Abstract: Motivation/Background: Antibiotics are commonly overused and misused what increase the emergence of resistant organisms, side- effects and costs. To assess the appropriate use of antibiotics many methods are available. The aim of the present study is to find correlation between antibiotic use and case mix index (CMI) in Slovenian hospitals.
Method: In retrospective study (in the years between 2004 and 2013) we correlated the total consumption of antibiotics for systemic use and CMI. Weighted linear regression test analysis was performed to determine correlation between defined daily dose (DDD) / 100 admissions and DDD / 100 bed-days and CMI.
Results: The total antibiotic consumption in all included hospitals was in mean 317.69 DDD / 100 admissions and 58.88 DDD / 100 bed days, respectively. CMI range were from 1.25 to 3.55. A significant correlation between consumption expressed in DDD / 100 admissions and CMI (p = 0.028) and DDD / 100 bed days and CMI (p =0.008) was found. Conclusions: Thus, detailed analysis of correlations between DDD of antibiotics and CMI may constitutes a proper use of antibiotics.


We study explained variation under the additive hazards regression model for right‐censored data. We consider different approaches for developing such a measure, and focus on one that estimates the proportion of variation in the failure time explained by the covariates. We study the properties of the measure both analytically, and through extensive simulations. We apply the measure to a well‐known survival dataset as well as the linked surveillance, epidemiology, and end results‐Medicare database for prediction of mortality in early stage prostate cancer patients using high‐dimensional claims codes.


tinuing difficulties that beset attempts to set up predictive (and indeed descriptive) models. A reader would be soundly advised to begin with the general preface, and then to take the introductions to the various parts seriatim. The work is reproduced by photolitho from uniform typescript which contains very few errors. Editing, one may judge, has been as firm as it has been highly effective. Each chapter carries its own list of references; the collection as a whole


During the recent years, there has been an increasing interest in multivariate frequency analysis of hydrological variables, e.g., those describing extreme events like rainfall, floods, or droughts. The multivariate analysis provides a better understanding of the phenomena under investigation and an additional insight about the interrelationships between the different variables (e.g., peak, volume, and duration of the flood), exploiting the complete structure of the problem and making a full use of the available data. However, while the developments on multivariate analysis of hydrological data have produced a large body of literature, a clear assessment of the use of these methods in the design and risk assessment of hydraulic structures is still a matter of debate. In the present work, we illustrate a general, structure‐based framework for the design and/or risk assessment of hydraulic structures in a bivariate environment; we also compare it to recently proposed methods which are based on the assumption of hydrological design events (as is customary in the univariate context). For illustration purposes, both the structure‐based and the design event‐based approaches are applied to the design of an idealized structure, thus exploring the differences among the methods as function of the parameters involved. Our work highlights that the return period of structure failure in a multivariate environment strictly depends on the particular structure under design, and in most cases, the design of a hydraulic structure cannot be based on a single, hydrological multivariate design event. This acts as a warning for practitioners against the use of design methods based on single hydrological events, as usually done in the context of univariate hydrology, thus neglecting the interplay between the structure and the hydrological loads acting on it.


This paper proposes a video security scheme called '%vent Shullle" for the MPEG video compression standards. The prominent feature of the scheme is a shufning of coefficient events generated after DCT transformation stage of MPEG. Experimental results show that this scheme provides no bit overhead for MPEG bitstream while achieving low processing overhead to MPEG codec. This new scheme makes a significant contribution to the development of secure video communication systems.


The Medical Device Amendment of May 28, 1976, to the Food and Drug Act empowers the Food and Drug Administration to regulate and set standards for all medical devices from tongue blades to dialysis units. The FDA has set up "advisory panels" with consumer, industry, and professional representation to offer it advice as to whether particular devices require standards, premarket clearance, or quality control. The involvement of nongovernmental agencies in the writing of standards is hoped for but not assured. It is unlikely that cost will be a factor in assessing safety and efficacy. There is ample opportunity during the administration of the law to "lobby" the FDA either directly, through the advisory panel hearings, or in public hearings. Everyone interested in medical devices is concerned about their safety and efficacy. Standards themselves, however, must also be relevant, safe, efficacious, and cost-effective. Standards may be written and the law administered


Abstract: This research aims to determine the effect of perceived entertainment and subjective norms on word of mouth with consumer satisfaction as mediation in the mobile shopping consumers of the city of Banda Aceh, Aceh. This research method uses the google form as a research instrument. Saturated sampling and purposive sampling are used as sampling techniques. The PLS (Partial Least Square) analysis method is used as an analytical method to determine the effect of the variables involved. The results of this study indicate that perceived entertainment has a positive and significant effect on word of mouth, subjective norms have a positive and significant effect on word of mouth, perceived entertainment does not have a positive and insignificant effect on customer satisfaction, subjective norms have a positive and significant effect on customer satisfaction, perceived Entertainment has a negative effect on word of mouth with consumer satisfaction as mediation, and subjective norms have a positive and significant effect on word of mouth with consumer satisfaction as mediation. Keyword: Perceived Entertainment, Subjective Norms, Customer Satisfaction. Customer Loyaltiy, Word of Mouth .


Inhibition of PCSK9 function is associated with an increase in pathogen lipid clearance, a decrease in the innate immune inflammatory response, and an improvement in septic shock clinical outcome. An Enemy of Translation Despite nearly 100 clinical trials, potential drugs against murine-derived therapeutic targets for sepsis—a deadly condition caused by overactivation of the innate immune response to microbial infection—have been immune to translation. But humans and microbes have long coexisted fairly symbiotically and have come to share certain biological pathways. Now, Walley et al. show that both host- and pathogen-derived lipids use clearance mechanisms that highlight a well-known protein—proprotein convertase subtilisin/kesin type 9 (PCSK9)—as a possible therapeutic target for selected sepsis patients. The authors show that, compared to wild-type mice, Pcsk9 knockout mice displayed a dampening of various pathophysiological responses to a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria. Also, PCSK9 protein inhibited LPS uptake by human liver cells, a crucial step in systemic LPS clearance. Pharmacological inhibition of PCSK9 enhanced survival of mice with polymicrobial peritonitis, a sepsis model. Last, PCSK9 loss-of-function genetic variants were associated with improved survival in septic shock patients. Drugs that reduce serum cholesterol by inhibiting PCSK9 are being studied in clinical trials as treatments for cardiovascular disease. Then, new work suggests that PCSK9-targeted drugs should be tested in clinical trials with sepsis patients who carry the PCSK9 gain-of-function variant. A decrease in the activity of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) increases the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors on liver cells and, therefore, LDL clearance. The clearance of lipids from pathogens is related to endogenous lipid clearance; thus, PCSK9 may also regulate removal of pathogen lipids such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Compared to controls, Pcsk9 knockout mice displayed decreases in inflammatory cytokine production and in other physiological responses to LPS. In human liver cells, PCSK9 inhibited LPS uptake, a necessary step in systemic clearance and detoxification. Pharmacological inhibition of PCSK9 improved survival and inflammation in murine polymicrobial peritonitis. Human PCSK9 loss-of-function genetic variants were associated with improved survival in septic shock patients and a decrease in inflammatory cytokine response both in septic shock patients and in healthy volunteers after LPS administration. The PCSK9 effect was abrogated in LDL receptor (LDLR) knockout mice and in humans who are homozygous for an LDLR variant that is resistant to PCSK9. Together, our results show that reduced PCSK9 function is associated with increased pathogen lipid clearance via the LDLR, a decreased inflammatory response, and improved septic shock outcome.


Exterior insulation finishing systems (EIFS) have been widely used in construction ofresidential buildings in recent decades. Since many of the buildings have been affectedby dampness, it is recommended to build ventilated facades instead. This type offacade is easy to create with great variety by using facade panels.This diploma work has been done at NCC in Uppsala. The aim of the work is to assistproject leaders, purchaser and site managers in the choice of attachment system forfuture projects with facade panels. The project being studied is Kvarntornen inUppsala, an eleven-storey building with a facade of aluminum panels. The project usesNCC's standard outer wall, a curtain-wall with wooden studs.The diploma work consisted of interviews with people who work or have workedwith facade panels and their attachment, such as suppliers and people involved inprevious projects at NCC. The factors that have been in focus are material usage,work environment, and cost to find the attachment systems and working platformspossible to use at Kvarntornen.The result shows that it is most profitable to use a system that consists of horizontalprofiles attached to the studs in the walls and vertical spars attached to the profileswhere mounting of facade panels can be done. If an outer wall of concrete is usedthere are more options for attachment systems. The working platform recommendedfor the mounting of the panels is a mast climbing work platform. Where it is notpossible to use the climbing platform, a platform hanging from the roof is the onlyreasonable option to use.The conclusion of this study is a planning guide for future projects with facade panelsin combination with curtain-walls.


Abstract In the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), hospitalization as a measure of morbidity has become of increasing interest. The objectives of this study were to determine clinical predictors of hospitalization among HIV-infected persons initiating HAART and to explore the impact of gender and drug use on hospitalization. The analysis was based on a cohort of HIV-positive individuals initiating HAART between 1996 and 2001. Information on hospitalizations was obtained through data linkage with the BC Ministry of Health. Cox-proportional hazard models were used to assess variables associated with time to hospitalization. A total of 1,605 people were eligible and 672 (42%) were hospitalized for one or more days. The final multivariate model indicated that there was an increased risk of hospitalization among those with high baseline HIV RNA (HR for > 100,000 copies/mL: 1.26; 95%CI: 1.16–1.59) or low CD4 cell counts (HR [95% CI] compared to ≥ 200 cells/mm3: 1.62 [1.28–2.06] and 1.29 [1.07–1.56] for < 50 and 50–199 cells/mm3, respectively). Other factors, including adherence, previous hospitalization, gender and injection drug use remained predictive of hospitalization. These findings highlight the importance of closely monitoring patients starting therapy with low CD4 cell counts in order to mediate or prevent outcomes requiring hospitalization.


It is now widely recognized that ecological analysis results are sensitive to the resolution of the source data.Wavelet transform is a fashionable tool of solving scale transform in geosciences and ecology due to their advantages of multi-resolution.In this study,the wavelet transform was applied to analyze the correlations between NDVI(Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and topographic factors on different scales in the Tibet Plateau.By discrete wavelet transform for spatial sampling data along longitude 87°E and 90°E,latitude 30°N and 33°N,multi-scale patterns of NDVI and DEM were examined.Daubechies wavelet,a compactly supported wavelet with extremal phase and highest number of vanishing moments,was chosen as a mother function to decompose the NDVI and the geographical factors into multi-scale wavelet coefficients respectively according to the source data pattern.The results of wavelet coefficient variograms show that NDVI spatial patterns exist two dominant scales of 4 km and 25 km,and a co-dominant scale of 12 km in longitude and latitude directions.Topographical indicator DEM exhibits a dominant spatial scale of 12 km in latitude direction,and a dominant spatial scale of 25 km in longitude direction.The fact of synchronous variance peak of 25 km in 93°E suggests that tightly-coupled relationship exists between NDVI and DEM.Multi-scale correlation relationships among NDVI and geographical factors were also examined by using sampling data of spatial resolution 0.1°.Results suggest that the correlation is scale-dependent,i.e.different scales have different coefficients among the factors.Ihe coefficient values between NDVI and topographical factors such as elevation,CTI(Compound Topographic Index),aspect and slope are larger in coarser scales than those in finer scales,which suggest that topographical factors have important roles on controlling NDVI patterns in a larger scale.


In this paper, we prove that for any graph G of order n, if the twice of its maximum degree 2△(G) doesn't equal n and it's incidence coloring number Xi(G) equals △(G) +1, then the incidence coloring number of its Mycielski graph Xi(M(G)) equals △(M/(G)) + 1. We also study the incidence coloring numbers of Mycielski graphs of trees and complete bipartite graphs. At the end of this paper we pose a conjecture of the incidence coloring number of M(G), where M(G) denotes the Mycielski graph of the graph G = (V, E).


The Malaysian government formally enforces study, worship, and online learning rules during the movement control order period. Learning activities that used to be carried out face-to-face have now been changed mainly into virtual meetings. These conditions affect the effectiveness of the student's well-being and learning process in higher education. This study aims to determine the problems and risk factors of continuous computer use on a person's musculoskeletal system. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 volunteers from a public university student body in Pahang. Data were collected using a structured socio-demographic, work-related factors questionnaire and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) for MSD assessment. Each student's severity of MSD symptoms was assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS). Robust Poisson regression was used to investigate the association of MSDs with socio-demographic and other study-related factors. More than 60% of students experienced symptoms of musculoskeletal problems in the neck, shoulder, upper back, and lower back. This study found that gender and not taking a break from electronic devices lead to musculoskeletal discomfort among students. In addition, this result shows that revision activity leads to musculoskeletal discomfort in the neck and low back among students. Moreover, class attendance led to musculoskeletal discomfort in the lower back. These findings provide awareness regarding musculoskeletal discomfort risk factors among students in university institutions.


This paper reviews the possibility of using citizen participation, which is a common phenomenon in Sudan that exists among most urban and rural communities,in improving housing conditions. The paper is based on a field research carried out by the author in Al-Gireif East, Greater Khartoum. Data was collected through observation and interviews with community leaders, and a selected sample of households. Findings of this research confirmed that citizens' participation in housing projects has great potentials to improve people's living conditions and could create job opportunities.


As water pollution and red tide due to aquatic eutrophication in the Seto Inland Sea became a social issue at the beginning in the 1970's, various countermeasures were carried out by peculiar laws for environmental improvement in the Seto Inland Sea. We investigated how water pollutant loads in the basin and the water qualities in the sea changed by the countermeasures. The changes of pollutant loads from effluent, census data associated with the loads and water qualities in the Seto Inland Sea were examined from public statistical tables and official data of national Environment Agency. Though the population in the basin increased remarkably after 1970, it has no influence for the change of pollutant loads, because the sewerage treatment systems also increased simultaneously. There are also little changes in industrial products and farm animal numbers. Nevertheless, the COD loads decreased by 63.2% after 1968, and the reduction of nutrient loads during 1979 and 1994 were 5.3 and 30.3%, in T-N and T-P, respectively, because of pollutant load restriction by the laws.The water quality in the Seto Inland Sea has not shown a clear improvement at all, in spite of these load reductions. It got well a little in COD concentration, but worse in transparency on the whole. On the other hand, T-N and T-P concentrations increased during 1985 and 1989, then decreased a little.In the relations among pollution elements in the sea, there was a significant relationship between COD and Chl.a concentrations, which means organic pollution is strongly affected by algal growth by aquatic eutrophication in the Seto Inland Sea. The comparison of the primary productivity with effluent loads in COD demonstrated that the former was about 20 times larger than the latter.


This research aims to contribute to the automatic interpretation of long sequences of electrocardiograms (ECG) typical for Holter monitoring. We developed a method that uses wavelets for extracting ECG patterns that are characteristic for myocardial ischemia. It was our intention to detect the beats in the simplest possible manner and generate a quantitative estimate of myocardial ischemia likelihood which would suit needs of cardiologists. Biorthogonal wavelets were applied in order to define ST segment properties at different scales. The new method was tested on data from the European ST-T change database. Results show that this method it effective for distinguishing normal from ischemic ECGs. The element that makes the distinction is the correlation of number of ST deviations with the time of consecutive appearances


BACKGROUND
Evaluation of the working postures and development of new techniques is paramount in reducing the awkward postures and occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The Kinect sensor, a portable and cost-effective device, appears to be a promising alternative to study work postures.

OBJECTIVE
The current study aimed to evaluate the validity of Kinect against the gold-standard instrument (electro-goniometers) for body joint angle measurements.

METHODS
A unique software application was developed to measure the critical body joint angles for postural evaluation by using the Kinect's skeletal tracking feature. The body joint angle data of ten volunteers were measured simultaneously by both Kinect and electro-goniometers. The validation analysis was conducted in both static and dynamic domains of application.

RESULTS
Minimal variation was observed between the two techniques, and the Kinect correlated well for upper-arm joint angles of 45∘, 60∘ and 90∘; lower-arm joint angles of 30∘, 45∘, 60∘, and 90∘; straight neck position, neck joint angle at maximum possible flexion; straight trunk position, trunk bend angle at full flexion. In dynamic analysis, four out of five ICC values were > 0.75 except for the upper arm. Discrepancies in the results indicated the disapproval of Kinect for only wrist measurements.

CONCLUSION
Results of the static and dynamic studies gave a sufficient basis to consider the Kinect tool as an alternative to contemporary posture-based ergonomic evaluation methods.


Coronary artery disease (CAD), a leading cause of death in the United States, has few early diagnostic mechanisms. Acoustic detection of sound associated with turbulent blood flow in coronary arteries has been shown to discriminate normal and abnormal subjects; however, improved performance is required for clinical use. Nonlinear analysis methods sensitive to turbulence could improve acoustic detection of CAD. To assess the ability of these methods to detect turbulent flow, Korotkoff sounds generated by turbulent flow through the brachial artery were used. The nonlinear methods studied include largest Lyapunov and Hurst exponents and Shannon entropy. Data were taken on 3 subjects using hardware developed by SonoMedica (McLean, Virginia). All methods were sensitive to changes in pressure applied to the brachial artery. The Lyapunov exponents decreased with increasing pressure. Entropy and Hurst exponent methods showed the opposite trend. In particular, the entropy measurements showed a 50% decrease from high to low pressure. All Lyapunov exponents were positive, indicating the presence of chaotic components in the signal. Hurst exponents near 1.0 are indicative of long term persistence in measured high pressure signals. These results indicate that nonlinear methods may be suitable for detecting CAD using heart sound recordings from diseased subjects.


This final technical report describes our research activities that have, as the ultimate goal, the development of a model that explains growth rates of freshly nucleated particles. The research activities, which combine field observations with laboratory experiments, explore the relationship between concentrations of gas-phase species that contribute to growth and the rates at which those species are taken up. We also describe measurements of the chemical composition of freshly nucleated particles in a variety of locales, as well as properties (especially hygroscopicity) that influence their effects on climate. Our measurements include a self-organized, DOE-ARM funded project at the Southern Great Plains site, the New Particle Formation Study (NPFS), which took place during spring 2013. NPFS data are available to the research community on the ARM data archive, providing a unique suite observations of trace gas and aerosols that are associated with the formation and growth of atmospheric aerosol particles.


A method of operating a Rekuperationsbremseinrichtung (110) of a motor vehicle (100), comprising the steps of: - detecting a brake power setpoint (Pv); - converting kinetic energy of the vehicle into electrical Rekuperationsleistung (Pr) according to a braking power target value corresponding to the first braking preset power (Pv), and - passing the recuperation of an electric storage device (200) to charge it, characterized in that the method further comprises: - detecting when a deviation between the braking power target value and a Bremsleistungsistwert occurs, with which the motor vehicle (100) is decelerated; and is detected deflection of the recuperation (Pr) from the storage device (200) to a power resistor (192) when, during the passing of the recuperation (Pr) to the storage device (200) that the deviation between the braking power target value and the Bremsleistungsistwert occurs, wherein - redirecting the change of a path along which said recuperation is passed, and wherein the recuperation is partially or completely in the power resistor (Pw) guided by the deflecting, characterized, in that the braking power target value with respect to the braking power setpoint (Pv) is reduced over a predetermined time period (t1-t3).


AIM To study the effect of atorvastatin on myocardial injure and inflammatory reaction from percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)in patients with unstable angina pectoris. The markers of myocardial injure are CK-MB and cardiac troponin (cTnI). The marker of inflammatory reaction is high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). METHODS The two treatment groups received atorvastatin 20 mg daily or non-atorvastatin 4 successive weeks before PCI,CK-MB,cTnI and hs-CRP of the blood from elbow vein were monitored before and 8 and 24 hours after the procedure of PCI. RESULTS The markers of two groups were elevated after PCI,however,the ascended values of CK-MB,cTnI and hs-CRP in the atrovastatin treatment group were significantly lower than those of the compared group(P0.01). CONCLUSION Administering 20 mg atorvastatin daily in 4 successive weeks before PCI can significantly reduce the myocardial injury and inflammatory reaction.


Tillage modifies soil structure, altering conditions for plant growth and transport processes through the soil. However, the resulting loose structure is unstable and susceptible to collapse due to aggregate fragmentation during wetting and drying cycles, and coalescense of moist aggregates by internal capillary forces and external compactive stresses. Presently, limited understanding of these complex processes often leads to consideration of the soil plow layer as a static porous medium. With the purpose of filling some of this knowledge gap, the objectives of this Project were to: 1) Identify and quantify the major factors causing breakdown of primary soil fragments produced by tillage into smaller secondary fragments; 2) Identify and quantify the. physical processes involved in the coalescence of primary and secondary fragments and surfaces of weakness; 3) Measure temporal changes in pore-size distributions and hydraulic properties of reconstructed aggregate beds as a function of specified initial conditions and wetting/drying events; and 4) Construct a process-based model of post-tillage changes in soil structural and hydraulic properties of the plow layer and validate it against field experiments. A dynamic theory of capillary-driven plastic deformation of adjoining aggregates was developed, where instantaneous rate of change in geometry of aggregates and inter-aggregate pores was related to current geometry of the solid-gas-liquid system and measured soil rheological functions. The theory and supporting data showed that consolidation of aggregate beds is largely an event-driven process, restricted to a fairly narrow range of soil water contents where capillary suction is great enough to generate coalescence but where soil mechanical strength is still low enough to allow plastic deforn1ation of aggregates. The theory was also used to explain effects of transient external loading on compaction of aggregate beds. A stochastic forInalism was developed for modeling soil pore space evolution, based on the Fokker Planck equation (FPE). Analytical solutions for the FPE were developed, with parameters which can be measured empirically or related to the mechanistic aggregate deformation model. Pre-existing results from field experiments were used to illustrate how the FPE formalism can be applied to field data. Fragmentation of soil clods after tillage was observed to be an event-driven (as opposed to continuous) process that occurred only during wetting, and only as clods approached the saturation point. The major mechanism of fragmentation of large aggregates seemed to be differential soil swelling behind the wetting front. Aggregate "explosion" due to air entrapment seemed limited to small aggregates wetted simultaneously over their entire surface. Breakdown of large aggregates from 11 clay soils during successive wetting and drying cycles produced fragment size distributions which differed primarily by a scale factor l (essentially equivalent to the Van Bavel mean weight diameter), so that evolution of fragment size distributions could be modeled in terms of changes in l. For a given number of wetting and drying cycles, l decreased systematically with increasing plasticity index. When air-dry soil clods were slightly weakened by a single wetting event, and then allowed to "age" for six weeks at constant high water content, drop-shatter resistance in aged relative to non-aged clods was found to increase in proportion to plasticity index. This seemed consistent with the rheological model, which predicts faster plastic coalescence around small voids and sharp cracks (with resulting soil strengthening) in soils with low resistance to plastic yield and flow. A new theory of crack growth in "idealized" elastoplastic materials was formulated, with potential application to soil fracture phenomena. The theory was preliminarily (and successfully) tested using carbon steel, a ductile material which closely approximates ideal elastoplastic behavior, and for which the necessary fracture data existed in the literature.


Design Wireless Guitar Effects Based Microcontroller 8535
(Reyki seprianza : 2016 : 50 Page)
The purpose of this tool is to ease the use of guitar effects. This tool is equipped with three types of circuit effects. Maximum wireless distance is 10 meters. By combining three types of effects and adding a wireless data card, the use of effects can be more flexible and comfortable while playing the guitar. In making this tool, it's use a Microcontroller ATMega8535 as a processing center. Microcontroller itself is a tool of plus microprocessor which is the center of an electronic system.


Humanity has entered an era where computing technology is virtually ubiquitous. From websites and mobile devices to computers embedded in appliances on our kitchen counters and automobiles parked in our driveways, information and communication technologies (ICTs) and IT artifacts are fundamentally changing the ways we interact with our world. Indeed, the world itself changing, becoming ever more artificial. It is a designed world that we have created for ourselves.
Human-computer interaction (HCI) scholars are concerned with the interactions that occur between people and technology in this new world: how do IT artifacts impact the human experience, and how can knowledge of the human experience impact the design of new computer-based systems? At the same time, HCI is design-oriented, a community where scholars seek to shape the design of new IT artifacts, and make real improvements to the world we live in. It remains an unresolved challenge to bring these scholarly and design perspectives together. Various models and approaches have been proposed, but current thinking on a "design science" for HCI is in flux.
This multi-paper dissertation draws upon existing literature from HCI, various design communities, and information systems (IS) to develop a new model of design science: the theory, design, and evaluation (TDE) model. The TDE model, informed by an included research paper, envisions that scholarly activities and design activities can occur in parallel across the three stages of theory, design, and evaluation.
The TDE model is demonstrated using an additional three included papers, each one taken from a separate TDE design science project. These ongoing projects occur in widely varied contexts—gaming for citizen science, online nuisances, and military history education—but each has the TDE model as its central organizing structure. The papers are examples of TDE knowledge outcomes, but also address design outcomes from each project. The three projects are analyzed and connected directly to various elements of the TDE model itself. In addition, the final chapter describes future directions for the three projects and the TDE model, as well as thinking on the importance of design science in HCI scholarship.


The original paper uses a wrong assumption. In general, for disjoint index sets $A_i, B$ and $J = A_i \cup B$ with corresponding projections onto the column spans of subdictionaries $P(\Phi _J), P(\Phi _B), P(\Phi _{A_i})$ rather than equality we have, $P(\Phi _J)[{\mathbb {I}}- P(\Phi _{A_i})]\ne P(\Phi _B)[{\mathbb {I}}- P(\Phi _{A_i})]$ . We provide the corrected proof of Theorem II.1 as well as Theorem III.1. with corrected constants and proof.


The goal of this research is to biochemically characterize chromosomal and plasmid‐encoded members of Y‐family DNA polymerases and putative mutagenesis cassettes from the nitrogen‐fixing plant symbiotic bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti. Y‐family translesion polymerases are recruited to sites of DNA damage to replicate damaged DNA that may cause disruption to the replication fork. ImuC is a C family DNA polymerase with a putative function in mutagenic DNA replication; while ImuA and ImuB appear to be important for ImuC function, their roles have yet to be elucidated. S. meliloti harbors the Y family DNA polymerase dinB and the imuABC mutagenesis cassette encoded on both the chromosome and one of the symbiotic plasmids. All of the genes of the putative mutagenesis cassettes have been subcloned into two different plasmid vectors for in vivo and in vitro experiments. We are currently optimizing conditions for protein expression in E. coli. We are also carrying out assays to determine the ability of these gene products to confer on E. coli survival to a variety of DNA damaging agents and damage‐induced mutagenesis. Supported by NSF and ACS


There is very little to argue against in the editorial by Stott and colleagues.1 Apart from the climate denier fringe, it is received wisdom that climate change is a real phenomenon, it is caused by human activity, and it is an existential threat to almost all life on Earth.

I agree with the response …


It is concluded that the metallic ion content of the E region is extremely variable in time; this variation is reflected in the variability of sporadic E. However, the production of metallic ions cannot be so variable; therefore the loss rate must be variable. The most efficient loss mechanism is the corkscrew mechanism that transports the metallic ions into the lower E or D region. By switching this mechanism on and off, the metallic ion content can be changed. Partial reflection of the gravity waves that themselves give the wind shear is suggested as a switching mechanism. There is direct evidence that this does happen. A reversed corkscrew that transports ions upward may sometimes be possible. However, the theory has a major defect in that it predicts most sporadic E where the horizontal component of the earth's field is least, which is just the opposite of what is observed.


Ontologies allow machines to convey understanding over the data that they process. There are already many research conducted that aim to use ontologies on software applications. Some of the applications include photo annotation, refined search engines, word completion, video annotations and affective classification of text. The problem now lies in being able to capture massive amounts of information and define it in an ontology. As it is too costly to hire expert engineers to manually build ontologies, crowd sourcing has become a popular approach in building ontologies. Though much research has already been done in probing adults to help build ontologies, children at their young age can become good contributors as well. This is because they are in their early stages of mental development. What may seem obvious to an adult may not be clear to a child. This research proposes to probe children as contributors to creating commonsense ontologies. Seeing as stories are part of our daily lives, they are very familiar to children. This research proposes to use stories that have blanks to be filled up by children in order to gather commonsense.


Education for allround development is the focus for school sports reform.The teaching ideas should be renewed and the testing evaluation should be reformed to deepen the reform so as to conform to the new requirements put forth by the modern society.


This article examines the accuracy of the Gallup poll in a situation involving multiple political parties of different sizes Using data collected by the Danish Gallup Institute 1957–1980. the article demonstrates that polling results, except those of small parties, are well within the sampling error. An explorative analysis of the data, showing that there is a normal distribution of the differences between election results and polling values, provides the possibility of a simple method of interpreting Gallup poll data at a desirable level of confidence.


It is widely documented that sedentarism is a risk factor for most common age-related chronic diseases. Regarding brain's health, there is increasing evidence of the beneficial effects of aerobic physical exercise on synapse and general brain function, at both young and old ages and in both healthy and pathological states [1]. Indeed, in adult animals, physical training has been shown to enhance performance in learning and memory tasks [2-4], increase neuronalproliferation [5-7], and affect neuronal structure and the functionality ofcellular mechanisms associated with learning processes [8,9]. In addition, several studies using transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have demonstrated the protective effects of aerobic exercise against neurodegeneration [10,11]. Although transcriptional responsiveness varies over the lifetime, many brain genes still seem to be responsive to exercise in old animals and in animal models for neurodegenerative diseases [12-14]. In mice, brain gene expression is sensitive to physical exercise, particularly in the hippocampus [15-19]. These findings are particularly relevant because the hippocampus is especially susceptible to dysfunctional and degenerative processes during aging or in Alzheimer's disease, plays a key role in learning and memory processes and is involved in the regulation of mood and antidepressant responses [20-22]. Using the senescence-accelerated SAMP8 mouse a non-transgenic model for studying aspects of progressive cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD) we have recently shown that exercise training during adulthood (6 months of voluntary training on a running wheel, 3 alternate days per week) prevented or delayed processes associated with aging [23]. Upon completion of the long-term intervention, SAMP8 mice were at the final stage of their lives (their median life is 9.7 months [24]), however they were still voluntarily running and showed improvement in several aging traits compared with the sedentary controls. We found that the exercise intervention ameliorated their skin color, decreased body tremor, increased hippocampal vascularization and modulated the expression of the brain derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) gene as well as several extracellular matrix gene alterations in the hippocampus. Recent data have described that epigenetic modifications seem to be involved in the peripheral and central effects of physical exercise [25]. Notably, we have recently observed epigenetic changes in specific microRNA (miRNA) and histone acetylation levels in the hippocampus of senescent SAMP8 mice in response to 8 weeks of voluntary wheel running (Cosin-Tomas et al., unpublished data). In sum, there is a growing body of research showing the neurophysiological aging-protective responses elicited by exercise training. Moreover, a still limited but fascinating field has begun to describe the epigenetic impact of physical exercise in peripheral tissues and in the brain. Unveiling the exercise-responsive mechanisms of chromatin regulation and their pathophysiological implications may lead to the development of new preventive and/or therapeutic interventions for age-related disorders, including neurodegenerative conditions.


Monte-Carlo sampling method in reliability evaluation has defects of great sampling number and low efficiency. This paper proposed control variable method in power system integrated with wind power unit, considering its feather of small unit capacity and large unit number. The proposed method is carried out on the IEEE RTS79 test system, compares with the conventional Monte-Carlo method and the average and scattered sampling method, the factors affect sampling efficiency are analyzed. The simulation results show that the proposed method can greatly reduce the sampling times and improve sampling efficiency, besides, demonstrates the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method.


™ is a revolutionary design in acoustic amplification. It actually incorporates three separate pickups and a preamp, all part of one housing. Each of the three pickups is the very best of its type. And… Trilogy ™ does not require cutting unsightly, tone changing sections or holes in your beautiful guitar. Why is using three pickups in one so important to the sound of your music? Well, throughout the history of acoustic pickup design there have been three basic types of acoustic pickups. Each design has its highlights and flaws and companies have endlessly attempted to engineer the best tone out of each design. The Magnetic Pickup: (Also called a sound-hole pickup.) Magnetic pickups are installed in the sound-hole and " pick up " the magnetic responses of the strings—similar to a pickup used on an electric guitar. The pickup's coil windings, pole-piece sizes, and magnet size are all designed to produce the most accurate " acoustic " tone. The magnetic pickup is usually more bass responsive. The pickup actually receives its response from the magnetic steel core of bronze or brass acoustic guitar strings. These pickups produce very little feed back, do not normally need a pre-amp, some are portable " pop-ins, " and they are the most popular for quick installs and a decent tone. The Transducer Pickup: Transducer pickups sense vibrations. Two types are popular—a stick-on style, which may be placed at different locations on the guitar top, and an Under-The-Bridge-Saddle pickup, which is installed under the bridge saddle. Unfortunately, with stick-on type transducers, the response from the top of the guitar will also pick up unwanted nuances such as finger, pick, and arm noises. A better transducer system is the Under-The-Bridge-Saddle transducer. This pickup reduces unwanted noises and has good acoustic tone. The tone is more " trebly " than the magnetic pickup. It may be used with or without a pre-amp. Using a pre-amp will increase the response, and with tone controls can be an excellent choice for a permanent install. The Condenser Mic: Microphones inside the guitar produce very good acoustic tones. Care must be used, however, because of increased feed back possibilities and the inherent proximity effect. Simply, the proximity effect will tend to produce higher levels of bass tones. Also, for superior tone, a condenser mic must be used and driven by a battery powered pre-amp. Enter Trilogy ™ – The patent …


Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among the women and the major victim for the breast cancer is the women. In the USA, one out of eight is diagnosed as breast cancer among the other cancers. Medical images can be analysed for identification. Image pre-processing is an essential procedure used for reducing image noise, highlighting edges, or displaying digital images. Mammogram is the best way for screening the breast. Applying medical image techniques could help in identifying and classifying the abnormalities present in the breast. The features which are extracted from medical images can also be given as input to the classifier for classification. Mammogram has been given as input to the proposed system. Mammograms are pre-processed before given to the classifier. The features are extracted through GLCM and then decision tree classifier is used in this paper for classifying the breast abnormality as benign and malignant.


In this paper, we predict CNY exchange rates in terms of hybrid genetic algorithm and support vector regression with a range of kernel functions. A BP neural network model is benchmarked with the hybrid model and then the hybrid genetic algorithm and support vector regression model are used to examine the accuracy of CNY exchange rate prediction. The intuitive and statistical performances of the hybrid model with linear, radical basis, polynomial and sigmoid functions are presented and analyzed by using the exchange rate data of USD/CNY, EUR/CNY and CNY/JPY. The empirical results show that the hybrid model is effective for studying the CNY exchange rate prediction. Keywords—genetic algorithm; support vector regression; exchange rate


The performance of cooperation strategies for broadcast services sharing a common wireless channel is studied in the framework of coalitional game theory. Two strategies are examined. The first represents an open sharing model where each service provider is allowed to transmit at any time but simultaneous transmissions result in interference. It is shown analytically that in the absence of coordination cost, the grand coalition formed by all providers cooperating to avoid simultaneous transmissions is both sum-rate optimal and stable. The second strategy represents an orthogonal access method where service providers are granted exclusive access to a subset of the available channels, each having a guaranteed successful transmission opportunity. In the absence of coordination cost, the grand coalition where all providers cooperate by sharing their guaranteed right to access the channel is sum-rate optimal but unstable, in the sense that some group of providers may have an incentive to deviate from the grand coalition. In the presence of coordination cost, a different scenario arises. In both models large coalitions do not form, and simulation results suggest that the open access model for large networks can lead to a regime where performance is considerably limited by interference.


The paper tries to dig out the rich context of historical documents which are about the rehabilitation of Hu Feng and to make a trial interpretation of such a complicated phenomenon as the case of HU Feng.By centering on progressive trail of the rehabilitation,this paper mainly examines the following three points:the typicality of rehabilitation subject(state),the sentiment of the rehabilitation object(members of HU Feng Group)and the rhetoric of rehabilitation narration(rehabilitation documents)in the hope of revealing the three-dimensional relationships between "HU Feng's rehabilitation" and the history,from which we can not only see the particular social environment and the change of zeitgeist,but also observe the complicated relation between historical truth and historical narrative.


Purpose: This study was done to examine the experience of school health instructors in applying complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM). Method: The participants were 215 health instructors working in elementary schools in Busan. Data were collected from Dec. 1, 2004 to Mar. 10, 2005 and were analyzed using SPSS WIN 10.0. Results: Most of the health instructors had knowledge about CAM. Among the various CAM methods, acupuncture was the most widely known at 78.6%. While 53.5% had no experience in CAM education, 46.5% had been trained. Slightly over half (52.1%) had used CAM at school and based their decision on personal experience. As to applicability of CAM at school, 72.1% thought CAM was applicable, and 78.7% of this group considered alleviation of symptoms and assistance in the treatment process as the reasons for their answer. There were significant differences in responses as to the applicability of CAM according to age (p=.002), work experience (p=.004) and educational background (p=.002). Conclusions: The above results suggest that there is a need to develop a professional education program on complimentary and alternative medicine to assist school health instructorsto plan nursing interventions using CAM which are individualized and practical


It is difficult to get specific data of local governments' unconventional budget adjustments,since that is a covert process.Local governments' unconventional budget adjustments often brings about issues,such as frequent budget adjustment,dominance of corregidors and department chiefs,lack of supervision and lower ability of local governments,and so on.Local governments make unconventional budget adjustment frequently with such strategies as extra budget revenue strategy,'hard gap' strategy.Pressurized administrative system,frequent local chief executives subrogation and budget funds fragmentation of local government are mostly responsible for unconventional budget adjustment.To set up elected local governments,construct new fiscal decentralization system and perfect centralized treasury payment system in local level is in favor of deducting unconventional budget adjustments in local government.


The title compound, C22H20ClN3, is composed of a dialkyl-substituted pyrazole ring connected to an aryl-substituted isoquinoline ring system with a dihedral angle of 55.8 (1)° between the pyrazole ring and and the isoquinoline ring system. The dihedral angle between the chlorophenyl ring and the isoquinoline ring system is 28.3 (1)°.


As corporate social responsibility (CSR) becomes increasingly emphasized recently, sociallyresponsible investing (SRI) funds have attracted capital market participants' interests. The study examines the capital market performance of the firms whose stocks are selected into the SRI funds. An SRI fund is the one that screens the companies whose stock investors buy on a list of socially-responsible criteria. So, the firms whose stocks are included in SRI fund (i.e., SRI firms) are meant to carry out well their social responsibility. While CSR activities are socially desirable, the study examines whether CSR firms perform well in capital market as they may convey good corporate image to their present and potential customers and capital investors. The study empirically tested the hypothesis with the capital make performance measure of Tobin's Q, based on a sample of 1,994 year-firms whose stocks were included into SRI funds during the period from 2007 to 2010 in Korea (SRI funds were launched to market mainly from year 2007 in Korea).The study found that SRI fund firms performed better in the capital market (Korea Securities Market).


BACKGROUNDTo reduce the effects of a traffic accident it is essential to transport the casualties to the right care facility with minimal delay. For (single) accidents involving Vulnerable Road Use ...


In this paper,a structural model for the pricing of equity default swap is provided.It is assume that the underlying stock prices satisfies a geometric double exponential jump diffusion process and the default time is the first time when the equities go down to the default triggering threshold.The Laplace transformation of risk-neutral default probability can be obtained by using a Esscher risk neutral measure.Then with the help of Gaver-Stehfest algorithm the risk-neutral cumu- lative default probability is obtained.At last this paper gives out a pricing algorithm and simulation of equity default swap(EDS) based on the geometric double exponential jump diffusion process.


We report on advances in the fabrication and performance of monolithic 850 nm, linearly polarized vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) incorporating a semiconductor surface grating at the outcoupling facet. Depending on the grating parameters, the light is polarized either parallel or perpendicular to the grating grooves. Deep-etched gratings enable complete polarization pinning even in directions that are 45 degrees off the preferred crystal axes. On the other hand, such devices can show strong side-lobes in the far-field which may limit the available output power for some applications. Shallow-etched VCSELs with almost undistorted far-fields deliver output powers as high as 29 mW with about 12 dB orthogonal polarization suppression ratio. A combination of surface relief and grating is used to increase the transverse single-mode output power while maintaining polarization stability.


This work proposes a novel sparse Bayesian learning (SBL)-based hybrid precoder/ combiner design scheme for millimeter wave (mmWave) MIMO systems. Towards this end, a multiple measurement vector (MMV) based sparse signal recovery problem is developed that maximizes the mutual information by approximating the hybrid precoder to the ideal digital precoder. A unique aspect of the proposed SBL-based scheme is that the resulting hyperparameter estimates can be used to activate the minimum number of RF chains required to approximate the ideal digital precoder/ combiner, thus enabling one to leverage the time-varying multipath profile of the underlying mmWave MIMO channel. This feature coupled with the improved ability of SBL for sparse signal recovery leads to a significantly enhanced power and spectral efficiency of the proposed scheme in comparison to the conventional schemes that activate a fixed number of RF chains and data streams, irrespective of the multipath profile of the mmWave MIMO channel. Simulation results demonstrate the improved efficiency of the proposed scheme in comparison to the existing schemes and also the resulting reduction in the average number of RF chains employed.


Objective To analyze the etiology of deep vein thrombosis caused by central venous catheter in hemodialysis patients and explore the methods of prevention and treatment.Methods A retrospective study was performed to analysis the relationship between deep vein thrombosis(DVT) with central venous catheter and other patient characteristics(age,complications,catheter lien time and degree of activity) in 421 patient accepted hemodialysis by central venous catheter in blood purification center of our hospital.Results 8 cases occurred deep vein thrombosis complication.Among them,7(87.6%) happened in hemodialysis through femoral vein indwelling catheter,and significantly higher than through Subclavian vein indwelling catheter(12.5%).In the 8 patients,4 cases(50%) is diabetic nephropathy,2 patients(25%) chronic glomerulonephritis,1 case(12.5%) hypertension nephropathy,1 case(12.5%) multiple myeloma correlation nephritis.The incidence in diabetic nephropathy group was significant higher compared with other diseases group(P0.01).Catheter lien time was 8 hours~9 months,average 6.3 months.But in the eight patients was average 7.6 months,and significantly higher compared with other patients(P0.01).Lower limbs deep vein thrombosis incidence in 60 years old and above cases is significantly higher than less than 60 years old(P0.01).Conclusion DVT occurrence is directly associated with central venous catheter,but also with the age,complications,catheter lien time.


Book Review: The Challenge for Urban Public Universities: A Review of Beyond the Crossroads: The Future of the Public University in America


AIMS--In April 1991 an internal quality assessment scheme (IQAS) was introduced into the virology section of the Clinical Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory, Cambridge. The IQAS was established to identify recurring technical and procedural problems, to check the adequacy of current techniques, and to calculate the frequency of errors. METHODS--Between April 1991 and December 1993, 715 anonymous clinical serum samples were submitted to the laboratory to test 3245 individual procedures of diagnostic viral serology. RESULTS--A total of 485 (14.9%) procedural and 61 (1.9%) technical discrepancies were observed, the technical discrepancies mainly being recorded in complement fixation tests. Twenty two (0.7% of total procedures) of the technical discrepancies were diagnostically significant. CONCLUSIONS--Evaluation criteria developed with the introduction of IQAS to viral serology, and technical and procedural discrepancies are assessed. As yet, IQAS has not been introduced to other sections of the diagnostic virology laboratory (virus isolation, electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, and enzyme linked immunosorbent assays for viral and chlamydial antigens).


Multinucleated giant cells (MGC) are a commonly encountered feature of benign and malignant thyroid conditions. Proper interpretation of these giant cells within the context of accompanying lesional cells and clinical history is critical for correct diagnosis in pathological specimens. We report a case of metastatic sarcomatoid pleomorphic carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells occurring in the thyroid of a 68-year-old man, initially assessed by FNA and subsequently confirmed on histology, and discuss the differential diagnoses to consider when encountering MGC in thyroid FNA specimens.


Processing logic programs in parallel is much more complex than for conven tional applications. Indeed, the inference mechanism, particularly the environment stacking and the runtime traversal of a search tree, cannot be easily implemented on distributed memory machines. The USC Research Team has therefore designed a parallel execution model for logic programming by applying the principle of data-driven execution to the inference mechanism of PROLOG. This model is highly adaptable to fundamentally different parallel architectural platforms, such as distributed memory multiprocessors, multi-threaded and data-flow architec tures. In order to efficiently target the environment to a range of parallel machines, a parallel compiler has been implemented. It compiles the operational semantics of PROLOG and produces an intermediate graphical form independent of any partic ular architecture. This design may then be translated by appropriate translators into the machine codes needed to run the application on specific architectures. This paper introduces the parallel execution model with particular emphasis its low level part: the binding environment. Unlike other previously tested binding schemes often geared toward single address space machines, this one is highly optimized for execution on non-single address space architectures. Another purpose of this research is the implementation of high level interprocess communication primitives, which will facilitate communication between processes within a single uni-processor machine, and also within several ones linked by net work. In the future, these primitives will be imperative to the function of a transla tor designed specifically for Sparc stations. Interproces Communication Primitives for a Prolog to C-parallel Translator


Argon and induction stirred copper melts were deoxidized at different temperatures by short-circuiting a solid electrolyte cell. The solid electrolyte cell consisted of an yttria-stabilized zirconia tube closed at one end. The tube interior was flushed with a reducing gas and the tube was immersed in the copper melt. A layer of porous Ni-ZrO{sub 2} cermet deposited on the inner wall of the tube served as the anode while the copper melt was the cathode. The deoxidation experiments were modeled as a function of mass transfer in the melt, temperature, electronic and ionic conductivity of the electrolyte, short-circuit resistance, and flow rate of the reducing gas. The deoxidation model was used to discuss process optimization and scaleup.


The sharp magnetic discontinuities which naturally appear in solar magnetic flux tubes driven by turbulent photosperic motions are associated with intense currents. Parker (1983, 1988) proposed that these currents can become unstable to a variety of microscopic processes, with the net result of dramatically enhanced resistivity and heating (nanoflares). The electric fields associated with such "hot spots" are also expected to enhance particle acceleration. We test this hypothesis by exact relativistic orbit simulations in strong random phase magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence which is forming localized super-Dreicer Ohm electric fields (EΩ/ED = 10 2 ... 10) occurring in 2..15 % of the volume. It is found that these fields indeed yield a large amplification of acceleration of electrons and ions, and can effectively overcome the injection problem. We suggest in this article that nanoflare heating will be associated with sporadic particle acceleration. Subject headings: acceleration of particles — turbulence Understanding the mechanisms behind the dissipation of magnetic energy in the solar atmosphere is a key ingredient for the solution of several problems related to coronal heating, flares, and coronal mass ejections. Until recently, the study of magnetic energy dissipation seemed to follow two very distinctive paths: (1) phenomena related to the "Quiet Sun" and coronal heating have been interpreted as continuous wave dissipation (Hollweg 1984; Ulmschneider, Rosner and Priest 1991), (2) flares on the other hand were associated with "impulsive " dissipation. Most flow charts proposed for the second process start with the formation of current sheets in comparably simple topologies (e.g., Priest and Forbes 2002), which reconnect, eject jets, and thereby drive turbulence. The turbulence, in turn, acts as a particle accelerator (Miller et al. 1997; Benz and Saint-Hilaire 2003), and finally dissipates into heat. Parker (1983, 1988) questioned the split of magnetic dissipation in waves (for the heating) and current sheet formation (for the flare). He proposed instead that random photospheric footpoint


The present work aims to evaluate the dissolution profiles of three types of tablets containing 10 mg of ketorolac tromethamine marketed in Lima, Peru. The tests were carried out in the Agilent team 708-DS, using as the medium of dissolution 600 mL of water, type of apparatus 2, the agitation speed of 50 turns for 45 minutes, as described in United State Pharmacopeia 38. In addition to the dissolution profile graphs. The dissolution efficiency (ED) parameters were calculated. According to the analysis results of the evaluated formulations A, B, C, can be concluded that they accomplish the pharmacopoeial specifications, releasing a percentage equal to 75% for less than 45 minutes. Finally, it can be concluded that the dissolution profiles of three types of tablets evaluated are equivalent


1. Introduction 2. Shareholder Control and the Rise of Poverty Reduction at the World Bank 3. Shareholder Conflicts and the Rise of Social Spending at the IMF 4. The World Bank and the Reconstruction of Stakeholder Engagement 5. Apolitical Economy and the Limits to Stakeholder Engagement at the IMF 6. Conclusion


In this work, we are interested to tackle the problem of link prediction in complex networks. In particular, we explore topological dyadic approaches for link prediction. Different topological proximity measures have been studied in the scientific literature for finding the probability of appearance of new links in a complex network. Supervided learning methods have also been used to combine the predictions made or information provided by different topological measures. The create predictive models using various topological measures. The problem of supervised learning for link prediction is a difficult problem especially due to the presence of heavy class imbalance. In this thesis, we search different alternative approaches to improve the performance of different dyadic approaches for link prediction. We propose here, a new approach of link prediction based on supervised rank agregation that uses concepts from computational social choice theory. Our approach is founded on supervised techniques of aggregating sorted lists (or preference aggregation). We also explore different ways of improving supervised link prediction approaches. One approach is to extend the set of attributes describing an example (pair of nodes) by attributes calculated in a multiplex network that includes the target network. Multiplex networks have a layered structure, each layer having different kinds of links between same sets of nodes. The second way is to use community information for sampling of examples to deal with the problem of classe imabalance. Experiments conducted on real networks extracted from well known DBLP bibliographic database.


To make the houses of Zaouiat Sidi Abdessalam more adaptable of harsh weather, this work consists of transforming the village to efficient eco-village to reducing energy consumption and so cost of heating. For that, this work will be in charge of finding a suitable material for the renovation and the insulation of a model house from the Zaouiat. This study is divided into three parts. The first one is about understanding the materials used in construction and insulation in Morocco, especially the region near Ifrane, by conducting a bibliographic study. Then, the second part consists of creating different samples made of clay as a construction material, cork and straw as insulation materials and mortar as a protected layer. Then, they are studied through many methods such as the flash method to find the thermal diffusivity, the asymmetrical hot plate to get the thermal conductivity, and others to find the specific heat capacity and thermal effusivity. The third part is a simulation in Design Builder software to compute the heat losses obtained from each mixture. The results are very encouraging shown that the developed materials permit to improving thermal proprieties, lightness and protection of walls. Moreover, this study confirmed that if we choose any one of these materials as either a construction material to build new houses or as an added interior insulation layer to renovate existing houses, the thermal proprieties of walls will be better than those of the existent walls with stones.


Objective To analyze the expression of early growth response 1(EGR1) gene in patients with systemic lupus erythematousus(SLE) and investigate the molecular mechanism of onset of SLE.Methods The expression of EGR1 gene,located in linkage site of SLE chromosome,in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) as well as T and B lymphocyte subsets of patients with SLE at active and resting stages were determined by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR,using those of healthy persons as control.Results The △Ct values of EGR1 gene in PBMCs as well as T and B lymphocyte subsets of patients with SLE were significantly higher than those in healthy persons(P 0.01),and the expression was down-regulated significantly.However,the △Ct values of EGR1 gene in B lymphocyte subsets of patients increased slightly,and the expression showed a decreasing tendency.The expression levels of EGR1 gene showed significant difference in T lymphocyte subsets of patients with SLE at active and resting stages(P 0.05),which showed more significant tendency of down-regulation in the patients at active stage.Relationship was observed between SLEDAI and gene expression level.Conclusion EGR1 gene might be a candidate pathogenicity gene of SLE at 5q31.1 domain,which showed a certain relationship to the activity of SLE.


A method of mounting at least one pressure port in a skin (1) of an aircraft, where the port is made with a hollow tube (2) implanted in the skin (1), optimizes conditions whereby each of the tubes (2) is made flush with the skin (1) so that static or dynamic pressure measurements are accurate and reliable. The method includes a step of leveling each of the tubes (2) and a step of painting the skin (1). To achieve satisfactory leveling conditions for the tubes (2) on each occasion, the leveling step is independent of the layer of paint deposited on the skin (1).


Background: We investigate the clinical result of phacoemulsification with foldable posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC-IOL) implantation in the management of primary angle closure glaucoma with cataract. Methods: We performed phacoemulsification with foldable PC-IOL implantation in the eyes with primary angle closure glaucoma and cataract. Eyes were divided in three groups. In the first group were eyes with primary acute-closed angle glaucoma with no PAS (peripheral anterior synechiae). In the second group were eyes with primary chronic angle-closure glaucoma with less than 180° of PAS. In the third group were eyes with primary chronic angle-closure glaucoma with more than 180° of PAS seen on gonioscopic examination. Results: In the first group of 15 patient mean follow up time was 10.7 month. IOP change from mean 58 mmHg to mean 13.5 mmHg postoperative. ACD change from 2.31 mm to 3.67 mm postoperative. Best corrected visual acuity change from 0.25 to 0.7 postoperative. In the second group of 30 patient mean follow up time was 15.9 months. IOP fall from mean 19.9 mmHg to mean 12.1 mmHg postoperative. ACD change from 2.45 mm to 3.93 mm postoperative. Best corrected visual acuity change from 0.4 to 0.83 postoperative. In the third group of 15 patient mean follow up time was 9.6 month. IOP fall from mean 16.4 mmHg to mean 14.5 mmHg postoperative. ACD change from 2.51 mm to 4.20 mm postoperative. Best corrected visual acuity change from 0.25 to 0.54 postoperative. Conclusions: Phacoemulsification with PC-IOL implantation can be a good alternative in treating eyes with cataract and primary acute and chronic angle closure glaucoma with less than 180° of PAS seen on gonioscopic examination. With cataract surgery performing soon after diagnosing primary angle closure glaucoma we can prevent chronical disease. With this the patient quality of life is beater and with less therapy.


Based on the opportunities and challenges faced by China's power industry to achieve the goals of "carbon peak" and "carbon neutral", this paper summarizes the development process of Yunnan Province's participation in the west to East power transmission trade in four stages since 1993.In view of the current rapid change of power supply and demand in Yunnan Province, the contradiction is growing rapidly; The economic recovery of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Bay area is strong, and the demand for electricity is growing rapidly, which puts forward the new problems faced by Yunnan's participation in the west to East power transmission under the new situation.This paper studies in detail the transaction mechanism and settlement mechanism of Yunnan's participation in West to East power transmission, such as Yunnan power transmission to Guangdong, Guangxi power transmission to Guangxi and Hainan power transmission to Hainan. This paper summarizes the remarkable benefits of West to East power transmission in recent years, and analyzes the new significance and new value of clean energy participation in West to East power transmission in Yunnan Province under the goals of "carbon peak" and "carbon neutral".By comparing the differences between the trading and settlement mechanisms of the two power markets inside and outside the province, this paper puts forward some suggestions on the development of Yunnan Province's participation in the trading and settlement mechanism of the west to East power transmission, so as to make suggestions for the smooth implementation of the national strategy of the West to East power transmission and the sustainable development of the cloud power transmission.


Space monitoring of aerosol optical depth (AOD) trends over megacities can serve as a potential space indicator of global anthropogenic air-pollution changes. Three space aerosol sensors, MODIS-Terra, MODIS-Aqua and MISR, were used in order to study recent decadal trends of AOD over megacities around the world. Space monitoring of AOD trends has the advantage of global coverage and applies the same approach to detecting AOD trends over different sites. In spite of instrumental and time differences among the three sensors investigated, their global pictures of AOD trends over the 189 largest cities in the world are quite similar. The increasing AOD trends over the largest cities in the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and North China can be clearly seen. By contrast, megacities in Europe, the north-east of US, and South-East Asia show mainly declining AOD trends. In the cases where all three sensors show similar signs of AOD trends, the results can be considered as reliable. This is supported by the observed trends in surface solar radiation, obtained by using network pyranometer measurements in North and South China, India, and Europe. In the cases where the three sensors show differing signs of AOD trends (e.g. South America), additional research is required in order to verify the obtained AOD trends.


Calf thymus DNA and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo) were photooxidized in the dark by triplet-excited ketones generated in the thermal decomposition of 3-(hydroxymethyl)-3,4,4-trimethyl-1,2-dioxetane (HTMD). The oxidation of DNA led to 8-oxodGuo and the type I photooxidation product 2,2-diamino[2-deoxy-β-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-4-amino]-5(2H)-oxazolone (oxazolone). While the yield of oxazolone progressively increased, 8-oxodGuo was substantially consumed in DNA on successive exposure to HTMD. The oxidation of authentic 8-oxodGuo by HTMD and established photosensitizers such as benzophenone (mainly type I) and Rose Bengal (predominantly type II) was studied in detail in regard to the concentration and time dependence and the influence of D2O versus H2O. The singlet-oxygen-derived 4R* and 4S* diastereomers of 4-hydroxy-8-oxo-4,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (4-HO-8-oxodGuo) and oxazolone were the major products. A substantial kinetic D2O effect (ca. 10-fold) in the Rose Bengal-photosensitized...


This article rescues the critical-emancipatory tradition of Adelmo Genro Filho journalism theory, reflecting on his relationship with the aesthetics of Gyorgy Lukacs, proposing in this joint, the construction of a realistic news praxis. In this sense, we highlight the main aspects of realism in Lukacs, extending this concept to the research of journalism fundamentals. Through this realistic approach to the news, journalism gains a much needed role in times of crisis, it becomes a form of knowledge able to dissipate pseudoconcreticity, reaching the hidden essence of the fetishization and commodification of material life.


Converged networking is an emerging technology thrust that integrates voice, video, and data traffic on a single network. Converged networking encompasses several aspects, all of which are related to the aggregation of networking activity. Such aspects include, Payload convergence, Protocol convergence, Physical convergence, Device convergence, Application convergence, Technology convergence, etc. In recent years the Internet has developed into a global data network that is highly accepted as a multimedia information platform, which has the potential to develop into an alternative carrier network in the future. Several convergence scenarios have been recently proposed, ranging from integrating communication services and computer application into two separate networks, to building a seamless multimedia network, which converges the Central Office based network and the Internet in a single network, thereby enabling telecommunications operators and service provider's tremendous investment in existing network infrastructure to be fully utilized. This paper offers introduction and review of the networking technologies. The paper presents the existing multiple networks into two infrastructures: an ATM/Frame Relay (Ethernet)- based corporate network with integrated voice, video, and data traffic and an Internet-based network for secure intranet, extranet and remote access. This work is aimed at summarizing the internetworking basics and technologies which are essential for the emerging converged networking systems. The specific areas addressed here are networking basics, networking technologies, types of traffic, and convergence of computer and communication networks.


To the method in Example for measuring the oblique position of the subject automatically while the subject fixates the target, using the image capture device can comprise capturing at least one image of the subject's eye . Image may include the reflection of light from at least one of the subject's eye. Further, the method analyzes the image to identify the location of the reflection of light in at least one eye of the subject, and the oblique measurement based on the location of the reflection of light in at least one of the subject's eye It may include identifying.


In this study, backpropagation neural network (BPNN) and generalized regression neural network (GRNN) approaches are used to predict the frost-heaving ratio (FR) of the saline soil specimen collected from Nong'an, Western Jilin, China. Four variables, namely, water content (WC), compactness, temperature, and content of soluble salts (CSS), are considered in predicting FR. A total of 360 pieces of data, collected from the experimental results, in which 30 pieces of data were selected randomly as the testing set data and the rest of the data were treated as the training set data, are applied to develop the prediction models. The predicted data from the models are compared with the experimental data. Then, the results of the two approaches are compared to obtain a relatively reliable model. Results indicate that the prediction model for the FR of saline soil in Nong'an can be successfully established using the GRNN method. Four new GRNN models are constructed for sensitivity analysis to assess the influence degree of the influencing factors, and the results indicate that water content is the most influential variable in the FR of the saline soil specimen, whereas content of soluble salts is the least influential variable.


Effects of magnetic field and hydrostatic pressure on martensitic transformation have been examined by using Fe‐Pt, Cu‐Al‐Ni, Ni 2MnGa and Fe‐Pd shape memory alloys and Fe‐Ni alloys. Following results are obtained; (i) in Fe‐Pt, Cu‐Al‐Ni and Fe‐Ni alloys, the experimental magnetic field and/or hydrostatic pressure dependence of martensitic transformation start temperature, Ms, is in good agreement with the dependence calculated by the equation previously proposed by our group to evaluate the relation between Ms and magnetic field and hydrostatic pressure. (ii) Giant magnetostriction has been observed in the martensite state of Ni 2MnGa and Fe‐31.2 at%Pd ferromagnetic shape memory alloy single crystals. The values (contraction of 3.8% for Ni 2MnGa and expansion of about 3% for Fe‐31.2 at%Pd) are nearly the same values as can be expected from the perfect conversion of variants, i.e., variants are converted to preferable variants whose magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy is minimum among them under the magnetic field.


In Heavy Oil operations, well routine service jobs are important to minimize production decline. With an average of 2000 to 2500 jobs completed in a year, any improvement in the current process will give good benefit to withstand high decline in production rate. Since 2008, the cycle time has steadily increased from 20 to over 30 hours per job. More time to deliver HES activities and utilizations of work-over rig units for routine service jobs, gradually lead to increasing of the routine service cycle time. Lean Sigma has applied to improve the current process with only focused on routine service main job and work-over rig modification. The outputs of the project are no incidents and reduction of the routine service cycle time job. In order to go over the project, Pareto diagram was developed and showed two big areas of improvement, which were HES activities and tripping jobs. After some discussions, strategy was developed. Standardized HES form and SOP, with standardized job phases, was agreed as an important strategy for project goals. Other strategies were modifications of some parts of work-over rigs and decommissioned of some nonproductive equipment. parties been conducted intensively by team The is The at and


starting from the basic theory of the library′s literature resources′ construction under new situation,the author proposes the strategy of the provincial public library′s literature acquisition,and points out the problems which should be paid attention to in the literature acquisition.


Temperature-sensitive hydrogels based on poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) with ferroelectric or ferromagnetic properties were synthesized by high-energy irradiation. Barium titanate and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) were used as ferroelectric filler and Ni as ferromagnetic filler. The filled PVME hydrogels were synthesized by electron beam or γ-ray irradiation (of a suspension with 5–50 wt % of filler (with respect to polymer mass) in a 20 wt % aqueous PVME solution). Filling of the gel reduces the absolute swelling degree at low temperatures, but do not influence the phase-transition temperature of the gel. The particle distribution of the fillers inside the gel was visualized by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The fillers were incorporated in the PVME network and fixed because of their size (inorganic particles), as well as by chemical bonds (PVDF). The ferroelectric or ferromagnetic properties of the filled gels were proved. Measurements in a corresponding alternating field provide the hysteresis loop, for both the ferromagnetic and ferroelectric gel. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 2253–2265, 2005


Through documentary research, this analysis found that the proposals made to the national States in the area of education guide the actions suggested before and after the 'Millennium Declaration', signed by 191 countries in September 2000. It seems that the three pillars (income, longevity and education) of the Human Development Index (HDI) appear intertwined within the Human Development Reports. However, it is demonstrated that the educational deficits, no access to school, illiteracy rates, and non-universal education for men and women undermine any possibility of improving income and longevity. Therefore, human development is shown as entirely dependent on education. There is no progress in other areas without improvement in education.


Luminochromic gold clusters have potential applications in sensing due to the unique optical properties arising from their geometric and electronic structures. However, the rational design of such clusters is extremely challenging, especially when the goal is to impart reversible stimuli‐responsive properties to gold clusters. Herein, the reversible multi‐stimuli responsiveness of a carbon‐centered hexagold(I) CAuI6 cluster protected by N,N'‐dibenzylbenzimidazolylidene (BIBn) ligands is reported. Two types of crystals emitting blue (λemmax = 479 nm) and turquoise (λemmax = 497 nm) photoluminescence (PL) are obtained and found to be interconvertible by the addition and removal of solvent. Single‐crystal X‐ray structure analysis has revealed significant differences between the crystal structures, including the conformation of the BIBn ligands. Theoretical calculations suggest that these conformational differences directly affect the photophysical properties and that the flexibility of the BIBn ligands attached to the CAuI6 core makes this possible. Furthermore, when these crystals are grounded with a spatula, they are found to emit green PL (λemmax = 520 nm) following a partial loss of crystallinity. This is a remarkable example of both vapoluminochromism and mechanoluminochromism in an N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐protected gold cluster and holds promise as a model compound for understanding the principles governing stimuli‐responsiveness in metal clusters.


Exercise training reduces sympathetic activity in hypertensive humans and rats. We hypothesized that the swimming exercise would change the neurotransmission in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), a key region involved in sympathetic outflow, and hemodynamic control in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Bilateral injections of kynurenic acid (KYN) were carried out in the RVLM in sedentary- (S-) or exercised- (E-) SHR and WKY rats submitted to swimming for 6  weeks. Rats were α-chloralose anesthetized and artificially ventilated, with Doppler flow probes around the lower abdominal aorta and superior mesenteric artery. Injections into the RVLM were made before and after i.v. L-NAME (nitric oxide synthase, NOS, inhibitor). Injections of KYN into the RVLM elicited a major vasodilation in the hindlimb more than in the mesenteric artery in E-SHR compared to S-SHR, but similar decrease in arterial pressure was observed in both groups. Injections of KYN into the RVLM after i.v. L-NAME attenuated the hindlimb vasodilation evoked by KYN and increased the mesenteric vasodilation in E-SHR. Swimming exercise can enhance the hindlimb vasodilation mediated by peripheral NO release, reducing the activation of neurons with EAA receptors in the RVLM in SHR.


The invention discloses a phase-locked loop circuit and a method. In one embodiment, the phase-locked loop circuit comprises a switch capacitance circuit, the switch capacitance circuit generates modulation waveforms, and the modulation waveforms are injected to the phase-locked loop circuit in a current manner so as to enable the output frequency of a phase-locked loop to be modulated. Compared to a spectrum-spread phase-locked loop in the prior art, the spectrum-spread phase-locked loop provided by the embodiment of the invention is advantaged by simple structure, low power consumption, low cost of silicon, and flexibility in spectrum-spreading ratio and modulation frequency.


Since Darwin's time the total number of recorded fossils has grown enormously, and so has their importance as documents of the real history of the organic world. Many previously missing links in the documentation of the course of evolution have been found. The discovery of some of them had been predicted by comparative anatomists and embryologists. Some fossils are truly transitional between major existing groups so that their classification in the framework of established systematics is difficult. Fossils enable us to trace the evolution of vertebrates as far back as the Ordovician when the first fragmentary fish bones appear in the record. We have no reason to assume that vertebrates originated much before that time. Invertebrate fossils are abundant, so much so that they provide in many instances statistically significant samples. Evolutionary lineages have been established on the basis of collections made from successive strata, as well as by general comparisons of fossil representatives of different genera, families and higher taxa. The interrelationships of cephalopods, of decapod crustaceans, the origin of asteroids, the evolutionary lineages of many groups of bivalved molluscs, even of insects, are well documented by significant fossils. But when we ask such questions about the relationships between the classes of the coelenterates, or the arthropods, or when we try to find the ancestors of the brachiopods, or of the echinoderms, we get little, if any, more enlightenment from the study of fossils than from the investigation of living animals. We can follow these groups of animals down through the Palaeozoic strata into the Cambrian where most though not all phyla of the invertebrates are represented. When we reach the Lower Cambrian the record is diminished and Pre-Cambrian rocks are considered, as a general rule, to be unfossiliferous.


This pilot study examined the impact of mentoring and advising at-risk underrepresented minority students received prior to matriculation on their performance in medical school.


High pressure infrared (h.p.i.r.) studies indicate that the cluster [Ru5C(CO)15](1) adds carbon monoxide under relatively mild conditions (20 °C, 80 atm) to give [Ru5C(CO)16](2), while under more forcing conditions (90 °C, 80 atm) the cluster (2) reverts back to (1). The osmium analogue, [Os5C(CO)15](3), gives [Os5C(CO)16](4) at 70 °C and 50 atm but may be obtained in quantitative yield from an autoclave reaction in the absence of solvent. Complex (4) crystallises in space group P with a= 10.017(3), b= 15.823(5), c= 16.507(8)A, α= 96.78(3), β= 103.20(3), γ= 93.41(2)°, and Z= 4. The structure was solved by a combination of direct methods and Fourier-difference techniques and refined by blocked full-matrix least squares to R= 0.073 for 6 120 reflections. The five Os atoms define a 'bridged-butterfly' configuration with a carbide at the centre. There are four terminal carbonyl groups bound to the bridging metal atom and three to each of the other four metal atoms. A h.p.i.r. study of the reaction of (4) with H2 has shown that at a pressure of 75 atm and at temperatures around 90 °C the cluster [Os5H2(C)(CO)15](5) is produced. The electrochemical or chemical reduction of [M5C(CO)15][M = Ru (1) or Os (3)] produces the corresponding dianion [M5C(CO)14]2–[M = Ru (6) or Os (7)]. An X-ray analysis of the [N(PPh3)2]+ salt of (7) shows that the squarepyramidal Os5C core geometry of (3) is retained. One of the Os–Os bonds in the basal plane is symmetrically bridged by a carbonyl group. The remaining 13 carbonyl ligands are co-ordinated terminally, two each to the carbonyl-bridged metal atoms, and three each to the other three metal atoms. The salt crystallises in space group P with a= 13.244(6), b= 14.648(9), c= 21.963(14)A, α= 86.78(5), β= 85.54(5), γ= 81.22(5)°, and Z= 2. The structure was solved using the same techniques as for (4) and refined by blocked-cascade least squares to R= 0.065 for 5 780 observed diffractometer data. The dianion (7) reacts with two equivalents of [Au(PPh3)Cl] to give the neutral complex [Os5C(CO)14{Au(PPh3)}2](10) which has also been characterised crystallographically. In (10) the Os5C core shows significant distortions from square-pyramidal geometry. Two opposite Os(basal)–Os(apical) bonds are bridged by the Au atoms of the Au(PPh3) ligands and these two bonds are significantly longer than the other two unbridged Os(basal)–Os(apical) bonds. Two carbonyl groups are bonded terminally to the apical Os atom, and three each to the four basal Os atoms. This complex crystallises in space group P21/c with a= 20.307(4), b= 9.843(2), c= 27.980(6)A, β= 100.53(2)°, and Z= 4. The structure was solved and refined as for (7) to R= 0.060 for 7 013 observed diffractometer data.


As a key task to support intelligent fashion shop construction, outfit compatibility modeling, which aims to estimate whether the given set of fashion items makes a compatible outfit, has attracted much research attention. Although previous efforts have achieved compelling success, they still suffer from the spurious correlation between the category matching and outfit compatibility, which hurts the generalization of the model and misleads the model to be biased. To tackle this problem, we introduce the causal graph tool to analyze the causal relationship among variables of outfit compatibility modeling. In particular, we find that the spurious correlation is attributed to the direct effect of the category information on outfit compatibility prediction by the causal graph. To remove this bad effect from the category information, we present a novel counterfactual inference framework for outfit compatibility modeling, dubbed as CI-OCM. Thereinto, we capture the direct effect of the category information on model prediction in the training phase and then subtract it from the total effect in the testing phase to achieve debiased prediction. Extensive experiments on two splits of a widely-used dataset~(\ie under the independent identically distribution and out-of-distribution assumptions) clearly demonstrate that our CI-OCM can achieve significant improvement over the existing baselines. In addition, we released our code to facilitate the research community.


This thesis examines the role that digital reputation plays in inequalities on the popular forum: The Student Room. Reputation systems (sometimes described as rating systems) are conventionally theorised as mechanisms for the facilitation of trust and cooperation online. This study illustrates, to the contrary, that digital reputation is implicated in a range of additional social practices and goals, such as the pursuit of status and the exercising of power. The recognition theory of Axel Honneth, and Pierre Bourdieu's concept of symbolic capital are used to propose a basis for reconceptualising digital reputation. It is argued that the full impact and significance of digital reputation cannot be understood without the use of qualitative, exploratory methods, without which it is impossible to identify the contextual goals and strategies that shape and stratify digital practice. This context defines the appropriation of digital reputation, and its meaning and impact. It is also argued that digital inequality literature stands to benefit from traditional sociological insights into the nature of inequality. To illustrate this stance, Bourdieu's apparatus is incorporated into the research design, which consists in participant observation of four forums (Chat, Fitness, Universities and Religion) alongside qualitative interviews. Research identifies the interests that drive users in their practice in The Student Room, and different forms of capital that they deploy in order to attain their goals. It also explores their perceptions and experiences of the reputation system, illustrating how reputation serves as a form of symbolic capital in the various struggles and pursuits of users across the site. These findings offer an important contribution both to the fields of digital inequality, and digital reputation by providing a finely grained exposition of the mechanisms of power in online spaces, and its role in conditioning both digital reputation and inequality.


In this paper, a circuit employing current controlled current conveyor trans-conductance amplifiers (CCCCTAs) as active element is proposed which can function both as biquad filter and oscillator. It uses two CCCCTAs and two capacitors. As a biquad filter it can realizes all the standard filtering functions (low pass, band pass, high pass, band reject and all pass) in voltage-mode and provides the feature of electronically and orthogonal control of pole frequency and quality factor through biasing current(s) of CCCCTAs. The proposed circuit can also be worked as oscillator without changing the circuit topology. Without any resistors and using capacitors, the proposed circuit is suitable for IC fabrication. The validity of proposed filter is verified through PSPICE simulations.


This article starts from the assumption that political participation outside of institutionalized channels becomes more important in Europe. At the same time, older people, the fast growing group in many advanced democracies in Europe, are still using these channels less. Why is this so? The article analyzes individual-level survey data from the World Values Series 1981-2000 and the European Social Survey 2002.
First, on the individual level older people have less resources and motivation to engage in these kinds of participation than younger people. They are also on average politically more satisfied which decreases their participation levels. Second, the macro-context of each society explains part of the difference in participation levels between age groups, most importantly the age of a democracy and its demographic make-up. In some societal settings the age gap can fully be accounted for.


The classical integral Levin-Stechkin inequality on a wider class of integrands is generalized. The integral of the two continuous functions product one of which being unimodal, but not symmetric as in Levin-Stechkin and the second one being convex, is bounded by a sum of products of linear combinations of the first two moments above functions mentioned. The proof uses the moment method and the process of orthogonalization for three functions. The result is illustrated with three examples.


The complex topographies of outer reef slopes such as spurs and grooves are hard to visualize by single-beam echo sounder because of their three-dimensional shape. This study attempts to observe 3D measuring and mapping of outer reef slope using high-resolution multibeam bathymetric sonar. We introduced R2Sonic 2022 Broadband/Wideband Multibeam Sounding System to Okayama University in November 2010. This system is a shallow-water multibeam echo-sounder with selectable operating frequencies within the 200 to 400 kHz band and variable swath width from 10 to 160 degree. Within the acoustic sector, 256 receiver beams were formed using 1 degree across beamwidth x 1 degree along beamwidth. It may also rotate the swath sector either port or starboard side of the vessel. The main part of the sonar has a vertical resolution of 1.25cm. The system is operated with Hemisphere VS111 GPS Compass and Teledyne TSS Dynamic Motion Sensor DMS-10. The accuracy of VS111 GPS Compass is 0.6m in distance and 0.15 degree in direction when placing A30 and A20 antennas at 1m interval. The accuracy of DMS-10 Motion Sensor is 0.07 degree in roll and pitch, and 5cm in heave. The vertical accuracy of the system is around 5 to 10cm. The survey and data processing are carried out by the hydrographic survey software Hypack 2010. The visualization of the 3D bathymetry model is conducted by IVS 3D Fledermaus. A preliminary survey was carried out off the southern coast of Kume Island in November 2011. The maximum depth in the survey area is 280m. The precise reef topography is measured and visualized by this system. The high-resolution (between 0.7 to 1m mesh-size) image is observed above the depth of 60m and the highest-resolution (between 0.1 to 0.5m mesh-size) image is observed around the 10m depth line. The bathymetric result was confirmed by underwater surveys using SCUBA. The high-resolution multibeam bathymetric sonar will be an effective tool to improve shallow water geomorphology.


SUMMARY In this paper the numerical methods course held for students of the Depart-ment of Electrical Engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest is described. This introductory course combines elements of numerical analysis, programming techniques and the methods for computer analysis of electrical circuits and electromagnetic fields. The structure of the numerical methods laboratory classes is presented. The paper emphasizes the difficulties encountered in interaction with the students.