culminating spokesman for civic consciousness, still made room for extensive royal prerogative, though admittedly on utilitarian grounds. Men looked back nostalgically to the "good prince" much longer than Hanson admits, even while they wrote their "good laws." All this is only to observe that if, as Hanson has clearly shown, the traditional persists more than we often think, the onset of modernity is equally a more protracted business than he takes space to describe. Similarly, a full explanation of the "politics of moderation and tolerance" demands more than political evidence. Cultural and psychological analysis, as Michael Walzer offers it in his Revolution of the Saints, brings us to Hansons objective, but by a different road, and a different schedule. In his concluding chapter, after summarizing his findings for history and for the politics of development, Hanson ends with a sudden revelation of his third purpose. He adds what will doubtless win his book a good deal of attention: he declares his personal commitment to the philosophy of pluralistic constitutionalism, if not its practice, and in its name he produces a sharp critique of Marcuse and the New Left, which he labels the philosophy of fanaticism, elitism, and intolerance. Hanson deserves credit for his temerity in thus advancing from a distinctly unfashionable affirmation. That it is deeply felt is obvious: in these pages his style becomes livelier and more forceful. But whether this section is really appropriate to his text is more dubious. It is linked only tenuously to what precedes, and in its form and content it might well stand by itself. It would be regrettable if this appendix should blind •Hanson's political antagonists to the value of the body of the .work.


We use properties of void populations identified in N-body simulations to forecast the ability of upcoming galaxy surveys to differentiate models of f (R) gravity from cold dark matter cosmology. We analyse multiple simulation realizations, which were designed to mimic the expected number densities, volumes, and redshifts of the upcoming Euclid satellite and a lower-redshift ground-based counterpart survey, using the public VIDE toolkit. We examine void abundances, ellipicities, radial density profiles, and radial velocity profiles at redshifts 1.0 and 0.43. We find that stronger f (R) coupling strengths eliminates small voids and produces voids up to ∼20 per cent larger in radius, leading to a significant tilt in the void number function. Additionally, under the influence of modified gravity, voids at all scales tend to be measurably emptier with correspondingly higher compensation walls. The velocity profiles reflect this, showing increased outflows inside voids and increased inflows outside voids. Using the void number function as an example, we forecast that future surveys can constrain the modified gravity coupling strength to ∼3 × 10−5 using voids.


Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century.Thisstudy involved 132 subjects between the age group of 9 to 15 years and their dietarynutrientintake,anthropom etry measurement,andfood consumption pattern was studied.Theseparameterswerethencorrelatedtobodycomposition. Theirdietarynutrient intakeshowedthatenergyintakewasinadequate,followedbyhighconsumptionof carbohydratesandfatandtheproteinintakewaslowestoncomparisonwithRDA.Their anthropometryrevealedthatmostofthesubjectswerebelownormalstandardsascompared toCDC and WHO standards.Theirfoodconsumptionwasmonitoreditwasseenthattherewashigher consumptionofjunkfoodandbeveragesintheirdiet.Thuswhentheseparameterswere compareditwasobservedthatdietarynutrientintakeandanthropometryhadapositive correlationwithbodycomposition Introduction Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. The problem is global and is steadily affecting many lowand middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. The prevalence has increased at an alarming rate. Globally, in 2010 the number of overweight children under the age of five is estimated to be over 42 million. Close to 35 million of these are living in developing countries. Armstrong et.al, in 2003stated under nutrition and obesity as significantly more common as expected in young children and strongly associated with social deprivation. Both under nutrition and obesity have adverse short and long term health effect. Obesity is a complex condition with serious social and psychological dimensions, virtually affecting all age groups threatening to overwhelm both developed and developing countries as stated by the World Health Organization. In 1995, WHO estimated 200 million obese adults and 18 million children under the age group of five were classifies as overweight. The number increasing to 300 million obese adults in the year 2000. As per WHO obesity epidemic is not only restricted to industrialized society but also showing an estimation of over 115 million people suffering from obesity related problems in developing countries. (www.who.int) Anthropometry provides the single most portable, universally applicable, inexpensive and non-invasive technique for assessing the size, proportions, and composition of the human body. It reflects both health and nutritional status and predicts performance, health, and survival. As such, it is a valuable, but currently underused, tool for guiding public health policy and clinical decisions.(World Health Organization 2005) Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a child's weight and height. BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness for most children and teens. BMI does not measure body fat directly, but research has shown that BMI correlates to direct measures of body fat, such as underwater weighing and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). BMI can be considered an alternative for direct Measures of body fat. Additionally, BMI is an inexpensive and easy-to-perform method of screening for weight categories that may lead to health problems. Use of BMI for assessment of current nutritional status in Indian children is essential in all settings where length / height measurements are possible because (i) early detection of current energy inadequacy leading to low BMI and intervention to correct it can prevent stunting; this is critical because stunting cannot be reversed; (ii) majority of Indian stunted children have appropriate weight for their height and age (normal BMI/age); increase energy intake may make them prone to over nutrition; and (iii) under nutrition in early childhood followed by rapid increase in body mass index in early/ late childhood/ adolescence may predispose to over nutrition and non communicable disease risk in early adult life28. Eating pattern and nutritional status: Eating habits refers to what food we eat, how we eat it and why we eat it. Eating habits are influenced by social, cultural, religious, economic and environmental factors. Basically, all people eat to stay alive, but they also eat to show belonging to family or other social groups. Eating food is a part of everyone's life and having small structured meals throughout the day is an essential part as it helps in maintaining the body weight and prevent from any kind of overweight issues. Economic factors such as the availability of food and its cost also affect food choices. Food labelling also influences what food we choose. Advertising and media are also factors that may alter eating habits. While excessivepublicising on certain foods such as biscuits and chocolate may boost sales, they may also worsen eating habits of youngsters having them pick a sugary or salty snack over an apple or an aerated drink over mineral water. This was the major factor that played a role in how the normal eating habits was modified by the current trends' that embark a person's life and hence it was very important to keep in mind that the propaganda created in the food sector was not the ultimate source of food. Nutritional status is the level of nutrition that the person holds after consumption of food and how that nutrition affects the eating choices of the person.


In order to use the Tiros-N Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) data effectively in the numerical weather prediction (NWP), the 1 dimensional variational method (1DVAR) is adopted. However, since the bias in 1DVAR is too large to get a positive effect in the NWP system, the bias should be corrected. The traditional bias correction method shows some problems in the channels of which weighting function is near the surface. In this study, a bias correction scheme is developed to remove the bias of the channels effectively. The newly developed bias correction scheme is applied to the 1DVAR in the Japan Meteorological Agency and the effects of the bias correction scheme are examined during the period from 1 April to 7 April 1998. The results show that the bias of the 1DVAR is diminished globally and locally with the bias correction scheme. HIRS channel 7 has the largest global bias about 2 degree, but the scheme reduces the bias smaller than 0.5 degree. The bias of locally averaged MSU (Microwave Sounding Unit) channel 3 brightness temperature with the bias correction is less than 0.2 degree in all of the globe except some areas near the north pole, but without the bias correction, the bias is larger than 0.4 degree in most of the globe. The water vapor channels show large bias compared to the other channels and the bias correction scheme does not improve much the results.


The northwestern Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, is a place for studying the control exerted by the large Terminal Cretaceous Chicxulub Impact Crater on both sediment deposition and diagenesis during the Cenozoic Era. The Crater and associated impact breccia have been well preserved beneath a blanket of Cenozoic carbonate rocks with a thickness of up to 1100 m in the center and 280 m in the rim zone. Limestone, dolomitic limestone and rarely dolostone crop out in the area. The crater exerts a major influence on groundwater flow, and the minerals present in crater sediments affect groundwater quality. During most of the Tertiary Period the Crater was a distinct basin (henceforth Chicxulub Sedimentary Basin) where predominantly pelagic and outer-platform sediments were deposited until it was filled in Middle Miocene. The Basin is roughly circumscribed by the Cenote Ring (fig. 1), a geomorphic surface feature of the buried crater that has a higher permeability compared to the adjacent unfaulted zones (Perry et al., 1995a; Pope et al., 1996; Perry et al., 2002). Dolomitized shallow water facies predominate outside the Ring. Partly secondary gypsum is common within and above the impact breccia and secondary gypsum is also occasionally present in Tertiary carbonates as crack- and mold filling. The carbonate platform of the Yucatan Peninsula hosts an aquifer characterized by the presence of a freshwater lens, a saline intrusion, and a mixing-zone. Extensive petrographic and litho- and hydrogeochemical data from both the inside and outside the Ring were obtained as part of this study. They include oxygen and carbon isotope data on calcite and dolomite.


Skull fractures are primary lesions of the skull. Posterior fossa fractures are rare, it is considered that the multiple layers of muscle makes it less easy to fracture.We report the case of a male of 72 years who presented head injury during assault.A literature search revealed only two case report of closed depressed fracture of the posterior fossa.


Lung cancer has become one of the types of malignant tumors that seriously threaten human life worldwide. It is of great significance to detect lung cancer cells from peripheral blood. In this paper, silver film surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is used to study SERS spectra of blood cells, various types of lung cancer cell lines and clinically isolated lung cancer cell samples. The results show that the nucleic acid characteristic peaks at 730 cm−1 and 1330 cm−1 are almost absent in red blood cells, and have a small enhancement in white blood cells. There is different enhancement in lung cancer cells; among them there is great enhancement of nucleic acid characteristic peaks in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines and their clinical cell samples, and smaller enhancement compared to SCLC in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines, such as squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and so on. The SERS spectra of blood cells, SCLC cell lines and their clinical cell samples can be completely distinguished by the intensity ratio of the characteristic peak at 730 cm−1 to the subtracted background peak at 900 cm−1. This study lays a solid foundation for the identification of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) of SCLC by label-free SERS, and may be applied to the label-free SERS detection of CTCs.


The "true sale" problem of asset securitization concerns directly effectiveness of risk-remote institution in asset securitization. But, because of contradictions implied in asset transfer and some creditor protective system of bankruptcy law, "true sale" is inevitably challenged by secured financing and fraudulent conveyance. At the same time, "true sale" must accord with the demands of accounting standards. The intention of studying "true sale" problem is to take preventive measures by which we can refrain from relevant legal risk.


Based on an indication in the previous research that there is an ocean bacterium which can reduce iron red rust to magnetite extracellularly, it is attempted to develop a new recycling process employing such kind of bacteria. Two methods for producing very fine magnetite powder from red rust are presented by making up an artificial environment and shown to be successful. Bacteria participating in magnetite production are examined in detail, and are found to be microaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (coccus and bacillus), regarded as new types different from the GS-15 bacterium reported earlier. Their role is clarified and a mechanism of magnetite formation is presented.


In this paper, we introduce a multilayered video coding technique to provide spatial scalability. The proposed scheme generates multilayered bitstreams for scalable multicast video transmission in heterogeneous environments as well as overcomes the major drawback of layered coding which is the increase in the total bit rate. We also minimize the picture drift problem associated with the lower resolution layer by introducing a separate drift compensation layer. Simulation results show that the drift compensation layer improves the lower resolution layer quality without significantly affecting the higher layer coding efficiency. Compared to H263+, although our coder generates more bits at the base layer, but the overall bit rate is less than that of H263+.


In this course-tutorial will deepen the concept of virtual learning object, with special emphasis on: reaffirm, reuse, standardize and evaluate. At the end of the course participants are expected to have broad spectrum in the creation and publication of virtual learning objects. During the course we will share and discuss concepts that allow participants to appropriate the same; these concepts theorized in the abstract will become concrete when designing and developing learning virtual objects under the Scorm standard, using the software package called CourseLab, the product resulting verified by making use of the package: Reload Scorm Player and publish the product of each participant in the learning platform Moodle administrator. Throughout the course, participants will appropriate theoretical concepts and practical applicability.


Although numerous studies of prognosis in schizophrenia exist, most have been biased by retrospective design and limited by short follow-up. There is no well-documented method for predicting on admission the longterm clinical course of schizophrenics. However, there are three studies 3,10,13 that have been well-enough designed to merit clinical confidence. Wittman used her Elgin Prognostic Scale13prospectively and in 83% of cases correctly predicted clinical course in schizophrenia. Her studies suffered from a follow-up period of only a year, and although her scale proved reliable in her own hands, it has proved unwieldy and subjective (21 weighted items) in the hands of subsequent investigators. Stephens and Astrup10examined 178 admission charts and decided which patients represented "process" and "non-process" (remitting) schizophrenia. They were able to obtain 5-13 year follow-ups on 80% of these patients. Ten per cent of the "recovered" and


The effect of light stress following various levels of freezing stress on photosynthetic and respiratory functions in leaf tissue of Solanum acaule (Bitt.) was investigated under laboratory conditions. Terminal leaflets from plants grown at 18/16C (light/dark) and 400 μmol·s−1·m−2 photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) were slowly frozen in the dark to various minimum temperatures and then thawed on ice, also in the dark. Immediately after thawing, paired leaf disks were cut from a single terminal leaflet. Disks were then held at 1.0C for 3 hr, with one disk exposed to 800 μmol·s−1·m−2 PAR and the other disk of the pair was held in the dark. Our experimental approach allowed comparative studies on tissue from the same leaflet. Light during the post-thaw period, as compared to darkness, resulted in greater inhibition of photosynthetic processes, but had little effect on respiration. Our results demonstrate a) the importance of considering a light stress component during the assesment of relative frost tolerance in photosynthetic tissue and b) that chloroplast functions are much more sensitive than mitochondrial functions to a post-thaw light stress.


This article describes the biological activities of heartwood extracts from Yakushima native cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and identifies their main active compounds. Black heartwood and red heartwood were each divided into two parts from the center (the pith) to outer heartwood (the cambium). The methanol extracts of those parts were screened for antioxidant and anti-lipase activities. The extract from the pith of the red heartwood showed the highest ORAC activity among the samples. Regarding anti-lipase activity, all the extracts showed relatively high activity (the IC50 value were 9.71–37.24 μg mL−1). In addition, four compounds were isolated and identified from the pith of red heartwood by NMR and MS analyses. Agatharesinol (3) and sequirin C (4) were thought to be the main active compounds responsible for the antioxidant and anti-lipase activities.


1963: Inventor and sci-fi publisher Hugo Gernsback enjoys his prototype "teleyeglasses," a battery-powered headset that uses a pair of cathode-ray tubes to display "stereoptical" television programs. Gernsback believes that millions of people yearn for on-demand immersive virtual reality. But it's obvious that technology like this is far too silly-looking to ever become a commercial success.


The documentary Despues de… (Cecilia Bartolome y Jose J. Bartolome, 1981), a movie filmed during the Spanish Transition to democracy who was strongly critical with his present, has undergone changes in the perception of its message since its release to the present. This paper makes a review about its different meanings and explains what it means to our present.


ABSTRACT To examine cumulative impact of anti-smoking messages, 300+ sixth, seventh, and eighth graders at three southern, private schools completed the Youth Tobacco Survey during both fall and spring, 2001–2002. One school had tobacco lessons plus health-promotion teams, the other tobacco lessons, and the third classes as usual. In attitudes and intentions, students were not different across schools, or from fall to spring. Sixth graders endorsed healthier attitudes than seventh and eighth graders, despite equal anti-tobacco messages. Multi-dimensional tobacco prevention activities may not last from fall to spring, and may need to especially target seventh and eighth graders.


The Wilde family album [...] if only it had been so simple. Oh, it existed—three of them in fact—alongside the three volumes of press cuttings, caricatures of him and parodies of his work: you would have expected no less from the master self-publicist. The sherrif's men sold all six for twenty-five shillings along with everything else in his Tite Street home the day before the Crown took him to court the first time... But the dispersal of those volumes is part of our family story. It had to be so; there was something Greek and inevitable about his downfall... —Merlin Holland, The Wilde Album 5


Density functional theory calculations have been performed for a proposal of possible mechanisms of the thermal reaction of an acylsilane, pivaloyltris(trimethylsilyl)silane, and bis(trimethylsilyl)acetylene yielding a silacyclopropene, 1-[(tert-butyl)bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl]-1-trimethylsiloxy-2,3-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1-silacycloprop-2-ene. Two reaction pathways in which two different silyl species play a role were considered based on analogous reactions of acylsilane and alkyne: (i) A silene (Si═C) intermediate derived from the acylsilane reacts with the acetylene to yield a silacyclobutene intermediate as a result of a stepwise [2 + 2] cycloaddition, and a ring-opening reaction of the silacyclobutene triggers the formation of the silacyclopropene. (ii) The silene intermediate is rearranged to a silylene intermediate, and then [2 + 1] cycloaddition of the acetylene and the silylene gives the silacyclopropene. The high activation energy calculated for the [2 + 2] cycloaddition indicates that the silene w...


The paper presents the developed and implemented system of accounting sales in installments using tables as a cloud variant of Google services. The main system requirements and the special features of the program implementation such as the multi user data cleaning, the volume and speed of converting the tables, the mechanisms of conditional formatting of cells, the protection of cells and ranges and the data input check are provided. The paper also discusses the functionality of the system of accounting sales in installments, which is implemented by the formulae in the cells, the formulae in the extra options of Google tables and by programming in Google Apps Script, as a cloud variant of Java Script. The safety and security of the customers' data, as well as staff members' accountability and responsibility for the input of data in the system, are provided by a number of information security measures


Institution: The University of MichiganDivision of Research Development and AdministrationISR Building 3475 East JeffersonAnn Arbor, Michigan 48109-1248Principal Investigator Christophe PierreAssociate ProfessorDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and AppliedMechanicsThe University of MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan 48109-2125Tel: (313) 936-0401Project Representative: Neil D. GertDivision of Research Development and AdministrationTel: (313) 763-6438December 29, 1994


between 40–60 during maintenance of anaesthesia and 10 min before the end of the surgery, in the range of 60–70. The end-tidal sevoflurane concentration (ETsevo, vol%), blood pressure, heart rate, the time required to "eye opening", "extubation", "response to verbal command" were recorded. Statistical comparisons were performed by unpaired T-test (statistical significance when P 0.05). Results: The groups were similar according to age, body mass index, duration of surgery, haemodynamic stability and mean fentanyl dosages. No clinical signs of awareness were noted and no patients had any postoperative recall. Mean (SD ) values are summarized in the table below.


The epithelium constitutes the interface between the interjects without asthma. Moreover, RANTES was only renal milieu and the external environment, and as such, it is leased by HBEC of patients with asthma. They argued that the first point of contact for inhaled substances, in particular, the increased sensitivity of the airways of individuals with respiratory viruses, airborne allergens, and environmental asthma to air pollutants such as DEP might be partly expollutants, as well as being a primary target for inhaled plained by greater constitutive and pollutant-induced rerespiratory drugs (1, 2). The major function of the respiralease of specific proinflammatory mediators from AEC. In a tory epithelium was once thought to be primarily that of a recently reported study, Lordan and colleagues (8) observed physical barrier. However, for a number of reasons, there enhanced release of IL-8, GM-CSF, and transforming growth can be little doubt regarding the importance of the airway factorfrom HBEC obtained from individuals with asthma epithelial cells (AEC) in regulating many of the inflammain response to combinations of inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, tory responses seen in respiratory diseases in general and IL-13) and the major dust mite allergen Derp1, suggesting asthma in particular. that stimulated AEC from individuals with asthma are likely The airway response to injury highlights the complex to augment immunoinflammatory responses within the lung. nature of AEC interactions with a range of cells and proAlthough these data provide insight into the phenotypic cesses (3). In recent years the participation of AEC has come differences between AEC from individuals with asthma and under close scrutiny, and it is clear that inflammatory cytothose from healthy individuals, there is still much to be kines and growth factors produced by AEC contribute siglearned regarding the interactions between AEC and the nificantly to the abnormal repair processes and remodeling cells that are critical to the initiation of inflammatory casobserved in asthma and airway fibrosis, and to regulation of cades and immune responses within the lung. a variety of immune responses (4). Additionally, it has been The article by Reibman and colleagues in this issue of the recognized for some time that individuals with asthma apAJRCMB (9) suggests a number of potentially important pear to be more sensitive to the proinflammatory effects of interactions between AEC and airway dendritic cells (DC), certain environmental pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide including: (i) a mechanism by which airway DC might be (5) and particulate matter (6). Moreover, there appear to be implicated in immunoinflammatory responses to particulate distinct patterns of cytokine release from AEC from individpollution; (ii) how exposure to particulate pollution might uals with asthma, compared with AEC from healthy control influence sensitization to specific allergens in sensitized indisubjects. Devalia and coworkers investigated constitutive and viduals; and (iii) how interactions between AEC and airway diesel exhaust particle (DEP)-induced release of several proDC might play a role in determining the qualitative characinflammatory mediators from cultured bronchial epithelial teristics of adaptive immune system maturation. cells (HBEC) (7). They observed that HBEC of patients with There is now clear evidence that local (airway) and sysasthma constitutively released significantly greater amounts temic immune responses to inhaled antigen are coordinated of interleukin (IL)-8, granulocyte macrophage–colony-stimusuch that DC in the airwary epithelium can be provoked lating factor (GM-CSF), and sICAM-1 than HBEC of subto take up, process, and present antigens in situ, or alternatively, to differentiate and migrate to draining lymph nodes to present antigen to systemic T cells (10). AEC are likely to (Received in original form April 14, 2003) contribute to the regulation of these processes via the cytoAddress correspondence to: Stephen Stick, M.D., Ph.D., Department of kines that they produce. Respiratory Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Box D184, Our understanding of the factors that are responsible for Perth, Western Australia, 6001. E-mail: email@example.com DC influx into the airway is increasing, and a number of Abbreviations: airway epithelial cell, AEC; dendritic cell, DC; diesel exhaust studies have indicated that chemokines are crucial for the particle, DEP; granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor, GM-


On January 12 to 14, 1977, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) sponsored a Radwaste Management Workshop in New Orleans, Louisiana, the object of which was to obtain operating data on the uses of evaporation, ion exchange, filtration, and on solid radwaste practices at nuclear power plants. The collected data are being used to update three earlier generic reports done by ORNL on the status of evaporation, ion exchange, and solid radwaste practices at nuclear power plants and to prepare a new one on filtration. All segments of the nuclear power industry were invited to participate, and a total of 188 representatives came. There were four major Workshop groups: volume reduction, solidification, physical and chemical separations, and corrosion. The major findings of each group are reported. (LK)


In this study, we develop a methodology based on finite element analysis to predict the weight gain of carbon braided composite materials exposed to moisture. The analysis was based on the analogy between thermal conduction and diffusion processes, which allowed for a commercial code for finite element analysis to be used. A detailed finite element model using a repetitive unit cell (RUC) was developed both for bundle and carbon braided composites. Conditioning tests were performed to estimate the diffusivity of both the resin and composite. When comparing numerical and experimental results, it was observed that the procedure introduces an average error of 20% and a maximum error of 31% if the RUC is assumed to be isotropic. On the other hand, the average error does not exceed 10% and the maximum error is less than 20% when the material is considered as orthotropic. The procedure is independent of the particular fiber architecture and can be extended to other composites.


The time-dependent behavior of glass transition can be exploited to achieve shape-memory behavior in amorphous polymers. Modeling the shape-memory effect in polymers requires considering the viscoelastic behavior, structural evolution in response to external stimuli, such as temperature, stress, solvent. Furthermore, the broad spectrum of stress and structural relaxation times are needed to accurately predict the rate-dependent recovery response. In this paper, we review our efforts to develop constitutive models for the glass transition behavior of amorphous polymers to predict the shape-memory behavior under a variety of thermomechanical conditions. c © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.


Recently, reconstruction of the entire DNA sequence from optically labeled genomes has been explored. In this paper, we present details of a novel algorithm for this genome assembly. We elucidate the design methodology and results for a multi-core CPU (1.98x speedup) and FPGA (7.022x speedup) implementation to accelerate the computations.


discusses nonskeletal injuries to the lower part of the back. He calls attention to postural strain or sprain of the ligaments in the iliolumbar, lumbosacral or sacroiliac areas. The author emphasizes accurate localization and points out the distinguishing characteristics and customary tests. Steindler5S3 stresses accuracy in localization of pain on an anatomic ligamentous basis. He discusses pain low in the back where "trigger points" are located. He explains pain on a basis of stretch to the ligaments. He mentions the value of injection of procaine hydrochloride to differentiate true sciatica or sciatic neuritis from referred pain. Emphasis is given to accuracy in localization of the lesion. Herzmark 554 reports a case of herniation of the cauda equina following laminectomy on the sacrum for removal of iodized poppyseed oil. The herniation was reduced and the sacral defect repaired with fusion of the lumbosacral area. Use of iodized poppyseed oil and laminectomy for its removal are considered inadvisable. Wilensky55S calls attention to the anatomic relationship of muscles, fasciae, ligaments, blood vessels and nerves in the region of the pelvic outlet. He discusses their possible relation to pain low in the back, sciatica and coccygodynia. He confirms Thiele's report that spasm of the levator ani, coccygeus or piriformis muscle causes such symptoms. Relief is obtained by massage of these muscles. The author presents 8 illus¬ trative cases of 28 studied. Tourney55e presents a study of 95 cases of metastatic cancer of the spine, from a total of 2,067 cases of cancer. Roentgenograms fre¬ quently fail to reveal metastasis, particularly in the early stage. During a four year period (1936 to 1940) 326 cases of mammary carci¬ noma were observed, and in 42 the patients showed spinal metastasis. Of 140 cases of pros¬ tatic carcinoma, associated spinal metastasis occurred in 11. Hodgkin's disease of the spine was encountered in 7 cases. He discusses palliative therapy. Roentgen therapy often re¬ lieved pain and allowed local repair. Subarach¬ noid injection of alcohol is subject to complica¬ tions and frequently does not relieve pain. Chordotomy is advisable for inoperable con¬ ditions. Orchiectomy deserves further trial for advanced carcinoma of the prostate. Schumacher 557 discusses the evaluation of dis¬ ability due to injuries to the lower part of the back. He discusses McBride's and Kessler's methods for computing disability and presents disability charts of specific injuries. [Ed. Note. —The charts show all components of disability and are valuable references.]


manifests to use the term "merchandise" or a blank space to describe the cargo. His solution was to treat the shares of commodities in the other explicit categories as lower-bound measures and to see what information they yielded. The results showed that the share of the trade that was explicitly agricultural declined as a percentage of the total trade from 1824 to 1831 to 1839, the three sample years. An argument was made that this was not only a lower-bound result but probably reflected the true trend. The evidence on the share of manufactured goods in the trade was weaker, but the strongest interpretation of the data showed it rising between 1824 and 1839 as a percentage of trade. Gilbert raised the issue of the assumptions Herbst made about the commodity composition of "merchandise." Smith asked if the 1837 panic could have influenced the demands for particular kinds of goods. Others advanced the perspective of the South's capacity to consume as a useful approach. Ellsworth was interested in what happened to heavy manufactured durables and pursued the issue of why the unallocated category rose between 1824 and 1839. Williamson was keenly interested in the question of whether the agricultural exports grew absolutely while as a percentage of the total they declined. Gilbert wondered if the records of individual firms would help remove some of the mysteries surrounding merchandise. The questions made for a stimulating discussion. Probably the most beneficial result of the workshop was the help and encouragement each of the researchers received at an early to middle stage of their investigations. The flexible structure of the workshop format combined with a free pooling of observations, ideas, and concerns made for an unusually generous atmosphere.


Throughout the world there is a drive to improve energy efficiency, reduce electricity demand and encourage renewable energy generation. The public is generally informed through media that this is good for the environment, will prolong generation and grid assets as well as natural resources such as fossil fuels and water. However, it may be possible that these initiatives change the performance of planned (future) and designed (existing) networks without engineers reconsidering past assumptions or traditional methods. Quite a number of assumptions are made in the selection of suitable parameters and combinations of parameters to predict future load and to plan and design infrastructure accordingly. If parameters are affected and the impact of a change is not considered, unexpected or even degraded performance of networks may result while utilities and municipal electricity re-sellers may have to lay out unplanned capital to rectify or address problems caused.


Research of contemporary societies emphasises the importance of global economic circumstances, political uncertainties and social inequalities for young people's visions of their personal future. This research is focused on general and career-specific aspects of adolescents' visions of personal future and how these relate to adolescents' orientation toward educational mobility. Educational mobility is determined by the equivalence/nonequivalence of parents' levels of education and their offspring's educational aspirations as expressed at the end of secondary schooling. According to this principle, three groups of participants were defined and their differences were analysed with respect to (a) general aspects of their visions of personal future, (b) career-specific aspects of their envisioned future, and (c) the perception of factors on which the achievement of career visions will depend. Significant differences among the three groups have been found in general and career-specific visions of the future. The findings of the study indicate that students who plan to attend university are more preoccupied with career and perceive personal characteristics as more important factors for achieving career goals than students without such plans. Finally, this paper suggests that, in order to fully understand young people's visions of personal future from a micro and a macro perspective, it is fruitful to integrate psychological and sociological approaches.


Although dissimilatory iron reduction and secondary mineral formation by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 have been widely recognized, questions remain about the effects of biogenic Fe(II) on the rate and extent of secondary mineral formation and the importance of biogenic Fe(II)-induced crystallization processes. In this study, we investigated the effects of different mutants of MR-1 on the bioreduction and mineralization of ferrihydrite. The results indicate that while the reduction rates of ferrihydrite by ΔmtrD, ΔmtrF, and ΔomcA are similar to that of the wild type (WT), the capacity to reduce ferrihydrite decreased dramatically in the mutants ΔcymA and ΔmtrA. The order for Fe(III) reduction by MR-1 WT and mutants was ranked as follows: WT ≈ ΔmtrD ≈ ΔmtrF > ΔomcA > ΔmtrC > ΔcymA > ΔmtrA. Secondary minerals of ferrihydrite were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectra, and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that goethite and hematite were the main secondary minera...


In article, on the example of the tasks arising at research of products properties, created at the enterprises of a military-industrial complex, problems of operational and ex-change properties of complex technical systems research are investigated. Operational properties of systems characterize results (effects) of activity with use of systems (op-erational properties, in particular, are efficiency of system functioning for achievement of the given objective, system potential, system capabilities). Exchange properties characterize properties of exchange of results of activity (exchange properties, in par-ticular, are competitiveness of a product, competitiveness of the enterprise). As shown, it is expedient to study exchange properties of systems using the concept and method-ology of estimation of operational properties of systems. Indicators for operational properties estimation proposed and on their basis indicators for exchange properties of the systems suggested. Indicators suggested in such a way that their estimation suppose usage of mathematical models. This gives the chance to solve a range of research prob-lems of operational and exchange properties of systems.  Need of definition of concept is proved, and then the concept of model of a research problem proposed.  The direc-tions of research problems models usage for automation of the solution of operational and exchange properties research problems discussed.


WITHOUT QUESTION, NUMERICAL DATA IS important. We have a saying in Holland "meten is weten", which translates to "measuring gives knowledge". It makes sense, therefore, to measure. But what are we doing with the results of our measurements? To take advantage of good measurement, we need to interpret properly the result, and in its appropriate context. Interpretation can always be done from different viewpoints. It is here where we run into potential problems with politics. It is becoming increasingly clear that we must ourselves become involved in politics if we are to optimise our practice. Let me give an example to illustrate the issue. In the last number of this Journal, we presented numerical data concerning the activities of paediatric cardiologists and cardiac surgeons working in Europe over the year 1998. What can we learn from these figures? If we look in detail, we discover that the number of diagnostic catheterisations performed in comparison to cardiac surgical procedures differed in the various countries of Europe. The differences varied from 26 to 114%, with an average of 77% (Fig. 1). This discrepancy existed already in 1991,


IEEE Potentials is looking for students, recent graduates, and professionals with unique viewpoints and cutting-edge ideas to write for the magazine. If you have an interesting technical article or want to contribute your ideas to an existing opinion column, we can assist you in seeing your ideas through from submission to publication.


Using aerobic gymnastics exercises the functional parameters of the physical readiness of the girls aged 17-19 are improved and reserve potentialities of the organizm are raised. The regular aging and a reasonable feeding correct a common physical and functional state. She enriches ratioes of a skew field and tone up muscles.


In this paper, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) implementation of solar photovoltaic (PV) array feeding autonomous load, without dump load, is investigated. Two control algorithms based on the sliding mode approach are designed to guarantee a fast and finite-time convergence without adjustment of the system parameters. The dc-dc boost converter and the current controlled-voltage source converter (CC-VSC) are controlled to maximize the power from the PV, to protect the battery energy storage system (BESS) from overcharging, and to regulate the voltage and frequency at the point of common coupling (PCC). An accurate stability analysis of the system is presented and discussed in this work. The effectiveness and the robustness of the developed controllers are validated by simulation and experimental results during the load perturbation and varying climate conditions.


SoME time ago the Osler Club had a very interesting meeting on the subject of medical monuments. Among the many which were not mentioned that evening was one which I saw in the market place outside Quimper cathedral in Western Brittany two years ago. It shows Lafnnec holding a stethoscope. At the back is the following inscription: A l'Inventeur de l'auscultation-Laftnec Ren6 Th6ophile Hyacinthe ne A Quimper le 17 F6vrier 1781 mort a Plouar6 en 1826 Professeur i la Facult6 de M6decine de Paris et au CoIlege de France Membre de l'Acad6mie de M6decine. Ce Monument a 6t6 61ev6 par l'Association G6n6rale des M6decins de France par la Bretagne et par les Medecins Fran9ais et strangers. Mai 1868. It is quite clear from holiday brochures, issued in Brittany, that Laennec is regarded as the most eminent Breton of the last few centuries. This is not only because of his great contribution to medicine but also because he became an authority on the Breton language, literature and folk songs. He was not born, however, into a Breton-speaking family but gained this knowledge in later life, especially from his relative, Madame de Pompery, with whom he spent a holiday in 1805. He took every opportunity to widen it; if he saw a Breton patient in hospital, he always spoke to him in that language, and this was much appreciated.


The cutaneous lesions associated with Pseudomonas infection are varied. Their clinical appearance and severity depend on the patient's immunological status. Healthy persons may have a relatively minor infection such as intertrigo, green discoloration of the nails with onycholysis, or folliculitis. In immunodepressed patients, Pseudomonas species are a common cause of septicemia. Ecthyma gangrenosum is one of its characteristic cutaneous manifestations. Foot intertrigo is mostly caused by dermatophytes and yeasts, less frequently by gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Seventy cases of intertrigo by gram-negative bacteria were observed.


The electronic structure and magnetic anisotropy of six complexes of high-spin FeII with linear FeX2 (X = C, N, O) cores, Fe[N(SiMe3)(Dipp)]2 (1), Fe[C(SiMe3)3]2 (2), Fe[N(H)Ar′]2 (3), Fe[N(H)Ar*]2 (4), Fe[O(Ar′)]2 (5), and Fe[N(t-Bu)2]2 (7) [Dipp = C6H3-2,6-Pri2; Ar′ = C6H3-2,6-(C6H3-2,6-Pri2)2; Ar* = C6H3-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-Pri2)2; Ar# = C6H3-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-Me3)2], and one bent (FeN2) complex, Fe[N(H)Ar#]2 (6), have been studied theoretically using complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) wavefunctions in conjunction with N-Electron Valence Perturbation Theory (NEVPT2) and quasidegenerate perturbation theory (QDPT) for the treatment of magnetic field and spin-dependent relativistic effects. Mossbauer studies on compound 2 indicate an internal magnetic field of unprecedented magnitude (151.7 T) at the FeII nucleus. This has been interpreted as arising from first order angular momentum of the 5Δ ground state of FeII center (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 10206). Using geometries from X-ray structural data, ligand field parameters for the Fe-ligand bonds were extracted using a 1 : 1 mapping of the angular overlap model onto multireference wavefunctions. The results demonstrate that the metal–ligand bonding in these complexes is characterized by: (i) strong 3dz2–4s mixing (in all complexes), (ii) π-bonding anisotropy involving the strong π-donor amide ligands (in 1, 3–4, 6, and 7) and (iii) orbital mixings of the σ–π type for Fe–O bonds (misdirected valence in 5). The interplay of all three effects leads to an appreciable symmetry lowering and splitting of the 5Δ (3dxy, 3dx2−y2) ground state. The strengths of the effects increase in the order 1 < 5 < 7 ∼ 6. However, the differential bonding effects are largely overruled by first-order spin–orbit coupling, which leads to a nearly non-reduced orbital contribution of L = 1 to yield a net magnetic moment of about 6 μB. This unique spin–orbital driven magnetism is significantly modulated by geometric distortion effects: static distortions for the bent complex 6 and dynamic vibronic coupling effects of the Renner–Teller type of increasing strength for the series 1–5.Ab initio calculations based on geometries from X-ray data for 1 and 2 reproduce the magnetic data exceptionally well. Magnetic sublevels and wavefunctions were calculated employing a dynamic Renner–Teller vibronic coupling model with vibronic coupling parameters adjusted from the ab initio results on a small Fe(CH3)2 truncated model complex. The model reproduces the observed reduction of the orbital moments and quantitatively reproduces the magnetic susceptibility data of 3–5 after introduction of the vibronic coupling strength (f) as a single adjustable parameter. Its value varies in a narrow range (f = 0.142 ± 0.015) across the series. The results indicate that the systems are near the borderline of the transition from a static to a dynamic Renner–Teller effect. Renner–Teller vibronic activity is used to explain the large reduction of the spin-reversal barrier Ueff along the series from 1 to 5. Based upon the theoretical analysis, guidelines for generating new single-molecule magnets with enhanced magnetic anisotropies and longer relaxation times are formulated.


This review (as of 1968) discusses the pharmacologic effects of oral progestagens that inhibit ovulation or otherwise prevent pregnancy. There are 13 synthetic progestagens which are all either 18-carbon estrane (19-nor) derivatives or 21-carbon pregnane derivatives. It is agreed that the midcycle luteinizing hormone peak is suppressed by the progestagen and the follicle stimulating hormone peak by the estrogen b y affecting the releasing factors but it is not known precisely whether the ultimate site of action is the hypothalamus or the adenohypophysis. The classical test of progestational activity is the CLAUBERG test or transformation of rabbit endometrium. In this assay the pregnane derivatives are more active than the estrane progestagens but there is no relation between inhibitors of ovulation in rats or women and progestational potency. The author ends his review with descriptions of the cervical mucus after a few oral contraceptives and speculations that sperm decapacitation may be involved in hostility of mucus to sperm passage.


In this paper, the optimal drying temperature of the medicinal plant prickly capers - "Capparis spinosa L." was studied and mathematical models were determined by comparing experimental data with data calculated using the Lagrange and Newton interpolation formula and the choice of regression analysis. The regression equation has the form of a polynomial and a polynomial level. The mathematical model in which the level of the polynomial was 6 and higher was almost indistinguishable from the models in the form of a polynomial which level was 4 or 5. When determining the optimal drying temperature of the fruit of the medicinal plant prickly capers - "Capparis spinosa L." by mathematical modeling, it is shown that graphs with a polynomial degree of n=3 and higher have the same values as graphs in which the degree of the polynomial is almost equal to n=2. The coincidence of the theoretical results with the experimental data obtained in determining the optimal drying temperature for the fruit of the medicinal plant prickly capers - "Capparis spinosa L.", shows the adequacy of the mathematical model. It was found that the optimal drying temperature of the medicinal plant prickly capers - "Capparis spinosa L." is 333 – 343 K and this is confirmed by mathematical modeling.


The article presents as an introduction a mini-review devoted to the problem of cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Despite the wide prevalence of this local vasculitis, cases of its combination with systemic lesions are rare. Isolated cases of combination of leukocytoclastic vasculitis with kidney damage are described. We present a clinical case of patient N. with leukocytoclastic vasculitis in combination with chronic glomerulonephritis. Both lesions were confirmed morphologically. We assume that vasculitis is systemic and kidney damage is caused by it. The stages of management of the patient, the response of the disease to the therapy are presented.


Variational principles are obtained for the flow development in the entrance region of circular tubes and parallel-plate channels. Since the system is nonconservative, the variational formulations are not of the Hamiltonian type. They are constructed based upon the use of convolutions. By means of the Rayleigh-Ritz procedure specific approximate solutions are found, resulting in relatively simple calculations. Both velocity and pressure drop computations show excellent agreement with the exact solution of the linearized problem.


Recent articles in Marketing Theory have criticized the cumulativeness and the diffusion of knowledge emanating from academic journals in marketing. The normative and the social exchange theories of citation propose that intellectual influence and knowledge transfer may be traced by examining relationships between references and citations of journal articles. Analysis of a sample of articles drawn from eight marketing journals suggests that marketing knowledge exhibits both cumulativeness and knowledge diffusion. For example, analysis of the sample of articles indicates that there is significant reciprocating influence between references and citations within a journal, across marketing journals, and across disciplinary boundaries. The influences of article references on citations are analyzed relative to the effect of the journal of publication on citations. Results indicate that the perceived quality of the journal rather than the accessibility of the journal is also influential on citations of articles.


We numerically demonstrate that, although it is critical, the two-box symmetric $\mathrm{SU}(3)$ chain possesses edge states in the adjoint representation whose excitation energy scales with the number of sites $N_s$ as $1/(N_s \log N_s)$, in close analogy to those found in half-integer $\mathrm{SU}(2)$ chains with spin $S\ge 3/2$. We further show that these edge states dominate the entanglement entropy of finite chains, explaining why it has been impossible so far to verify with DMRG simulations the field theory prediction that this model is in the $\mathrm{SU}(3)_1$ universality class. Finally, we show that these edge states are very efficiently screened by attaching adjoint representations at the ends of the chain, leading to an estimate of the central charge consistent within 1\% with the prediction $c=2$ for $\mathrm{SU}(3)_1$.


A silicon nanowire waveguide optical isolator employing nonreciprocal phase shift is fabricated by directly bonding a magneto-optical garnet Ce:YIG. An optical isolation of 28 dB is obtained at a wavelength of 1552 nm.


The article studies the historical development of the genre of the symphony for accordion and orchestra. In the comparative analysis of the symphonies by V. Zolotarev and S. Berinsky identification of the most characteristic features of the composite structure, themes, solo and orchestral texture. The main concept of the notion of drama.


In quantum computational complexity theory, the class QMA models the set of problems efficiently verifiable by a quantum computer the same way that NP models this for classical computation. Vyalyi proved that if QMA = PP then PH ⊆ QMA. In this note, we give a simple, self-contained proof of the theorem, using only the closure properties of the complexity classes in the theorem statement. We then extend the theorem in two directions: (i) we strengthen the consequent, proving that if QMA = PP then QMA = PHPP, and (ii) we weaken the hypothesis, proving that if QMA = CO-QMA then PH ⊆ QMA. Lastly, we show that all the above results hold, without loss of generality, for the class QAM instead of QMA. We also formulate a "Quantum Toda's Conjecture".


A curved array ultrasonic transducer is manufactured by cutting a flat transducer plate, which is attached to a flexible support plate, into a plurality of segments, the segments being hingedly attached by the support plate. The support plate is bent to a radius and the conductive traces in a flexible circuit board are electrically connected to the transducer plate segments. The flexible circuit board, having a plurality of branches, is bent to a perpendicular position such that the traces in the plurality of branches become substantially aligned. The traces exiting the branches are then electrically connected to a pin and socket connector device.


Experiments were carried out on a bicycle simulator with alcohol administration and a binary choice task in separate sessions, intending to reduce the subject's mental capacity. Before and after such sessions a visual evoked response measurement was done. The subject's performance was analyzed with describing function techniques. The results indicate that the alcohol affects the course-following task as well as the balancing task. The binary choice task is more specifically influencing the course-following task. The dual task shows a more pronounced effect on the recovery of the evoked response. The alcohol is delaying the recovery curve of the evoked response. A tentative explanation can be given which agrees with the performance data.


Gaussian measure is constructed for any given hyperplane in an infinite dimensional Hilbert space, and this is used to define a generalization of the Radon transform to the infinite dimensional setting, using Gauss measure instead of Lebesgue measure. An inversion formula is obtained and a support theorem proved.


Merv, in Turkmenistan, is one of the oldest and most completely preserved cities along the Silk Routes in central Asia. The remains span 4000 years of human history. It was a key city in the trade routes between Europe and India and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999. Many buildings, dating back more than 2500 years still exist on the site, and archaeologists have been carrying out fieldwork on the site since 1992 under the auspices of the International Merv Project (IMP). The IMP was initiated mainly due to a rising water table combined with a rising population: together these pressures threatened the buildings. This paper details the approach taken to provide a GPS geodetic control framework for current and future archaeological fieldwork. The GPS campaign took place in September 2000. The control network was linked to the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) by use of data from the International GPS Service. By linking the network to the ITRF, the coordinate system can be re-established in the future should the monumentation be destroyed. Processing has been carried out using Leica's SKI-Pro software. Results show that an accuracy of approximately 20 cm is achievable processing vectors of 2000 km in length. This data will be reprocessed later using the University of New Brunswick's scientific GPS software package DIPOP. The primary purpose of the control provision was to determine coordinates of visible Ground Control Points (GCPs) for satellite imagery to be obtained in April 2001. The satellite imagery will then be used to create a base map. The base map will enable isolated archaeological mapping information to be combined into one common spatial framework. This paper therefore also discusses selection and coordination of the GCPs.


Objective To explore the effect of orienteering exercises on the improvement of children's
 executive function, and to explore the relationship between executive function and
 orienteering intervention to provide theoretical support.
 Methods Forty children from the fourth grade of Zhonghai the First Experimental Primary School
 in Changchun City were selected as the experimental subjects, 20 as the experimental
 group (10 males, 10 females) and 20 as the control group (10 males, 10 females). The
 functional changes of executive function subfunctions (inhibitory function, conversion
 function, refresh function) before and after orienteering exercises intervention were
 measured by More-odd shifting, 1-back and Flanker.
 Results After intervention, the inhibitory function, conversion function and refresh function
 were significantly decreased in the experimental group (10.29±15.99, 295.19±189.76,
 642.85±220.78)ms compared with before intervention (25.62±10.18, 616.04±287.92, 1
 051.25±275.00)ms (
 F = 12.52, 20.89, P<0.01), while there was no significant change in the control group (
 P>0.05). In this study, neither gender main effect nor interaction between sex × group,
 sex × time and sex × time × group were found (
 P>0.05).
 Conclusion Orienteering exercises can significantly improve children's executive function, which
 are not vaired by sex.
 【摘要】 目的 探讨定向运动练习对儿童执行功能的改善作用, 为揭示执行功能与定向运动干预之间的关系提供理论支 撑。
 方法 选取长春市中海一实验小学四年级 40 名儿童为实验对象, 平均分为实验组 (男生 10 名, 女生 10 名) 和对照组 (男生 10 名, 女生 10 名)。利用儿童执行功能测试工具中
 More-odd shifting、1-back 和 Flanker 任务分别测量运动干预前、后 儿童的抑制功能、转换功能和刷新功能等执行功能各子功能变化。
 结果 干预后, 实验组抑制功能、转换功能和刷新功能 反应时 [(10.29±15.99) (295.19±189.76) (642.85±220.78) ms]与干预前[(25.62±10.18)
 (616.04±287.92) (1 051.25± 275.00)ms] 降低, 差异均有统计学意义 (
 F 值分别为12.52,20.76,20.89, P 值均<0.01), 对照组反应时差异无统计学意义 (
 P 值均>0.05)。交互作用结果显示, 既没有发现性别主效应, 也没有发现性别X组别、性别X时间和性别X时间X组别的交互作 用 (
 P 值均>0.05)。
 结论 定向运动练习对儿童执行功能具有显著提高作用, 且不随性别变化而变化。


In order to hold at a minimum the noise emission of the winding gear in a winding unit of a spinning machine for the processing of endless filaments, the winding unit is provided with a noise protection door which is pivotingly translatable from an initial or idle position at the side of the winding unit into an operating position in front of the winding unit. The noise protection door comprises a guide portion which is supported or guided by means of rolls and guide pins and a noise protection portion pivotally supported on the guide portion by means of pivot pins. The guide pins forming part of the guide portion and the guide pins forming part of the noise protection portion project into two guide grooves arranged in mirror-image fashion, one of which is provided in a floor plate and the other in a cover of the winding unit. Thus the guide portion is guided in a straight line and the noise protection portion is pivotally guided.


The effect of sintering agent CuV2O6 on the microwave dielectric properties of BiNbO4-ZnNb2O6 ceramics was investigated as a function of sintering temperature and composition. CuV2O6 effectively lowered the sintering temperature of BiNbO4-ZnNb2O6 ceramics to ∼850°C. From the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, a mixture of two phases of BiNbO4 and ZnNb2O6 was detected. With an increase of ZnNb2O6, the dielectric constant and the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (TCF) were changed in accordance with the density and dielectric mixing rule, and the quality factor (QF) increased up to 10 mol% ZnNb2O6, and then decreased for further addition. The QF change was resulted from the enhanced microstructure of the mixture system. The addition of CuV2O6 as a sintering agent to 0.9BiNbO4-0.1ZnNb2O6 could lower the sintering temperature up to 850°C.


Many restaurants are superior to dining-halls of star-hotels in business . It is mainly due to the differences of their target market, decision-making power , labor system and flexibility of services. There will be a great development if the dining-halls of star-hotels have suitable target market, lay stress on promotion, set up their brands, provide excellent services and raise flexibility of business.


W hile serialization in pharmaceutical and medical device packaging may be appropriate to identify or recall medicines with manufacturing or distribution problems, it cannot prevent the introduction of falsified medicine into the legal supply chain. By contrast, in order to increase reliability in the supply chain, digital authentication technologies that incorporate covert (invisible) security features provide a higher level of se-AlpVision curity than those with overt (visible) features; are easier and more cost-effective to deploy than those based on consumables; do not require any specific training, only a step-by-step process; and are more reliable than human sensory perception-based verifications. While the newly adopted European directive 2011/62/EU calls on pharmaceutical companies and any actors involved in the manufacturing or distribution of medicinal products to verify the authenticity of medicines , innovations in smart-phone technology, including better image capabilities and increased computing power, will accelerate the need to develop a suitable, easy-to-use, and reliable product authen-tication process at the patient level. When looking at the product security market, there are over 100 security technologies (ho-lograms, digital watermarks, DNA taggants, serialization, etc.) used to combat counterfeiting of primary or second-A look at the latest pharmaceutical anti-counterfeit technology developments and an outline of the different criteria for selecting those that best safeguard patient safety and the integrity of valuable pharmaceutical brands and products.


This work address the application of Voice Conversion to singing-voice. The GMM-based approach was applied to VOCALOID, a concatenative singing synthesizer, to perform singer timbre conversion. The conversion framework was applied to full-quality singing databases, achieving a satisfactory conversion effect on the synthesized utterances. We report in this paper the results of our experimentation focused to study the spectral conversion performance when applied to specific pitch-range data.


Objective: To determine life satisfaction in old age people attending Fauji Foundation Hospital and to assess relationship of socio-demographic variables on life satisfaction of old aged people.
Study Design: Cross sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Fauji Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi from Feb to Aug 2018.
Methodology: A total of 347 individuals were included by using non-probability consecutive sampling. The participants of the 60 years or more attending Fauji foundation hospital, being mentally sound and having comprehensive under-standing without hearing aid were included in the study. Questionnaire was given to respondents including demographic profile and Urdu version of Life Satisfaction Scale for assessing the life satisfaction in old age.
Results: The total sample mean life satisfaction score was 14.95 ± 6.54. 5 (1.5%) people were extremely satisfied, 27 (8.4%) were satisfied, 117 (36 %) were dissatisfied and 63 (19.1%) were extremely dissatisfied.
Conclusion: Life satisfaction was found statistically significant with female gender, older age 70-80 years, being un married, primary education, monthly income of less than 10,000 and being unemployed.


This paper shares and examines the case study in qualifying the Safe Working Load (SWL) of strand wires from its Minimum Breaking Load (MBL) for jacket superstructure loadout by Strand Jacking Skidding Method by utilizing engineering analysis, data analysis, and real-time data comparison upon loadout operation for a new project and at the same time optimizing the opportunity and reduce the project risk due to stringent COMPANY Technical Standards comparing to Industry Standards and Practices. This paper demonstrates "Lean Construction" for COMPANY's Project by sustaining fit-for-purpose Technical Requirements of Loadout Strand Wire Factor of Safety (F.S). The case study shows engineering analysis methodologies from several elements i.e., reference to Industry Standards for Load Transfer & Loadout Operation, Historical Data from previous Strand Jack Skidding Loadout Operations, Strand Jack Manufacturer Datasheet Recommendations, and Actual Data Monitoring from Loadout Operation. Value Engineering was exercised in identifying and reducing unnecessary costs and schedule in loadout design engineering and construction load machinery without sacrificing safety, quality, and performance requirements, which has successfully led to schedule and cost containment from potential rework on the jacket design and additional fabrication work on the strand jack bracket. It also incorporates environmental sustainability, where the application of fit-for-purpose design was able to reduce 50% of steel wire utilization and the numbers of strand jacks used, and reduction of carbon footprint in construction activity.


The article offers information on Marguerite Higgins, reporter whose story for the New York Herald Tribune described how, as she struggled in the trenches with the Marines, North Korean soldiers fired. It mentions that the files of the Pulitzer Prizes, the 1951 jury report for international reporting depicts Higgins for showing enterprise and courage . It mentions that she had to work under unusual dangers and difficulties.


Hole-doped lanthanum manganites La1-xSrxMnO3 have been revisited since the discovery of colossal magnetoresistance (CMR). In this system, orbital as well as spin and charge degrees of freedom have attracted much attention. However, direct observation of orbital ordering (OO) is very difficult and there have been few experiments. Recently, Murakami et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 80 (1998) 1932, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81 (1998) 582] observed the azimuthal-angle dependence of OO superlattice peaks in La0.5Sr1.5MnO4 and LaMnO3 by resonant x-ray diffraction, which is sensitive to the anisotropy of the structure factor. It is also known that the OO peak changes the polarization of photons from σ to π', which was also observed by Murakami et al. in LaMnO3. We confirmed that the (0 3 0) reflection of La0.88Sr0.12MnO3 is an OO superlattice peak using synchrotron resonant x-ray diffraction, and then carried out polarization analysis of the OO superlattice peak. While the azimuthal-angle dependence of (0 3 0) shows a clear two-fold dependence, the polarization dependence is somewhat obscure. We found that the peak consists of two parts, one of which shows a σ→π' polarization and the other shows a σ→σ' behaviour. We speculate the latter is an extrinsic contamination, though the origin is unknown.


It is shown that there is a general framework, based on information theory, underlying many currently popular distortion measures used for speech recognition. Within this framework, three general categories of information-theoretic distortion measures are introduced: the generalized Kolmogorov variational distance, the f-divergence, and the Chernoff distance. There are two major results of this investigation. First, it is found that most of the important distortion measures used by workers in speech recognition fall out as a special case of one or another of the classes of probability-distribution dissimilarity measures. Second, the information-theoretic perspective adopted makes it possible to discover new distortion measures which may display superior speech recognition performance; one measure, the clamped log (cos beta ) distance, has been investigated experimentally, with promising results.<<ETX>>


Pupils have different ways of learning. In Malaysia, pupils of mixed ability are grouped together in a class in order to maximise their learning input. Therefore, identifying the pupils' application of language learning strategy is important for teachers as it helps to organize their learning, thus making learning engaging, efficient, and meaningful. Writing skill especially, is an important aspect of acquiring language as Malaysian exams are focused on this skill. So, this paper aims to identify language learners' writing strategies used among ESL primary school pupils in a rural school in Malaysia. The methodology employed in this study is questionnaire. Findings reveal that most pupils in the school apply writing strategies metacognitively to acquire the English language. Thus, these learning strategies could be of help for a teacher to plan and execute purposeful and meaningful writing lessons in order to ensure optimal learning that suit the pupils. The objectives of the study are; to identify the frequency of application of writing strategies among young English language learners in a rural school in Malaysia, and explore the implications of writing strategies on teaching and learning the language in a rural school in Malaysia.


The concept of marketing aims to produce products that meet the needs and desires of buyers and not the wishes of the company, all marketing activities carried out by hospitals to produce competitive advantages that follow the cycle, all activities must be directed to create superior value for customers. The research design used in this study is research using qualitative methods by analyzing primary and secondary data and involving most decision makers and stakeholders to identify aspects of marketing plans. The strategy that must be implemented is to support aggressive growth policies, namely: market penetration strategies, market development, and product development. RSUD Cileungsi still trusts in providing health services to the community with a target of services for mothers and children aged 25-64 years, by adopting marketing strategies in the form of hiring, training, and motivating employees through training, providing opportunities for assignments and or study permits. , as well as providing rewards and punishment, word of mouth, publicity, holding events more often, forming marketing teams, becoming sponsors in health checks and implementing an active marketing strategy that is by means of the "jemput bole" system.


In order to study the ability of l0kV multi-short-gaps arrester to cutting off the power frequency follow current after lightning over-voltage breakdown under the polluted condition, the pollution tests have been carried out, and the influence of the filthy solution on the repeated breakdown discharge has been also tested in this paper. Results show that the arrester can cut off the power frequency follow current at zero crossing under different pollution levels, and the arc does not occur any more. The repeated combined tests of impulse and power frequency show that the contamination has little effect on the power frequency cutting off capacity of the arrester, the filthy solution can even reduce the duration of the power frequency follow current. The strong arc blowing effect of the chamber can spout the filthy solution, that is the arrester has a certain self clean ability. Therefore, the l0kV multi-short-gaps arrester can operate effectively and correctly to achieve the lighting protection function under different abominable natural conditions.


The energies of the Rydberg states of H/sub 3/ are calculated for the equilibrium geometry of the ion H/sub 3//sup +/ in order to interpret the observed transitions. The equilibrium geometry is assumed to be D/sub 3h/ with R=1.650 bohrs. (AIP)


Abstract Nowadays, automatic generation control (AGC) is a very impressive problem in restructured power system operation for providing electric power with high quality and reliability. In this paper, the three-area multi-units system has been selected for AGC in a restructured power system. Federal energy regulatory commission supports an open market system for price-based operation. The theory of DISCO participation matrix is used to simulate the bilateral contracts in the three-area multi-units systems. In a restructured system because of open market system the power flow between areas is varying continuously however the system must be able to maintain stability in all conditions. In this paper, two cases for design robust controller have been considered. A new method using the imperialist competitive algorithm for designing this controller has been used. Finally, the obtained results are compared with other methods.


As part of a laboratory course, undergraduate students were asked to use baker's yeast cells as biotemplate in preparing TiO2 powders and to test the photocatalytic activity of the resulting materials. This laboratory experience, selected because of the important environmental implications of soft chemistry and photocatalysis, provides an opportunity to teach valuable laboratory skills and to introduce students to the synthesis, isolation, and characterization of inorganic materials. This laboratory activity is adaptable to a range of educational levels and to various instrumental techniques.


Free jet investigation of performance, burner shell cooling, liner durability, and ignition characteristics of ramjet engine conducted in altitude test chamber at inlet Mach number 2.75.


With Egyptian society moving into the electronic age, more people are communicating in cyberspace not only to access more information, but also to create a reality of their own (Parks, 2005). In five years, the number of Internet users increased seven fold reaching 22.1 million users by Augus t 2010 (MCIT, 2010). Egyptians started utilizing the technology to debate current events, criticize the government, public officials, political parties, and to share personal experiences to propose solutions to current socio-political problems, and to construct different visions of the country's future (El Gody, 2004; Parker, 2005). Citizens quickly harnessed ICTs creating online news sites, blogs, vblogs, YouTube, twitters, podcasts, SMS text messages, mobile phone web publishing, and establishing accounts on social networks like facebook (3.2 million users) and youtube (3 million users) mainly to produce and disseminate their journalism and advocacy faster than government can control, regulate or censor (El Gody; 2009; Hamdy, 2008; Salma, 2010). Pitnac (2010) counted 13,500 active Egyptian citizen news journalism websites providing "Politically driven reportage on local events ...break[ing] numerous off-limits to the mainstream Egyptian media" utilizing ICTs to cluster citizens around the idea of embracing democratic change (Pitnac, 2010: 299). The more audience join the hybrid world, the more networks created, the more active virtual participation occur, the more close Egyptian society in changing their reality witnessed in the increasing number of activities initiated in the online sphere (Radsch, 2008). Development, in that sense, can be attained through the wide participatory process that is intended to bring about social and material advancement for the majority of the people through their gaining control over their environment (Donahue, 2000). Information Communication Technologies hence is perceived as a tool to "empower" the Egyptian public to think and develop programs that respond to their specific needs. As a result of the diversity of the development concept, this alternative/pluralistic networked space envisions the diverse role of communications, too. It emphasizes the multiplicity, smallness of scale, localization, deinstitutionalization, and interaction at all levels, and interchange of sender-receiver roles (Bardoel, 2002; Singer 2008). Internet communication technologies (netCTs) hence added a new dimension to the production and consumption of news journalism in Egypt. They have enabled the creation of new communication spaces where diverse voices engage in conversation about matters affecting daily lives. Egyptian mainstream journalism, however, seems to be away from that formula (Ibid; El Gody, 2009). Ang (1991) report on journalists use of technology to communicate with audience describes Egyptian journalists, stating that media pretends to know their audience -through technologiesgenerating 'institutional knowledge,' realistically journalism media 'is not using the technology' to address citizens. Introduction of ICTs in Egyptian Print Media Egyptian print media ecology for the past 40 years has been shaped by loyalty to the system. One can still use William Rugh's 1979 classification of media in Egypt as being authoritarian (Rugh, 1979; 2004). By definition, an authoritarian media system is controlled by the government through direct ownership and/or strict laws and regulations. The purpose of newspapers is to promote the government's main political, social, and economic programs. The government steers the media agenda and direction of news to filter what receivers hear and see. Egyptian journalists do not explore beyond the limits of a traditional system of relationship between the political class and the rest of the population (Rugh, 2004; El Gody, 2006). The failure of the Egyptian print media to have an active presence in people's lives, lead audience to turn to other alternative online independent media forms for news (El Gody, 2004;


This paper provides new insights into the spatial pattern of internal migration in Spain at the provincial scale during the period 1981-91. Analyses are reported which show a decline in the level of inter-provincial migration over the last three intercensal periods and a much more uniform spatial pattern of net gains and losses in the 1980s than in previous decades.... The paper is based primarily on an unpublished sample of anonymised census records relating to migration.... The main focus of the paper is on age-specific migration and on the analysis and interpretation of the composition of migration age schedules and of their spatial variation between provinces.... It is evident that aggregate patterns of inter-provincial migration conceal a diversity of age-specific experience in Spain and that flows between any two provinces will depend on a variety of influences on migrants at different stages in their life courses. (EXCERPT)


The paper dwells on the limits to voting rights restriction through the lenses of the principle of proportionality when restricting rights and freedoms. One should differentiate between the principles of restriction on rights and freedoms and the limits to restriction of human rights and freedoms. Having studied academic literature and legal practice, the author suggests a definition of the principle of proportionality and analyzes its features. In addition, the paper demonstrates the relationship between the principle of proportionality and philosophical and ethical positions of Ancient Greek philosophers. The practical use of this principle is considered on the example of the decision of the European Court of Human Rights on the case "Anchugov and Gladkov v. Russia". Further, the paper reveals the dual nature of understanding the principle of proportionality, which largely depends on the subjective position of the individuals applying this principle. The author comes to the conclusion that this principle, being based on the positivist understanding of law, serves as a natural legal barrier against arbitrary limitations on constitutional rights and freedoms.


Student Services at Bahrain Polytechnic support students' leadership and career development through mentoring, coaching, advising and counselling. Student Services work closely with Faculties to ensure a co-ordinated approach to meet student needs. In collaboration with industry partners, the polytechnic ensures that its students receive a quality educational experience that develops the technical and employability skills that will open the door to rewarding career opportunities. Students are encouraged to make the most of the opportunities available to them to develop themselves as leaders and as citizens. Research conducted in Bahrain showed that students' decision making about careers is not well connected with the needs of the labour market. However, this is only one side of the equation. A major factor to be considered in maximising a student's potential is the matching of their strengths and interests with available jobs, including the opportunities to become selfemployed.


In his Schreiben und Denken (2000), the Austrian linguist Hanspeter Ortner identifies ten main writing strategies ("Schreibstrategien"): (1) writing in one go; (2) writing of one idea to one text version; (3) writing of one idea to several text versions; (4) writing, through several text versions, of one idea to several new ideas; (5) planning with subsequent writing out of the plan; (6) writing down of text-externally elaborated results; (7) linear step-by-step writing; (8) syncretistic writing; (9) writing of parts; (10) puzzle-writing ("Puzzle-Schreiben"). In my "The Philosophical Investigations and Syncretistic Writing" (2013) I argue that the textual genesis of Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations (PI) is well described as syncretistic in Ortner's sense, and that equally the form of the PI is, in an important sense, syncretistic. I connect the PI's syncretistic form to Wittgenstein's conception of philosophy and argue that it is a natural consequence from his view that philosophy has to employ many methods and has a strongly poetic dimension. In the present, related, contribution I argue that Wittgenstein's writing work, as it is documented in the Nachlass, in fact can be seen to exemplify all of Ortner's ten writing strategies, but that on the other hand it must be noted that for his PI Wittgenstein specifically settled on syncretistic strategy and form. Once more I propose to relate this to the PI's conception of philosophy and further argue, with reference to PI §133, that there is an intimate connection between the syncretistic and the function of examples in Wittgenstein's philosophy. I conclude by asking to what extent we have been able to integrate Wittgenstein's philosophy as it manifests itself in the PI into academic scholarship. The PI's philosophy appears indeed inseparable from its (syncretistic) form. It may, however, not only be difficult to recognize the principles of this form, but it may also be, that this form—in a fundamental sense—clashes with the "spirit of our civilization".


In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak as a pandemic; schools in the United States were ordered to close to minimize disease transmission1-2 . Serology-surveillance data are limited and there are no reports demonstrating the contribution of school closures to transmission control1-2 . School closure strategies might be national or local or based on student infection rates2 . In the current study, we sought to determine the COVID-19 infection rate in a private school in Brooklyn, New York during the re-opening school phase (Fall 2020).


The article focuses on the presence and on the value of the participle in the exordium of the Letter to the Colossians (Col 1:3-23). The detailed reading of the text allows us to understand the syntactic semantic multiplicity/richness of this verbal adjective and to detect its rhetorical function in the argument. The abundant use of its aspectual and temporal dimensions shows an emphatic amplified style of the Letter, but always at the service of the narrative. The long syntactic phrases seem well-constructed and held together by the presence of the participle which has the "responsibility" to bind the different parts of the proposition and to bring forward the argument. The participle contributes to better define not only Paul's identity/mission and his co-workers, but also that of the recipients. There is no clear separation between the interested parties, but there is a kind of analogy that the apostle establishes with the believers of Colossae: what regards the apostle is equally applicable to its rec...


The antifouling activity of bioactive compounds from marine sponge Acanthella elongata (Dendy) and five species of bacterial biofilm were studied. Larvae of Balanus amphitrite (Cyprids and nauplii) were used to monitor the settlement inhibition and the extent to which inhibition was due to toxicity. The crude extract and partially purified fractions of A.elongata showed significant inhibition over the settlement individually, and with the interaction of bacterial species. No bacterial film stimulated the barnacle settlement. The high but variable levels of antifouling activity in combination with less amount of toxicity showed the potential of these metabolites in environmentally-friendly antifouling preparations.


In this paper, we present an original and efficient method of human action recognition in a video sequence. The proposed model is based on the generation and fusion of a set of prototypes generated from different view-points of the data cube of the video sequence. More precisely, each prototype is generated by using a multidimensional scaling (MDS) based nonlinear dimensionality reduction technique both along the temporal axis but also along the spatial axis (row and column) of the binary video sequence of 2D silhouettes. This strategy aims at modeling each human action in a low dimensional space, as a trajectory of points or a specific curve, for each viewpoint of the video cube in a complementary way. A simple K-NN classifier is then used to classify the prototype, for a given viewpoint, associated with each action to be recognized and then the fusion of the classification results for each viewpoint allow us to significantly improve the recognition rate performance. The experiments of our approach have been conducted on the publicly available Weizmann data-set and show the sensitivity of the proposed recognition system to each individual viewpoint and the efficiency of our multi-viewpoint based fusion approach compared to the best existing state-of-the-art human action recognition methods recently proposed in the literature.


The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for integer conversion used in an image coding and video coding. It mainly uses integer transform the image data or video data for a forward integer transform process to transform the expression vector space to a forward integer transform matrix; the data after the inverse integer transform positive integer conversion processing can be restored to get the original image data or video data. Integer conversion apparatus of the present invention the individual functional units connected via a data bus, to achieve full integer transform method in the present invention. Since the transformation matrix coefficients used in the present process are integers, the original image data in the forward integer transform and inverse integer transform duplicate of the original data, thereby overcoming the mismatch Discrete Cosine Transform. The present invention is not limited to the field of video coding and image coding, it can also be extended to other applications of signal processing.


In Tunisia, water erosion is one of the most important processes affecting around 25% of arable land, generating a potential loss of soil productivity due to a decrease of hydraulically and chemical stocks. To control water erosion on lands of average slopes (less than 10%) best management practices (crop rotation, organic fertilization, etc.) have to be developed especially in Tunisian semiarid area, where rainfall irregularity and aggressivity enhance water erosion. Thus, conservative techniques for soil and water protection are required and have to be implemented at the level of the agricultural parcel to maintain or improve the productive potential of soils on average slopes in rain-fed lands, located in Tunisian semi arid area. In this context the article is presented. It is a synthesis of some experimental works on plots of 1 to 4 m2 in the experimental field station of the ESA Mograne, for the study of the effects of different kinds of crop-rotation (fallow long duration- chick pea) and organic fertilizers (row olive mills waste water) on the fertility of the soil and its potential yield. Results showed that long fallow-chickpea rotation and use of 50 m3/ha of row olive mills waste water improve soil fertility (water retention and C/N). This improvement in water and soil chemical properties increases the components of performance of chickpea (rate of dry matter) and weight of 1000 grains and plant biodiversity for 50 m3/ha spreading of row olive mills waste water. These results can be valued for the development of strips crops on average slope lands in Tunisian semiarid area for soil and water conservation.


Introduction: Nyquist ghosts are a persistent artifact in echo planar imaging (EPI), and occur when data sampled along positive readout gradients and negative read-out gradients is inconsistent. There are many approaches to correct such artifacts including double-sampled (DS) EPI [1], 1D phase-correction with an algorithm developed by Ahn and Cho (AC) [2], 2D phase-mapping [3], and phase labeling (PLACE) [4]. Although DS-EPI completely eliminates Nyquist ghosts it has the disadvantage of doubling the echo train length, which leads to greater susceptibility artifact distortion. The AC method is widely implemented on commercial scanners, yet often leaves residual ghosts behind. PLACE and 2D phase-mapping use an echo-interleave strategy which typically performs better than AC, but cuts the temporal sampling rate in half. As an alternative to these methods, we introduce the use of UNFOLD [5] instead of interleaving, to eliminate Nyquist ghosts while maintaining more than 90% of the temporal sampling bandwidth. Theory: The goal of all Nyquist ghost removal strategies is to correct the data sampling mismatch that occurs between the positive and negative read-out gradients in EPI. In the methods listed above, this is achieved by acquiring either the same line in k-space twice (DS-EPI), e.g. once for both positive and negative read-outs, acquiring a reference scan to estimate the shift between the sampling grids (AC), or by shifting the EPI sampling trajectory and then interleaving the positive or negative read-out data to form two separate images that satisfy the Nyquist sampling criteria (PLACE). We propose to use the PLACE sampling trajectory with UNFOLD to eliminate the Nyquist ghosts. UNFOLD employs temporal encoding to alternate the polarity of aliasing artifacts in a temporal sequence. When only odd ky lines are sampled the aliasing artifacts have positive phase. When even ky lines are sampled, the aliased portion of the (PSF) changes polarity and exhibits negative phase. In this way, aliasing artifacts can be tagged to 'flicker' at the temporal Nyquist rate, and subsequently removed using a narrow-band high-frequency notch filter in the temporal dimension. Shifting the data sampling grid on alternate frames by (1 Δk), as in PLACE, will introduce the same temporal modulation as required by UNFOLD. Separating the data into two sets—one for positive read-outs and the other for negative read-outs—will introduce the sub-sampling commonly used with UNFOLD. Each set can then be processed using a temporal UNFOLD filter to produce two fully sampled image series, which can then be combined to produce the final images. Our method is robust to sampling variations that can occur from frame to frame as well. In practice, positive readout data from one frame may not exactly line up with positive readout data from successive frames. With UNFOLD, these sampling errors will cancel when the positive and negative readout data is combined. For a given odd frame n, the image P associated with positive readout data will contain raw acquired odd lines from frame n, Po, plus even lines that have been generated by UNFOLD. These UNFOLD lines, Pe, may be corrupted by additional phase errors, φ, due to sampling mismatch between the frames. Thus, the image associated with positive readouts is P = Po + φPe. Similarly, the image N associated with negative readout data will contain raw acquired even lines from frame n, Ne, plus odd lines generated from UNFOLD that also contain the same potential phase errors, φNo. Since each image, N and P, separately satisfies the Nyquist criteria along the phase-encoding dimension, it is a simple matter to identify a operator Ψ, with ΨN≈P, that corrects the k-space shift between P=Pe+φPo and N=No+φNe. Combining the two data sets as P+ΨN=(Pe+φPo)+Ψ(No+φNe)=(Pe+φPo)+(Po+φPe)=(1+φ)(Po+Pe) demonstrates that the phase error between frames, φ, will not produce residual Nyquist ghosts since it affects both odd and even lines equally. Methods: 124 EPI images of a healthy volunteer were acquired after informed consent using a pulsed arterial spin labeling paradigm, Q2TIPS [6], on a GE EXCITE 1.5T scanner (image size 128x128, TR/TE=2.5s/55.1ms, slice thickness=8mm, FOV=28mm x 28mm, 8 channel head coil). To generate the perfusion signal, alternating Control and Label images were acquired. The pulse sequence was modified to introduce a temporal variation in the sampling grid as well, shifting by (1Δk) every other control/label pair. For processing, first the Control (C) and Label (L) images were separated and then odd (O) and even (E) lines separated. Each of the four data sets (CE,CO,LE,LO) were processed with UNFOLD, CE/LE and CO/LE images were phase corrected as above, and then combined to form the unaliased C and L sets. Results: Fig. 1a shows one image from the Q2TIPS series reconstructed using this approach. A significant reduction in Nyquist ghosting is visible compared to the AC corrected image in Fig 1b. Note that in both (a) and (b) the image values outside the brain have been amplified 15 times to increase Nyquist ghost visibility. The corresponding UNFOLD-EPI perfusion image is shown in (c), where it is clear that no Nyquist ghosts are present in the differences between Control/Label pairs. Discussion: The cost of using UNFOLD is a slight loss (~10%) in temporal resolution, depending on the width of the stop-band in the highfrequency notch filter. This loss is marginal, however, compared to the temporal resolution of competing methods and the subsequent gain in Nyquist ghost elimination. This work was supported in part by NIH U41 RR019703 and NIH R01 AA-016748


The governing differential equilibrium equations of semi-static loading model for nonlinear helical buckling of drill string in straight wells are solved by the finite element method. The rationality of semi-static loading model for helical buckling of drill string is theoretically verified. The semi-static loading problem and eigenvalue problem of drill string helical buckling are proved, the effects of drilling string gravity are included, and the assumption of small displacement is abandoned. The study shows that the helical buckling process of drill string is a stable loading process, the range of buckling displacement increases with the increase of axial load, the buckling displacement, bending moment and restrain force per unit length of the drilling vary periodically, and it is appropriate that the helical buckling problem of drilling string is analyzed as a semi-static loading problem, the initial buckling critical load of the semi-static loading model fits well with the analysis results of linear eigenvalue problem of drill-string sinusoidal buckling.


Digital receivers based on 1-bit quantization and oversampling w.r.t. the transmit signal bandwidth promise lower energy consumption. However, since 1-bit quantization is a highly non-linear operation, standard receiver algorithms cannot be applied. Thus, we derive performance bounds for phase, timing, and frequency estimation in order to gain a deeper insight into the impact of 1-bit quantization and oversampling. We identify uniform phase and sample dithering as crucial to combat the effect of the non-linearity introduced by 1-bit quantization. Since oversampling results in noise correlation, a closed form of the likelihood function is not available. Thus, we study a system model with white noise by adapting the receive filter bandwidth to the sampling rate. Considering the aforementioned dithering, we obtain very tight closed form lower bounds on the Cramér–Rao lower bound (CRLB) in the large sample regime. We show that with uniform phase and sample dithering, all large sample properties of the CRLB of the unquantized receiver are preserved under 1-bit quantization, except for an signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) dependent performance loss that can be decreased by oversampling. Numerical computations show that the properties of the CRLB for white noise still hold for colored noise except that the performance loss due to 1-bit quantization is reduced.