We discuss an open-loop backward Stackelberg differential game involving single leader and single follower. Unlike most Stackelberg game literature, the state to be controlled is characterized by a backward stochastic differential equation (BSDE) for which the terminal- instead initial-condition is specified as a priori; the decisions of leader consist of a static terminal-perturbation and a dynamic linear-quadratic control. In addition, the terminal control is subject to (convex-closed) pointwise and (affine) expectation constraints. Both constraints are arising from real applications such as mathematical finance. For information pattern: the leader announces both terminal and open-loop dynamic decisions at the initial time while takes account the best response of follower. Then, two interrelated optimization problems are sequentially solved by the follower (a backward linear-quadratic (BLQ) problem) and the leader (a mixed terminal-perturbation and backward-forward LQ (BFLQ) problem). Our open-loop Stackelberg equilibrium is represented by some coupled backward-forward stochastic differential equations (BFSDEs) with mixed initial-terminal conditions. Our BFSDEs also involve nonlinear projection operator (due to pointwise constraint) combining with a Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) system (due to expectation constraint) via Lagrange multiplier. The global solvability of such BFSDEs is also discussed in some nontrivial cases. Our results are applied to one financial example.


The impact of technology has undergone many developments and changes within a short period of time. The worldwide acceptance of this rapid change made people rely and depend more on technology. The innovation in the design of airport's luggage cart can propose a solution to different problems faced by travelers. This includes the lengthy check-in procedure and the tiresome task of moving around the airport carrying heavy luggage. The proposed drivable airport luggage trolley has a display that renders the information of the passenger's traveling destination and grant more information of the airport gates to save time. In addition, the user will be notified of any new update that might include a change in the time of flight or gate number. Furthermore, the proposed trolley can be easily driven and controlled by the user and is suitable for all ages. Also, proposed trolley offers a higher degree of security because it provides a safe mode lock for the luggage.


The past decade has witnessed a growing interest in vehicular networking and its vast array of potential applications. Increased wireless accessibility of the Internet from vehicles has triggered the emergence of vehicular safety applications, locationspecific applications, and multimedia applications. Recently, Professor Olariu and his coworkers have promoted the vision of Vehicular Clouds (VCs), a non-trivial extension, along several dimensions, of conventional Cloud Computing. In a VC, the under-utilized vehicular resources including computing power, storage and Internet connectivity can be shared between drivers or rented out over the Internet to various customers, very much as conventional cloud resources are. The goal of this chapter is to introduce and review the challenges and opportunities offered by what promises to be the Next Paradigm Shift:From Vehicular Networks to Vehicular Clouds. Specifically, the chapter introduces VCs and discusses some of their distinguishing characteristics and a number of fundamental research challenges. To illustrate the huge array of possible applications of the powerful VC concept, a number of possible application scenarios are presented and discussed. As the adoption and success of the vehicular cloud concept is inextricably related to security and privacy issues, a number of security and privacy issues specific to vehicular clouds are discussed as well. Additionally, data aggregation and empirical results are presented. Mobile Ad Hoc Networking: Cutting Edge Directions, Second Edition. Edited by Stefano Basagni, Marco Conti, Silvia Giordano, and Ivan Stojmenovic. © 2013 by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Published 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


Part 1 Introduction Chapter 2 1. Tribute to Miriam Matthews: First Trained African American Librarian in California Chapter 3 2. Barbara L. Anderson, Retired County Librarian, San Bernardino County Library, San Bernardino, California Chapter 4 3. Betty Blackman, Retired Dean of the University Library, California State University, Dominguez Hills Chapter 5 4. Tyrone Cannon, Dean of University Libraries, University of San Francisco Chapter 6 5. James E. Crayton, Former Division Dean, Community Education Center, Pasadena, California Chapter 7 6. Loretta Dowell, Manager, Fisher Children's Center, San Francisco Public Library Chapter 8 7. Kaycee Hale, Director of Digital Research and Resources, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise, Los Angeles, California Chapter 9 8. Monteria Hightower, Retired State Librarian of Nevada and Former State Librarian of Missouri Chapter 10 9. Miles Jackson, Professor Emeritus and Former Dean, School of Library and Information Science, University of Hawaii, Honolulu Chapter 11 10. Guela Gayton Johnson, Retired Manager, Social Work Library, Univresity of Washington, Seattle Chapter 12 11. Rita W. Jones, Dean of Library and Learning Resources, City College of San Francisco Chapter 13 12. Gloria Leonard, Director, Washington Talking Book & Braille Library, Seattle, Washington Chapter 14 13. Effie Lee Morris, Retired Children's Services Coordinator, San Francisco Public Library Chapter 15 14. Barbara Murray, Director, Oxnard Public Library, Oxnard, California Chapter 16 15. Chris Poole-Jones, Educational Consultant, Retired School Administrator and Librarian, Portland Public Schools, Portland, Oregon Chapter 17 16. Judith Dickens Register, Former Director of the Scottsdale Public Library and First African American General Manager for the City of Scottsdale, Arizona Chapter 18 17. Kelly Richards, Former Branch Administrator, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District, Currently Assistant Director, Genesee District Library, Flint, Michigan Chapter 19 18. Oscar Sims, Former African American Bibliographer and Social Science Bibliographer Emeritus, University of California, Los Angeles Chapter 20 19. Bobbie Smith, Former Coordinator of Libraries, Long Beach City College, and Recently Retired Member and President, Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education Chapter 21 20. Joyce Sumbi, Retired Regional Library Adminstrator, Los Angeles County Public Library Chapter 22 21. Rosemary Towns, Retired Director, Richmond Public Library, and Former Systems Coordinator, North Bay Cooperative Library System, Richmond, California Chapter 23 22. Myrna Yvonne Williams, Retired System Reference Librarian, Portland Community College (PCC) Chapter 24 23. Lucy Wilson, Retired Public Services Librarian, Laney Community College, Oakland, California Chapter 25 24. Added Entries, "On the Line": Short Biographies of Selected California Librarians Part 26 Index Part 27 About the Editor


A pot study was performed to evaluate the influence of methionine (0, 25 and 50 mg L-1) as foliar spray on maize (Zea mays L.) varieties named as DTC (hybrid) and Malika under salt (90 mM NaCl) stress. Seeds of both maize varieties were sown in plastic pots under completely randomized design. Two-week-old maize plants were subjected to two levels of salt stress i.e., 0 and 90 mM (NaCl) in full strength Hoagland's nutrient solution. Foliar application of different methionine levels (0, 25 and 50 mg L-1) was applied to four-week-old maize plants. A three way analysis of variance (ANOVA) of data of 11-week-old plants of maize plants showed that salt stress considerably reduced the growth, chlorophyll, relative water content (%), free amino acids and flavonoid contents, whereas improved membrane permeability (%), total leaf area per plant, glycine betaine (GB), total soluble proteins, free proline, anthocyanin and ascorbic acid contents of both maize varieties. Maize var. Malka was greater in fresh weight of root, total chlorophyll and total soluble protein contents, while DTC (hybrid) excelled in anthocyanin, total soluble sugars and flavonoid contents. Methionine as foliar application significantly improved dry shoot weight, fresh root weight, GB, total soluble protein, ascorbic acid and anthocyanin contents of two maize varieties under salinity stress. Of the varying methionine levels, 50 mg L-1 proved better in decreasing the adverse influence of NaCl stress on both varieties [DTC (hybrid) and Malika] of maize.


Retesting with an allergen at a site with previous allergic contact dermatitis has been shown to enhance reactivity. It has been suggested that retesting with a cross‐reactive allergen will also induce hyperreactivity. Concurrent sensitization to more than 1 thiuram is common, but whether this is due to concomitant primary sensitization or cross‐reactivity is uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of retesting to distinguish between concomitant sensitization and cross‐reactivity in the rubber chemicals tetraethylthiuram disulphide (TETD) and tetramethylthiuram disulphide (TMTD). There was a non‐significant trend towards enhanced reactivity for both TETD and TMTD when testing in an area with previous allergic contact dermatitis due to TETD. Cross‐reactivity between the 2 chemicals is likely, but a definite conclusion from this pilot study is not possible.


The Myths Relating to Cohabitation
As an attorney specialising in Matrimonial and Family Law, I often find myself consulting with clients who are not married but who are living with their partners, whether in same-sex or heterosexual relationships. I almost always have to advise them that they are not in fact, as they had believed, married in accordance with the common law.


Treatment planning based on numerical prediction before or during cryosurgery is an indispensable way to achieve exactly killing of tumor. However, conventional sequential computation is difficult to meet the challenge of real-time assistance with complex treatment plans. In this study, two parallel numerical algorithms, i.e. explicit finite difference scheme and alternating direction implicit scheme, based on an effective heat capacity method are established to solve three-dimensional phase change problems in biological tissues subjected to freezing of multiple cryoprobes. The results as well as speedup of parallel computing were compared. It was shown that the parallel algorithms developed in this study can be used to perform rapid prediction of temperature distribution for cryosurgery, and that parallel computing is hopeful to assist cryosurgeons with prospective parallel treatment planning in the near future.


When numerous treatments exist for a disease (Treatments 1, 2, 3, etc), network meta‐regression (NMR) examines whether each relative treatment effect (eg, mean difference for 2 vs 1, 3 vs 1, and 3 vs 2) differs according to a covariate (eg, disease severity). Two consistency assumptions underlie NMR: consistency of the treatment effects at the covariate value 0 and consistency of the regression coefficients for the treatment by covariate interaction. The NMR results may be unreliable when the assumptions do not hold. Furthermore, interactions may exist but are not found because inconsistency of the coefficients is masking them, for example, when the treatment effect increases as the covariate increases using direct evidence but the effect decreases with the increasing covariate using indirect evidence.


The improvement of the Internet of Things (IoT) has gained extraordinary progress in recent years in both academic and industrial fields. There are many smart home systems that have been developed in significant organizations to accomplish home automation. Notwithstanding, the nature of smart homes unavoidably raises security and protection concerns. In this paper, we propose an enhanced vitality effective, secure, and privacy-preserving communication protocol for the smart home systems. In our proposed conspire, data transmissions within the smart home system are secured by a symmetric encryption plot with secret keys being created by chaotic systems. In the mean time, we consolidate Message Authentication Codes (MAC) to our plan to ensure guarantee data integrity and authenticity.


The Dual-Career Workforce: An Emerging Challenge Portraits of Dual-Career Couples Current Management Practices Dual-Career Couples in Public Organizations Legal Issues and the Dual-Career Couple Integrating Dual-Career Couples into Your Work Place Into the Twenty-first Century: A Framework for Action Appendix: Research Methodology Index


The paper contains a comparative analysis of difficulties in learning foreign languages inside and outside the language environment. On the first stage of the study based on the research of literature the author (1) builds a typology of difficulties in foreign language acquisition inside the language environment; (2) describes the specifics of the adult as a subject of education; (3) gives a definition to the term «barrier in foreign language acquisition». A barrier in foreign language acquisition is defined as a student's individual reflection of objective and subjective difficulties influencing the learning process, accompanied by frustration, a high level of anxiety and a low learning progress. The second stage of the research deals with comparing students' problems inside and outside the language environment. The author interviewed foreign language teachers working inside and outside the language environment about their students' learning problems and compared the results. Both stages of the current study proved that the level of barriers inside the language environment is high. Moreover, inside the language environment students demonstrated even more psychological, social, psychophysiological and linguistic barriers than outside. Some types of difficulties exist just inside the language environment: social adjustment difficulties and problems of intercultural communication. However, a few difficulties on the contrary prevail outside the language environment: low auditory ability, low motivation to learn the language, mistrust to teacher as a reliable source of information. The author explains the reasons of a high level of barriers inside the language environment with the tendency to intensify the learning process inside the language environment and a high affective filter due to the necessity to adjust to a new culture and learning conditions. The following conclusion was drawn: on the one hand the language environment stimulates students to learn a language faster, on the other hand it triggers the emergence of additional difficulties in the learning process, especially sociocultural and psychological barriers.


Preface. Chapter one - Policy Interventions. Chapter two - Analysing Actors: Bill, Bruno and Anna. Chapter three - Analysing the Policy Context. Chapter four - Analysing Policy Values. Chapter five - Analysing Policy Institutions: Courts, Bureaucracies and Budgets. Chapter six - Policy Interventions and Networks. Chapter seven - Policy Interventions and Organisations. Chapter eight - Policy Interventions and Governance. Chapter nine - Policy Interventions and Citizen Engagement. Chapter ten - Policy Interventions and Accountability. Chapter eleven - Conclusions: Understanding Interactions, Devising Interventions. Bibliography. Index


Since the 1980s,the television media had been occupied the mainstream position in educational area,which relied on its large-amount and high-quality information communication,good audio-visual effect and so on.Campus TV stations had also emerged along with it.But in recent years,educational TV,particularly campus TV stations,have been facing stern challenges due to the rapid development and the wide-spread popularity of the internet multimedia technology,which features efficiency,convenience,direct-viewing,and also available to bidirectional interactions.The survival and development of campus TV in web era have become an urge topic for us to in-vestigate.


The utility model discloses an LED Chinese fan-palm leaf lamp which comprises an LED lamp body connected with an external power source, and a lampshade matched with the LED lamp body. The lampshade comprises a framework used for supporting and setting, and a Chinese fan-palm leaf lamp face fixed on the framework. The lamp is made of natural Chinese fan-palm leaf materials, due to the light-transmitting characteristic of the Chinese fan-palm leaf, the defect of poor illumination effect caused by limitation of the illumination angle of the LED lamp body can be avoided, the light-emitting effect is good, and brand-new illumination experience is provided. The lampshade comprises the framework and the Chinese fan-palm leaf lamp face, some traditional handicraft art skills can be applied to production of the lampshade, traditional and present requirements are well balanced, and a new idea and a new way for revitalizing the traditional handicraft arts are provided.


In practice, the development of relations with foreign investors in Uzbekistan is currently carried out in the following areas: joint activities in manufacturing, finance, economic services, foreign and domestic trade, etc.; attracting foreign investment based on concessions or production sharing agreements; creation of free economic zones in order to actively attract foreign investment in certain regions of the country, but subject to their economic feasibility and expediency. Therefore, the attraction and use of foreign capital in the economy of Uzbekistan seems to be an essential regularity of the investment process at the present stage. At the same time, the attraction of foreign investment should be based on the principles of socio-economic efficiency, environmental and economic security, mutual benefit and maintaining the priority of the state structural and reproductive policy.


The Power of Design offers an introduction and a practical guide to product innovation, integrating the key topics that are necessary for the design of sustainable and energy-efficient products using sustainable energy technologies. Product innovation in sustainable energy technologies is an interdisciplinary field. In response to its growing importance and the need for an integrated view on the development of solutions, this text addresses the functional principles of various energy technologies next to the latest design processes and innovation methods. From the perspective of product applications, the book provides clear explanations of technologies that are significant for product integration, such as batteries, photovoltaic solar energy, fuel cells, small wind turbines, human power, energy saving lighting, thermal energy technologies in buildings, and piezoelectric energy conversions. The design processes and innovation methods presented in this book include various approaches ranging from technical, societal and creative methods that can be applied in different stages of the design process.


The 'pure' ferroelastic behaviour of P-rich Pb3(PxV1 - xO4)2 is of the improper type. The ferroelastic phase transition is antiferrodistortive and accompanied by a second one at a lower temperature. The temperature range of the intermediate phase is approximately 20°C. At the transition points singularities of phonon spectra, dielectric and optical behaviour, and lattice constants are found. The Raman frequencies, the infrared absorption and reflexion spectra are given and interpreted on the basis of a mechanical and a rigid-ion lattice-dynamical model. From the results a critical mode is predicted at the boundary of the Brillouin zone (L in R{\bar 3}m). Further, the Γ phonon becomes weak at the lower transition point. The normal coordinates of both modes give parallel and antiparallel deviations of Pb positions from the [111] axis of the rhombohedral R{\bar 3}m high-temperature phase.


The stability of anisotropic plasmas to the magnetosonic (or right-hand compressional Alfvén) wave, near the ion cyclotron frequency, propagating almost perpendicular to the magnetic field, is investigated. For this case, and for wavelengths larger than the ion Larmor radius and for large ion plasma frequency (w2p+ ≫ Ωp+) the dispersion relation is obtained in a simple form. It is shown that for T # T' (even T ≫ T) no instabifity occurs. The resonant ters are also included, and it is shown that there is no resonant instabifity, only damping.


Understanding the underlying factors in a student's choice of the Information Systems (IS) major can greatly help business schools to attract more students into their IS programs. In order to better understand the role of students' belief structure on their choice of major, we utilized the cognitive-based theory of planned behavior (TPB) to examine factors influencing a students' intention to choose IS. Based on TPB (Ajzen, 1991; Ajzen and Fishbein, 2005), individual's intention was determined by the attitude toward the behavior, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, which are a function, respectively, of behavioral, normative, and control beliefs. The belief measures used for TPB were based on a salient belief elicitation measure. We combined the environmental and personal factors from the social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1999) with the results of the elicitation stage in a study by Chipidza et. al. (2016) to decompose the belief structure in TPB. A set of attitudinal belief and control belief dimensions were derived to conduct this study (attitudinal beliefs dimensions: competitive advantage, job opportunity, salary, personal image, difficulty, etc. and control belief dimensions: self-efficacy, facilitating resources, individual support system, etc.). Beliefs about five important referent groups of family, friends, classmates, professors, and advisors were also examined to understand their impact on individual's subjective norm. A sample of 120 students from both IS majors and non-IS majors were used to examine the research model. By including both IS and non-IS participants in this study, we were able to investigate the factors influencing students' behavior and compare the factors leading to intention versus actual behavior. The findings of this study will inform business schools, suggest several ways to attract undecided students to choose IS concentration, and provide a better understanding of personal and environmental factors influencing students' behavior.


East-central New Mexico is dependent on groundwater from the High Plains aquifer for agricultural, municipal, industrial, and domestic uses. Ongoing declines of water levels in the High Plains aquifer are well-known and have led residents and decision-makers to speculate on the usable life of the aquifer. This Bulletin presents aquifer lifetime projections for eastcentral New Mexico based on projecting historical water-level trends into the future using over 1,500 wells. Projections for the useful lifetime of the aquifer for agricultural and municipal/domestic-use scenarios are described. Several quantitative measures of the reliability of the results are presented. The results are stark, with projected usable lifetimes in many areas only ten years or less. Much of the region already has insufficient saturated thickness for the operation of large-capacity irrigation wells.


At a distance of 8 kpc, the center of our Galaxy is the nearest galactic nucleus, and has been the subject of numerous key projects undertaken by great observatories such as Chandra, Spitzer, and Herschel. However, there are still no surveys of molecular gas properties in the Galactic center with less than 30" (1 pc) resolution. There is also no sensitive polarization survey of this region, despite numerous nonthermal magnetic features apparently unique to the central 300 parsecs. In this paper, we outline the potential the VLASS has to fill this gap. We assess multiple considerations in observing the Galactic center, and recommend a C-band survey with 10 micro-Jy continuum RMS and sensitive to molecular gas with densities greater than 10^4 cm^{-3}, covering 17 square degrees in both DnC and CnB configurations ( resolution ~5"), totaling 750 hours of observing time. Ultimately, we wish to note that the upgraded VLA is not just optimized for fast continuum surveys, but has a powerful correlator capable of simultaneously observing continuum emission and dozens of molecular and recombination lines. This is an enormous strength that should be fully exploited and highlighted by the VLASS, and which is ideally suited for surveying the center of our Galaxy.


Levittown, as the spearhead for the suburban development after WWII, was a model exemplifying the pattern and style of suburban growth. Its emergence mainly resulted from the urgent needs of housing after the war, but its lasting influence on American suburban development was that it emphasized on the quality of family and community. It was well received by white middle class residents, the dominant group in American society. However, its aim at an allwhite community could be regarded as one of the contributing factors to the residential segregation to some extent.


Induction of apoptosis of virus-infected cells is an important host cell defense mechanism. It is well documented that T cells may undergo apoptosis due to interactions between Fas and Fas ligand (FasL). In addition, signals that induce apoptosis in T cells can result from interaction of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α with TNF receptors (TNFRs). It has been shown that human T cell lines expressing HTLV-I have decreased sensitivity to Fas-mediated apoptosis. The susceptibility of HTLV-I-infected cells to TNF-α-induced apoptosis remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we examined the expression of TNFRs on HTLV-I-infected T cell lines that expressed T-cell activation markers and thus phenotypically resemble activated T cells. Different from primary activated T cells that expressed both TNFRs, none of the five HTLV-I-infected T cell lines studied had detectable TNFR1 and only three had TNFR2 on their cell surfaces, although, the RNA transcripts of both TNFR genes could be detected via reverse transcri...


BACKGROUND
Abdominal ultrasound (AUS) is a promising adjunct to abdominal x-ray (AXR) for evaluating necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). We developed a multivariable risk score incorporating AUS to predict surgical NEC.

METHODS
83 patients were evaluated by AXR and AUS for suspected NEC. A subset had surgical NEC. Multivariate logistic regression determined predictors of surgical NEC, which were incorporated into a risk score.

RESULTS
14/83 patients (16.9%) had surgical NEC. 10/83 (12.0%) patients required acute intervention, while 4/83 (4.8%) patients only required delayed surgery. Four predictors of surgical NEC were identified: abdominal wall erythema (OR: 8.2, p = 0.048), portal venous gas on AXR (OR: 29.8, p = 0.014), and echogenic free fluid (OR: 17.2, p = 0.027) and bowel wall thickening (OR: 12.5, p = 0.030) on AUS. A multivariable risk score incorporating these predictors had excellent area-under-the-curve of 0.937 (95% CI: 0.879-0.994).

CONCLUSIONS
AUS, as an adjunct to physical exam and AXR, has utility for predicting surgical NEC.


Infectious diseases, besides being a major cause of mortality in developing countries, are one of the main reasons for consultation in emergency medicine. In the last few years, there have been numerous published studies on the importance of starting antibiotic treatment at an early stage in the Emergency ime


Intensive economic benefit is the result that the total factor productivity is improved by improving the utilization efficiency and combination quality of asset elements and human elements, and the increased output exceeds the total input of asset elements and human elements. In order to analytical study of smart manufacturing level and intensive economic benefit, by taking Liaoning Equipment Manufacturing Enterprise as the research object this paper establishes production function model and total factor productivity model of relationship between input and output of Liaoning Equipment Manufacturing Enterprise. Meanwhile by establishment grows model of total factor productivity it realizes measure of smart manufacturing level and intensive economic benefit of Liaoning Equipment Manufacturing Enterprise. Final by contrastive analysis total factor productivity and increase economic efficiency of contribution rate of equipment manufacturing enterprise this paper puts forward feasible countermeasures and suggestions to increase total factor productivity and realize intensive management of Liaoning Equipment Manufacturing Enterprise.


Increased doses of aerobic exercises lasting 50 to 60 minutes were found to be more effective than a standard dose of 30 minutes for managing declines in physical functioning and symptoms such as pain, hot flashes, and fatigue in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.


The objective of this study was to determine the phytoplankton community structure of the water surrounding Jayapura (Yos Sudarso) Port as bio indicators of the fertile water.  Some quantitative measurements were applied in this study to analyse the presence of phytoplankton, i.e. abundance, diversity index, and saprobic coefficient. Data were collected from samples obtained from 4 different stations each during dry and rainy seasons.  A total of 9 classes of phytoplankton was found with the individual numbers that were different on both seasons which was 252 and 485 for dry and rainy season, respectively. The abundance of phytoplankton at station I, II, III, and IV at dry season were approximately around 2.44, 2.68, 2.16, and 2.8 cell/L, subsequently. Whereas in rainy season the amount reached 4.68, 5.61, 3.32 and 5.8 cell/L at respective station I, II, III, and IV. Its biodiversity in dry season at each station were 1.5, 1.52, 1.53, and 1.48, correspondingly. On the contrary in rainy season the biodiversity had values of 1.29, 1.7, 1.1, as well as 1.51 at station I, II, III, and IV accordingly. The saprobic coefficients in dry season at station I was 0.79, station II had the value of 0.82, station III of 0.77 and station IV of 1.  In contrast, during the rainy season the coefficient values were found to be around 0.62, 0.67, 0.39 and 0,63 for station I, II, III, and IV, respectively. Keywords: fitoplankton, fotosintesis, dan ocean waters


. The writer reviews the presently available lists of standard- velocity stars approved by IAU Commission 30 and suggests that the time has arrived for major revisions. Many of the currently adopted standards are known or suspected to be variable in velocity at the level of precision to which we can now work. The writer suggests that we need three levels of standards. Some half-dozen or so bright solar-type stars, visible from all major observatories, should be chosen as funda mental standards, after extensive testing by many observers in various places. A larger group of secondary standards, in various parts of the sky and of a wider range of spectral type and brightness, should be chosen for everyday use by observers working at moderate dispersions. Those stars in the current IAU lists not yet suspected of having variable velocities might form the nucleus of this group. Finally, reference stars should be chosen for special purposes (e.g. cross-correlation, objective-prism determinations) in consultation with the users of these techniques. Standards of accuracy for this last group of stars need not be so strict as for the others.


Many tropical agro-ecosystems rely on organic resources for nutrient provision. Various factors affect the nutrient release dynamics of organic resources, including application of external nutrients during their growth and their age or physiological stage at the time of harvest. Understanding relationships between organic resource management factors and the resulting nutrient release dynamics is important for optimizing nutrient recovery by crops and minimizing nutrient losses to the environment. Here, Mucuna pruriens and Lablab purpureus legumes were grown on a 'slope' and 'plateau' field, treated or not with rock phosphate, and sampled from 12 to 30 weeks after planting. These plant residues were then incubated in a sandy soil under laboratory conditions and mineral N and Olsen-extractable P dynamics were measured for 28 days. Our results showed that plant age had an impact on N, P and polyphenol contents. Application of rock phosphate only altered the P content of the legumes on the 'plateau' field, which had a lower soil-available P content. We also observed that mineral N dynamics of the organic resources varied between −62% of the added N released after 28 days, indicating net immobilization, and +23%, indicating net mineralization, with most organic resources showing an initial N immobilization phase. N release was negatively related to the lignin-to-N and (lignin+polyphenol)-to-N ratios of the organic resources. Lastly, we observed that the net release of Olsen P relative to the control soil varied between 0.4 and 4.9 mg kg−1 and that net P release was positively related to the P content of the organic resources. In summary, legume age was the parameter that most strongly influenced the quality of the legume residues, and consequently its N and P release dynamics, with potentially significant consequences for N and P uptake recovery and losses and, ultimately, cropping system sustainability.


The cities are not static environments. They change constantly. When we talk about traffic in the city, the evolution of traffic lights is a journey from mindless automation to increasingly intelligent, fluid traffic management. In our approach, presented in this paper, reinforcement-learning mechanism based on cost function is introduced to determine optimal decisions for each traffic light, based on the solution given by Larry Page for page ranking in Web environment (Page et al. (1999)). Our approach is similar with work presented by Sheng-Chung et al. (2009) and Yousef et al. (2010). We consider that the traffic lights are controlled by servers and a score for each road is computed based on efficient PageRank approach and is used in cost function to determine optimal decisions. We demonstrate that the cumulative contribution of each car in the traffic respects the main constrain of PageRank approach, preserving all the properties of 𝑀 matrix consider in our model.


Introduction: Estimation of stature is an important anthropometric tool which helps in the identification of an individual. The dimensions of the hand have been used for the determination of age, sex, and stature of an individual. Materials and Methods: The present study examines the relationship between stature and hand dimensions of a unique ethnic group in Nigeria, the Igbos. Stature (Y), Palm length (PL), hand breath (HB), first digit length (1 st DL), second digit length (2 nd DL), third digit length (3 rd DL), fourth digit lengths (4 th DL) and fifth digit length (5 th DL) of 211 subjects comprising 123 females and 88 males (age range 16-45 years) were measured after obtaining an informed consent. The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS 17.0. Results: Sex differences were found to be highly significant (P < 0.0001) for all the measurements. Linear and multiple regression equations for stature estimation were constructed using the aforementioned variables and multiplication factors were computed. The highest correlation coefficient between stature and PL provides the highest reliability and accuracy in estimating stature of unknown gender, while that of 2 nd DL provides that of the males specifically. Conclusion: Prediction of stature was found to be most accurate by using linear regression in both gender put together as well as in the females while multiple regression was most accurate for estimate of stature in the males.


This article places land grab in its primeval colonial milieu and investigates how colonial tin mining operation induced human insecurity in colonial Jos, Nigeria. It uses the human insecurity approach to address questions of colonial "control grabbing" – grabbing and controlling of land – in Jos Plateau. Although contemporary research addresses the recent rush for African lands, they have allocated minimal attention to historical details and lessons of colonialism as well as its connection to human insecurity. Through the use of interviews and archival sources, the article investigates how tin mining operations stimulated human insecurity and how British land policies and politics empowered the Hausa and Fulani in Jos Plateau, to accumulate much land and how their actions and inactions provided the incentives for bloody and intractable conflicts in the post-colonial era. The article argues that scholarly analysis of land grab is largely associated with food and biofuel production ignoring the connection with tin exploitation and its legacies. To this end, discourses on land grabs need to allocate adequate attention to natural resources as a stimulant for the phenomenon and why it is a threat to environmental peace. Keywords: Land grabs, human insecurity, land policies and politics, conflicts, Jos Plateau Nigeria.


In UMR‐106 osteosarcoma cells we found that PTH activated both the cAMP/protein kinase A and the Ca2+‐dependent phosphoinositide/protein kinase C (PKC) pathways, but prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) activated only the cAMP pathway. Activation of PKC by the phorbol ester PMA had no effect on cAMP production but enhanced PTH‐stimulated cAMP production by 50% or more; the effect on PGE2‐induced cAMP was negligible. Inhibition of the α‐subunit of the inhibitory guanine nucleotide binding protein (Gi) by pertussis toxin pretreatment also enhanced PTH‐mediated cAMP production but had no effect on PGE2‐induced cAMP production. These results suggest that although PTH‐mediated adenylate cyclase activity is regulated via both the stimulatory (Gs) and inhibitory (Gi) guanine nucleotide binding proteins, only Gs regulates PGE2‐mediated adenylate cyclase activity in UMR‐106 cells. Costimulation with pertussis toxin and PMA did not increase PTH‐stimulated cAMP production above that obtained with PMA alone. This implies a similar target of action for pertussis toxin and PMA, that is, the α‐subunit of Gi. The α‐subunit of Gi was found to be a substrate for in vitro PKC phosphorylation of membrane fractions from UMR‐106 cells, seen as a ±40 kD band on SDS‐PAGE. Stimulation of in situ 32P‐labeled cells with either PMA or PTH also enhanced incorporation of 32P into the 40 kD band. Using the peptide antisera AS/7 and EC/2, we showed that pertussis toxin‐labeled subunits of both Gi1α/Gi2α and Gi3α could be immunoprecipitated, respectively, but immuinoprecipitation of membrane proteins after in situ phosphorylation and stimulation with PMA precipitated only Gi2α. We therefore conclude that modulation of adenylate cyclase activity by phorbol esters in UMR‐106 osteosarcoma cells can be ascribed, at least in part, to PKC‐mediated phosphorylation of the α‐subunit of the Gi2 component of the adenylate cyclase regulatory complex.


This essay tries to capture and explain the complex relationship of underworld forces (both human and supernatural) represented in Against the Day with the Croatian struggle for freedom in the context of Pynchon's novel, leaning on a historical and mythological framework. It addresses this question: how do underground forces that are present in all of Pynchon's novels function in this particular context of narration and how do they support a mythological structure tied to the stereotypical beliefs that justify violence and unceasing struggles? The analysis includes the investigation of Pynchon's narrative framework that mostly hinges on mythology and Western thought about more remote Eastern places, tolerating elisions and imposed disfigurations, yet with a dose of criticism. But both the structure and his arguments are more convincing because he interjects the re-writing of ideological views and the demeaning stereotypes about the Balkans, as well as stressing Western, external domination and control, while trying to illustrate the Easterners' perception of imperialist powers and their notion of self- determination.


The purpose of this study is to analysis the requirements of the see-through observation facilities in nuclear power plant(NPP) as a means of friendly citizens relationship and to provide the concept of see-through observation to share the information of NPP including basic plans. With the settlement of local government system, demand for the opening and sharing the information of NPP is increasing continuously. Positive approaches are needed to meet such situation rationally, See-through observation of NPP based on 'seeing is believing' would be a good kind of resolution.


This is the second paper based on the 408 MHz monitoring program with the East-West arm of the Bologna interferometer. The monitoring concerned 125 radio sources measured approximately once a month for 15 years. We present the summary of the variability analysis concerning all the sample and the monitoring data, not yet published, of the variable sources.


The medium noise in a Cr-rich Co-Cr alloy perpendicular medium was investigated by using an MR head designed for longitudinal recording. Medium with a Cr content of 28 at.% showed a high crystalline orientation and a low write-demagnetization effect. The signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of the medium was higher than that of conventional Co-Cr perpendicular media for inductive heads. The advantages of the medium derive from the large inter-particle perpendicular magnetic interaction (/spl Delta/M/spl perp/) of media, which increased linearly with the Cr content, reaching a maximum value at 28 at.%. This strong interaction in the medium results in a high S/N for a recording system using a single-layer perpendicular medium and an MR head.


Abstract : As in combat involving weapons whose lethal effects can result in friendly casualties, electronic warfare (EW) is no less immune to the deleterious effects of fratricide. While the problem of fratricide involving projectile weapons continues to plague modern armies due to advances in velocity and lethality, it is becoming a growing issue for those who conduct EW. More and more systems both weapons and purely commercial devices are vying for their place in an increasingly crowded frequency spectrum. There is growing pressure to transfer previously reserved military frequency bands to the public domain and low tolerance for interference of any kind outside of assigned operating bands. Exacerbating this situation is the rush to field emitters of various kinds without proper vetting through the spectrum certification process. Something must be done soon to manage and deconflict the electromagnetic(EM) spectrum better if EW is to remain a weapon that warfighters can wield with acceptable confidence to yield desired effects. The problem of EW fratricide is one that exists even in operations involving the most modern equipment and well-trained, professional crews. Although this example comes from Operation Desert Storm, the problem has recently become highlighted through the experiences of warfighters in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. According to Lieutenant General Walter Buchanan, former chief of Ninth Air Force and U.S. Central Command Air Forces, "This is the first time that you and I have seen electronic fratricide reach the point that it has. . . . When you take a look at data links and the number of jammers in place and all the radios we have out there, [deconflicting] becomes a very difficult problem."


In this paper, by using the image data of the aerial photograph on a background picture, probe data, residents information, and a hazard map for using the Petri network simulator by which authors are developing paying attention to the emergency and refuge plan of the area in the intermediate and mountanious area described the simulation development which enables creation of a more realistic scenario and a subnet.Through the application example, mounting of asymptotic modeling by a setup and Petri network of a realistic passing prevention scenario was able to be shown concretely, and change of the refuge action accompanying it was able to be shown dynamically.


Densely crosslinked polysiloxane, with high refractive index and high transparency, was synthesized via co-hydrolysis/condensation and then cured via hydrosilylation with a Pt catalyst. 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were utilized to identify the process of co-hydrolysis/condensation and characterize the structures of the prepolymers. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to investigate the hydrosilylation reaction. The number-average molecular weight of the prepolymers was determined to be ca. 1200 g mol−1. Prepolymers with high refractive index, above 1.52, were synthesized, from which densely crosslinked polysiloxane resins, with high transmittance of about 99% and nearly no absorption in the visible range, were prepared.


ABSTRACT Background Cancer strongly impacts on patients' lives, undermining their life skills. This research aimed to explore the perception of efficacy of participants in a series of expressive-creative workshops (ArtLab) designed to reactivate life skills in cancer patients. Methods Quotations of two semi-structured focus groups with ten participants in ArtLab (Mean Age = 59; SD = 11.19) enrolled at [Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori] have been analyzed through a priori (top-down) thematic analysis which allowed us to identify life skills provided by WHO 1948: Emotional, Relational and Cognitive. Results Thematic analysis showed ArtLab program's effectiveness, especially regarding Emotional and Relational life skills. Cognitive skills, instead, seemed to be only partially expressed. Sub-themes articulation for each life skill has been discussed. Conclusion This study provides encouraging results with respect to the effectiveness of expressive-creative group workshops among cancer patients.


Clofarabine (CLO) is a second generation deoxyadenosine nucleoside analog with activity in pts with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Early reports also suggested activity in MDS, but the role of CLO in MDS has not been defined. To evaluate the activity and safety of CLO in MDS we designed two phase II studies of IV CLO and PO CLO, respectively. Pts were eligible with MDS and ≥5% blasts or IPSS intermediate-2 and high-risk, CMML, and RAEB-t by FAB. Hematopoietic growth factor support prior to and during the study was permitted. In the IV study pts were adaptively randomized (based on response) to receive CLO 15 or 30 mg/m2 IV over 1 hr. daily × 5 every 4–6 weeks. For the PO study, the starting dose of CLO was 40 mg/m2 orally daily × 5 every 4–6 weeks (oral bioavailability assumed ~ 50%, based on preclinical data), which was decreased to 30 mg/m2 orally daily × 5 after 6 pts had been treated on the higher dose. Sixty-one pts (6 RA/RARS/RCMD, 17 RAEB-1, 16 RAEB-2, 11 CMML, 11 RAEB-t) were treated. Forty-two pts (69%) had high- or intermediate-2 risk disease by IPSS. Thirty-six pts received IV CLO and 25 PO CLO. Median age was 67 yrs (range 25–89) (IV) and 70 yrs (54–86) (PO). Overall, > 80% of pts were older than 60 yrs. Approximately 1/3 of pts had secondary MDS: 13 (36%) (IV) and 8 (32%) (PO), respectively. Seventeen (47%) (IV) and 10 (40%) (PO) of pts had unfavorable cytogenetics (by IPSS definition). Thirty-nine (64%) pts failed prior hypomethylator therapy with either decitabine or azacitidine (22 [61%] pts on IV and 17 [68%] pts on PO CLO). Responses of 60 evaluable pts (one pt refused continuation of therapy on D4 of first course) are summarized in the Table: Six pts (10%) died on study (all IV CLO; most commonly related to infectious complications). All pts were evaluable for toxicities. Common AEs were nausea, vomiting, skin rash, hyperbilirubinemia and transaminase elevations. Toxicities ≥ grade 3 were rare. Acute renal failure occurred in 7 pts (2 IV [15 mg/m2], 3 IV [30 mg/m2], 2 PO). Myelosuppression and hospitalizations for neutropenic fever were common, but prolonged myelosuppression (> 42 days) was rare. In conclusion, CLO has activity in pts with higher-risk MDS. Optimal dose and schedule for PO and IV CLO remain to be defined. Lower doses of CLO are also associated with responses. Additional dose finding trials are underway to define the MTD and DLT of IV and PO CLO in high-risk MDS.


Guide wires are made of stainless steel, nitinol, platinum, and/or alloy metals. Although the composition of each part of the wire tends to vary, the structure of a wire is comprised of a central safety ribbon covered by a core that is then wrapped by a braid (Figure 1). The shaft of wires can have different degrees of stiffness and facilitates structural integrity during wire use. The stiffness of the shaft is primarily attributed to the metal type and thickness of the core. A tapering core generates the distal end of the wire forming a spring-tip. This area is composed of a thinner core that allows for increased flexibility and moldability.


Through using the sidewinder catheter system for visceral angiography in over 200 patients we have improved our success rate. The method is simple and safe, and we recommend it.


Based on the Random Selective Tree Node First (RSTF) algorithm that constructs minimum cost multicast tree and considering the delay of the network, this paper presented a new algorithm constructing delay-constrained minimum cost multicast tree. The simulation about random network model shows that compared with KPP the new algorithm has better performance in terms of cost and time delay.


TH~ increasing populari ty of metallic vessels for cooking and storage of different articles of food has led to a serious problem which requires careful investigation. This is part icularly prominent in India, where even in the country-side, metallic ware such as brass, bronze, aluminium, t inned brass, iron and even lead are steadily ousting the traditional earthenware utensils. In most houses, the different kinds of cheap metallic vessels are used indiscriminately and, too often, irrespectiye of the natt~re of foodstuffs prepared, with the result that varying quantities of different metals pass into food. The quantities of metallic compounds thus entering the system, though small in a single dose, may yet become significant if taken regularly, so that it is not improbable tha t the cumulative effects of such metals are already being felt. In view of the above and the pressing need for fu r the l information regarding the effect of different metallic ions on the an imal system, the present investigation was undertaken. Although a considerable amount of work has already been done in different parts of the World on the possible significance of smal l quantit ies of metals in foods, yet the results of such work are not directly applicable to the conditions prevalent in India which are, in several respects, unique in character. The average diet of the Indian, especially in the South, is characterised by the presence of large quantities of tamarind (tartaric acid) together with considerable quantities of chillies and salt, and since organic acids containing salts are known to enhance corrosion to a great extent, the problem of metallic contamination of foodstuffs is much more serious in India than has been realised so far. In recent years, popular opinion has favoured vessels made of certain metals while those of others have been condermled for some obscure reasons. There is no consistency, however, in this opinion, because it often happens that a metal or alloy which is considered to be unsuitable in certain parts


The global minimum structures of AlB3H2n (n = 0–6) clusters are determined using the stochastic search method at the B3LYP/6–31G level of theory. These initially specified geometries are recalculated using B3LYP and CCSD(T) methods using the 6–311++G** basis set. The structural and electronic properties of the two lowest‐lying isomers are presented. The structural parameters obtained for aluminum borohydride are compared with the experimental and theoretical results. The H2 fragmentation energies of the most stable isomers are investigated. Chemical bonding analyses for the global minimum of AlB3H2n (n = 0–6) clusters are performed using the adaptive natural density partitioning method. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


1. Introduction (by Krawutschke, Peter W.) 2. Politics of interpreter education in academia (by Weber, Wilhelm K.) 3. Must translator training remain elitist? (by Gaddis Rose, Marilyn) 4. Pendulum swings in language teaching and translation (by Bowen, David) 5. Some polemic aspects of translation in foreign language pedagogy revisited (by Weller, Georganne) 6. Language learning before translator/interpreter training (by Bowen, Margareta) 7. Teaching conference interpreting (by Seleskovitch, Danica) 8. Topical issues in translator training at universities (by Wilss, Wolfram) 9. Standards and evaluation in translator training (by Mahn, Gabriela) 10. Translator and interpreter training as part of teacher training at the institute of english, Adam Mickiewicz university, Poznan, Poland (by Nadstoga, Zbigniew) 11. A translation-specific writing program: Justification and description (by Meyer, Ingrid) 12. Learning translating and interpreting through interlanguage (by Niedzielski, Henry Z.) 13. Isotopy and translation (by Mudersbach, Klaus) 14. Contributors 15. Call for proposals: interpreting - yesterday, today and tomorrow 16. Corporate members 17. Institutional members 18. American translators association officers and board of direectors, 1988


The invention relates to a method and a flow of depollution treatment device (1) of gaseous effluent containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and / or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HAP) by adsorption and / or condensation of particles organic powder (56), said method comprising successively: (a) a step of introducing pulverulent organic particles (56) in the waste gas stream (1) in which at least a portion of said VOC and / or HAP are deposited on said particles (56); (B) a step of separating the organic particles pulverulent charge of VOC and / or HAP and treated effluent gases and evacuation thereof; Said method being characterized in that in the step of introducing powder particles of coke (a), the particles used are cooled before introduction.


This report describes the case of a man who has had for at least five years, and probably twelve years, numerous focal sclerosing lesions in the lungs and a few in the bones. He has been in excellent health throughout, and would never have been investigated but for a chance x-ray examination. No diagnosis has yet been made, in spite of repeated radiographs, three successful biopsies, and other investigations. The case presents two outstanding problems: firstly, the relationship between the lung and bone lesions, and, secondly, the nature of the disease. We hope that this report may be followed by others


Introduction: Although it is generally acknowledged that symbolic interactionism and grounded theory are connected, the precise nature of their connection remains implicit and unexplained in reviewed articles. Awareness of the nature of their connection can help qualitative researchers as guidance for data collection and analysis. This study was accomplished with the aim of exploration of the connection between grounded theory and symbolic interactionism. Method: The search of related articles and resources was done in databases such as Scopus, Elsevier, Google Scholar, and ProQuest and with keywords including grounded theory, symbolic interactionism, and methodology. Then the selected articles were reviewed. Results: In this study, researchers, by reviewing of related articles, have propounded the connection between methodological principles and processes of Blumer in the symbolic interactionism with grounded theory. Then, they have argued about the explanatory power of symbolic interactionism as a philosophical basis in a grounded theory study in the explanation of student-teacher relationship in clinical nursing education. Conclusion: When the grounded theory study is undertaken without a symbolic interactionism framework as an explanatory framework, the researcher describes rather than explains the data. A for Student-Educator Relationship Res Sci 2013; 1(4):


Recent advancements in technology have inevitably led to a significant increase in the global energy demand, whose traditional energy sources, such as fossil fuels and nuclear energy, are failing to meet needs due to their nonrenewable nature and consequent depletion. Moreover, fossil fuels and nuclear energy are major sources of environmental pollution, which is responsible for unfavorable global warming and climate change. Hence, there has been considerable research interest in sustainable and renewable energy sources, particularly solar energy, due to its natural abundance and environmentally friendly nature. In this regard, solar energy is most commonly converted into electricity by making use of the first-generation solar cells, i.e., crystalline silicon solar cells, that are now commercially available, with high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of above 26% and superior environmental stability. However, the largescale production of silicon-based solar cells is restricted by their high production cost, complicated fabrication procedures, rigidity, and PCE, which is almost close to the theoretical limit of 29.4%. As a result, the second-generation solar cells, i.e., thin-film solar cells, such as amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cells, copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cells, and cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells, and the third-generation solar cells, such as organic solar cells (OSCs), perovskite solar cells (PSCs), and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), have been developed by using simple and low-cost fabrication procedures. Among these, the thirdgeneration solar cells have gained significant research attention due to an abundance of low-cost materials, solution processability, flexibility, lightweight, environmental friendliness, and ease of scaling-up. Interestingly, PSCs are a rising star owing to their recent breakthrough in PCE, which has shown a rapid increase from 3.8% in 2009 to 25.5% for the current state-of-the-art PSCs. The superior performance of PSCs is mainly attributed to the exceptional properties of metal halide perovskites, including the large absorption coefficient, direct and tunable bandgap, low exciton binding energy at room temperature, ambipolar charge transport characteristics, high charge carrier mobility, slow recombination kinetics, and long electron–hole diffusion length. Thus, metal halide perovskites are emerging semiconductor materials, described by the general formula of ABX3, where A is a monovalent cation, such as methylammonium (CH3NH3 þ; MA), formamidinium (CH3(NH2)2 þ; FA), caesium (Csþ), or rubidium (Rbþ); B is a divalent metal cation, such as lead (Pb2þ), tin (Sn2þ), or germanium (Ge2þ); and X is a halide anion, such as iodide (I ), bromide (Br ), or chloride (Cl ). Dr. E. Muchuweni, Prof. B. S. Martincigh, Prof. V. O. Nyamori School of Chemistry and Physics University of KwaZulu-Natal Westville Campus, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa E-mail: email@example.com


Pure Cu (99.99%) is processed by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) and by high-pressure torsion (HPT). The electrical resistivity aswell as the microhardness increases with an increase in the equivalent strain at an early stage of straining, but saturates to a steady state at theequivalent strains more than ³20. At the steady state, the samples processed by ECAP and HPT show a significant increase in the hardness(³270%) but little decrease in the electrical conductivity (³12%) when compared to the annealed state. Transmission electron microscopyconfirms that the microstructure does not change at the saturated level with further straining. Evolutions of hardness, electrical conductivity andmicrostructures are also investigated after post-HPT annealing. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.MD201109](Received June 30, 2011; Accepted August 9, 2011; Published September 21, 2011)Keywords: severe plastic deformation, equal-channel angular pressing, high-pressure torsion, ultrafine grain, electrical conductivity


1 We have examined the deactivation kinetics of native N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors (NMDARs) containing NR1 and NR2D subunits by patch‐clamp recording from Purkinje cells in cerebellar slices from young rats. 2 NMDAR‐mediated whole‐cell currents were elicited in response to bath application of 20 μm NMDA and 50 μm glycine. The NMDAR‐mediated currents were small, with an average whole‐cell conductance of approximately 750 pS. 3 Following the rapid application of brief pulses (1–10 ms) of 1 mM glutamate to outside‐out membrane patches, we observed a low‐conductance type of single‐channel activity which lasted up to 30 s after the removal of agonist. 4 Analysis of individual channel openings revealed asymmetry of transitions between the main‐ and subconductance states – a characteristic of NR1/NR2D‐containing NMDARs. The averaged macroscopic current exhibited a decay time course which was well described by a single exponential function with a time constant of ∼3 s. 5 We conclude that native NR1/NR2D‐containing NMDARs, like their recombinant counterparts, display very slow deactivation kinetics. This feature should provide a means for identification of these receptors at synapses, and indicates that they do not contribute to the synaptic NMDAR currents so far described.


An understanding of the scientific enterprise is useful because citizens need to make systematic, rational decisions about projects involving scientific endeavors and technology, and a clearer understanding of scientific epistemology is beneficial because it could encourage more public engagement with science. The purpose of this study was to capture beliefs for three groups, scientists, secondary science teachers, and eighth-grade science students, about the ways scientific knowledge is generated and validated. Open-ended questions were framed by formal scientific epistemology and dimensions of epistemology recognized in the field of educational psychology. The resulting statements were placed in a card sort and mapped in a network analysis to communicate interconnections among ideas. Maps analyzed with multidimensional scaling revealed robust connections among students and scientists but not among teachers. Student and teacher maps illustrated the strongest connections among ideas about experiments while scientist maps present more descriptive and well-rounded ideas about the scientific enterprise. The students' map was robust in terms of numbers of ideas, but were lacking in a hierarchical organization of ideas. The teachers' map displayed an alignment with the learning standards of the state, but not a broader view of science. The scientists map displayed a hierarchy of ideas with elaboration of equally valued statements connected to several foundational statements. Network analysis can be helpful in forwarding the study of views of the nature of science because of the technique's ability to capture verbatim statements from participants and to display the strength of connections among the statements.


In mid-elevation areas of Mesoamerica, Acacia pennatula commonly occurs in mixed woods with various species of oak. During a 1-y study in Nicaragua, we found the abundance of birds in acacia was far higher than the representation of this species in the mix of trees, whether this is estimated by number of individual trees, canopy cover or foliage cover. This higher abundance was probably related to the fact that acacias supported approximately three to four times the abundance of arthropods that were found in oaks and twice the biomass. Although oak foliage supported fewer arthropods, relatively more of them were large (>1 cm). The greater preponderance of small arthropods in acacias versus oaks was probably related to the small leaflet size of acacias. However, it is likely that the higher abundance of arthropods in acacias, particularly herbivorous species, was related to the higher nutritional content of the acacia foliage (crude protein, minerals, non-structural carbohydrates) and lower content of digestion-inhibiting compounds (structural carbohydrates, total phenolics, condensed tannins). The major defensive mechanisms of acacia are mechanical (thorns) or qualitative-defence chemicals (cyanogenic glucosides) that are apparently more effective against vertebrate than invertebrate herbivores. These observations support the hypothesis that the anti-herbivore defences of acacia are primarily directed against large mammalian herbivores, rendering the foliage highly palatable to arthropods.


It has been over a year since the legislative amendment of condominiums (owner apartments) was granted. After it was granted it was predicted that 5,000 new condominiums would be created in 2009. However, only 17 new condos were registered with the real estate property register, of which only six were newly constructed buildings. The report aims to investigate why the interest in creating condominiums to date has been so low, then interpret the specific causes that may have influenced the development of condominiums. Condominiums are well established over the world. How is it then that Sweden chose not to introduce this form of tenure until now? By studying the Swedish housing history the answer can be found to why Sweden came to use co-ownership apartments as a regular form of acquisitioning an apartment.A major factor to the low interest in condominiums so far is that many people generally do not understand what a condominium is, as well as there is a lack of knowledge of who legally possesses a co-operative apartment. The report would therefore like to sort out these two different concepts so the reader can acquire a good knowledge of what a condominium actually is.Has Sweden adopted the same system as other countries? By comparing Sweden's legislative amendments with its neighbouring countries, Norway and Denmark, the report may identify similarities and differences between Sweden and its nearest neighbours. Then why are no more condominiums getting built? Thanks to interviews with representatives of the construction- real estate and financial industry, the report can point out reasons for what they believe are the main causes. What generally can be observed is that it is natural that the establishment is low since it has only been one year since the legislative amendment was granted and those interviewed predict that at least five years will pass before we can see a significant difference of condominiums on Sweden's housing market. Then there are some questions and comments on what could improve investor apartment development. Many people claim that the financial division must get more aware of how to handle such an investment. If the system of rent control was to be removed there is also a good chance that the interest in the condominiums would increase as well as if the condos were allowed to be reformed from already existing apartments.


The infrastructure of the Australian road and bridge system cannot be allowed to deteriorate but rather it has to be improved and developed in order to cope with the nation's demand for more efficient transport in the future which can assist in developing a more competitive trade and industry environment within Australia. The need for protecting the infrastructure of roads has been well recognised in most parts of the world for a long period of time and it is hoped that this short paper will provide some urgent stimulus for this continuing need in respect to Australia's roads.


Of a series of 14C-labeled substrates tested as precursors of mitomycin C, D-glucose was the most effective. L-Methionine-methyl-14C specifically labeled the methoxyl but not the C-methyl substitue...


Purpose
In recent years, governments around the world are actively promoting the Open Government Data (OGD) to facilitate reusing open data and developing information applications. Currently, there are more than 35,000 data sets available on the Taiwan OGD website. However, the existing Taiwan OGD website only provides keyword queries and lacks a friendly query interface. This study aims to address these issues by defining a DBpedia cloud computing framework (DCCF) for integrating DBpedia with Semantic Web technologies into Spark cluster cloud computing environment.

Design/methodology/approach
The proposed DCCF is used to develop a Taiwan OGD recommendation platform (TOGDRP) that provides a friendly query interface to automatically filter out the relevant data sets and visualize relationships between these data sets.

Findings
To demonstrate the feasibility of TOGDRP, the experimental results illustrate the efficiency of the different cloud computing models, including Hadoop YARN cluster model, Spark standalone cluster model and Spark YARN cluster model.

Originality/value
The novel solution proposed in this study is a hybrid approach for integrating Semantic Web technologies into Hadoop and Spark cloud computing environment to provide OGD data sets recommendation.


Combined with the actuality of Chinese traditional constructing protection,it probes into meaning and thoughts of traditional constructing protection,brings forward thoughts of succession and protection of traditional construction,elaborates some concrete protecting methods during traditional constructing protection.


Increasing demand of oil in Indonesia is in contrast with the decreasing oil production every year. Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) has become one of the most favorable method in maximizing the production of mature fields with various applications and research has been done on each type, especially microbial EOR (MEOR). "X" field is a mature oil field located in South Sumatra that has been actively producing for more than 80 years and currently implementing MEOR using huff and puff injection. However, there are some potential risks regarding MEOR processes that may inhibit the production by damaging the well's tubular system, particularly microbially induced corrosion (MIC). This study reviews the risk mitigation and mapping to prevent corrosion on tubular system during MEOR huff and puff processes, equipped with the approach of Lean Six Sigma.The mitigation and mapping process follow the framework of define, measure, analyze, improve, and control (DMAIC). It starts with defining the problem using supplier-input-process-output-customer (SIPOC) diagram after all the field data necessary has already been collected, then measuring the corrosion rate model using ECE™ software as well as conducting sensitivity analysis of the fluid rates. The analyze phase involves constructing fishbone diagram to identify the root causes, comparison with industry's specification and standard, and analysis of chromium effect on corrosion rates. Further simulation is conducted to support the analysis and to ensure the improvements and sustainability of the design selection.Based on the simulation results, the normal corrosion rate ranging from 0.0348 – 0.039 mm/year and the pH is around 4.03 – 5.25, while the ±30% fluid rate sensitivity results shown that the change of water flowrate is more sensitive than oil flowrate with the corrosion rate approximately 0.0275 – 0.048 mm/year. The fishbone diagram identifies that material selection and environmental condition as the main root causes, then corrosion resistant alloy (CRA) is used in the tubing string to prevent corrosion in the future by using super 13Cr martensitic steel (modified 2Ni-5Mo-13Cr) as the most suitable material. Further simulation on chromium content supports the selection that corrosion rate can be reduced by adding the chromium content in the steel. The completion design is then capped with choosing the Aflas® 100S/100H fluoro-elastomer as the optimum material for packer and sealing. Overall, the Lean Six Sigma approach has been successfully applied to help the analysis in this study.


With the progress of the fixing material used for high tibial osteotomy, long hospitalization duration is becoming shorter.Since January 2005, we have been using LCP as the fixing material for high tibial osteotomy to shorten hospitalization duration and examine usefulness of LCP.Our department had been using blade staple and the Surfix lock plate system for high tibial osteotomy until 2004. Between January 2005 and April 2005, nine patients underwent high tibial osteotomy using LCP. They consisted of nine women with a mean age of 68 years (range: 56 to 76).We compared the result of the blade staple and Surfix lock plate system with these of LCP in terms of hospitalization duration. The average hospitalization duration of cases using LCP was 50 days (range: 36 to 69), there was no cases of delay of bone adhesion, and no cases with of decreased correction angle.The results of obtaining LCP and the Surfix lock plate system were essentially equal. The duration of hospital stay can be obviously shortened than the staple method.


demands, many have given their budget offices responsibilities for oversight and evaluation of programs. Traditionally this responsibility is carried out in topdown fashion just before or during the formation of the manager's budget request. The evaluator requests certain information, program personnel produce it, and there is little additional communication between the two offices until judgment is rendered in the form of budget increases or cuts. This article suggests an alternative approach used extensively in Greensboro and recently tried in Charlotte. Based on collaboration between the evaluator and program personnel, it changes the nature of evaluation from a process with potential conflict to an opportunity for program improvement and partnership. In the end, judgment still is rendered but in such a way that all parties participate in determining the outcome and, ideally, accept it.


Objective To evaluate the clinical application and effects of high-frequency electroblation combined with endoscopic argon plasma coagulation and titanium clench in the treatment of colonic polyps.Methods 416 patients from Jan.2009 to Dec.2011 treated by high-frequency electroblation combined with titanium clench and endoscopic argon plasma coagulation were restrosepectively analyzed.Results All the patients were successfully treated,hemorrhage were cured by titanium clench,and no other complications occurred.Conclusion high-frequency electroblation combined with titanium clench and endoscopic argon plasma coagulation was an effective and safe method in the treatment of colonic polyps.


The warm Pliocene serves as an analogue for predicted warming over the next century. However, large uncertainties exist for atmospheric circulation and land surface conditions during the Pliocene. Dust transported by wind to locations of accumulation (terrestrial or marine) can provide a record of wind intensity and/or direction. Few dust flux records spanning the Plio-Pleistocene exist. As such, there is ample opportunity to use marine sediments to reconstruct changes in atmospheric conditions during a warmer-than-present world, as well as across the onset/intensification of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation (NHG). During this time, East Asia’s interior, the second largest source of mineral dust today, experienced aridification, occurring alongside a major reorganization of the subarctic North Pacific circulation which led to stratification of the surface ocean. Here, we present two North Pacific marine sediment records of extraterrestrial (ET) 3He-derived terrigenous dust flux proxies (4HeTerr and Th), along with a record of multiple paleoproductivity proxies (Baxs, Opal, and C37Total) for the period spanning ~2.5-4.5 Ma. Our results show that dust flux to the western North Pacific was relatively low and constant through the Pliocene up until ~2.7 Ma, with minor peaks during cooler phases from ~2.9-3.1 Ma. At ~2.7 Ma, concurrent with the intensification of NHG and formation of a permanent halocline cap in the subarctic North Pacific, dust fluxes increase dramatically. The central North Pacific record shows a less drastic shift in dust, but generally displays higher fluxes after ~3 Ma. Dust fluxes in East Asia and the North Pacific are consistent during this time interval, as are global dust fluxes from the North Atlantic, South Atlantic and North Pacific. Western North Pacific dust, SST, and paleoproductivity records point to northward-shifted and weakened Northern Hemisphere westerlies during the warm Pliocene, with evidence for strengthening and southward movement of the westerlies during glacials after ~2.7 Ma. Changes in both winds and dust production mechanisms are likely working in tandem to produce the coherent global dust signals.


This review investigates the effectiveness of ablative and nonablative fractional photothermolysis (FP) lasers for treating facial acne scars. Twenty‐six studies (13 ablative FP, 13 nonablative FP) published between 2003 and January 2011 were reviewed. Quantitative and qualitative data from each article were examined and analysed. Four studies were split‐face randomized controlled studies. While the data analysed were all clinically relevant and significant, there were some methodological differences between the studies. Outcomes included subjective and objective assessment of scar appearance, pre‐ and postoperative treatment, side‐effects and pain scores. A small number of studies used three‐dimensional optical imaging profiling and histology for objective assessment. Even allowing for methodological variability, ablative FP had an improvement range of 26–83% whereas nonablative FP had an improvement range of 26–50%. Patients who underwent treatment with an ablative FP laser experienced erythema for 3–14 days which resolved by 12 weeks, whereas patients who opted for the nonablative FP laser experienced erythema for between 1 and 3 days and this resolved within a week. A higher proportion of patients (up to 92·3%) who underwent ablative FP experienced postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) than those who had nonablative FP (up to 13%). The maximum duration of PIH in ablative FP was up to 6 months whereas in nonablative FP it lasted for up to 1 week. The procedure with ablative FP was relatively uncomfortable compared with nonablative FP. The pain score with ablative FP ranged from 5·90 to 8·10 (scale 1–10) and with nonablative FP from 3·90 to 5·66 (scale 1–10).


The critical-field curves of pure aluminium, gallium, thorium and zinc were measured by a magnetic induction method. An unusually marked supercooling effect was found in aluminium and to a much smaller extent also in gallium; some experiments on this effect are discussed. The first three of these metals were found to have "ideally pure" superconducting properties, and thorium, although belonging to the "hard" group of superconductors, had a value of dHc/dT of only 190 gauss/degree K. Only a very minute fraction of the volume of a titanium specimen was found to become superconducting at temperatures down to 1° K., although Meissner had found a titanium wire to have zero resistance below 1·8° K.; an explanation of this discrepancy is put forward. Molybdenum and uranium did not become superconducting down to 0·3 and 0·98° K. respectively, though, in the case of one uranium sample, a small fraction of the volume showed superconducting effects as in titanium.


The present invention is not necessary to provide a plurality of fine elements to wires, without causing crosstalk increases the reactance ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe comprising: a light transfer channel comprising an array of a plurality of optical transmission path from a first end portion of incident light; and in accordance with the applied ultrasonic modulate each formed on the second end portion of said plurality of optical transmission channels a plurality of ultrasonic detecting elements of the optical transmission of the incident light path.


Very high-speed optical networks with fixed-length cells at the physical layer, form the basis for a number of promising network architectures that have the potential to provide voice, data, and video services; asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching and the distributed queue dual bus (DQDB) are important examples of current fixed cell length network implementations. While these networks use the optical link to provide connectivity between nodes, with all switching being performed electronically, it is interesting to consider derivative networks that use optical switching (in conjunction with electronic switching) to improve performance. In this paper, we discuss the experimental and theoretical performance (bit error ratio, insertion loss, clock recovery, and jitter) of one such network in which fixed-length optical cells are inserted or removed from a ring or bus. Add/drop multiplexing in the optical domain [1-5] removes the requirement for optoelectronic regeneration, and store and forward of data, at every node in a network; it thus reduces latency, and is synergistic with the introduction of optical amplifiers into wide area and metropolitan area networks. Moreover, the physical layer protocol described in this paper avoids the electronic bottleneck associated with header processing at each node, and thus may lead to networks in which the data transfer rate approaches the (≈10 Gb/s) link transmission rates that can be obtained easily using conventional lightwave technology.


Nursing a neonate on the standard oxygen head-box poses several problems related to access, inlet size, nebulisation, oxygenation and nasogastric feeding, During procedures such as insertion of a nasogastric tube, cleaning up of vomitus, aspiration of nasal mucosa or just patting the baby to sleep, the head box has to be lifted off entirely thus affecting oxygenation causing hypoxemia. Hence an attempt has been made to alter the design of the head box which helps in carrying out the maneuvers without lifting the head box and with minimal change in Fi02 thus maintaining uniform oxygenation. Neonates nursed in this headbox do not show retention of CO 2 even at low flow rates.


The last issue of the Journal included an interesting article by Professor Theresa Ghilarducci, "If This Isn't the Time for a Guaranteed Retirement Account, When Is It?" (Journal of Pension Benefits, Vol. 16, No. 3, Spring 2009.) Professor Ghilarducci is one of the country's most interesting and thought-provoking pension scholars, and her ideas are set out in more detail in her recent book, When I'm Sixty-four: The Plot Against Pensions and the Plan to Save Them.


Ngowi, M. A. (2005). Alternative learning and skills development project at Zanzibar and the gender equity testing certification and evaluation. Retrieved from http://academicarchive.snhu.edu


(GaAs)1−x(Si2)x metastable alloys grown on (001), (110), (112), and (111) GaAs substrates, with Si fractions in the range 0⩽x⩽0.43, were studied by Raman scattering. Two modes near the LO and TO modes of GaAs, besides two local modes associated either with Si–As or Si–Ga and Si–Si bonds, are observed in the Raman spectra. The ratio of integrated intensities of TO-like and LO-like modes (ITO/ILO) is used to evaluate the short range order. It is observed that the zinc blende to diamond transition reported in the literature for these alloys does not influence the Si fraction dependence of the short range order.


Finding software maintenance solutions for a real-time embedded 8611-based project can be challenging and interesting. Three crucial issues are addressed: configuration and module management, code integrity self-test and software correctness testability. Experience shows that when off-the-shelf products are not available, low-cost solutions could still be attained by using existing tools in unconventional ways. The outcome is a low-cost, state-of-the-art software maintenance environment for a system which has been developed long before such environments exist.<<ETX>>


DNA topoisomerase (topo) IIα is a major target for many anticancer agents. However, progress towards understanding how these agents interact with this enzyme in human cells and how resistance to th...


Catechol (cat) and trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (4,4'-bpe) form a 1:1 co-crystal, of composition (cat)·(4,4'-bpe) 1, that consists of infinite one-dimensional (1D) undulating chains held together by O-H···N hydrogen bonds. The chains are based on an alternating sequence of five crystallographically independent molecules, two that involve cat and three that involve 4,4'-bpe, and an eight-component repeat unit. The cat molecules adopt an anti-anti conformation, while the olefins adopt either a co-planar or twisted conformation. The chains self-assemble via a combination of face-to-face π-π interactions, C-H···π forces, and C-H···O hydrogen bonds.


The level of commercial sports club instructor reflects the overall strength of an club and it is also a kind of force for commercial sports clubs' sustainable development.Based on data,statistics,logic analysis,interviews and survey methods,the paper studied the instructor of commercial sports club in Henan province and found that the gender ratio of instructors was almost the same,most of them accepted the special training who mainly aged between 21-30 years old with high level of educational qualifications and passion for the career.In spite of little repay,the instructors showed the enthusiasm for the work.


Heavy metals are important environmental pollutants and many of them are toxic even at very low concentrations. Pollution of the biosphere with heavy metals has accelerated dramatically since the industrial revolution. Metal toxicity is one of the major abiotic stresses leading to hazardous effects in plants. Plants are susceptible to heavy metal toxicity and respond to avoid detrimental effects in a variety of different ways. Several studies revealed the additive and coordinative involvement of heavy metal transporters, ligands such as phytochelatins and metallothioneins, antioxidant, glyoxalase systems, heat shock proteins, proline, polyamines, salicylic acid, nitric oxide and miRNAs. They alleviate heavy metal stress by many different ways including restriction of uptake and transport of metals and through symbiotic association between plants and ectomycorrhizas or rhizobacteria. The aim of this review is to integrate a recent understanding of physiological and biochemical mechanisms of heavy metal induced plant stress responses based on the findings of current plant molecular biological research. This paper also describes recent developments of transgenic plants with special reference to phytochelatin synthases and metallothionein genes for improving plant metal tolerance and further applications in phytoremediation. Undoubtedly, isolation and overexpression of phytochelatin synthase and metallothionein genes have fostered some understanding of their role in metal stress tolerance. However, single genes are unlikely to help in the amelioration of heavy metal stress tolerance. Therefore, constructs with combinations of PC synthesis genes like γ-glutamylcysteine synthase (GCS), glutathione synthase (GS), ATP sulfurylase and serine acetyl transferase may be important besides many transcription factors associated with metal stress tolerance for developing an efficient phytoremediation technology useful for removal of heavy metals from soils.


The significance of this study lies in the fact that it looks into the function of games as one of the important leisure activities at the moment when negative perception on overall game industry is becoming an obstacle in settlement of sound game culture. Game is one of the activities enjoyed in leisure time. The main positive effects of game were analyzed classifying them into 10 types including the stress relief and alleviation of tension, diverse identity experience and positive socialization experience, strengthening of self-respect and ideal self-realization, strengthening of independent thinking and problem-solving capacity, motivation for learning, enhancement in physical capacity, decrease in aggressive tendencies, cultivation of awareness on equality, increase in familiarity with the civilization of technology, and strengthening of individuality based on diversity.


Excerpt Cardiac involvement by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is sometimes manifested by arrhythmias or conduction disturbances. How often the heart is found to be involved depends on how caref...


Objective:To discuss the better way of sterilize endoscopic instrument in continuous operations.Method:200 endoscopic operations from January in 2007 to June in 2008 were selected by random sampling and divided into two groups.100 cases used WAYWIN-2000 sterilization instrument to sterilize were classified as study group.Another 100 cases dipped in 2% glutaraldehyde were chosen as comparison group.We analyzed the sterilization effect and the postoperative infection rate to get the results.Result:①The qualified rate of sterilization effect by WAYWIN-2000 sterilization instrument is 100%,and dipped in 2% glutaraldehyde is 95%.(P0.05)②The postoperative infection rate of the study group is 0,and the comparison group is 3%.(P0.05).Conclusion:Using WAYWIN-2000 sterilization instrument is the better way to sterilize endoscopic instrument in continuous operations.


Tree‐ring records from conifers have been regularly used over the last few decades to date debris‐flow events. The reconstruction of past debris‐flow activity was, in contrast, only very rarely based on growth anomalies in broad‐leaved trees. Consequently, this study aimed at dating the occurrence of former debris flows from growth series of broad‐leaved trees and at determining their suitability for dendrogeomorphic research. Results were obtained from gray alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench), silver birch and pubescent birch (Betula pendula Roth and Betula pubescens Ehrh.), aspen (Populus tremula L.), white poplar, black poplar and gray poplar (Populus alba L., Populus nigra L. and Populus x canescens (Ait.) Sm.), goat willow (Salix caprea L.) and black elder (Sambucus nigra L.) injured by debris‐flow activity at Illgraben (Valais, Swiss Alps). Tree‐ring analysis of 104 increment cores, 118 wedges and 93 cross‐sections from 154 injured broad‐leaved trees allowed the reconstruction of 14 debris‐flow events between AD 1965 and 2007. These events were compared with archival records on debris‐flow activity at Illgraben. It appears that debris flows are very common at Illgraben, but only very rarely left the channel over the period AD 1965–2007. Furthermore, analysis of the spatial distribution of disturbed trees contributed to the identification of six patterns of debris‐flow routing and led to the determination of preferential breakout locations of events. The results of this study demonstrate the high potential of broad‐leaved trees for dendrogeomorphic research and for the assessment of the travel distance and lateral spread of debris‐flow surges. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


A jaw mechanism of a winding drum device of a strip coiler comprises an oil feeding device and a rotary oil cylinder. One end of the rotary oil cylinder is pivotally connected with the oil feeding device, a winding drum is disposed at the other end of the rotary oil cylinder, a four-wedge expanding and contracting mechanism is arranged on the winding drum and consists of an axial wedge, a jaw radial wedge, jaw sector plates, a line marking sector plate, a movable jaw plate and a fixed jaw plate, the jaw sector plate consists of a blocky plate, a jaw is arranged between the two jaw sector plates, and a combined disc spring is disposed between the movable jaw plate and the jaw radial wedge. The four-wedge expanding and contracting mechanism is arranged on the winding drum, according to an action principle of mechanical wedges, the jaw clamps and grips a strip coil head by the aid of the jaw sector plates and an opening and closing structure of the combined disc spring, shortcomings of a traditional oil pressure type jaw mechanism are overcome, and the jaw mechanism is novel equipment for coiling strips.


This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between serum vitamin D concentrations and the risk of pneumonia in children. Human studies reporting serum vitamin D levels in children with pneumonia and healthy controls were collected from different databases. The standardized mean difference and 95% confidence interval were calculated to evaluate the relationship between risk incidence of pneumonia and serum vitamin D levels. The results of analysis showed that serum vitamin D levels in children with pneumonia were significantly lower than those in healthy control children.


The necessity of detection and evaluation related to the existed docks is discussed on the basis of engineering practice;the contents and methods are introduced;and some views on the standardization are presented as well.


We developed a simple, quick assay in order to discriminate forensic samples among human, and common domestic and livestock species of the Pampean region, Argentina. A mitochondrial cytochrome b fragment amplified with universal primers was separately digested with three restriction enzymes (AluI, HaeIII, and HinfI) and the resulting fragments were resolved through electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels. This PCR-RFLP method allowed us to identify the target species and worked on degraded samples. The assay was successfully applied in livestock robbery cases in Argentine, and may be useful when attempting a first assessment as to the specific status of a forensic evidence. q 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.


By applying one couple of unit force on two suspension centers based on 3D FEM to calculate their relative displacement, coefficient of torsion displacement, the radial gate's torsional rigidity coefficient is derived; and its stress distribution is analyzed to solve radial gate's torsion problem. Furthermore, by calculating and analyzing the torsion problem existed in an actual radial gate, the method of unit force is proved to be scientific and practical, it can be used to deal with radial gate's torsion problem efficiently.


Tuberculosis is a worldwide public health problem despite the highly effective drugs and vaccine is available making tuberculosis a preventable and curable disease (Joveria Qais Farooqi et al., 2012). Tuberculosis is the second-most common cause of death from infectious disease after those due to HIV/ AIDS (Dolin et al., 2010). International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 5 Number 9 (2016) pp. 44-53 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com


It has been shown by chromatography that aglycone, glucoside, acetylglucoside and malonylglucoside isoflavone extracts prepared from soybean cake showed better antioxidant activities than isoflavone standards. Consequently, the aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of these isoflavone extracts against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced keratinocyte damage. Our results demonstrated that these soybean cake isoflavone extracts could inhibit UVB-induced keratinocyte death. Moreover, they could inhibit UVB-induced intracellular release of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) Furthermore, these isoflavone extracts differentially inhibited UVB-induced MAPK phosphorylation. The ERK1/2 and p38 phosphorylation was not inhibited by all tested isoflavone extracts, whereas JNK phosphorylation was inhibited by group I to group III isoflavone extracts. Since these isoflavone extracts are relative stable and easily obtained than the isoflavone standards, we suggest that soybean cake may be a useful potential source for developing effective skin care agents in against photoaging.


Abstract In contrast to the currency issued for use in ancient and early modern Japan, a feature of the currency of that country's medieval period was that the Japanese state did not mint its own coinage but rather imported the entirety of its supply of copper coins from China. An economy based on Chinese coins therefore lasted for 650 years, from the middle of the twelfth century, through the upheavals of the sixteenth century, down to the seventeenth century when the Tokugawa Bakufu once again minted coins. This article outlines the situation of currency and its specific features during this period, paying particular attention to the trend towards the use of credit, in such forms as bills of exchange and promissory notes. In addition, it points out that the medieval Japanese state had absolutely no motivation, either financially or geopolitically, to issue its own currency.


We prove that there is a projective K3 surface admitting a (fixed point) free automorphism of positive entropy and that no smooth compact Kahler surface other than projective K3 surfaces and their blow up admits such an automorphism.


Mirror image is a virtual image of precipitation below the ocean surface when we use an airborne or a spaceborne radar to view the rainfall over ocean. It is due to a double reflection, that is energy reflected form the sea surface goes to the precipitation and back to the radar via a second reflection at sea surface. We investigated the mirror image characteristics using TRMM Precipitation Radar data and found: 1) The radar can detect the mirror image clearly over the ocean, 2) the mirror image echo corresponds well to the direct rain echo at nadir and near nadir incidence angle, 3) in a weak rain region, mirror echo intensity is nearly proportional to the direct echo power except near noise level, 4) in the strong rain region, rain attenuation effect clearly appears, and 5) the ratio of mirror echo power to direct echo power is affected by the rain attenuation which varies with the bright band height and the range of the target rain from surface. Further, we performed a simple simulation in order to confirm the above characteristics. The signal fluctuation, noise contamination, rain attention and surface cross section are taken into account in the simulation, and the results of simulation confirmed the observation results.


N-OTDM signal detection using temporal magnification and coherent sampling to suppress inter-symbol-interference has been demonstrated in a 160 Gbaud experiment. Pulses with a pulse width up to 10.4 ps are enabled for N-OTDM demultiplexing.