Summary Magnetic field data are of fundamental importance in many areas of geophysical exploration with 3D voxel inversion being a common aid to their interpretation. In the majority of voxel based inversions it is assumed that the magnetic response arises entirely from magnetic induction. However, in the last decade, several studies have found that remanent magnetization is far more prevalent than previously thought. Our experience with numerous minerals exploration projects confirms that the presence of non-induced magnetization is the rule rather than the exception in base metals exploration. In this work we show that failure to accommodate for remanent magnetization in 3D voxel-based inversion can lead to misleading interpretations. We present a technique we call Magnetization Vector Inversion (MVI), which incorporates both remanent and induced magnetization without prior knowledge of the direction or strength of remanent magnetization. We demonstrate our inversion using model studies and field data. Successful application to numerous minerals exploration surveys confirms that incorporating remanent magnetization is essential for the correct interpretation of magnetic field data.


In this study, Hypnea valentiae, a red alga is used as a sorbent for the removal of chromium from aqueous solutions. The biosorption potential of Hypnea valentiae was investigated in batch experiments. The process parameters were optimized using response surface methodology. Based on the central composite design, quadratic model was developed to correlate the variables to the response. The most influential factor on each experimental design response was identified from the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The optimum conditions for the maximum biosorption of chromium are pH – 2.8, temperature – 48.2oC, sorbent dosage – 5.3 g/L, metal concentration – 103 mg/L and contact time – 27 min. At these optimized conditions the maximum removal was found to be 94.5%.


We report a series of six melanocytic proliferations harboring both NRAS and IDH1 hotspot mutations. Clinically, there was no specific sex-ratio, ages ranged from 18 to 85 years, and the trunk and limbs were the most affected localizations. In half of the cases, progressive modification of a pre-existing nevus was reported. Morphologically, all tumors were predominantly based in the dermis and the most striking pathological finding was the presence of a background architecture of congenital-type nevi with a superimposed biphasic pattern formed by dendritic pigmented melanocytes surrounding areas of nevoid melanocytes. This finding was further underscored by HMB45 staining, which was positive in the dendritic cells and negative in the nevoid melanocytes. Four cases displayed increased cellularity and one case showed increased dermal mitotic activity. DNA and RNA sequencing revealed NRAS Q61R and IDH1 R132C co-mutations in all six cases, with homogeneous expression data according to unsupervised clustering analysis. Array-CGH


Cascaded H-Bridge converters in medium-voltage (MV) applications have all the dc link capacitors supplied from external source through a multiwinding phase-shift transformer. This type of transformers has a complex winding geometry, which leads to unbalanced leakage flux paths. The unbalance affects the dynamic behavior of the converters. This work proposes a modeling approach, which realistically captures the unbalance in the leakage flux path of phase-shift transformers, using permeance magnetic circuit. The model can be seamlessly integrated into system-level simulation of power electronic circuits. Taking advantage of the repetitive structure of the windings, the model requires very limited number of parameters, which can be easily obtained from the geometry data together with only a few experimental tests. The fidelity of the model is experimentally confirmed on a phase-shift transformer from a commercial MV drive system.


1. Introduction This paper aims to describe abuses of dominant position in the pharmaceutical sector. Pharmaceutical companies are particularly exposed to this type of infringement because they…


This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License, which freely allows to down-load, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute, and/or copy articles as long as a proper citation is given to the original authors and sources. This article is part of the special issue: the 9th Asia Pacific Bioinformatics Conference (APBC2011).


Only a low percent of women follow studies and develop careers in the field of engineering and computer technologies (E/CT). An initiative for motivating and supporting young women towards future educational paths and careers in this field was undertaken in the framework of a European thematic network with the involvement of universities from almost all European countries. Mentoring was one of the most significant considerations during the first stage of the project. Twenty-six partners contributed with their views, suggestions and answers to a specific questionnaire on identifying the various qualifications building the profile of a prospective mentor. The paper discusses the important elements of mentoring schemes addressed to women deciding engineering education and career and analyses the proper mentor's competencies. The study reveals that mentors should have a wide range of qualifications apart from their technical background, such as good professional level and training experience, as well as willingness, communication skills and other individual characteristics related to their personality.


The diploma paper deals with the charakteristics and analysis of developments in the euro area public dept in the period 2007 – 2011. The first chapter focuses on theoretical konwledge and defining research problems of mutual relations and concepts. The second chapter analyzes the evolution and structure of public dept euro area member countries before the crisis and beyond. The third chapter deals with possible ways solving the problem of public dept of the euro area.


Ⅰ. Survey Overview 1
1. Legal Basis and Objective 3
2. Survey Structure 4
3. Survey Method 5
Ⅱ. Findings 7
1. Disabled Population 9
2. General Characteristics 11
3. Physical and Health Characteristics 17
4. Social Characteristics 30
5. Daily Living and Care Characteristics 37
6. Financial and Economic Characteristics 40
7. Welfare Needs 44
Ⅲ. Implications 47
References 55


The construction and utilization of a new cylindrical cell for fluorescence measurements on protein-Sepharose 4B conjugates is described. This experimental device proved very convenient for fluorimetry of proteins covalently bound to agarose gels, for measurements on proteins in solution, and finally for monitoring the adsorption of proteins in the course of affinity chromatography. With the aid of this cell, the fluorescence spectra of human .cw-lactalbumin in solution and in an insoluble state were compared. The cY-lactalbumin-Sepharose 4B complex gives a spectrum which closely resembles that of the native protein. Fluorescence spectra were recorded with as little as 50 pliters gel in the cell, which corresponds to approximately 0.015-23 nmoles of chemically bound protein. The fluorescence intensity was within experimental error proportional to protein concentration from 0.03 to 0.20 nmole bound protein/mg dry resin. The application of this fluorimetric method to conformational studies on membrane bound enzymes such as the proteins of the lactose synthetase function is discussed.


To diagnose allergic or irritant contact dermatitis, a clinically relevant contact allergy has to be demonstrated or ruled out, respectively. Although patch testing has been used for 100 years, it remains the method of choice for diagnosing contact allergy. A disadvantage of patch testing is that reading is subjective, based on inspection and palpation of the test area, implying that the assessment is subject to the reader's knowledge and experience. This study was carried out to investigate the accordance in reading patch test reactions between 5 dermatologists. 4 groups, each with 10 patients, participated. Within each group, all 10 were allergic to one and the same sensitizer; nickel, epoxy resin, ethylenediamine, or Kathon CG. The sensitizers were tested in serial dilutions and applied randomly to the back. The tests were read independently by the dermatologists in a blinded fashion. A protocol was used where the dermatologists had to note the presence of the morphological features erythema, infiltration, papules, vesicles, and bullae. In this way, it was possible to allocate the various readings into 4 classification systems, 3 European and one American, although the definition of the various classifications might differ slightly. Based on the readings and classifications, it was possible to calculate the degree of accordance within the 4 systems used. It was also possible to analyze the degree of accordance for the various morphological features. Total accordance for the 5 reading dermatologists for positive and negative test reactions was noted in 36% and 46%, respectively. The 3 European systems require homogenous erythema and infiltration for a reaction to be classified as allergic, while the American system also requires the presence of papules. Therefore, a higher number of allergic reactions (9%) was obtained with the European systems. Between the 4 classification systems, there were statistically significant differences, with the highest number of deviations for the system in which papules had discriminatory significance. When looking at the various morphological features, papules were most difficult to assess, followed by vesicles. Preferably, a classification system should not depend on papules. In conclusion, there was good accordance among the dermatologists in reading patch test reactions, since the 5 dermatologists read 82% of all tests similarly.


Introduction. The need for effective coping strategies to be used by the principals of secondary education institutions necessitates the study of the psychological factors associated with the coping strategies, in particular, secondary education institution principals' activity and optimism.
Aim: to investigate the relationship between the secondary education institution principals' activity and optimism and their coping strategies.
Mehods. N. Vodopyanova and N. Stein Otimism and Activity Scale and the Coping Behavior in Stressful Situations by Norman, D. Endler, D. James, and M. Parker (adapted by T. Krukova).
Results. The secondary education institution principals were found to have low activity and optimism. In relation to the levels of their activity and optimism, the secondary education institution principals were divided into "realists", "passive optimists", "passive pessimists", and "active pessimists". Secondary education institution principals' activity and optimism had positive statistically significant relationships with such principals' coping strategies as "social support seeking" and "avoidance", and a negative statistically significant relationship with the coping strategy called "emotional orientation" (according to the psychological types of secondary education institution principals).
Conclusions. The findings can facilitate secondary education institution principals' choice of effective coping strategies.


As social work educators, we strive to instill in our students a commitment to lifelong learning, including keeping up with the research literature. As someone who has dedicated much of her pedagogical energies to teaching students the evidence-based practice process, I want students to know how to critically appraise the literature that they read and to keep up with new developments after graduation. Unfortunately, most graduates of social work educational programs, including some from our doctoral programs, will not maintain access to research libraries into their careers. Absent access to research libraries, keeping abreast of the content in peer-reviewed journals is beyond the reach of many of our graduates. To my thinking, then, open-access publication, by which publications are freely available to the public, holds considerable promise for making peerreviewed, high quality research available to assist social workers in the evidence-based practice process. Unfortunately, for all its promise, the world of open-access publishing has been infiltrated by some shady entities. A few weeks ago, my dean forwarded an invitation to all faculty to submit their research to a journal with which I was not familiar. The submission deadline was tight; about two weeks away. But the journal would be published within a month! Something seemed fishy to me. I looked carefully at who sent the email and saw that it came from a gmail address. I looked up the journal editor and found someone I'd not heard of in social work publishing circles and who was affiliated with a university I did not know had a social work program. I looked at his faculty page, which did not list his editorial duties for this particular journal but did list other journals. Looking at a recent issue of the journal, I noticed that the exact same 4-page paper was published twice in the same issue. Finally, I looked up the publisher of the journal on the Beall's list of predatory journals and publishers (Anonymous, n.d.) and had my worst suspicions confirmed. The publisher of this (and close to 60 other journals) was listed as a "predatory publisher." I followed up with a "reply-all" to indicate what I had learned about the journal in the dean's email and to warn my colleagues to be cautious. Predatory publishers are sometimes known to aggressively email faculty. I'd heard stories of editors-in-chief denying affiliation with the journals for which they'd been listed on the masthead. I'd read about authors having their papers accepted, submitting the very reasonable article publication costs for open-access, and never seeing their paper in print. In 2004, David Mazières and Eddie Kohler had a profanely titled paper accepted by a journal, but refusing to pay the article publication fees, the paper was not published (Stromberg, 2014). To reinforce my suspicions, I received an email within the next few days inviting me to submit my research to this same journal, this time from someone named Jimmy Kimmel at a gmail address. Who wouldn't open an email from Jimmy Kimmel? Some faculty asked how I knew the journal in question was predatory, and I related the steps I'd taken before replying to all. One of the most important steps was one I had neglected: Does the journal publisher appear on the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) list (https://publicatio nethics.org/members)? I referred them to a paper online by University of Colorado Librarian Jeffrey Beall (Beall, 2015) which lists criteria for determining predatory open-access publishers. I referred one still-skeptical colleague to a recent scoping review (Cobey et al., 2018), which identifies the characteristics of predatory journals and predatory publishers including: deceptive or non-transparent journal operations; aggressive, targeted communications to potential authors; and unethical or unprofessional publication practices. JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION 2019, VOL. 55, NO. 2, 211–214 https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2019.1622312


This chapter explores the web as a platform for a compositional approach that renders musical work non-linear, participatory, generative, and unfinished. The chapter will review the history and context of generative music dissemination in the form of distributable computational systems, and elucidate how the web serves the mentioned compositional ideas. Coinciding developments in musical scores and technology are highlighted and framed as the basis on which much contemporary work stands. After contextualizing computer-based generative music as a narrative that extends over five decades of academic research and development, it introduces a few selected projects and expounds the heterogeneous nature of generative systems. The article discusses the musicology of generative music, arguing that musicologists, critics and reviewers have to engage with the natural score format of generative music, namely the code itself.


We briefly report on SINGULAR's low-level interface to GFANLIB: its usage on interpreter level, its implementation using SINGULAR's blackbox framework and two of its applications.


Good correspondence of the gel-time values obtained by two different methods, G′ = G″ and 1/η00, was observed for different types of natural and modified tannin extracts. The pH presents the predominant effect on both the activation energies and the gel times observed, while the proportion of a paraformaldehyde hardener has a much lesser effect on these parameters. The rate constants of the different phases of the reaction of polycondensation with formaldehyde, both before and after the gel point, were obtained for the six commercial tannin extracts tested. The viscoelastic properties of the different tannins/formaldehyde gels were measured. The gel stiffness S, relaxation coefficient n, and relaxation time λ were determined and their dependence on the proportion of the formaldehyde hardener, on the temperature, and on the type of tannin was determined. The gel stiffness S appears to be influenced considerably by the proportion of the formaldehyde hardener. Its value decreased as the percentage of the hardener increased: This was due to early network immobilization and the resulting lower level of crosslinking resulting from it. The influence on S of the temperature is not very pronounced. The relaxation coefficient n appears to depend mainly on the reactivity of the tannin used: The faster the reactivity, the higher was the value of n. This appears to be valid exclusively in tannin extracts where the colloidal state is still present, while it is not valid in extracts where the colloidal state was eliminated by, for example, solvent extraction. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 864–871, 2002


The aim of this paper is to combine the Bond Graph energy-flow modeling and the VHDL-AMS signal-flow modeling language for the simulation and the prototyping of modern switch-mode power converters. The proposed approach was used to model a specific test case, consisting of a Buck converter with a mixed-signal PWM regulator. The causal structure of bond graph paradigm provides the basis for the convergence of the equation system of the model. We present a library package of methodic and semi-automated design of simulation models for the visual signal-flow simulator SystemVision. The primary simulation result shows a good accuracy.


D a r a u s k a n n g e s c h l o s s e n w e r d e n , d a b die l ) f i m p f u n g , wie a l le a n d e r e n m e c h a n i s c h e n l r . i g e n s c h a f t e n de s Ho lzes , m i t s e i n e n e l a s t i s c h p l a s t i s c h e n E i g e n s c h a f t e n z u s a m m e n h~ingt u n d in Bez iehn l~g zu r L age de r S y m m e t r i e e b e n e n in d e n a n a t o m i s c h e n R i c h t u n g e n s t e h t . ~Veitere U l l t e r s u c h u l l gen s i n d n o t w e n d i g , tllll (lie B e z i e h u n g e n de r l ) f i m p f u n g ZHlll l<r iechen , zu r 1 ) a u e r f e s t i g k e i t l ind z u r ZS.higkei t t ies Ho lzes zu l i n d e n rind a l l g e m e i n g i i l t i g e : \ u s s a g e n i iber d ie 1 ) ' ampf t n g s e i g e n s c h a f t e n des 1-1( lzes m a c h e n zu k 6 n n e n . S u m m a r y From the above prelimi~zary experi~e~,~ls it m a y be see~ thai the damping properly is depe~Ment on not ol~lv the stress, but also the duration o/ the dyna~l, zic stress and the i~clination o/ the grain a*~gle in wood. ll is. there/ore, concluded tha! like any other mechanical proper O' 'i~* wood, the dampin." pro"per@ also depends on lhe elasto-plastie nature o/ the material alzd has a .re/erence to the principal orthotropi~ a,res o/ s3,Jr l:m'ther i,nvesli~,ations o.n these lines are cor~sidered uecessaqv to ~,er~eralize the nature o/ (tampi'ng properliex am/ i t s relation to such characteristics o/ the material as creep, /atigue m.Td tottghm~ss.


The invention relates to an LED (Light-Emitting Diode) streetlamp capable of adjusting a light-emitting angle in two directions and a manufacturing process thereof. The traditional LED streetlamp has single light emitting direction and complicated design. The LED streetlamp consists of LED modules, a radiator bracket, M6 screws, connecting pieces, a combined lens, a radiator, an electric rod fixing bracket and a lower cover, wherein the LED modules are provided with LED lamp beads; an aluminum substrate is arranged in the middle of the LED modules; the back of the aluminum substrate is provided with the radiator; the radiator comprises a bottom plate and radiating fins; the combined lens is arranged above the LED modules; the LED modules are connected by the connecting pieces and the power supply is arranged between the electric rod fixing bracket and the lower cover. The manufacturing process of the LED streetlamp comprises the following steps: scraping tin paste, performing SMD on LEDs, testing the LEDs, locking the aluminum substrate, installing the LED combined lens, assembling a radiating module, locking the radiator bracket, installing the electric rod fixing bracket, installing the power supply, performing electrical test, performing waterproof test, aging, installing the lower cover, inspecting appearance and packaging. The longitudinal light emitting can be adjusted by using the connecting pieces (6) at different angles, and the horizontal light emitting can be adjusted by rotating the M6 screws.


Many sports fans are interested in predicting the results of sports matches. But predicting the result of a match is difficult because there are many factors to be considered. Bayesian inference and rule-based reasoning are widely used scientific techniques to predict future information including sports results, stock prices, etc. In this paper we propose a novel framework for sports prediction using these techniques together with an in-game time-series approach. Our framework is novel and unique in three ways. Firstly, the framework consists of two major components: a rule-based reasoner and a Bayesian network component. This is a compound one in the sense that two different methods cooperate in predicting the results of sports matches. The concept of combining two different techniques into one framework is motivated by the fact that most sports results are highly stochastic, but at the same time, the strategies of a team (or a player) can be determined by certain crisp logic rules. Furthermore, because of the rule-based component, our framework can give reasonably good predictions even when statistical data are scanty, so it can be used to predict the result of a match between two teams (or players) which have had few or no previous encounters; while most machine learning techniques may not be used because they can suffer from insufficient data. Secondly, our framework considers many factors like current scores, morale, fatigue, skills, etc. when it predicts the results of sports matches; while most previous works considered only one factor, usually score, or few factors. Thirdly, contrary to most previous works on sports prediction we use a knowledge-based in-game time-series approach to predict sports matches. This approach enables our framework to reflect the tides/flows of a sports match and makes our prediction certainly more realistic, and somewhat more accurate. We have implemented a football results predictor called FRES (Football Result Expert System) based on our framework, and show that it gives reasonable and stable predictions.


The purpose of this research is to find out and analyze the factors considered in the choice of a business travel agency and to find out and analyze what factors are most considered in the choice of a business travel agency. This research uses factor analysis. Respondents in this study were 50 service bureau owners in the city of Malang. Data collection methods using interview and questionnaire techniques. The results of the study revealed that the factors considered in choosing a business location for a tour and travel agency service consisted of access, visibility, traffic, parking, labor, competition, energy, consumers, environment and government regulations. this effort is the accessibility factor.


For students, schools, and society, a school website is an essential thing. However, it is rare to analyze the quality of school websites, where prior research has focused more on analyzing e-government and university academic websites. In order to remain optimal and maintain its quality, a school website also needs to be evaluated regularly. In general, recommendations for quality improvement of the website will be determined in this report. To understand the existing system as the basis for collecting data and information, UML artifacts are used, i.e., requirement statements, use case diagrams, and class diagrams. The approaches utilized in this study, i.e., ISO/IEC 25010:2011 as a universal quality measurement standard and Importance Performance Analysis (IPA), to determine each item's priority for website improvement to improve quality. According to the analyzed data, the current website's performance score average is 3.29, with a negative gap (−0.22). Additionally, the existing website also has issues indicated by items in quadrant I, i.e., US2, US8, FS3, PE2, IQ2, IQ3, and IQ4. These items are the main priority for website improvement. Through these improvements, website performance has increased by 0.41, which means the average improved website performance is 3.70 with a positive gap (0.19). These results indicate that users are satisfied with the improved website performance.


In this article, we compared and commented on two thermodynamic approaches, i.e. the reversible and irreversible ones to ferroelectric phase transitions especially in the case of first-order. The reversible approach, otherwise known as the Landau–Devonshire theory proved not to possess a firm physical basis according to the concepts and methods originating from the field theory and those originating from the analytical dynamics. The metastable states hypothesis underlying the Landau–Devonshire theory causes an unpleasant consequence and a logical conflict. As for the new-developed irreversible approach, we demonstrated that the fundamental hypothesis of stationary states underlying it, is reliable with the aid of non-equilibrium variational principles. The difficulties encountered within the Landau–Devonshire theory can be overcome while this approach is applied to the first-order ferroelectric phase transitions. There is some justification made to prove the proposition.


Based on the method of material flow analysis and the theory of circular economy,the paper draws into the time dimension and gives the definition of the "material flow time lag",a theoretical model of MFA between environmental and circular economy systems with short and medium time period is established,which is applied to analyze the law of mass movement by using the relation of the mass balance.On this basis,the paper analyzes the feature of amount and dynamic change about the circular economy systems within long time period and describes the matching relation and change law between the amount of resource input and waste output in different social and economic periods.The paper comes to following conclusion: On the premise of estimating material flow time lag in different industries and products,the paper sets up a series of new policies to achieve results of developing economy and environment.We must perseve the reducing principle over a long period of time because the amount of waste output is determined by the amount of material input.Recycling principle should be for non-durable products and reusing principle should be for durable products.The paper finally points out the major principles to decrease the expenditure of natural resources and emission of wastes by improving circular rate of two kinds.


: In order to improve the giving hydrophilicity of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and to synthesize three-dimensional PVC gel, I prepared novel telechelics having the reactive groups on the both ends, and grafted those onto PVC. This grafting was performed by substitution of chlorine atoms of PVC with triazinethiols of telechelic poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline)s (PROZO). ! The substitution of PVC was experimentally conducted by two method, using thiol type telechelics with potassium carbonate, or sodium thiolate type telechelics in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The results indicated that the rate of substitution, the degree of introduction of graft chains, grafting and the molecular weight are controllable by kinds of alkyl groups in the telechelics, the feed ratio, and the reaction temperature.


Gallstone disease is one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal diseases with worldwide distribution and with a substantial burden to health-care delivery system. Gall stones continue to be one of the major health problems in the world today, although the exact number of patients is unknown, because there are no signs and symptoms related to the disease when there are no complications. The majority of the patients are diagnosed incidentally. However, some patients come with acute complication of gall stones. Gall stones are classified into three main types: cholesterol, pigment or mixed stones. Cholesterol stones contain 51% to 99% pure ABSTRACT


In 1738 the seventeenth son of K'ang Hsi died, sixteen years after his illustrious father. He had lived through the comparatively short reign of his brother, the "suspicious, querulous, and savagely vindictive" Yung Cheng, into the third year of the reign of his famous nephew Ch'ien Lung. This prince, Kuo Ch'in Wang, was buried in a minor royal tomb probably not far from Peking. Two of his consorts were interred either in the same tomb


be clamoring for more of van der Vyver's works to be made available in English. Jay Heale's essay on Chris van Wyk makes a significant contribution, especially as publication came only shortly before van Wyk's death in October 2014, representing a huge loss to the South African literary scene. Heale highlights the interrelationship between van Wyk's own life as an acknowledged member of a formerly underprivileged community and his writing, prompting him to provide children with meaningful and entertaining reading material. Perhaps one of his best achievements is the picture book version of Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom with "evocative and striking" (34) illustrations by Paddy Bouma, the subject of another of Heale's essays in this volume. In the second section, Genevieve Hart's sensitive essay focuses on Gcina Mhlope, a writer and storyteller who has made a major impact on the local and international scene. As a storyteller, Mhlope is renowned for her mesmerizing and magical performances—she has an extraordinary voice that Hart justifiably describes as "her musical instrument" (166). Mhlope is much more than a storyteller; she is also women's rights activist, a role reflected in her stories for children, which, while full of humor, often have a political message as she challenges conventions and stereotypes in South African society. In the third section of the volume, Rajendra Chetty presents Kagiso Lesego Molope as an African feminist writer who has made a huge contribution to local literature and whose works all feature black female protagonists. Chetty also notes how Lesego Molope highlights language as a means of both isolation and unification, an aspect of a multilingual South Africa that rarely features in young adult novels. The themes of her novels include student unrest in the 1980s, the gradual mixing of formerly segregated schools in the 1990s, and the experience of young women growing up in a contemporary but traditionally patriarchal society. Another contribution in this last section is by Anne Hill, who focuses on Sally Partridge, a writer of the new genre literature appearing in South Africa today. Hill focuses on Partridge's exploration of malevolent forces and the effects on her young protagonists in narratives which she describes as triggering a loss of innocence and a fundamental reconfiguration of lives and attitudes. The essays on illustrators provide information and insight into the many and varied techniques and approaches used in South African picture books from the mid-1980s onwards. One overriding impression is the influence of the African continent and the focus on bringing cultures together. Alida Bothma's inspiration is described as partly coming from nature and her "love for the African continent" (21). Barbara Lehman focuses on Niki Daly's ability to "[dream] himself into someone else's skin," reflecting his own experience and interpretation of the 'rainbow nation' (54). Magdel Vorster describes Piet Grobler's illustrations as a blend of the African and the European, again bringing "different cultures together" (128), while Erin Reilly-Sanders points to Elizabeth Pulles's role in "changing the colors of South Africa to reflect the rich society that they depict" (197). To conclude, this valuable volume of essays will be of immense assistance and significance to anyone wishing to explore South African children's literature over the last twenty five to thirty years.


Abstract Employing the assemblage perspective, the paper examines the relations of exteriority, heterogeneity and fluidity in the development of global health cooperation 'with Chinese characteristics'. Through the case of Chinese health engagement in Africa, the paper (1) reviews the shifting imperatives of China's involvement in global health; (2) identifies the major approaches, institutions and actors in the design and implementation of overseas health projects; and (3) evaluates the linkages among diplomacy, politics and economics in shaping Chinese health cooperation. The findings demonstrate how public health emergencies such as Ebola and COVID-19 have served as catalysts to push forward new developments in the assemblage of China–Africa health cooperation. In particular, the last decade has witnessed a rescaling of the Chinese state to lead international health initiatives on the one hand and to incentivise diverse sub-state and non-state actors to engage in various health-related trade and investment activities on the other. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the move from a state-guided process of health cooperation to a collective project pursued by multiple official and enterprise actors. The pandemic offers an opportunity to strengthen the links between health and non-health imperatives, hence further deepening China–Africa interdependence.


The paper describes an evolution game model of travel mode choice to determine whether transportation policies would have the desired effect. The model is first expressed as a two-stage sequential game in the extensive form based on the similarity between evolution game theory and the travel mode choice process. Second, backward induction is used to solve for Nash equilibrium of the game based on the Folk Theorem. Third, the sensitivity analysis suggests that a payoff reduction of travel by any mode will result in a rising proportion of inhabitants travelling by that mode and falling proportions of inhabitants travelling by other modes. Finally, the model is applied to Beijing inhabitants' travel mode choices during morning peak hours and draws the conclusion that the proportion of inhabitants travelling by rail would increase when traffic congestion is more severe. This confirms that fast construction of the urban rail transit would be an effective means of alleviating traffic congestion. The model may be a useful tool for policy makers for analyzing the complex influence of travel mode choice processes on transport policies and transport construction projects.


The Long Range (LoRa) network has been widely acknowledged for its efficiency and reliability in terrestrial sensing applications. However, building a robust LoRa network in the subsoil environment, which presents challenges for radio communication, remains challenging. This study evaluates the impact of antenna polarization and LoRa modulation parameters, such as bandwidth and spreading factor, on subsoil communication ranges. Based on the results of our experiments, we propose practical LoRa network configurations for the seamless transmission of subsoil sensory data to the surface.


While cell‐free systems are increasingly used for protein expression in structural and functional studies, several proteins are difficult to express or expressed only at low levels in cell‐free lysates. Here, we report that fusion of the human immunoglobulin κ light chain constant domain (Cκ) at the C terminus of four representative proteins dramatically improved their production in the Escherichia coli S30 system, suggesting that enhancement of cell‐free protein expression by Cκ fusion will be widely applicable.


A tendency seen for quite some time in the Swedish railway network is a growing demand for capacity which no longer can be accommodated. This causes congestion and delays, and the relationships bet ...


Introduction: It is shown in this paper, presented selected aspects of the impact that the distribution of products in a warehouse has on the picking of orders. This problem is particularly important for medium and large warehouses characterized by considerable rotation of goods. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the method of classification of products that were used, on the efficiency of the order picking process. Method: For each classification method, two cases of picking products were considered, one including the impact of the fact that the products can be piled, and the other, that they cannot be piled. Simulation studies were preceded by a sensitivity analysis in order to determine the impact of the criteria on the effectiveness of each of the methods. Results: The best results were obtained after applying the product distribution in the warehouse on the basis of: COI Index or ABC analysis according to the number of units sold. It can be concluded that for large warehouses and for products with low susceptibility to stacking, the method based on COI Index proves to be the most effective. Conclusions: If susceptibility to stacking is irrelevant in the products picking process, for average-size and large-size warehouses it is important to distribute products on the basis of COI Index. This method allows obtaining better results than in the case of free storage places by an average of 28.72%. For products with low susceptibility to stacking, applying COI Index also proves to be the most effective.


Atopic dermatitis is increasing in prevalence and currently affects 15–30% of children in urban areas. Immune dysregulation and an impaired epidermal barrier are important factors in the pathogenesis of this disease. Pruritus and a chronic relapsing remitting course are hallmarks of the disorder, and sleep disturbance can occur in both the patient and family. Preventive interventions include exclusive breastfeeding in the first 4 months of life and withholding solid foods for 6 months. The avoidance of irritants and the use of emollients decrease flares. Topical corticosteroids remain the mainstay of therapy, and should be judiciously utilized. Excessive and inappropriate use must be avoided, as well as 'steroid phobia'. The topical calcineurin inhibitors can be useful adjuncts. Systemic therapies are available for severe disease, but carry risks of adverse effects.


This article will explore the gender politics of Post Punk in Leeds in the early '80s. It links the brutalist architecture of the university (now listed buildings), with the rigorous sound of Gang of Four and Delta 5, and how that reflected the austere mood of the late '70s/early '80s. It will also look at how radical feminism flourished in a post-industrial city affected by the National Front, the Yorkshire Ripper and an aggressive male culture, and how it found a soundtrack in female Post Punk bands like Delta 5 and the Au Pairs.


Abstract Five kinds of functional resins, 2-aminopyridine resin (2-APR), 3-APR, 4-APR, 2-hydroxypyridine resin (2-HPR), and 2-thiolbenzothiazole resin (2-TBTR), were synthesized. The functional group capacities of the resins were 3.0–4.2 mmol/g resin. The sorption capacities of 4-APR, 3-APR, and 2-APR for Au(III) and Pt(IV) were 3.12–3.22 mmol Au(III)/g APR and 1.27–1.60 mmol Pt(IV)/g APR. The molar complex ratios, Au(III)/NH-C5H4N and Pt(IV)/NH-Cs H4N were 0.84–0.97 and 0.34–0.48, respectively. Selective sorption of 4-APR for various coexistent metal ions over a wide acidity range (1–5 N HCl) was in the following order: Pt(IV) > Au(III) > Cd2+ > Zn2+ > Pd(II) > Mn2+, Cu2+, Fe3+. The Au(III) adsorbed on APR can be quantitatively eluted with 2% aqueous thiourea. The regenerated APR can be reused without apparent decrease in the sorption capacity for Au(III). The separation of Au(III) and Cu2+ was studied preliminarily. The excellent properties show that APR may be used in the gold industry. The sorption ca...


Sun, a star of spectral type G2 is the main source of energy to the Earth. Being close to the Earth, Sun pro-duces a resolvable disk of great detail, which is not possible for other stars. Solar flares and coronal mass ejections are the enigmatic phenomena that occur in the solar atmosphere and regularly bombard the Earth's environment in addition to the solar wind. Thus it becomes important for us not only to understand these physical processes of the Sun, but in addition how these activities affect the Earth and it's surrounding. Thus a branch of study called 'Space Weather' had emerged in the recent past, which connects the Sun Earth rela-tions. This paper details about the solar activity and associated energetic phenomena that occur in the atmosphere of the Sun and their influence on the Earth.


Conjectures of Igusa for p‐adic local zeta functions and of Denef and Loeser for topological local zeta functions assert that (the real part of) the poles of these local zeta functions are roots of the Bernstein‐Sato polynomials (that is, the b‐functions). We prove these conjectures for certain hyperplane arrangements, including the case of reduced hyperplane arrangements in three‐dimensional affine space.


This article investigates queer vocality as it impacts on contemporary experiences and imaginings of race, gender and sexuality within the South African context. By examining the very applicability of queer (as term and methodology) within the South African context, and paying particular attention to its relationship to voice, this article explores how ideas surrounding race, gender and sexuality bears on South Africa as a sonic environment. The work of South African performing artist Umlilo is specifically drawn upon as the basis of this investigation. As a self-identified queer, black, non-binary artist, Umlilo offers a vocal challenge to patriarchal, racist, hetero- and/or cisnormative conventions, and this article explores how such challenges are brought into effect and into voice.


The thermal and mechanical properties of aluminum titanate–mullite composites prepared by a gel-coated powder processing method, namely a mullite precursor gel coating aluminum titanate particles (containing 2.5 wt% MgO), were investigated. A microstructure with both elongated and equiaxed mullite grains was observed in the composite samples. Both the mechanical strength and the thermal expansion coefficient increased with the mullite amount. The mechanical strength showed a strong dependence on the grain size of aluminum titanate with an exponent of −3. Inhibition of aluminum titanate grain growth due to the presence of the mullite phase enhanced the mechanical strength of the composites. The thermal shock resistance tended to decrease as the mullite content increased. The thermal stability of aluminum titanate was improved in the present composite system.


The effects of anti‐estrogen therapy (tamoxifen or toremifene) on in vitro lymphocyte functions were investigated in breast cancer patients. We found that the amount of DNA synthesis, with or without PWM stimulation, was decreased in all cancer patient groups compared to normal controls. The number of Ig‐secreting cells was enhanced in unstimulated peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures but decreased in PWM‐stimulated cultures. This occurred in all cancer patient groups investigated, with or without anti‐estrogen therapy, as compared to healthy controls. On the other hand, subsequent samples with two‐month intervals showed that anti‐estrogens can increase PFC responses and inhibit DNA synthesis of peripheral blood lymphocytes in more than half of the patients. Interestingly, the enhancing dexamethasone effect, which usually causes an increase in the number of Ig‐secreting cells in PWM‐stimulated cultures, was also seen more often in anti‐estrogen‐treated patients. These results suggest that anti‐estrogens may have immunoregulatory effects in vivo.


This article conducts a theoretical analysis on emission reduction decisions dealing with global warming and their effects on economic environment system.This analysis is entirely based on a continuous four-dimensional dynamic model.Using mathematical methods of dynamic optimization,the authors deduce the basic models and discuss theoretical problems such as the steady state and optimal path of the system.We also prove that the parameter has the effect on environments.The results have some implications to national strategies dealing with climate change.


Chronic infection by the liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini is a strong risk factor for cholangiocarcinoma. To clarify the involvement of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation–derived DNA damage, etheno (ϵ)-DNA adducts (ϵdA, ϵdC) in WBC and plasma α-tocopherol were measured in samples collected from O. viverrini–infected Thai patients (n = 50) and healthy noninfected volunteers (n = 20). ϵdA and ϵdC levels were three to five times higher (P < 0.001) in infected patients than in controls; O. viverrini infection also increased two to three times in the plasma inflammatory indicators, 8-isoprostane, malondialdehyde, and nitrate/nitrite. Mean plasma α-tocopherol levels were two times lower in patients than in healthy controls (P < 0.001). Two months after a single dose to infected patients of the antiparasitic drug praziquantel, ϵdA and ϵdC levels in WBC were decreased to control level (P < 0.03); plasma 8-isoprostane, malondialdehyde, nitrate/nitrite, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were concomitantly lowered. ϵdA and ϵdC levels in WBC were positively correlated with plasma 8-isoprostane, malondialdehyde, and nitrate/nitrite levels and ALP activity, whereas plasma α-tocopherol levels showed inverse correlations. We conclude that chronic O.viverrini infection induces an accumulation of lipid peroxidation–derived DNA damage through oxidative/nitrative stress, which is lowered by the plasma α-tocopherol and by antiparasitic drug therapy. Etheno adducts in WBC and urine should be explored as a risk marker for opisthorchiasis-related cholangiocarcinoma, and to assess the efficacy of preventive and therapeutic interventions. Cancer Epidemiol Biomakers Prev; 19(1); 310–8.


A wild-type strain of Staphylococcus aureus that inactivates the 4,6-glycosidically linked deoxystreptamine aminoglycoside antibiotics by a plasmid-mediated process was found to harbor two enzymes: an acetyltransferase of the AAC(6′) type and a new phosphotranferase specific to the gentamicin components. The target of this last enzyme is the 2″-hydroxyl function of these antibiotics, since one inactivated compound is 2″-(O)-phosphorylsisomicin.


The Construction of death penalty must face with questions of legality and value, which are closely related to the stand of subjects abolishing death penalty. The classification of compulsory and convincing in abolishing death penalty as study paradigm are valuable in theory because it revealed the value and spirit in the system evolution of death penalty. How to seek for lawful and effective operation to abolish death penalty is a necessity to discard historical tradition and self-construct of dialects in the evolution of death penalty system and this should be based on the inter-function of government accountability and civil power.


In the case of submerged multijets impinging on to a flat surface, the limiting current densities were measured at microelectrodes, fixed flush with the target surface using diffusion controlled electrode reactions (i.e. reduction of ferricyanide ion). The height of the multijet distributor from the target surface (Y) was varied from 5 to 9 cm. The numbers of holes of the distributor (N) studied were 76 and 141. The variation of mass transfer data with radial distance reveals the existence of two different regions, i.e. the impingement region and the wall jet region. The mass transfer rate increased with increase in Y in the impingement region. The effect of Y is negligible in the wall jet region. Decrease in N decreases the mass transfer rate in both the regions. The data are correlated separately for the two regions.


Objective To investigate the application of risk management theory in the management of medical adverse events.Method To develop predictive management strategies and effective coping strategies in the management of medical adverse events,by taking a series of effective measures in management procedure,management practice,venture rating and management methods.Result Start from 2007,one Maternal and Children Health Hospital in Guangzhou Province has applied risk management theory to manage medical adverse events.Distinct improvement has been achieved in the management department,since more comprehensive and detailed information about the events becomes available,by adopting prompt problem solving management system,the losses caused by medical adverse events has been reduced significantly.Conclusion To apply risk management theory in the management of medical adverse events can minimizes losses caused by medical adverse events at lowest possible cost,it is effective in improving the quality of medical service.

Key words:
Medical Adverse Events; Risk Management;  Applying


The invention provides a double-sided lamb cashmere blanket and a processing method thereof, which belong to the field of polyester fiber products and processing technology thereof. The blanket comprises cashmere yarn and base filaments, wherein the cashmere yarn is 222dtex/288F or 333dtex/576F DTY polyester yarn; and the base filaments are 167dtex FDY polyester yarn. The invention has the advantages that the method can avoid fluffy and unstable tissue, lays a foundation for obtaining double-sided lamb cashmere fabric which is soft, uniform, dense, clear in cashmere-surface balls and distinct in yarn-crochet levels and gives people close, soft and comfortable feel, and can guarantee all the technical effects; uneven width is easy to control; no moire-shaped phenomena exist; and the blanket is flat and not rough in cashmere surface, rich in lamb-shaped spherical-surface texture and strong in stereoscopic impression.


The Blase transition and phase behavior of blends of poly(pheny1 acrylate) with poly(acrylonitri1eco-styrene) was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. It was found that poly(pheny1 acrylate) is miscible with poly(acrylonitri1e-co-styrenes) within a specific range of copolymer composition. The segmental interaction parameters were estimated and found to be positive for all three pairs. The miscibility in thissystem appears to be the consequence of the intramolecular repulsion between styrene and acrylonitrile units.


Abstraet. A number of phenolic compounds have been tested for abili ty to inhibit the cytokinin-induced synthesis of be tacyanin in Amaranthus caudatus cotyledons. Under the conditions employed, the compounds responded thus: (1) no inhibit ion with up to 1 mg m1-1 {quercetin 3-rhamnosy!glucoside and chlorogenic acid), (2) part ial or no inhibit ion up to 0.1 mg m1-1 with greater inhibi t ion at 1 mg m1-1 (phloridzin, arbut in, caffeic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) and (3) partial or no inhibit ion up to 0.1 mg m1-1 with complete inhibi t ion a t 1 mg ml -x (o-coumaric, m-coumaric, p-coumaric, protocatechuic and ferulic acids and phenylalanine). The results show tha t if theAmaranthus betacyanin bioassay for cy to~n ins is to give reliable results, then certain contaminat ing phenolics must be removed beforehand; some difficulties involved in this are briefly discussed.


A 'new Buddhism' has been emerging in the Western world, for some time. An important area for research concerns the mechanisms by which people are engaging with the various traditions of this religion. Starting with sensitising concepts from religious conversion theory and transpersonal psychology, a grounded theory study was undertaken to investigate these mechanisms. Three committed Buddhists were interviewed and transcripts of their interviews carefully analysed to produce a higher-order explanation of the processes revealed. A model of religious conversion has emerged from the data that centres around a 'Test for Fit' between the potential convert and the religion in question. In terms of this model, religious conversion is the product of a successful match between the individual and a given religion in a social context that does not preclude the conversion. It was determined that while conversion theory offers the best currently available explanation to explain Westerners engaging with Buddhism, it needs to be expanded to account for the 'Test for Fit' model.


As early as 1933, the State College High School in Pennsylvania introduced a course in Driver Education, and in the ensuing thirty-six years much change and expansion has occurred. In recent years the Highway Safety Act of 1966 has placed increased emphasis on the training of beginning drivers, retraining of problem drivers, and on the standardization and improvement of course content. Contemporary high school driver education courses are vastly improved, especially those using the "Four Phase" method of instruction. Programs of the 70's will place more emphasis on skid control, blow-out recovery, winter driving, night driving, emergency situations, and the effect of alcohol and drugs. Carefully designed research needs to be done in the area of driver education techniques with emphasis on those techniques necessary to produce better and safer drivers.


In the process of urbanization, collective land in villages was taken over in large quantities, so that many peasants lost their territory. The current compensation system is unfair, so peasants whose territory was taken over and therefore, have no territory and no job and lack life security. As a result, lots of peasants who lost territory became urban poor, which is a vitaly important problem during the progress of social development. Therefore, the departments concerned must regard "three representations" as guiding ideology, draw up the standard of economic compensation which adapts to market economy, create an employment compensation project, establish a social security project which should include the peasants who lost their territory. Using the method how settle the lost peasants can be properly solved.


We have investigated the dielectric properties of a porous glass ~Vycor 7930, typical pore radius: ' 3n m ! with submonolayer coverages of H2, HD, or D 2 on the pore surface by means of a capacitive technique between 5 and 20 K. The adsorption of hydrogen influences, depending on the hydrogen species as well as on the coverage, the dielectric glass properties. We discuss our observations in terms of the thermally activated dynamics of atoms in the combined glass/hydrogen system, where atoms denote atoms which build the porous glass as well as adsorbed hydrogen molecules. @S0163-1829~97!51822-4# Confined molecular systems have been attracting a lot of attention since such molecules show very different characteristics compared to their bulk counterparts. One prominent example is the nature of phase transitions of such materials confined into restricting geometries, which is different from the bulk behavior, as can be seen from freezing temperature depression ~see our previous publication 1 and references therein!, different critical exponents at the phase transitions, 2 and the phase separation behavior of binary liquids. 3 The dynamics of confined molecular systems are also of great interest. 4,5 However, the confining geometries are often as


Objective:To improve a RP-HPLC method to determinate the metformin hydrochloride concentration in plasma for study of bioavailability.Methods:The analytes were separated on a MACHEREY-NAGEL NUCLEO- DUR C_8(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm).The column temperature was 45℃ The mobile phase consisted of 60 mmol· L~(-1)sodium dihydrogen phosphate(consisting of 3 mmol·L~(-1)SDS)-acetonitrile(28:72,)with a flow rate of 1.2 mL·min~(-1),the detective wavelength was 233 nm.The plasma was deposited by acetonitrile and concentrated Results:The calibration curve was linear in the range of 52.3-4106.7 ng·mL~(-1)(r=0.9998),The inter-day RSD and intra-day RSD were less than 10%,respectively.Conclusion:The analysis method was accuracy,sensi- tive and easy to control quality.It is suitable for the bioavailability study of metformin hydrochloride.


GENERAL DESCRIPTION. Along the line of the Norfolk and Western railroad in the counties of Montgomery, Pulaski and Wythe, Virginia, there is an area of complicated geology which up to the present time has not received the attention it deserves. The region in question extends from Christiansburg, on the east, to Max Meadows, on the west, and embraces a strip of country from ten to fifteen miles in width and about equally divided north and south with respect to the line of the railroad.

PREVIOUS INVESTIGATORS AND THEIR CONCLUSIONS. From time to time numerous geologists have examined the rocks in this region, but their work has been only cursory and their results are vague and unsatisfactory. The published reports concerning it are, so far as the writer is aware, those of W. B. Rogers,[*][1] J. P. Lesley,[†][2] W. M. Fontaine,[‡][3] J. J. Stevenson[§][4] and McCreath and d'Invilliers,[||][5]

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Thank you very much for reading environmental ethics an introduction to environmental philosophy. As you may know, people have search hundreds times for their chosen readings like this environmental ethics an introduction to environmental philosophy, but end up in harmful downloads. Rather than reading a good book with a cup of tea in the afternoon, instead they are facing with some harmful bugs inside their laptop.


The mixed ligand complexes of Cu (II) and Ni (II) with schiff base derived from semicarbazone and heterocylic base pyridine have been synthesized and characterized on the basis of elemental analysis, IR, electronic, magnetic moment, conductance and thermogravimetric analysis . The complexes are colored and stable in air, having the general formula M(L)B.X[ metal: Ligand: base. H2O]. The thermal behavior of complexes show that the hydrated complexes lose molecule of water first, followed by decomposition of ligand molecules in subsequent steps. The ligand and its complexes have also been tested for their antimicrobial behavior against various microorganisms and all complexes show a good activity.


Title. Amide-Disubstituted Pyridine or Pyridazine Compounds Patent Publication Number. WO 2020/159904 A1 Publication Date. August 6, 2020 Priority Application. US 62/798,566 Priority Date. January 30, 2019 Inventors. Sherwood, T. C.; Yang, M. G.; Gilmore, J. L.; Zhang, Y.; Xiao, Z.; Liu, Q. Assignee Company. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, USA Disease Area. Inflammatory and autoimmune diseases Biological Target. Cytokines interleukin (IL) and/or interferons (IFNs) Summary. The heterodimeric cytokines interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23, which share a common p40 subunit, are produced by activated antigen-presenting cells and are critical in the differentiation and proliferation of Th1 and Th17 cells, two effector T cell lineages, which play key roles in autoimmunity. IL-23 is composed of the p40 subunit along with q unique p19 subunits. IL-23, acting through a heterodimeric receptor composed of IL-23R and IL-12β1, is essential for the survival and expansion of Th17 cells, which produce proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-6, and TNF-α. These cytokines are critical in mediating the pathobiology of several autoimmune diseases. IL-12, in addition to the p40 subunit in common with IL-23, contains a p35 subunit and acts through a heterodimeric receptor composed of IL-12Rβ1 and IL-12Rβ2. IL-12 is essential for Th1 cell development and secretion of IFNγ, a cytokine which plays a critical role in immunity by stimulating MHC expression, class switching of B cells to IgG subclasses, and the activation of macrophages. In human disease, high expression of p40 and p19 has been measured in psoriatic lesions, and Th17 cells have been identified in active lesions in the brain from MS patients and in the gut mucosa of patients with active Crohn's disease. Moreover, genome-wide association studies have identified several loci associated with chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases that encode factors that function in the IL-23 and IL-12 pathways. Indeed, anti-p40 treatments, which inhibit both IL-12 and IL-23 as well as IL-23-specific anti-p19 therapies, are shown to be efficacious in the treatment of autoimmunity in diseases including psoriasis, Crohn's disease, and psoriatic arthritis. The Type I group of interferons (IFNs) include IFNα, IFNβ, IFNε, IFNκ, and IFNω. Type I IFNs have multiple effects in both the innate and adaptive immune system. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have demonstrated increased serum levels of IFNα, and serum IFNα levels correlate with disease activity and severity. In addition to lupus, Type I interferons are important in the pathobiology of Sjogren's syndrome and scleroderma. Tyrosine kinase 2 (Tyk2) is a member of the Janus kinase (JAK) family of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases and is critical in regulating IL-12, IL-23, and Type I interferons in both mice and humans. The present application describes a series of novel amide-disubstituted heterocyclic compounds for modulating cytokines interleukin (IL) and/or interferons, such as IL-12, IL-23, and/or IFNα for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Further, the application discloses compounds, their preparation, use, pharmaceutical composition, and treatment. Definitions. X = N or CH; R1 = H, CD3, C1−3 alkyl, or C3−6 cycloalkyl; R2 = C1−6 alkyl, C1−6 alkoxy, -(CH2)1-3−14 membered carbocyclic substituted with 0−1 R2a, -NRaC1−6 alkyl substituted with 0−2 R2a, -NRa-aryl substituted with 0−2 R2a, -NRaheterocycle substituted with 0−2 R2a, -NRaCO-C1−6 alkyl, -NRaC3−6 cycloalkyl substituted with 0−2 R2a or a 5−8 membered heterocycle substituted with 0−3 R2a; R2a = H, CN, halogen, C1−6 alkyl, C3−6 cycloalkyl, C3−6 aryl or a 5−8 membered heterocycle; R3 = C1−3 alkyl, C1−3 alkoxy, -NHS(O)pRa or -S(O)pRa,R4 is absent or a 5−7membered heterocycle substituted with 0−3 R5; R5 = H, halogen, C1−3 alkyl, C1−3 alkoxy, -(CH2)r 5−8 membered heterocycle substituted with 0−2 R5a or -CO3−8 membered heterocycle;


This paper presents a new speech-enhancement approach based on an enhanced empirical wavelet transform, considering the time and scale adaptation of thresholds for individual component signals obtained from the used transform. The time adaptation is performed using the Teager energy operator on the individual component signals, and the scale adaptation of thresholds is performed by the modified level-dependent threshold principle for the individual component signals. The proposed approach does not require an explicit estimation of the noise level or a priori knowledge of the signal-to-noise ratio as is usually needed in most common speech-enhancement methods. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been assessed based on over 1000 speech recordings from the public Librispeech database. The research included various types of noise (among others white, violet, brown, blue, and pink) and various types of disturbance (among others traffic sounds, hair dryer, and fan), which were added to the selected test signals. The score of perceptual evaluation of speech quality, allowing for the assessment of the quality of enhanced speech, and signal-to-noise ratio, allowing for the assessment of the effectiveness of disturbance attenuation, are selected for the evaluation of the resultant effectiveness of the proposed approach. The resultant effectiveness of the proposed approach is compared with other selected speech-enhancement methods or denoising techniques available in the literature. The experimental research results show that the proposed method performs better than conventional methods in many types of high-noise conditions in terms of producing less residual noise and lower speech distortion.


Deflection is of great significance for evaluating the safety performance of long-span bridges, while it is difficult or expensive to be directly measured in actual projects despite numerous displacement sensors have been developed. This paper proposes a displacement reconstruction framework to obtain the dynamic deflection of beam structures using strain data. The framework defines the judgment criteria of curvature symbols and standard side first, and then stochastic subspace identification algorithm is used to calculate the strain mode shapes involved in the vibration, which solves the unclear calculation process and the need for considerable measurement points of the traditional mode superposition method. Furthermore, the displacement mode shapes and corresponding modal coordinates are obtained, and then the dynamic deflections are derived. Numerical simulations of cantilever and simply supported beams illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework, and the results show that the error is only 0.69% with only four strain measurement points. The two corresponding model experiments have also been carried out, and the results demonstrate that the deflection estimation error is only 0.14% with five measurement points, which further proves that the developed displacement reconstruction framework can accurately reconstruct the dynamic deflection of the beam structures.


Introduction Thrombocytopenia is a disorder in which there are too few platelets in the blood. Platelets are small, disk-shaped cellular structures in the bloodstream that help the blood to clot. Thus thrombocytopenia is often characterized by excessive bleeding, including epistaxis and easy bruising. Thrombocytopenia can be diagnosed by a routine blood test. Thrombocytopenia arises for one of three reasons, the bone marrow may not produce enough platelets, too many platelets may be destroyed in the spleen, and thrombocytopenia can be caused by a variety of conditions. Acute fever with thrombocytopenia (platelet count less than 150,000) is a common clinical problem in our medical wards. Febrile thrombocytopenia is the thrombocytopenia associated with fever. Diseases which commonly present with fever and thrombocytopenia are malaria, leptospirosis, rickettsial infections, septicemia, typhoid, borreliosis, arbovirus such as dengue or yellow fever, rodent-borne viruses such as Hanta and Lassa fever, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), visceral leishmaniasis and TTP-HUS. 1


The human embryonic stem cell debates since the beginning have been rhetorical, full of gene-hype. However, these debates imply serious theological and political hermeneutics in the definition of human life, the dignity of life, respect, and women. It also demands a reassessment of the Western Christian anthropology of human personhood (person as innate, person as relational, and person as proleptic). From the East Asian theological perspective, however, the dignity of life implies the imperative for a life to realize itself to the fullest end of what it ought to be. This involves the diligent practice of sanctification and self-cultivation in mindfulness (or respect). A researcher in a laboratory is also a human person who needs to engage in this rigorous practice of mindfulness. This may be the prerequisite to exercise one's freedom to help other forms of life accomplish their imperative for self-realization. But this denotes not so much a self-defined created co-creator self-consciously stretching and enabling to create techno-sapiens or the superhuman cyborg, as a humble cosmic co-sojourner participating in the great transformative movement of theanthropocosmic trajectory, i.e., the Tao (the Way). The sanctity of life from an East Asian Christian perspective means a fulfillment and embodiment of the proleptic Tao (道), in its own freedom of life (wu-wei 無爲). After all, both science and religion are taos for life, the great openness for cosmic vitality (saeng-myeong 生命).


This paper uses a disaggregated approach to study the behavior of stock market volatility. While volatility for the market as a whole has been remarkably stable over time, the volatility of individual stocks appears to have increased. We come to this conclusion both from direct testing, motivated by findings from the ARCH literature, and indirect evidence, such as the correlations among securities and the level of diversification needed to produce efficient portfolios. Some factors that may have influenced the apparent increase in the idiosyncratic volatility of individual securities are examined. ∗This work was supported by the Princeton University Center for Economic Policy Studies †We are grateful to John Y. Campbell, Charles Jones, Robin L. Lumsdaine, Jianping Mei, and especially an anonymous referee and René Stultz for extremely helpful comments.


Biometric systems represent valid solutions in tasks like user authentication and verification, since they are able to analyze physical and behavioural features with high precision. However, especially when physical biometrics are used, as is the case of iris recognition, they require specific hardware such as retina scanners, sensors, or HD cameras to achieve relevant results. At the same time, they require the users to be very close to the camera to extract high-resolution information. For this reason, in this work, we propose a novel approach that uses long-range (LR) distance images for implementing an iris verification system. More specifically, we present a novel methodology for converting LR iris images into graphs and then use Graph Siamese Neural Networks (GSNN) to predict whether two graphs belong to the same person. In this study, we not only describe this methodology but also evaluate how the spectral components of these images can be used for improving the graph extraction and the final classification task. Results demonstrate the suitability of this approach, encouraging the community to explore graph application in biometric systems.


ABSTRACT Extracts of wheat bran and barley husk with solvents of different polarity were analyzed to determine the concentration of bioactive compounds (phytic acid, saponins, flavonoids, total phenolic compounds and phenolic profile) and their antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS assays. The results showed that the phytic acid concentration in wheat bran was higher than the phytic acid concentration in barley husk. The concentration of saponins was inverse with higher concentrations in barley husk than wheat bran. The solvents with the highest extraction of phytochemicals were 80% ethanol in wheat bran and 50% acetone in barley husk. The chromatograph profile showed that wheat bran presented a greater concentration of caffeic acid and barley husk contained kampferol. The properties of extraction solvents significantly affected the concentration of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity. The addition of water to the solvents increased the extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. The results for barley husk are among the first reported because there are few studies on this cereal.


The Cs-symmetry hafnium metallocene ((p-Et3Si)C6H4)2C(2,7-di-tert-BuFlu) (C5H4)Hf(CH3)2 and tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl) borate dimethylanilinium salt ((B(C6F5)4) � (Me2NHPh) þ ) were used as the catalytic system for the polymerization of higher a-olefins (from hexene-1 to hexadecene-1) in toluene at 0 � C. The evolution of the polymerization was studied regarding the variation of the molecular weight, molecular weight distribution and yield with time. The effect of the monomer structure on the polymerization kinetics was established. The role of trioctylaluminum in accelerating the polymerization was investigated. 13 C NMR spectroscopy was used to study the microstructure of the poly(a-olefins) by the determination of the pentad monomer sequences. The thermal properties of the polymers were obtained by differential scan- ning calorimetry, DSC. The results were discussed in connection with the polymer micro- structure. V C 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4314-4325, 2009


Ruskin said 'Great nations write their autobiographies in three manuscripts, the book of their deeds, the book of their words and the book of their art. Nor one of these books can be understood unless we read the two others, but of the three the only trustworthy one is the last.'


AIM:To develop a new CO 2 laser blood vessel and nerve circular welding system which can make an circle instant and uniformed anastomosis on the of blood vessel and nerve .METHODS:①Useing ray transition device make the laser beam homogeneous on the circle of blood vessel and nerve. ②Using dissoluble material which could be used as a backstop used in vascular to protect the wall and the shape of blood vessel. RESULTS: Use this method is more efficiency than the traditional welding method. The anastomosis tissue is recover fast and the wounded is homogeneous. The material used as a underprop is innocuity. CONCLUSION: The blood vessel and nerve circular welding method is doing well.It is good for the laser blood vessel and nerve recover.


The purpose of the present invention is to provide a dry film capable of forming a resist pattern having excellent resolution and heat resistance, even when a photosensitive layer having a thickness exceeding 20 μm is formed. Provided is a dry film provided, in the following order, with: a support body; a silicone resin layer or an alkyd resin layer; and a photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer contains a component (A), a component (D), and at least one of a component (B) and a component (C).


This paper describes a full-scale, flexible test vehicle designed and built by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to validate the aerodynamic and mechanical performance of large compressors for a variety of applications. This paper provides a description of the test vehicle as well as mechanical and aerodynamic performance data gathered during testing of the vehicle.


Objective: To investigate the difference in cardiac failure patients with left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)≥40% and 40%,and to evaluate influencing factors.Methods: A total of 100 cardiac insufficiency patients with clinical sign at NYHA grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ were selected,including 48 patients with LVEF≥40% in observation group,and 52 patients40% in control group.Indexes were observed and compared.Results: Compared with the control group,there were significant differences in alanine aminotransferase,past incidence of hypertension,left vebtricular interventricular septal defect(IVSD),left ventricular posterior wall thickness(P0.01).Conclusions: The liver function injury of cardiac failure patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction is minor.Past history of hypertension is the risk factor,while IVSD is a protective factor.


Abstract The mechanical properties of dynamic vulcanizates depend very much on the attractive forces between the thermoplastic and rubber phases. Both in situ and separately formed block and graft copolymers were successfully used to intensify these inter facial interactions in a polymer system of polypropylene and nitrile rubber to gain a thermoplastic rubber with both excellent mechanical properties and oil resistance.


Аbstract. The significance of the problem of acute cholecystitis in the elderly and senile is due to a high increase in the incidence, the presence of marked concomitant diseases.
There is no literature data on a comparative analysis of early post-surgery complications of acute destructive cholecystitis in elderly and senile patients with concomitant coronary heart disease after traditional cholecystectomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
The Aim of the study is a comparative analysis of the nature of early post-surgery complications after traditional cholecystectomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy of acute destructive cholecystitis in the elderly and senile with concomitant coronary heart disease.
Materials and methods of research. A comparative analysis of early post-surgery complications was performed in 392 patients aged 60 and over with concomitant coronary heart disease who underwent surgical treatment for acute destructive cholecystitis. Depending on the method of surgical treatment, patients were divided into two groups: the І group (n = 178) — surgical treatment was carried out in the amount of traditional cholecystectomy, sanitation of the abdominal cavity with saline and decasan solution; the ІІ group (n = 214) — surgical treatment included laparoscopic cholecystectomy, sanitation of the abdominal cavity with saline and «decasan» solution, extraction of the gallbladder in a rubber sterile container through a subxiphoid wound, which, after removal of the gallbladder, was sanitized with «decasan» solution.
Research results. Complications from the cardiovascular system in the 1st group were noted in 2.8 % of patients, pneumonia — 1.1 %, from the abdominal cavity — 8.5 %, wounds — 25.8 %, postoperative intestinal paresis — 19, 1 %, mortality — 1.1 %. In the 2nd group, complications from the cardiovascular system — 0.5 %, from the abdominal cavity — 4.7 %, wounds — 4.2 %, postoperative intestinal paresis — 8.4 %, mortality — 0.5 %. Complications related to bile leakage, the development of biloma or biliary peritonitis in the groups did not differ.
Conclusions. The use of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute destructive cholecystitis in elderly people with concomitant coronary heart disease has reduced the number of postoperative complications from the cardiovascular system compared with traditional cholecystectomy from 2.8 % to 0.5 %, from the abdominal cavity — from 8.5 to 4.7 %, from the side of the wound — from 25.8 to 4.2 %, reduce mortality from 1.1 to 0.5 %.


This book is generally focusing on the opportunities and challenges in the Egyptian education system and particularly on the international school system in Egypt. It is of great interest to define the ability of international school education to enrich education and prepare for the coming era in Egypt with the developed future educators and the skilled graduates by enabling them to invade the labor market with the 21st century global-like work force. Establishing of international schools with its various regulation and governmental requirements is highlighted in this paper, indicating different education systems from different countries. In this book I will demonstrate only some of those challenges and opportunities, for which I hardly was able to find some academic resources. As to give this paper more value and flavoring, I gathered some information from teachers, who work in international education environment, in a teacher survey and conducted several outcomes that should deepen the belief of the impact of the international school education in the work field in Egypt in both, the local and the multi-international setting.


*All levels of basketball camp will instruct players in basketball fundamentals specific to that player's level. The philosophy of all camps is to have sessions throughout the summer to encourage players to develop skills that become habits over a period of time. The coaches of all of the respective teams in the two middle schools and the high schools will be at their individual player's camps. This will give the players and coaches a head start on the upcoming season. The high school coaches will run the camps for boys entering grades 2-5.


In this RMA Thesis, I wrote a history of spiritism in the Netherlands between 1890 and 1940. I have primarily looked at how spiritists defined and defended their self-image and how they perceived themselves as spiritists. I have looked at the spiritist beliefs, practices, and how spiritists interacted with other groups in Dutch society


The ditopic carbohydrazone ligand (L1) produces the square, self-assembled [2×2] grids [Dy(4)(L1)(4)(OH)(4)]Cl(2) (1) and [Ln(4)(L1)(4)(μ(4)-O)(μ(2)-1,1-N(3))(4)] (Ln = Dy (2), Tb (3)), with 2 exhibiting SMM behaviour. Two relaxation processes occur with U(eff) = 51 K, 91 K in the absence of an external field, and one with U(eff) = 270 K in the presence of a 1600 Oe optimum field.


South Asia continues to remains a hotbed of various forms of extremism. Indiscriminate violent terrorism with a strong religious overtone claims the highest number of victims, most notably in Pakistan and India. Islamist Jihadi movements backed by external actors keep the state of Jammu and Kashmir on a boil. Globally inspired Jihad in search of a shariah-ruled state has recurrently raised its head in Bangladesh. Linkages with global jihad and movements that have rallied support to an anti-West platform have escalated their violence potential. They remain a threat not just to the region but have demonstrated an inclination to network with groups having a trans-regional agenda. Beyond violent radical Islamist upheaval, there are insurgencies with secular political demands ranging from secession to varying levels of autonomy. The LTTE in Sri Lanka has been militarily defeated. The Maoists in Nepal have learned to be a part of the democratic process they rebelled against and yet have continued until recently to use terrorism as method of violence. In the Indian context, insurgencies continue in the northeastern region as do Maoist efforts in several of its states. In Afghanistan and Pakistan there is a proliferation of armed groups with transnational linkages. Notwithstanding the improved security situation translating into a decreasing number of violent incidents and fatalities, the ability of these armed groups to orchestrate violence remains a serious challenge. This is partly due to their continuous effort to innovate and also linked to the proliferation of capacity enhancement techniques by groups worldwide. Commitment of inadequate resources, inappropriate force mobilisation, and lack of unified effort and political will to address the social and religious faultlines


The utility model relates to a dust remover control technology field, in particular to bag type dust collector energy -saving monitoring device, bag type dust collector contains dust absorption pipe network, dust remover body, dust pipeline and dust remover chimney, the energy -saving monitoring device includes: pressure differential detection device is used for detecting bag type dust collector's pressure differential value, pulse ash removal device for control deashing time and order, rotational speed controlling means for detect the rotational speed with control fan, amount of wind controlling means for detection & controling the export amount of wind value of fan, dust concentration monitoring device for the detection and control dust concentration value, a controller, the controller set up in in the dust remover body, it is right to be used for bag type dust collector monitoring device carries out data communication and integral control, the problem of present sack cleaner energy consumption high, big to the atmosphere pollution is solved, the effective control to dust removal technology has been realized to reduced the energy the loss and to the pollution of atmospheric environment.


PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how modularity is used for enabling value creation in managing healthcare logistics services.Design/methodology/approachMaterial logistics of four different kinds of hospitals is examined through a qualitative case study. The theoretical framework builds on the literature on healthcare logistics, service modularity and value creation.FindingsThe case hospitals have developed their material logistics independently from others when looking at the modularity of offerings, processes and organisations. Services, such as assortment management, shelving and developing an information platform, have been performed in-house partly by the care personnel, but steps towards modularised and standardised solutions are now being taken in the case hospitals, including ideas about outsourcing some of the services.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper proposes seven modularity components for healthcare logistics management: segmentation, categorisation and unitisation of offerings, differentiation and decoupling of processes, and centralisation and specialisation of organisations. Thus, this study clarifies the three-dimensional concept of modularity as a cognitive frame for managing logistics services with heterogeneous customer needs in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.Practical implicationsModularity offers a tool for developing logistics services inside the hospital and increases possibilities to consider also external logistics service providers.Social implicationsManaging healthcare logistics services through modularity has potential social implications in developing healthcare processes and changing the usage of health services. On a wider scale, modularity is helping healthcare systems reaching their goals in terms of service quality and cost.Originality/valueThis paper shows the context-specific antecedents of service modularity and the usage of modular thinking in managing healthcare logistics.


LAN has become the effective platform of enterprises and departments to realize office automation, and disaster backup of data and business in the LAN has become a indispensable work. In order to improve the data security in LAN, in this paper, the disaster tolerance system structure, the evaluation index, key technology and methods are analyzed, the disaster of the different techniques and methods in theory, draw a LAN disaster emergency services specific implementation plan.


In this study, an off-line optical character recognition scheme is presented. The proposed method performs the recognition by extracting the characters from the whole word, thus, avoiding segmentation process which is the most significant source of error in the recognition process. A set of control points which is defined by the position and attribute vectors are selected as features. In the training mode, each sample character is mapped to a set of control points and is stored in an archive which belongs to an alphabet. In the recognition mode, first, the control points of the input image are extracted. Then, each control point is matched to the control points in the alphabet according to its attributes. During the matching process a probability matrix (PM) is constructed which holds some matching measures (probabilities) for identifying the characters. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method is very robust in extracting the characters from a cursive script and it is insensitive to noise.


In the view that as it becomes more universal. soccer, containing all the characteristics of a sport, is bound to have an inseparable relationship with politics, this paper aims to analyze the. political meaning of soccer in Africa where soccer, becoming prevalent around the world is being integrated into the international sports. In order to encourage more debate to understand the relationship between sports and politics in Africa, through the development of African soccer, the paper examines the political connotation that soccer carries in relation to internal politics. Consequently, a conclusion can be indirectly drawn that African soccer cannot be confined to only sports. Especially, after the cold war, as soccer has become commercialized and politicalized, in line with nationalism, exhibiting elements of monopolistic capitalism, all of these have contributed to African soccer being part of globalization. Although, internally, democratization is underway to some degree!, the popularity of soccer is so large that political leaders end up involved with soccer. The analysis of this paper shows that extreme competition among countries has turned the sports principles such as participation and cooperation into the conflict of winning and losing. However, in Africa, not as just an external factor, but as a connector between politics and internal issues within a nation, soccer needs to be utilized as an integral tool in helping African countries who are still struggling to create unified ethnic countries. However, a comprehensive approach is required, since the politicization of soccer could be manipulated by politicians for their political intentions. In the end. soccer cannot carry out its function of integrating society as a popular sport.


In order to study the characteristics of the obstetric and gynecological history in women with preterm birth and to identify the most significant factors affecting premature termination of pregnancy, 297 cases of preterm birth were analyzed for a period of 22 to 37 weeks of gestation. In the group with preterm birth, statistically significantly more common were women with a history of miscarriage (31.4 %; p = 0.003), with a high parity of childbirth (more than three) (14.8 %; p = 0.0024), with overweight body and obesity of varying severity (37.3 %; p = 0.0012), anemia (58.9 %; p = 0.003), neck diseases with surgical treatment (17.1 %; p = 0.003), nonspecific vaginitis (18.2 %; p = 0.004), bacterial vaginosis (26.3 %; p = 0.002) and abnormalities of the uterus (4.0 %; p = 0.04). Pregnancy was most often complicated by placental insufficiency (63.6 %; p = 0.001), the threat of termination (59.2 %; p = 0.001), amniotic fluid pathology (37 %; p = 0.002) and preeclampsia (22.2 %; p = 0.024). 67 % of patients were noted with preterm birth, dysbiosis of the vaginal tract of varying severity.


Aims Our objective was to develop a simulation model of grain starch formation in rice plants by analyzing the dynamic patterns of carbon assimilation and translocation under varied environmental factors and genetic types.Methods We used field experiments involving different eco-sites,growing seasons,cultivar types and nitrogen rates in developing a model of grain starch accumulation.Important findings The model proposed that the rate of grain starch accumulation was determined by (a) carbon availability restricted by source and (b) carbon accumulation rate restricted by sink.Carbon accumulation rate restricted by sink was dependent on the potential starch accumulation rate and the interaction of influencing fac-tors:temperature,water,nitrogen conditions within plants and the ability of carbon translation into starch.Carbon availability in grains restricted by source was the sum of carbon assimilation from the photosynthetic organs and remobilization from the vegetative organs after anthesis.Photosynthetic product transported to grain directly after anthesis exhibited a logarithmic relationship to post-anthesis growing degree days.Post-anthesis carbon remobili-zation from the vegetative organs included remobilization from leaves and stems.Testing of the model with inde-pendent datasets involving different years,eco-sites,varieties and nitrogen rates indicated values of RMSE of 3.61% and 4.51% and R2 of 0.994 and 0.959 for starch accumulation and content,respectively.Results showed that the model could predict accumulation and content of grain starch in rice under different cultivated conditions,which provides a quantitative tool for quality prediction and regulation.


We report a chip-scale electrodynamic synthetic jet actuator that integrates both a coil and a wax-bonded NdFeB permanent magnet using standard silicon micromachining processes. A copper micro-coil and a poly-dimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) diaphragm with the magnet are fabricated onto two different dies. An orifice, through which the jet is synthesized, is laser cut on the coil die. The dies are then assembled together to create a device with the dimensions 7.5 mm × 7.5 mm × 1 mm. Operating at 180 Hz and 20 mW input power, the device generates a fluidic jet with a peak velocity of 2.1 m/s.


We describe a prototype software system for investigating novel human-computer interaction techniques for 3-D geospatial data. This system, M4-Geo (Multi-Modal Mesh Manipulation of Geospatial data), aims to provide a more intuitive interface for directly manipulating 3-D surface data, such as digital terrain models (DTM). The M4-Geo system takes place within a 3-D environment and uses a Phantom haptic force feedback device to enhance 3-D computer graphics with touch-based interactions. The Phantom uses a 3-D force feedback stylus, which acts as a virtual "finger tip" that allows the user to feel the shape (morphology) of the terrain's surface in great detail. In addition, it acts as a touch sensitive tool for different GIS tasks, such as digitizing (draping) of lines and polygons directly onto a 3-D surface and directly deforming surfaces (by pushing or pulling the stylus in or out). The user may adjust the properties of the surface deformation (e.g., soft or hard) locally by painting it with a special "material color."
 The overlap of visual and force representation of 3-D data aides hand-eye coordination for these tasks and helps the user to perceive the 3-D spatial data in a more holistic, multi-sensory way. The use of such a 3-D force feedback device for direct interaction may thus provide more intuitive and efficient alternatives to the mouse and keyboards driven interactions common today, in particular in areas related to digital landscape design, surface hydrology and geotechnical engineering.

http://public.vrac.iastate.edu/~charding/M4/papers/Faeth at al. Combining 3-D geovisualization with force feedback driven user interaction ACM GIS 2008 sm.pdf


On the basis of the key structure of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) receptor inhibitor aryl pyrazole pesticides, a series of novel aryl pyrazole derivatives containing 5-fluorouracil were designed and synthesized via the key intermediate 5-amino-3-cyano-1-(substituted phenyl)pyrazole. The structures of target compounds were confirmed by H NMR, FTIR and elemental analysis, and their insecticidal activities were evaluated against diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) and mosquito (Culex pipiens). The results of bioassays indicated that aryl pyrazole 5-fluorouracil derivatives exhibited satisfactory insecticidal activities. The insecticidal activities of compounds 5a~5c, 5e, 5m and 5u against mosquito were all 100% at 1000 mg•L. Moreover, the compound 5p exhibited good lethal activity (94.45%) against P. xylostella at the concentration of 400 mg•L. The results also indicated that the type and position of substituent on the phenyl ring play crucial roles on the biological activities of the compounds.


The term "apparent life-threatening event" (ALTE) was coined to describe a situation in which an infant is presented for medical attention because an acute and unexpected change in behaviour alarmed the caregivers. It replaces the previously used term "near-miss for SIDS", debated as too precisely indicating an association with the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) ( I ) . The initial episodes appear to occur during sleep, wakefulness or feeding. They are most commonly described as some combination of apnea, color change (usually pallor or cyanosis), marked change in muscle tone (usually limpness, rarely rigidity), choking or gagging. In most cases the observers reported that the episode was potentially life-threatening, and sometimes that the child had actually died.


The received gospel of documentary usually starts with 'In the beginning, there was Nanook of the North,' despite Nanook (1922) having been baptized retroactively, after John Grierson found the first of the realist canonic gospels in Flaherty's Moana (1926). Having announced that Moana had a 'certain documentary quality,' it was not difficult to find a similar quality in Nanook. There was a Promethean quality to Flaherty. Like that Titanic god, he was impressively daring and inventive, but he had his Dionysian side as well. In her later years, his widow Frances Hubbard Flaherty would interpret his life in spiritual terms that were at odds with the memories of his collaborators, and explain his working method in Zen-like phrases like 'non-preconception.' According to Jay Ruby, Frances Flaherty and Robert Flaherty's brother David made a conscious decision to suppress the pre-Nanook history. The publication of the Flaherty diaries in annotated form tells us much about Robert and Frances Flaherty, their initial motivations, and the emergence of Flaherty the film-maker. Robert Christopher's biography is all about the pre-Nanook lives of the Flahertys, told in their respective diaries. It is rather like reading a Dead Sea Scroll and realizing that some of the key concepts associated with Christianity were anticipated many years earlier by the Essenes. Much of what Grierson discovered in Moana was clearly prefigured in Flaherty's life, long before Moana. The film-maker made four expeditions to Canada's far north, from 1910 to 1916, ostensibly to search for iron ore that he believed to be in an undiscovered extension of the Mesabi iron range. Nanook was photographed on the fifth expedition, from August 1920 to August 1921. While he was hardly an eloquent diarist, his accounts of these expeditions are fascinating. Frances Hubbard Flaherty is represented by a single diary, written between December, 1914 and February, 1916, and her entries portray her transition from a rather willful and ambitious proto-feminist, who wished to use her husband as an instrument of her own ambition. Robert Flaherty insisted on following his own path. Robert Flaherty's relationship with Frances Hubbard was not simple. They met for the first time in 1903, when he was hired to do odd jobs around the Painsdale