The purpose of this paper is to present a relation-based semantic deenition of imperative programming languages, that captures two arcane aspects: pointers and scoping rules. These two aspects are captured with a single mathematical device, which deals with an original deenition of the notion of state. 1 Background We consider an imperative, block-structured, programming language, such as C, and we are interested in deening its semantics (some aspects thereof). In particular, we are interested in capturing the semantics of pointers and scoping rules. In the context of this paper, we cannot present a general model for our semantic deenition; hence we will content ourselves with illustrating our proposal with summary deenitions and illustrative examples. We assume the reader familiar with relations; we use the symbol to represent relational product and the b symbol to represent relational inversion. 2 States To this eeect, we must rst discuss the notion of program state, also referred to as state. The state of the program at some control point reeects what variable names are known at that point and what they refer to. Deenition 1 The state of a program at some control point is denoted by and deened as the product of two functions: = ;


PURPOSE
Olfactory threshold as well as odor identification tests are frequently used for assessment of olfactory function in children and adolescents. Whether olfactory test results are influenced by cognitive parameters or sex in children and adolescents is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of cognition, age and sex on "Sniffin' Sticks" olfactory threshold and "U-Sniff" odor identification performance in a pediatric population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
A total of 200 participants between age 6 and 17 years were included. Olfactory function (olfactory threshold and odor identification) was assessed using the "Sniffin' Sticks". In addition, age appropriate cognitive testing was applied.

RESULTS
The results of this study indicate that odor identification test performance is positively correlated with age (r=0.31) and verbal abilities of children (r=0.24). Olfactory threshold results are only marginally influenced by age (r=0.18) and are not associated with cognitive test performance.

CONCLUSION
Olfactory assessment using olfactory threshold and "U-Sniff" odor identification testing is suitable for children and adolescents when considering age in the interpretation of test results.


This thesis aims to establish how the introduction of the Unitary Patent and the European and European Union Patent Court will affect the pharmaceutical industry's choice of patent application route when applying for patents in Europe in the future. To establish the expected effect of the Unitary Patent on the industry interviews with a selection of professionals in the research and development industry, the public sector and a patent litigator have been carried out. The research and interviews has shown an array of advantages associated with the Unitary Patent, mainly of economic nature as an effect of reduced translation requirements and increased centralised administration but also we are likely to see that practice will eventually become more predictable within Europe. Many of the problems that remain to be established in the draft agreements have proven to be a major disadvantage to the Unitary Patent as it adds a dimension of uncertainty to the patent holder. The fact that Italy and Spain have chosen to opt out of the Unitary Patent project is unsurprisingly a major disadvantage to the project and the European Union as a whole. It has been concluded that the many uncertainties and the disadvantages already shown with the Unitary Patent the best recommendation to patent applicants in the future is to stay with the European patent or national patents to see how European and European Union Patent Court practice develops and how the will be perceived by the industry.


The enzymatic hydrolysis of fish proteins is the principle method for converting under-utilized fish into valuable products for the pharmaceutical and health food industries. In this study, three commercial enzymes (alcalase, bromelain, and papain) were tested for their ability to create eel protein hydrolysates (EPHs) from whole eel (Anguilla marmorata). Freeze-dried EPHs had almost more than 80% solubility (p < 0.05) in solutions ranging from pH 2–10. The amino acid profiles of the EPHs showed a high percentage of essential amino acids, including histidine, threonine, valine, isoleucine, and leucine. The emulsion activity index (EAI) of EPH resulted as follows: alcalase group (36.8 ± 2.00) > bromelain group (21.3 ± 1.30) > papain group (16.2 ± 1.22), and the emulsion stability index (ESI) of EPH was: alcalase group (4.00 ± 0.34) > bromelain group (2.62 ± 0.44) > papain group (1.44 ± 0.09). As such, EPH has a high nutritional value and could be used as a supplement to diets lacking protein. EPH showed excellent solubility and processed interfacial properties, which are governed by its concentration. Among of them the alcalase group had the best antioxidant effect at 1,1-diphenyl-2-pyridinohydrazinyl (DPPH) radical method, determination of reducing power and ABTS test compared with other groups. EPH may be useful in developing commercial products like herbal eel extracts that are beneficial to human health.


We present time‐resolved experimental measurements of the electron distribution function f(v∥,v⊥,t) in a pulsed, partially ionized, electron cyclotron resonance (ECR)‐produced plasma. The discharge has some characteristics similar to those used in plasma processing applications. These properties include ECR production in a strong magnetic field and low electron temperature (Te<5 eV). In addition, electron‐neutral collisions play an important role. A novel analyzer is used to study the dependence of f(v∥,v⊥,t) on velocities both parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field. This information cannot be obtained with a simple Langmuir probe. The temporal evolution of f(v∥,v⊥,t) is examined during plasma formation, with the source biased, with the source grounded and in the afterglow.


Interaction of the achiral syn (face-to-face) conformer of the ethane-bridged bis(zinc octaethylporphyrin) with the enantiopure 1,2-diaminocyclohexane results in the exclusive formation of a supramolecular chiral tweezer. This 1:1 host-guest complex exhibits remarkable stability in both solution (even upon photoexcitation) and solid-state phases, with a high degree of optical activity arising from the two-point interaction mode and optimal spatial geometry.


To imprint stamp for the organic material precursor layer having a first pattern - the present invention is a metal oxide complex structure and as it relates to a method for manufacturing the substrate or the upper photosensitive metal in the thin film-forming an organic material layer precursor layer, the photosensitive metal but the pressure, the photosensitive metal-organic precursor layer is completely cured is lower than the dose meth performing photocuring at a higher dose than the dose threshold cure-photo-imprinting step and, the photosensitive metal stamping for the imprint-organic precursor and removing from the layer, the pattern of the photosensitive metal-organic precursor layer completely to form a second pattern is formed picture after placing the mask, completely cured metal oxide thin film was irradiated with ultraviolet rays or heat to or higher dose pattern layer on top of the curing the photolithography step, a metal oxide thin film layer pattern is the complete hardening phenomenon (Develop Metal oxide by photo-imprinting process and full cure photolithography process - ing) by the first pattern and the meta, characterized in that formed by the second pattern comprises forming a complex metal oxide complex structure implemented in the method for producing a complex structure and a complex metal oxide structure manufactured by him to a technical base. Whereby the pattern of the heterologous (異種) facilitates the provision of the metal oxide structure implemented in combination by, and the imprinting process is going on in a dose of about not be a complete cure, and then to perform a complete curing by photo-lithographic process , by adding the intermediate curing step is an etching process is omitted, it is possible to reduce the number of times of the etch process has the advantage of reducing the cost and simplifying the process.


The following article discusses the problematic epistemological separation between Paulo Lins's novel and the author's identity as a construct that redirects the text's message in very specific ways. This construct phenomenon affects the novel's fictional status on the account of its truth-value. In this sense, this study also analyses the reception of Lin's text under what has been epistemologically termed in Latin American subaltern studies as testimonio. The analysis of Lins's novel under the testimonial rubric allows for a meditation on questions related to any fictional text whose content stands too close to factually recognizable events, which takes the literary work and its possible classifications to an ontological crisis whose repercussions problematize literature as a vehicle of social denunciation, and the author as the mediator of such a process.


The invention relates to a quick cooling mechanism for a forming module of a forming machine. The quick cooling mechanism comprises an upper platen and a lower platen, wherein the forming module is arranged between the upper platen and the lower platen and comprises an inner die sleeve, an upper module and a lower module; the upper module and the lower module are arranged outside the inner die sleeve; the butting ends of the upper module and the lower module are connected with each other in a sealed manner; the circumferential directions of two ends of the upper module and the lower module are connected with the circumferential direction of the inner die sleeve in a sealed manner; and the outer side of the upper module and the upper platen as well as the outer side of the lower module and the lower platen are hinged with each other. The quick cooling mechanism is characterized in that annular grooves which form a vacuum channel are formed on the inner side face of the upper module and the inner side face of the lower module; a cooling water pipe and a vacuumizing pipe are respectively arranged on the upper platen and the lower platen; and a water inlet and a vacuumizing opening are respectively formed on the upper module and the lower module and respectively communicated with a cooling water outlet on the upper platen and a vacuumizing opening on the lower platen. By adopting the quick cooling mechanism, the production efficiency can be improved, and the production cost can be reduced; and the quick cooling mechanism is applicable to plastic pipeline forming machines.


A book about Col. William N. Selig's career as an early cinematic pioneer and movie director and founder of the film industry that became Hollywood in Los Angeles.


Objective To investigate expressions of heparanase and nm23-H1 protein in nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) as well as their relationship with clinicopathological factors.Methods Expressions of heparanase and nm23-H1 protein in 60 cases of NPC with poor differentiation and 20 cases of chronically inflammatory tissues of the nasopharynx were determined by immunohistochemical staining.Results The positive rate of heparanase protein in tumor tissues was 55%(33/60),which was significantly higher than that in inflammatory tissues(P0.05).The heparanase protein expression was significantly related to the TNM stage,local lymph nodes and distant metastasis of NPC(P0.05).The positive rate of nm23-H1 protein in tumor tissues was 53.3%(32/60),significantly lower than that in inflammatory tissues(P0.05),and nm23-H1 protein expression was significantly related to the clinical stage,local lymph nodes and distant metastasis of NPC(P0.05).Expression of heparanase protein had a significantly negative correlation with that of nm23-H1 protein in NPC.Conclusion Positive expression of heparanase and negative expression of nm23-H1 may be significantly related to invasive infiltration and metastasis in NPC.


Norway spruce, an exotic tree species in North America, was largely used in reforestation programs in the province of Quebec between 1972 and 1990. Several of these plantations are now reaching the...


MoSi2 based material is the soundest heating element material owing to its high melting point, excellent oxidation resistance, high thermal conductivityand thermal stability. Applying MoSi2 matrix composites for hot corrosion components can potentially increase the efficiency of a gas turbine by increasing operation temperature by 100–200˚C. The oxidation resistance of MoSi2+15vol%ZrO2 composite after final sintering was comparable to KS1700 material in cyclic exposure at 1200 – 1300˚C and isothermal exposure at 1400˚C; the creeping resistance was close to the state of KS HT material in sag testing at 1600˚C; the flexure strength retained 427 MPa at 1200C. The oxidation property of as-PLS sintered MoSi2+10vol%SiC composite at 1400˚C was comparable to that of KS1700 and FS MoSi2-ZrO2 composite; the creeping resistance at 1600˚C was comparable to that of Kanthal HT material and superior to MoSi2+ZrO2 composite. Single Edge V- Notch Beam toughness measurement technique was developed for cylindrical shaped-beam. The technique can be directly applied to as-manufactured testing pieces without machining. High accuracy of KIC data were obtained compared with the references of National Physics laboratory, UK. The innovation provided reliable KIC measurement for R&D of ceramics/intermetallics materials. Energiforsk is


2D monoelemental nanomaterials (Xenes) have shown tremendous potential for versatile biomedical applications. Bismuth, as a heavy element in pnictogens, has acquired massive research interest due to its unique optical performance, high biocompatibility, stability, and relatively low cost. However, the utilization of 2D bismuthene in nanomedicine has not been achieved because of the difficulty in engineering bismuthene with crucial structural/compositional characteristics for satisfying strict biomedical requirements. Herein, to address this Gordian knot, a facile strategy to intercalate and delaminate Bi bulk for generating mass few‐layered 2D bismuthene with high yield by employing a water molecule mediated freezing–thawing process and sodium borohydride‐triggered reduction treatment is proposed. The resulting 2D bismuthene displays good optical performance in the near‐infrared (NIR) biowindow and can be excited via red light for reactive oxygen species generation, enabling applications in multiple photonic cancer nanomedicine settings, including photothermal hyperthermia and photodynamic therapy. Utilizing the intrinsic desirable optical absorbance and strong X‐ray attenuation of bismuthene, dual photonic therapy can be conducted under the supervision of photoacoustic/computed tomography guided multimodal imaging. This research not only offers a potential mass‐production ready, cost‐effective, and eco‐efficient methodology for engineering 2D Xenes, but also exploits an innovative 2D bismuthene based photonic cancer nanomedicine.


Nanofluidics research is motivated both by intrinsic interest in the novel transport phenomena observable only at the (sub-)nanometric scale, and by applications including energy generation, desalination, macromolecular analysis, and microscopy. Two key considerations in the development of such technologies are 1) the control of nonlinear ionic transport and 2) the characterization of electrostatic, frictional, and other interactions of solid-liquid interfaces with bulk electrolyte solutions. In this manuscript, I develop a coherent theory of ion-selectivity and nonlinear ionic transport in nanopores & 1 nm in diameter, rationalizing previous experimental work and offering new routes in the development of desalination, energy generation, and other exotic functionalities. I then explore each of the above considerations separately. First, I explore the limits of continuum theory in rationalizing nonlinear coupled transport observed experimentally in angstrometric channels, revealing the irrelevance of the Navier-Stokes description of the fluid dynamics at this scale and highlighting the role of the frictional characteristics of the confining material. Finally, I examine the surface-controlled modification of applied electric fields in scanning ion conductance microscopy, proposing a new approach for the imaging of surface charge that may substantially improve on the spatial resolution of current techniques.


Thin-film-based nanoporous membrane technologies exploit evaporation to efficiently cool microscale and nanoscale electronic devices. At these scales, when domain sizes become comparable to the mean free path in the vapour, traditional macroscopic approaches such as the Navier-Stokes-Fourier (NSF) equations become less accurate, and the use of higher-order moment methods is called for. Two higher-order moment equations are considered; the linearised versions of the Grad 13 and Regularised 13 equations. These are applied to the problem of nanoporous evaporation, and results are compared to the NSF method and the method of direct simulation Monte Carlo (i.e. solutions to the Boltzmann equations). Linear and non-linear versions of the boundary conditions are examined, with the latter providing improved results, at little additional computational expense, compared to the linear form. The outcome is a simultaneously accurate and computationally efficient method, which can provide simulation-for-design capabilities at the nanoscale.


This paper presents a monitoring application with a wireless sensor network that was performed on a 95 years old riveted steel railway bridge. In order to perform an accurate assessment, strains we ...


[Objective] To evaluate the efficacy of Low molecular weight heparin plus aspirin and clopidogrel in treat-ment of transient ischemic attack.[Methods] 100 transient ischemic attack patients were selected and randomly divided into observation group and control group.Two groups of symptomatic patients were given the same basic treatment.The control group were given low molecular weight heparin and aspirin treatment.The observation group was given clopidogrel except for the medicine used for the controls.The prothrombin time(PT),activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT),fibrinogen(FIB)quantitative and platelet count(PLT)were compared before treatment and after treatment for two weeks.The treatment effects were assessed.[Results] The total effective rates of observation group was 92.00%,which was significantly higher than that of controls(72.00%),and there was significant difference between the two groups(P ﹤ 0.01).Observation group and control group treatment had no significant effect on the coagulation parameters(P﹥0.05).The adverse reaction rates did not showed significant difference between the two groups(P﹥0.05).[Conclusion] Low molecular weight heparin plus aspirin and clopido-grel treatment for transient ischemic attack is effective,but also has good security,and is worthy of further promotion.


This study represents the method of multitasking. Specifically, I conducted a between-group experiment examining the relationship of multitasking to reading comprehension. This experiment was tested by undergraduate students (n=20) at The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University in Central Minnesota. Participants varied from 18-21 years old and included 3 males and 17 females. In the first condition, (the control group) participants read an ACT practice reading test. In the second condition (the experimental group) participants read the ACT reading comprehension test while watching Netflix on the same screen. The dependent variable was the score on the ACT practice questions. The participants were recruited from a convenience sample. Findings from my study include a significant relationship between multitasking of Netflix and reading comprehension.


We report the first experimental demonstration of all-optical switching gain in a single nano-waveguide device based on a hybrid silicon photonic integration platform. The switch features 6nm broadband operation, small device footprint and low sensitivity to fabrication error.


First of all, the present project includes the creation of a sports center of hockey on wheels in the city of Ibarra and the viability as a project. In fact, the Imbaburena square was chosen, specifically the city of Ibarra for its unexploded market and the evident lack of sports center in the city. In addition, in the last 5 years have seen witnessed a considerable increase in the sports activities such as professional spots and amateur sports which is a big attraction to new sports projects. Furthermore, the main objective of the project is to analyze the viability of building a new sport center of hockey on wheels in the city of Ibarra through innovate methods of training, the best infrastructure and the qualified staff for teaching amateur sport. It has been made two types of investigation, quantitative and qualitative. The surveys analyzed 100 cases of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Ecuador sede Ibarra where the surveys indicated that 17% of the respondents would like to practice this discipline. As an important fact the 40% of the respondent give a regular qualification to the sports centers of Ibarra and it should be emphasized that now only found sport centers of soccer in the city of Ibarra. In the other hand, the interview with an expert who performance to Francisco Almeida show us that the quality of the sport in the country is not so good and the creation of a new sport center with regulatory measures and attributes such as: cover of the ground, surface of the ground, infrastructure and seats, help considerably to the development of roller hockey sport because Ecuador can be considered as a host of international meetings. In conclusion, the project will focus on a neglected market as the sport center that exists do not offer an innovative service that captures the attention of the potential customers. According to Francisco Almeida is a project with a great future because in Ecuador do not exist any sport center of this magnitude. Finally, according with the financial study the project has very attractive results as, VAN of: 29.275,86 dollars and TIR of 34.05 percent.


The objectives of the study were to study the differences between Low & High SelfEsteem and Non Congenial & Congenial Family Environment groups of Pre Service Teachers at the Secondary Stage on the dimensions of Spiritual Intelligence, and to study the double interaction effects of the variables of Self-Esteem and Family Environment on the dimensions of Spiritual Intelligence in respect of the Pre Service Teachers at the Secondary Stage. The results of ANOVA showed that Low and High Self-Esteem groups exhibited no significant differences on the variables of Transcendence, Interconnectedness, Expansion of Self, Extrasensory Perception and Existential Enquiry. In case of Family Environment groups- Non Congenial and Congenial, the differences were found significant on the variables of Transcendence and Interconnectedness in favour of Congenial Family Environment and no significant differences were found on the variables of Expansion of Self, Extrasensory Perception and Existential Enquiry. The double interaction effects of the variables of Self-Esteem and Family Environment were not significant on all the dimensions of Spiritual Intelligence.


Background and ObjectivesZZThe Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) is a useful measure to evaluate the tinnitus and to quantify the functional and psychosocial consequences of tinnitus. However, it can be difficult for patients to understand the items of questionnaire and may take 10 to 15 minutes for them to complete the questionnaire, which can be problematic. The objective of this study is to develop a simplified version of the Korean type Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THIS). Subjects and MethodZZA retrospective clinical study was conducted to analyze the THI-S cutoff score used for referral purpose and the level of predictability between the THI and the THIS. 100 patients participated. The subject samples were drawn from outpatients who reported tinnitus as their primary complaints at the time of the initial audiology and otolaryngology evaluations. The 10-item THI-S, selected by using Cronbach's α coefficient, showed a high correlation with the scores of the THI. Based on their clinical experiences, the four otologists developed their own screening versions of THI, which were designated as THI-A, B, C and D. The Pearson product-moment correlation was used to assess the comparability of the scores between the THI and the THI-S, A, B, C and D. ResultsZZThe results showed that there is a higher correlation between the THIS and the THI-S. A high comparability was shown in the comparison between the THI and the THI-S. ConclusionZZFurther studies will be needed if the THI-S can be applied for clinical use. � Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg 2013;56:138-43 Key WordsZZSimplified version of Korean-type Tinnitus Handicap Inventory ㆍTHI ㆍTinnitus.


Nutrigenomics that is the study of interaction between dietary components and the genome, and the regulating changes in proteins and other metabolism. The development of nutrigenomic studies has brought about a number of new research tools. Bioinformatics are now making their ways to solve the intervening puzzle between nutrient and genes. Numerous dietary components can alter genetic events, and thereby influence health. In addition to the essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, amino acids, fatty acids, calcium, zinc, selenium, and vitamin A, C and E, there is a variety of nonessential bioactive components that seem to significantly influence health.


The most advanced technology has been used to photograph and reproduce this manuscript from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon ihe quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand corner and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. I vnayJL4. CX. wx*^^-t Required for doctor's degree but not for master's. Ill ABSTRACT One of the major limitations of hyperthermia as a cancer treatment modality is the lack of heating equipment and techniques capable of consistent therapeutic heating of deep-seated tumors. This thesis introduces a new pattern synthesis method capable of precisely controlling the power deposition level at a set of control • points in the treatment volume using ultrasound phased arrays. This method, called the pseudoinverse pattern synthesis method, reduces the pattern synthesis problem to one of estimating the minimum-norm least-square solution to a matrix equation of the form, Hu = p, where u is the array-excitation vector, p is the desired complex pressure at the control points, and H is a matrix propagation operator from the surface of the array to the control points. A useful solution to this problem is obtained when the number of control points is less than the number of elements of the array and the matrix H is full rank. This solution, called the minimum-norm solution, allows the array to be focused at several points simultaneously. This …


In the continuity of time and space, those artists who touch the human essence with their works and/or ideas, continue to serve and influence all human life and enrich the actual art scene, even when the time of their own actuality has already passed. Among these artists, there are some who, although valuable, have not been granted sufficient recognition or are almost forgotten in our current time. The Slovenian artist Josef Plecnik (1871-1952), who touched on the essence of the human being and the sanctity of life through his architecture, is one of these. The poetry of Plecnik's interpretations of humankind's varied social activities reflects itself also through his choice and usage of materials. As a result, Plecnik's architecture passes beyond the borders of time and space and helps enrich today's architecture, art and social life. This article, which analyzes Plecnik's sacred and profane buildings in comparison with ancient and Renaissance architecture, and Gottfried Semper's 'Style Theory', also aims to be a starting point for the re-actualization of Plecnik's body of work, through which the observer and the user touch the sacred dimension of universal life.


The article deals with issues related to the study of planetary machines. It is demonstrated that they are able to significantly intensify most of the processes applicable to them. This is due to the complication of the trajectory of the movement of the working body and the increase in inertial forces. In addition, planetary units are energy efficient. The influence of the mutual action of grinding bodies on their power characteristics in a planetary mill with external and internal running of the drums is presented. The dependence of destructive forces on the angular velocity, the degree of filling of the grinding drums, the geometric ratios of the mill itself is shown. Sufficiently simple dependences have been obtained for calculating the total speed at any point of the planetary working body of the smoothing machine. Their use makes it possible to analyze the change in speed over a wide range, depending on a number of design and technological parameters. The proposed method allows to calculate the speeds of the working bodies that make planetary motion. Using the methods of classical mechanics, using the instantaneous center of velocities, a formula is obtained for calculating the speed at any point of the mixing blade. It is established that the speed of the blade changes in time according to a sinusoidal law. The total power gradually increases with increasing angular velocity. The results obtained in this article can be applied in the design and operation of planetary units.


Australia has a history of mosquito-borne disease, with historic accounts of endemic malaria, filariasis and dengue during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Bancroftian filariasis, once relatively prevalent in Queensland, has been eliminated and malaria was declared eradicated from Australia in 1981. However, the endemic flaviruses Murray Valley encephalitis and Kunjin and the alphaviruses Ross River and Barmah Forest, which cause encephalitic and polyarthritic syndromes, respectively, continue to be active. Dengue, although no longer considered endemic, is an ongoing issue for Queensland and exotics such as Japanese encephalitis, chikungunya, West Nile and Rift Valley Fever viruses provide some cause for concern with respect to their possible introduction. Further, climate change has been proposed as likely to bring increased distribution and abundance of vectors and diseases, although regional, rural and residential development may be as much or more important. The various pathogens and the diseases they cause have to be viewed in their particular ecological contexts for a proper understanding of what the future might hold and how we will need to deal with the potential public health issues.


A STL file format contains a series of triangles representing the surface model of the part that are being made by Free Form Fabrication technologies. However, recently this file format is being used to interrogate and transfer data between different CAD/ CAM /CAE systems. There are many inherent defects associated with STL files, such as gaps, incorrect normal vectors, overlapping facet, non-manifold facets that requires correction. Numbers of algorithms have been developed for these purposes. In this paper an attempt is made to store the STL file data in a SQL based RDBMS. By using RDBMS' features such as indexing, coding and other capabilities and services it would be possible to speeds up data retrieval and manipulation that in turn will result in a more efficient algorithm compare with those that already established for correcting STL file shortcomings. It is also possible to develop a Client/Server architecture that could lead to suitable environment for Concurrent Engineering. Keyword: STL file, STL correction, rapid prototyping, RDBMS


Several volcanic outcrops from Tenerife Island (Las Canadas Caldera, historical volcanism and Gu.imar-Malpais outcrop) has been selected as a potential terrestrial analog for Mars, regarding the Martian mineralogy and its volcanic characteristic. Diverse alteration processes, including weathering and hydrothermal alteration have been detected in these volcanics environments, which could be considered as part of a model for the primitive volcanic activity of Mars.
The selected materials have been measured by micro-Raman spectroscopy, XRD and Mossbauer spectroscopy. The results show the primary mineralogy comprises on olivine, pyroxene and feldspar. Also, a wide variety of alterational materials, including oxides, clay minerals and carbonates have been detected.
The results have proven to be a starting point to develop research focused to the development of science instrumentation for planetary exploration in volcanic environments. The instrumentation used was primarily through twin prototypes applied in space exploration such as XRD (on board at the NASA-MSL-Curiosity mission), Mossbauer spectroscopy (on board at the NASA-MER mission) and the future Raman instrument on ESA mission -ExoMars. In addition, the detected mineralogy is consistent with results reported on Mars. The Raman spectral analisys methods, characterization and identification, have been applied, where the analysis of the Raman profiles are extremely useful to clarify the geochemical origin of the mineral species. On the other hand, the results obtained by Raman have been confirmed by Mossbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction.


The E-Screen assay was applied as biological test system for quantitative determination of the total estrogenic activity in sewage waters of six municipal sewage treatment plants (STPs) with different technical purification equipment. 24-h composite samples of influent and effluent as well as samples after different wastewater purification steps were taken from the STPs. 17β-Estradiol equivalent concentrations (EEQ) in the input of the STPs were between 13 ng/L and 82 ng/L. In the effluents of the six STPs, EEQs between 0,19 ng/L and 2,6 ng/L were measured. During mechanical wastewater treatment an average purification efficiency of 20 % was achieved. In comparison, one STP showed a significantly higher purification efficiency of 85 %. The predominant part of the estrogenic substances passed the mechanical wastewater treatment and was eliminated during biological wastewater treatment; the purification efficiency increased up to 89 % to 95 %. Two STPs with activated charcoal filtration as additional advanced wastewater treatment step reached a purification efficiency of 99 % and thereby a significantly higher elimination of estrogenic compounds out of the sewage. The additionally eliminated part amounted in the total balance to 10%.


The hydrophobicity,hydrophobicity recovery at different temperature,mechanical and electrical performance of hightemperature vulcanization silicone rubber(HTV-SR) exposed to needle-plate electrode corona discharge were investigated,and the damage phenomenon and molecular structure change of silicone rubber by corona discharge were also studied by using scanning electronic microscope(SEM) and fourier transform infrared spectrum conjunction with attenuated total reflection(ATR-FTIR).The test results show that there is clearly hydrophobicity decreasing and temporality losing at the surface of HTV-SR after corona discharge,and it is unable to recovery to the initial level.The higher is the temperature,the faster is its hydrophobicity recovery velocity.The static contact angle increases with the increasing of corona aging time,corona discharge leads to a sharp reduce of volume resistivity and dielectric strength,the dielectric loss angle is growing fast.The main damage phenomen on of silicone rubber caused by corona discharge is the black dust corona ring on the surface,whose diameter increases on the surface at first and then turn to depth direction combined with electrical erosion.The relative content of Si—O—Si,Si—CH_3,C—H show downtrend with the increase of corona aging time.It is the representation that the tensile strength and hardness descend,the defect and hole on the surface increase.


A holistic approach to the development of individuals in the context of a learning organization produces well-informed, knowledgeable, critical-thinking adults who make decisions that cause an organization to prosper.


The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently has re-released chymopapain, an injectable proteolytic enzyme used as an alternative to lumbar laminectomy in selected patients. The reported success rate, over 800%, has inspired an increasing usage of chymopapain. However, there is a reported 1 % incidence of anaphylaxis upon injection of this drug. The authors describe the means of early recognition of signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis. A suggested anesthetic plan is presented that includes a protocol for management of anaphylaxis.


In this paper I investigate whether children's cognitive achievement is influenced by the cognitive achievement of their siblings. I apply system GMM to estimate a dynamic model of cognitive skill production. I allow for endogeneity of sibling performance and of other regressors, for reciprocal influence between younger and older sibling, for unobserved individual and family effects, and for state dependence of cognitive achievement. I find evidence for positive and significant sibling effects on both verbal reasoning and mathematics test scores, with results consistent across the two skills. The results support theories of cumulative achievement processes, as current achievements are shown to depend on past ones. Influence goes from older siblings to younger ones and viceversa, in contradiction with the assumption of unidirectional effect from old to young, which underlies identification in related studies.


In recent years there has been a renewed interest in discontinuous Galerkin methods and its applications [1]. Related matters are Trefftz, Hybrid and Mixed methods. Also, penalty methods [2], Galerkin/least-squares [3], stabilized methods (SUPG/SD [4] and USFEM [5]), residual free bubbles (RFB [6-9]) variational multiscale (VMS), the partition of unity method (PUM) and nearly optimal Petrov-Galerkin [10]. Finally, the FEM with optimal functions (FEM-OF), recently proposed by Herrera. Most of these methods can be derived using a general theory of partial differential equations in discontinuous functions spaces, which has been developed by Herrera and his coworkers over a long time span. Firstly, it was introduced as an algebraic theory of boundary value problems (BVP) and in that form it was capable of supplying a very general framework, which accommodated practically all variational principles for BVP known at the time [11]. It also encompassed Trefftz methods and biorthogonal systems of functions [12-14]. Furthermore, this theory also supplies a suitable framework for the development of complete systems of functions and, according to Begehr and Gilbert ([15], p115), it supplies the basis for effectively applying to BVP the function theoretic methods whose development is due to many distinguished researchers, including Bergman, Vekua, Colton, Gilbert, Kracht-Kreyszig and Lanckau. The Pitman's Advanced Publishing Program devoted a book to it [11], which contains the results that were obtained up to 1984. Afterwards, in 1985 [16,17], a new kind of Green's formulas (Green-Herrera formulas) were introduced that are applicable to operators in discontinuous fields. They constitute the backbone of the theory of partial differential equations in discontinuous functions that will be explained in this plenary talk. When boundary value problems are formulated in function spaces that contain fully discontinuous members, in order to have well-posed problems, it is necessary to consider 'boundary value problems with prescribed jumps (BVPJ)'; i.e., problems in which the usual boundary conditions are complemented with certain 'jump conditions', at the 'internal boundaries'. When the jumps vanish the standard solutions of boundary value problems (without jumps) are recovered. So, for example, for elliptic problems of order 2m it is necessary to prescribe the jumps of the normal derivatives, up to order 2 1 m − , and the problem solutions for zero jump conditions are the usual solutions of the classical theory of partial differential equations, which belong to the Sobolev space ( ) 2m H Ω [18]. Based on this theory, the Finite Element Methods with Optimal Functions (FEM-


The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of nutrient media on the development and mortality of the life stages of the phytophagous Gallerria mellonella. Thus, in order to study the con-ditions and factors affecting the cultivation of Galleria mellonella in laboratory conditions and the biolog-ical efficiency of its rational use, it was necessary to investigate the effect of nutrient media on the mor-phophysiological parameters of G. mellonella; a physic-chemical analysis of the ingredients of the nutri-ent media under study, etc. Thus, some authors recommend for reproduction in laboratory conditions a complex composition of media, including containing vitamins, protein, various sources of fat, carbohy-drates; but also to be, at low cost.


The semantic model of the scientific social network that allows to calculate weights of six kinds of links between its objects: "term-term", "author-author", "document-document", "author-document", "author-term", "term-document" is presented. The identification of the links allows to give the users advices on the objects that may be of interest to them, and to carry out an iterative search of objects. To do this, it's necessary to calculate the matrixes reflecting the degree of similarity between the individual documents, terms and authors. It is proposed to use the Random Indexing method to calculate the matrixes. The representation of the semantic model as a graph allows to search iteratively in each of the above-mentioned modes as the traversing of the graph. Among the existing traversing algorithms the wave algorithm has been chosen. The elements of the search query refinement algorithm are used to implement interactive search in the Web application, which operates the proposed semantic model for social network analysis. To test this application the Russian-speaking segment of the Mendeley.com network and Russian network SciPeople.ru are indexed. As a result the semantic models of these networks are automatically built.


The eastern Kunlun Orogen,as a southernmost morphotectonic transition belt of northward attenuation in topographic relief across the northern Tibetan plateau,is a key area in examining and recovering the processing and mechanisms of the far-field lithospheric deformation.In this paper,we try to illustrate the Early Cenozoic tectonic processing in the eastern Kunlun Orogen based on a systematic detrital zircon fission track (ZFT) study.It is indicated that widely distributed pre-Cenozoic strata in the study area experienced a ZFT differential resetting (~300-200 ℃) at around Paleocene-Eocene postdating their burying.Binomial fitting for the single grain ages yielded youngest peak ages (P1) that mainly fall between 42-59 Ma,which corresponds to a ceasing timing for the differential resetting of detrital,Regional thermal history.Relevant data concordantly suggest that the eastern Kunlun Orogen experienced a regional tectonic uplift in Paleocene-Eocene,which coincides with the timing of the Indian-Asian collision,which implies that the Kunlun Orogen occurred as a deformation frontier instantly as the Indian plate collided with Asian plate.Our study provides an evidence that the Tibetan lithosphere (or curst) deformation at early stage is essentially of rigid plate,rather than the present day of significant continuous deformation,which might be a combined result by several mechanisms of lithospheric layers thickened respectively.


Timing is of the essence—especially in the unique biological process of ovulation. The LH surge is released in response to a critical threshold of estradiol coming from the preovulatory follicle. The LH surge, in turn, triggers biochemical responses in the follicle that ensure rupture of the follicle at the surface of the ovary and the release of a fertilizable oocyte. In most species, the neuroendocrine release of LH is associated with specific behavioral responses that ensure the timing of ovulation will be coordinated with mating. How is the timing of ovulation controlled? How are numerous cellular and molecular events in the mammalian follicle precisely coordinated? The studies by Sirois and Dore (1) in this issue of Endocrinology provide the tantalizing evidence and the interesting hypothesis that the production of prostaglandins may be an important signal—an alarm that sets the time of ovulation in mammals. If the production of prostaglandins is precisely timed, what controls this synthetic process in preovulatory follicles? The ability of the LH surge to stimulate prostaglandin production in preovulatory follicles has been known for many years (2). However, it is only recently that the identity of the enzyme induced by LH has been clarified. Ten years ago (1987), Hedin et al. (3) first showed that immunoreactive prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase (PGS) or cyclooxygenase (COX) was rapidly but transiently induced by LH in preovulatory follicles in the rat in vivo. Initially this was presumed to be the same PGS (COX) as that originally purified and cloned from sheep seminal vesicle (3), until additional affinity-purified antibodies indicated that there were two antigenically distinct, molecular weight variants of PGS in the rat ovary (4). One was inducible by LH in granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles; the other was present in a constitutive manner in theca cells and corpora lutea (4). When the inducible form was purified and characterized, it was shown to have an N-terminal sequence that was distinct from the PGS enzyme that was already purified and cloned (5). At the same time, immediate-early genes cloned from chicken embryo fibroblasts and NIH 3T3 cells, respectively, (6, 7) encoded for a prostaglandin synthase with high sequence homology to the enzyme purified from LH-treated granulosa cells (5). The serendipitous timing of these discoveries provided convincing evidence that two distinct genes encode PGS. The novel, inducible form is now called PGS-2, and the classical, constitutive form is called PGS-1 (7). The identification of two distinct genes sent investigators scrambling to create mice with null phenotypes (8–10) and pharmacologists scurrying to identify inhibitors that could be used to selectively block the activity of each enzyme (11). Although it has been surprising that PGS mutant mice exhibit few abnormalities (8–10), an important role for prostaglandins in reproductive processes remains evident. Female mice deficient in PGS-2 (2/2) are infertile (8, 9) and fail to ovulate even when stimulated with exogenous gonadotropins (12). The studies described herein by Sirois and Dore (1) indicate that PGS-2 is not only induced by the LH surge in the rodent but is also induced by LH (human CG) in granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles in the cow (13) and the mare (1). Furthermore, they show that the LH-mediated increase in PGS-2 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein occurs in each of these mammals approximately 10 h before ovulation. Therefore, although PGS-2 mRNA and protein increase rapidly in the rat (2–4 h) but are delayed in the cow (18 h) and the mare (30 h), the increase occurs at an invariant time before the onset of ovulation. The precise timing of PGS-2 with respect to ovulation in the mare is even more remarkable because the release of LH and behavioral estrus occur over several days. A pattern unique to the mare. What about PGS-1? Mice deficient for PGS-1(2/2) exhibit no overt abnormalities with the exception that parturition is impaired (10), confirming the important role of prostaglandins in timing this process as well. In the rat ovary, PGS-1 is present in theca cells and the corpus luteum (4). In the cow (13) and mare (1), no detectable PGS-1 mRNA and protein are observed in the preovulatory follicle indicting that PGS-2 is the exclusive and critical source of prostaglandins that somehow sound the alarm for ovulation in each of these species. Many questions emerge from these findings. What about the primate—especially women? If the expression of PGS-2 has been conserved in murine, bovine, and equine species, is it logical to predict that PGS-2 will be the major source of prostaglandins in ovulating follicles of women? Will it also appear at the invariant 10 h before ovulation as predicted by the studies of Sirois and Dore (1)? If the LH surge controls ovulation in each species, why is the time interval from the onset of the LH surge to the induction of PGS-2 so different when the time interval from the induction of PGS-2 to ovulation is so constant? Are the follicles in each species at slightly different stages of development? Are the cellular signaling pathways and the transcription factors similar or different? The promoters of the rat, mouse, and human PGS-2 genes contain highly conserved regulatory regions (7, 14, 15, and references therein). One of region binds various isoforms of CAAT/enhancer binding protein; another more complex, cAMP response element box region binds the E box protein USF, present in rat granulosa cells (14). USF is critical for expression in granulosa cells (14), but other factors present Address all correspondence and requests for reprint to: JoAnne S. Richards, Department of Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas 77030. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com. * This work was supported by NIH (HD-16229) 0013-7227/97/$03.00/0 Vol. 138, No. 10 Endocrinology Printed in U.S.A. Copyright © 1997 by The Endocrine Society


"There are plenty of alternatives in any situation... When you attend a session of group therapy, what on earth are yougoing to see? Opsomming Die konstruk van stres in die lewe van mense met koronere hartsiekte word deur middel van 'n narratiewe benadering heroorweeg.

*Please note: This is a reduced version of the abstract. Please refer to PDF for full text.


The voltage and current effect of the diode-clamped three-level inverter output for dead-time are analyzed. The compensation method of dead-time effect is proposed which based on the compensation of output voltage.But it needs the sign of current and the current clamping effect will happen in the low speed which influence the direction of current.A method of rotated vary for the give's current to obtain the direction of current is given.And the effective of this method is verified by simulation and experiment.


A systematic review exploring the role of self-efficacy on the health-related quality of life of family carers of a relative with dementia Nadia Crellin, Martin Orrell, G. Charlesworth and O. McDermott Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College London, London, UK; Research & Development Department, North East London Foundation Trust, Goodmayes Hospital, Ilford, London, UK; Doctoral Programme in Music Therapy, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark


This paper presents a novel star identification algorithm for a "lost-in-space" mode star tracker. The Spearman-correlation approach provides reliable recognition even when the captured images are swayed and biased from the onboard star pattern database. The hamming distance approach provides a shortlisted list of star IDs. Thus, the proposed combination of hamming distance and Spearman correlation provides a reliable and fast recognition. The achievable performance is evaluated by testing on simulated and real images.


Temperature as obtained by infrared remote sensing of bare soil or vegetation covered soil during day depends on soil water content ranging from the surface down to the root-zone. The main reason is that evaporation and plant transpiration cools down the soil surface and the leaves. However surface temperature does not only depend on soil moisture. It has to be combined with other measured variables. In this work we start with the classical combination between temperature and a vegetation index and we explore the benefit of adding the albedo or the cellulose absorption index to retrieve the surface soil moisture. The correlation between the inferred Soil Vegetation Wetness Index and the true moisture content is analyzed based on the thermal infrared and visible-NIR hyperspectral images recorded during Hymap 2007 campaign over Camargue (France).


Objective The haemodynamic changes induced by a meal on collateral vessels in portal hypertensive cirrhotic patients are not well characterized. We aimed to study the postprandial modifications of splanchnic circulation in patients with a patent paraumbilical vein (PUV). Methods We studied 10 cirrhotic patients with patent PUV and 10 matched cirrhotic patients without PUV, by using echo colour Doppler at baseline and 15, 30 and 45 min after a standard mixed liquid meal (400 ml; 600 kcal). Calibre and blood flow velocities of the superior mesenteric artery, portal vein and PUV were obtained; congestion index of portal vein, portal blood flow, paraumbilical blood flow and effective portal liver perfusion were calculated; intrahepatic and intrasplenic arterial resistance and pulsatility indexes were recorded. Results We observed a postprandial splanchnic hyperaemia (superior mesenteric artery and portal vein blood flow increased after the meal in both groups; ANOVA P < 0.05), with no changes of hepatic impedance. In PUV patients, PUV constricted significantly postprandially, maximally at 30 min (calibre −17.5 ± 7.0%; P = 0.003). Intrasplenic impedance, which may reflect portal pressure, increased, maximally at 30 min (pulsatility index +22.6 ± 27.0%; P = 0.01), and inversely correlated with PUV vasoconstriction (R = 0.75, P = 0.01). In non-PUV patients intrasplenic impedance did not change. Portal liver perfusion increased similarly in both groups. Conclusions PUV constricts after the meal, and this vasoconstriction is associated with an increase of splenic impedance which may indicate the postprandial increase of portal pressure observed in cirrhosis. The increase in postprandial portal liver perfusion in the PUV group is allowed by a paradox constriction of the collateral vessel.


The purpose of this study is to identify the experiences of nursing students who participated in intravenous injection practice using low fidelity simulator. The subject was studied by six students enrolled in the College of Nursing in S University. To understand the participants' experiences of the...


A new adaptive vehicle suspension control method is presented that adjusts the controller parametrization to the current driving state and thereby enables to significantly enhance ride comfort while the dynamic wheel load and the suspension deflection remain within safety critical bounds. To this end, the adaptive controller structure dynamically interpolates between differently tuned linear quadratic regulators governed by the dynamic wheel load and the suspension deflection. The stability of the adaptive controller structure is analyzed by means of a common Lyapunov function approach taking into account the nonlinear damper characteristic of the suspension system. In order to provide a realistic framework for the controller design and the performance analysis, a quarter-car test rig based on an all-terrain vehicle suspension that has been equipped with an electrical linear motor to realize an active suspension system, is employed as testbed for the study. On this test rig, the significant performance of the adaptive control concept is successfully validated in a comparison to benchmark suspension controllers.


There are many elements influencing the Consummation of the Publishing.The first one includes the situation of the education and development of the economy,the second one includes the situation of the people and education,the third one is not as important as the former two ones,but it can not be neglected.


Estuarine environments are characterized by very complex and varied morphodynamics and are one of the most critical coastal zones for the exchange of sediment and pollutants. The fertilization role of the continental shelf of the Gulf of Cadiz (SW Iberian Peninsula) in which the estuary of the Guadalquivir and other rivers play an influential role, is the major factor determining the productivity of the basin and is the main source of sediment for the adjacent coast. The work presented here was undertaken to analyze the spatial and temporal (seasonal-to-annual) variability of the turbidity plume in relation to the meteorological and oceanographic processes controlling the plume. To achieve this goal, we have processed Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) level L2 images covering a period of 8 years (2003–2010). Validation of at-sensor retrieval against in situ data was performed and showed good correlation; this demonstrates the potential of satellite synoptic observations as a powerful tool for operational monitoring of water quality within the region. The first preliminary results confirm that the development of the estuarine plume is mostly associated with the increase in river discharge during the rainy seasons (negative North Atlantic Oscillation index), and this, therefore, affects the seasonality of chlorophyll distribution. By the approach described here, turbidity patterns in the estuary have been successfully mapped; the incorporation of MODIS observations in the approach is recommended, since this should improve knowledge of both the physical oceanography and the marine biology aspects of the phenomenon studied. This approach has potential application to a wide variety of coastal research.


There are many technologies available for treating wastewater from the textile industry. Included are (1) biological treatment, (2) chemical precipitation, (3) carbon absorption, (4) ultrafiltration, and (5) oxidation with ozone. The main drawback of these technologies is that they generally lack the broad scope of treatment efficiency required to reduce all types of pollutants present in textile wastewater. However, when one approach does look promising, its capital costs or operating costs often become prohibitive when applied to the large water needs common to this industry. It has recently been shown that an electrochemical technology developed in the 1970s by Andco Environmental Processes, Inc. effectively removes many of the contaminants including toxic dye species and heavy metals along with significant BOD and COD reduction across many types of textile wastewater and dye species. The removal of dyes and other pollutants in textile wastewater can be accomplished very efficiently with the electrochemical process. Actual operating data, along with actual water samples, will be presented along with economics and operating characteristics of this type of a system. Additional considerations such as removal of other components such as BOD and COD, theoretical interpretations, and the possibility of water reuse will also be discussed.


The history of surgery and surgical schools were built on the basis of medical knowledge, but also influenced by the great currents of political, religious, cultural and even military thought of the different times. The influence of the French surgical school in the development of surgery in Uruguay, for more than a century, has been decisive in establishing its pillars: clinical evidence, expertise in anatomy, technical excellence, a permanent critical analysis for promote the generation of knowledge; based on ethics principles of respect for the patient and his suffering. The present study analyzes, from the perspective of the general surgery, the first surgical contacts during the first civil war, the beginning of the academic training of Uruguayan surgeons in France, the technical aspects and the relevant publications resulting from these experiences; as well as anecdotes and personal and institutional friendships on which a solid model of scientific relationship was built, especially through the Uruguay Society of Surgery.


We experimentally subject a fiber Bragg grating to an unknown, variable temperature gradient. We use the full-spectral response of the grating to determine the magnitude of the gradient over the length of the grating via the full width at quarter maximum bandwidth. The experimental bandwidth and spectrum deformation were compared with a numerical model consisting of an analytical heat transfer model, a finite element analysis model, and the transfer matrix (T-matrix) method. The numerical model showed excellent agreement with the experimental results when the T-matrix method was modified to include the slope of the gradient in addition to the magnitude of the gradient.


A high-gain, high-bandwidth transimpedance amplifier (TIA) in InP-HBT technology is presented. The TIA has differential outputs and a single-ended transimpedance gain of 1 kOhm (2 kOhms differential) at DC. With practical photodiode and interconnect parasitics included, the amplifier has a transimpedance bandwidth of 38 GHz with very flat group delay. The amplifier operates from a single +3.3 V supply and dissipates about 280 mW of power.


Temperature-dependent luminescent property of Pr3+-doped NaGdTiO4 is investigated systematically. Because of the intensive quenching of 3P0 emission, a red emission of 1D2–3H4 transition is observed in NaGdTiO4:Pr3+ at room temperature (RT). At 77 K, a broad band emission of host at about 475 nm (blue) is observed. Interestingly, the intensity of the red emission is increased with increasing temperature from 77 to 350 K and keeps nearly stable to 400 K under the host excitation, whereas a decrease of the blue host emission is presented. The results show that the increased red emission of 1D2 is associated with temperature-assisted energy transfer from host to Pr3+. Because the relative intensity of the 1D2 and host emission is sensitive to temperature, a large variation of color is also observed from 77 K to RT.


In our previous investigations, two Similarity Reasoning (SR)-based frameworks for tackling real-world problems have been proposed. In both frameworks, SR is used to deduce unknown fuzzy rules based on similarity of the given and unknown fuzzy rules for building a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS). In this paper, we further extend our previous findings by developing (1) a multi-objective evolutionary model for fuzzy rule selection; and (2) an evidential function to facilitate the use of both frameworks. The Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithms-II (NSGA-II) is adopted for fuzzy rule selection, in accordance with the Pareto optimal criterion. Besides that, two new evidential functions are developed, whereby given fuzzy rules are considered as evidence. Simulated and benchmark examples are included to demonstrate the applicability of these suggestions. Positive results were obtained.


Low-temperature phase equilibria ranging from 1,000 to 1,200 C in the ZrO[sub 2]-CeO[sub 2] system were investigated by annealing compositionally homogeneous ZrO[sub 2]-CeO[sub 2] solid solutions in a Na[sub 2]B[sub 2]O[sub 7][center dot]NaF flux. The 5 mol% CeO[sub 2] samples decomposed into monoclinic (m) and tetragonal (t) phases during annealing at 1,100 and 1,120 C, and the t-phase transformed diffusionlessly into monoclinic (m[prime]) symmetry during quenching. A eutectoid reaction, t [yields] (m + c), was confirmed to occur at 1,055 [+-] 10 C, where the equilibrium compositions of the t-, m-, and c-phases were 11.2 [+-] 2.8, 0.9 [+-] 0.9, and 84 [+-] 1 mol% CeO[sub 2], respectively. The equilibrium phase boundaries were almost independent of the annealing time and/or the flux:sample ratio, which indicates that the flux accelerates the reaction rate without affecting the equilibration. The previous data are discussed using metastable-stable phase diagrams. The discrepancies of the low-temperature phase diagram in the literature are attributable to either regarding the metastable phase boundaries as stable ones of ignoring the sluggish kinetics.


In order to facilitate the electricity market operation and trade in the restructured environment, ample transmission capability should be provided to satisfy the demand of increasing power transactions. The conflict of this requirement and the restrictions on the transmission expansion in the restructured electrical market has motivated the development of methodologies to enhance the Available Transfer Capability (ATC) of the existing transmission grids. The insertion of FACTS devices in electrical systems seems to be a promising strategy to enhance ATC. In this paper, the viability and technical merits of boosting ATC using Thyristor Controlled Series Compensator (TCSC) is being analyzed. The work has been carried out on IEEE 30 bus and IEEE 118 bus systems. Bilateral and multilateral transactions are considered. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm and Genetic Algorithm (GA) are employed to obtain the optimal settings of TCSC.


This paper is concerned with the numerical simulations for the dynamics of the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) model. The numerical simulations of the MBE models require long time computations, and therefore large time-stepping methods become necessary. In this work, we consider some unconditionally energy stable finite difference schemes, which will be used in the time adaptivity strategies. It is found that the use of the time adaptivity cannot only resolve the steady-state solutions but also the dynamical changes of the solution accurately and efficiently. The adaptive time step is selected based on the energy variation or the change of the roughness of the solution. The numerical experiments demonstrated that the CPU time is significantly saved for long time simulations.


TLC was used to track the reactions related with the synthesis of phthalic acid sucrose monoester.Using sucrose and phthalic anhydride as reagents and potassium hydrate as the catalyst at room temperature in 3 h,the phthalic acid sucrose monoester was obtained and the yield of product was equal to 62%.


Introduction The prevalence of mental disorders in Higher Education Students (HES) is high and has shown a worrying growth. However, only a small percentage of HES in need of psychological support request it, due to the stigma related to mental illness, requesting informal help from friends and family. Training and increasing Mental Health Literacy (MHL) have been stated as appropriate strategies to reduce stigma and increase the demand for professional psychological support. However, with the increase in the demand for help, the difficulty of providing an adequate response from psychological support of HE services also increases. Therefore, procedures that develop socio-emotional skills in the HES and strategies that enhance the responsiveness of these services are necessary. Objectives Taking in consideration the literature review in this field, we develop a project to improve the mental health of HES. The project objectives': a) the reduction of stigma related to mental disorders through the promotion of MHL in the academic community; b) the promotion of mental health and socio-emotional skills of HES; c) increasing detection and active search for professional mental health support, and d) the implementation of psychological intervention based on a stepped care model that provides an adequate response to most of the students' mental health needs, according to individual needs. Methods The project proposes to perform the following methods: a) training in mental health open to the academic community, which will aim to train volunteers to be Gatekeepers, in order to promote awareness, detection and referral of students in need of professional psychological support; b) implementation of a Student Observatory, with tracking of psychopathological symptoms, supported on the Web; c) implementation of a psychological intervention program based on a stepped care model, which will include the following progressive phases by severity: 1) digital self-help manual; 2) web-based self-help groups; 3) psychological intervention groups supported by the Web; 4) face-to-face intervention groups and 5) individual psychological intervention. Students will be assessed before and after each step of care, with the following psychological instruments: Mental Health Inventory (MHI); Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7). Results The implementation of the presented methods expect to achieve improvements on HES' mental health, namely improvement of MHI, reduction of PHQ-9 and GAD-7 after each step of the psychological care. Conclusions The project presented encloses evidence-based interventions, with inspiration on psychoeducation and cognitive behavioral approaches, and it is expected to contribute to the improvement of mental health of HES. The results will be collected and disseminated. We encourage other researcher and clinicians to perform studies about the mental health of HES. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


A pulse-width modulated buck-boost converter has been designed to interface a 500WH inertial energy storage system operating from 70 to 140VDC to a constant bus of 150VDC. Implementation of hysteresis feedback control provides excellent voltage regulation. The design is based on a 300WH, 94% WH efficient prototype and is currently being optimized to yield 97% overall WH efficiency. The feasibility of utilizing inertial energy storage flywheels in spacecraft power applications as an alternative to electrochemical energy storage is currently being examined. Electrochemical systems consisting o f nickel-cadmium o r nickel-hydrogen batteries typically have low cyclical lifetimes, on the order of five years for a lower earth orbit (LEO), limited reliability due to their series construction, and low useful energy densities (about 7 to 14 WH/kg). Various aspects of the inertial energy storage system's performance seem promising. The development of interference assembled composite material flywheels, magnetic suspension bearings, and permanent magnet, ironless armature, brushless DC motorlgenerators has led to the design of a shaftless flywheel system that offers particular advantages, especially in LEO satellite applications. include competitive useful energy density figures (greater than 20 WH/kg) at accompanying high rotational speeds, and maintenance free operation at a greatly extended cycle lifetime (20-30 years). The system is also potentially very energy efficient with dual applications in attitude controls (1) These In a LEO application, a spacecraft power system is characterized by a 90-minute sun-shadow cycle. The flywheel motor is powered by the solar array bus for 60-minutes and spins up the flywheel which stores the kinetic energy. This stored energy is then converted to electrical energy by the generator to power the spacecraft for the 30-minute eclipse. As the energy is used, the flywheel spins down. The voltage appearing at the motor/generator terminals is proportional to the flywheel speed. The 500WH inertial energy storage system has been designed for a 75% depth of discharge, which represents a speed change of 2:l. The feasibility of utilizing any inertial energy storage sub-system, consisting of magnetically suspended flywheels in spacecraft power applications is largely a function of its efficiency. The design goal for the 500WH inertial energy storage system has been set at 80% round-trip efficiency to prove it competitive with the current electrochemical sub-systems typically yielding 70% round-trip efficiency. Because advancing spacecraft technology is creating a demand for higher spacecraft bus voltages than the typical 28V used today, the 500WH inertial energy storage sub-system is required to interface with a spacecraft bus of 150VDC. This was a spacecraft bus voltage under consideration by Space Station. The flywheel and motor/ generator for the 500WH system has been designed for a voltage varying from 70 to 140VDC in both charge and discharge mode. Of course, power conditioning is required in order fo r the flywheel to interface with a constant spacecraft bus voltage of 1SOVDC in both modes. (2) Currently, the electronic circuitry needed for suspension, commutation, and power flow are packaged externally to the flywheel motor/ generator, conditioning is to insert a bidirectional power converter between the flywheel motor/generator terminals and solar array bus. This converter could utilize any appropriate technology. pulse-width modulation, resonant converter, and quasi-resonant converter technologies have been considered for this application. utilizing pulse-width modulation and designed to perform the voltage boost from 70/140V input up to 15OV, in a 300WH application has been designed and built (Figure 1). It was found to have a nominal efficiency of 94%. Because of the The most convenient approach to power


Housing demand parameters are not known in Pakistan. This paper estimates the value of the housing stock (and flow of services) from 1960-61 to 1987-88 and sets up a model of lagged adjustment to desired demand to estimate these parameteres. Long-run income and price elasticities are revealed to be low. the absolute magnitudes do not differ significantly from 0.5. However, corresponsing elasticities od housing investment appear to be high, indicating the potential volatility of building activity in the country.


Automatic multi-organ segmentation is a cost-effective tool for generating organ contours using computed tomography (CT) images. This work proposes a deep-learning algorithm for multi-organ (bladder, prostate, rectum, left and right femoral heads) segmentation in pelvic CT images for prostate radiation treatment planning. We propose an encoder-decoder network with a V-net backbone for local feature extraction and contour reconstruction. Novel to our network, we utilize a token-based transformer, which encourages long-range dependency, to forward more informative high-resolution feature maps from the encoder to the decoder. In addition, a knowledge distillation strategy was applied to improve the network's generalization. We evaluate the network using a dataset collected from 50 patients with prostate cancer. A quantitative evaluation of the proposed network's performance was performed on each organ based on: 1) volume similarity between the segmented contours and ground truth using Dice score, segmentation sensitivity, precision, and absolute percentage volume difference (AVD), 2) surface similarity evaluated by Hausdorff distance (HD), mean surface distance (MSD) and residual mean square distance (RMSD). The performance was then evaluated against other state-of-art methods. The average volume similarities achieved by the network over all organs were: Dice score = 0.83, sensitivity = 0.84, and precision = 0.83; the average surface similarities were HD = 5.77mm, MSD = 0.93mm, RMSD = 2.77mm, and AVD =12.85%. The proposed methods performed significantly better than competing methods in most evaluation metrics. The proposed network may be a promising segmentation approach for use in routine prostate radiation treatment planning.


In recent years, there has been a lot of research interest in analysing chaotic constructions and their associated cryptographic structures. Compared with the essential combination of encryption and signature, the signcryption scheme has a more realistic solution for achieving message confidentiality and authentication simultaneously. However, the security of such schemes is questionable when deployed in modern safety-critical systems, especially as billions of sensitive user information is transmitted over open communication channels. To address this limitation, a lightweight, provably secure certificateless technique that uses Fractional Chaotic Maps (FCM) for group-oriented signcryption (CGST) is presented. The main feature of the CGST-FCM technique is that any group signcrypter may encrypt data/information with the group manager (GM) and have it sent to the verifier. They can verify the legitimacy of the signcrypted information/data using the public conditions of the group, but they cannot link it to the conforming signcrypter. In this scenario, valid signcrypted information/data cannot be produced by the GM or any signcrypter in that category alone. The GM is allowed to reveal the identity of the signcrypter when there is a legal conflict to restrict repudiation of the signature. The CGST-FCM technique is found to be protected from the indistinguishably chosen ciphertext attack (IND-CCA). The computationally difficult problem has been used to build unlinkability, traceability, robust security, and unforgeability. The security investigation of the presented CGST-FCM technique shows commendable consistency and very high efficiency when used in real-time security applications.


o The burden of 'proving' one's work is research falls regularly upon practitioners, but not often upon musicologists, whose work frequently gains research credentials simply by resulting in a written output, especially if given an imprimatur of validity by being signed off by one or two people – often colleagues and friends for those working in narrow fields – as part of the process of peer review. I can think of many examples of written articles (not least in the field of new music) which I am told are 'research', which amount to rushed-out opinion pieces, for which I am unable to discern any sustained work done in preparation, i.e. any significant research at all. It is time for practitioners to turn the tables and ask those who produce such things why their work is research, just as those who produce written work do with practitioners.


Apolipoprotein D(ApoD)is a 29-kDa glycoprotein,a member of the lipocalin family.ApoD can bind small hydrophobic molecules such as cholesterol and arachidonic acid,etc.It also plays a role in many physiological and pathological processes such as the development and differertiation of the embryo,the apoptosis of cancer cells,immune defense,and so on.The study of ApoD gene has largely focused on its expression and function,but information regarding its genomic orgnization and regulatory elements which are significant in the research of its function is very much limited.In this study,the genomic structure and regulatory elements of ApoD from 9 representive species including protozoans,invertebrates,protochordates and vertebrates were analyzed and compared.The genonic structure of ApoD is less conservative in organisms from protozoans to deuterostomes,while it is highly conserved among chordates including amphioxuses and vertebrates.The majority of regulatory elements are present in all organisms ranging from unicellular protozoans to mammals,suggesting that ApoD plays a very fundamental role,and possesses a conserved regulatory mechanism.However,there are also some specific regulatory elements,which are present only in certain species,and may perform some special roles.


Light microscope and scanning electron microscope were used to examine micro-morphological features of the seeds of ten species belonging to six genera of tribe Anthemideae comparatively.It was shown that the seeds of the ten species were richly diverse in shape,surface ornamentation,omphaloidean rostriform enation,terminal collar-shaped ring for instance,hole-shaped ornamentations of Chrysanthemum coronarium L.and the cellulated ornamentations of C.anthemoides L.which are clearly taxonomical features on genus level;on section and species levels,the micro-morphological features were of certain taxonomical values although they appeared similar,for instance,gully ornamentations of Artemisia asphaerocephala Krasch.and washboard-shaped ornamentations of A.scoparia Waldst.et Kit..These indicated that rich micro-morphological features of the seeds of tribe anthemideae plants were of important reference values in their phylogenic classification.The results of the study support the viewpoint that Neopallasia(Pall.) Poljak,Elachanthemum Ling et Y.R.Ling and Chrysanthemum L.are independent genera.


One crucial problem that needs fixing is the steering mechanism in automobiles. It would be simple and risk-free to have an effective steering system with the correct control. Fuzzy logic-based Type-2 control has the benefit of being able to effectively handle inputs, which are frequent in autonomous cars, as compared to other forms of controls. The stability of autonomous cars is provided in this work using an innovative technique for Type-2 Fuzzy Logic processing and Proportional Integral control. Three inputs are considered by the major system, a fuzzy logic Type 2 controls: speed, navigation, and distance. A guiding value is produced by the fuzzy system. Input for the supplementary PI control was provided through this.


The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of school children`s empathy and self-esteem on the relationship between perceived parenting attitude and group bullying and the possible mediating effects of their empathy and self-esteem on the relationship between perceived parenting attitude and group bullying. The major findings of the study were as follows: First, perceived affectional and autonomous parenting attitudes were positively correlated to empathy and self-esteem, and empathy and self- esteem had a negative correlation to being bullied and bullying behavior. Second, cognitive empathy had a mediating effect on the relationship between perceived affectional/autonomous parenting attitudes and being bullied/bullying behavior. Affective empathy had a mediating effect on the relationship between bullying behavior and affectional parenting attitude when the bullying behavior was regarded as a dependent variable. Third, as for the relationship between parenting attitude and being bullied/bullying behavior, self-esteem had mediating effects on the relationship of affectional paternal attitude, autonomous paternal attitude, affectional maternal attitude and autonomous maternal attitude to being bullied. When bullying behavior was a dependent variable, however, that had a mediating effect on the relationship between autonomous paternal attitude and autonomous maternal attitude.


Modern Cyber-Physical Production Systems get more and more intelligent by higher capacities of the used resources and more resource-efficient AI-algorithms. However, a significant challenge is finding the fitting architecture for hardware and software cost-efficiently and with low effort. Currently, this process consists of trial and error or selecting overpowered hardware resources, which leads to expensive and time-consuming processes in the development. This paper deals with a quantitative benchmark of the timing behavior of selected algorithms for preprocessing to enable AI on representative hardware platforms in cyber-physical production systems, building on previous approaches that take a model-based view of hardware/software co-design. This approach is a first step away from a purely qualitative system design, towards a quantitative approach.


IntroductionMultiple studies have examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and academic achievement (Jensen, 2009). Children living in poverty experience multiple environmental risk factors that can and often do adversely affect their academic skills (Lacour & Tissington, 2011). However, when economically disadvantaged students regularly attend high-quality afterschool programs, they experience significant gains in achievement, work habits, and reductions in behavior problems (Vandell, 2013; Vandell, Reisner, & Pierce, 2007). Meta-analyses conducted by Lauer and colleagues (2006) found small but significant positive effects of afterschool or summer school participation on reading and math achievement. Durlak and Weissberg (2007) found three areas of significant improvement for participants in afterschool programs: feelings and attitudes, behavioral adjustment, and school performance.This leads to the question: What is "high quality"? Metz, Goldsmith, and Arbreton (2008) proposed six dimensions of quality-focused, intentional programming; continuous program improvement; exposure; supportive relationships; family engagement; and cultural competence. Of these six dimensions, Metz and colleagues asserted that two dimensions in particular-focused, intentional programming and continuous program improvement-were key in the formation of the others. Intentional programming is found in multiple reviews of quality in afterschool programs (Durlak & Weissberg, 2007; Little, Wimer, & Weiss, 2008). In an examination of the characteristics of quality afterschool programs, Durlak and Weissberg (2007) reported that they are SAFE-sequenced, active, focused, and explicit. Converting that to effective teaching, then, one would say that effective afterschool educators implement activities that are sequenced, active, focused, and explicit. Indeed, research has consistently shown that one of the strongest assets of high-quality afterschool programs are high-quality staff (McElvain, Judith, & Diedrich, 2005). For example, Little and colleagues (2008) found that high-quality programs were those that had appropriate supervision, structure, and well-prepared staff (Little et al., 2008). Similarly, Pittman, Garza, Yohalem, and Artman (2008) found that supportive relationships and safety are primary to quality.In a multilevel analysis of the relationship between teacher quality and student achievement, Heck (2007) found that collective teacher quality was associated with differences in student outcomes such that students in schools with higher professional standards for teachers (i.e., certification, content knowledge, and performance criteria) had higher achievement levels in reading and math, compared to students in schools with lower professional standards. Notably, collective teacher quality made an even bigger difference in student achievement in school settings where targeted subgroups (i.e., low SES, underrepresented racial/ethnic backgrounds, ELL participants) were more prevalent, underscoring the importance of higher quality teaching for at-risk students. Further support for these findings comes from Woodland (2008), who found that the area of adult-child relationships was first among nine core elements of effective afterschool programs for Black youth. In sum, research shows that having higher quality teachers is associated with increased achievement in reading and math, as well as a reduction in the achievement gap between lower SES minorities and their White, higher SES counterparts.Despite the plethora of research showing the positive effects of high-quality afterschool programs on children and families, research indicates that children in low-income families continue to face limited access to high-quality afterschool programs (Hipps & Ormsby, 2005, as cited in Norris-Holmes, 2008). For example, Peske and Haycock (2006) found that disadvantaged children were more likely to have less effective teachers. …


A study has been made of solid-state reactions in t he qu aternary system MgO-CaO-Sn02" Ti02 a nd in its subordinate binary and ternary systems. Compatibility relat ions have been determined for· each. Extensive solid-solut ion formation has been noted in the Sn02-TiO" MgO-SnO,-Ti O" CaO-Sn02-Ti02, a nd MgOCaO-Sn02-Ti02 systems. Lit tle or no solid solu t ion was observed in t he other syste ms invo lved. One te rna r.v compound, having t he probable formula 2:vI:gO·SnOz· TiO" has been observed . ~o quaternary co mpounds were detected. A survey has been co ndu cted of t he eff ect of composit ion a nd tem.perature variat ions on t he d ielectric properties of spec imens in some of t hese systems. Data are given for t he valu es of K and () at 50 kilocycles per seco nd, a nd at 1 and 20 megacycles per second. The changes in t hese values wi t h changes in temperature have been s t udied at 1 megacycle per seco nd. Indexed X-ray po \\"der patterns are listed fo r t he co mpounds CaO· TiOz, CaO·SnO" a nd 2MgO·Sn02· TiO,.' An un indexed pattern is given for the compo und 2CaO·S nO,.


This article describes a psycholinguistic experiment, which was attended by 500 informants. This study makes it possible to figure out how a V-shaped gesture of the Anglo-American culture is perceived by the representatives of Chinese, Altai, American, Mongolian and Russian linguocultures. The experiment also allows us to answer the question about the influence of fine iconism and the universal character of the gesture on the perception of the informants.


Objective To explore and discuss the effective and practical ways of amblyopia screening tests in schools and also some problems that should be paid attention to,and to provide reference for amblyopia screening.Methods Screen for distant visual acuity in all first grade students of primary schools,then screen for the amblyopia within the weak-eyed group by means of computer optometry.Results The incidence of visual adverse was 11.07%.78 students were suspected to be monocular or binocular amblyopia.The incidence of students with suspected or diagnosed amblyopia was 3.84%,and in 34.65% of students with poor eyesight.The refractive status of the students with suspected amblyopia were mainly hyperopia.68.19% of the diagnosed cases stopped their treatments,the other 31.81% were being treated.Conclusion Distant visual acuity screening plus microcoria optometry test is worthy of generalization in the screening tests for amblyopia among school health care organizations.Parents of amblyopic students should take health education to improve their knowledge of amblyopia,so that the parents' cooperation in the treatment of amplyopia can be enhanced and the treatment can also be sustained long-term,thus improve the cure rate of amblyopia.


This paper is intended as a contribution to the sociology of skill. Research which suggests that skills and their transmission are the properties of communities leaves unanswered the question of how information may be explicitly transmitted and acquired as part of the process of leaning a skill. Second-order studies of skill accept that skill acquisition occurs within a culture, but then go on to examine in detail which aspects of skills can be explicated and which cannot. Such a second-order study is presented here. Observations of veterinary surgery are used to identify a quasi-quantitative measure of skill acquisition – hardness. This measure is useful in understanding how task uncertainty is resolved in practice and how new skills are learnt.


Abstract: Movie recommendation system proposed whose primary objective is to suggest a recommended list through singular value decomposition collaborative filtering and cosine similarity. The present work improves these approaches by taking the movies' content information into account during the item similarity calculations. The proposed approach recommends the top n recommendation list of movies to users on user's interest preferences that were not already rated. Graphically shows the percentage of already viewed movies by user and movies recommended to User. Now a day's recommendation system has changed the fashion of looking the items of our interest. OTT Movie Application Recommendation for mobile users is crucial. It performs a complete aggregation of user preferences, reviews and emotions to help you make suitable movies. It needs every precision and timeliness, however, this can be info filtering approach that's accustomed predict the preference of that user. Recommender System may be a system that seeks to predict or filter preferences in keeping with the user's selections. The very common purpose where recommender system is applied are OTT platforms, search engines, articles, music, videos etc. during this work we tend to propose a Collaborative approach-based Movie Recommendation system. It is supported collaborative filtering approach that creates use of the knowledge provided by users, analyzes them so recommends the flick that's best suited to the user at that point.


In a much cited paper, Brennan and Schwartz (1985) demonstrated the application of contingent claims analysis to the valuation of a nonrenewable natural resources project when the decision-maker has flexibility to choose from several modes of operations open, closed and abandoned. The authors assumed fixed extraction costs and that the price of the resource follows Geometric Brownian Motion. The resulting stochastic optimal control problem must be solved numerically, such as with a finite difference approach. For natural resource extraction projects, uncertain costs are also important in optimal decisions and have been less studied in the literature. An example is the oils sands industry where natural gas is used as energy to extract the bitumen, and contributes more than 25 percent of the total per barrel cost. In this paper, we extend the Brennan and Schwartz (1985) model to account for stochastic extraction cost as well as stochastic convenience yield and resource price, and we study the impact on the value of an oil field and optimal decisions regarding extraction. We show that introducing stochastic extraction cost has a substantial impact on value and on the cut-off prices at which it is optimal for the field to switch from one operation mode to another. We use a relatively new method for the evaluation of American-type options the Least Squares Monte Carol method which can more easily deal with multiple stochastic factors than traditional numerical approaches. 1PhD candidate in Department of Economics, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada 2Associate professor in Department of Economics, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada


Drivers' revealed responses to active Variable Message Sign (VMS) information in North London was surveyed during Autumn 1998 as part of the demonstration stage of the CLEOPATRA project. The information displayed related to delays caused due to road works downstream of the VMS location on the A1 Archway Road. The information was relevant to only this one sign in the London system. A survey of drivers' revealed behaviour in response to the message was conducted during off-peak conditions. The findings from this survey are reported in terms of drivers' use of the information, their revealed (reported) behaviour and their opinions of the VMS information, both specifically in relation to the sign location, and in general. (A*) For the covering abstract see ITRD E110327.


We argue that generic one-loop scattering amplitudes in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories can be computed equivalently with MHV diagrams or with Feynman diagrams. We first present a general proof of the covariance of one-loop non-MHV amplitudes obtained from MHV diagrams. This proof relies only on the local character in Minkowski space of MHV vertices and on an application of the Feynman Tree Theorem. We then show that the discontinuities of one-loop scattering amplitudes computed with MHV diagrams are precisely the same as those computed with standard methods. Furthermore, we analyse collinear limits and soft limits of generic non-MHV amplitudes in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories with one-loop MHV diagrams. In particular, we find a simple explicit derivation of the universal one-loop splitting functions in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories to all orders in the dimensional regularisation parameter, which is in complete agreement with known results. Finally, we present concrete and illustrative applications of Feynman's Tree Theorem to one-loop MHV diagrams as well as to one-loop Feynman diagrams.


Basic carbonate of zinc doped with Al was prepared by the wet chemical method The plasma pyrolysis takes advantage of high temperature and quick quenching, which may contribute to powders with more defects in ZnO crystallattice These defects provide more conducting electrons and increase ZnO powder conductivity Particle size of conductive ZnO powders produced by different ways of pyrolysis was examined by SEM It is shown that ZnO powders produced by the plasma pyrolysis are finer than those produced by the conventional pyrolysis The conductivity of the powders were measured under different pressure applied, confirming that highly conductive ZnO powders is produced 


Providing Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC) is one of the key challenges for 5G systems, which requires the redesign of both radio access technologies and the architectures. While 3GPP and the research community focus mainly on radio low layer functionality and architectural changes that enable URLLC, this article proposes a novel cross-layer framework that extends the already standardized 5G solutions to support a very massive number of users/flows in the system. The framework consists of a scheduler, a congestion avoidance algorithm, and a new traffic management algorithm, which together achieve the maximum capacity of 5G systems for URLLC, i.e., they maximize the load at which the reliability and latency requirements are satisfied for at least 99 percent of the users. Extensive performance evaluation results demonstrate that the proposed framework achieves the network capacity very close to the upper bound.