Gold nanoparticles may assist in the delivery of anti-cancer drugs, such as doxorubicin, deeper into cells and tumors in vitro and in vivo. However, the ideal shape, size, and surface chemistry of the particles have not been well determined. This is especially difficult in the case of doxorubicin, which has multiple modes of action, reacting differently in cancer cells vs. normal cells and in cytoplasm vs. nucleus. We begin to address these issues here by examining the cytotoxicity of two sizes of Au-doxorubicin particles, as well as examining the tracking of injected Au-doxorubicin in mice in vivo. Finally, we examine mechanisms of toxicity in different cell lines, finding that nanoparticles may assist in overcoming anti-apoptotic mechanisms in cancer cells.


According to constructivism,language learning is a process during which the learner constructs knowledge actively through interaction with the environment,and the teacher helps students to get knowledge initiatively by providing cognitive tools in class.This paper suggests that oral English teaching mode should be constructed based on the four aspects: learner-centered,situated teaching,cooperative learning,and comprehensive assessment.In this teaching mode,teachers turn from the traditional role of instructors into organizers of English communication activities,so as to help students to construct linguistic skills.


AbstractStudying musical aural skills often requires a partner for effective learning. Since it can be difficult for students to arrange convenient practice sessions, computers offer an alternative to a human partner. We selected the Apple II microcomputer because it has atone generator, some existing music soft ware, and, with the addition of an ALF board, can produce up to three simultaneous tones. Several programs, including one original one, were used. Altogether, the courseware covered intervals, scales, and melodies. Evaluation of this project, including attitude questionnaires and achievement tests, was largely positive and suggests that the use of computers should be expanded to the rest of the ear-training curriculum.


Explanation............................................................................... 119 Biological data .......................................................................... 121 Biochemical aspects .......................................................... 121 Absorption, distribution, excretion ............................... 121 Biotransformation......................................................... 123 Pharmacokinetics in humans....................................... 124 Comparative pharmacokinetics of b-adrenoceptor agonists ................................................................. 124 Structural requirements ......................................... 124 Absorption, distribution and excretion................... 125 Biotransformation......................................................... 127 Toxicological studies .......................................................... 128 Short-term studies of toxicity ....................................... 128 Long-term studies of toxicity and carcinogenicity ....... 130 Genotoxicity ................................................................. 135 Reproductive toxicity.................................................... 140 Special studies............................................................. 140 Pharmacodynamic effects: b-adrenergic receptor selectivity for stereoisomers of ractopamine .................................................... 140 Cardiovascular effects........................................... 141 Microbiological effects ........................................... 147 Observations in humans .................................................... 147 Cardiovascular effects ................................................. 147 Musculo-skeletal effects .............................................. 150 Behavioural changes ................................................... 150 Metabolic effects.......................................................... 150 Tolerance ..................................................................... 151 Bronchial hyperreactivity and increased airway inflammation .......................................................... 151 Tumorigenicity.............................................................. 151 Comments ............................................................................... 152 Evaluation ............................................................................... 157 References ............................................................................... 157


Let us now return to the one-dimensional case. The question we would like to answer now is the following: in the continuum limit, if we make many different independent particles start from the origin at the same instant, supposing that they undergo a random walk where the length of each step is regulated by a probability distribution χ(l) , how many particles will there be at time t in the interval [x, x+ dx] ? We will see that the answer to this question leads us to the diffusion equation.


Literature can help us understand the lived experience of complex phenomena, the world and possible worlds as they unfold around us. Besides being a portal towards possible worlds, the spatial dimensions of fictional works such as literature and film provide planners with opportunities for a deeper exploration of ethics, lived experience and perceptions of cities and the ways in which they are made (Clark, 2014; Rowley, 2018). The onset of Covid-19 has brought about a resurgence of interest in exploring how works of literature can help us understand and navigate emerging worlds: in 2020, Albert Camus' 1947 novel The Plague (La Peste) has been the focus of much of this interest (Sharpe, 2020). The resurgence of interest in this work is welcome, although little discourse has engaged with spatial aspects of the work. This is a missed opportunity. In an era of constantly unfolding crises stemming from a range of ecological socio-political dynamics that place new demands on planning (Barry et al., 2018; Osborne, 2018), the relevance of The Plague goes beyond viral pandemic (Vulliamy, 2015): it cuts to the core questions of how actors such as planners might act, and how cities might shape and be shaped by complex phenomena. The Plague is set in a fictionalised adaptation of the Algerian coastal city of Oran. Since its publication, The Plague has prompted extensive significant scholarship and criticism: Some of this productive work has sought to expand on The Plague's relevance by exploring links with the context in which it was written (see, for example, Carroll, 2001; Stephanson, 1987) and to apply its insights across a range of disciplines including the health sector (Tuffour & Payne, 2017). During 2020, much of the discussion of The Plague has explored what the work can tell us about the trajectory of disease, associated social dynamics and personal ethics (Schillinger, 2020; Sharpe, 2020). Other works have renewed discussion of the philosophical legacy of The Plague and Camus' very own concerns (De Botton, 2020). These recent works are welcome, although they do not address the spatial significance of The Plague and its potential broader application to the multiple, entwined crises that define our times. In examining the potential for fiction to bring new insight to town planning practice, this essay presents an ecological and spatial dive into Camus' text, applying it to emerging challenges across place and the planning profession. Plague and pestilence provide a prism through which new possibilities and ethics of planning ought to be envisaged. The challenges and opportunities The Plague presents for the planning profession permeate from the highest levels of theoretical abstraction, to everyday practice at the local level. In writing from Australia in 2020, where globally significant bushfires that caused harrowing destruction and shrouded our largest cities in smoke presented an apocalyptic prelude to the arrival of Covid-19 and its associated socio-spatial effects, I suggest that the time for planning around the world to learn from Camus' work is now, and the need is urgent.


The present invention is a solid polymer electrolyte electrode structure, the structure comprising a diaphragm, a plurality of electrically conductive particles and electrically conductive, hydraulically permeable matrix, wherein the conductive particles and the conductive substrate in physical and electrical contact with each other or with the insert film and diaphragm together. The present invention also relates to a method for forming a solid polymeric conductive structure.


The synthesis of residual generators for automatic fault detection and isolation is considered. Sufficient conditions for its solvability are presented, for a particular class of nonlinear systems. The plant model is assumed to be bilinear in the control signals, up to output injection, and bilinear in the failure modes. Next a method of designing the residual generator is described. It involves the determination of a particular family of (C, A)-invariant subspaces. To this end, a characterization of all the (C, A)-invariant subspaces had to be derived. Finally, a simulation study on a distillation column model illustrates the feasibility of the approach.<<ETX>>


Salt stress-induced changes of intracellular pH and in levels of phosphorous compounds were monitored in intact root tips of barley seedlings (Hordeum vulgare cv. Akashin-riki) by in vivo 31 P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Vacuolar alkalization was observed after treatment with both 300 and 500 mM NaCI. Much of the observed apparent alkalization of the cytoplasm was elimi-nated when the effect of Na + ions on the titration curve was considered. Within 1 h after the initiation of salt stress, levels of glucose-6-phosphate and UDP-glucose decreased markedly, and such decreases might lead directly or indirectly to cell death. Simultaneous measurements of the external and intracellular pH revealed the promotion of external acidification and internal alkalization during salt stress. Possible mechanisms of Na + /H + antiport at the tonoplast and the role of proton-pump in the plasma membrane are discussed.


—Bulbospinal neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) are critical for the maintenance of sympathetic vasomotor tone and normal cardiovascular reflex function. So far, selectively eliminating/inhibiting distinct subpopu-lations of RVLM neurons has not significantly altered arterial pressure. Here we show that RVLM presympathetic neurons that express somatostatin 2A receptors are essential for maintaining and potentially generating sympathetic vasomotor tone. Combined immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization were used to map the expression of somatostatin receptors 1, 2A, 2B, 3, and 4 (sst1 through 4, respectively) in the rat RVLM. sst1 and sst2B were absent; sst3 and sst4 were sparse. However, sst2A was found postsynaptically and detected in 35Ϯ5% of bulbospinal RVLM neurons a population that included 54Ϯ4% of catecholaminergic and 30Ϯ3% of enkephalinergic neurons. Bilateral microinjection into the RVLM of either somatostatin or the receptor-selective agonist lanreotide evoked dramatic, dose-dependent sympathoinhibition, hypotension, and bradycardia that were blocked by the sst2 receptor antagonist BIM-23627 in anesthetized rats. Bilateral RVLM microinjection of somatostatin also attenuated chemoreceptor and somatosympathetic reflex function. Somatostatin only eliminated the first sympathoexcitatory peak evoked by somatosympathetic reflex activation, whereas muscimol abolished both excitatory peaks providing functional evidence that the activity of only a subpopulation of RVLM presympathetic neurons is inhibited by somatostatin. We suggest that the subpopulation of bulbospinal RVLM neurons that expresses the sst2A receptor sets sympathetic vasomotor output. These neurons are essential for maintaining resting blood pressure under anesthesia and contribute to adaptive reflexes mediated through the RVLM. P resympathetic neurons within the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) contain catecholamines and/or pre-proenkephalin (PPE) and are critical for the tonic and reflex control of arterial pressure (AP). 1–3 Inputs regulating RVLM presympathetic neuronal activity release amino acids and/or a range of modulatory neurochemicals, including peptides. 2– 6 These underlie the ability to provide a differentiated sympathetic drive to the various vascular beds, 6 alter the responses to reflex activation, 5 and set the level of AP. 1,3,5 Identification of neurons responsible for generating and maintaining sympathetic vasomotor tone and, therefore, setting the level of AP would be a major breakthrough in understanding circulatory control. The inhibitory neuropeptide somatostatin (SST) is distributed widely in regions of the central nervous system involved in motor, cognitive, autonomic, and neuroendocrine processes. 7,8 Two biologically active forms of SST, SST 14 and SST 28, are cleaved from preprosomatostatin and bind to all of the SST receptors with similar affinity. 8 Six G protein– coupled …


A major fire started in the storage tank area. It began with leakage of natural gasoline (NG) from a fractured miter. A vapor cloud, formed from the spilled NG, traveled across a road to the sulfur unit where it ignited. Calculated parameters of the hypothesis are in good agreement with the physical evidence and eyewitness accounts.


This piece of writing examined Four-Districts Travelogue, which is a travel essay written by Jin Taek Gwang-ha Shin after he had looked around Jecheon(堤川), Cheongpung(淸風), Danyang(丹陽), Youngchun(永春). The itinerary and content of Four-Districts Travelogue is as follows. 1) The travel of Gwang-ha Shin, which lasted for 11 days (Aug. 12-Aug. 22) and covered approximately 400 ri (400里), was done thanks in large part to the help of the older brother, Gwang-soo Shin(申光洙), who was Youngwol Busa (寧越府使,top government officer), and its itinerary covers 'Youngwol(寧越)→Jecheon(堤川)→Chungju(忠州)→Cheongpung(淸風)→Danyang(丹陽)→Youngchun(永春)→Youngwol(寧越)'. Four-Districts Travelogue is recorded in order of date, and at the beginning of description, the starting point and the destination as well as the distance are indicated in the form of headword. Similes and enumerations appear often. 2) ① The purpose of travel for Gwang-ha Shin, whose life was in needy circumstances, was to enjoy the 'realm of freedom without any restriction', that is to say 'Cheon-yoo (天游; celestial joy)', which is revealed through the conversation between him and the old couple whom he met during his travel. ② Gwang-ha Shin believes that there are numerous capable scholars who are not in government positions because they have not been noticed by authorities just as the beauty spots of Danyang won a reputation only after Toigye(退溪) recognized its value. ③ It is unordinary that he met 2 buddhist monks everyday since he had met them by chance during his travel and that he described these 2 buddhist monks favorably and in detail. ④ Four-Districts Travelogue depicts the trip of Southern cave(南窟) in Youngchun with great detail and it is interesting to read unbelievably odd stories in relation to the southern cave. ⑤ Gwang-ha Shin treats the mysterious scenery of four districts as well as the richness and peace of villages with affectionate glances by using Chinese place names or ancient incidents. In addition, he compares and evaluates the scenery of four districts as well as the districts themselves. 3) Four-Districts Travelogue needs to be compared with other travel essays written about the four districts in order to reveal its characteristics. This is held over for the next task.


ABSTRACT Air photo interpretation and geochemistry have been used to supplement sparse field data in compiling a reconnaissance geological map of the area around the Lecht. Upper Appin and lower Argyll Group rocks are exposed, the best marker horizons being correlatives of the Appin and Jura Quartzites. Scatter plots, Q mode factor analysis and Pearson correlation coefficients of geochemical data were successfully used in the correlation of the pelite and limestone outcrops. The presence of major recumbent folds is inferred. The area is cut by numerous minor faults which are thought to be related to a major transcurrent fault, the probable north-eastern continuation of the Loch Tay fault, which was active in Lower Old Red Sandstone times. The Lecht manganiferous ironstone is a seepage-bog ore type deposit derived by weathering of the local Dalradian sequence. Despite intensive leaching, this sequence still shows anomalously high levels of several elements, particularly Mn, Ba and Zn. In addition, stratiform sphalerite and manganiferous garnet are present in Blair Atholl Subgroup limestone and pelite horizons, respectively. Mineralogical and geochemical evidence suggests the presence of Zn–Pb–(Ag)–(?Au) exhalative mineralisation within the upper Appin Group Dalradian of the region, of which the Lecht represents the distal manganiferous expression.


Objective To investigate the variation of procalcitonin(PCT)level and the significance of PCT for the diagnosis of infection during perioperative period of valve replacement for rheumatic heart disease.Methods Routine blood testing and procalcitonin(PCT)level were measured in the perioperative period of 56 patients with rheumatic heart disease receiving valve replacement.Prophylactic antibiotics management was given based on the serum procalcitonin level especialy that 3 days after operation or later.The postoperative infective complications and the duration of prophylactic antibiotics management were recorded and assessed.Results The duration of prophylactic antibiotics for all patients were 4.6 ± 2.0 days.Six patients were suffered from poor incision healing and one was suffered from pulmonary infection.There were no severe postoperative infective complications.The PCT of the patients without postoperative infection rise to peak level on the 1st day after operation and return to normal on the 3rd day.There was no significant difference in the PCT levels between the two groups.The duration for PCT descending to 0.25 mg/L was 3.7 ± 2.5 days.The PCT level of the patients suffered from pulmonary infection went up again after infection on the 5th day and return to normal on the 9th day.No severe postoperative infective complications happened after withdrawn of prophylactic antibiotics if PCT had descended tobelow 0.25 mg/L after operation.Conclusions The serum PCT level may be a good parameter for the prediction or diagnosis of infective complication in the perioperative period of patients undergoing valve replacement for rheumatic heart disease.It can be a useful marker to guide the use of prophylactic antibiotics.

Key words:
Procalcitonin;  Rheumatic heart disease;  Valve replacement;  Infections


We used 11ft nets from Apr~ l through November 1991 in Louisiana (USA) deltaic marshes to compare nekton densities In 3 marsh-surface habitats unde rgo~ng submergence and h a v ~ n g different surface elevations (Distichlls spjcata marsh = hlgh e levat~on, Intact Spartina alterniflora marsh = intermediate elevation; and hummocky S dltern~flora marsh = low e levat~on) . Daggerblade grass shrlmp Palaemonetes P L I ~ I O , gulf klllifish Fundulus grandis, sheepshead minnow C)~prinocIon variegatus, diamond k~llifish Adinia xenica, s t r~ped mullet ~Llugil cephalus, blue crab Calllnectes sapldus, brown shrimp Penaeus aztecus, and white shrlmp P setiferus numer~cally dominated samples from all 3 marsh types and accounted for 93 %, of the total catch. These dom~nan t specles exh~bi ted 3 d~stinct patterns of spa t~a l distribution among habitats. Gulf k i l l~ f~sh and diamond killiflsh were most abundant on D. splcata marsh, whereas h~ghes t densities of brown shnmp and w h ~ t e shrimp were found on hummocky S. alterniflora marsh Dens~t les of daggerblade grass s h r ~ m p , sheepshead minnows, s tnped mullet, and blue crabs were s~rnilar among the 3 marsh types. Although in an advanced state of detenoration, hummocky S alterniflora mal-sh did not lose ~ t s hab~ ta t function. Submergence of coastal Gulf of Mexico marshes may benc'f~t marsh nekton, espec~ally penaeid s h r ~ m p , by Increasing the percentage of time the marsh surface is avalldble for use. However, these benef~ts will be short-l~ved in reglons where rapld submergence leads to a s ign~f~can t decrease in total marsh hab~ ta t


T he mere fact that JAPA has presented Henry Markman's vignette for discussion represents for me a bit of encouragement about the future of our field. I am encouraged not simply because I applaud what Markman did (although I do feel that way about it, under the circumstances in which it came about). No, what I appreciate is Markman's cautious openness to following his patient's emphatic lead, without feeling that he was disastrously violating his professional ideals. Markman trusted the patient to know something about what he needed. He listened, and he considered the alternatives available to him, and he chose selfdisclosure, or what I would prefer to call expressive participation. Markman doesn't tell us the theoretical position from which he is working, although we are clear that he does not agree with the most traditional views, at least in this instance. We are safe in assuming, I think, that Markman is working from some kind of field theory, in which the events of the treatment are mutually constructed by the participants. The processes by which the field is constructed, and often enough the resulting outcomes, too, are liable to occur outside awareness, and do not necessarily lend themselves to representation in any kind of symbolic terms—that is, neither in imagery of some kind nor in words. Instead, at least in North American field theory,1 moments of clinical process such as the one we are discussing between Matt and Markman—and human relatedness of all kinds, for that matter—may not be represented in the mind by symbols


Dr. Jonathan Ratner's discussion is amazing and a valuable commentary (and sometimes a corrective) upon the work in our article. We are grateful for his thoughtful examination and testing of the assumptions and methodology we have used. His contribution goes far beyond a typical discussion and is an article in its own right, or at the very least a provocative essay. He makes many important points and builds out our reasoning and expands its scope in numerous ways. This response attempts to briefly address some of the key points and suggestions that he makes. Dr. Ratner is quite correct that we made the enormously simplifying assumption of a unitary decision-maker, the "president," who need only consult his or her utility function, and whose analysis is rational and unselfish but completely proAmerican. Like everyone, we appreciate that the political realities are far more complex than that, but we believe that our deliberate simplification has the advantage of focusing attention on the simple question of whether the five wars (or military actions) under consideration led to good or bad economic outcomes for the United States as a whole. Clearly, one could address a more realistic decision-theoretic framework in which multiple stakeholders (Congress, generals, intelligence analysts, Halliburton, and many others) negotiate or coalesce or diverge in reaching a military decision, and that would surely lead to fascinating work in sociology and political science. But such modeling was not our intent. And we appreciate Dr. Ratner's recognition that our primary goal was the cost-benefit analysis. Our emphasis on "the U.S.-centric utility function" bothered Dr. Ratner, and we readily acknowledge that it makes us morally uncomfortable too. We would prefer to live in a world in which the United States is not indifferent to the suffering of others and where altruism is part of the calculus of leadership. And we also think that considerations of decency are usually given some weight in the corridors of power. However, we also believe that a callous calculation of the bottom line is a necessary component of military and other policy decisions. Absent that starting point, there seems to be no principled basis for prioritizing cases and causes. Dr. Ratner would prefer to see "a sensitivity analysis, with an alternative, semi-altruistic utility function." We think that would be interesting and useful, and effective altruism is always important. But (as Dr. Ratner points out later), our article is already heavily freighted with assumptions that have varying degrees of plausibility. Trying to monetize the lives of non-American


This paper presents the object oriented ap- proach to programming the finite element method using the Java language. The developed finite element code consists of ten Java packages. Three main methods are related to generation of finite element models, solution of elastic and elastic-plastic boundary value problems, and visualization of models and solution results. Object- oriented model of the code is described. It is demon- strated that Java 1.5 new features are useful in develop- ment of the finite element code. Java 3D is used for visu- alization of models and results. keyword: Object oriented approach, Java, Java 3D, Fi- nite element method, Elastic, Elastic-plastic, Visualiza- tion.


China and Japan are two neighboring countries which correlate and interact with each other in culture.Tree worship is an old social cultural phenomenon,and there are various reasons for people to worship trees,including the tree of life,the bridge of uniting divinity and mankind,the adherence to ancestors' souls,and the worship of sun-god.Tree worship is rooted both in China and Japan,but the tree worship in Japan differs from that in China in some aspects.The findings drawn from this study can help us better understand not only the relationship between the worship in China and Japan,but also the unique features in the tree worship in Japan.


Objective To evaluate the function of lactate and procalcitonin(PCT) in the prognosis of elderly patients with community acquired pneumonia(CAP).Methods 118 cases of elderly CAP patients were selected to examine their PCT,lactate and pneumonia severity index(PSI) score.PCT and PSI scores were compared between the death group and the survival group,as well as the severe pneumonia group and non-severe pneumonia group.The relationship between the content of lactate and PCT and PSI score was analyzed.Results The levels of PCT and lactate and PSI scores were higher in the severe pneumonia group and the death group than in the non-severe pneumonia group and the survival group(P0.05).There was a positive correlation between PSI scores and the levels of lactate and PCT(r=0.63,0.65,P0.05).Conclusion The levels of lactate and PCT have certain prognostic evaluation function for elderly patients with CAP,and the high levels of lactate and PCT suggest a poor prognosis.


Abstract . This research aims to improve representation skills of data presentation for fourth grade students of Mangkuyudan Elementary School Surakarta in 2018/2019 academic year by by applying Number Head Together (NHT). This Classroom Action Research consisted of two cyles with two learning in each cycle. Subject in this research were students and teacher in IV grade of Mangkuyudan Elementary School Surakarta. Research data collection by way of interviews, observations, test, and document analysis. Source triangulation and technical triangulation used for data validity. The data in this research used descriptive comparative analysis techniques and interactive analysis model by Miles and Huberman. Classical completeness of students in initial condition was 3,33%, in first cycle showed 40%. then in second cycle showed 80%.


With the development of economy and society, insurance plays a more and more important role, therefore, how to deal with the translation effectively in CE and EC should deserve great attentions. From a basic introduction of insurance approach, this paper discusses the principle and methods in translating words, jargons and contracts, including stipulations.


Core-shell hydrophilic superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles, surface functionalized with either terephthalic acid or 2-amino terephthalic acid, showed large negative MRI contrast ability, validating the advantage of using low molecular weight and π-conjugated canopies for engineering functional nanostructures with superior performances.


Land tenure security is an incentive for investing in land-based activities and, therefore, an impetus for economic development. In Ghana and the developing world as a whole, it is argued that land...


internship (or externship) program ; many educational institutions require students to secure work in the hospitality industry as part of fulfilling their degree requirements. Students are generally required to work for a specified period of time and to submit reports about their work experience; in some cases, the hands-on experience is supervised by faculty members, who visit the work sites.


The delivery of services for seniors in Canada today is inherently complex and challenging. Canada's aging population is affecting the demand for services and changing the face of service provision (i.e., how and where services are delivered; the types of services available). Regionalization of health services, ongoing fiscal constraints, advances in technology and medicine, shifts to communitybased care, societal and family changes and the prevalence of chronic disease combined with an aging population are factors contributing to challenges in service delivery for seniors. In this paper, the results from the Atlantic Canada component of a national study about service provision for seniors are reported. Analysis indicates that there are several common challenges that communities in Atlantic Canada face. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of service provision challenges for seniors for communities across Canada.


Candida is a type of yeast-like fungus found in different areas of the body, such as the vagina; however, it is considered an opportunistic pathogen that depends on virulence factors favoring the host to cause infection. The most frequently isolated species in the vaginal area is Candida albicans, but nevertheless, studies carried out nowadays indicate that in recent years it has increased the species of Candida not albicans such as Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, Candida pseudotropicalis and Candida krusei. In order to carry out the present investigation, the following objectives were proposed: to identify the presence of fungal structures in samples of vaginal secretion by means of the KOH test, to identify the growth of colonies in Sabouraud Agar and to identify the species of Candida through the culture in CHROMagar- Candida. In the present descriptive and cross-sectional study, a total of 130 vaginal discharge samples were obtained; the tests that were applied were: KOH (Potassium hydroxide), Sabouraud Agar, CHROMagar-Candida. After the application of the KOH test the following result was obtained: yeasts (60.8%), pseudohyphae (13.1%) and mixed structures of yeasts and pseudohyphae (26.1%). Likewise, after carrying out the cultivation in Sabouraud Agar, it was observed that of the 100% of the samples processed, all presented the growth of smooth, creamy and yellowish-white colonies, characteristics of Candida; finally the culture in CHROMagar-Candida allowed to identify the following species of Candida: with greater predominance Candida krusei with 69.2%, followed by Candida albicans with 29.2%, and Candida glabrata with 1.6%.

Key words: Virulence factors, Candida, KOH, Sabouraud Agar, CHROMagar-Candida.


A series of fluorinated 4H-3,1-benzoxazines and iminoisobenzofurans have been synthesized through the electrophilic fluorocyclization of olefinic amides. This methodology is highlighted by its mild conditions, wide substrate scope, and good functional group tolerance.


Objective To establish an optimum furnace program for GFAAS determination of lead in Urine. Methods Experiment and study on furnace program of GFAAS such as dry, pyrolysis, atomization, clean-out were carried out and furnace program by aid of plotting the absorbance-temperature curve was confirmed. Results The linearity range of calibration curve is 0.00~75.00μg/L,the correlation coefficient were greater than 0.995. The detection limit was 3.0μg/L(0.2ml urine sample was taken),the precision (RSD)were between 0.78~1.85%(urine lead concentration:15.0,30.0,75.0μg/L),recoveries of spiked samples ranged between 96.0~106.3%. Conclusion The furnace program of GFAAS for determination of lead in urine is sensitive and its accuracy is improved.


Soil organic carbon(SOC) is an important indicator of soil quality and soil buffering capacity,which affects greenhouse effect and global climate change.The second soil survey data of Shanxi Province were used as the main data,combining with years of relevant research data,the SOC density was estimated and extensively discussed.Results showed that the SOC density of sandy soil,loessal soil in north Shanxi,and lithosoil in Shangluo was the lowest(less than 4 kg m-2),whereas the highest SOC density was mainly presented in Guanzhong Plain and Qinling Mountains(up to or even more than 30 kg m-2).In addition,the SOC density in south Shanxi ranged between 4 and 9 kg m-2.It was found that SOC density varied widely among 22 soil types of Shanxi Province,in which the SOC density of 13 soil types was lower than the national average level.The mean SOC density and storage of Shanxi Province were 6.87 kg m-2 and 1.41 × 1012 kg,respectively.


THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES A LANDSLIDE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN EMBANKMENT BUILT WITH GLACIAL MATERIALS. SURVEYS AND INITIAL STRENGTHENING OPERATIONS SHOWED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE LANDSLIDE WAS A SAND BANK SUBJECTED TO FLOW PRESSURES. BECAUSE OF THE THREAT OF FURTHER SLIDES, OTHER STRENGTHENING WORKS WERE CARRIED OUT: PROTECTIVE BENCH AGAINST RAIN WATER FLOWING FROM A ROAD AT THE TOP OF THE SLOPE, CLEANING OF THE SLIPPED MASS AND CONTRUCTION OF A DRAINAGE CURTAIN, AND INSTALLATION OF TWO SUBHORIZONTAL DRAINS. DETAILS ARE GIVEN OF SLIP-CIRCLE STABILITY STUDIES AND SUPPORT STUDIES TOGETHER WITH THE WORKS CARRIED OUT AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE HYDROGEOLOGY (PIEZOMETER MEASUREMENTS). MENTION IS MADE OF THE FACT THAT SUBHORIZONTAL DRAINS, EFFECTIVE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS (5 M LOWERING), DO NOT PREVENT A SUDDEN RISE IN THE WATER TABLE DURING HEAVY RAINFALLS. THE STUDY ALSO SHOWED THE GENERAL LONG-TERM INSTABILITY OF STANDARD GROUND SUPPORT AND THE NEED FOR SHEET PILING OR SLURRY TRENCH WALLS. /TRRL/


The effect of NdCl3 on the rooting and nitrogen metabolism of loquat in vitro was studied when NdCl3 was added to the rooted medium. The results show that 0.4 μmol*L-1 NdCl3 in the rooted medium can obviously increase the rooting rate, length of root and fresh weight of roots, and enhance the activities of nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase, glutamate dehydrogenase in the root system and in the leaves. The transformation of NO3- to NH4+ in root system and leaves are promoted and the nitrogen metabolism is accelerated with 0.4 μmol*L-1 NdCl3 treatment.


I would like to argue that to a large extent universities are themselves to blame for their failure to respond adequately to external pressures of the day. Barring the work of a few exceptional departments and individuals here and there, universities are incapable of addressing precisely those problems that most preoccupy our societies nowadays. Granted, universities rightly regard themselves as playing a key role in preserving intellectual, academic and cultural traditions. This, however, should not be taken to be an acceptable excuse for not dealing with fundamental social injustices and discrepancies - problems often deemed to lie outside the scope of a university's legitimate interests. Since universities are by far the most important institutions in any modern society entrusted with the task of creating knowledge (whether the exclusivity of this knowledge-creating role is a good thing is another question), they should also strive to apply the knowledge created there to major social issues at any given time. This paper substantiates this thesis through some examples, and discusses its bearing on the future of the university curriculum.


The floating structure having a standard modular spur deukaen is disclosed. Body that floating structure having a spur deukaen standard modular in accordance with one embodiment of the subject innovation will be suspended in the water; The legs allow the lifting in the vertical direction joined to the main body; Spur disposed at a lower portion of the leg deukaen; It may include a standard removal of the assembly detachably coupled to the leg and the spur deukaen.


EDMUS, the European Database for Multiple Sclerosis (MS), was established on the occasion of the first European Concerted Action for MS under the auspices of the European Community. The system is user-friendly and makes it possible to record and retrieve data relevant to MS. Within the framework of another European Concerted Action, several international multicenter trials are currently in progress. EVALUED, a validation of the EDMUS system, assesses the interrater variability; PRIMS examines the influence of pregnancy and the post-partum period on the course of MS; and PRESTIMUS investigates predictive factors in suspected MS. Further, planned studies include ERAZMUS (early azathioprine and interferon-beta treatment in MS) and AZASTOP, which is designed to evaluate the effect of stopping azathioprine treatment.


Objective To study the effect of astragalus injection on neuronal apoptosis and expression of c-Jun N-terminal kinase3(JNK3) in cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats. Methods The middle cerebral artery occlusion reperfusion rat models were established by inserting a filament suture from left external-internal carotid artery, and treated by injecting intraperitoneally astragalus injection(3 mL/kg). The neurobehavioral function was evaluated by Longa's test and the neuronal apoptosis in hippocampus detected by flow cytometry. The expressions of JNK3 mRNA and protein were respectively detected by western bloting and RT-PCR. Results After treated by astragalus injection, the expression of JNK3 mRNA and protein, the number of apoptotic neurons in hippocampus reduced significantly, while the neurobehavioral function of rats improved than those in model group. Conclusion Astragalus injection might improve the neurobehavioral function of rats by down-regulating the expressions of JNK3 and inhibiting neuronal apoptosis.


The oxidation of different types of coal, in general, in alkaline medium, using potassium permanganate under atmospheric pressure or with gaseous oxygen at high pressure, produce different polycarboxylic aromatic and aliphatic compounds. These compounds, especially the soluble benzene polycarboxylic acids, are of significant industrial use in preparation of plastic derivatives and polyesters and for biological purposes. The humic acid, also produced by the reaction, has recently been used as fertilizer. The production of benzene polycarboxylic acids from the oxidation reaction of ''El Balayem'' petroleum coke is studied at different reaction conditions. The effects of alkali concentration reaction time and reaction temperature are examined. Different constituents of the reaction product are detected and identified by adequate analytic procedures. Yield of each constituent is calculated and optimum values for operating conditions are reached.


Using rainwater in catchments as the research target, the paper expatiate the concept and connotations of rainwater resources, presents the definitions and computations of theoretical potential, realistic potential and target potential in rainwater conversion into water resources; meanwhile, it lists ten types of target functions in accordance with the computation principles of the target potentials in rainwater conversion into water resources and on the basis of the analysis of the catchment types, and makes use of the goal programming to establish the models to compute the target potentials.


Within a century, the mystery of Mal'aria was solvcd although its eradication world-wide still proves elusive. For 20 centuries, the search focuscd on marshy tcrrain, on the observation of its association with malaria. Empirical control measures directed at draining marshes reduced the number of malaria cases but it was only with the discovery of its aetiology and the mosquito vector that such measures were put on a scientific footing. Larvicides and screening against mosquito bites were costly measures. The discovery of residual insecticides, which destroyed adult mosquitoes, gave the world a more cost-effective weapon against malaria. The cinchona bark, quinine and the synthetic anti-malarials made cure possible. Despite these advances, scveral factors stand in the way to world-wide eradication: limited resources of manpower and finance, resistant parasites and resistant mosquito vectors.


Based on computer symbolic system,a modified hyperbolic function method is presented to search for exact solutions of differential-difference equations.The(2+1)-dimensional Toda lattice is chosen to illustrate the method.As a result,abundant new solitary solutions are obtained.The method can be applied to many other nonlinear differential-different equations(DDEs).


Before the advent of effective chemotherapy, pneumococcal meningitis was not only a fatal disease, but one that ran its full course with great rapidity. Cases invariably came to necropsy within 10 days of the onset of the illness and usually very much sooner (Cairns and Russell, 1946). Although sulphonamides alone had little effect on the ultimate mortality the infection was often partially suppressed and the speed of the disease slowed down. When, however, penicillin became available the prognosis was revolutionized. In 1943 a trial of penicillin in the treatment of pneumococcal meningitis was initiated at Oxford by the late Sir Hugh Cairns: the value of penicillin was quickly established (Cairns, Duthie, Lewin, and Smith, 1944) and by combining it with sulphonamides the mortality was reduced to the order of 10% (Smith, 1951). Moreover, in certain unsuccessful cases death only occurred after illness lasting weeks or months. In parallel with this modification of the clinical picture the necropsy findings also altered, and particularly those with regard to the vascular changes (Cairns and Russell, 1946). In 1944, at a time when the limits to what might be achieved with chemotherapy were still unknown, a child was admitted to the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, who had already been ill with pneumococcal meningitis for some weeks and had developed the syndrome of posterior basic meningitis of infants (Gee and Barlow, 1878). After a long and difficult illness the infection was eradicated and the obstructive element in the hydrocephalus relieved. This was one of the few cases in which useful recovery was not achieved (Smith, Duthie, and Cairns, 1946), and the child survived as an idiot until 1955. We consider that this case merits a full description since, in our experience, it is unique both in regard to the survival period and the necropsy findings, which latter exemplify the end-result of a disease process that has hitherto been studied only in the active stage.


The realization of cleditor's right means the realization of market credit. It is a prerequisite of the market economy to realize fair competition. To protect the cledieor's right and the realization of cleditor's right is to protect the security of the transaction, the credit basis of the market and the active role played by the market, which is required by the market economy. It is the duty and task of the public law to protect the cleditor's right, which is possible both theoretically and in practice. To give effective protection to the cledieor's right through the system and adjustment of public law means to protect the cleditor's right on a larger scale through the special adjustment system of the public law, and to provide a better legal environment and system environment for the realization of cleditor's right. especially through the construction and improvement of the public law system.


Implant-associated infections (IAIs) are among the most intractable and costly complications in implant surgery. They can lead to surgery failure, a high economic burden, and a decrease in patient quality of life. This manuscript is devoted to introducing current antimicrobial strategies for additively manufactured (AM) titanium (Ti) implants and fostering a better understanding in order to pave the way for potential modern high-throughput technologies. Most bactericidal strategies rely on implant structure design and surface modification. By means of rational structural design, the performance of AM Ti implants can be improved by maintaining a favorable balance between the mechanical, osteogenic, and antibacterial properties. This subject becomes even more important when working with complex geometries; therefore, it is necessary to select appropriate surface modification techniques, including both topological and chemical modification. Antibacterial active metal and antibiotic coatings are among the most commonly used chemical modifications in AM Ti implants. These surface modifications can successfully inhibit bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, and bacterial apoptosis, leading to improved antibacterial properties. As a result of certain issues such as drug resistance and cytotoxicity, the development of novel and alternative antimicrobial strategies is urgently required. In this regard, the present review paper provides insights into the enhancement of bactericidal properties in AM Ti implants.


Thirty six upland cotton varieties were grown at the Maricopa Agricultural Center as part of the national cotton variety testing program. Lint yield, boll size, lint percent, plant populations, plant heights and fiber properties are presented in this paper.


Efforts to communicate family planning information to target populations in developing countries fail more often than they succeed. They fail because the concept of family planning is generally introduced into the population by Westernized medical personnel who lack credibility in the eyes of the community and because family planning messages transmitted through mass media are often incomprehensible and irrelevant to the needs of the target population. Physicians in developing countries tend to adopt the professional attitudes associated with western medical systems. These attitudes foster social distance between patients and physicians and inhibit dialogue between patients and physicians. Traditionally oriented communities do not accept the physicians authority in areas other than those related to specific illnesses; therefore they are unlikely to accept the physicians authority in respect to family planning which is highly influenced by factors unrelated to health. The heavy reliance on mass media to transmit family planning information in developing countries is inappropriate. Mass media messages are rarely tailored to the needs of a specific audience they are so general that they lack meaning and they preclude a dialogue between the sender and the receiver. Family planning experts now recognize that when a community is encouraged to participate in the development and operation of health programs the program is more likely to succeed. Family planning educators should adopt a community based approach to communication. Educators should encourage the community to meet and discuss their family planning needs. Family planning educators should serve as a link between the community and program personnel utilize the indigenous communication network and use methods of communication which provide a feedback mechanism.


A three-dimensional semi-analytical finite element method (SAFEM-3D) is implemented in this work to calculate the effective properties of periodic elastic-reinforced nanocomposites. Different inclusions are also considered, such as discs, ellipsoidals, spheres, carbon nanotubes (CNT) and carbon nanowires (CNW). The nanocomposites are assumed to have isotropic or transversely isotropic inclusions embedded in an isotropic matrix. The SAFEM-3D approach is developed by combining the two-scale asymptotic homogenization method (AHM) and the finite element method (FEM). Statements regarding the homogenized local problems on the periodic cell and analytical expressions of the effective elastic coefficients are provided. Homogenized local problems are transformed into boundary problems over one-eighth of the cell. The FEM is implemented based on the principle of the minimum potential energy. The three-dimensional region (periodic cell) is divided into a finite number of 10-node tetrahedral elements. In addition, the effect of the inclusion's geometrical shape, volume fraction and length on the effective elastic properties of the composite with aligned or random distributions is studied. Numerical computations are developed and comparisons with other theoretical results are reported. A comparison with experimental values for CNW nanocomposites is also provided, and good agreement is obtained.


Tourism is one industry that can enhance economic growth. GDP contribution of the tourism industry is likely to decline and result in lower customer share of tourists and the destinatiohas a low positive reputation, which in turn decreased the PAD,. Aim of this study to assess and analyze the value and reputation of the tourist destinations and the impact on customer share. The method used is survey method, using descriptive analysis and verifikatif. Testing the hypothesis in this study used descriptive and multivariate statistical stratistik using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) considering a model consisting of a number of causal relationships among latent variables, samples were taken with a sampling technique using a Stratified Random Sampling as many as 506 tourists. The results showed that changes in share or share customer rating variable is affected by changes in the value and reputation of the tourist destinations. Bandung Raya value of tourist destinations are superior compared to other tourist destinations have an influence that must be considered in creating high customer share in Bandung Raya. Other factors not studied had a greater influence on customer share compared with the studied variables.


Real-world manufacturing systems are operating subject to a substantial level of resource constraints. One characteristic model that considers the combination of human and machine resource constraints is called dual resource constrained (DRC). In this context a number of machines nmach is managed by a selection of operators nop, with typically nop ≤ nmach.. A real life case study for an Italian manufacturing company is introduced that uses a set of identical parallel machines being operated by a set of operators. Each job is scheduled to one machine with corresponding loading and unloading process times. A simulated annealing approach is proposed to solve the DRC job shop scheduling problem. A sensitivity analysis is conducted for a selection of algorithm-specific parameters used to solve characteristic DRC layouts. Being characteristic for the just-in-time (JIT) production environment, the high variability in job times has also been taken into account. The results show that the selected layout nmach./nop ratio strongly influences the production system performance. The impact of the ratio of constrained resources has been analysed for different layouts, showing that simulated annealing performs better for single resource constrained problems while also demonstrating that this trend is not symmetrical for different layouts, either operator or machine constrained.


ABSTRACT In this paper the complex problems of developing quantitative and analytical skills in undergraduate first year, first semester business students are addressed. An action research project, detailing how first year business students perceive the relevance of data analysis and inferential statistics in light of the economic downturn and the challenges society faces is discussed. Students' attitudes were evaluated via an online survey consisting of both quantitative and qualitative responses. While two thirds of respondents do acknowledge the relevance of such a course for future business roles, it is shown that more work must be done to distinguish between why data analysis is relevant and how data analysis is performed. Also discussed are findings related to student learning, their intellectual development, and their motivation and expectations upon enrolling on the 'Data Analysis for Decision Makers (DADM)' module. The challenges in teaching such a mandatory module to Business students are discussed and a pedagogical framework for promoting deeper student engagement through active learning, regular continuous assessment and technology are also examined. Keywords: Business education; data analysis; transition; motivation; engagement; learning; assessment strategies. Introduction Lunn argues that disadvantageous consumer decision-making (in relation to financial products) was probably instrumental in both the Irish and global financial crises, Lunn (2012). He argues that the lack of ability to assess risk was a factor in poor consumer decision-making. Lunn suggests that government policy and education programmes could improve consumer decision-making practices in this area. As the numbers of students attending courses in mathematics and statistics continues to increase, mainly due to the recent stress placed on the importance of STEM subjects to society (Engineers Ireland, 2010; Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, 2008), a significant number of first year students are not adequately prepared in terms of their mathematical background and skills to meet the demands required by such courses. Before business students can assess risk, they have to understand probability. The restructuring of undergraduate business degree programmes at UCD, Ireland in 2011 identified quantitative and analytical skills as central to the holistic education of business students. One key aim was to foster sound decision-making practices based on data analysis and this skill was viewed as essential to the business leaders of the future. The review involved consultation with key stakeholders and identified three programme pillars: business in society, innovation and enterprise, and personal development planning. Goals for the revised business programmes using the Joint Quality Initiative Dublin Descriptors specify the general expected attributes of students who complete the programme, JQI (2004). Dublin descriptors consist of a set of criteria phrased in terms of competence levels. The descriptors were devised as part of the Bologna process to develop national frameworks of qualifications. From this process, the European Credit Transfer System evolved, a standard for comparing the study attainment and performance of students of higher education across participating European countries. One programme goal, under the theme of discipline knowledge, specifies that graduates will be well grounded in the theory and practice of business management and related areas. Under the theme of analytical skills, another goal specifies that graduates will be able to identify and comment critically on business and social issues. In particular, students should "have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their field of study) to inform judgements that include reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues". Data Analysis for Decision Makers (DADM) was designed during this review as a module to address these two goals. …


regional hi-tech industrial clusters have shown different momentums and characteristics in their development due to different natural resources,inconsistent scientific and technological powers,as well as the market-oriented feature of hi-tech industry itself.Moreover,lack of independence and creativity has thrown the cluster-based development of regional hi-tech industry into the shadow of big companies and local economic policies.Given regional differences,the inevitability of cluster-based development of hi-tech industry is proposed and predicted in this paper through an analysis of development characteristics of hi-tech industry nowadays.In addition,by combining clusters with entrepreneurship,a cluster-based entrepreneurship-driven model is put forward,which hopefully sheds light on a road to independence,creativity and sustainability for hi-tech industrial clusters scattering around China.


We have utilized colloidal probe atomic force microscopy (AFM) in conjunction with microinterferometry to study the forces acting in the microcontact printing process. The procedure we have developed yields well defined asymmetric imprints on colloidal probes, which could find further application in interaction force measurements between Janus-type particles and surfaces.


Metabolic profiling in wood-forming tissue has become a valuable tool for reveal the mechanism of wood formation because almost all the chemical components of wood are the result of metabolism in living tree. In angiosperms, tissue that differs from normal wood develops on the upper side of an inclined stem or branch and is referred to as tension wood. Here, we aimed to determine whether such metabolic profiling were associated with different extent tension wood formation in Populus simonii young seedlings were artificial inclined and the Gas chromatographyMass spectrometry (GC-MS) were employed to analysis the whole metabolites. Cross sections of newly wood were observed by Scanning Electron Microscope. Growth traits and lignin content also were investigated. Different degree tension wood was formed in stem inclination 0°-70°. Tree growth was seriously affected by stem inclination in greater angle. Varieties and abundances of metabolites were significantly affected by inclined angle. The patterns of relative abundance of D-glucose and D-fructose in accordance with cellulose content in smaller incline angle treatment. Amino acid was increased in stem inclination. L-proline was significantly increased in stem inclination 30°. Additionally, the majority of lipids were significantly increased in response to stem inclination treatment. These results indicated that metabolites may perform essential roles in tension wood cell wall biosynthesis and architecture.


Gate-oxide breakdown is a key mechanism limiting IC lifetime. Lifetime is typically extrapolated from accelerated tests on test capacitors, but estimating product reliability from such results requires making a number of often-untested assumptions. This paper details a capacitor-based model and compares the predictions of the model to results from accelerated lifetest of actual logic CPU products, discussing the assumptions which make such a comparison necessary. For the technology studied, lifetest failure rate was somewhat lower than model prediction, and failure analysis indicated that important factors included the different sensitivities of logic circuits versus cache cells and of and transistors in the cache. Analysis of the factors involved in determining oxide-breakdown reliability and of the statistical uncertainties in capacitor-based models indicates that it is important to calibrate models to product data, including these effects. Once a model is validated, this paper discusses how it can be used to assess the reliability impact of changes in silicon processing and product use conditions.


The pyrin domain was identified recently in multiple proteins that are associated with apoptosis and/or inflammation, but the physiological and molecular function of these proteins remain poorly understood. We have identified Caspy and Caspy2, two zebrafish caspases containing N-terminal pyrin domains. Expression of Caspy and Caspy2 induced apoptosis in mammalian cells that were inhibited by general caspase inhibitors. Biochemical analysis revealed that both Caspy and Caspy2 are active caspases, but they exhibit different substrate specificity. Caspy, but not Caspy2, interacted with the zebrafish orthologue of ASC (zAsc), a pyrin- and caspase recruitment domain-containing protein identified previously in mammals. The pyrin domains of both Caspy and zAsc were required for their interaction. Furthermore, zAsc and Caspy co-localized to the "speck" when co-transfected into mammalian cells. Enforced oligomerization of zAsc, but not simple interaction with zAsc, induced specific proteolytic activation of Caspy and enhanced Caspy-dependent apoptosis. Injection of zebrafish embryos with a morpholino antisense oligonucleotide corresponding tocaspy resulted in an "open mouth" phenotype associated with defective formation of the cartilaginous pharyngeal skeleton. These studies suggest that zAsc mediates the activation of Caspy, a caspase that plays an important role in the morphogenesis of the jaw and gill-bearing arches.


The regulation of the proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells is under the control of stimulating and inhibitory factors. The knowledge of inhibitors has developed slowly mainly due to the lack of good assays and of purified substances.' However, in the last few years, a number of molecules that exert a suppressive effect on hematopoietic stem cell growth have been identified and molecularly cloned: interferon y (IFN-y), tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-a) and transforming growth factor /3 (TGF-/3). It is now known that these molecules have pleiotropic effects and a complex role in hematopoiesis.2 In addition to these large molecules, two small peptides have been isolated and chemically synthesized: (1) a pentapeptide, the hemoregulatory peptide (HP), pyroGlu-Glu-AspCys-Lys, pEEDCK;' and (2) a tetrapeptide, acetyl-N-Ser-Asp-Lys-Pro, AcSDKP, originally found in fetal calf marrow and live#,' and subsequently purified and sequenced.6 Both peptides are now available as homogeneous synthetic preparations.'**


Solar energy is the most promising renewable energy within the Gulf area as annual solar irradiance is among the highest in the world (>2000kWh/m2). Therefore, countries within the Gulf area have focused their energy investment on solar energy harvesting, especially Photovoltaics (PV). Photovoltaics (PV) power output is highly dependent on environmental conditions variability. Accurate PV generation power prediction models are essential to investigate the effects of varying environmental conditions and ensure solar power converters' optimum performance whilst meeting peak demand through various environmental conditions. The environmental data which is analysed and discussed in this paper includes air temperature, relative humidity, Photovoltaics (PV) surface temperature, irradiance, dust, wind speed, and output power. The model proposed in this paper optimises and trains three prediction algorithms, including Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Multi-Variate (MV), and Support Vector Machine (SVM). The model deploys three well-known prediction algorithms and voting algorithm to decide the optimum prediction of PV generation power. Furthermore, the voting algorithm shows high prediction accuracy of the output power given the environmental conditions. The Mean Square Error (MSE) for the Artificial Neural network (ANN), Multi-variate (MV), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) are 98, 81, and 82, respectively. In comparison, Mean Squared Error (MSE) of the voting algorithm is significantly lower which is just above 53. The proposed PV power generation prediction algorithm shows reliable outcome with respect to the environmental conditions in Qatar. This tool is expected to assist in the design process of Photovoltaics (PV) plants design where energy generation is highly predictive using proposed voting algorithm.


Bone age assessment (BAA) is a method of evaluating the level of skeletal maturation in children. Generally, it is applied manually by comparing an X-ray of a left hand-wrist with a standard samples as atlas in the clinical procedure. The manual methods are prone to variability of observation, time consuming and limited to objective decisions. These are big motivations for automatic method for bone age assessment. This study aims to develop an automated method for BAA based on combined method. This method tries to overcome the problems of conducting BAA in manual methods. A survey questionnaire is used as the part of research methodology to identify the BAA method used by radiologists and to extract the factors that effect on determination of bone age in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).


Moving on the path of innovation and entrepreneurship (value-creating) and fulfilling the desired social responsibility is one of the axes of the evolution of universities in recent years, especially in the last two decades. Innovative and value-creating university, for which various definitions have been proposed and various dimensions and criteria have been proposed for its introduction and creation, is one of the new initiatives and ideas for transformation in university systems. Despite identifying and introducing various components and criteria for an innovative and value-creating university, creating this type of university and purposeful and managed movement in the path of innovation and entrepreneurship requires a comprehensive roadmap and a balanced action guide. In order to evolve and achieve a comprehensive model, a guideline framework consisting of eight dimensions, as an action plan and operational model of an innovative and value-creating university by the European Commission and OECD, design and more than 600 universities and higher education institutes in Europe and OECD has evaluated this model. In this paper, through a review of documents, the guide to innovative and value-creating university is introduced as a guide for mainly European programs, for the gradual and systematic transformation of existing universities into innovative and value-creating universities with local considerations. All Iranian universities and higher education institutions with any mission, by learning and adapting actively and productively from this framework and gradually adapting their conditions to its dimensions and criteria, can take fundamental steps in the path of innovation and entrepreneurship and become an innovative and value-creating university in the Relation of Industry and University, Innovative and Entrepreneurial University, Value-creating University, Third Generation University, Guiding Framework for Innovative Higher Education Institute (HEInnovative)true and actual word.


Helicobacter pylori is a human-infected bacteria that cause serious problems such as peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. Several indigenous tribes, such as those in Papua, Batak, and Bugis, have a high prevalence of H. pylori and a high risk. This study aims to analyze the risk of infection with H. pylori bacteria, management, and treatment in the Baduy tribe in Lebak Regency, Banten Province. This research was conducted using a literature study, and the results showed that the Badut tribe had a risk of infection with H. pylori bacteria. However, the treatment process for patients is minimal because there is no early detection of people infected with H. pylori. In addition, the medicines used are derived from medicinal plants based on the Baduy's traditional knowledge. Thus, there are many limitations to detecting and treating Baduy people infected with H. pylori bacteria.


Snow avalanches and debris flows can be characterized by dry granular and grain-liquid mixture flows down a slope. To describe such flows, we investigate a dry granular flow in a rotating drum that follows the sense of the flow down an infinitely long slope and a semi-infinite volume of the grain-liquid mixture flow down an inclined plane that is a simplified but helpful configuration for debris flows by means of analytical tools and direct numerical simulation. Particularly, a semi-exact solution at the steady state can be achieved in a dry granular flow in a rotating drum. Such a solution can provide intuitively reasonable results and can reproduce an asymmetry profile for the depth commonly observed in the experiment. A direct numerical simulation from a static initial state until the steady state is performed further by applying a high-resolution non-oscillatory scheme to investigate more complex transient behaviours and verify the semi-exact solution derived here. Furthermore, for the case of a grain-liquid mixture flow down an inclined plane, an analytical solution has been derived by combining characteristic method with similarity transformation. The phenomenon that the mass bodies of debris flows are constantly stretched can be accounted for by the analytical solution. Additionally, it is found that the elongated phenomenon is not affected by the granular bed friction angle, but it is affected by the slope angle. Furthermore, a direct simulation is performed as well to enhance understanding and verify the analytical solution.Snow avalanches and debris flows can be characterized by dry granular and grain-liquid mixture flows down a slope. To describe such flows, we investigate a dry granular flow in a rotating drum that follows the sense of the flow down an infinitely long slope and a semi-infinite volume of the grain-liquid mixture flow down an inclined plane that is a simplified but helpful configuration for debris flows by means of analytical tools and direct numerical simulation. Particularly, a semi-exact solution at the steady state can be achieved in a dry granular flow in a rotating drum. Such a solution can provide intuitively reasonable results and can reproduce an asymmetry profile for the depth commonly observed in the experiment. A direct numerical simulation from a static initial state until the steady state is performed further by applying a high-resolution non-oscillatory scheme to investigate more complex transient behaviours and verify the semi-exact solution derived here. Furthermore, for the case of a grain...


This profile resumes the Econ Journal Watch project exploring the ideological sensibilities of the economics laureates. Eugene Fama describes himself as a libertarian, and by his late twenties seems to have been well on the way towards such views. Like many Chicago economists, he firmed up those views during the 1960s and 1970s. He has not been outspoken, but he has lent his name to at least ten petitions, and events from 2008 called him into public discourse. He kindly provided answers to our questionnaire about his own ideological orientation over the course of his lifetime.


Extension doping for FinFETs is more difficult compared with planar devices due to fin geometry. An amorphization problem for NMOS FinFETs and photo resist shadowing for CMOS FinFETs are pointed out when standard ion implantation (I/I) is used. Amorphization of the fin results in poor recrystallization during subsequent annealing. The whole fin can easily be amorphized when As is implanted at high dose to form source and drain extensions, especially for narrow FinFETs. Fin sputter erosion can be seen when narrow tilt angle standard As I/I is employed. These are serious concerns because they degrade the device performance and increase the variability. In this study, the improvement of the fin amorphization and the fin sputter erosion of standard I/I is reported. The optimization procedure and the optimized result of standard I/I are discussed. In addition, the difference between the device performance for 7 degrees tilt As I/I and the optimized 30 degrees tilt As I/I, which is almost -conformal doping, has been quantified.


The etching damage induced by energy-controlled oxygen ion beam exposure on diamond was observed using electron spin resonance (ESR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The ion energy was controlled by an extraction voltage (Vext) ranging from 25 to 500 V. Oxygen ion beam exposure gives rise to a highly defective structure (with a spin concentration of ∼1020 cm-3) observed by ESR, in which the number of defects increased with increasing Vext. XPS measurements show that its structure is similar to that of amorphous carbon (a-C). Angle-resolved XPS showed that the defective layer existed in the surface region and its thickness was estimated to be 0.6 and 1.0 nm for Vext values of 250 and 500 V, respectively. The step treatment of oxygen ion beam exposure, where Vext and etching time were changed step by step, was proposed as an effective diamond etching method with lower etching damage in the region within 1 nm from the top surface and shorter etching time. It was also found that this method shows the removal of more etching damage than an acid treatment.


The original vacuum flange assembly in the PS Booster (PSB) was designed to present insulation at low frequency and conduction to the beam image current above 2 MHz. However, in order to satisfy the needs for the LHC, the RF harmonic in the PSB had to be changed from h=5 to h=1, leading to a reduction of the lowest accelerating frequency to 600 kHz. The RF component of the beam was therefore passing through the main resonance of these flanges giving a total (integrated around the ring) longitudinal coupling impedance of 1000 at 750 kHz, taking into account some additional RF bypasses. The voltage generated by the beam current was coupling to various electronic devices which therefore had to be equipped with common-mode rejection circuits. After some non-essential insulated flanges had been replaced by conducting ones during the 1998-99 shutdown, the total impedance was lowered to about 200 ohms (still higher than the maximum value for h=5 which was 130 ohms). This was one of the improvements that made it possible to reach a new intensity record in September 1999. New RF decoupling flanges introduced in 2000 to further reduce the impedance are described here, together with the results obtained.


Two informal numerical methods are presented for the solutions of generalized beamcolumn problems in structural analysis. The first method uses a matrix recurrence relation to obtain solutions to multi-span beam-column problems with transverse pressure loading, variable support stiffness and geometrical eccentricities. The second method uses a finite difference approach to obtain solutions for single span beam-columns with variable bending stiffness and can be used to calculate buckling loads for this type of structural detail. Example solutions are provided to illustrate both methods and highlight relevant design considerations.


ABSTRACT An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) classifier trained by a hybrid GA-BP method for diagnosis of gear faults is presented here that can be incorporated in an online fault diagnostic system of vital gearboxes. The distinctive features obtained from vibration signals of a running gearbox; that was operated in normal and with faults induced conditions were used to feed the GA-BP hybrid classifier. Time domain vibration signals were divided in 40segments. From each segment features such as magnitude of peaks in time domain and spectrum along with statistical features such as central moments and standard deviations were extracted to feed the classifier. Based on the experimental results it was shown that the GA-BP hybrid classifier can successfully identify gear condition. It was also shown that the network trained by GA-BP hybrid method performs much better than ANN that is trained by standard BP or GA individually. Further, it was also shown that if prior to extraction of features; the vibration signals are pre-processed by Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) then efficacy of the GA-BP hybrid is significantly enhanced.


This paper aims at developing the relationship between interfacial tension (IFT) and other oil parameters obtained through testing of insulating oil. Considering the importance of IFT in determining age of insulating oil, it is imperative to understand the inherent characteristics of IFT in assessing the healthiness of transformer and reactor in service. The unique study undertaken in this paper attempts to develop a model using multi gene symbolic regression to generate and evaluate the relationship between IFT and other oil parameters. Data utilized in this study involves actual oil testing parameters of transformer and reactor in service over more than a decade. A comparative study of the developed model reveals its superiority over support vector machine (SVM). This research shall help utility engineers in determining aging of the insulating oil and shall further assist in taking preventive action for replacement of the degraded insulating oil time ahead of failure of the equipment.


This study aimed to make an orientation for the development of Zhenjiang Pearl S.Buck tourism products.According to the spatial structure styles of tourism products,this paper discussed the exploitation of Zhenjiang Pearl S.Buck tourism products from the perspective of spot products,linear products and network products.It expanded the Pearl S.Buck research to tourism science field and put forward some ideas of promoting the comprehensive benefits of Pearl S.Buck tourism resource as well as the exploitation of similar tourism products.


Radiation is known to cause genetic damage to highly proliferative cells such as cancer cells. However, the radiotherapy effects  to  bone cells is not completely known. In this work we present a mathematical modeling framework to test hypotheses related to the radiation-induced effects on bone metastasis. Thus, we pose an optimal control problem based  on a Komarova model describing the interactions between cancer cells and  bone cells   at a single site of bone remodeling.  The radiotherapy treatment  is included in the form of a functional which   minimizes the use of radiation using a penalty function. Moreover, we are interested to model the 'on' and the 'off' time states of the radiation schedules;  so we propose an optimal control problem with a L1-type objective functional.

Bang-bang or singular arc solutions are the  obtained optimal control solutions. We characterize both solutions types   and explicitly give necessary optimality conditions for them. We present numerical simulations to analyze the different possible radiation effects on the bone and cancer cells. We also evaluate  the more significant parameters to shift from a bang-bang solution to a singular arc solution and vice versa. Additionally, we study a fractionated radiotherapy model.


The analysis of phosphorylation sites on proteins relies heavily on the use of immunologically-based methodology. However, the mass spectrometry (MS)-based methodologies are increasingly being used because of the additional specificity that can be attained. Determining the temporal sequence of phosphorylation at multiple sites within a single protein still remains a significant analytical challenge but is key to understanding the biological process. For example, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a protein with 1052 amino acid residues, has thirty-eight Y, eighty-one S, and fifty-one T residues, all of which can potentially be phosphorylated. Phosphorylation has been detected by molecular and biochemical techniques on only eleven of the S and six of the Y residues. Sites of phosphorylation that are thought to be the most important in controlling signal transduction pathways are shown in Figure 1.


The amino acid contents of whole body were determined in male ducks at 5 age intervals from d 1 to 29 post hatch. Whole body homogenates were analyzed of dry matter, nitrogen, and amino acids and used to determine amino acid accretion rates and efficiency of utilization of digestible amino acids for amino acid accretion. During periods d 1 to 8, d 8 to 15, d 15 to 22, and d 22 to 29 post hatch, growth rates of the duck averaged 29, 61, 79, and 92 g/d, respectively. There were rapid increases in rates of amino acid accretion during the periods of d 1 to 8, d 8 to 15, and d 15 to 22 and a leveling off during d 22 to 29 period of growth as shown by the linear (P<0.01) and quadratic (P<0.05) effects for all amino acids except tryptophan (Trp), which showed only a linear (P<0.01) effect. The respective rates of lysine (Lys) and methionine (Met) accretion increased from 0.264 and 0.081 g/(d·duck) during d 1 to 8 post-hatch period to 0.883 and 0.269 g/(d·duck) during d 15 to 22 post-hatch period and plateaued at 0.854 and 0.265 g/(d·duck) during d 22 to 29 post-hatch period. Accretion rate for glutamic acid (Glu) was greatest, followed by glycine (Gly), aspartic acid (Asp), leucine (Leu), arginine (Arg), lysine (Lys), alanine (Ala), proline (Pro), and valine (Val) in decreasing order. Trp had the least accretion rate of all the amino acids. The efficiency of digestible amino acid utilization for amino acid accretion was highest from d 2 to 5 post hatch and decreased progressively thereafter with increasing age and body weight. The efficiency of digestible Trp utilization was much lower than any other indispensable amino acid. Digestible Met was utilized with highest efficiency followed by Lys, Val, and threonine (Thr) in decreasing order. Efficiencies of utilization were 0.70, 0.645, 0.667, and 0.630 at 2 to 5 d of age and 0.522, 0.486, 0.465, and 0.436 at 29 d of age for Met, Lys, Val and Thr, respectively.


A fundamental assumption made by classical AI planners is that there is no uncertainty in the world: the planner has full knowledge of the conditions under which the plan will be executed and the o...


The study investigates the automatic inspection and processing of bicycle components based on vision stitching and spectral illumination. Vision stitching mainly involves the use of algorithms of white balance, scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) and roundness for automatic accessory inspection of the whole component image. The illumination intensities, angles, and spectral characteristics of light sources are analyzed using a spectrometer. Unrealistic color casts of feature inspection for global automatic adjustment are removed using a white balance algorithm. For the stitching of large images, SIFT is used to extract and detect the image features. The Hough transform is used to detect the roundness of the bicycle component. The inspected features include geometry size, roundness, and image stitching. Results showed maximum errors of 0°, 10°, 30°, and 50° for the spectral illumination of white light LED arrays with respective differential shift displacements of 4.4, 4.2, 6.8, and 3.5%. The deviation errors of image stitching for the stem accessory in x and y coordinates are 2 pixels. SIFT and random sample consensus (RANSAC) enable the transformation of the stem image into local feature coordinates.


Understanding stem cell homing, which is governed by environmental signals from the surrounding niche, is important for developing effective stem cell‐based repair strategies. The molecular mechanism by which the brain under ischemic stress recruits bone marrow‐derived cells (BMDCs) to the vascular niche remains poorly characterized. Here we report that hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) activation upregulates pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating peptide 38 (PACAP38), which in turn activates PACAP type 1 receptor (PAC1) under hypoxia in vitro and cerebral ischemia in vivo. BMDCs homing to endothelial cells in the ischemic brain are mediated by HIF‐1α activation of the PACAP38‐PAC1 signaling cascade followed by upregulation of cellular prion protein and α6‐integrin to enhance the ability of BMDCs to bind laminin in the vascular niche. Exogenous PACAP38 confers a similar effect in facilitating BMDCs homing into the ischemic brain, resulting in reduction of ischemic brain injury. These findings suggest a novel HIF‐1α‐activated PACAP38‐PAC1 signaling process in initiating BMDCs homing into the ischemic brain for reducing brain injury and enhancing functional recovery after ischemic stroke. Stem Cells 2015;33:1153–1172


"The modern Catholic Church represents a body of 1.3 billion people who follow the Church's teachings, given to them in the form of documents on different topics, including family issues. The latest, 2016 Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, confirmed the previous documents on the topic, stating that periodical abstinence is the only contraceptive method possible for Catholic Christians. This means that 1.3 billion people are forbidden to use modern contraception. This significantly contributes to the spread of sexually transmitted infections (including AIDS/HIV pandemics) and the global epidemic of unintended pregnancies and their consequences (induced abortions, maternal and infant morbidity and mortality, etc.). These consequences are the most severe in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, where the Catholic Church prevails. Unintended pregnancies also greatly contribute to the rapid population growth currently being witnessed by humanity. As such, unintended pregnancies lead to severe environmental consequences (environmental degradation, resource depletion, species extinction, climate change, etc.). Unintended pregnancies are highly preventable if women are well-informed about family planning methods and if they are free to choose a contraceptive method based on their personal opinion, expectations, contraindications, and more. This merely underlies the important fact that voluntary family planning is fundamental to human dignity and critical for women's health as well as the health of the planet. For the aforementioned reasons, it is necessary to openly discuss the healthcare and environmental implications of the Church's ban on modern contraception, and bring the Church's representatives to acknowledgement of women's autonomy to freely choose their preferable contraceptive method. "


This paper explores how Indigenous Hip-Hop in Australia has become a powerful force for both advocating for Indigenous issues, and expressing contemporary Indigenous identity. We argue that Australian Indigenous HipHop cannot merely be understood as either an adoption or reinterpretation of a Hip-Hop culture from the USA, nor as an attempt to hark back to traditional, pre-colonial Indigenous cultures. Rather, we argue it builds on a history of contemporary Indigenous protest music, by integrating both forms of expression and narratives of resistance and political consciousness inherent in Hip-Hop culture from the USA. Using Australian Indigenous Hip-Hop group, A.B. Original, as an example, we suggest recent manifestations of this integration have provided a way to both resist colonial narratives and celebrate contemporary Indigenous identity even in the current socio-political climate of far-right nationalism in Australia and other first-world nations.


Background/Objectives: Although ISO/IEC 15118 deals with data communication between an electric vehicle and a charging station, communication with the extern is essential for establishing a system for V2G service. Methods/Statistical analysis: Data mapping table is created by comparing and analyzing the data model of electric car charging infrastructure and the data model of grid network communication. To integrate into IEC 61850 communications, the electric vehicle data model is expressed as SCL. The gateway links data between the electric car and the power network. Communication interoperability is an important issue to share the syntax of data. Findings: This research selects messages that communicate with the power grid among the use cases of the EV charging infrastructure. It is important to maintain the syntax for communication interoperability between two domains. The gateway we built ensures interoperability between the charging infrastructure of the EV and the grid. We verify the information of EV charging infrastructure in power grid through communication link between ISO/IEC 15118 electric vehicle model and IEC 61850 standard MMS protocol. Improvements/Applications: This is demonstrated so that the communication data is linked with the micro-grid system. This could be used as an element technology in other distributed power in the future.


The now-deceased leader of the Anbar Awakening, Sheikh Abd al Sittar Abu Reesha, once said, ''Our American friends had not understood us when they came. They were proud, stubborn people and so were we. They worked with the opportunists, now they have turned to the tribes, and this is as it should be.'' 1 Until 2007, the most violent region of insurgent attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq had been al Anbar, the largely rural, expansive western province stretching from the outskirts of Baghdad to Iraq's lengthy, mostly unsecured desert borders with Sunni-dominated Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. 2 In what is most easily described as a marriage of convenience, Sunni insurgents and foreign Sunni al Qaeda fighters in al Anbar had formed a strategic and tactical alliance against what was perceived as an occupation by the United States or, more pointedly, against the occupation of a Muslim land by a largely Christian force, a deep affront to traditional Muslim values harkening back to the Crusades of the Middle Ages. 3 Iraqis in al Anbar provided local knowledge, logistics, and up to 95 percent of the personnel, while experienced foreign al Qaeda fighters provided training, expertise, and financing. The pitch was simple: ''We are Sunni. You are Sunni. The Americans and Iranians are helping the Shi'a*/ let's


A program was conducted to evaluate an in situ dynamic modulus measurement on a solid propellant exposed to vacuum environment. The prediction of long-term vacuum exposure effects is examined.


by Pavel Povinec, Scott Fowler, and Murdoch Baxter I he Chernobyl nuclear accident in April 1986 had a significant impact on both the terrestrial and marine environments. The total activity of the nuclear debris released was so high (1-2.10 becquerel) that the radioactive fallout distributed widely after the accident actually dominated anthropogenic environmental levels in various parts of the world. Concentrations of anthropogenic radionuclides generally vary from region to region, according to the location and magnitude of the different sources of contamination. The main global contribution to marine radioactivity, as in the terrestrial environment, is still from fallout from nuclear tests in the atmosphere, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s. However, in some regions, like the Irish and North Seas, the concentrations of anthropogenic radionuclides (e.g. caesium-137 and plutonium239) in the marine environment have been significantly influenced by discharges (e.g. from European reprocessing plants). On the other hand, the Baltic and Black Seas have been the seas most affected by the Chernobyl accident. In all these latter regions the spatial and temporal trends in the concentrations of anthropogenic radionuclides have been quite dynamic. They are a result of changing source terms and marine processes, including horizontal and vertical transport in seawater, marine sedimentation, resuspension from sediment and biological uptake, and food-chain transfer.


Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a mesenchymal malignant neoplasm showing characteristics of epithelial–mesenchymal biphasic differentiation. SS is of uncertain cellular origin; however, studies have suggested that SS originates from a somatic stem cell population. In this study, we aim to determine whether differential morphological features of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributed to the tumourigenesis of SS invasion and metastasis. Twelve paraffin‐embedded formalin‐fixed tissue (FFPE) SS tissue specimens were obtained, and laser capture microdissection (LCM) with the ArcturusXT system and small chip method (SCM) were used to isolate and purify spindle and epithelial cells from SS specimens. The TRIzol method was used to extract RNA, and the mRNA levels of EMT‐related genes in epithelial and spindle cells of SS specimens were measured using real‐time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). The results show that collection of about 2 × 104 cells from FFPE samples using LCM was sufficient for qRT‐PCR, with an efficiency of 75%. Compared with LCM, 72.2% (13 of 18) RNA samples were successfully extracted using SCM to isolate cells from FFPE SS tissues. In the 16 samples (11 spindle cell samples and 5 epithelial cell samples), Snail mRNA was significantly upregulated in spindle cell areas compared with that in epithelial cell areas (P = .001). Expression levels of the epithelial marker E‐cadherin and the mesenchymal marker N‐cadherin were not significantly different between epithelial and spindle cell areas. In spindle cells of recurrent SS samples, the mRNA levels of E‐cadherin, N‐cadherin, Snail, and Slug were higher in primary SS samples than in recurrent samples. Taken together, our results indicated that in SS samples, Snail mRNA was upregulated in spindle cell areas compared with that in epithelial cell areas and that the expression of EMT‐related genes was increased in primary SS. LCM could be used to isolate and purify RNA from FFPE samples.


Sobering reports about drastically underutilized but proven HIV/AIDS prevention tools tempered good news at the XVI International AIDS Conference about increases in the number of people accessing treatment and in funding for new prevention research. For each new recipient of treatment last year 10 others were newly infected -- about 450 000 compared to more than 4 million Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates observed at the opening ceremony of the mid-August gathering in Toronto. The goal of universal access to treatment or even a significant increase cant succeed without a drop in the rate of infection he told the roughly 21 000 delegates to the conference themed "Time to Deliver". About 40 million people now live with HIV/AIDS. Last year the disease led to 3 million deaths. (excerpt)


The temperature sensitivities of absorption and reduced scattering coefficients in the range 700–1000 nm are determined for the liquid phantom Intralipid® using spatially resolved continuous wave measurements. The measurements were conducted on a 10 L heated volume of 1% Intralipid® subjected to a 40–30 °C cooling regime. The temperature sensitivities of the absorbance coefficients are similar to that expected for pure water. However, the reduced scattering coefficients are more sensitive than can be explained by temperature related density changes, and show an unexpected relationship with wavelength. We have also found that temperature perturbations provide a useful means to evaluate instrument model performance.


A novel zero-current-switching pulse-width modulation(ZCS-PWM) power-factor-correction(PFC) pre-regu-lator for LED driving is proposed.A novel ZCS-PWM switch cell is configured in the presented converter to perform ZCS of all the active switches without additional current stress.The operation principles of the proposed converter is described,and then the design and one cycle control circuit are also presented.Finally,a prototype rated at 600 W,30 kHz is implemented in laboratory.


The Covid pandemic has raised various legal issues, fueling the scientific debate on the relationship between fundamental rights and freedoms in the global emergency context. Moreover, a case law has started developing within the different jurisdictions. Additionally, constitutional Courts, in different countries, have ruled over potential conflicts of interest among central powers and local ones, and even some decisa of the Court of Justice of the European Union have started "blossoming" in this area. Against the backdrop of this analysis, the paper discusses the main legal problems sparked off by the declaration of the state of emergency, with a focus on the main EU jurisdictions and with glimpses of non-EU countries. The aim of this is to discuss the balance between fundamental rights and liberties in decisa in different legal systems, as well as the interpretation given to principles of proportionality of the public health measures, adequacy, precaution and loyal collaboration and the relationship between freedom and limits to public power. Bearing this in mind, the purpose of the work is to demonstrate that, first and foremost, in Europe there is room for both a formal and a substantial recognition of common rights and liberties in terms of interpretation and application of constitutional traditions, shared by the different Member States. The relevant adherence to these principles is guaranteed by the European Court of Justice. Second, the recovery after the pandemic is an open challenge. An important opportunity for Europe and its Member States is materialising, and this is to take a step forward on the bumpy path toward a European Political Union capable of strengthening a structure weakened by several earthquakes. A path and a project still plenty of pitfalls that needs to regroup around a central core increasing unification among European peoples (art. 1 TEU), which has never meant to be an alternative to national identity.
Received: 24.11.2021Accepted: 13.12.2021


This paper investigates the service combination problem in overlay multicasting network by taking both the service assuring and order of service into consideration.It presents an optimization model and designs a heuristic algorithm on the service combination problem.Large amount of simulations suggest the model and the algorithm are practical and effective.


Highlights This commentary centers on one of the insightful articles in this Special Issue: "Curriculum Hybridization and Cultural Glocalization: A Scoping Review of International Research on Early Childhood Curriculum in China and Singapore," authored by Yang and Li (2022). The commented article provides insights and directions regarding early childhood curriculum policy and practice in China and Singapore. Aligning with Yang and Li's (2022) findings, this commentary further paints a new three-component framework (the foreground, the background, and the middle ground) for understanding and harmonizing the global–local dissonance in the early childhood curriculum landscape. Leveraging both hindsight and foresight, this commentary also provides insights for policy and practice to advance a harmonious early childhood curriculum landscape in China and Singapore as well as in other societies confronted with similar predicaments.


The selection of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to head a national vaccination panel brought out some strong reactions from doctors.