase in identified and accepted viruses since the year 2000. With over 25 per cent new chapters and over 1000 illustrations, this edition takes into account the new developments in virology research by including information on new emerging diseases such as avian flu, SARS and West Nile and the ability of some viruses to be used as agents of bioterrorism. Edited by leading Virologists Mahy and van Regenmortel, this third edition remains the number one all-inclusive source of information for virology researchers, students, and reference departments of academic, medical, and corporate libraries. This title offers extensive coverage on AIDS and HIV, viral immunology and vaccines, the economic importance and control of virus diseases, and the origin, history, evolution and phylogeny of viruses. It features: four color throughout; sections on future perspectives that show the direction of current research; 25 per cent articles; glossary of key terms for easy referencing; information on viruses of human clinical interest, including the virus causing SARS; more than 20 per cent virus classifications. It offers the most recent information from the 8th International Committee on Taxonomy and Classification of Viruses. It includes recommendations for further reading and a list of other relevant entries.


Based on the geometric properties of a gravity retaining wall, an optimal design model is proposed, and then the best cross-section of the gravity retaining wall can be obtained by using ANSYS optimal techniques. An example is given to verify the effectiveness and superiority of the optimal design method based on ANSYS, and the results show that the optimum design is better than the original one. Further, the comparison between the sub-problem approximation optimal method and the first-order optimal method is performed, and our investigation proves that the first-order optimal method is more economical and reasonable.


A new multistage 1-1 ΔΣ analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) architecture implemented only with voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) is introduced. A sturdy multistage noise-shaping (SMASH) configuration is used to avoid the need of either calibration circuitry or noise-cancellation filters. The digital nature of the VCO's output simplifies the implementation of the interconnection paths between stages, making unnecessary neither the use of multibit digital-to-analogue converters nor analogue subtraction elements. The basic operation of the architecture is shown at system level and the sensitivity to VCO's frequency mismatch is analysed. The proposed architecture has been validated through behavioural simulations.


Abstract A mallet finger is a flexion deformity of a finger at the distal interphalangeal joint due to an injury of the extensor mechanism at the base of the distal phalanx. Most common in middle-aged men, injuries in the pediatric population are less common and rare in toddlers. We describe a case of missed mallet finger and its subsequent treatment in a female toddler.


Considering the shock between the press head and press disk in high speed lapping is more serious, this paper proposes a new method to reduce this shock. By this method a hole is machined for air passing on the press head axis. The topper of the hole is connecting with a pressure air resource. Thus an air cushion between the press head bottom and press disk on the workpiece is produced. With the distance between them reducing gradually, the damping of air cushion on the press head increases gradually. This makes speed of the press head approaching the workpiece decrease gradually and until reach zero. The pressure of the press head acts on the press disk increases gradually from zero to working pressure, which can reduce the shock between the press head and workpiece effectively, prevent weak workpiece from destroying in lapping and improve machining accuracy and quality. This method possess the advantages of easy to carry out, simple to operate and convenient to apply.


This thesis studies agrarian reform in Syria from 1958 to 1973, examining the hypothesis that the reform has been used by successive governments to impose a new political and economic structure on the country. One particular province, Hama, is studied in detail. The first chapter outlines the political and economic developments that led up to the agrarian reforms in 1958. The second chapter is concerned with the land ownership structure in Syria in 1958 and the extent to which inequalities in land holdings existed. The third and fourth chapters deal with the provisions of the agrarian reform laws. Modification of the laws resulting from changes of government and the implementation of the laws are also studied. The development of planning and state control of the agricultural sector is dealt with in Chapter five. In this chapter the extent to which planning and investment has been integrated with the agrarian reforms is also studied. In Chapter six the development of agricultural production from 1958 to 1973 is discussed in the context of the agrarian reform laws and agricultural planning and investment. Chapters seven, eight and nine deal with the agrarian reform in the province of Hama. Chapter seven is concerned with the expropriation and distribution of land. In Chapter eight the setting up of co-operatives and the work of the Agricultural Co-operative Bank is studied. Chapter nine contains a study of the Ghab irrigation scheme in the province of Hama and also includes a detailed study of the development of agricultural production in the province.


Complex systems science has led to valuable insights regarding the care and understanding of critical illness, but has not led to fundamental improvements to care to date. Realizing the fact that there is inherent uncertainty in patient trajectory, we have developed Continuous Individual Multiorgan Variability Analysis (CIMVA) as a tool theoretically and practically designed to track the systemic emergent properties of the host response to injury or infection. We present an overview of CIMVA software, and discuss four separate potential clinical applications that we are evaluating; including early detection of infection, better prediction of extubation failure, continuous monitoring of severity of illness in the ICU, and the evaluation of cardiopulmonary fitness. Future challenges are discussed in conclusion.


This paper reviews the latest impedance imaging technique called Magnetic Resonance Electrical Impedance Tomography (MREIT) providing information on electrical conductivity and current density distributions inside an electrically conducting domain such as the human body. The motivation for this research is explained by discussing conductivity changes related with physiological and pathological events, electromagnetic source imaging and electromagnetic stimulations. We briefly summarize the related technique of Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) that deals with cross-sectional image reconstructions of conductivity distributions from boundary measurements of current-voltage data. Noting that EIT suffers from the ill-posed nature of the corresponding inverse problem, we introduce MREIT as a new conductivity imaging modality providing images with better spatial resolution and accuracy. MREIT utilizes internal information on the induced magnetic field in addition to the boundary current-voltage measurements to produce three-dimensional images of conductivity and current density distributions. Mathematical theory, algorithms, and experimental methods of current MREIT research are described. With numerous potential applications in mind, future research directions in MREIT are proposed.


As an important component of intercooled cycle gas turbine, intercooler directly affects the ratio power, thermal efficiency and various situation quality of gas turbine system. In this paper, efficiency-heat transfer units were used for the design of intercooler, and the structure parameters were optimized by genetic algorithm. The optimization results show that under the condition of required heat load and allowable pressure drop, the heat exchanger can be guaranteed as the smaller weight and the larger heat transfer efficiency, which can offer reference for the design of the actual intercooler.


Communication strategy the right marketing, can help companies to respond to changes that occur, and can interact with the environment of competition to achieve company goals. It also helps the company to know its position in the market. Changes that are very light in the field of marketing is the nature of the market dynamic, knowledgeable, and heterogeneous, because the nature of the market, the company can not serve all the needs of consumers. Marketing strategies that are appropriate and carefully built through communication activities of producers to consumers through the delivery of a message to the audience about the product or which are known as marketing communications, is expected to increase the sales value of communication as far as marketing is based on accurate planning can achieve the goals and progress continuously. Competition in the market now is very sticky relationship with how to introduce communication in goods and services to the community. How marketing communications strategy that was undertaken by a company's goods and services is a growing breed of products the company is in the public. So communication should be the important focus in marketing. At the level of communication can inform and make consumers aware on the potential existence of products offered. Comunicator the right and effective is very important role in creating effective communication with consumers. Formulation of the problem is how the communication pemasran made by employees of PT. SNS (Sinar Niaga Sejahtera) Malang in East Java II to market Garuda Food? This type of research use descriptive qualitative approach, data collection techniques in this research using interview and documentation techniques. Data analysis is conducted to obtain a description or definition of a common and relatively thorough about what is covered in a focus or core of the problems examined. Based on research that was done, the results obtained as follows: (1) The company makes all employees must understand the product - a product produced by the company, including variant and also including the price of their - their products, (2) The distribution of information performed by the marketing fellow employees, employees with the team leader and also the one which is a communication directly or non-media. Besides, employees can also communicate through the media such as telemarketing or through the media website; (3) The distribution of marketing information that is reminded or as a reminder is also done through the media and non-media communications and marketing all this running denganbaik; (4) The distribution of marketing information influence of the product - a product produced by the company so that the consumer or prospective consumer products offered to the company. Keyword : Komunikasi; Pemasaran Link terkait : http://skripsi.umm.ac.id/files/disk1/337/jiptummpp-gdl-s1-2009-yulitaindr-16814-PENDAHUL-N.pdf


The government of Indonesia allocated state land to private companies to establish forest plantations. However, ownership of this land was contested by some Sumatran communities. The plantation company, endorsed by the government, quickly developed a partnership to resolve the conflict, but this was unclear and inequitable. Action research was carried out to facilitate communication among stakeholders. This communicative action changed some perceptions and shared values began to emerge. A forum was established, which contributed to equitability producing a better partnership. This research is a model for empowering local communities in climate change, bioenergy, and food security negotiations.


A visual information retrieval environment provides visualization features that help users manage the large result sets that are typical in many information retrieval environments. In many of these visual interfaces the spatial layout of document surrogates is used to communicate information about document to query interrelationships. In these systems it is difficult to determine if the spatial layout is responsible for system effectiveness differences or if other system features are involved. In this study we examine the effectiveness of a two-dimensional display format compared to a more standard (one-dimensional) sorted result list. The Visual Information Browsing Environment (VIBE) (Olsen et al., 1993; Korfhage, 1997) was modified to produce two systems that varied only on result display dimensionality. The effectiveness of a display is determined by the degree to which the visual representation is consistent with the cognitive abilities of the users of a system. For this reason we also investigated the interaction of the verbal and spatial abilities of users, as measured by cognitive factors batteries, with the dimensionality of the result display. Subjects took two Factor-Referenced Cognitive Tests (Ekstrom, French, and Harman, 1976): Factor VZ: Visualization (Paper Folding Test--VZ-2) the Verbal Fluency (Controlled Associations, test FA-1). Subjects were broken into two groups, one for each display type. They used the systems to search for full-text documents that described species of plants that matched other descriptions of the same species. The interface effectiveness was measured by number of tasks solved, recall effort and median task completion time. Automated system monitoring provided detailed information about the search behavior of individual subjects.


Project stakeholders always strive for a successful project, hence there is growing concern about the factors that influence project success. Although the success of a project is influenced by various factors, project managers play a very important role. This study aims to examine the relationship and impact of construction project managers' emotional intelligence (EI), managerial competencies, and transformational leadership style on project success. A total of 107 Pakistani construction firms were studied with a view to measuring the effects of these variables on the overall performance of construction projects. The results show that project managers with high emotional intelligence who bear the desired competencies and exhibit transformational leadership behavior are effective leaders and ensure higher success in projects than their counterparts. The findings will assist project sponsors in selecting the appropriate project managers for their projects.


Emergency medical service (EMS) professionals have a stressful vocation, inarguably worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, which affects their mental health and makes them a vulnerable population warranting further study. However, to date, no published research has compared non-treatment and treatment-seeking EMS professionals in the same greater metropolitan area. In this study, we examined differences and similarities among the non-treatment-seeking EMS professionals (n = 57) from a local EMS agency and treatment-seeking EMS personnel (n = 53) from a non-profit community treatment center on six assessment instruments that measure attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, resilience, depression, generalized anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidality. The Mann-Whitney U test revealed attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, depression, generalized anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were significantly higher in the treatment-seeking sample compared to the non-treatment-seeking group. Resilience and suicide did not significantly differ. Correlational analyses revealed that the most consistent findings for both samples were PTSD, depression, and generalized anxiety. Findings suggest that negative affect may underlie these three constructs, regardless of whether the individual is treatment-seeking or not. These findings are conceptualized through three different theoretical frameworks: attachment, resilience, and negative affect. We also make recommendations for EMS agencies and suggest future scholarship based on these preliminary findings.


Responding to a generous invitation of the General Syndicate of Pharmacists in Libya, the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Libyan International Medical University (LIMU), participated in the "First Scientific Conference of the Specialized Libyan Pharmacist" that was held at Al-Mahary Hotel in Tripoli on 13th May 2018. Dr. Salma Bukhatwa; Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at LIMU, presented a scientific paper entitled "Pharmacy Education and Practice". The conference was a great opportunity for many hospital Pharmacists to present their work experiences at different hospitals from different regions in Libya. The conference also reviewed the latest news regarding the adoption of the Pharmaceutical Arab Board in the field of Clinical Pharmacy that is expected to be announced in October 2018


AIM: To evaluate the influence of different intraocular lens(IOL) designs made of PMMA on posterior capsular opacification(PCO) and compare with foldable designs.· METHODS: Phacoemulsification and IOL implantation was done in one eye of 24 New Zealand White rabbits, with IOL of two different designs (Square edged or round edge) and two different materials(PMMA or HEMA). After three months, the animals were sacrificed and enucleated. Evaluation of PCO included posterior view, migration of anterior capsular epithelial cells to the posterior capsule following epithelial-mesenchymal transition were assessed by staining the histological sections of posterior capsule by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Periodic acid- Schiff (PAS). The IOLs were extracted and stained with HE to evaluate the presence of adherent cells on the lens surface. · RESULTS: PCO was highest with round edged rigid lens. There was no significant difference in the PCO between the square edged PMMA and square edged foldable lens.· CONCLUSION: It is the design of the IOL not the material that offers protection on PCO formation.


One of the educational environments that play a major role in children's education from an early age is the family environment. Nowadays, the rapid development of technology makes many values ??and norms change, both positive and negative. These changes indirectly require parents to be able to adjust parenting patterns according to the demands of the times. 21st century thinking skills in this case become one of the skills that must be introduced to students from an early age. Responding to the increasingly complex challenges of authoritarian, permissive, and democratic parenting that may have been effective at that time, may no longer be relevant to use in the digital era as it is today. Referring to these conditions, this study aimed to analyze the role of millennial parenting on students' critical thinking skills. This study uses a library research method through qualitative research by reviewing the literature relevant to this topic. The results of the study show that the role of millennial parents' parenting has an impact on shaping 21st century thinking skills.


In order to study the safe distance between twin-parachute during their inflation process for fighter ejection escape, the fighter was equipped with two canopies and two seats, two types of parachute were used to numerically simulate their inflation process, respectively. One of them is C-9, the other a slot-parachute (S-P). Their physical models were built, then the meshes inside and around both parachutes were generated for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulation. The penalty function and the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method were employed in the FSI simulation. To validate the numerical model for FSI simulation, at first the single parachute of the twin-parachute was used for the FSI simulation, the predicted inflation times for both types of parachute were compared with the experimental data. The computed results are in good agreement with experimental data. As a result, the inflation times were predicted with twin-parachute for both kinds of parachute. On the basis of the locations of ejected seats after the separation of seat and pilot, the initial locations and orientations of twin-parachute were also obtained. The numerical simulations for both kinds of parachute were performed by the FSI method, respectively. Our results illustrate that when the interval time for two seats ejected is greater than 0.25s, two pilots attached the twin-parachute are safe, and the twin-parachute would not interfere each other. Moreover, our results also indicate that the FSI simulation for twin-parachute inflation process is feasible for engineering applications and have a great potential for wide use.


This thesis covers the challenges of developing event-driven software applications. It covers the analysis of the problem in order to suggest methods for architecting software for designing and implementing a framework dealing with the challenges of developing software. The implemented framework uses concurrent components to divide the overall behavior of an application into contained parts, having their own execution context. Further a message passing implementation is suggested, that uses ports and channels to establish a decoupled messaging system between components. Lastly a statechart engine is designed and implemented providing a way of keeping track of abstract states in a component. The framework is implemented in Objective- C, allowing it to be used to develop applications for the iOS platform and for the Mac OSX platform. The prototype application shows how the framework can be used to model an iOS application, using the abstraction introduced by the framework. The framework has been tested as to establish the correctness of the implementation and the performance in order to determine its usage for large complex applications. It is concluded that the methods considered and implemented into a framework provide a way of architecting event-driven software in ways that increases the abstraction level and introduce new possibilities for debugging event-driven applications.


Retention in HIV care is critical to decrease disease-related mortality and morbidity and achieve national benchmarks. However, a myriad of barriers and facilitators impact retention in care; these can be understood within the social–ecological model. To elucidate the unique factors that impact consistent HIV care engagement, a qualitative case study was conducted in North Carolina to examine the barriers and facilitators to retain and reengage HIV clients in care. HIV professionals (n = 21) from a variety of health care settings across the state participated in interviews that were transcribed and analyzed for emergent themes. Respondents described barriers to care at all levels within the HIV prevention and care system including intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, community, and public policy. Participants also described recent statewide initiatives with the potential to improve care engagement. Results from this study may assist other states with similar challenges to identify needed programs and priorities to optimize client retention in HIV care.


Objectives: Sleep quality may be directly related with vitamin D serum level. Some studies found that people with lower vitamin D serum level experienced a lower sleep quality. Consequently, this study aimed at determining the effect of vitamin D supplements on sleep score and quality in 20–50 year-old people with sleep disorders. Methods: This double blind, clinical trial was performed in November 2015–February 2016 on 89 people with sleep disorders based on Petersburg's Sleep Index. Patient samples were divided randomly into two groups: intervention and placebo. At the end of the study, the data on 89 subjects (44 in intervention group and 45 people in placebo group) were examined. Intervention group received a 50 000-unit vitamin D supplement, one in a fortnight for 8 weeks. Meanwhile, placebo group received placebo. Before and after intervention, Petersburg's Sleep Quality Questionnaire, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, general information questionnaire, sun exposure, vitamin D serum level and 3-day food record questionnaire were assessed and recorded for all participants. To analyze data, t-test, chi square, ANCOVA, U-Mann–Whitney and Wilcoxon statistical tests were used. Findings: Based on the results of the present study, at the end of the study sleep score (PSQI) reduced significantly in vitamin recipients as compared with placebo recipients (P < 0.05). This difference was significant even after modifying confounding variables (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This study shows that the use of vitamin D supplement improves sleep quality, reduces sleep latency, raises sleep duration and improves subjective sleep quality in people of 20–50 year-old with sleep disorder.


The processing of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) on metals and semiconductors in ambient air is usually accompanied by superficial oxidation effects - widely neglected in the current literature. In this contribution, chemical, structural, and mechanical alterations in the formation of femtosecond LIPSS are characterized by a variety of surface analytical techniques, including energy dispersive X-ray analyses (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), micro Raman spectroscopy (µ-RS), and depth-profiling Auger electron microscopy (AEM). Alternative routes of electrochemical and thermal oxidation allow to qualify the relevance of superficial oxidation effects on the tribological performance in oil lubricated reciprocating sliding tribological tests (RSTT). It is revealed that the fs-laser processing of near-wavelength sized LIPSS on metals leads to the formation of a few hundreds of nanometer thick graded oxide layer, consisting mainly of amorphous oxides.
Regardless of its reduced hardness and limited thickness, this nanostructured surface layer can effciently prevent a direct metal-metal contact in the RSTT and may also act as an anchor layer for specific wear-reducing additives contained in the engine oil involved


Abstract Background/Aim: It has recently been recognized that preoperative sarcopenia contributes to postoperative complications and overall survival in gastric cancer (GC). However, few studies have investigated the relationship between postoperative skeletal muscle loss (SML) and survival in GC, despite the inevitability of body weight loss after gastrectomy in most GC patients. Herein, we studied the impact of postoperative SML on GC prognosis. Patients and Methods: A total of 370 patients with GC who underwent curative gastrectomy were retrospectively evaluated in this study. Postoperative SML was assessed on computed tomography (CT) images taken before surgery and 1 year after surgery. The impact of postoperative SML on survival was evaluated. Results: Postoperative severe SML was significantly associated with presence of comorbidities, higher tumor stage, higher postoperative complication rate and longer hospital stay. Univariate and multivariate analyses of prognostic factors for overall survival revealed that SML was an independent indicator of poor prognosis, along with age, tumor stage, preoperative sarcopenia, and operation time (hazard ratio, 2.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.68-4.20, p<0.0001). There was a strong association of severe postoperative SML with decreased overall survival in patients with preoperative sarcopenia. Conclusion: To improve the prognosis of GC patients after surgery, it is important to prevent postoperative SML as well as preoperative sarcopenia. Perioperative multimodal interventions including nutritional counseling, oral nutritional supplements, and exercise are required to prevent SML after gastrectomy.


Energy production is a large part of Alberta's economy, with direct impacts on rural landscapes and host communities across the province. This report provides an analysis of social impacts from alternative energy production, with a focus on biofuels, solar, geothermal and wind power technologies. Using comparative case study methods, research includes key informant interviews, published literature and other sources of available data from project proponents and rural community sources. The report utilizes a common assessment framework that draws a connection between social impact assessment methods and a conceptual framework that is based in community capacity and adaptation. Results point to the ways in which alternative energy can enhance community capacities through contributions to economic infrastructure, alternative sources of employment, human capital development and social mobilization. Research also notes the importance of public participation as a key aspect of project development, especially in the early planning and implementation phase of the project. Finally, research indicates that although renewable energy has great potential in Alberta, conventional sources of energy production are perceived to be adequate and cost effective in many ways, resulting in a reluctance to invest over the short term in somewhat expensive and controversial technologies. JEL codes: O21, O22, Q01, Q42


Representing smooth geometric shapes by polyhedral meshes can be quite difficult in situations where the variation of edges and face normals is prominently visible. Especially problematic are saddle-shaped areas of the mesh, where typical vertices with six incident edges are ill suited to emulate the more symmetric smooth situation. The importance of a faithful discrete representation is apparent for certain special applications like freeform architecture, but is also relevant for simulation and geometric computing. In this paper we discuss what exactly is meant by a good representation of saddle points, and how this requirement is stronger than a good approximation of a surface plus its normals. We characterize good saddles in terms of the normal pyramid in a vertex. We show several ways to design meshes whose normals enjoy small variation (implying good saddle points). For this purpose we define a discrete energy of polyhedral surfaces, which is related to a certain total absolute curvature of smooth surfaces. We discuss the minimizers of both functionals and in particular show that the discrete energy is minimal not for triangle meshes, but for principal quad meshes. We demonstrate our procedures for optimization and interactive design by means of meshes intended for architectural design.


The 12-pulse rectifier is often used to supply high power industrial loads. Its ability to effectively and cheaply mitigate the harmonics on the ac side has ensured its dominance in the industry even as active front ends become cheaper and more reliable. Despite its many benefits, the 12-pulse rectifier is not able to reduce the ac-side harmonics to a level acceptable by the pertinent IEEE standards without additional filtering. In this paper, we outline a novel method to profile the rectifier output current to be triangular which results in low ac-side harmonics. The novelty in the proposed approach is that we exploit the dc-side filter design to minimize the volt-amperes (VA) rating of the current source used to profile the dc-side rectifier current. Additional benefits of the proposed method include lower VA rating of the dc filter, simple integration of dc energy storage, and effective ac harmonic control even when the initial rectifier current is discontinuous.


Despite the financial and cultural importance of intercollegiate athletics in the United States, there is a paucity of research into how athletic scholarships are awarded. In this article, the authors empirically examine the factors that universities use in their decision to offer athletic scholarships to high school football players. Using a Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial (ZINB) model, the authors find a player's weight, height, body mass index (BMI), race, speed, on-the-field performance, and his high school team's success often have large and significant impacts on the number of scholarship offers he receives. There is also evidence of a negative relationship between academic performance and scholarship offers. In addition, the authors find evidence of a scholarship premium for players from Florida and Texas. The results also show that running backs, wide receivers, and defensive backs appear to generate the most attention from college football coaches, other things equal.


We apply our general-purpose algorithm for visual category recognition using bag-of-visual-words and other visual features and fusion of SVM classifiers to the recognition of indoor locations. This is an important application in many emerging fields, such as mobile augmented reality and autonomous robots. We evaluate the proposed method with other location recognition systems in the ImageCLEF 2010 RobotVision contest. The results show that given a large enough training set, a purely appearance-based method can perform very well - ranked first for one of the contest's training sets.


In recent years, the market for secondhand garments has flourished from its considered capital, Baguio City, province of Benguet. It is clear that people see this market as an alternative to counterpart goods burdened with soaring prices; however, with the invocation of laws that prohibit importation and sale of secondhand garments, consumers of such commodity have different reactions and suggest alternative solutions so as not to be affected negatively (in terms of the economic dimensions of their lives). This paper tries to look at these issues by quantifying consumer surplus in this market and estimating the market demand. Such will then give some overview of the dynamics of such commodities' consumers and suppliers.


The ecology of herpesviruses in marmosets and other nonhuman primates is important today, for colonies of these animals are being established for biomedical research. This paper presents the first reported isolations of Herpesvirus tamarinus from throat swabs of a healthy white-lipped marmoset carrier (Saguinus nigricollis) during a 2-month period. Infectivity studies with this virus in both white-moustached (S. mystax) and white-lipped marmosets demonstrated that the virus is not lethal to white-moustached marmosets (perhaps a more resistant species) at 1,000 TCID(50). Which environmental conditions trigger the unmasking of herpesviruses in marmosets is not known. Hoever, intermittent H. tamarinus shedding may help explain spontaneous infections in established colonies as well as suggest an additional mechanism for transmission of virus between marmosets under natural conditions.


Objective To assess the impact of pharmacist intervention in reducing prescribing errors in paediatrics, and to analyse the clinical significance and reasons behind the errors detected. Methods Cross-sectional epidemiological study analysing the activities of the paediatric pharmacist in a maternity and children's hospital with 180 paediatric beds, between January 2007 and December 2009. The following variables were analysed: impact of the pharmacist's recommendation on patient care, reason for the intervention, clinical significance, type of negative outcome associated with the medication, acceptance rate, medication involved, intervention detection date and observations. Results A total of 1475 interventions in medical orders for 14 713 paediatric patients were recorded (40 (2.9%) extremely significant interventions and 155 (11.1%) very significant interventions). There were 1357 prescribing errors, 833 of which were dosing errors. 2.2% of the errors detected were potentially fatal (30 cases) and 14.3% (194 cases) were clinically serious. The main reason for interventions was detection of a dosage between 1.5 and 10 times higher than that recommended. The overall rate of acceptance of the pharmacist's suggestions was 94.3%. The pharmacist carried out an average of 0.019 interventions per patient day throughout the study period. Conclusion Interventions by a clinical pharmacist had a major impact on reducing prescribing errors in the study period, thus improving the quality and safety of care provided.


Sequential studies of the intestinal mucosal lesion in low-flow states revealed that the extent of the damage is dependent upon flow. Microscopic evidence of epithelial disruption at the subnuclear portion and subsequent lifting off of the epithelial layer is presented and correlated with the postulated metabolic transport barrier at the epithelial-capillary interface. The formation of such a barrier may be related to the peculiar anatomico-physiological arrangements of the intestinal villi and may deprive the epithelial cells of important substrates during and after a period of hypoperfusion. The concept of intestinal mucosal necrobiosis is reappraised in the light of such findings, and an explanation is presented for certain paradoxes observed in the bioenergetic studies as well as for the high susceptibility of the intestinal mucosa to damage in the low-flow states.


The degradation of concrete structures caused by delayed ettringite formation (DEF) is a problem that affects many concrete structures worldwide [1]. This pathology is due to the formation of expansive ettringite inside the material and is very difficult to deal with, because presently there is no efficient method to repair concrete structures affected by DEF. Hence, there is an urgent need to find preventive methods that may enable the inhibition of DEF in new constructions. This paper presents the findings of a long-term study [2,3] on the expansion rate and microstructure of heat-cured concretes with different amounts of mineral additions, like fly ash, metakaolin, ground granulated blast-furnace slag, silica fume and limestone filler. For this purpose different concrete compositions were produced using the same binder, water/binder (w/b) ratios and aggregate type. The concretes were prepared and subjected to a heat-curing cycle and subsequently to two drying-humidification cycles. After these cycles the concrete specimens were immersed in water for long-term storage at 20 ± 2°C. Length changes of specimens were measured at regular intervals. The microstructures of old heat curing specimens were investigated by optical microscopy and SEM-EDS analysis. The results of the blended-concrete compositions were compared with control compositions, and the conclusions were extracted.


Quality of a workplace for adhesive assembly has been examined using acceptance sampling. The goal of the work has been to find our whether dispensing of electrically conductive adhesive makes forming of adhesive joints with sufficient reliability and repeatability possible. Adhesive joints have been fabricated by adhesive assembly of jumpers. Four types of adhesives, one of an acrylate type and three of an epoxy type with Ag filler have been used for testing. Joints resistances have been measured by a four-point method. Acceptance sampling by attributes has been used for statistical inspection. Acceptance plan has been calculated. It has been found that the workplace does not give results with sufficient quality.


This paper describes a study that gives a consideration to change fuel source for electriccity generator from gasoline to combustible gas. A gaseous fuel conversion technology is presented and its performance is compared with gasoline. In the experiment, two types of load were tested, resistive and resistive-inductive. By using both fuels mostly the power factor (Cos φ) of resistive-inductive load variations were greater than 0.8, and they had slight difference on operational voltage. The drawback of using gaseous fuel is the frequency of the electricity might be not reach the standard frequency (i.e. 50 Hz). In the lab scale experiment, the gasoline consumption increased proportionally with the load increase, while using gaseous fuel the consumption of gas equal also increased where the average consumption value is 100 gram per 15 minutes operation for the tested load in the experiment. The main advantage using gaseous fuel (liquefied petroleum gas or biogas) compared to gasoline is a cleaner emitted gas after combustion.


In the weeks after childbirth, a woman navigates multiple challenges. She must recover from birth, learn to care for herself and her newborn, and cope with fatigue and postpartum mood changes as well as chronic health conditions. Alongside these common morbidities, the number of maternal deaths in the United States continues to increase, and unacceptable racial inequities persist. One third of pregnancy-related deaths occur between 1 week and 1 year after delivery, with a growing proportion of these deaths due to cardiovascular disease; one fifth occur between 7 and 42 days postpartum. In addition, pregnancy-associated deaths due to self-harm or substance misuse are increasing at an alarming rate. Rising maternal mortality and morbidity rates, coupled with significant disparities in outcomes, highlight the need for tailored interventions to improve safety and well-being of families during the fourth trimester of pregnancy, which includes the period from birth to the comprehensive postpartum visit. Targeted support for growing families during this transition can improve health and well-being across generations.


LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reviewing this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Understand the epidemiology of breast cancer, its incidence and impact. 2. Appreciate the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. 3. Understand the concept of comprehensive breast cancer management and its multidisciplinarity. 4. Be knowledgeable about the entire process required to manage breast cancer, since the early diagnosis until the management of non breast related conditions derived from the treatment. 5. Position their specialty and knowledge in the process and know clearly their role and involvement in the management of the patients with breast cancer.

SUMMARY
Breast carcinoma accounts for the majority of the malignant diseases in women. In Germany has an estimated incidence of 70 000 new cases per year, which is 30 % of all the malignancies in women, predominantly between 45 and 83 years old, although it can affect as well younger women and men, the latter, in a very low rate. It is accountable for 17.4 % mortality in the country.The high frequency and impact of the mammary carcinoma had lead to the establishment and standardization of screening programs, encompassing self examination, early and regular consultation, sonography and mammography, aimed to the early detection not only of primary disease but also in recurrent or relapsing disease, and continued following up after treatment. Several treatment strategies and tools have been developed and are being chosen in accordance to the histology and biology of the tumor, the patient condition, the social and familiar status, with the increase of conservation of the mammary gland either by adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapies, with radiotherapy or by breast conserving surgery, improving therefore the quality of living without compromising the disease free survival. Next step in the process is the follow up, intended to maintain the patients the healthiest possible, not only from the malignancy but also minimizing the effects of the treatment strategies, incorporating lifestyle improving measures e.g. sports and nutrition, and alternative medicine resources like acupuncture, hence improving the disease free survival rate, the overall survival and diminishing the disease related impact yet personal, familiar, social and economical.The aim of this CME is to give a thorough review of this multifactorial entity, helping the healthcare professional understand the scientific aspects of it and, through comprehensive reading, provide a clear understanding of their role and degree of involvement in the breast cancer management process.


Project REEL (Resources for Early Educator Learning) was a quasi-experimental, delayed-treatment professional development (PD) design to provide training, coaching, and materials to 220 early childhood educators (ECEs) in 85 diverse, high-needs settings (family, group, and center-based) across Tennessee. Its two primary goals were to (1) increase the frequency of research-based classroom learning experiences that promote language/literacy, numeracy, and social/emotional development among diverse early learners through training and coaching to ECEs and (2) improve the language/literacy, numeracy, and social/emotional readiness of children in low-income areas through research-based training of ECEs and parents. Even with differences in ECEs' educational backgrounds and diverse settings, teachers in both treatment groups improved and maintained their knowledge and skills in response to the intervention. Preschool children in two cohorts showed significant improvements in most language and literacy measures over the course of an academic year, and improvements were often beyond that due to maturation (using age-controlled measures). Given the amount of improvement seen across a wide array of measures, there is substantial convergent evidence that the Project REEL PD approach was successful in promoting long-lasting improvements in the practices of ECEs in diverse settings and from diverse backgrounds. This chapter follows the development, implementation, and results of two literacy-related modules ("Print Awareness" and "Book Strategies") for directors and teachers of three- and four-year-olds. These modules are representative of our training design, with its intensive focus on coaching in the diverse settings, and will provide the most beneficial model for other ECE professional developers to follow.


Abstract A proposal to reform the United Kingdom's excise duty on alcohol is under consideration during 2022. The proposal would change the tax base from volume of product to volume of alcohol, which would see a fall in the tax on sparkling wine (by about one-fifth), a rise in the tax on fortified wines of 18% alcohol by volume (ABV) (by about one-sixth), and table wines with more (less) than 11.5% ABV would become dearer (cheaper). With taxes on most beers unchanged and taxes on spirits lowered slightly, the pattern of UK wine consumption and imports would alter considerably. This article draws on a global model of national alcoholic beverage markets to estimate the likely bilateral trade effects of this proposed reform to UK excise duties. It compares them with the trade effects of the United Kingdom's first two bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs), following the post-Brexit EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which allows Australian and New Zealand vignerons tariff-free access to the UK wine market. Those two FTAs are estimated to cause the United Kingdom to import far more wine than is lost by the proposed changes in UK excise duties.


Solving polynomial systems by homotopy continuation consists of two stages: we first define a family of systems, the homotopy, and then we track the solution paths defined by the homotopy. Tracking all paths is a pleasingly parallel computation. The problem we consider in this thesis is tracking one solution path when use of extended precision is required. While tracking only one solution path could occur for systems of larger dimensions and degrees, as it is no longer feasible to compute all solutions, the need to track one difficult path with multiprecision arithmetic often arises for bigger systems. The main subject of this thesis is compensating for the extra cost of double double (DD) and of quad double (QD) precision in path tracking for sparse polynomial systems of moderate sizes by employing multiple cores. First we obtained a scalable multithreaded DD/QD version of Newton's method and subsequently of a path tracker. We achieved on eight cores for moderate systems close to maximal speedups in quad double path tracking.
It appeared that in dimensions in which our DD/QD multithreaded path tracker achieves good speedups, with the use of some widely accepted algorithms for sparse polynomial systems, which we originally integrated into our multithreaded path tracker and its input processing procedure, both the path tracking and input processing take an unacceptably long time. Subsequently we have greatly increased the efficiency of our multithreaded implementation in working dimensions by improvements in three different directions. First we suggested a new input processing procedure based on functionality of a Standard Template Library (STL) sorted associative container. Secondly we came up with a choice of much more suitable predictor. Thirdly we integrated into our multithreaded implementation a prudent algorithm for polynomial evaluation and differentiation, which is based on the ideas of reverse mode Automatic Differentiation (AD).
Recently we efficiently accelerated with general purpose graphics unit the same AD-like algorithm for polynomial evaluation and differentiation. We obtained two digit speedups for moderate systems as hardware double arithmetic is used.


Both iron (Fe) and phosphorus (P) are essential mineral nutrients for all living organisms. In plants, Fe is involved in many key basic redox reactions associated with photosynthesis and respiration and also plays various vital enzymatic reactions such as DNA replication, lipid metabolism, and nitrogen fixation. Although the earth's crust is full of Fe, the amount of bioavailable Fe is always under the demand for plant growth and development in aerobic soils with neutral to basic pH [1-5]. Such alkaline soils are around 30% of the land worldwide, leading to Fe deficiency is a major constraint in crop productivity [6]. Fe deficiency severely compromises chloroplast development and impair chlorophyll biosynthesis, leading to Fe deficiency induced chlorosis, a robust diagnostic symptom of Fe deficiency. Meanwhile, Fe deficiency is the most serious nutritional disorder affecting more than two billions of people in the word (http://www.who.int/nutrition/ topics/ida/en). Therefore, engineering Fe-rich plants in edible parts will be of great help to counteract malnutrition when plants are the chief nutrient source in the diet. To achieve this goal, we first must understand how plants maintain cellular Fe homeostasis.


The incidence for bladder urothelial carcinoma, a common malignancy of the urinary tract, is about three times higher in men than in women. Although this gender difference has been primarily attributed to differential exposures, it is likely that underlying biologic causes contribute to the gender inequality. In this study, we report a transgenic mouse bladder tumor model upon induction of constitutively activated β-catenin signaling in the adult urothelium. We showed that the histopathology of the tumors observed in our model closely resembled that of the human low-grade urothelial carcinoma. In addition, we provided evidence supporting the KRT5-positive;KRT7-negative (KRT5(+); KRT7(-)) basal cells as the putative cells-of-origin for β-catenin-induced luminal tumor. Intriguingly, the tumorigenesis in this model showed a marked difference between opposite sexes; 40% of males developed macroscopically detectable luminal tumors in 12 weeks, whereas only 3% of females developed tumors. We investigated the mechanisms underlying this sexual dimorphism in pathogenesis and showed that nuclear translocation of the androgen receptor (AR) in the urothelial cells is a critical mechanism contributing to tumor development in male mice. Finally, we carried out global gene profiling experiments and defined the molecular signature for the β-catenin-induced tumorigenesis in males. Altogether, we have established a model for investigating sexual dimorphism in urothelial carcinoma development, and implicated synergy between β-catenin signaling and androgen/AR signaling in carcinogenesis of the basal urothelial cells.


For the past twenty-five years, my academic and professional pursuits have straddled the line between business and law. I majored in business administration in college and then worked as an analyst in the Corporate Finance department at a bulge bracket Wall Street firm. After completing a JD/MBA, I returned to investment banking with a focus on middle-market mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and subsequently practiced law with a focus on private equity and M&A. Finally, in 2004, I found my current home as a corporate law professor. In my courses, which include Mergers & Acquisitions, Enterprise Organization, and Investor Protection, I strive to teach my students the substantive law, the ethics surrounding the practice of law, the nuts and bolts of how to execute transactions, and how corporations can be better world citizens. Though imparting those skills is a significant undertaking in and of itself, it is not enough. I also want my students to appreciate the underlying business rationales for the transactions we discuss in class and to begin to develop an intuition for sound business strategy. A basic understanding of a client's business, of course, aids with traditional transactional lawyering tasks, such as due diligence, negotiating a deal, and drafting acquisition agreements. For example, if a lawyer knows that her client's acquisition target derives forty percent of its revenue from a particular customer, she will pay particular attention to that customer's contracts with the target during her due diligence review. She also will draft the M&A agreement's target representations and warranties section so that her client receives contractual assurances of full disclosure about the status of those customer contracts. However, in my teaching, I strive to go beyond giving my students this basic understanding. Perhaps I am too ambitious, but I want more for my students than understanding just enough about business to draft merger agreement provisions effectively. I want them to begin to develop the ability to serve as lawyers who provide legal advice in a strategic context.


The cracking tendency of large-scale high-chromium cast iron impeller was large, and its casting production was a problem in slurry pump industry. The casting process of the largest high-Chromium cast iron impeller in China was presented in this paper. Through casting process design and alloy composition design, the produced impellers met the quality demands, such as no crack, surface smoothness and high hardness. Huazhu CAE was used to simulate the casting process and the parameters used in the simulation were introduced. The STL document used in Huazhu CAE was converted from the 3D molding of the casting process using the Solidwork software. The simulation result showed that the casting process was feasible. They have been successfully used in the dredge, New Sea lion.


In the history of world's conflict, Gandhi is one of the leaders of nonviolent fighters against the violence of colonialism, dehumanization, and religious conflict. Gandhi has put nonviolence (Ahimsa) as a religious-spiritual based (pacifism) strategy for Truth (Satya), although some researchers prefer Satya to Ahimsa. This dialectic becomes an interesting problem when Gandhi is placed within the framework of peace and conflict studies. Therefore, this thesis uses the systematic phenomenology-hermeneutics of Paul Ricoeur (prefiguration, configuration, transfiguration) against Gandhi's nonviolent principles and practice during the Satyagraha movement in South Africa (1893-1914) and India (1915-1948). Then, the data are analyzed through the theory of violence and peace Johan Galtung, who is able to connect Gandhi's nonviolence within the horizon of the Study of Peace and Conflict.

This thesis with qualitative research asserts, Ahimsa (nonviolence) is more strategic and practical in the interests of peace building programs and conflict resolution. Gandhi's nonviolence has "principles of nonviolent discipline", ie Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Aparigraha, Brahmacarya, Asveda, Abhaya, Sharira Shram, Swadeshi, Sprash Bavana, and Shava Dharma Samanatva. In addition, Gandhi's nonviolence includes the dimensions of personal nonviolence which is a direct nonviolence, Structural nonviolence which is an indirect nonviolence, and Cultural nonviolence. That is, the principle of nonviolence that lives in the culture and power structure, will have an impact on individual actions. The nonviolent paradigm that is fostered with discipline will affect the individual (subject) and his actions to deal with nonviolent objects; social injustice. Massively, Gandhi himself practiced nonviolence by non-cooperation, civil disobedience, fasting, swadhesi, and Hartal. From its various practices, Gandhi's nonviolence belongs to the category of "prudential pacifism" or "just war tradition"; giving space for violence for good, but not for evil. In the perspective of peace studies, they uses nonviolence as a curative in a negative peace, and are preventive in a positive peace. Nonviolence is very potential and strategic as an object of important studies of Religious Studies, especially Peace and Conflict Studies; as an attempt to approach peace or at least not to engage in violence and crime.