The INTEGRAL satellite is an observatory-class gamma-ray telescope due for launch in early 2002. It comprises two main instruments, one optimised for imaging (IBIS) and the other for spectroscopy (SPI). The PICsIT telescope is the high energy (150 keV - 10 MeV) plane of the IBIS imager and consists of 8 individual modules of 512 detection elements. The modules are arranged in a 4 x 2 pattern, while the pixels are in a 16 x 32 array. This layout, which includes a dead area equivalent to one pixel width between each module, together with the event selection procedure, which (in standard mode) does not allow the identification of coincidences between separate modules, leads to a non-uniformity of the background which is significantly different for single-site events and for multiple energy deposits. Other sources of background variations range from the separate low energy detector, situated immediately above the PICsIT plane, to the large mass of the SPI telescope at a short distance to one side. The algorithms for performing all the imaging and spectral deconvolution for PICsIT are currently being produced for delivery to the INTEGRAL Science Data Centre. In order to maximise the information which may be extracted from the PICsIT data, we have designed a prototyping environment which consists of a GUI to a highly structured and modular set of procedures which allows the easy simulation of observations from the data collection phase through to the final image production and analysis.


Teaching epidemiology in and out of the classroom, J.H. Abramson teaching the reluctant student, C. du V. Florey principles of epidemiology study design and planning, A. Ahlbom data collection and processing, E. Schach preparing for statistical analysis, J. Olsen teaching statistical methods in epidemiology, D. Clayton clinical epidemiology, J.A. Baron epidemiology in health services research, R.D. Weir screening for cancer, N. Day cancer epidemiology, C.S. Muir psychiatric epidemiology, R. Fuhrer and E. Fombonne occupational epidemiology, F. Merletti and P. Comba epidemiology of coronary heart disease, P. Ducimetiere and A. Kalandidi epidemiology of ageing and diseases in the elderly, A. Hofman epidemiology of infectious diseases and the study of outbreaks, D. Reid teaching the practice of epidemiology, U. Brinkmann the epidemiology of tropical diseases, M.E. Wilson epidemiology of AIDS, D. Trichopoulos et al teaching oral and dental epidemiology, F. Scheutz and A. Sheiham pharmacoepidemiology, M.S. Porta and X. Carne teaching epidemiology in EC countries, S. Allwright and J. Pemberton application and teaching of epidemiology developments in the European region of the World Health Organization, M. Thuriaux.


Liver tumor segmentation is an important step in diagnosis of liver cancer. In this work, a cascaded fully convolutional network (FCN) is proposed based on improved 3DResUNet for automatic segmentation of liver and liver tumors. The first FCN is trained to segment the liver as region of interest (ROI) input for the second FCN, which solely segment the tumor from the predicted liver region. Based on 3DResUNet, a Dial-3DResUNet is designed for liver segmentation which combines hybrid dilated convolution to capture global features, a Hybrid-3DResUNet is developed for tumor segmentation, the model consists of Hybrid-3D convolution to effectively extract 3D features while greatly reducing the amount of parameters and decreasing the difficulty of model optimization and the risk of overfitting. Ablation study is conducted on magnetic resonance (MR) data provided by the Chinese PLA General Hospital to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Dial/Hybrid-3DResUNet. In addition, we evaluate our model on 3DIRCADb dataset and achieved a dice global score of 0.958 and 0.742 on liver and liver tumor, respectively.


In this article, it was tried to cover the issues of the scientific methodological basis of the teaching of international evaluation studies PISA and PIRLS materials in secondary schools. PISA it is a program carried out to assess the achievements and shortcomings of students in the field of education, the main purpose of which is to increase the literacy of 15 – year-old students, to increase their mathematical potential, as well as to assess the level of knowledge in the Natural Sciences in the form of various tests. In 2021, our country will participate in this program for the first time. To prepare for this process, it is necessary to adapt our training program to it. The article will dwell on similar issues in detail.


BACKGROUND: Respiratory infection is a common causes of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). There were a few studies about a differential marker of viral or bacterial infection as a cause of AECOPD. AIMS AND OBJECTS: In this retrospective study, we evaluated serum eosinophil count and procalcitonin (PCT) level in patients with AECOPD according to laboratory confirmed the bacterial infection. METHODS: We analyzed the medical records of patients with AECOPD from January 2011 to June 2015. Patients with AECOPD were divided into two groups: patients with isolation of bacteria and those without isolation of bacteria. And white blood cell (WBC) count, eosinophil count, serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and PCT were compared among two groups. RESULTS: Among 237 patients with AECOPD, bacterial isolation group were 117. The mean value of eosinophil count was 83.74/mm 3 in bacterial isolation group and 188.81/mm 3 in non-bacterial isolation group. The eosinophil count was significantly lower in bacterial isolation group (P CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the combined serum eosinophil count and PCT level is a useful marker in evaluation of the cause of AECOPD and decision making of antibiotic use in patients with AECOPD.


Rhinoliths are calcified masses found within the nasal cavity. They are an uncommon finding and usually present to ENT surgeons. This article presents two cases where rhinoliths have been recognized in the dental setting, and discusses their management and treatment.


To the Editor: —I have just been reading the little gem by Dr. O. I. Hess (The Journal, Nov. 15, 1919, p. 1544), and thought that possibly I could inform him regarding the meaning of "somatopsychic." The term is such a common one and has so long been firmly embedded in psychiatric language that I had supposed every medical student would have heard it at least once. Certainly, no man can read a psychiatric textbook published in this country in the last fifteen or twenty years and not find the term. It was originally proposed by Wernicke, whose contributions did so much to clear up the confusion that existed in certain fields in psychiatry. Wernicke divided delusions into three types: allopsychic, autopsychic and somatopsychic. White's "Outline of Psychiatry" or any other standard book will give a good discussion of these terms. In fact, the terms themselves are so simply compounded


The Venturer project is trialling an autonomous vehicle (AV) in the context of use on urban roads. This paper summarises a literature review undertaken to assist in developing a research agenda for...


Abstract The pollution problems of the rubber industry are complex and the pollutants arise from a variety of sources. Prior knowledge of the nature of these pollutants is invaluable to the successful execution of a factory monitoring program. Such a knowledge enables the most appropriate monitoring equipment to be preselected and provides for cost effective analysis. The collection and analysis of hitherto unidentified compounds requires a degree of control which is most easily achieved with a laboratory vulcanization. The results presented here show that this control enables a wide range of volatile species to be captured and permits yields to be optimized for the purposes of identification. Examples of the control that may be achieved in a laboratory vulcanization include the ability to handle samples without loss and to carry out this work with ready access to the most sophisticated analytical equipment. A knowledge of the chemical nature of the fumes from a vulcanizing rubber is not only of value to ...


Liang Qichao collected and collated ancient books on the basis of what had already been achieved in sifting and collating those ones.He also held that skeptical spirit was necessary and seeking truth was his ultimate aim in his research work.Besides,he induced four methods of collating ancient books.Today,what he thought is still an inspiration in the field of collating and studying ancient books.


The alarming trend of CO2 emissions in Indonesia merits a reinvestigation into the determinants in a bid to conserve the environment. In the literature, in Indonesia, three potential determinants, namely, energy, foreign direct investment, and corruption, have been identified to harm the environment. However, their effects are still undetermined. Thus, this study aims to examine the relationships between corruption (COR), energy use (ENY), foreign direct investment (FDI), and CO2 emissions in Indonesia. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach was used to analyse data for 36 years, from 1984 to 2020. The results reveal that corruption contributes to greater environmental degradation in the short run, while foreign direct investment does not. However, in the long run, corruption and energy use can positively affect environmental degradation, but foreign direct investment can reduce environmental degradation in Indonesia. This study also found two other factors, namely, economic growth and urbanisation, which can affect the environment with mixed findings. These findings are indispensable for policy formulation in Indonesia as Indonesia is a rapidly developing country that depends on good environmental quality to ensure future growth and sustainable development.


The development of citric acid extraction process in recent years in China has been summarized.Meanwhile,the reason for their failure to achieve industrialization has been discussed here.Based on the above,the details of calcium hydrogen citrate precipitation method for citric acid extraction in terms of principle,process,device configuration,operating parameter and application results were illustrated.


Effective weed management is critical for profitable crop production. A series of experiments was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of herbicides available for corn and soybean production. One experiment compared Authority and Valor, two preemergence herbicides labeled for controlling broadleaf weeds in soybean. Both products have the potential to cause significant injury under certain environmental conditions.


An activated pulmonary renin angiotensin system (RAS), comprising of ACE‐AngII‐AT1R has been implicated in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The recent discovery of a counter‐regulatory arm of the RAS (ACE2‐Ang‐(1‐7)‐Mas), has led us to examine the role of this vasoprotective axis on pulmonary fibrosis with the use of lentiviral vector mediated gene transfer. Lentiviral particles carrying either the ACE2 or Ang‐(1‐7) fusion protein were administered intratracheally into the lungs of 5 weeks old male Sprague‐Dawley rats. Pulmonary fibrosis was induced by intratracheal administration of bleomycin (2.5mg/kg), following 2 weeks of gene transfer. Systemic blood pressure, body weights, right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) were examined after two weeks of bleomycin administration. Bleomycin administration resulted in significant reduction in body weights, elevated RVSP, RVH and increased fibrotic lesions in the lungs. All these pathophysiological parameters were prevented in lenti‐ACE2 or lenti‐Ang‐(1‐7) treated rats. No significant change in the systemic blood pressure was observed among the different study groups. Collectively, these observations demonstrate that ACE2 or Ang‐(1‐7) gene transfer shifts the balance of the RAS from the vasoconstrictive‐proliferative axis (ACE‐AngII‐AT1R), towards vasoprotective axis (ACE2‐Ang‐(1‐7)‐Mas), resulting in attenuation of bleomycin‐induced pulmonary fibrosis.


IT IS generally agreed that diabetic acidosis develops from excessive production of ketone in the body consequent on diminished glucose oxidation and depletion of liver glycogen. In order to check production of ketone, therapeutic efforts have been directed toward acceleration of glucose oxidation and restoration of liver glycogen. Soskin 1 and Mirsky 2 have found that the maintenance of considerable hyperglycemia through the intravenous injection of large amounts of dextrose accelerated glucose oxidation and glycogenesis in the liver and the disappearance of ketosis. For this reason it had been our custom to begin administration of dextrose early in the treatment of diabetic coma, while hyperglycemia was still present. However, the development of fatal circulatory collapse or cardiac failure during the course of therapy has led us to reevaluate the effects of early administration of large amounts of dextrose on the carbohydrate metabolism, acidosis, water balance and clinical course of diabetic


Josephson tunneling, an effect predicted and discovered within the last decade, has already formed the basis of a new technology. The "Josephson devices" are ultrasensitive electronic measuring devices that operate at liquid‐helium temperatures (1–4K) and exploit the macroscopic‐scale quantum properties of superconducting junctions. They have been used to measure, for example, smaller low‐frequency voltages and magnetic fields than can be measured with any other methods, and are also being investigated as possible high‐frequency detectors and mixers, as thermometers and as computer elements. One of the most important applications of the Josephson effect has been in the precision measurement of e/h in an experiment that avoids any assumptions from quantum electrodynamics (QED); results from this experiment give a convenient and accurate way to express the standard of electromotive force.


Recently, collaborative representation (CR) has been proposed as an l2-norm least-square solution for image super-resolution with significantly less computation than the l1-norm version of the Sparse-Coding-based Super-Resolution (ScSR) without any sacrifice in terms of image quality. In this paper we propose a novel weighted collaborative representation (WCR) instead of the original CR model for single image super-resolution. Our proposed method can achieve more than a 0.2~0.3 dB gain without requiring any additional cost compared to the original CR model. Moreover, we devise a hierarchical-clustering KD-tree searching scheme which can reduce the computational complexity on searching part in our WCR model from O(n) to O(n1/m), where n is the atom count and m is the number of layers, without any compromise of image quality.


Companies are increasingly called upon to face the ecological demands of today. On the one hand, these challenges are die to demands imposed by the state such as laws and conditions. On the other hand, they are aggravated by pressures from both the market and the public, as well as by qualified assessment criteria on the part of of trade, banks and insurances. Besides complying with state regulations, any company management which is guided by environmental principles is asked to meet ecologically oriented requirements posed by both market and demand. This task will also have to be faced by German meat manufacturers, given their considerable influence on the environment within the food industry. In order to guarantee a company's longterm existence, demands made by environmental policy will therefore have to be implemented into company practice as early as possible. Due to the EC-Ecoaudit-Decree companies will be called upon to face these new demands. The following article will describe the possibilities, consequences, advantages and expenditures for private and commercial enterprises which will result from the the implementation of this decree.


A new method of PZT/PZT ceramic piezocomposites fabrication is proposed. Samples of piezocomposites with the volume fraction of components 0¿100% for different PZT compositions were fabricated and measured. A line of chemically, thermally, and technologically compatible PZT matrix and filling compositions were chosen. Different types of PZT type piezoceramics powders and pre-sintered piezoceramic granules were used as matrix and filling components respectively. The size and shape of the filling particles were chosen as a compromise between maximal scattering and minimal interfacial area to minimize chemical interaction between two composite phases. Special pressing and firing regimes were used for formation of microporous piezoceramic matrix. Sintering of the composites was carried out at special thermal profiles preventing cracking because of shrinkage and thermal expansion of composite components. Complex sets of elastic, dielectric, and piezoelectric parameters of piezocomposites were determined by ultrasonic and impedance spectroscopy method using piezoelectric resonance analysis (PRAP) software. Microstructure of polished, chemically etched, and chipped surfaces of piezocomposite samples was observed with optical and scanning electron microscopes. New PZT/PZT ceramic piezocomposites are characterized by a unique spectrum of the electrophysical properties unachievable for standard PZT ceramic compositions and fabrication methods and can be useful for wide-band ultrasonic transducer applications.


An external helicon ion source is used on HELIOS, an inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) fusion device in which ions are accelerated radially to fusion-relevant energies by the electrostatic field between the spherical chamber wall and a concentric cathode grid. The external ion source has allowed for the demonstration of 3He-3He fusion in an IEC device for the first time, as part of the advanced fuels program at the University of Wisconsin.1


In current scenario it has been observed that there is proliferation of energy demand overall the world. It could be observed that maximum energy is generated from thermal power plants. This implies that there is significant amount of carbon di oxide emissions in the air are increasing, which is causing global warming. Hence there is inevitable need of integrating renewable energy sources on to the services. Among renewable energy resources solar is the cleanest source of energy .The problem with solar power is that the irradiance keeps on changing with span of day. This causes non linearity and unstability in the power output. The authors here have developed a mathematical model of PV panel with the help of MAT LAB and verified with the help of NCPRE PV lab kit. The variation of PV curve with the changing irradiance and temperature is being observed. The IV curve is divided into three regions current source region, power source region and voltage source region. Dynamic resistance is calculated from the I-V Characteristic curve and is plotted with respect to voltage. The transfer function is hence calculated from the PV and IV curves and boost converter. The stability is then analysed using bode plot. Hence it is noticed that there is instability in the system which is to be removed by using either states space averaging or use of Youla controller.


An anomalously large trend of M2 and S2 amplitudes and phases, beginning in the early 1980s, is observed in the North Atlantic. Harmonic analysis of long‐term sea‐level records from tide‐gauge stations along the North American Atlantic coast and European Atlantic coast shows a large decrease in M2 and S2 amplitudes and an increase in phase lag. The characteristics of the evolution of M2 and S2 tides are similar, but not fully conclusive, which may suggesting different causes. In general, the trends may be due to global warming, which significantly increased in the early 1980s in the North Atlantic region. Several climate‐related driving mechanisms for the observed changes in tides are discussed.


Four failure modes of a reticulated dome including member slight damage failure,member broken failure,local dent failure and global dent failure were generalized according to its dynamic response,when a single-layer reticulated dome was subjected to vertical impact load on its apex.And failure members were all in impact zone.Dynamic response of failure members was given out.Then,there were three states of load before failure of members: shear,bending and tension appeared in time order.Besides,four failure types of members were put forward basing state history before failure: shear,bending,bending and tension as well as tension.Based on analysis of energy transfer,the relationship among failure types of members,failure modes of reticulated dome and energy transferring were put forward: failure modes of reticulated dome were decided by the maximum dynamic response;then,the maximum dynamic response was decided mainly by the energy in the outer zone of reticulated dome;the ability of transferring energy could be judged by failure types of members in impact zone.


The study aimed to select the best clones from a field trial of 69 newly developed clones and two check clones of Populus deltoides after 3 years of field performances. Growth traits were assessed for three growing seasons. Significant differences were detected among clones for plant height, stem diameter, estimated trunk volume and sylleptic branch number. Plant height, stem diameter and trunk volume had low to moderate (0.21 to 0.41) broad sense heritability (h2) values. Sylleptic branch number showed high genetic advance (77.53%) despite moderate h2. In nursery trial, the h2 estimates were moderate to high h2 (0.61 to 0.69) for growth traits. It is possible to apply selection on the basis of principal component analysis (PCA) accounting for a large part of the total variance in the observed growth relying on trunk volume followed by stem diameter, plant height and sylleptic branch number. The promising clones viz. FRI-AM-53, -70, -51, -6 and -45 outperformed the control clone G-48. Stem diameter showed high (0.97) genetic correlation with trunk volume and proved to be a reliable criterion for selecting for trunk volume.The set of 25 most promising clones based on PCA1 ranking will be effective for selection of clones at the age of three years.


Likely Effective: ACUPUNCTURE (Likely Effective) View ALL Products Containing: ACUPUNCTURE Osteoarthritis Two analyses of clinical trials show that acupuncture (both electrical and manual) significantly reduces pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee compared to no treatment and sham treatment (16004,29619). Another analysis of clinical research suggests that electroacupuncture given for 2-4 weeks reduces knee osteoarthritis pain (29618). Further clinical research shows that acupuncture may be more effective than control such as advice or sham acupuncture, in reducing pain of knee and hip OA (29620,29621,29622,29625,29626,29627).


A comparison of the damage induced by X-rays and electron-beam radiation on IGFETs has been made. It is observed that the ratio of the threshold voltage shift due to fixed positive charge (ΔV FPC) to the total threshold voltage shift (due to both fixed positive charge and neutral electron traps) does not show any dependence on the radiation dose in the case of an E-beam irradiation, and shows a negative slope for X-ray irradiated samples. This suggests that the amount of neutral electron traps (NETs) and fixed negative charge (FNC) produced by the ionizing radiation is higher in the case of X-ray irradiation and saturates at much higher doses compared to E-beam irradiation. A study of electron beam damage at various energies shows that E-beam energy of 7 keV does not damage the oxides at all whereas at lOkeV maximum damage is observed. For devices exposed to X-rays, the threshold voltage shift ratios due to the fixed positive charge for different gate oxide thicknesses (12·6nm-50·0nm) indicate a shift of ...


The main purpose of this paper is to analyze and identify failures for minimize the risk of product defects in the production process faucet part S11037S and detect the main facto of the cause of disability that occurred. The method used with Seven Plus One Type of Waste approach and the concept of Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA). Results obtained from 28 types of disability on the faucet prakuk there are 5 types of frequencies that occur high frequency that is; Gomi, Hike, Kizu, Nami and Su. From the five types of defects can be identified several causes that often occur, among the causes that there are high RPN (Risk Priority Number) that is; 1. Gomi, the dominant cause is due to operator negligence at the time of production with the value of RPN = 60, 2. Hike, with the highest cause is the entry of dirt at the time of Plotting with RPN = 24, 3. Kizu, the main cause is also from operator negligence with RPN = 36 and Nami, the cause of the duplication is that the material used has a low quality. While Su factro cause has a low RPN that is 4 to 6.


We present a characterization of two narrow band lters commonly used in Infrared Astronomy. Our study mainly quantiies the eeect of temperature and tilt angle on the central wavelength and width of the transmission bands of such lters. This allows to evaluate some important eeects that must be taken into account to have good quality astronomical images. EEects as the limitation of the eld of view and the presence of OH sky lines in the nal image are quantiied.


It was proposed that the idea that pollution of leather-making industry should be envisaged in this paper. The influence of Chinese industry policy and the adjustment of environmental protection policy on leather industry were studied. The difficulties of pollution control about leather-making engineering were analysed by comparing Chinese related pollutant discharge standards. Cleaner production technology should be carried out and pollutants must be treated effectively in order to realize transformation and upgrading and sustainable development of leather industry.


WITH A BOOMING CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN THE COUNTRY, THE BIENNIAL BAUMA CONEXPO INDIA, WHICH TAKES PLACE THIS DECEMBER 11-14, IS EXPECTED TO BE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE


[Abstract] This paper reports on a teaching effort undertaken in the College of Engineering and Science at Clemson University by two faculty members, one specializing in engineering design and design optimization, and the other in mathematical optimization. The effort involved the development of a graduate-level course entitled "Integration through Optimization" in which optimization-based decomposition and integration of systems in engineering design constituted the main subject. The course was offered in fall 2005 and is planned to be offered again in spring 2007. The effort was in part a result of a proposal funded by the National Science Foundation, which supported one of the two faculty involved, but also a result of continued interest of the two authors in the topic of complex systems integration through optimization. The course syllabus included optimization-based methodologies of decomposition, coordination, and integration such as multi-level, multidisciplinary optimization, analytical target cascading, multi-scenario optimization, and others. The methodologies were illustrated on mathematical and engineering design examples. This paper describes in detail the course contents, how it was developed and offered; the projects given to the students, their experiences, and those of the faculty. In particular, it presents an overview of some of the various methods from a mathematical point of view, illustrating their salient differences and discussing the difficulties encountered in extracting this material from the relevant, mostly engineering, literature. It is hoped that this paper and the material which will be posted on the web will encourage others to offer a similar course and to further build expertise in complex systems decomposition and integration through optimization. It is also hoped that the paper will contribute to bringing together engineers and mathematicians to identify needs, and further develop rigorous and proven methods to address complex systems design.


We present an innovative approach to detecting low energy x-ray emissions from cosmic gamma·ray bursts. Our design employs an array of avalanche photodiodes (APDs) to measure x-rays from 500 e V to 10 Ice V over a wide field of view, approximately 27r steradians. These silicon devices are ideal in many ways for small satellite use. This effort is driven by the scientific requirements of the CATSAT mission. Our objective is to meet the mission requirements within the time scale and cost constraints of the SlED! program. CATSAT is a joint effort between the University of New Hampshire, Weber State University and Leicester University in England


We report a case of unilateral congenital corneal anaesthesia presenting in a 5-year-old girl, where computed tomography (CT) elegantly demonstrated corresponding motor involvement of the first division of the ipsilateral trigeminal nerve, and helped to confirm the diagnosis.


This work explores a method to visualise and interact with radioactivity over time and space by means of augmented reality on a screen. A prototype, iPadPix, was built to demonstrate use as an intuitive new tool for educative and training purposes. Measured by a hybrid pixel detector, Timepix, traces of radioactive decays are displayed in realtime on a mobile device. Its detection principle and properties are detailed as well as the calibration of the sensor. An embedded board is used to process and forward the sensor data to a tablet over a wireless network connection. Software was developed to processes and overlay signatures of ionising radiation and particles on a live camera feed. It is described here and published as open source.


The post-Olympic era of Wushu is coming.The aim of future development of Wushu is not only to enter Olympic Games but also to study the problem of existence space of Wushu and the problem of rebuilding the perfect Wushu.The ultimate aim is to spread the unique enchanting oriental culture.Taking person-oriented ideology as the basis of developing Wushu and revealing the inherent charm in the field of health sports will contribute to constructing harmonious society and promoting the Chinese culture.


The present invention relates to ignition of the gas burner, is linked to the button (1) and valve body (5) for controlling the flow of gas; For injecting a gas inlet to the burner (8) the nozzle (7) and; Include; burner cap 9 which is the combustion gas of the burner (8). Further, the present invention provides a button (1) is turned on when pressed (switch 2) for supplying the wire connecting portion 20, power supply 10 '; Power lines 21 connected to the wire connecting portion 20 and; And a; the power line 21 a spark plug 24 is attached heating wire 24, which is powered from. The present invention can to prevent the discharge noise without the need for a discharge distance, by lighting the gas heater as the heating method by mounting a heating wire 24 to the tip of the ignition plug 23 to improve the ignition performance. Furthermore, according to the invention it is also to lower the precision of the tooth profile of the burner cap (9) Since the ignition can be done to reduce the cost of production.


The Fuel Test Loop (FTL) which is capable of an irradiation testing under a similar operating condition to those of PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) and CANDU (CANadian Deuterium Uranium reactor) nuclear power plants has been developed and installed in HANARO, KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute). It consists of In-Pile Section (IPS) and Out-of Pile System (OPS). The IPS, which is located inside the pool is divided into 3-parts; the in-pool pipes, the IVA (IPS Vessel Assembly) and the support structures. The test fuel is loaded inside a double wall, inner pressure vessel and outer pressure vessel, to maintain the functionality of the reactor coolant pressure boundary. The functional test and verification of the IVA were done through pressure drop, vibration, hydraulic and helium leakage tests. The brazing technique for the instrument lines has been checked for its functionality and performance. An IVA has been manufactured by a local technique and has finally been tested under high temperature and high pressure. The IVA and piping did not experience leakage, as the piping, flanges, and assemblies have been fully checked. Good data was obtained during the three cycle test which included a pressure test, pressure and temperature cycling, and constant temperature. A new concept of IVA, as easy attaching and separating test fuel at IVA will be designed thereafter.Copyright © 2010 by ASME


The purpose of this study is to analyze theeffect of economic growth, domestic investment and provincial minimum wages on employment in West Nusa Tenggara Province in 2018-2021 partially and simultaneously. The type of research used is quantitative descriptive research with the analysis technique used is panel data regression with the Eviews 10 application. After the test was carried out, the results obtained were that partial economic growth had a positive and insignificant effect on labor absorption, domestic investment had a negative and insignificant effect on labor absorption and the provincial minimum wage had a positive and significant effect on labor absorption. Meanwhile, simultaneously the three variables have a positive and significant influence on labor absorption in West Nusa Tenggara Province in 2018-2021. Keywords: Employment, Economic growth, Investment, Wages


In the flurry of experiments looking for topological insulator materials, it has been recently discovered that some bulk metals very close to topological insulator electronic states support the same topological surface states that are the defining characteristic of the topological insulator. First observed in spin-polarized angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) in Sb [D. Hsieh et al., Science 323, 919 (2009)], the helical surface states in the metallic systems appear to be robust to at least mild disorder. We present here a theoretical investigation of the nature of these "helical metals"—bulk metals with helical surface states. We explore how the surface and bulk states can mix, in both clean and disordered systems. Using the Fano model, we discover that in a clean system, the helical surface states are not simply absorbed by hybridization with a nontopological parasitic metallic band. Instead, they are pushed away from overlapping in momentum and energy with the bulk states, leaving behind a finite-lifetime surface resonance in the bulk energy band. Furthermore, the hybridization may lead in some cases to multiplied surface-state bands, in all cases retaining the helical characteristic. Weak disorder leads to very similar effects—surface states are pushed away from the energy bandwidth of the bulk, leaving behind a finite-lifetime surface resonance in place of the original surface states.


Abstract The foraging activity of pollinator insects in relation to weather factors (ambient temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity, and wind speed) was studied in an apple orchard with special reference to two managed bee species, Osmia cornuta (Latreille) and Apis mellifera L. Over the range of observed weather values, A. mellifera activity was significantly dependent on temperature, solar radiation, and wind speed; O. cornuta activity was dependent on solar radiation and wind speed. These results were confirmed through video recordings at one O. cornuta nesting shelter and one A. mellifera hive. For both species, daily activity started at lower temperatures than it ceased, whereas solar radiation did not differ between these two events. In general, O. cornuta was active from 10 to 12°C and 200 w/m2, and A. mellifera from 12 to 14°C and 300 w/m2. O. cornuta was the only bee species seen visiting apple flowers under strong wind or light rain. Because of its greater tolerance to inclement weather, O. cornuta pollinated apple flowers for longer periods (both daily and seasonally) than other flower visitors.


Geological Bridges of Eastern Canada is a multi-agency NA TMAP program focussing on the Laurentian Margin and Appalachian Foreland. The "bridges" consist of several geotraverses, two of which transect the Restigouche area of northern New Brunswick, which is underlain by Late Ordovician to Middle Devonian rocks of the Gaspe Belt. In 1997 and 1999, regional multi-parameter airborne geophysical surveys were followed by stream and till geochemical surveys in order to stimulate exploration for potential porphyry and skam mineralization in this area. Geological mapping began in 1999 in the Popelogan-Charlo River and Kedgwick areas. The oldest rocks in the area are arc-related mafic volcanic rocks of the Mid to Late Ordovician Goulette Brook Formation, and overlying Caradocian black slates and cherts of the Popelogan Fonnation. Together, these constitute the Balmoral Group, an inlier of Dunnage Zone rocks exposed in the core of the Popelogan Anticline. In the Popelogan area, the Balmoral Group is disconformably overlain by Upper Ordovician to Early Silurian rocks of the Matapedia Group, which consists of interbedded calcilutite, calcareous shale and minor calcarenite deposited as turbidites on a submarine slope. The Matapedia Group is conformably overlain by the Silurian Chaleurs Group, which comprises, from oldest to youngest, the Upsalquitch, LaVieille (locally), Bryant Point and Benjamin formations. West of the Popelogan Anticline, the Upsalquitch Formation consists dominantly of thinbedded, fine-grained calcarenite, calcilutite and calcareous siltstone, whereas east of the anticline, it consists mainly of thin-bedded, micaceous, weakJy calcareous siltstone and finegrained sandstone. The Upsalquitch Formation is commonly bioturbated and fossiliferous, and is interpreted to have been deposited in an outer shelf environment. The LaVieille Formation consists of nodular to massive fossiliferous limestone and minor calcareous fossiliferous siltstone. The


B asal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a form of skin cancer originating from the basal cell layer of the epidermis and associated follicular structures. It is the most common human cancer, accounting for 25% of all cancer cases and 75% of skin malignant neoplasms diagnosed in the United States.1 More than 2 million new nonmelanoma skin cancers are estimated to have been diagnosed in United States in 2014.2 Basal cell carcinomas are diagnosed primarily by clinical evaluation. Furthermore, an increasing number of clinicians are being trained in the art of dermoscopy to aid in the diagnosis of early tumors. The definitive diagnosis has always been provided by a skin biopsy followed by sample preparation and histopathologic examination. Advances in optical imaging and spectroscopy technologies raise the possibility of performing rapid and noninvasive lightbased histopathologic examination, a pain-free process that would be appreciated by patients and reduce the time from consultation to treatment. Therefore, technologies such as conventional optical coherence tomography (OCT),3,4 high-definition OCT (HD-OCT),5-7 reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM),8-15 multiphoton microscopy (MPM),16,17 fluorescence lifetime microscopy (FLIM),13,18 and multimodal spectral approaches19 have been investigated for their applicability for diagnosis of skin cancer, including BCC. Each of these techniques has strengths and limitations that at present make them complementary. Both OCT and HD-OCT have the benefit of deeper penetration (several hundreds of microns) compared with the microscopy techniques. However, although HD-OCT offers improved resolution compared with conventional OCT, it still proves insufficient in the assessment of the cellular morphologic characteristics in tumor nests, which is important for accurate diagnosis of BCC. The microscopy laser-scanning techIMPORTANCE Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are diagnosed by clinical evaluation, which can include dermoscopic evaluation, biopsy, and histopathologic examination. Recent translation of multiphoton microscopy (MPM) to clinical practice raises the possibility of noninvasive, label-free in vivo imaging of BCCs that could reduce the time from consultation to treatment.


Since ancient times maritime transportation and ports have played an important role in the development of societies. Through the years, seaports have become the most essential link in order to distribute cargo to different parts of the world. Additionally, the improvements in logistic systems, technological advances, new ships' size and design, economic and legal changes and environment responsibility have made seaports increase their efficiency and competitiveness in order to augment profits and customers. This is the case for ports in Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong which currently are the top three ports worldwide due to their strategic logistic expansions and modifications.


In this paper, we give conditions under which the trinomials of the form x + ax + b over finite field Fpm are not primitive and conditions under which there are no primitive trinomials of the form x +ax+b over finite field Fpm . For finite field F4, We show that there are no primitive trinomials of the form x + x + α, if n ≡ 1 mod 3 or n ≡ 0 mod 3 or n ≡ 4 mod 5.


In all art the road to appreciation lies through reflection . (Stendhal, Life of Rossini ) In 1860 the French poet Charles Baudelaire heard a concert performance of excerpts from Richard Wagner's opera Tannhauser . Writing about the overwhelming impact that the music had upon him he expressed his desire to understand better its 'mysterious intentions and method, which were all unknown to me. I resolved to make myself master of the why and wherefore, and to transform my pleasure into knowledge.' We could have no better account of why we might be led to study something, most particularly something that gets under our skin, as Wagner had got under Baudelaire's skin, and as opera gets under many people's skins. We study something firstly because we want to understand 'the why and wherefore' of it: why it is, and why it is as it is. We want to understand its constituents: how they are put together and why they are put together in that way. And, secondly, we want to understand why it has the effect that it has upon us, so as to know better the values that form our own subjectivity; to gain understanding of the basis of our own pleasures or displeasures, as individuals and members of particular groups and communities. And, finally, we study something for the light it casts upon the society and culture within which the object of our study exists (or existed). Even if Baudelaire didn't express this last concern immediately, he was certainly one of the first critics to have understood how works of art tell us about their specific historical moment. These three modes of explanation broadly provide the map by which this book has been put together, indicating what I take to be the three main fields of interest in current opera studies.


Objective: To assesses the pattern of maxillofacial gunshot and blast injuries amongst law enforcing forces personnel.Study Design: Descriptive Study.Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Lahore from Jan 2010 to Dec 2010.Materials and Methods: This prospective study evaluated 52 patients from Jan 2010 to Dec 2010 at Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Kohat Pakistan. All patients in this study were males as fighting corps of law enforcing forces comprises only male soldiers and officers. Patients aged from 18 to 50 years with mean age 29.12 years ± 8.56 years. They were assessed for presence of gunshot and ballistic injuries by clinical examination and evaluation of necessary radiographic investigations.Results: Nineteen patients out of total 52 patients had no other injury which accounts for about 36.9%. In maxillofacial area upper third of face was most frequent site to receive gunshot and ballistic injuries as 10 patients received injuries to upper face which measures about 19.2%. Along with maxillofacial area upper limbs were most common site affected as 14 patients received injuries to upper limbs which is 26.9% of all patients.Conclusion: Gunshot wounds present a great challenge to oral and maxillofacial surgeons and a multidimensional team approach is required to rehabilitate the victims of gunshot injuries.


Abstract The effect of column temperature on the migration times of peptides in free - solution capillary electrophoresis (FSCE) is discussed. It has been found that there are parallel iinear relationships between the logarithm of the migration time and the reciprocal of column temperature. The changes in migration time with temperature for the peptides are predominantly due to the temperature - induced viscosity changes of water. The elec-trophoretic selectivity remains constant for a specific pair of peptides despite a considerable variation in the migration time for each of the peptides in FSCE.


In this study the correlation between information and practices of teaching staff that give courses at educational programs during the Covid 19 pandemic with regards to distance learning was analyzed 88 teaching staff working at two different universities, Fifteen November University of Cyprus and Near East University, and who gave distance learning lessons during the Covid 19 pandemic participated in this study The Nicosia district of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was chosen as hub where 88 Teaching Staff were contacted at 2 universities based on an appropriate sampling method While some of these 88 Teaching Staff fully answered the questions of the study, some of the Teaching Staff provided limited answers to the questions of the study The study was designed as a blended research model so as to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative research methods at the same time In order to correctly analyze data descriptive statistics including frequency, percentages, arithmetic means and standard deviation, as well as the Anova test were used


Lamellar activated carbons derived from Konjac sponges (KACs) have been successfully fabricated through a facile KOH activation method. By manipulating the activation temperature and KOH/C ratio, the achieved KACs exhibit ultrahigh specific surface area up to ∼3000 m2/g and hierarchical pore structure with tunable micro/mesopore distribution. Notably, KACs possess plenty of worm-shaped micropores formed by graphene stacking layers with the lateral distance close to size of hydrated electrolyte ions. Owing to optimized pore structure, high graphitization, and extra O/N doping, KACs exhibited much enhanced specific capacitance (253.0 F/g), superior rate ability (77% retention of capacitance at 10 A/g), and remarkable cycling stability (0.4% decay under 5 A/g after 2000 cycles) in the acid electrolyte. The mass production ability of KAC materials and the knowledge of correlation between texture properties and capacitive performance open new opportunities for the application of such novel biomass-derived carbons in supercapacitor devices.


The essentials of our paper of 2002 are briefly summarized and compared with other criteria for model comparison. After some comments on the paper's reception and influence, we consider criticisms and proposals forimprovement made by us and others.


A recent paper described an unproved decoding scheme for a frequency-hopped multilevel FSK system. We examined this multiple access communication system for possible application in satellite communication and mobile radio telephony. The new decoder, using the known algebraic structure of the users' addresses, reduces mutual interference and achieves a 50 to 60 percent increase in efficiency over conventional decoding. The present paper shows how additional decoding can further increase the efficiency, bringing it very close (within half a percent) to optimum. The scheme makes use of information derived while decoding the messages of other users and thus is especially attractive for the base station, where such information is readily available and does not require a significant increase in complexify. Compared to conventional decoding, the new scheme more than doubles the number of simultaneous users.


Geometry modeling and meshing are fundamental work of Computational Fluid Dynamics.Appropriate geometry modeling and good meshing are important to mesh geometry quickly and accurately.In the article introduced method and specific process of 3D-modeling for XFD-1L used model establishing software Solidworks and meshed it with GAMBIT.


Tongchengpai is the most important literary schools in Qing dynasty,one of its difference is that,in Tongcheng prose writing,the writers use fiction writing methods into their prose,increase the interesting of literary,this paper will talk about the special features of Tongchengpai.


The Computer Aided Holo-Photoelastic Method (CAHPM) is applied to the determination of the holographic and photoeldstic stress optical coefficients of a material. The optical fields used are the absolute and relative retardation light intensity distributions. For the former, real time holography is employed and for the latter, half fringe photoelasticity is used. The coefficients corresponding to the principal stress sum (C') and difference (C) are calculated from a least squares fit of experimental whole field stress optical data to the corresponding theoretical stress distribution ILL a L:alibration sample. The data presented were obtained from a diametrically loaded disk and the section employed for the calibration was the centerline perpendicular to the load axis. For the coefficient determinations, the method requires that a total of eleven images be collected; eight phase shifted images of absolute retardation data and three images corresponding to light and dark field circular polariscopic fields for the loaded sample and the light field for the unloaded condition. The theory for the method is reviewed and the experimental setup is also shown. Finally, the influence of retardation plate errors on the calibration results as well as for stress predictions is discussed. Once the coefficients are known, CAHPM which includes our automated isoclinic analysis can be used for exact and total stress analysis of transparent two-dimensional structures without resort to iterative techniques.


Hornstedtia garbosa Naive & Alejandro, a new endemic species from southern Philippines, is here described and illustrated. This new species is comparable to H. microcheila Ridl. and H. sanhan M.F. Newman but distinct by its obovate labellum which is white with a red centre. Information on habitat and ecology as well as notes on its similarity to other probably allied species of the genus are provided. An identification key to the five recognized Philippine Hornstedtia species is also included.


Allopatric populations, such as those present on islands, pose special challenges to identifying taxonomic boundaries which can be practically addressed using diagnostic criteria. To assess the taxonomic and, hence, conservation status of the four island populations of the Greater Antillean Oriole (Icterus dominicensis), we examined 156 male specimens of I. dominicensis for six discrete and three continuous plumage characters. The four island populations proved to be 100% diagnosable. Icterus d. northropi differed from all other taxa by having the greatest extent of yellow on the venter (non-overlapping with other taxa). Icterus d. portoricensis was distinguished from all other taxa by the presence of a black upper rump (yellow in other taxa) and the least extent of yellow on the rump (non-overlapping with other taxa). Icterus d. melanopsis and I. d. dominicensis were fully discriminated from I. d. northropi and I. d. portoricensis by the aforementioned characters and from each other by upper-tail covert color (black and ≥ 50% yellow, respectively). Our findings support recent studies suggesting that the four island groups represent distinct allospecies consistent with interpretations of both the phylogenetic and evolutionary species concepts. With elevation to full species, conservation priorities need to be revisited, particularly for the critically endangered Bahamas taxon (I. d. northropi).


The SRF group at MSU had been collaborating with FermiLab on the development of cavities suitable for a proton driver [1]. During this collaboration, two single cell cavities from fine grain niobium (sheets supplied by Jlab, originating from CBMM with a specific Ta contents [2]) and two single cell cavities from large grain material were fabricated at MSU. The fine grain cavities were tested at MSU, whereas the cavities from large grain material were treated and tested at Jlab [3]. After the initial tests at MSU, Jlab was asked to evaluate the cavity performance after post-purification heat treatment at 1250 C. In addition, the SRF group at MSU had developed a " half-reentrant" cavity [4] with an optimized ratio of Hpeak/Eacc and after testing at MSU the interest in evaluating the performance of this cavity after post – purification arose and Jlab was asked to carry out these evaluation testing. This tech. note reports about the results from these experiments


Abstract:  Sampling bias can lead to erroneous interpretations of spatial genetic structure that can subsequently impact conservation efforts and management decisions. Genetic sampling of rare and elusive species can be challenging and, by necessity, samples are often collected opportunistically from multiple sources that could differ in spatial dispersion and timing of collection. Here we quantified the effects of timing of sample collection and sampling methods on spatial and temporal variability in sample dispersion and measures of American black bear (Ursus americanus) local spatial genetic structure. Hair (N = 890) and tissue (N = 1,017) samples were collected from Michigan's Northern Lower Peninsula (USA) during the summer using non-invasive (hair snares) and autumn harvest methods during 2003, 2005, and 2009. Point pattern analyses of sample dispersion revealed that sample density did not differ significantly between seasons or among years. Measures of spatial genetic structure (i.e., spatial autocorrelation) revealed significant positive genetic spatial structuring at distances of 0–10 km when samples were analyzed separately by year, season, and when temporally distinct samples were grouped. Local genetic spatial autocorrelation analyses revealed spatial genetic patterns over the entire study area were consistent across seasons and years. Spatial genetic structure is indicative of the extent of dispersal and gene flow, which is crucial for developing management plans for harvested species. Collectively, our data show that non-invasive and harvest collection methods similarly capture spatial genetic heterogeneity at the scale and spatial extent appropriate for management.


American politics is at a decisive historical conjuncture, one that resembles Gramsci's description of a Caesarian response to an organic crisis. The courts, as a lagging indicator, reveal this longstanding catastrophic equilibrium. Following an examination of class struggle 'from above', in this paper I trace how digital media instruments are used by different factions within the capitalist ruling class to capture and maintain the commanding heights of the American social structure. Using this hegemony, I argue that one can see the prospect of American Caesarism being institutionally entrenched via judicial appointments at the Supreme Court of the United States and other circuit courts.


ABSTRACT The efficiency of Trichoderma harzianum (MIAU 145 C) in promoting kidney bean (cv. Goli) growth in different soil texture (sandy loam, loam and clay loam) and organic matter content (0.5 and 2% of leaf litter) was assessed in a factorial experiment in the absence of Meloidogyne javanica. In another factorial experiment, the effect of soil texture, soil organic content and control measure (no control, 10 ml of T. harzianum containing 106 spore ml−1 and 2 mg ai cadusafos kg−1 soil) was determined on nematode-infected kidney bean's growth, fungus controlling activity and M. javanica reproduction. Except for the shoot length, the fungus improved plant growth. Clay loam was not a proper soil type for the cultivation of kidney bean plants (even in the soil without nematode), but the plant grew better in sandy loam and loam soil. The presence of leaf litter in the soil enhanced plant growth, increased fungal efficiency and increased nematode reproduction. It seems that T. harzianum can activate the plant defence system in sandy loam soil. T. harzianum was more effective in sandy loam or loam soil containing 2% organic matter (leaf litter) and reduced the reproduction factor of the nematode in the tested soil textures equally to the chemical nematicide treatment.


Abstract In this work, ultrasonic guided waves and a dual-branch version of convolutional neural networks are used to solve two different but related inverse problems, i.e., finding layup sequence type and identifying material properties. In the forward problem, polar group velocity representations are obtained for two fundamental Lamb wave modes using the stiffness matrix method. For the inverse problems, a supervised classification-based network is implemented to classify the polar representations into different layup sequence types (inverse problem − 1) and a regression-based network is utilized to identify the material properties (inverse problem − 2).


Mucin is a hyaluronic acid complex found in modest quantity in dermal connectives tissues. It serves as a protective barrier and supports tissue elasticity. Mucin has an important role as a response vehicle to injury and trauma in multiple body regions. Although thought to be produced by connective tissue, fibroblasts, and mast cells, the origin and regulatory mechanisms associated with production and absorption of mucin are largely unknown. Accumulation of unregulated large volumes of mucin in subcutaneous tissues can result in pain and limited wound healing when tissues over saturated with mucin are injured. Repair systems are less effective in edematous tissue as cell systems required for healing cannot accumulate at the site of injury in an organized enterprise manner. Clinically relevant forms of mucinosis have been described in hypothyroidism, thyrotoxicosis, and scleromyxedema associated with monoclonal gammopathies. Mucinosis has also been associated with systemic lupus, systemic sclerosis, and dermatomyositis including patients treated with chemoradiotherapy. In this paper we present a case report of an individual who had exhausted traditional therapies for mucinosis associated with an underlying thyroid disorder and had significant difficulty walking due to pain and discomfort in both her feet and distal lower extremities. We report on successful application of radiation therapy to effectively treat her symptoms.


The asymmetric Synthesis of (R)-α-substituted benzylamines with opticalyields 76~100% via the alkylation of a new chiral template-10-(N-o-hydroxyphenylamide)-N-benzyl-7, 7-dimethyl-dicyclo-[2. 2.1]-heptane-2-imine has been studied. According to theX-ray crystal structures of compounds 3 and 4 a. the combined effect of the steric inhibitionand chelation of the chiral template has been suggested to account for the stereochemistry ofthe reaction.


The present invention is based on the surprising result that packaging materials comprising at least one moisture modulating agent can significantly reduce moisture loss, physical damage, and/or microbial decay of produce. Inclusion of such moisture modulating agent(s) can provide at least one of the following advantages: (1) less disease development as compared to traditional packaging material; (2) fresher, firmer produce with less rot or defects (for example cracking or splitting); (3) better see-through as compared to traditional packaging material; (4) preventing the humidity inside the bag from coalescing into large drops or even pools of water (i.e., less water accumulation or moisture condensation within the package); and (5) providing sufficient gas transmission of oxygen (02)/carbon dioxide (C02) and/or a quality management agent, for example ethylene or 1-MCP, for better quality control during storage at room temperature (shelf life).


While the concept of a digital archive is familiar to almost everyone, it may be less understood how to identify digital outcomes as candidates for archiving. The Data Curation Profiles Toolkit is an instrument designed to interview data producers about their data, what they are doing with it and what they would like to do with it. Currently used primarily in the realm of academic scientific research, the Toolkit is agnostic to discipline and could be used to interview anyone who creates and/or produces digital outputs that may be managed, shared, disseminated or preserved. An example looking at dance, its digital outputs and artist expectations is discussed.


With the development of market economy,China's marketoriented rural transport for public service has also made great progress,but we should also note that the rural transport for public service in China lags far behind the economic development,it can not meet social and public demand.Through analyzing the current situation of China's rural transport for public service,it finds that the major problem in rural transport for public service is the low degree of marketization.It also points out the necessity of marketization of rural transport for public service from the factors of suppliers,consumers' benefit and market management.Then it gives the measures for the marketoriented rural transport for public service from four aspects like changing the government's founction in public service,guiding and supporting market development,innovating suppling mode of infrastructure for rural transport and perfecting relevant laws and regulations.


The Late Breaking Science abstracts were originally presented at the 57th American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in San Francisco, CA. These abstracts highlight the most current research by neurologists, neuroscientists, and other applicable researchers whose work is of major scientific importance or interest, warranting expedited presentation and publication. Key aspects of the research must have been conducted after the December 1 abstract deadline. Because of the late deadline for these abstracts, they were not included in the Program Issue.


This review summarizes clinical reports pathologic reports epidemiologic studies and mortality trends of cerebrovascular disease in oral contraceptive users in an attempt to determine possible associations and to discover biologic mechanisms of this disease. Clinical reports of cerebrovascular disease in otherwise healthy young women are increasing. Most of these reports show an elevated proportion of oral contraceptive use among cases. These young women resemble those in studies of cerebrovascular disease patients who were taking the pill in often aving a history of vascular headaches no atherogenic lesions but lesions usually confined to intracranial arteries. About one fourth of these women had vertebrobasilar artery distribution stroke. Sparse pathologic data suggest multiple fibrinoid degeneration and hemorrhagic infarction in small arteries prior to thrombosis of a major cerebral artery. Mortality statistics for this disease (ICD 332 334) are not increasing but this may reflect a decrease in cerebrovascular deaths related to pregnancy which masks an increase in death among pill users. Several case-controlled retrospective studies estimate about a 6-fold increase in relative risk of cerebral thrombosis for pill users.


Background
Many years of experience in operating tees shows that the accident rate on these areas of pipeline systems is the highest. Accident and emergency situations on the tees can be caused by a variety of reasons, ranging from defects in construction works, and ending with the longitudinal-transverse displacements of buried pipelines. Therefore, the problem of investigating the stress state of underground tees in specific operating conditions is one of the most important. Not less important is the question of correct and optimal choice of research method.
Aims and Objectives
Analyze the existing full-scale methods of stress state of underground tees. Provide specific recommendations on the study of the stress-strain state of tees.
Methods
Comparative analysis.
Results
The analysis of the existing natural investigation methods of tense-deformed underground pipeline state is given. The main merits and demerits of contact and non-contact measuring methods are presented in detail. Examples of using mortgage controlling and measuring apparatus on engineering constructions of industrial and civil objects, underground pipelines in particular are investigated. Similar monitoring system for underground T-joints is proposed to be worked out.


Abstract We investigate four-dimensional CR submanifolds in six-dimensional strict nearly Kähler manifolds. We construct a moving frame that nicely corresponds to their CR structure and use it to investigate CR submanifolds that admit a special type of doubly twisted product structure. Moreover, we single out a class of CR submanifolds containing this type of doubly twisted submanifolds. Further, in a particular case of the sphere S6(1)$ \mathbb{S}^{6}(1) $, we show that the two families of four-dimensional CR submanifolds, those that admit a three-dimensional geodesic distribution and those ruled by totally geodesic spheres S3$ \mathbb{S}^{3} $ coincide, and give their classification, which as a subfamily contains a family of doubly twisted CR submanifolds.


Background: Cognitive impairment in the elderly is a common condition and, in most instances, primary care providers are the first point of contact for a patient and family. This study was aimed to find out the association between socio-demographic profile and severity of cognitive impairment in elder patients presenting with new onset of psychiatric symptoms.Methods: A cross sectional study was done among elder subjects (≥60 years of age) presented with new onset of psychiatric symptoms during one year period. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the socio-demographic details such as age, sex, education, occupation, socio-economic status and marital status. Mini International Neuropsychiatric interview and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale were used for psychiatric diagnosis and severity of cognitive impairment grading, respectively. Association between socio-demographic data and cognitive impairment was statistically analyzed.Results: Among the 67 subjects included in the study, 76.2% had cognitive impairment. Majority of the subjects were females (56.7%) in the age group of 66-70 years. The association between cognitive impairment and sex (p=0.006), education (p=0.002) and occupation (p=0.015) were significant. But no significant association between cognitive impairment and marital status (p=0.0137) or socioeconomic status (p=0.400) was evidenced.Conclusions: Females in the age group of 66-70 years were more prevalent to cognitive impairment. The association between sex, education, occupation and severity of cognitive impairment was significant. No significant association between severity of cognitive impairment score and marital status or socioeconomic status was found.


The French Health Authority (has, 2011) recommends a reduction in the use of drug therapies in residences for dependent elderly people and favours the adoption of emerging technologies like the paro robot. This study's goal was to better understand the habits and dynamics created by this robot within institutions and their impacts on carer-resident and family-resident interactions through a series of interviews and observations. The first results of this study show that appropriation of the robot leads to more diverse and frequent use better tailored to the patients' needs, especially once their relatives have departed. Further results indicate that visual interaction increases when the robot is in use and that the patients adopt a face-to-face posture more readily, thus boosting the potential for non-verbal communication.


Simple Summary Here, we review the last pre-clinical and clinical studies published in the last five years where natural killer (NK) cells have been administered as an immunotherapy option for the treatment of cancer patients. We describe studies administering NK cells alone and in combination with monoclonal antibodies that either promote antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity or block immune checkpoint receptors. We review the use of genetically modified NK cells including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified NK cells and other modifications that can enhance the anti-tumor activity of NK cells. Moreover, we describe studies related to the antimicrobial activity of NK cells as we believe they demonstrate important lessons that we can learn and apply to improve the anti-tumor activity of NK cells. All these studies are described with the aim to find tips to improve the success of NK cells as an immunotherapy option in cancer patients. Abstract Natural killer (NK) cells are potent anti-tumor and anti-microbial cells of our innate immune system. They are equipped with a vast array of receptors that recognize tumor cells and other pathogens. The innate immune activity of NK cells develops faster than the adaptive one performed by T cells, and studies suggest an important immunoregulatory role for each population against the other. The association, observed in acute myeloid leukemia patients receiving haploidentical killer-immunoglobulin-like-receptor-mismatched NK cells, with induction of complete remission was the determinant to begin an increasing number of clinical studies administering NK cells for the treatment of cancer patients. Unfortunately, even though transfused NK cells demonstrated safety, their observed efficacy was poor. In recent years, novel studies have emerged, combining NK cells with other immunotherapeutic agents, such as monoclonal antibodies, which might improve clinical efficacy. Moreover, genetically-modified NK cells aimed at arming NK cells with better efficacy and persistence have appeared as another option. Here, we review novel pre-clinical and clinical studies published in the last five years administering NK cells as a monotherapy and combined with other agents, and we also review chimeric antigen receptor-modified NK cells for the treatment of cancer patients. We then describe studies regarding the role of NK cells as anti-microbial effectors, as lessons that we could learn and apply in immunotherapy applications of NK cells; these studies highlight an important immunoregulatory role performed between T cells and NK cells that should be considered when designing immunotherapeutic strategies. Lastly, we highlight novel strategies that could be combined with NK cell immunotherapy to improve their targeting, activity, and persistence.


Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology | November-December 2012 | Vol 78 | Issue 6 760 A pruritic variant of porokeratosis. J Dermatol 2006;33:813-6. 4. Choi KH, Kim TY. A case of inflammatory disseminated superficial porokeratosis in a colon cancer patient. Ann Dermatol 2009;21:150-3. 5. Stork J, Kodetová D. Disseminated superficial porokeratosis: An eruptive pruritic papular variant. Dermatol 1997;195:3045.


In sauce make technique, cooking way affect the quality of sauce and the utilization ratio in sauce material.This paper introduced new system development of Japan continuous cooking way for de - fatted soybean.


Abstract 1235 Ku70 is a key component of the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway; Ku70-deficient mice are hypersensitive to radiation and show a leaky SCID phenotype. We find that HSC from Ku70-deficient mice are severely impaired in maintenance, defective in self-renewal, competitive repopulation and BM hematopoietic niche occupancy. HSCs from Ku70-deficient mice are not prone to spontaneous apoptosis, however, they display more active proliferation, and fewer cells in a quiescent state than HSC obtained from WT mice. Further, gene expression profiling showed that multiple HSC quiescence- related genes such as c-MPL and p57 were significantly downregulated in Ku70-deficient HSCs. These data suggested that loss of quiescence results in the dramatic defect in the maintenance of Ku70-deficient HSC. Bcl2 plays important roles in both anti-apoptosis and anti-proliferation, while the anti-apoptosis function of Bcl2 has been extensively studied and well established in various settings, including HSCs, the anti-proliferation function of Bcl2 in HSC has yet to be investigated. To exam whether overexpression of Bcl2 can rescue the HSC defect in Ku70-deficient mice, H2K- Bcl2 transgenic/Ku70-deficient double mutant mice were generated. Though overexpression of Bcl2 does not rescue the SCID phenotype in Ku70-deficient mice, overexpression of Bcl2 in Ku70-deficient HSCs almost completely rescued the impaired HSC quiescence, repopulation and BM hematopoietic niche occupancy capacities. At the transcriptional level, overexpression of Bcl2 restored the expression of c-MPL and p57 comparable to WT levels. However, additional deletion of Bax, a pro-apoptosis protein in the Bcl2 family, in Ku70-deficient mice could not rescue the HSC repopulation defect, suggesting that apoptosis is not the main mediator for the impaired HSC maintenance in Ku70-deficient mice. Together, our data indicate that the HSC maintenance defect of Ku70-deficient mice is due to the loss of HSC quiescence populations, whereas overexpression of Bcl2 rescues the HSC defect in Ku70-deficient mice by restoration of quiescence. Our study uncovers a novel role of Bcl2 in hematopoietic stem cell quiescence regulation. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Asymmetrical properties of ion transport have been found in single conical nanopores and partly charged nano-channels. Recently, nanofluidic diodes based on this novel phenomenon have been fabricated. To generally understand the mechanism of the ionic current rectification, we study the ionic electric behaviours in several kinds of nanopores based on Poisson–Nernst–Planck equations. The calculated results show that for a partly charged nanopore, the geometry of the uncharged section, which might have been overlooked previously, has a substantial influence on current rectification. In addition, surface charge distribution is also an influential factor in current rectification. In particular, for a long homogeneously charged conical nanopore, the electrical and geometric properties of the section near the nanopore tip with a length of hundreds of nanometres are mainly responsible for the ionic current rectification. This result is consistent with the results of recent experiments on nanofluidic diodes.


Significance Our results show that the experience of being alone has immediate consequences on brain gene activity. Clearly this is important for the human context, where loneliness (i.e., perceived social isolation) is a risk factor for psychological and neurodegenerative disorders. As the response occurs in brain areas involved in higher-order cognition and perception, these changes in gene activity may influence the ongoing processing of experience. Prior studies in humans have measured effects of social isolation in circulating leukocytes, but not in brain, and studies in mammalian models have typically focused on effects of much longer isolation periods (weeks or more). The results also bear on interpretation of animal experiments where short-term isolation is used to establish the baseline reference condition. Prolonged social isolation has negative effects on brain and behavior in humans and other social organisms, but neural mechanisms leading to these effects are not understood. Here we tested the hypothesis that even brief periods of social isolation can alter gene expression and DNA methylation in higher cognitive centers of the brain, focusing on the auditory/associative forebrain of the highly social zebra finch. Using RNA sequencing, we first identified genes that individually increase or decrease expression after isolation and observed general repression of gene sets annotated for neurotrophin pathways and axonal guidance functions. We then pursued 4 genes of large effect size: EGR1 and BDNF (decreased by isolation) and FKBP5 and UTS2B (increased). By in situ hybridization, each gene responded in different cell subsets, arguing against a single cellular mechanism. To test whether effects were specific to the social component of the isolation experience, we compared gene expression in birds isolated either alone or with a single familiar partner. Partner inclusion ameliorated the effect of solo isolation on EGR1 and BDNF, but not on FKBP5 and UTS2B nor on circulating corticosterone. By bisulfite sequencing analysis of auditory forebrain DNA, isolation caused changes in methylation of a subset of differentially expressed genes, including BDNF. Thus, social isolation has rapid consequences on gene activity in a higher integrative center of the brain, triggering epigenetic mechanisms that may influence processing of ongoing experience.


AIM:To investigate the relationship between the intima-media thickness(IMT)of common carotid artery and the serum level of adiponectin(APN)in elder patients with coronary heart disease(CHD).METHODS:Sixty-eight elder patients with CHD were divided into three groups according to the degree of the IMT:the intima thickening group,the plaque formation group and the vascular stenosis group.Serum APN was measured by ELISA,and compared with that in 24 healthy subjects.RESULTS:The serum level of APN in CHD patients [(9.8±4.2)mg/L] was significantly lower than that in control group [(13.9±4.7)mg/L].The difference was significant between the two groups(P0.01).In addition,the serum level of APN decreased with the increase of vascular stenosis extent.The serum APN levels in plaque formation group and vascular stenosis group were significantly lower than that in intima thickness group(P0.05).CONCLUSION:APN is significantly correlated with IMT,suggesting that APN is involved in the development of the vascular stenosis in the patients with CHD.APN may be a new marker for surveillance on IMT.


The present invention provides easily gelled and can form highly electrically insulating solder resist layer carboxyl group-containing resin. Carboxyl group-containing resin of the present invention has a biphenyl novolac epoxy resin having an epoxy group has an addition structure of a portion of the carboxylic acid, the polybasic carboxylic acid comprising at least at least.


An experiment was carried out in Botucatu , state of Sao Paulo , Brazil, to evaluate the use of chlorophyll meter reading, in nitrogen necessity prediction in corn, Zea mays L., through a nitrogen sufficiency index (NSI). NSI was calculated at four (V 4 ), seven (V 7 ), ten (V 10 ) leaves stage and in tasseling, dividing the measure of the chlorophyll meter reading in the plot by the measure in an area that received a high N rate (200kg N ha -1 ). One day before the planting, 0 and 60kg ha -1 were applied. (kg N ha -1 ) were applied in plots that did not receive N: 0; 60 in V 4 and 40 in V 7 ; 42 in V 4 and 28 in V 7 ; 20 and 35kg N ha -1 when the NSI -1 ) were applied in plots that received N: 24 in V 4 and 16 in V 7 ; 20 and 35kg N ha -1 when NSI < 0,95. The use of NSI allowed to define when N should be applied by starting from seven leaves stage.


A recent experiment [J. L. Garrett, D. A. T. Somers, and J. N. Munday, Phys. Rev. Lett {\bf 120}, 040401 (2018)] measured for the first time the gradient of the Casimir force between two gold spheres in vacuum at room temperature, and placed a bound on the magnitude of the deviation of the measured force from the proximity force approximation (PFA). The present work extends a previous theoretical analysis of this experiment [G. Bimonte, Phys. Rev. D {\bf 97}, 085011 (2018)], by analyzing in detail how the magnitude of the deviation from PFA is affected by the inclusion or neglect of ohmic dissipation at zero frequency, a much debated issue in the current Casimir literature, which goes by the name of the Drude vs plasma controversy. We analyze as well the effect of connecting the plates to charge reservoirs, which is the standard configuration used in Casimir experiments. We describe a simple and effective decimation procedure, allowing for a faster computation of the Casimir force for large aspect ratios of the system.


Specimens of 22 species of pycnogonids belonging to twelve genera and seven families were collected during a cruise near Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands. Twenty two of the 94 stations yielded pycnogonids: the new species Ammothea hesperidensis is described fully, illustrated, and compared with similar species. The family Nymphonidae provided both the greatest diversity of species (seven) and number of specimens (35). The most abundant species were Achelia hoekii and Nymphon australe.


The present invention, high power, such as plasma treatment, suitable for high voltage applications, soft switching interleaved power converter is provided. These converters, switching loss, and the reverse recovery loss of the diode greatly reduced, enabling operation at high switching frequencies. Peak reverse recovery current of the diode is substantially less than peak forward operating currents of these diodes. Said power converter is operated by interleaving the switching patterns, are respectively connected to the input terminal of the inductor assembly having also common terminal, it incorporates a power converter cell comprising a plurality of switching assemblies. Inductance between each pair of input terminals is less than the inductance between the common terminal of the input terminal and the inductor assembly.


This study was made to analyze the housing adjustment phenomenon in the first half of Chosun Dynasty by applying Microsociological approach. By reviewing the housing adjustment theory of Morris and Winter, research model for the period was developed in terms of socioeconomic characteristics, normative housing deficit (=cultural norm-housing condition+family norm), constraints, behavioral propensities, and housing adjustment mechanism with the following results : 1. In the first half of Chosun Dynasty the size of the house, the house site and decorating items were specified by law (cultural norm) according to the social status. Although the law was constraints for the housing phenomenon, it was not applied universally. Frequantly the law was violated by the upper class. By the middle of the Dynasty the family norm became more important for the housing phenomenon than the cultural norm. 2. Efforts were made to practice the Confucianism as a cultural norm in the first half of Chosun Dynasty At that time Husband-Living-in-Wife's-House was more popular than Wife-Living-in-Husband's-House. Because the customs were against the Confucianism, the latter was encouraged by law. But it did not change. Instead a compromised system became popular in the middle of the Dynasty. The house shrine was practiced to increase the symbolism of the family, which, in turn, exerted influences in deciding the housing site (cultural norm). These cultural norm was not accepted as the family norm untill the second half of the Dynasty. These trends forced the man and woman use separate areas of the house, and formulated a hierarchic positions within a house. 3. It was shown that the settlement of Confucianism as a family norm was closely related to the popularization of the Ondol system in the house, which functioned as one of the behavioral propensities to encourage diversity of space for many purposes. Though the Ondol system was accepted as a useful heating system earlier, this became more popular in the middle of the Dynasty because the housing pattern with Ondol fitted very well with a large family system with patriarchism. Ondol system for one or two rooms substituted Ondol for all rooms in the second half of the Dynasty. 4. From the beginning of the Dynasty housing adjustment of the family was determined by the social status and by law (cultural norm). Within this cultural norm each family decided its adjustment mechanism according to its economic ability (family norm). Family norm was more important factor than the cultural norm to determine the micro-space pattern in the house. But this period witnessed the formations of new conditions by the ruling class's efforts to implement new ethics for hierarchy and sexual discrimination. According to these conditions the Confucianism overruled the family norm in the later period.


During the epididymal transit of spermatozoa, their membranes become coated with glycoproteins, which may play an important role in fertilization. One of these glycoproteinshas been purifiedfrom ratepididymides. Ithas a molecular weight of 37,500 daltons,and an isolectricpoint of 4.7. By use of a specificradioimmunoassay, it was shown thatthisglycoprotein isdetected only in the epididymis and the deferent duct. Itisdetectable at 20 days of age and increasesprogressivelyto reach a plateaubetween 3 and 4 months of age (15.7 ± 0.9 �tg/mg protein, mean ± SD, n = 20). It disappears after castration and reappears after testosterone treatment. Estrogens have no effect on itsproduction. lmmunohistochemical studiesshow that itisproduced by epithelial cellsof the caput (distalto the initialsegment) and of the corpus epididymidis and suggestthat its resorptiontakesplace in the cauda epididymidis and the deferentduct.


Improvisation is the decision-making process addressing unexpected obstacles in a spontaneous but rational manner. Although undesirable, as it indicates deviation from plans, improvisation is unavoidable in construction to address issues related to unforeseen uncertainties. An adaptive planning system employing improvisation to react rapidly to unplanned events may therefore boost the performance in construction projects. Accordingly, this research aims to predict the outcomes of construction planning processes from an improvisational perspective by better understanding the dynamics of improvisation. It seeks to identify how different variations of improvisational parameters influence the improvisational outcome. This objective is achieved through an agent-based model used to simulate the improvisation practices at the level of planners interacting together. Parameters relating to planners, projects, and problems influencing each planner's improvisational means are illustrated in the model. The model's inputs were validated through data from large-sized projects. Linear regression models that predict the results of the improvisational practices were then developed through simulation experiments. Findings regarding the impacts of different types of improvisors on the improvisational outcomes are presented. The contribution of this study lies in enhancing the overall improvisational performance in construction planning to ultimately guide decision makers and planners to better handle uncertainties in projects.


This study develops a conceptual framework that captures key dimensions of product-market relatedness (i.e., product and customer relatedness) and business-model relatedness (i.e., value-proposition and distribution-channel relatedness). While previous research has typically investigated how related diversification along the product dimension affects performance, this study argues that superior performance may be driven by heretofore widely neglected intangible dimensions of relatedness beyond the product dimension. We test this argument using a unique dataset of 170 multiunit chain organizations for the period from 1999 to 2010. We first verify prior empirical findings by showing that related product diversification alone appears to be positively related to performance. Moreover, beyond previous findings, results show that related diversification along the customer and value-proposition dimensions also increases performance. Interestingly, the tangible product dimension of relatedness becomes insignificant in combination with intangible relatedness dimensions, providing support for our argument that superior performance is mainly driven by resource flows along intangible dimensions of relatedness.


The main directions of trade and economic cooperation of Kyrgyzstan at the present stage are considered. Structural changes in trade and economic cooperation of Kyrgyzstan are identified in the context of deepening integration processes. The assessment of foreign economic activity of Kyrgyzstan is presented. The factors of unbalanced development of the foreign trade turnover of Kyrgyzstan, as well as a decrease in the volume of attracting foreign investment, are highlighted. The positive shifts in the foreign trade of Kyrgyzstan within the framework of the EAEU and the efficiency of the use of investments of the main economic partners are determined. The directions of the effective use of potential and prospects for improving trade and economic cooperation of Kyrgyzstan within the EAEU and the implementation of the Silk Road integration model are substantiated. Particularly highlighted are the opportunities for the dynamic development of foreign economic cooperation of Kyrgyzstan with the countries of Central Asia for the joint use of the economic potential of the region.


This book contains nine chapters, progressing from an "Introduction to Ultrawideband, Short- Pulse Radio Systems" to "Transmitting, Receiving, and Arrays Antenna Design and Analysis." It offers a comprehensive treatment of the methods, analysis, and practice of impulse and ultrawideband (UWB) systems and explores UWB sources, antennas, propagation, electromagnetic theory, and practical systems. It also includes practical guidance on how to build antennas and radio hardware for high-power wideband impulse signals and presents both theoretical and experimental results in the time frequency domain. Further, this book explains and discusses the scattering of UWB electromagnetic pulses by conducting and dielectric objects as well as the impulse response of objects; it also includes coverage of the propagation channel. The reader gains insight into the development of the high-power source of UWB radiation with megavolt effective potential on the base of combined antenna arrays. The book has been translated into English from Russian, with many listed references in Russian. This text covers both theory and practical information on UWB short-pulse radio systems. A UWB radio designer can use many of the examples as a starting point to ensure that he or she is beginning on the right foot. Various examples of test data, parameters, and charts can serve as checkpoint comparisons for an original design. Ultrawideband Short- Pulse Radio Systems is an extremely useful guidebook for any radio designer.


Sensors are being used as laboratory and in-situ techniques for characterization and definition of raw material properties. However, application of sensor technologies for underground mining resource extraction is very limited and highly dependent on the geological and operational environment. In our study the potential of RGB imaging, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy and Hyperspectral imaging for the characterization of polymetallic sulphide minerals in a test case of the Reiche Zeche underground mine was investigated.


Van der Waals bonding relaxes the constraints of lattice matching, making two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides attractive in the field of epitaxy. Recently, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) of MoSe2 was demonstrated on a variety of substrates. Here, the authors use MBE to investigate the early stages of 2D nucleation of MoSe2 grown on Si in pursuit of controlled monolayer island size. The 2D nucleation rate varies by a factor of >2 over a narrow substrate temperature range of 550–560 °C. Above 560 °C, the desorption rate of Se from the surface exceeds the nucleation rate leading to fully suppressed 2D monolayer nucleation. X-ray diffraction confirms (001) oriented MoSe2 on Si (111). Raman spectra are consistent with 1–3 monolayer-thick MoSe2, in agreement with atomic force microscopy measurements of the monolayer height of 2D islands.Van der Waals bonding relaxes the constraints of lattice matching, making two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides attractive in the field of epitaxy. Recently, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) of MoSe2 was demonstrated on a variety of substrates. Here, the authors use MBE to investigate the early stages of 2D nucleation of MoSe2 grown on Si in pursuit of controlled monolayer island size. The 2D nucleation rate varies by a factor of >2 over a narrow substrate temperature range of 550–560 °C. Above 560 °C, the desorption rate of Se from the surface exceeds the nucleation rate leading to fully suppressed 2D monolayer nucleation. X-ray diffraction confirms (001) oriented MoSe2 on Si (111). Raman spectra are consistent with 1–3 monolayer-thick MoSe2, in agreement with atomic force microscopy measurements of the monolayer height of 2D islands.


Two projects are described in this dissertation related to radiopharmaceuticals, drugs containing a radioactive atom, with potential applications to nuclear medicine. The first project describes an alternative method for delivering a radioactive drug to its target site in the body while potentially minimizing the radiation dose to non-target tissues. This method involved the development of radiolabeled chelates capable of forming a strong bond with synthetically modified antibodies. The stability of the synthesized radiolabeled chelates were evaluated in animal models, and demonstrated that the radiolabeled chelates are ideal candidates this application. The second project described in this dissertation involves the separation and purification of radiolanthanides that are commonly used in nuclear medicine for cancer treatment. This study proposes an effective separation method, which minimizes the processing time and offers an alternative approach which saves time and money.


Pitaya species cultivation in Brazil is recent, and information on the production of the species Selenicereus megalanthus, known as yellow pitaya, is non-existent because research in the country has focused on the species Hylocereus undatus. The research was carried out with the objective of evaluating the reproductive phenology of the species S. megalanthus, in a high-altitude climate conditions in Brazil. The study orchard of yellow pitaya was located at an altitude of 726 metres, 18º 04' 15" S latitude and 43º 28' 15" W longitude, and has an Aw climate, classified as high-altitude tropical. Phenological evaluations were carried out through visual observations, from the beginning of floral button formation until the end of the fruit harvest, during three production cycles. On each plant, flower buds were marked to determine the time from floral button formation until flower anthesis and from flower fertilisation until fruit ripening. The period of flowering and harvesting of the yellow pitaya was determined according to the phenological stage records. Flowering began in the spring, with successive flowering events until the autumn. The time between floral button formation until anthesis ranged from 46 to 55 days. The time from flower fertilisation until fruit ripening ranged from 96 to 110 days. Fruit harvest began in the summer and ended in winter. The reproductive cycle of S. megalanthus is longer than H. undatus and H. polyrhizus, which are also cultivated in Brazil, ranging from 147 to 166 days from floral button formation to fruit harvest.


Organocatalysis: a modified Feist-Bénary reaction employing acyclic β-ketoesters as the dinucleophile and (E)-β,β-bromo nitrostyrenes as the dielectrophile was developed for the asymmetric synthesis of 2,3-dihydrofurans. L-Threonine-derived tertiary amine/thiourea catalysts were found to be the most efficient catalysts, inducing the reaction in a highly enantioselective manner (TBDPS=tert-butyldiphenylsilyl).


The expression of protein-coding genes is enhanced by the exquisite coupling of transcription by RNA polymer-ase II with pre-messenger RNA processing reactions, such as 5 0-end capping, splicing and 3 0-end formation. Integration between cotranscriptional processing events extends beyond the nucleus, as proteins that bind cotranscriptionally can affect the localization, translation and degradation of the mature messenger RNA. MicroRNAs are RNA polymerase II transcripts with crucial roles in the regulation of gene expression. Recent data demonstrate that processing of primary microRNA transcripts might be yet another cotranscriptional event that is woven into this elaborate nuclear network. This review discusses the extensive molecular interactions that couple the earliest steps in gene expression and therefore influence the final fate and function of the mature messenger RNA or microRNA produced. Introduction In vertebrates, RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is responsible for the transcription of genes encoding proteins and many noncoding RNAs, including most microRNAs (miRNAs). For each of these gene classes, the initial primary transcript undergoes a number of processing reactions to produce the final RNA product or products. Most of these RNA remodeling steps occur in the cell nucleus. In the case of protein-coding genes, the initial transcript , or pre-messenger (pre-mRNA), contains both coding sequences – exons – and intervening noncoding sequences – introns. Pre-mRNA processing involves 5 0-end capping, the removal of introns by means of splicing, and 3 0-end clea-vage and polyadenylation (CPA) to produce the final messenger RNA (mRNA; Figure 1a). Many pre-mRNAs are subjected to additional processing steps, such as editing and surveillance, which can further influence the coding potential of transcripts [1,2]. Furthermore, several types of noncoding RNAs, such as small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) and small Cajal body-associated RNAs (scaRNAs), are released from some introns of select pre-mRNA transcripts [3]. The most recently discovered class of genes transcribed by RNAPII is the miRNA class. These tiny RNAs post-transcriptionally control expression of their target messenger RNAs and govern cellular functions ranging from