Despite the widespread occurrence of microsporidian parasites in vertebrates and many invertebrates, research regarding their effects on wild populations remains uncommon. We used several metrics of individual growth, condition, and population characteristics to evaluate the effects of a microsporidian infection (Glugea) on six infected populations of mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdii) compared with 10 nearby uninfected populations. Infected individuals (n = 129) were significantly heavier in each age class when compared with uninfected fish (n = 331), yet other measures of growth and condition indicated little influence of the parasite. No significant parasite-associated effects were found when comparing mortality rates, mean age, sex ratios, and history of population genetic bottleneck between infected and uninfected populations. Additionally, we did not detect significant differences in environmental variables or fish assemblages between streams with and without the parasite. Given the disfiguring nature...


Editors's key points † The trauma team must function as a unit with effective leadership and a clear understanding by team members of their roles. † Repeated briefing and review maintains clinical through the numerous transitions involved in the care of trauma patients. † A higher rate of failed intubation is seen in trauma patients than in other groups. † During intra-operative care, the patient's status should be reviewed every 10– 30 minutes and the surgical plan modified if necessary. The major trauma team relies on an efficient, communicative team to ensure patients receive the best quality care. This requires a comprehensive handover, rapid systematic review, and early management of life-and limb-threatening injuries. These multiple injured patients often present with complex conditions in a dynamic situation. The importance of team work, communication, senior decision-making, and documentation cannot be underestimated. Major trauma networks have recently been developed in England to provide optimal management of the severely injured patient. Numerous reports have highlighted the past problems in trauma care in the UK and the recent reorganization seeks to address these deficiencies. 1 – 3 This reorganization is based on the improved survival and outcomes observed when severely injured patients present to specialized (major trauma) centres (MTCs) that treat sufficient numbers and have a coordinated, multidisciplinary team to receive, resuscitate , and provide definitive care. 4 5 This restructuring of major trauma care is the first nationally coordinated change trauma services since the inception of the National Health Service 60 yr ago and the first attempt at developing a national system to provide high-quality trauma care for the population in England. Twenty-six regional trauma networks have been established; each network has been designed to best serve the local geography, population and infrastructure. The East Midlands Major Trauma Network covers a population of 4.3 million and consists of one MTC with five supporting trauma units (TU). Severely injured patients are identified using a triage tool and are taken directly to the MTC if the journey time is ,45 min or to the nearest TU if the patient has an immediate life threatening injury. Patients .45 min from the MTC are taken to the nearest TU for resuscitation, evaluation, and detailed triage. Secondary transfer then will take place to the MTC if required. Other hospitals with A&E departments, designated as Local Emergency Hospitals, which do not have the facilities to receive major trauma patients are …


Online discussion forums are a valuable means for users to resolve specific information needs, both interactively for the participants and statically for users who search/browse over historical thread data. However, the complex structure of forum threads can make it difficult for users to extract relevant information. The discourse structure of web forum threads, in the form of labelled dependency relationships between posts, has the potential to greatly improve information access over web forum archives. In this paper, we present the task of parsing user forum threads to determine the labelled dependencies between posts. Three methods, including a dependency parsing approach, are proposed to jointly classify the links (relationships) between posts and the dialogue act (type) of each link. The proposed methods significantly surpass an informed baseline. We also experiment with "in situ" classification of evolving threads, and establish that our best methods are able to perform equivalently well over partial threads as complete threads.


In this paper performative utterances are analyzed in some contexts when they are impli- catured in posters. The study is based on Austin's Speech Acts theory and on Grice's Conversational Maxims theory. The central aim is to demonstrate how some language acts can be produced by a kind of violation of conversational maxims. Furthermore, we argue these acts have as a purpose to make the readers act according to a socially accepted behav- ior and it is done based on a reader's consciousness. As a result, the analysis pointed out an imperative language activity through which performatives of indirect order are implicatured.


This paper presents the development of Inverted Pendulum System at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), including the designing, construction and control system design. The stabilizing of an unstable system in optimal control scheme via state-space approach is applied. The LQG controller design examples including the addition of the quadratic derivatives of state variables term in the usual standard performance index for linear quadratic Gaussian optimal control as an extra weighting function to play the role in swing suppressor is presented. Finally, a new inverted pendulum system nearly SEGWAY function is shown in this paper.


Objective To investigate the effect of hydatidosis prevention and control in Ningxia. Methods According to project of central government subsidy,Using population screening,health education,drug treatment,free surgery,expelling parasite and monitor in the dog,the slaughter survey and so on,hydatidosis were prevented and treated in Ningxia. Results In Xiji,Zhongning and Yanchi county,the population incidence declined from 1. 87%,1. 24% and 1. 67% in 2007 to 0. 97%,0. 41% and 0. 83% in 2011,respectively. The positive rate of Echinococcus anti- body under 12 years old children declined from 23. 70%,16. 48% and 17. 74% in 2007 to 8. 21%,4. 11% and 5. 82%,respectively. the Echinococcus infection rate of domestic dogs declined from 37. 66%,26. 31% in 2007 and 43. 74% to 8. 72%,6. 11% and 7. 69% in2011,respectively. The Echinococcus incidence of sheep declined from 17. 21%,9. 27% and 14. 74% in2007 to 4. 31%,2. 18% and 5. 83% in 2011,respectively. The awareness rate of Echinococcus knowledge raised from 23. 44%,32. 17% and 29. 15% in 2007 to 66. 95%,72. 44% and 73. 32%,respectively. Conclusion This project has gained great success and it control prevalence of hydatidosis effectively.


To ensure the location accuracy of edge and minimize false edge points produced by noise and uneven gray scale in image is a difficult problem for edge detection. A new multi-scale tensor algorithm is presented to detect image edge. This method could obtain richer partial structure information in different scales. It is proved to be efficient in precision edge detection and noise suppression by experiments.


The article analyses the sources of fuelling facility impact on environment and defines the impact factor on human health. Accidents rate of fuelling facility has been assessed. The main ways of pollutants revenues into the human body due to activity of fuelling facility have been determined. System of determination of risk levels to human health using absolute and comparative assessment methods has been proposed. Ranking of main pathological effects related to activity of fuelling facilities has been conducted. As a result, level of non-oncological risk to health of people living in residential buildings in the effected by fuelling facilities area.


The mechanical behaviour of timber–concrete structures is significantly influenced by the stiffness of the joints, both with regard to deformations and to strength. This paper analyses the experimental and numerical assessment of the stiffness of timber–concrete joints, made with dowel-type fasteners. The objective of this analysis is to provide information to be used in the design of timber–concrete composite structures. In order to achieve this, two approaches were used: experimental tests with timber–concrete joints and numerical predictions using models available in the literature. As part of the experimental assessment, shear tests were performed with various joint configurations aiming to be representative of a wide range of practical conditions. The results obtained are presented and discussed. In terms of numerical assessment, two types of models were considered: analytical models, based on the beam on elastic foundation and empirical models. The results obtained in the experimental tests are comp...


This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The monotypic Fuscous Flycatcher, Cnemotriccus fuscatus (Wied, 1831) (Tyrannidae), is widely distributed in South America eastern from the Andes, ranging from Venezuela, Guyana, and Colombia, southern to Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, northeastern Argentina and most of Brazil, with seven diagnosable subspecies (Farnsworth and Lebbin, 2020). This is a common, but inconspicuous passerine which occurs in a variety of habitats, often close to water, including the undergrowth of dry and humid forests, gallery forests, and secondary woodlands, where they silently forage for insects (Belton, 1985; FFrench, 2012; de la Peña, 2016; Farnsworth and Lebbin, 2020). While nest and egg descriptions are available for different subspecies and/or localities (Ihering, 1900; Belton, 1985; Narosky and Salvador, 1998; Ffrench, 2012; Lopes et al. 2013; de la Peña, 2016), other reproductive aspects of C. fuscatus remain poorly documented. Here we provide further reproductive data for C. f. bimaculatus (d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837) from São Paulo state, southeastern Brazil. Specifically, we add knowledge to nest placement, egg characteristics, and nest material for C. f. bimaculatus, and we present for the first time incubation and nestling periods, nestling descriptions, as well as the first scientific photographic records of the eggs and nestlings for the whole species. Although our note is based on only one nest, it is justifiable in face of the total absence of information on these reproductive aspects. We found the nest in 03 October 2019 in an area of arboreal Cerrado (Cerradão), only 2 m from the sharp transition with a gallery forest. The study site is located at the campus of São Carlos Federal University, in the city of São Carlos, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil (21°58 ́37 ́ ́ S, 47°52 ́18 ́ ́ W) (for details on the study area, see Francisco, 2006). Nest measurements were obtained after fledging, using a caliper accurate to 0.1 mm. Due to the evasive behavior of the parental individuals, eggs were photographed but not measured to avoid nest abandonment, and parental identification to the level of subspecies was achieved by obtaining an 86 min video with a GoPro Hero 5, that was placed approximately 1.5 m from the nest during incubation stage. Nestlings were photographed on a daily basis for development description. Incubation period was estimated from the day the last egg was laid to the day before the first egg hatched, and nestling period from the day of the first hatching to the day before fledging. The nest was placed within a vertical cavity formed by a broken rotten trunk of an arboreal fern, 50 cm above ground. The trunk was densely covered by mosses and lichens, and the nest was partially hidden by the elongated leaves of a Cyperaceae (Figure 1a). The nest was a deep cup made of dry elongated leaves, lined with flexible stems and dark filaments (Figure 1a-g), measuring 65.4 mm in outer diameter, 47.6 mm in inner diameter, and 60 mm in depth. When found, the nest contained one egg, and two other eggs were laid during the following consecutive days (clutch size = 3 eggs). Eggs were visually classified as "short oval" according to Winkler (2004), with pinkish background color, and sparse reddish-brown blotches and spots concentrated at the larger end (Figure 1b). Hatching was asynchronous, with only two of the three eggs hatching on two consecutive days. Incubation period estimated from the day the last egg was laid to the day before the first hatching was 14 days. One unhatched egg remained in the nest until fledging. Hatchlings (Figure 1c) had dark-red skin and were densely covered with dark-gray down. The beak was ochraceous at hatching and became dark-gray when nestling reached middle developmental stages, and swollen flanges were light-yellow (Figure 1c-g). One nestling disappeared in the 8th day after hatching (Figure 1f), and the nestling period of the single young was 12 days (Figure 1g). The types of reproductive information on C. fuscatus available in the literature and in the present work were summarized in Table 1. Nest shape and nest material matched the previous description provided to a single nest of C. f. fuscatus (Wied, 1831) found in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil (Belton, 1985), but differed from nests described for Tobago of C. f. cabanisi (Léotaud, 1866), that were made of twigs and bark (Ffrench, 2012), and from a nest of unspecified subspecies found in Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil, that had moss in the outer layer (Lopes et al. 2013). However, due to the limited number of described nests, we are unaware of whether these variations can represent the local availability of certain types of nest materials or variations between subspecies. Regarding to Additional breeding biology information on the Fuscous Flycatcher, Cnemotriccus fuscatus (Wied, 1831)


ABSTRACT This paper uses the concept of orientalism to propose a framework for understanding the relationship between international news media and individual representations of minority groups in Europe. Even though the case study focuses on Narva, Estonia, the model here provides a basis for comparing the identity formation practices, particularly of geographically separated Russian speaking minority groups in Europe. Narva's large Russian speaking population and geographical proximity to Russia have been pinpointed as security concerns due to the convenient source of information and mass media sponsored by the Russian Federation causing a misrepresentation of Russian speaking minority groups in international media.


The Middle East is characterised by its instability and conflict‐ridden past. The most heavily armed region in the world, it is hardly surprising that ballistic missiles are to be counted amongst the array of armaments with which the countries of the region face each other. But the nature, of ballistic missiles, their range and potential payloads, means that the issue of their deployment is not merely one for the Middle East alone, but affects the security and stability of neighbouring regions and ultimately the world community. Here Uzi Rubin analyses the impact of ballistic missiles on the Middle East and the need for an exploitation of the technical advances which now make ballistic missile defence systems possible. The advent of such defences, properly, delopoyed, could blunt the confidence of missile aggressors, deter attacks and with early warning components allow for targeted, specific responses if necessary. As long as the destabilising influence of existing missile stocks and emerging holders per...


Abstract : This paper summarizes an approach developed for obtaining quantitative vulnerabilities of buildings and their occupants exposed to falling debris, depending on (1) the fragment size, weight, and velocity, (2) the structural characteristics of the building roof and floors, and (3) the occupancy level of each floor of the building. The penetration model developed provides an example of the complexity that component lethality models must have to include the propagation of hazardous threats through the interior of a facility. The model is generic and can accommodate wood, steel, and concrete structural members. Kinetic energy of the impacting fragment is assumed to be fully transferred into the structural system, and the resulting response is computed using a simplified engineering model that includes both shear and flexural failures. The fragment's residual velocity after passing through each level is computed using conservation of energy methods to allow sequential treatment of all floors in a building. The hazard area resulting from fragment penetration is calculated probabilistically and, when combined with the floor occupancy, is used to produce an expected number of casualties for each impact. Sample results are presented to illustrate parametric sensitivities and potential areas of application.


We have been interested in studying the immunological and clinical specificity of immunochemical methods for the determination of prostatic acid phosphatase levels in patients' sera. Our reasons for this interest are: (1) Immunochemical methods offer the promise of providing greater specificity for the measurement of prostatic acid phosphatase compared to catalytic assays. No substrate for the determination of catalytic acid phosphatase activity has been shown to be absolutely specific for the prostatic isoenzyme of acid phosphatase. (2) Since we in the clinical laboratory have the responsibility to interpret abnormal levels of prostatic acid phosphatase in patients' sera in collaboration with physician staff, we need to define rigorously all possible sources of elevated immunoreactive prostatic acid phosphatase. To this end we have studied (a) the distribution of immunoreactive prostatic acid phosphatase in normal and diseased human tissues with an immunoperoxidase technique; (b) the cross-reactivity of several purified preparations of acid phosphatase from nonprostatic tissues with antiprostatic acid phosphatase antiserum by a radioimmunoassay technique; (c) the possible presence of immunoreactive prostatic acid phosphatase in extracts of nonprostatic tissues and blood cells, and in the serum and urine of women; and [d] the quantitative levels of immunoreactive prostatic acid phosphatase in the serum of male patients who do not have adenocarcinoma of the prostate, in order to determine the clinical specificity of this procedure.


With the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), it is critical to understand the packet transmission performance in Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN), especially LoRaWAN. Previous works on LoRaWAN network performance analysis, either simulation-based or field measurement, are considering the Packet Delivery Rate (PDR) as a major measure of the network performance and its dependency on the signal impairments. However, the Effective Signal Power (ESP) and its huge variability along with the different frequency bands, for each location, are not generally considered. In this paper, an in-depth investigation of the frequency dependency of the PDR is done by performing an outdoor measurement campaign in the area of the Campus Beaulieu in Rennes. From each different location, the ESP and SINR (Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio) values are obtained as well as the influence of these parameters on the PDR is evaluated at each frequency band independently. In the given results, the feasibility of using the ESP is proven by its enlarged range when the SINR is very low, unlike the RSSI which has a limitation. This investigation manifests and gives important guidelines for using ESP in the future IoT applications.


This paper assesses and compares multi-factor continuous time affine mortality models applied to age-cohort mortality curves that are well suited for theoretical and practical application in finance and insurance. Models based on Gaussian distributed mortality rates, as well as the Cox-Ingersoll-Ross (CIR) process allowing for Gamma distributed mortality rates, are compared, also quantifying the probability of negative rates in the Gaussian models. In particular, we introduce the Gaussian Arbitrage-Free Nelson-Siegel (AFNS) mortality model incorporating level, slope and curvature factors. The models have appealing features including efficient estimation and computation. We estimate models using age-cohort data to capture cohort effects more effectively and in order to explain the variability in cohort mortality curves in the continuous time framework. The models allow for Poisson variation in the model estimation using the Kalman filter. The affine mortality models facilitate the derivation of closed-form survivor curves allowing for efficient valuation of mortality-linked claims. The models can also incorporate factor dependence allowing for age-dependence in the mortality curves. Importantly we show that the Gaussian independent factor AFNS model performs very well in explaining and forecasting cohort mortality.


In order to accurately and quickly perform transient stability assessment (TSA), this paper introduces extreme learning machine (ELM) into TSA, and proposes a power system transient evaluation method based on improved adaptive differential evolution algorithm and ELM. First, a set of original features are constructed and set as the input of the ELM model, deep-level relationship between the grid steady state and the key feature are established. Then, an improved adaptive differential evolution algorithm (JADE) is presented to optimize the parameters of extreme learning. By adopting an improved mutation strategy and introducing an optimal particle local optimization mechanism, the global optimization ability is improved. Finally, simulation verification was performed on a provincial power grid. The results show that the proposed method shows better classification performance than the other traditional stability evaluation methods.


Packaging material and technique is the important factors of military technical support,the developing trend of which was influenced by support form,transportation environment,logistics development,and national policy...etc.The developing trends of packaging material and technique were introduced,which were performance improvement,single protection to comprehensive protection,containerization for transportation,combination kit packaging,energy and material saving,and application of information technology.


A NEW CATALYST, ESPECIALLY FOR HYDROCARBON dehydrogenation SUB {C,} dehydrogenatable 2-30. THE CATALYST HAS A CARRIER INCLUDING A MIXING MAGNESIUM ESSENTIALLY OXIDE AND ALUMINUM MG (AL) OY ALSO A NOBLE METAL GROUP VIII, a metal of group IV AY optionally an alkali metal GROUP I A. CATALYST be subject to pretreatment CONSIST OF A rEDUCTION, OXIDATION AND sUBSEQUENTLY, and finally a second reduction. The catalyst is particularly useful for dehydrogenation Paraffin C SUB {2-5} A OLEFINS WITH OR WITHOUT HYDROGEN SIMULTANEOUS oxidation.


This paper explores ideas for integrating moveable exterior living walls with the facades of high-rise buildings to enhance urban ecosystems while contributing opportunities for personal interaction with the natural world. Rethinking the typical static nature of living walls, kinetic green walls convey a dynamic aesthetic that provides multiple potential benefits including habitat, passive cooling and opportunity for personal expressions in dense urban environments. This article proposes prototypes of kinetic green walls and suggests their expanded application to the ultra-urban built environment. It offers a preliminary typology, presents a moveable green wall system prototype installed in an urban university setting in Seattle, and demonstrates how the kinetic qualities afford flexible operational, educational, and aesthetic functions. Reflecting upon the challenges and solutions for the built project, this article identifies essential considerations for designing and constructing moveable living walls, illustrated through photographs, construction details and diagrams of new kinetic living wall applications. Key words: moveable living walls, kinetic facades, sliding green wall, access to nature, sustainable design, maintenance access Please Cite as: Andrews L. and Rottle, N. D. 2017. Deploying living walls as kinetic facades Journal of Living Architecture. 4(2) 17-‐31


Microstructure features have a significant effect on the engineering properties of geomaterials. In the current study, the images of the mudstone samples were obtained using the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) technique. After converted the original images into the grayscale and binary ones, the Canny edge detection technique was utilized to detect the particle edges and compute the characteristic shape parameters of the particles in the SEM images, including the eccentricity, flat circular degree, circular degree, discrete index, radius of inscribe circle. The analysis of correlation between these shape parameters was thereafter performed. All of the above processings was implemented using the MATLAB platform. It shows that some parameters, such as eccentricity and anisotropic rate, had a great correlation; and other parameters, such as perimeter and discrete index, had a good correlation; some parameters, such as anisotropic rate and area, had no correlation. The methods presented herein may be referable in investigating the structural features and deformation/failure mechanism of the mudstones in various scales.


Background: As surgical resection is not curative in Crohn's disease (CD), postoperative recurrence (POR) remains a crucial issue. The selection of patients according to available risk factors remains dis-appointing in clinical practice, highlighting the need for best criteria, such as histologic features. We aimed to investigate whether submucosal and myenteric plexitis increased the risk of endoscopic, clinical, and surgical POR in CD. Methods: From the pathology department database, we retrospectively retrieved the data of all the patients consecutively operated for CD in our centre. Inclusion criteria are presented in the study flow chart (Figure 1). Two pathologists, blinded from clinical data, retrospectively reviewed all specimens to evaluate the presence of plexitis at the proximal resection margin. POR prevalence was determined using was used in a multivariate situation by backwards and forwards stepwise analysis of the factors considered significant in univariate analysis (log-rank test) adding systematically the 5 Background: The Rutgeerts score, that comprises 5 grades of sever-ity (i0–i4), is a suitable endoscopic model to predict clinical recurrence after ileocolonic resection in Crohn's disease (CD). Patients with i2 grade represent a particular population with an intermediate risk of clinical recurrence, and definition of i2 grade is heterogene-ous characterised by lesions confined to the ileocolonic anastomosis (i2a) or moderate lesions on the neoterminal ileum (i2b). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the probability of recurrence in i2a and i2b patients. Methods: We performed a multicentre retrospective study, including all CD patients who underwent curative ileocolonic resection and who were classified i2 according to the Rutgeerts score. The primary outcome was to evaluate the probability of clinical recurrence in patients classified i2a and i2b. Secondary outcome was to evaluate the rate of global CD recurrence defined by clinical recurrence and/or occurrence of radiological lesions, and/or worsening of endoscopic lesions, and/or optimisation of the medical treatment and/or new intestinal resection for CD. Results: Included were 50 patients: 23 were classified i2a, and 27 were classified i2b. Demographic and clinical characteristics (including treatments introduced or modified after surgery and after the first colonoscopy, and smoking status) were not different between the 2 groups. Median (IQR) delay between surgery and first ileocolonoscopy evaluation was 7.5 months (6–11) in i2a group and 7.4 months (6.2–14) in i2b group ( p = 0.52). Probability of clinical recurrence in the whole population was 21%, 48%, and 55% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. There was no significant difference concerning probability of clinical recurrence between patients classified i2a and i2b (19%, 40%, and 52%, and 24%, 52%, and 58% at 1, 3, and 5 years respectively, p = 0.64). Median time to clinical recurrence after first ileocolonoscopy was not different between i2a and i2b patients: 14 months (4–25.2) and 30 months (9.6–36.5), respectively ( p = 0.33). Probability of global CD recurrence in the whole population was 21%, 51%, and 65% at 1, 3, and 5 years respectively, with no significant difference between patients classified i2a and i2b ( p = 0.19). Conclusions: Amongst CD patients with endoscopic recurrence classified i2 according to the Rutgeerts score, rate of clinical postoperative recurrence is not different in patients with lesions confined to the ileocolonic anastomosis, as compared with patients with lesions on the terminal ileum. These results suggest that the same therapeutic strategy should be applied in all patients classified i2 regardless the location of postoperative recurrence lesions. = 0.1), weight loss ( p = 0.4), Clostridium difficile infection ( p = 0.5), days of IVS ( p = 0.3), and hospital days before initial IFX dose ( p = 0.8) were not associated with 30-day colectomy rate. In the multivariate model with IFX dosing group as the primary predictor, only haemoglobin nadir remained significant (HR 2.9 [95% CI, 1.3–6.4], p = 0.01). Colectomy-free survival at 24 months was similar between the 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/ kg dosing groups ( p = 0.64). Conclusions: The 30-day colectomy rate amongst patients hospitalised with severe UC remains high—similar to that reported in the literature—but it was not influenced by initial IFX dose. Well-powered, prospective clinical trials comparing initial IFX dosing strategies focusing on patients at highest risk for colectomy are warranted.


Stream and riparian groundwater hydrology has been studied in a small intermittent stream draining a forested catchment for a system representative of a Mediterranean climate. The relationship between precipitation and stream runoff and the interactions between stream water and the surrounding riparian groundwater have been analysed under a wide spectrum of meteorological conditions. The hypothesis that the hydrological condition of the near-stream groundwater compartment can regulate the runoff generation during precipitation events was tested. Stream runoff is characterised by a summer dry period, and precipitation input explained only 25% of runoff variability over the study period (r 2 =0.25, d.f.=51, p 2 =0.80, d.f.=34, p Keywords: riparian zone, groundwater hydrology, runoff, intermittent stream, Mediterranean climate


This paper describes a Monte Carlo study of three est imators of variance for the estimated co r re la t i on c o e f f i c i e n t in f i n i t e populat ion sampling. The variance est imators are the random group, jackkn i fe and f i r s t order Taylor series est imators . The comparison of the est imators is based on two c r i t e r i a : 1) the proper t ies of the variance est imator i t s e l f , inc luding i t s bias, variance and mean square er ror (MSE), and 2) the proper t ies of confidence in te rva ls formed using the variance est imator . Our primary ob jec t ive is to inves t iga te the e f fec t of F isher 's z t r ans fo r mation on the proper t ies of the variance estimators and on confidence in te rva ls formed with them. Previous authors who have presented empir ical resu l ts about variance est imators in f i n i t e popula t ion sampling include Frankel (1971), Mel lor (1973), Bean (1975), and Campbell and Meyer (1978). Theoret ical proper t ies of the variance est imators have been discussed by Rao and Krewski (1978, 1979). In a l l these studies no one estimator has emerged super ior ove ra l l . The choice of a variance est imator seems to depend on the paramete r to be estimated, i t s est imator , the sampling design, and the populat ion at hand. Nevertheless, i t has been establ ished that variance est imators such as those studied in th is paper have reasonably small bias and can be used for making i n f e r en t ia l statements. There has been l i t t l e previous study of the e f fec ts of t ransformat ions on va r i ance est imat ion in f i n i t e populat ion sampling. The random group, jackkn i fe and Taylor series variance est imators are defined in Section 2. The data used in the Monte Carlo study are discussed in Section 3, and Section 4 contains the resu l ts of our i nves t i ga t i on . ^ 1 k ^ ^ 2 : x ( p ~ ) , Vrg(P) k(k'1) ~


Two-phase zero net-liquid flow was investigated in a vertical tube using Newtonian and Non-Newtonian fluids as liquid phases, respectively. A mechanistic model was put forward to describe this special case of gas-liquid two-phase flow with liquid flow rate being zero. Liquid holdup and pressure drop calculated by the model fit well with experimental data. The results show that two- phase zero net-liquid flow has special flow performances in comparison with the general gas-liquid flow. In two-phase zero net-liquid flow, the liquid holdup is only dependent on mass balance and the frictional pressure drop is negative.


Seven samples of New Albany Shale, Clegg Creek Member were independently evaluated for possible oil yield enhancement above Fischer Assay. Bulk samples were crushed, blended, sieved and riffled into representative aliquots and then divided between two laboratories. Samples were evaluated by the ASTM Fischer Assay and the Rapid Heat Up Assay (RHU). Results provided the first case of the independent evaluation of oil yield enhancement over Fischer Assay (FA) for eastern US oil shales carried out by different laboratories working on the same samples. Oil yield enhancements were obtained by both laboratories. Fischer Assay results were remarkably comparable indicating that reproducibility is possible for eastern US shale. Results from the assays are given.


This paper presents the design and implementation of a UAV airborne automatic retractable antenna control system to solve the antenna installation and the safety of the aircraft aerodynamic matching.UAV flying through the experiments with the system design is reasonable,stable performance,high accuracy.It do not affect the power gain of the antenna,and ensure the aircraft's aerodynamic performance and flight safety at the same time.


Cyclophosphamide is a drug of alkylating group and used widely as an anticancer drug. Vitamin E and selenium have important role in protecting the body by their antioxidant factor. The aim of this study is investigating the effect of selenium and vitamin E on liver enzymes in cyclophosphamide chemotherapy rats. The experimented animals were a total of 42 were Wistar rats which randomly divided into 7 equal groups. CO group did not receive any drug or solvent. SA Group daily received 0.2 ml of physiological saline as drug solvent intraperitoneally. SN group received 1 mg/kg-B.W of sodium selenite intraperitoneally. VE group received 200 mg/kg-BW of vitamin E gavage feeding. CP group received 5 mg/kg-BW of cyclophosphamide intraperitoneally. CP-SN and CP-VE groups once a day received 5 mg/kg-BW of cyclophosphamide intraperitoneally and respectively 1 mg/kg-B.W of sodium selenite and 200mg/kg-BW of vitamin E gavage feeding for 21 days. Then the rats were bled and serum was separated. Then, activities of ALT, AST, ALP enzymes were evaluated by the kinetics method and photometer. The results showed that the activities of measured enzymes in SA, SN and VE groups have not significant different compared to the CO group but the CP group has increased significant and in groups of CP-VE and CP-SN has a decreased significant compared to the CP group. According to the results from studies of liver enzymes we can conclude that cyclophosphamide with increasing active oxygen types, increased the liver enzymes' activity in serum. Vitamin E and sodium selenite also have antioxidant factor and somewhat reduces the negative effects of cyclophosphamide. So, the use of vitamin E and sodium selenite is recommended for reducing cyclophosphamide toxicity in cancer patients.


The purpose of this study is to identify the fundamental factors that are key determinants in promoting the Swaziland export performance from 1980 to 2010. The study uses the cointegration technique to estimate both long run and short-run relationships among the variables under investigation and undertakes estimations in the error-correction model approach. The study found that foreign direct investment (FDI), world demand, and nominal exchange rate were key significant factors in determining the export performance at 1 per cent (p < 0.01) in the long run with elasticities of 0.58, 1.19 and 0.36 respectively, and at 5 per cent (p < 0.05) in the short run with coefficients of 0.26, 4.3 and 0.5, respectively. The real GDP and domestic demand have no statisticaleffect on Swaziland's export performance. The error correctional model was -0.372 that captured the speed of error correction. A conducive investment environment should remain an agenda setting in the pro-trade policy making process for the Swazi policy makers.


The setting of this case, world championship wrestling, is an interesting venue in which to explore the ethics of violence in entertainment and how management seeks to make a profit in the face of public criticism and advertising boycotts.


ABSTRACT The search for alternative flour for dough meal in the face of policy summersault on wheat importation is highly imperative. Quality Protein Maize (QPM), cassava and soybean cake were used to produce flour blends for dough meal and analyzed for the quality characteristics and antioxidant properties while the dough meals were analyzed for the organoleptic characteristics. The crude fiber contents of the blends increased by 59–88% over the control while the ash content was about 2-fold higher in samples containing the yellow cassava. The phenolic content of the sample with yellow cassava and white QPM was highest (2.52 mg GAE/g), and the antioxidant properties measured by ABTS and FRAP were significantly higher than the control. The acceptability showed that the formulated blends can be used as a replacement for wheat-based flour for dough meal and will positively contribute to solving the food security challenge in many regions of Sub-Saharan Africa.


smoking cessation intervention in the most rigorous way .possible using human subjects (2, 37, 70). However, even in such trials, those assigned to the no-intervention group modify their smoking habits, and those assigned to the intervention group have incomplete success in quitting. Ideally, each risk factor should be treated independently, but modification of one risk factor often results in changes in other risk factors. For instance, some studies have noted that cigarette smoking cessation can lead to a modest weight gain (3, 26, 47). In a good primary prevention program there would be an effort to reduce or to eliminate the weight gain that sometimes accompanies cessation. Although the multifactorial approach is less precise, it has been considered to be a more practical approach to the problem. There has been only one trial of smoking cessation per se (50, 51). Two types of primary prevention trials involving smoking cessation are underway. The first type of study, exemplified by the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT), selected subjects at high risk of CHD based on a combination of cigarette smoking history, elevated blood pressure, and high serum cholesterol level (43). Subjects were then randomized into either a special treatment group or a comparison group. The Whitehall study (50, 51) and the Oslo study (27) are also of this type. In the second type of study, communities or groups rather than individuals are randomized into a treatment or a control group. The WHO heart disease study randomized men according to the factory where they work and followed the individual factory workers (70). The North Karelia study randomized two separate communities in Finland (48). Whereas the factory workers were individually followed, the communities were monitored only in a cross-sectional manner and individuals were not followed longitudinally. The primary hypothesis in these studies is that reduction of the risk factors will reduce the incidence of and mortality from CHD. The first step in testing this hypothesis requires that the subjects or groups be successfully recruited and categorized at entry to the study and that a very high percentage be successfully followed for the duration of the study. The second step in testing the hypothesis requires the successful reduction of the major risk factors-smoking, high blood pressure, and high serum cholesterol. Often a selected subsample of high risk subjects receives more intensive individual intervention, but the rest of the treatment group receives only community health education. It is not known how large a reduction in risk factors is necessary to observe a decrease in CHD, except that the larger the reduction in risk factor the greater the chance for a decrease in CHD. Specific goals for reduction of risk factors can be based on the presumption


The purpose of this research was Investigation of the role of phisycal activity in leisure time of students in University of Mohaghegh Ardabili
based on their idea in order to recognize and evaluate the effective factors in how to spend their free times.
From 5500 male students the university of Mohaghegh Ardabili, accroding to the random table of Krejcie and Morgan. 393 was chosen by chance among the science, agricultural, literature and technically faculties.
The questionnarie had 39 objective-subjective questions. SPSS software was used to evaluated the student opinion compare the students view according to the closed questions.
Researchers make a conclusion which is based on the answers to questionnaire: 41.3 percent of students are free for three till four hours in a day.The third priority for spending their free time is sports.
Favorite activities are the following :in boy student Football, wrestle, box, Ping-Pong but at girls the current activities are the following: Basketball Volleyballand chess.48.1 percent of students are not satisfied about how they spend their free time, and 21.8 percent of the students just doing sports.
21.3 percent of students doing the sports out of university because of loss provisions.So it is a problem for them so they don't do sports activities.34/2 percent of students acclaimed that the main reason for not doing sport activities is the lack of clubs.23.3 percent of students claimed that another reason for not doing sport activities is the weakness of leisuretime programming by the University.


Purpose: This study was planned to investigate the relationship between the average number of daily steps in healthy individuals with balance, lower extremity muscle flexibility and foot reaction time in healthy individuals. Material and Methods: Fifty-four healthy individuals (19 females, 35 males) with a mean age of 25.15 ±4.85 years were included in the study. After the demographic characteristics of the participants were recorded, the individuals were given a pedometer device to determine the number of daily steps and were asked to wear them for a week. Dynamic balance with Y balance test, static balance with flamingo balance test, the flexibility of lower limb muscles with sit and reach test, and reaction time with Nelson foot reaction test was evaluated. Results: No relation was found between the average number of daily steps and flexibility of lower limb muscles, reaction time, static balance, dynamic balance (p> 0.05). Discussion: The average number of daily steps was not found to affect flexibility, balance and reaction time. The intensity and duration of walking activity rather than the average number of steps per day can have positive effects on flexibility, balance and reaction time.


A commonly used procedure in a wide class of impirical applications is to impute unobserved regressors, such as expectations, from an auxiliary econometric model. This two-step (T-S) procedure fails to account for he fact that imputed regessors are measured with sampling error, so hypothesis tests based on the estimated covariance matrix of the second-step estimator are biased, even in large samples. We present a simple yet general method of calculating asymptotically correct standard errors in T-S models. The proceedure may be applied even when joint estimation methods, such as full information maximum likelihood, are inappropriate or computationally infeasible. We present two examples from recent empirical literature in which these corrections have a major impact on hypothesis testing.


A minimum cover set coverage algorithm (MCSCA) for pursuing low energy is presented in this paper to prolong the lifetime of wireless sensor networks. The proposed algorithm improves energy efficiency in three aspects. First, when generating cover sets, the selection strategy of the algorithm considers the contributions of sensor nodes, energy variance, and other factors. The algorithm can cover all targets with a few sensor nodes. Second, useless coverage optimization reduces coverage areas without target nodes to save energy. Third, redundant coverage optimization further saves energy by reducing redundant coverage in wireless sensor networks. Compared with similar heuristic algorithms, the proposed MCSCA can extend network lifetime by 11% on average.


Objective: To establish a method of HPLC for determination Neohesperidin in JianPi Granule.Methods: Using an Dikma Di amonsil C18(2) column(4.6 mm×250 mm,5 μm).The mobile phases consisted of acetonitrile-water(22 : 78),at 1.0 mL/min flow rate.The detection wavelength was 283 nm.Results:There is a good linearity in the range 10.10-210.40 μg/mL of Neohesperidin(r= 0.9999),The average recovery was 99.14%.Conclusion: The method is specific,and the operation is simple,stable and feasible,can be used as the quality control method.


This paper studies systematically the evolution features of south fault of Zhu Ⅲ Depression in plane and vertical direction and its control over sedimentary system types and their distribution during the fault-rifted lake period according to the fundamental concept of tectonic-sedimentology and the analysis of paleo-subsiding rate and paleo-tectonic deformation rate recovered by back-stripping.Based on the fault activity rate with tectonic styles,it suggests that the development of the sedimentary system is greatly affected by different tectonic styles.Finally,it discusses the controlling of the fault within Zhu Ⅲ Depression.


To provide solution to the congestion problems, a single nerve cell adaptive PID control mechanism, which is based on the probabilitydrop scheme of the network node, is proposed and analyzed. Simulation that runs on the OPNET software is carried out on single node traffic model.The simulation results show that the mechanism proposed works well in terms of stability of the average queue size and system robustness.


Bince its independence in 1956, Morocco has understood that its economic and social progress depends very largely on the knowledge and skills of its people. This is why it has put so much emphasis on education and training. For that purpose, it set itself four objectives: (1) the arabisation of the school and administration sectors, (2) the moroccanisation of the personnel, especially in teaching and public administration, (3) the unification of the school systems, and (4) the generalisation of schooling to all school age children. While moroccanisation and unification have so far been largely satisfied, the other two objectives stilllag far behind. Concerning higher education which was supposed to pave the way to these objectives there was not 'a single University in the country in 1956. There was, of course, the Quarawiyine University in Fes._ which is one of the oldest in the world. But this institution provided (and still does) traditional education such as religious studies, Islamic law, Islamic tradition, Arabic language and culture. There were, however, a few institutions of higher education which were part and parcel of the French University in Bordeaux. This is why just one year after independence, the first modern University was created in Rabat with just the two faculties of letters and law. Other institutions were created later in the early sixties, viz. medicine, engineering, and public administration .. The main aim of higher education in Morocco was then to provide the country with citizens with specialised skills. At first, this work force was to replace the French personnel in administration and teaching, as well as to provide qualified manpower for the various agricultural and industrial fields. In line with its major planning priority of increasing the output of persons with specialised skills at all levels, the Government established in 1964 the SousSecretariat d'Etat pour l'Enseignement Technique, la Formation Professionnelle et la Formation des Cadres. In the late eighties the Ministry of Education was split into the Ministre de l'Education Nationale, responsible . for primary and secondary education, and the Ministre de l'Enseignement Suprieur de la Formation des Cadres et de la Rechrche Scientifique. It is against this background that the system of higher education in Morocco will now be presented.


Sixty patients under the age of twenty with sixty-seven amputations of the upper extremities have been seen in the Clinic in the past three years. Prostheses have been prescribed and fitted for forty-three, and these patients have received adequate training in the use of the prosthesis. For nine other patients, prostheses have been prescribed and ordered, but they have not yet been received from the manufacturer. Some patients are still too young, being under twenty-two months of age, for a prosthesis. This series does not include patients with partial amputation of the fingers, or those children who have only two digits which could be surgically treated by opposing one to act as a thumb.


This paper presents theory for application of FET devices as mechanical stress sensors and demonstrates the use of CMOS FET differential pairs as practical temperature insensitive sensors. By controlling the type and orientation of the pairs, both the difference of the in-plane normal stresses as well as the in-plane shear stress can be extracted on the (100) surface in an accurate temperature compensated manner. Test chips containing arrays of FET stress sensors are used to extract die stresses induced by die encapsulation. The experimental test chip design consists of 49 CMOS stress sensors distributed across the die and interconnected by a novel multiplexing scheme.


Under the Franco dictatorship, translators who remained in Spain ranged from staunch supporters of the regime to opponents who nevertheless complied with the censor board. Though all published works in the country were censored, the degree and type of changes to translated metaphors varied depending on the ideological stance of the translators. This suggests that while all translators altered metaphors to appease the censor board, supporters of the dictatorship actively selected metaphoric structures that reinforced the ideology of the regime. In translations of Hamlet , for example, even opponents of the regime such as Antonio Buero Vallejo altered metaphors at odds with Francoist values, such as Hamlet's criticism of poor actors as giving the impression that "some of nature's journeymen had made men and not made them well" (III,ii), which attributes creation to nature rather than God; or pagan references such as "witchcraft of the wit" (I, v). Supporters of the regime, such as Jose Ma Peman, removed these metaphors and additionally introduced new ones. These often mapped filthiness onto sin, as in Lavar la mancha de este incesto ("wash the stain of this incest", inserted in [I,v]); or mapped from roses and other flowers onto a variety of target domains.


For the optimal design problem of wireless power transfer (WPT) system, the conventional optimization method only optimizes for a single objective and cannot make multi-objective globally optimal in the feasible region. In this paper, firstly, the output power, transmission efficiency and capacitor voltage stress are taken as the optimization objectives, and the optimized variable is the compensation inductance value. Secondly, a linearity-weighted-sum function of multi-objective optimization method is proposed to achieve the global optimization of LCC-S WPT system, and the feasibility of this multi-objective optimization method is demonstrated by comparing with the traditional optimization method. Finally, a 1 kW WPT system for automated guided vehicle (AGV) was built to verify the validity of the proposed optimization method. Simulation and experimental results agree well with theoretical analysis, all switches realize ZVS within the entire power range which can realize the reliable operation for the system, and 93.3% efficiency from DC power source to battery load is achieved with k = 0.13.


Computers were destined to be "connected" because their creators were created to be "connected." While sociologists attempt to examine the self in relation to the phenomena of ever-connected social media platforms, theological insight can provide a transcendent teleology, a "directionality," toward which such connectedness points. This essay draws on Ivan Illich's vision for "convivial tools" for an interdisciplinary examination of the self in context of social media. Commercially designed, corporate-controlled social media platforms are not convivial tools by Illich's definition, and cannot patch all existential wounds, but they can synthetically ameliorate the deepest longings of the human heart. Ultimately, social media selves hearken to a spiritual vision of a world where such alienation and brokenness are supplanted by personal and relational wholeness.


The in-vehicle structure of the battery pack, since the recesses on the upper surface of the battery case (24) which cross member extending in a vehicle width direction (20) is fitted (39 b) is formed, a battery pack (31) cross member ( it is possible to mount on the vehicle body without interfering with 20), in a position that is not necessary or to form a notch in the higher or the cross member (20) to the cross member (20), the battery pack (31 ground clearance to be sufficiently ensured while preventing the water of the battery (42) in), it is possible to achieve both securing strength of securing the cross member (20) of the volume of the cabin (25). Since also the concave portion (39 b) is formed on the upper surface of the battery case (24), a battery (42) cooling passages (45A, 45B) disposed below the no narrowing the, thereby the battery (42) cooling performance is secured.


Ware House (Warehouse) is an important element of the system at a company, including the Furniture Company. Warehouse has the function as a place of production of goods and storage of inventory that will be distributed to consumers. Through the reports generated by the Warehouse, then the parts such as Marketing, Purchasing or even the management can take decisions or policies in the production. In writing this thesis, the writers designed a storage system, which in turn can be used as a tool to support decisions based on the results of the report as a process of exit-entry of goods, the condition of the goods and forms of market response. The writer is with the design-oriented system to a web-based programming approach to the MVC (Model View Control) by using database system and programming language that continues growing towards a better, in this case the writers chose MySQL as the database server and PHP as a programming language. The writers conduct the test by using the method alpha and beta test the functionality of the system with inventory warehouse transactions with the MVC approach. The results of this trial can be concluded that the stock transaction systems, web-based repository that was created to provide clear information.


In order to research assuasive control and dynamic characteristic of new tractor-brake hydraulic torque converter retarder in the lock-up process, provide credibility design for vehicles, taking a power-hydrodynamic transmission system as a spring-mass system, dynamic model and mathematical model are established for the vehicle power train system equipped with the new tractor-brake hydraulic torque converter on the base of the simulink of MATLAB, bring about its lock-up control rule in the lock-up process. The simulated results of dynamic characteristic for the power train system are carried out in the process of lock-up. Its dynamic change of import and output rotate speed and torque are gained in the process of lock-up, and still have the friction torque dynamic change of lockup clutch. Factors affecting the quality of lock-up are analyzed. A test is made for validating theory research.


PURPOSE
The stromal and immune bone marrow (BM) landscape is emerging as a crucial determinant for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are enriched in the AML microenvironment, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly elucidated. Here, we addressed the effect of IFN-γ released by AML cells in BM Tregs induction and its impact on AML prognosis.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
BM aspirates from AML patients were subdivided according to IFNG expression. Gene expression profiles in INFGhigh and IFNGlow samples were compared by microarray and NanoString analysis and used to compute a prognostic index. The IFN-g release effect on the BM microenvironment was investigated in mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)/AML cell co-cultures. In mice, AML cells silenced for IFN-γ expression were injected intrabone.

RESULTS
IFNGhigh AMLsamples showed an upregulation of inflammatory genes, usually correlated with a good prognosis in cancer. By contrast, in AML patients, high IFNG expression associated with poor overall survival. Notably, IFN-g release by AML cells positively correlated with a higher BM suppressive Tregs' frequency. In co-culture experiments, IFNGhigh AML cells modified MSC transcriptome by up-regulating IFN-γ-dependent genes related to Treg induction, including indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1). IDO1 inhibitor abrogated the effect of IFN-γ release by AML cells on MSC-derived Treg induction. Invivo, the genetic ablation of IFN-γ production by AML cells reduced MSC IDO1 expression and Treg infiltration, hindering AML engraftment.

CONCLUSIONS
IFN-g release by AML cells induces an immune-regulatory program in MSCs and remodels BM immunological landscape toward Treg induction, contributing to an immunotolerant microenvironment.


Objective: We report a case of dural AV fistula (dAVF) with venous hypertension, and demonstrate the consequences of misdiagnosis as idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Background: Pseudotumor cerebri is a diagnosis of exclusion once other causes of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) are ruled out. Aside from mass lesions more readily seen on conventional imaging, vascular malformations as a cause of elevated ICP, especially those with venous drainage to the dural sinuses and resultant dural venous hypertension, can be more easily overlooked. Design/Methods: Case Report Results: A 55-year-old woman (BMI 28) with several-year history of pulsatile tinnitus and previous diagnosis of pseudotumor cerebri presented to the emergency department with intractable headache. Prior work up included dilated fundus examination demonstrating papilledema, and LP with opening pressure of 32 cm water. On initial presentation in 2011, imaging showed evidence of an AV fistula that was misdiagnosed at that time. The patient was treated with anticoagulation for a presumed transverse sinus thrombosis. The patient's elevated ICPs and papilledema were controlled with acetazooamide for 5 years. At the time of re-presentation, CTA showed progression of the dAVF. The patient underwent a diagnostic cerebral angiogram demonstrating a complex borden type IIB AV fistula draining into the right transverse sinus only. The patient is currently undergoing staged transarterial and transvenous embolization as management of her fistula. Conclusions: Thorough investigation should be undertaken for secondary causes of headache and intracranial hypertension, especially in normal weight patients when other symptoms are present. Misdiagnosis can complicate future treatment of the underlying cause, and in the case of undiagnosed vascular malformations, result in delayed cerebral hemorrhage or ischemia. Disclosure: Dr. Kaye has nothing to disclose. Dr. Renati has nothing to disclose. Dr. Corliss has nothing to disclose. Dr. Stetler has nothing to disclose. Dr. Polifka has nothing to disclose. Dr. Waters has nothing to disclose.


Internal alchemy (neidan) must be distinguished from operative alchemy (waidan) and from the various techniques of breath- circulation. Internal alchemy borrows from operative alchemy its use of the Yijing and of certain chemical terms, but it does not seek to produce any chemical substance; rather, it transfers the alchemical goal of synthesis into the realm of breath and meditation techniques and philosophy. The nine texts to be examined here belong to the teaching of the True Origin (Zhenyuan), a school whose history remains obscure. ; This tradition traces its origins back to Ge Hong and to operative alchemy. The texts also refer to the Yinfu jing and the Cantongqi. Numerous borrowings from the Shangqing literature also occur, among them the term zhenyuan itself. This is hardly surprising, as the Shangqing incorporation of chemical recipes and breathing techniques may be considered to be the impulse at the origin of internal alchemy. But the synthetic drive behind the Zhenyuan texts goes beyond purely Taoist sources: ; -correspondences are established between Taoist and Buddhist notions (wu and you, for example); ; -the zhenyuan the "true origin," is identified with both Mencius' haoran zhi qi and the Taoist yuanqi; ; -elements from Taoist neiguan, "internal contemplation," and from medical texts are incorporated in the Zhenyuan synthesis, as are Buddho-Confucian notions of morality inherited from Taoist Lingbao scriptures. ; The texts devote considerable space to cosmogenetic speculation and seek to synthesize Laotzian metaphysics, notions of Taiji, Qian, and Kun, and the Taoist concept of primordial breath as the link between the one and the many, via the mechanisms of its circulation in the macro- and microcosms. It is in the context of this speculation that one of the texts presents the Taiji diagram that plays so important a role in Sung Neo-Confucianism. ; Most of the oppositions characteristic of other neidan texts are also to be found in the texts of the Zhenyuan school— water and fire, lead and mercury, etc. — as is the contrast between ordinary people who "follow" the natural course of things and engender children and those who "master" this course and engender their immortal self. Also noteworthy is the characteristic neidan emphasis on "double cultivation" of the physical and the mental. Most important, however, is the symbolic use of alchemical terminology: the "true crucible" is identified with the Big Dipper, the "true mercury" with the sun, and the "true cinnabar " or lead, with the moon; these heavenly bodies are in turn linked to the hun and po souls in the human body. The union of these elements is to be effected according to a calendar divided into twelve sections represented by hexagrams. ; In short, the Zhenyuan school gives us yet another example of the Taoist genius for synthesis. At the same time, it has its own unique characteristics linking it to the Shangqing and Yijing traditions.


The paper presents two feature extraction methods and two decision methods to retrieve images having some section in them that is like the user input image. The features used are variances of gray level co-occurrences and line-angle-ratio statistics constituted by a 2D histogram of angles between two intersecting lines and ratio of mean gray levels inside and outside the regions spanned by those angles. The decision method involves associating with any pair of images either the class "relevant" or "irrelevant". A Gaussian classifier and nearest neighbor classifier are used. A protocol that translates a frame throughout every image to automatically, define for any pair of images whether they are in the relevance class or the irrelevance class is discussed. Experiments on a database of 300 gray scale images with 9600 ground truth image pairs showed that the classifier assigned 80% of the image pairs one was sure were relevant, to the relevance class correctly. The actual retrieval accuracy is greater than this lower bound of 80%.


An apparatus for ejecting an IC card of a card reader socket is provided to reduce the number of components by removing an ejection button and the third elastic member and operate the components smoothly, thereby improving reliability and assemblage and reducing raw resource costs. An ejector(21) is a rail formed in one side of an inner surface of a slot. The ejector guides insertion/ejection of an IC card. The ejector includes the first stopper in a rear end. The ejector the second stopper in a front end. A body of a driving lever(22) is inserted into a protruded hinge shaft at the slot of the ejector front direction. The IC card inserted into the slot is moved backward with the ejector in a rear end of the driving lever. The driving lever includes a protrusion sill in a front end to prevent the IC card from being separated from the slot when the IC card inserted into the slot is stopped at a designated position. The first elastic member(23) tightly attaches a rear protrusion to the second stopper of the ejector by pulling the front end of the driving lever when the IC card inserted into the slot is stopped at the designated position.


The purpose of this paper is to describe the tools and techniques in use at the NASA Ames Research Center for performing visualization of computational aerodynamics, for example visualization of flow fields from computer simulations of fluid dynamics about vehicles such as the Space Shuttle. The hardware used for visualization is a high-performance graphics workstation connected to a super computer with a high speed channel. At present, the workstation is a Silicon Graphics IRIS 3130, the supercomputer is a CRAY2, and the high speed channel is a hyperchannel. The three techniques used for visualization are post-processing, tracking, and steering. Post-processing analysis is done after the simulation. Tracking analysis is done during a simulation but is not interactive, whereas steering analysis involves modifying the simulation interactively during the simulation. Using post processing methods, a flow simulation is executed on a supercomputer and, after the simulation is complete, the results of the simulation are processed for viewing. This is by far the most commonly used method for visualization of computational aerodynamics. The next two methods are much more desirable, yet much less common given the current state of supercomputer and workstation evolution and performance. Both of these are more sophisticated methods because they involve analysis of the flow codes as they evolve. Tracking refers to a flow code producing displays that give a scientist some indication how his experiment is progressing so he could, perhaps, change some parameters and then restart it. Steering refers to actually interacting with the flow codes during execution by changing flow code parameters. (Steering methods have been employed for grid generation pre-processing as well to substantially reduce the time it takes to construct a grid for input to a flow solver). When the results of the simulation are processed for viewing by distributing the process between the workstation and the supercomputer, it is called distributed processing. This paper describes the software in use and under development at NASA Ames Research Center for performing these types of tasks in computational aerodynamics. Workstation performance issues, benchmarking, and high-performance networks for this purpose are also discussed as well as descriptions of other hardware for digital video and film recording. A new software environment, FAST, is introduced that is currently being developed at NASA Ames for implementation on workstations that will be procured in the latter half of 1989. This modular software environment will take advantage of the multiple processor and large memory configurations and other features as specified in the NASA RFP for these workstations and is a natural evolution of the techniques described in this paper.


This study uses an atomistic approach to simulate the emission of dislocations around a nanoindentation on a (001) copper surface. This approach is quasistatic, and is therefore computationally efficient. The simulation results illustrate the nucleation and emission of the dislocations. Slip vector analysis facilitates the observation of the dislocations and enables an interpretation of the dislocation reactions which are induced during the nanoindentation cycle. The results confirm that the von Mises shear stress is a good indicator of the atomic plastic behavior which occurs during the nanoindentation process.


This paper deals with the matter of relaxed peak-to-peak filtering for nonlinear networked DC motor with quantization. The powerful Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy model is used to model the nonlinear terms. With the help of proposing a so-called switching filter, more filter gain matrices can be introduced and the derived result is less than the one with single matrix given in the recent literature. Further, some free additional matrices are also introduced for obtaining feasible solution to the underlying filter gain matrices in terms of linear matrix inequality. At last, the validity of the given means is demonstrated by a simulation instance.


Talking about Balkanism in Romanian contemporary poetry means to betray, to a certain extent required by degradation or alteration, some literary themes and motifs. Finding ourselves in a geographical area of cultural contaminations, the influence of other peoples in Balkans comes naturally: the nostalgia of Byzantium perfection, continuous reporting at an ideal time, abstraction of the chronology. Balkan themes and motives in poetry are identifiable from the early writings of Romanian literature, including the folklore, with Anton Pann, the Vacarescu and Conachi poets – and their ludic descriptivism – , to Ion Barbu, who strikes a metaphysical note in the Balkan motifs, and later, in the second part of twentieth century, with the species of parody. The Romanian native receptivity allowed continuous assimilations without creating an unpleasant heterogeneous feeling. This openness has contributed decisively in a formative way to bring Byzantium on a new soil in a perfect and saturated array; the perfectibility is not possible anymore, so the failure was natural, in a degraded status – Constantinople. Oriental-Byzantine gravity becomes in Oriental-Balkan tragedy or comedy, balance slid to one extreme, sometime becoming ridiculous. Contemporary poetry does not express any more a true lament, but a kind of parody (in ludic poetry) or sheer contempt (in the solemn poetry). The Balkan intelligence is not critical, but creative, with the risk of perpetuating monstrous forms, beyond good and evil. Byzantium established itself through a double filter – for the East and for the West – influencing and being influenced, in turn. Romanian poetry has the full sequence of themes and aesthetic formulae, from tragic to comic, often switching rapidly from one edge to the other, taking into account the old Thracian solemn part, then the proud Byzantium and its absorption in Constantinople – all rolling in a series of formal expressions reflected in themes and vocabulary.


The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of educational activities applying multicultural picture books on anti-bias recognition and prosocial behavior among 3-year-old children. Subjects were 18 experimental group and 15 control group in daycare centers in Anyang-city, Kyonggi-Do. Resul...


This paper considers synchronous and asynchronous heterogeneous cyclic pursuit in discrete time and obtains results on the consensus of both. It is shown that agents in synchronous heterogeneous cyclic pursuit system can achieve consensus with at most one negative gain, subject to a lower limit, which expands the reachable set although the asynchronous case may diverge when one of the agents has a negative gain. However, when all the gains are positive, positional consensus is achieved even in the asynchronous mode. The theoretical results are illustrated through simulations.


The Present study was carried out at Research cum Instructional Farm, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur (M.P.) during rabi of 2015-16. The present study is based on a cross between GMU 244 x GMU 1303 and its F2 progeny study based on the segregation pattern of fatty acids and study of transgressive segregation. Over other allogamous oilseed crops, such as sunflower and rapeseed, safflower is characterized by high degree self-pollination which has greater advantage for commercial production of high oleic acid. It is a type of oilseed crop which consists of various composition of different fatty acids and this can be controlled by combination of various major genes and some changes in environment condition. The association of markers with traits of study is estimated by their positive average additive effect with different traits. In present study SSR marker SES 33 was found to be linked with number of seeds per capitulam and seed yield per plant. Similarly, SSR marker SF 18 was observed to be linked with plant height, number of branches per plant, number of capitulam per plant, seed yield per plant and oil %. SSR marker SES144 was found to be associated with yield contributing traits like plant height, number of capitulum per plant and oil %. SSR marker SES 99 was found to be associated with traits, plant height, and number of seeds per capitulam, seed yield per plant and oil %. In this study SSR marker SES 86 was observed to be linked with number of branches per plant and oil %. Marker SES 85 was found to be linked with number of branches per plant, oil %, number of seeds per capitulam and seed yield per plant. The SSR marker SES 81 was found to be linked with plant height.


Low-viscosity hyperbranched epoxy resin-containing nitrogen heterocycle (HTPE) is synthesized from epichlorohydrin (ECH), dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA), and tris(2-hydrooxyethyl)-isocyanurate. The structure and properties of HTPE are characterized by FTIR, GPC, and molecular simulation. The performance of HTPE/diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) composites first increase and then decrease with the increase of the content and molecular weight of HTPE. Compared to those of pure DGEBA, the impact strength, fracture toughness, tensile, and flexural strength of HTPE-2/DGEBA composite can be enhanced by about 192%, 39%, 18%, and 23%, respectively. The absence of microphase separation and the presence of lots of "protonema" on the fracture surface of the composites are explicated by an in situ reinforcing and toughening mechanism. The intramolecular cavity of HTPE and the strong interaction between HTPE and DGEBA are two key factors to toughening and reinforcing DGEBA. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012


Teaching is characterised by constant change and occurs in a dynamic and unpredictable environment. Being able to adapt to meet the novel and changing situations that occur in these everchanging environments is an important capacity for thriving and effective teachers. This is known as adaptability, or the capacity of individuals to adjust their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in response to new, changing, or uncertain situations (Martin et al., 2012). Although a growing body of research has demonstrated the benefits of adaptability for teachers and students (e.g. Collie & Martin, 2017; Parsons & Vaughn, 2016), limited work has considered the role of adaptability among beginning teachers, and how this capacity can be fostered in pre-service education courses. The present article thus examines the nature of adaptability and proposes a range of strategies that can be employed to foster this capacity in the context of pre-service educational psychology courses.


Abstract Objectives Adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer is undeniably effective in increasing survival rates but many breast cancer survivors (BCS) exhibit side effects including nausea, fatigue, stress, and neurocognitive deficits, known as "chemobrain." This pilot study explored how neurotherapy, or EEG biofeedback, a non-pharmacological approach, improved neurocognitive, behavioral, and neurophysiological deficits associated with BCS who underwent chemotherapy. Methods Subjects underwent 18 sessions of EEG biofeedback training, in which audio and visual feedback occurred with successful shifting of EEG patterns. Results Quantitative EEG and assessment tests demonstrated neurophysiological, cognitive, and behavioral deficits in all nine subjects prior to training. EEG biofeedback resulted in significant improvements in neurophysiological, neurocognitive, and psychological functions in all nine subjects after training. Conclusions We propose that this intervention and related forms of EEG biofeedback have the potential to significantly alleviate common side effects of chemotherapy in BCS and therefore merits additional research attention.


Neuroepithelial brain tumors are central nervous system neoplasms that embody a series of primary brain tumors including astrocytic, ependymal, choroid plexus, pineal pa¬ renchymal, and embryonal tumors. Tumors of neuroepithelial origin represent a heterogeneous group of intracranial neo¬ plasms with distinct features that control their ontogeny, pattern of invasion, clinical outcome, and prognosis. These features may reflect the complexity of the molecular and genetic alterations in pathways involved in the maintenance and progression of CNS tumors. It has been well documented that wnt genes, together with other components of wnt signaling pathway, are implicated in tumorigenesis. In the present study changes of components of wnt signaling pathway, axin (AXIN1) and β -catenin (CTNNB1) were investigated in neuroepithelial brain tumors in order to elucidate the genetic background ot this tumors. 72 neuroepithelial tumors were analyzed in this study regarding genetic changes of two genes: axin and β -catenin. LOH of the AXIN1 gene was detected by PCR amplification of the dinucleotid polymorphism (D16S521). The same samples were also analysed by immunohistochemistry for both axin and β -catenin proteins and evaluated by image analysis as staining density. PCR amplification of polymorphic marker for AXIN1 gene, showed LOH in 11.1% of total informative tumors. LOH was distributed to 6.3% of glioblastomas, one was found in neuroepithelial dysembrioplastic tumor and one in medulloblastoma. Immunostaining and Image analysis revealed the quantity and localization of relevant proteins. Axin was observed in the cytoplasm in 68, 8% of samples, in 28, 1% in both the cytoplasm and nucleus and 3, 1% had no expression. β -catenin was observed mainly in the nucleus and cytoplasm (59, 4%). In 34, 4% it was localized in cytoplasm and 6, 3% of our sample had no expression. Comparison of mean values of relative increase of axin and β -catenin showed that they are significantly reversely proportional (P=0, 014). Relative quantity of β -catenin in patients with gross deletion of AXIN1 was significantly higher in comparison to patients without LOH (P=0, 040). In conclusion we believe that wnt signaling has important role in neuroepithelial brain tumor development. Our novel findings on changes of the wnt molecular components may contribute to better understanding of human brain tumors genetic profiles and also indicates for the first time the relation of quantities of those proteins.


Properly designed geometries of directing pre-patterns broaden the set of lattice symmetries and the local arrangements of patterns achievable by directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers (BCP), compared to the ones achievable in un-directed, bulk systems. We present the results of parametric computational simulation studies, concentrating on exploring the chemoepitaxy or graphoepitaxy directing geometries yielding the DSA structures needed for typical integrated circuits, but not achievable in bulk, undirected annealing of BCP. The examples include the parametric studies of chemoepitaxy and graphoepitaxy DSA patterns etch-transferrable, respectively, into isolated lines and contact hole arrays. The results of the DSA defect simulations are also presented and discussed.


Separating the occurrences and measurements of different Aeolian phenomena such as synoptic cyclones, thunderstorms, tornadoes and so on is a key topic of modern wind engineering in order to perform distinct statistical analysis, to extract the main statistical parameters related to each phenomenon, and to build wind field models suitable to represent the wind loading and response of structures. Merging these separate evaluations in a unitary formulation is a further aim still in the embryonic stage.


The formula of mixture was screened by pot-spray.The result indicated that the combination of desmedipham,phenmedipham and ethofumesate was good at ratio of 70 + 90 + 110 or 90 + 90 + 90.The six field trials showed that 21% EC was higher effective to control broad leaf weed and some grass weed at the dosage of a.i.1260-1680 g/hm2.This study was very useful to research and develop herbicides for sugar beet field.


Copper sprays were applied at monthly intervals in a staggered-type sprays experiment in order to determine the optimum period for control of pre-and post-harvest diseases in Fuerte and Hass avocado cultivare. The critical periods for black spot on Fuerte appear to be later at Everdon Estate, KwaZulu-Natal than generally accepted for the rest of the industry. Anthracnose, Dothiorella / Colletotrichum fruit rot complex and stem-end rot were readily controlled with copper sprays on both cultivars. Copper sprays applied from November onwards should therefore be efficient for the control of post-harvest diseases. Neither production of Hass and Fuerte, nor fruit size distribution of Hass were significantly influenced by any amount of copper sprays.


Triangular sharp-crested weirs are commonly used to measure low-flow measurements in open channels. The flow over such a V-notch is proportional to the height of water above the weir on the upstream side. Therefore, it is relatively easy to calculate the flow from standard equations by using only recordings of water levels. Thus, these types of weirs can provide inexpensive measurements of flow volumes and resulting nutrient loads from subsurface drainage systems and associated conservation practices. The objective of this study was to develop appropriate weir equations for a 22.5° V-notch weir developed for a new tubular water level control structure in a controlled drainage system (CD). Analyses using this weir, with three typical slope angles of 30°, 45°, and 60°, were also conducted. There were no significant differences in the fitted parameters across the three analyzed slope angles. The coefficient of determination (R2) values were 0.9955, 0.9981, and 0.9980, respectively. However, the best-fitted equation for a 22.5° V-notch weir was for a slope angle of 45°. The flow equation was Q = 0.2235H2.4182, with Q in liters per minute and H in centimeters. This equation can be used for measuring flow through tubular-controlled drainage structures.


Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) latency in sensory ganglia such as trigeminal ganglia (TG) is associated with a persistent immune infiltrate that includes effector memory CD8+ T cells that can influence HSV-1 reactivation. In C57BL/6 mice, HSV-1 induces a highly skewed CD8+ T cell repertoire, in which half of CD8+ T cells (gB-CD8s) recognize a single epitope on glycoprotein B (gB498-505), while the remainder (non-gB-CD8s) recognize, in varying proportions, 19 subdominant epitopes on 12 viral proteins. The gB-CD8s remain functional in TG throughout latency, while non-gB-CD8s exhibit varying degrees of functional compromise. To understand how dominance hierarchies relate to CD8+ T cell function during latency, we characterized the TG-associated CD8+ T cells following corneal infection with a recombinant HSV-1 lacking the immunodominant gB498-505 epitope (S1L). S1L induced a numerically equivalent CD8+ T cell infiltrate in the TG that was HSV-specific, but lacked specificity for gB498-505. Instead, there was a general increase of non-gB-CD8s with specific subdominant epitopes arising to codominance. In a latent S1L infection, non-gB-CD8s in the TG showed a hierarchy targeting different epitopes at latency compared to at acute times, and these cells retained an increased functionality at latency. In a latent S1L infection, these non-gB-CD8s also display an equivalent ability to block HSV reactivation in ex vivo ganglionic cultures compared to TG infected with wild type HSV-1. These data indicate that loss of the immunodominant gB498-505 epitope alters the dominance hierarchy and reduces functional compromise of CD8+ T cells specific for subdominant HSV-1 epitopes during viral latency.


PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fluorescent conversion film capable of efficiently converting light in a near ultraviolet range or visual range to be emitted from a illuminant into different visible light and capable of high-precision patterning. SOLUTION: A fluorescent conversion film is composed of a fluorescent conversion film copolymer. This copolymer contains an organic fluorescent color pixel which absorbs light in a near ultraviolet range or visible range to be emitted from a illuminant and at least one kind of ethylene unsaturation carbonic acid unit of 3 to 60mol% as an iterative unit.


IN 1989, THE MA'ALE SCHOOL of Television, Film, and the Arts was founded in Jerusalem with the primary purpose of providing religiously observant Jews with the opportunity to receive the appropriate training that would prepare them to become engaged in the world of Israeli film and television production in a manner that is informed by the spirit of religious Zionism.' Until now the school has received little scholarly attention, and it still maintains a relatively low profile in Israeli society as a whole. Ma'ale, however, merits careful consideration for three main reasons: (i) The establishment of Ma'ale has constituted an important new stage in the development of the relationship of religious Zionists to modernity in general and to the secular majority culture in Israel in particular. (2) The school represents the first sustained attempt to arrive at a synthesis between traditional Jewish values and the relatively new visually-oriented field of media production, thereby raising important questions about the relationship between Judaism and the visual arts in general and film and television production in particular. (3) The films produced at Ma'ale as graduate projects attempt to explore issues of Jewish religiosity in ways that had been largely absent from the history of Israeli film and television production until the founding of the school, thereby suggesting the potential for the emergence of religiously-oriented trends in the world of Israeli media in the future.


Thank you for taking the time to read our manuscript, and thank you for your thorough and constructive comments. We appreciate the effort you have put into this, and believe your comments will contribute to improve the quality of our manuscript. Please find answers to your comments and questions below. Your comments are written in Italic text, while our responses are provided using normal formatting.


Constant force spring hanger is a device which puts invariable tension on the thing it hangs in limited displacement.It is used for suspending the vapor,water,cigarette,wind pipeline system in the chemical plant and power plant,the boiler and burning devices in the thermal power station and suspending the conductive line and the bear-strength line in the electric railway,etc.The basic principle of constant force spring hanger is to obtain invariable tension on the load by using moment balance.This design start with the optimization design,mainly optimized the spring of the constant support spring hanger,the constant force spring hanger after optimization has the advantages such as smaller in size,relative light quality and higher invariable-degree,so it can save the steel,reduce costs and has good market potential.


Background: Sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock are currently an important worldwide health issue. In most of the Studies done in Mexico clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients are not described.


Objectives The effectiveness and impact of any treatment on patients' physical functions, especially in older patients, should be closely considered. This study aimed to evaluate activities of daily living (ADLs) after oncological surgery in patients with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary-pancreatic cancers by age groups in Japan. Design Retrospective observational study using health services utilisation data from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2016. Setting Data for patients with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary-pancreatic cancers diagnosed in 2015 from 431 hospitals nationwide in Japan. Participants Patients who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and laparoscopic or open surgery were included. Outcome measures The proportion of ADL decline at discharge, death and unexpected readmission within 6 weeks postsurgery was calculated by age groups (40–74, 75–79 and ≥80 years). Results Data for 68 032 patients were analysed. The difference in the proportion of ADL decline after ESD/EMR between patients aged ≥80 years and <75 years was marginal (0.8%–2.5%), whereas that after laparoscopic (4.8%–5.9%) or open surgery (4.6%–9.4%) was large, except for pancreatic cancer (3.0%). Among patients with gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic or open surgery, the proportion of unexpected readmission tended to be higher in patients aged ≥80 years than in the remaining younger patients (laparoscopic surgery 4.8% vs 2.3% (p=0.001); open surgery 7.3% vs 4.4% (p<0.001)). The postoperative mortality rate was <3% (<10 cases) across all ages and cancer types. Conclusions In ESD/EMR, postoperative ADL decline was almost the same between older and younger patients. Laparoscopic or open surgery is associated with increased rates of ADL decline in older patients, especially in those aged ≥80 years. The potential decline in ADLs should be carefully considered preoperatively to best maintain the patient's quality of life postsurgery.


cosα法によるショットピーニング処理したばね鋼表面の残留応力評価  Evaluation of residual stress on shot peened spring steel surface by X-ray cosα method Tomohiro YAMAZAKI*1, Yuji SODA*1, Takuya YAMAOKA*1 and Toshihiko SASAKI*2 *1 Research and Development Center, Mitsubishi Steel MFG. Co., Ltd. 1-6 Yawata, Kaigandori, Ichihara-shi, Chiba 290-0067, Japan *2 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan Abstract The purpose of this study is to carry out the basic verification necessary for the correct evaluation of the residual stress of shot peened spring steel by the cosα method. Spring steel (JIS-SUP9) was used as the specimen. Shot peening (SP) was performed on the surface of the specimen by changing the direction and the number of SP. In the X-ray stress measurement, the Debye ring was measured from five directions for each measurement point and used to determine the residual stress. We also examined the effects of changing X-ray incident angles. Residual stress was determined assuming plane stress or tri-axial stress, respectively. As a result, it was found that out-of-plane shear stress (τxz) may occur depending on the direction of SP, and in that case, if stress analysis assuming plane stress is performed, a measurement error will occur. Furthermore, it was found that the smaller the incident angle of X-rays, the larger the measurement error.


ABSTRACT In terms of gamification within political science, some fields—particularly international relations and American politics—have received more attention than others. One of the most underserved parts of the discipline is research methods; a course that, coincidentally, is frequently cited as one that instructors hate to teach and students hate to take. Given the well-documented merits of games in promoting student engagement and the key role of methods as a building block to student understanding of political science, this article attempts to rectify this oversight by introducing three games—Zendo, Murder Mystery, and the Archeologist's Quandary— geared at teaching key concepts and approaches in research methods.


A simple method has been developed for the synthesis of [(5-hydroxy-3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)(phenyl)methyl]propanedinitriles and 6-amino-4-aryl-3-methyl-2,4-dihydro pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazole-5-carbonitrile derivatives through a one-pot four-component condensation reaction of aromatic aldehydes, malononitrile, ethyl acetoacetate and hydrazine hydrate using ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles under solvent-free conditions. This has the advantages of excellent yields, short reaction times, simple workup and environmentally benign.


The aim of this observational study was to assess Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) changes in patients with vascular malformations, over a period of almost eight years, and to assess clinical and demographic characteristics possibly associated with HRQOL changes. positive relative change in SF-36 in the domains Physical functioning , RLDT physical problems and RLDT emotional problems, respectively. Invasive treatment was not associated with long-term HRQOL-change. Over a period of almost eight years, significant improvement of SF-36 scores was observed in the physical domains RLDT physical problems and Bodily pain. Female gender, muscle/bone involvement and higher age were associated with HRQOL improvement in certain domains.


Abstract : This paper contains a short review of the Bureau of Mines Corrosion Research Program, in which ion implantation is being studied in connection with the conservation of critical imported materials and the substitution of more abundant domestic materials for imports.


Objective To review the emergency-based approach to opioid toxicity reversal in cancer-related pain patients. Data source A MEDLINE and PubMed search was conducted (1966 to May 2014) using the terms opioids, cancer, naloxone, respiratory depression, morphine, morphine derivatives, emergency, and anaphylaxis. Methods of study selection English articles in human subjects identified from the MEDLINE and PubMed search were evaluated. Citations were excluded if they addressed acute overdoses, non-cancer pain, and/or acute, non-chronic pain. Data extraction and synthesis Pain is a common occurrence in the oncology population. Although toxicity from opioids is common, life-threatening toxicities are not. The use of naloxone in this particular patient population occurs frequently for any perceived opioid-related effect and can be detrimental to the oncology patient's care and quality of life. Difficulties exist when attempting to separate opioid toxicity from disease progression or metastases and, therefore, a thorough history is needed prior to complete opioid reversal in this population. Severity of the opioid intoxication should dictate reversal strategy. Dosing strategies that take into account both the treatment of the opioid-related effects as well as the negative effects reversal will have on the patient are offered. We also review the pre-hospital setting and identified the need for protocols that not only take the patient's symptoms into account, but also the patient's cancer history. Conclusion Opioid reversal protocols should be developed by a multi-disciplinary team. Each protocol should differentiate those toxicities which are life-threatening and require complete opioid reversal with toxicities that require small aliquots of naloxone to mitigate the presenting symptoms.


The invention provides a wire spring plug bush and an assembly method thereof. The wire spring plug bush comprises a bush body, a bush cap, a wire spring wire and a locating plug, wherein the bush body is provided with a jack in which the wire spring wire is arranged; the bush cap is fixedly connected with one end of the bush body and provided with a through hole communicated with the jack; a clearance at the fixed connection of the bush cap and the bush body clamps one end of the wire spring wire; the bottom of the jack is provided with a groove which has a smaller caliber than the jack; thelocating plug comprises a part arranged at the groove and a part arranged at the jack, and the part arranged at the groove is tightly matched with the groove; and the other end of the wire spring wire is arranged between the part of the locating plug at the jack and the inner wall of the jack. The wire spring plug bush has low production cost and simple assembly method.


A least-squares land-leveling program written for use on microcomputers allows flexibility in design that was not previously available. The user can specify six different types of land-leveling conditions common under surface irrigation. Slope and land leveling cut-depth limitations can also be specified. Computations can be made for irregularly shaped fields and rectangular fields with equal ease. The output gives full information on earthwork volumes and costs, and the maximum cut and fill depths. Cut and fill depths at the boundaries of the field are calculated for marking stakes to guide construction. If slopes, control elevations, or depths of cut are specified, the results will give the least cost but not the minimum cost that would result from a strictly least-squares solution.