One of mathematics learning purposes for students is having the capability or skill to solve a mathematics' problem, as a means for students to sharpen accuracy, logical, critical, analitycal, and creative reasoning so that problem was not a problem anymore for students. For optimal learning process, it is necessary supported by relevant learning device. This is the basis for research in mathematics learning device development like lesson plan and students worksheet based on Guided Discovery Learning model where learners are also learning and thinking to solve their problems independently through the materials facilitated by teachers and teacher's guidance. This was a development research which applied Plomp model. Based on the result of research, it could be concluded that guided discovery learning was valid.


Environmental sustainability is an area of increasing importance for third party logistics (3PL) companies. As the design and implementation of services requires interaction between buyer and 3PL, the 3PLs are in a critical position to support the efforts towards greening operations of different supply chain participants. However the literature in this field reflects a gap between the perspectives of buyers and 3PLs. This chapter attempts to fill this void through an explorative case study analysis on the environmental attitude of 3PLs in order to derive implications for buyers' behavior. The results indicate that the buyer's role is critical in different ways in the development of green initiatives among 3PLs. An increased orientation towards longer-term contracts and joint development would likely enhance the level of green initiatives. Indirectly, the buyer has the opportunity to influence its 3PLs through interaction with employees on different levels in the company, including top management.


Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Gibberella zeae, is a devastating disease of wheat. A strain of Clonostachys rosea, ACM941 (American Type Culture Collection ATCC 74447), was evaluated for antibiosis against G. zeae in vitro and for control of FHB under greenhouse and field conditions in comparison to the registered fungicide Folicur (tebuconazole). Strain ACM941 reduced mycelial growth of the pathogen by 52.6% in dual-culture after 6 days and completely suppressed spore germination for 6 h when cocultured with a macroconidial suspension of G. zeae. Strain ACM941 reduced G. zeae perithecial production by more than 99% in a leaf disk assay, 60%–77% on infected corn kernels, and 32%–57% on spikelet debris in the field. These effects were significant (P < 0.05) and not statistically different from those produced by tebuconazole. When strain ACM941 was sprayed onto wheat heads 2 days prior to inoculation with G. zeae, it significantly reduced infected spikelets (IS) by 64% and Fusarium -damaged kernels (FDK) by 65% in greenhouse experiments. Under simulated disease epidemic conditions during 2005–2007, strain ACM941 reduced the FHB index by 58%, IS by 46%, FDK by 49%, and deoxynivalenol (DON) in kernels by 21%. These effects were significant but lesser in magnitude than those achieved by tebuconazole, which reduced FHB index by 97%, IS by 82%, FDK by 73%, and DON by 62%. Results from this research suggest that strain ACM941 of C. rosea is a promising biocontrol agent against G. zeae and may be used as a control measure in an integrated FHB management program.


: The immunologic responses, both cell-mediated and humoral, to exogenous antigens reflect a crucial balance between extrinsic forces which can either augment or suppress the reactivity of T and B effector cells. It is probable that similar immunoregulatory influences play a key role in maintaining tolerance to some self-antigens. Thus, despite the presence of cells potentially capable of reacting to autologous antigens, lack of autoimmunity might reflect either an absence of amplifying or a preponderance of suppressive immunoregulatory forces. Within this framework, data obtained indicating aberrances of immunoregulation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus are discussed, specifically as the aberrances may be causally related to the autoimmune nature of this disease.


ABSTRACT This article provides the first comprehensive account of Albania's contribution to international peacekeeping and explores its inward-looking rationales for providing peacekeepers. Specifically, we examine why Albania has energetically supported NATO- and EU-led military and crisis management operations and less so UN peacekeeping missions. We find that Albania's contribution to peacekeeping operations has been primarily shaped by its inward-looking interests for accelerating membership in NATO, fostering integration in the EU, as well as reducing domestic and regional insecurities. Pinpointing accurately the motivations among troop-contributing states helps recover the true hierarchical order of rationales and explain why, in some cases, the performance and impact of peacekeeping operations for some contributing states is secondary. Overall, disentangling the inward-looking utility of peacekeeping by a small state such as Albania provides useful insights for understanding how regional integration dynamics affect peacekeeping.


Pharmacogenetics, allows to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of action of AEDs and causes drug-resistence epilepsy. We found an association between farmakorezestentnistyu patient with epilepsy and the presence of a CC allele polymorphisms S3534T (rs1045642), S 1236T (rs 1128503) gene ABCB1 that encodes P-glycoprotein (hereafter P - glycoprotein rs1045642, P - glycoprotein rs1128503) and TT allelic polymorphism rs3812718 gene SCN1A, encoding a voltage-dependent sodium channels.


Malignant kidney neoplasms are the most frequently encountered solid kidney masses. Although renal cell carcinoma is the major renal malignancy, other solid malignant renal masses should be considered in the differential diagnosis of solid renal masses that do not contain a macroscopic fatty component. In this pictorial essay, we present the imaging findings of a primitive neuroectodermal tumor, primary liposarcoma of the kidney, primary neuroendocrine tumor, leiomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, sclerosing fibrosarcoma and renal metastasis of osteosarcoma.


Unfortunately, the nature-versus-nurture debate continues in criminology. Over the past 5 years, the number of heritability studies in criminology has surged. These studies invariably report sizeable heritability estimates (∼50 percent) and minimal effects of the so-called shared environment for crime and related outcomes. Reports of such high heritabilities for such complex social behaviors are surprising, and findings indicating negligible shared environmental influences (usually interpreted to include parenting and community factors) seem implausible given extensive criminological research demonstrating their significance. Importantly, however, the models on which these estimates are based have fatal flaws for complex social behaviors such as crime. Moreover, the goal of heritability studies--partitioning the effects of nature and nurture--is misguided given the bidirectional, interactional relationship among genes, cells, organisms, and environments. This study provides a critique of heritability study methods and assumptions to illuminate the dubious foundations of heritability estimates and questions the rationale and utility of partitioning genetic and environmental effects. After critiquing the major models, we call for an end to heritability studies. We then present what we perceive to be a more useful biosocial research agenda that is consonant with and informed by recent advances in our understanding of gene function and developmental plasticity. Language: en


The standard formatted data unit (SFDU) concept provides the protocols needed to allow access to and understanding of information on a global basis. The SFDU methodology promotes documentational rigor through the administrative services provided by the CCSDS member agency control authorities (CA). The CAs become focal points for acquiring metadata. The data-registration procedures establish a global data-identification mechanism, which combined with standard labeling and conventions for aggregating modular data objects, allows the comprehensive self-identification process needed to support data interchange and data archiving. The basic structure of a type-length-value object (TLVO) is outlined. It consists of a fixed-length label followed by a variable-length value field. The purposes of the label are to delimit the value field and to provide the means by which the format and semantics of the value field might be understood. Language requirements for understanding the retrieved data are presented.<<ETX>>


Intersection over union (IoU) score, also named Jaccard Index, is one of the most fundamental evaluation methods in machine learning. The original IoU computation cannot provide non-zero gradients and thus cannot be directly optimized by nowadays deep learning methods. Several recent works generalized IoU for bounding box regression, but they are not straightforward to adapt for pixelwise prediction. In particular, the original IoU fails to provide effective gradients for the nonoverlapping and location-sensitive cases, which results in performance plateau. In this paper, we propose PixIoU, a generalized IoU for pixelwise prediction that is sensitive to the distance for nonoverlapping cases and the locations in prediction. We provide proofs that PixIoU holds nice properties as the original IoU. To optimize the PixIoU, we also propose a loss function that is proved to be submodular, hence we can apply the Lovász functions, the efficient surrogates for submodular functions for learning this loss. Experimental results show consistent performance improvements by learning PixIoU over the original IoU for several different pixelwise prediction tasks on Pascal VOC, VOT-2020 and Cityscapes.


The linear algebraic method for designing control systems was introduced in the Magazine (Cen,1987, and Chen and Seo, 1990). In this article, the method is compared with designs using Q-parameterization and then compared with designs using pole-placement and model (pole-and-zero) matching. It is shown by an example that the method may also yield a better result than the quadratic optimal and the H/sub /spl infin// methods if the design specifications are given in terms of rise time, overshoot and the constraint on the actuating signal.<<ETX>>


Descriptive study that proposed to compare the qualitative and quantitative behavior of the pain in lateral posterior thoracotomy patients. The sample was consisted of 18 individuals with an average age of 44 years. The instruments used were physiotherapy evaluation form, numerical pain scale and McGill questionnaire for pain. The pain on the numerical pain scale was considered moderate(5) for both sexes. The descriptors of the McGill questionnaire choosen by the patients with higher frequency were: in the sensorial component, beat4, pointed1, shock2, final and pull2; in the afetive component, tired1, bored1, punishald1 and miserable1 and in the evaluative component was flat. The characteristics of pain in the sensorial group were more evidents on male group. No significant statistical difeferences were observed between quantitative answers concerning pain between the men and women. On the qualitative aspects , was observed an predominancy of the same descriptors of pain in afetive component for both sexes. Pain intensity was categorized as moderate. No significant statistical difference were observed between the pain on the post-operatory lateral posterior thoracotomy. These data demonstrate a necessity for an analysis with a larger study group.


ABSTRACT Disaster studies and tourism disaster research are emerging areas of academic inquiry that remain heavily reliant on traditional methods to gather qualitative data. Only recently have those in this field begun to explore more participatory methodologies, and their potential to generate knowledge. Yet, despite these developments, photovoice remains largely absent in research. This article focuses on the process, limitations, and benefits of this alternative approach, as discovered through a research project in tourism-reliant coastal communities in Banten Province, Indonesia, following a 2018 tsunami. In particular, research combined photovoice and ESRI Survey123 to examine how Banten residents perceived, experienced, and responded to the impacts of the tsunami, as well as their post-disaster coping strategies. Although challenged by reliance on participants having sufficient cell phone data plans, adequate phone signal strength, and the skill levels needed to complete the surveys, the method yielded a richer quality of data than traditional qualitative interviews. The process was also found to be both therapeutic and empowering for tsunami survivors. Overall, this method offers a fresh approach to understanding hazards and providing more nuanced theory-building of tourism disasters.


This is the second volume to be published by the Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information (PERI). Dr Buhle Mbambo-Thata a former librarian of the University of Zimbabwe Library went through the process of digitalizing its services by incorporating the concept of Information communication Technologies (ICTs) to benefit students, lecturers and the academic community at large. The process of automating the functions of the University Main Library and its five branches is traced from 1982 to 2006. In this respect, the various authors who contributed the seven chapters which constitute this publication narrate of the University of Zimbabwe's vision was the guiding principle behind this project.


Advanced film-cooling systems are necessary to guarantee safe working conditions of high-pressure turbine stages. A fair prediction of the inherent unsteady interaction between the main-flow and the jet of cooling air allows for correctly describing the complex flow structures arising close to the cooled region. This proves to be crucial for the design of high-performance cooling systems. Results obtained by means of an experimental campaign performed at the University of Karlsruhe are shown along with unsteady numerical data obtained for the corresponding working conditions. The experimental rig consists of an instrumented plate where the hot flow reaches Mach = 0.6 close to the coolant jet exit section. The numerical campaign models the unsteady film cooling characteristics using a third-order accurate method. The ANSYS® FLUENT® software is used along with a mesh refinement procedure that allows for accurately modelling the flow field. Turbulence is modelled using the k-ω SST model. Time-averaged and time-resolved distributions of adiabatic effectiveness and Net Heat Flux Reduction are analysed to determine to what extent deterministic unsteadiness plays a role in cooling systems. It is found that coolant pulsates due to fluctuations generated by flow separation at the inlet section of the cooling channel. Visualizations of the fluctuating flow field demonstrate that coolant penetration depends on the phase of the pulsation, thus leading to periodically reduced shielding. Eventually, unsteadiness occurring at integral length scales does not provide enough mixing to match the experiments, thus hinting that the dominant phenomena occur at inertial length scales.


Purpose: During interferon (IFN ) treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), the therapy induced binding antibodies (BAbs) and neutralizing antibodies might decrease the clinical efficacy of IFN . We evaluated: differences in immunogenicity of different IFN products using BAbs; the impact of BAbs on clinical efficacy of INF . We present the first Romanian experience on this issue. Material and methods: 229 MS patients treated for at least 12 months with either subcutaneous IFN -1b 250 g every other day (Betaferon 132 patients), subcutaneous IFN -1a 44 g three times a week (Rebif 71patients) or intramuscular IFN -1a 30 g once weekly (Avonex, 26 patients) were tested for BAbs using quantitative dELISA. The groups were clinically and demographically alike. According to the results, each group was divided into: 1.BAbs+; 2.BAbs-. Subgroups and titer of BAbs were compared with disability score (EDSS) variation in the last year and number of relapses during IFN treatment (Mann-Whitney and Spearman correlation). Results: The percentage of BAbs+ patients was: Betaferon 64.4%, Rebif 18.3%, Avonex 15.4%. In the Rebif group, a correlation was found between presence and value of BAbs and EDSS change (p=0.05) but not with the number of relapses. No correlation was found between the presence or value of BAbs and relapses or EDSS change in Betaferon or Avonex group. Conclusions: (i) Betaferon is more immunogenic than Rebif or Avonex; (ii) BAbs do not abrogate the clinical effects of Betaferon or Avonex regardless the parameter used; (iii) assays for BAbs are relatively inexpensive and have a role in following Rebif treatment.


The commonality between the workshop leaders lies in our use of art methods to explore particular contexts (e.g. hospitals, public galleries, call centres, local authorities) in order to explore the material processes and conditions of these places. Our workshop explores these methodologies by playing with the metaphor of the digestive system to find out what is being ingested, masticated and digested, by whom and what is being excreted at the end of this process? What is the impact of this shit? How is it distributed and made public?

Playing with the conference theme of 'eating', this workshop extends the metaphor to ask what position the artist-researcher might hold within the digestive system, particularly when the artist-researcher is embedded within a particular organisation or environment in a residency-type situation. This workshop invites participants to explore how they fit within the metabolic system of the specific body/field in which they work, using the metaphor of the digestive system – particularly Ingestion, Secretion, Mixing, Digestion, Absorption and Excretion.

It begins with a contextualisation from the facilitators, exploring what can be understood by viewing their individual projects at Nottingham Contemporary, Glasgow City Council and Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery through the digestion metaphor. It then invites participants to map their own artistic/research processes onto this digestive system to explore where their work is the most effective: i.e. - are there processes and relationships that can be seen as choking hazards or constipation?: Are they 'masticators', particularly adept at chewing, but paying little attention to excretion? We will collectively build up a picture of the digestive system metaphor in relation to the participants' research experiences.

This discursive and interactive workshop examines how the artist/researcher fits within the metabolism of the body in which they work with the key outcomes for participants being creative and critical reflection. It also examines where the metaphor fails and where new metaphors, systems and imagery might be need. Would a symbiotic host/parasite relationship be more apt? What is the body in which the digestive system is operating? What is the food?


In the e-learning context, how much the learner is concentrated and engaged, or the learners' efficiency, is essential for providing adaptive and flexible materials, timely suggestions, etc., which can lead to efficient learning. In this work, we explore to predict learners' efficiency with a realistic configuration, in which we use a webcam or a laptop PC's built-in camera. Specifically, we first provide a feasible definition of the learners' efficiency, and based on this definition, we predict one's efficiency from facial behavior. We predict the learners' efficiency using various convolutional neural networks. Results are discussed using different evaluation metrics.


The present work focuses on a physical description of phenomena occurring during the heat treatment of a cold deformed aluminium sheet. The major practical interest lies in the prediction of microstructural changes and their impact on the yield strength. The material softening part was described due to thermally activated glide of dislocations. The precipitation kinetics are calculated by using the computational thermodynamics program MatCalc (MATerials CALCulator). The model was validated by comparison with experimental data from tensile tests of cold deformed and heat treated sheets. Finally, it was shown that the model can be used to predict the yield strength during heat treatment of Al-Mg-Si alloys.