We have shown that the superconducting properties of FeSe0.5 Te0.5 thin films are strongly dependent on the growth conditions and, in particular, the in-plane lattice constant of the substrate influences the crystallographic lattice parameters of the films, affecting the strain and is responsible for strong enhancements of the critical temperature Tc and for the introduction of different pinning mechanisms. Here we compare the structural, electrical and transport properties of superconducting Fe(Se0.5, Te0.5) epitaxial films deposited through pulsed laser ablation on three different substrates namely lanthanum aluminate (LaAlO3), strontium titanate (SrTiO3), and calcium fluoride (CaF2). We analyze in particular the critical current density Jc as a function of the temperature and magnetic field, and its anisotropy, which is related to the different pinning mechanisms in play. The film grown on SrTiO3 exhibits a higher critical current when the field is perpendicular to the film surface, opposite to what happens in the sample grown on LaAlO3 due to the presence of extrinsic pinning along the c-axis, while we observe almost no anisotropy on the thin film grown on CaF2.


Mereotopology is the discipline obtained from combining topology with the formal study of parts and their relation to wholes, or mereology. This article develops a mereotopological theory of time, illustrating how different temporal topologies can be effectively discriminated on this basis. Specifically, we demonstrate how the three principal types of temporal models-namely, the linear ones, the forking ones, and the circular ones-can be characterized by differently combining two sole mereotopological constraints: one to denote the absence of closed loops, and the other one to denote the absence of branches.


Photoinitiated polymer networks were formed by copolymerization of tert-butyl acrylate with di(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (DEGDMA) or poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA). The degree of crosslinking was systematically varied by modifying the weight fraction and molecular weight of the dimethacrylate crosslinking agent. An increase in effective crosslink density with increasing crosslinking agent concentrations was confirmed by decreasing equilibrium swelling ratios (q) and increasing rubbery moduli (ER). Glass transition temperatures (Tg) varied from −22 to 124°C, increasing with increasing DEGDMA content and decreasing with increasing PEGDMA content. Tensile deformation behavior (at Tg) ranged from an elastomeric-like large-strain response for lightly crosslinked materials to a small-strain brittle response for highly crosslinked networks. At low crosslinking levels, the strain-to-failure of the network polymers decreased quickly with increasing crosslinking agent concentration. The stress at failure demonstrated a more complex relationship with crosslinking agent concentration. The effect of composition on network structure and resulting properties (q, ER, strain-to-failure) decreased as the crosslinking agent concentration increased. The results reveal trade-offs in Tg, ER, strain-to-failure, and failure stress with composition and network structure, and are discussed in light of the wide range of potential applications suggested in the literature for (meth)acrylate-based photopolymerizable polymer networks including biomaterials and shape-memory polymers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008


InGaPBi crystalline thin films with up to 2.1% bismuth concentration have been grown on GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry confirms that the majority of Bi atoms are located at substitutional lattice sites. The films exhibit good surface, structural, and interface quality, and their strains can be tuned from tensile to compressive by increasing the Bi content. InBi LO and GaBi LO vibrational modes in Raman spectroscopy were observed, and their intensities increased with Bi concentration. A weak photoluminescence signal was observed at 1.78 eV at room temperature for the sample with a Bi content of 0.5%.


Catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) can be associated with a risk of thromboembolism and bleeding. We recently demonstrated that uninterrupted edoxaban with one dose delayed on the CA procedural day is associated with a low risk of periprocedural complications. Previous reports have indicated that some specific subgroups of patients undergoing CA have an increased risk of bleeding and thromboembolic complications. This subanalysis of the KYU‐RABLE study assessed the changes in plasma concentrations of edoxaban and coagulation biomarkers during the periprocedural period of CA in subgroups stratified by the risk of thromboembolism assessed by CHADS2 score (<2 or ≥2) and AF type (paroxysmal AF [PAF] or non‐PAF).


The results of recent laboratory-scale studies regarding the joint effects of wet strengthening agent polyamide-amine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) and internal alkylketene dimer (AKD) sizing on Nordic bleached softwood pulp (NBSK) handsheets indicate that AKD internal sizing increases the wet strength of PAE wet strengthened handsheets. The boosting effect of the internal AKD sizing was long-lasting. At the molecular level the actual mechanism behind the effect is unclear. The present study examines if the enhanced effect of internal AKD sizing, which is potentially exploitable in practice, also occurs in paper made by VTT's Suora pilot paper machine. The trials were done using a similar type of NBSK pulp and the same chemicals as in the laboratory-scale studies. The paper was formed at 400 m/min using a hybrid dewatering mode (Fourdrinier + gap). Just as in the laboratory-scale studies, the internal AKD sizing of PAE wet-strengthened NBSK paper resulted in a long-lasting increase of the paper wet strength. In accordance with the laboratory trials, internal AKD sizing had no noticeable effect on the dry tensile strength of the pilot-made paper. The only apparent difference to the earlier observations was an increase of dry tensile strength of the paper treated solely with PAE.


Spacecrafts and satellites have very challenging thermal management requirements because of the extreme temperature changes involved in sunlight-to-eclipse transitions. A satellite must be capable of changing the absorbance/emittance properties of its surface depending on prevailing thermal conditions. The modulation of these properties can effectively be achieved by covering satellite surfaces with variable emissivity (VE) micro-structures or coatings. Recently, we demonstrated excellent thermal management control in an electrochromic device (ECD) that functions as a variable emissivity device (VED).1, 2 An ECD is typically a multi-layered system incorporating an active element consisting of optically and electrochemically active layers separated by an electrolyte layer sandwiched between two electrodes. The ions in the active element move through the electrolyte from one active layer to the other by application of small voltages to the electrodes. Ion intercalation and ion extraction from the active layers changes the optical properties of the overall system. Our device, the EclipseVED TM system,1, 2 exhibits two emissivity (e) modes: a transparent, non-absorbing low-e mode and a highly absorbing, low-reflectivity high-e mode. The transition between the two modes is reversible and can be controlled by varying the applied voltage level and pulse duration. The fabrication of our device required a special focus on configuring the thermal control region, the reflectance/emittance modulation system, the response speed, and the memory requirements for optimal performance. The thermal control region for satellites and spacecrafts is close to room temperature for the 8-12μm wavelength range. Figure 1. Reflectance spectra of two of our variable-emissivity electrochromic devices (VE-ECDs) in their high-emissivity (high-e) modes, optimized for 8μm (black) and 10μm (green). The blue line denotes a device in its lowest emittance (low-e) state.


Eggshell waste is produced at a rate of 8 million tons per year worldwide and the disposal of this massive amount of waste is a very environmentally challenging issue [1]. Seashell waste is another waste material that is available in abundance. China alone produces 10 million tons of shell fish waste that is disposed of annually. This sea shell waste primarily consists of oyster, clam, scallop, and mussel shells which are mostly wasted in landfills with only a very small fraction being re-used for other purposes.


OZET Objective: Using of argyrophilic nucleolar organiser region (AgNOR) patterns, instead of the fluorescent T-lymphocyte markers, in specification of sub-groups of T-lymphocyte was researched in the study. For this, it was aimed to indicate that AgNOR pattern of each T-lymphocyte sub-group remains stable in a stage of cell cycle stimulated by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and that these patterns are different from each other. Material and Methods: Peripheral blood samples of four healthy volunteers were cultured according to whole blood and/or isolated blood culture methods. The slides were stained by using AgNOR and immunohistochemical staining methods. Results: As we expected, the CD8 staining is not observed in a single style of the nucleolar organiser region (NOR) motif, but rather occurred in the forms of different kinds of nucleolus. It was found that the different types of NOR motifs formed with AgNOR staining are not related to the Tlymphocyte subgroup. Conclusion: It was concluded that the NOR motifs are not specific to sub-groups of T-lymphocytes. Further investigations are needed to support our results.


The invention relates to an electric folding and winding type automotive cover. The existing automotive cover can be folded and can shield a vehicle through a manual method. The electric folding and winding type automotive cover can be fixed on the vehicle, does not influence utilization of the vehicle and the attractive vehicle appearance effect, can be operated remote and enables automotive cover cloth to be automatically folded and wound. An electric rolling-up mechanism is arranged inside an automotive trunk. According to the electric folding and winding type automotive cover, a processing scheme that the electric rolling-up mechanism can be installed inside trunks of vehicles in various types, an electric roller firstly folds lateral cover cloth and rolls the lateral cover cloth after the lateral cover cloth and top cover cloth are overlapped when the automotive cover is folded.


Over the past decades, English has had a strong influence on the German language, including the introduction of new words, among them the colour term pink . A first study (Frenzel 2006) investigated German speakers' perception of rosa/pink as two separate colours rather than different shades of the same colour. The results suggested that pink was causing a shift in the semantic scope of the German colour term rosa . In order to further investigate this change in progress, a corpus of six popular magazines has been compiled since 2006. To objectively determine the application of the two colour terms and their status in German, instances of pink and rosa were selected on the basis of visual support from illustrative material in the magazines. The interpretation of the corpus takes semantic, connotative, contextual, and, particularly, stylistic considerations into account to ascertain the level of basicness of pink in the German language.


S 2 February 2017 SOCIAL LICENSE FOR SHALE GAS EXPLORATION: REALITY OR WISHFUL THINKING? Michael Bradshaw THE UK'S SHALE GAS TRILEMMA This presentation sets the scene for a more detailed discussion of the shale gas debate in the UK. It does not examine the case for and against shale gas development. Rather, it uses the notion of the energy trilemma, which still informs the UK's energy and climate policies, to examine two areas that are critical points of disagreement in the shale gas debate. The first is the issue of UK gas security and the role that might be played by a domestic shale gas industry. The second is the future role of gas in the UK's energy mix and its compatibility with the UK's Climate Change Act (2008) and its associated carbon budgets. The presentation reports on recent UKERC-funded research on UK gas security and the future role of gas to demonstrate the complexities around these areas in relation to the shale gas debate. Darrick Evensen, Aleksandra Lis SOCIAL LICENCE TO OPERATE IN THE (SHALE) GAS INDUSTRIES Shale gas as well as the method used for its extraction hydraulic fracturing can be seen as a highly controversial topic within the EU. In this presentation, we review the concept of "Social Licence to Operate" and methods prescribed by it to balance out public concerns with industry interests. To this end, we provide a short overview on the concept's origins in the mining sector, current interpretations and the involvement of stakeholders. In addition, we critically explore what "Social Licence to Operate" means to the oil and gas sector with a special focus on the shale gas industry and how it could practically be achieved. In particular we address the challenge of understanding what 'the community' is, whether a SLO is a 'single-project achievement' of a 'sectoral achievement' and the need for a long term engagement with communities rather than employing a defensive strategy to prevent protest.


Multi-core architectures have supplanted single core schemes, because they reduce energy consumption by allowing lower clock frequencies. They provide the additional, less exploited benefit of allowing a trade-off between energy consumption and delay by turning off subsets of cores. We investigate what the benefits of this transition are in managing the tradeoff between energy consumption and delay performance, and whether heterogeneity brings additional benefits to outweigh its increased complexity. To do this, we study optimal sleep policies in two settings: switching of homogeneous cores on a fast timescale, which models multiple cores in a CPU, and switching of heterogeneous cores on a slow timescale, which models servers of different generations in a data center. In the homogeneous case, we show the optimal policy is monotone hysteretic, and that the performance is less sensitive to load estimation errors at the design stage when at least two cores are present. In the heterogeneous case, we provide a low complexity algorithm to minimize the power requirements while providing a specified minimum processing speed.


An RF probe experiment was carried out with a low density plasma, the resonances of the probe impedance were studied. The resonances were observed in a frequency range between the sheath-plasma resonance and the plasma frequencies. The mechanism of these additional resonances is discussed. It is shown that a finite electron temperature will introduce these resonances in addition to the sheath-plasma resonance. Choosing some artificial density distributions in front of the probe, the frequency dependence of the resonances is explained qualitatively.


We present an approach to estimate the interference between nodes and links in a live wireless network by passive monitoring. This does not require any access to the network nodes. Our approach requires deploying multiple sniffers across the network to capture wireless traffic traces among multiple channels. IEEE 802.11 networks support multiple channels, and a wireless interface can monitor only a single channel at one time. Thus, capturing all frames passing an interface on all channels is an impossible task, and we need strategies to capture the most representative sample. When a large area is to be monitored, several sniffers must be deployed, and these will typically overlap in their area of coverage. The goals of effective wireless monitoring are to capture as many frames as possible, while minimizing the number of those frames that are captured redundantly by more than one sniffer. The above goals may be addressed with a coordinated sampling strategy that directs neighboring sniffer to different channels during any period. The probability of deferral is estimated using the hidden markov model from the captured traffic traces.This coupled with probability of collision to conclude the interference in wifi networks.


The saturation properties and the liquid-gas transition of finite nuclear matter are investigated with the Skyrme effective interaction and the Coulomb interaction in the framework of Hartree-Fock theory. The critical temperature for liquid-gas transition of finite nuclear matter is found to be around 12 MeV.


PURPOSE: To obtain an electrostatic coating device which imparts required insulation without occupying a space by adopting the constitution to change over intermediate containers from a first position to insulate coating material to be supplied through their openings from a spray device to a second position to supply the coating material into the line of a spray device. CONSTITUTION: In the structural unit consisting of the intermediate container chambers A and B, movable connecting units 6 and 6' out of the chambers A and B is drown and is rotated 180 deg.C during the halt of the coating work to be shifted next after the end of coating and is again connected after the end of the rotation. The intermediate container chamber A, to which the coating material is supplied, is then brought to the lower side after the rotation and is connected to the spray device 2. Then, the emptied intermediate container chamber B is brought to the upper side and is connected to an outlet pipe 1 of the spray system. The coating material is supplied to the chamber B. The coating material is supplied from the chamber A to the spray device 2. The coating materials in the chambers A and B are grounded during the supply from the supply system and the high potential is impressed thereto during the supply to the spray device.


Five new lanthanide complexes displaying crotonato bridges have been prepared: [Gd2(crot)6(H2O)4] 4(bpa) (1); [Ho2(crot)7]n (Hbpa) (2); [Gd2(crot)6(bipy)2] (3); [Ho2(crot)6(bipy)2] (4) and [Nd2(crot)6(H2O)3]n (5), where bipy1⁄4 2,20-bipyridine; bpa1⁄4 di(2-pyridyl)amine; crot1⁄4 crotonato. The compounds were characterized by magnetic susceptibility measurements and their crystal structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. These studies showed complexes 1, 3 and 4 to be dimers while structures 2 and 5 are polymeric in nature.


In the paper, the results of experimental verification of the macromodel of UJN1208K JFET transistor made of silicon carbide fabricated by United Silicon Carbide, are presented. The macromodel form dedicated for PSPICE program is available on the manufacturer's website. The accuracy of the macromodel have been evaluated by comparison of selected calculated and measured static characteristics and C-V characteristics of the considered transistor. The influence of ambient temperature on the characteristics of the transistor has been evaluated, as well.


Part of the Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons, Biological Engineering Commons, Biology and Biomimetic Materials Commons, Biomaterials Commons, Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation Commons, Ceramic Materials Commons, Molecular, Cellular, and Tissue Engineering Commons, Other Chemical Engineering Commons, Other Engineering Science and Materials Commons, and the Polymer and Organic Materials Commons


A novel sensing head for simultaneous measurement of strain and temperature is demonstrated, based on two Bragg gratings arranged in a twisted configuration. Choosing an appropriate twisting period, the grating resonance wavelengths show similar temperature sensitivities but different strain responses, permitting simultaneous discrimination of these parameters with rms deviations of ± 1.5 °C and ± 4.7 µe, respectively.


The crystallographic textures of sputtered Ta and electrodeposited Cu on SiOF low dielectric films were investigated. Severe degradation of crystallographic texture of the Ta film deposited on SiOF compared to that on SiO 2 was observed. There are two causes of the degradation of Ta crystallinity and (002) preferred texture. One is a rough interface formation at the Ta/SiOF interface in the early stage of Ta deposition. The other factor may he the formation of Ta compounds and F incorporation into the Ta layer occurring through the defluorination of SiOF surface that accompanies Ta sputter deposition as well as the strong interaction between the constituents themselves. Furthermore, the degradation of Ta crystallinity led to the degradation of seed Cu(111) texture due to deficient interfacial heteroepitaxy between seed Cu and Ta. Finally, the texture of the electroplated Cu film was directly influenced by that of seed Cu and consequently that of the underlying Ta.


【Objective】 The study was to solve continuous cropping obstacle and to arrange different crops rationally in the same field.【Method】 Allelopathy functions of the root exudates(trast with water) from the line pepper variety "Shanjiao 2006"(Rank 1 hour 1 plant and 4 hour 1 plant were named low concentration root exudates and high concentration root exudates in the thesis later) on pepper,tomato,eggplant and wheat using water foster in lab(Root length,shoot length,stem diameter,side root number,root activity,ratio of root to plant,POD,CAT,SOD in lab were tested) were studied.【Result】 Low concentration of the root exudates of "Shanjiao 2006" promoted germination rate,stem diameter,side root number,ratio of root to plant,POD,CAT,SOD of line pepper of "L26","L25" and "Shanjiao 2003",but suppressed the shoot length.High concentration of the root exudates from "Shanjiao 2006" suppressed germination rate,stem diameter,side root number,ratio of root to plant,POD,CAT,and SOD of line pepper of "L26","L25" and "Shanjiao 2003",but promoted root length,shoot length and root activity of line pepper.Both low and high concentration of root exudates promoted root length and shoot height,and restrained side root number and ratio of root to plant of tomato.Both low and high concentration of root exudates all promated shoot length and stem diameter of eggplant,and restrained side root number and ratio of root to plant of eggplant.To the all observed items in wheat,low concentration of root exudates promots while the high concentration of root exudates restrains.【Conclusion】 With the concentration becoming bigger,the function of suppress to most subjects strenthens.


Abstract 4714 The development of an efficient method to genetically modify natural killer (NK) cells could be used to characterize NK cell differentiation, acquisition of self-tolerance, tumor trafficking in vivo, as well as to manipulate NK cells to enhance their activity against infectious diseases and tumors. Although HIV-1 based lentiviral vectors (LVs) have been used to efficiently transfer genes into human T-cells, little data exists on LV transduction of either fresh or in vitro expanded human NK cells or its effects on NK cell phenotype and cytolytic function. In this study, we used an HIV-based LV expressing enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) driven by a murine stem cell virus long terminal repeat (MSCV-LTR) promoter to transduce CD3− and CD56+ and/or CD16+ human NK cells that were either resting, IL-2 activated, or expanded in vitro using an irradiated EBV-LCL feeder cell line. We observed that resting NK cells were difficult to transduce with LVs, even at high multiplicities of infection (MOI), with transduction efficiencies (TE) in the range of only 3–14%. The efficiency of LV transduction improved when the NK cells were pre-stimulated in vitro with IL-2: TE improved to 21±0.2% in NK cells cultured for 24 hours in media containing IL-2 (200 U/mL) and 28.7±12.9% in NK cells that underwent in vitro expansion over 9 days prior to transduction using irradiated EBV-LCL feeder cells and media containing IL-2 (200U/mL). Subsequently, we evaluated incremental MOIs (3-200) to optimize LV transduction of expanded NK cells; optimal transduction was achieved using a spinoculation protocol at a MOI of 25 which resulted in the highest transduction efficiencies with the least amount of cell death. Increasing the MOI above this level resulted in a small increase in transduction, but was offset by an increase in NK cell apoptosis/death. Using a one-round, non-spinoculation protocol and an MOI of 30, we obtained a median transduction efficiency of 29% (range 16–41) with excellent retention of NK cell viability. This optimized protocol was used to transduce expanded NK cells with a LV vector encoding an shRNA targeting a region of the NK cell inhibitory receptor transcript NKG2A. Following transduction, surface expression of NKG2A decreased significantly on expanded NK cells compared to non-transduced expanded NK cells and "scramble transduced" LV controls; at a MOI of 10, the MFI of NKG2A on expanded human NK cells decreased 35% compared to non-transduced and LV transduced scramble controls (median MFI 428, 673, 659 in shRNA, non-transduced and scramble LV control transduced NK cells respectively). A comparison of transduction efficiencies using LVs expressing EGFP driven by MSCV-LTR, EF1a, and Ubi promoters showed MSCV-LTR mediated the highest level of gene expression in expanded NK cells. Transduced NK cells maintained stable EGFP transgene expression in vitro, which peaked 5 days following LV transduction and remained stable for an additional 9 days. The phenotype of lentiviral transduced NK cells was similar to non-transduced NK cells. Specifically, expression of CD56, CD16, granzyme A and B, perforin, the inhibitory receptors NKG2A, KIR3DL1, KIR3DL2, and KIR2DL1/DL2, and the activating receptors NKG2D, NCRs NKp46, and NKp30 were not altered in either fresh or expanded NK cells following LV transduction, although we did observe a significant reduction in NKp44 expression in LV transduced cells (22% compared to 50% on untransduced NK cells; 0.02). Furthermore, NK cell function, as assessed by cytokine production and cytotoxicity vs tumor targets was not altered in LV transduced NK cells. A 51Cr release cytotoxicity assay showed GFP+ NK cells, flow sorted following LV transduction of expanded NK cells, had similar cytotoxicity against K562 cells and human renal cell carcinoma cells (RCC) compared to non-transduced expanded NK cell controls (figures). In conclusion, we show that an HIV-1 based lentiviral vector driven by a MSCV-LTR, mediated efficient and stable gene transfer in IL-2 activated and in vitro expanded human NK cells. This study provides valuable insights for methods to optimize the long-term expression of LV transduced genes in human NK cells which could be used to improve their anti-tumor function in vivo. Target: K562 cells Target: RCC cell line Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


The invention relates to a fructus phyllanthi buccal tablet and a preparation method thereof. The formulation of the fructus phyllanthi buccal tablet comprises the following raw materials in percentage by weight: 15 to 50 percent of fructus phyllanthi powder, 30 to 80 percent of sorbitol, 5 to 20 percent of xylitol, 0.01 to 0.3 percent of acesulfame potassium, 5 to 30 percent of beta-cyclodextrine, 0.1 to 3 percent of citric acid, and 0.01 to 0.3 percent of menthol. The production process comprises the following steps: cleaning fresh fructus phyllanthi fruits, squeezing juice, filtering the juice and performing spray drying on the juice to obtain fructus phyllanthi powder, and then sifting the fructus phyllanthi twice successively with a 80-mesh sieve and a 120-meshi sieve; and weighing the sieved raw auxiliary materials according to the formulation, pouring the raw auxiliary materials into a mixer to mix evenly, and pressing the mixture into tablets with various shapes. The fructus phyllanthi buccal tablet has light yellow color, delectable flavors of sweet and sour, and sweet aftertaste, can promote the production of body fluid to quench thirst and cool and moisten throat, cannot raise the blood sugar, provides less heat energy, and can prevent decayed teeth, thus the tablet not only can be consumed by common people, but also is suitable for diabetes patients and people who are losing weight to eat.


With elastic theory and approximate calculation, the dynamic responses of elastic thin plates with four edges simply supported under blast loading is analyzed in this paper , with dimensional analysis , 30 cases are calculated, and a reasonable model of engineering calculation is built up in the end.


This paper studies the dynamic properties of international house prices, stock prices, interest rates and macroeconomic aggregates in industrial countries. While the dynamics of stock market returns and interest rates have been studied previously, we use a new dataset to gain insight into both the comovement of house price across industrial countries and the relationship between the fluctuations of house price with the fluctuations of financial asset returns and macroeconomic aggregates. Despite the fact that housing is the quintessential nontradable asset, we find a large degree of synchronization or comovement in the growth rate of real house prices in industrialized countries. We then show that much of this comovement can be related to a common dynamic component in interest rates across these countries. While we confirm the existence of a great degree of comovement in macroeconomic aggregates (namely, real output, consumption, and residential investment), we find little evidence that these aggregates are important sources of house price fluctuations. Instead, we find that house prices have an effect on macroeconomic aggregates. Given the important role that interest rates play for asset prices and macroeconomic fluctuations in industrial countries, we examine the role of monetary policy shocks--both domestic and global--in driving movement in these variables using an identified VAR augmented with our latent factors. We find evidence of a strong but delayed impact of U.S. monetary shocks on housing price growth both in the U.S. and internationally. We also document differences in the response of the U.S. economy and the global economy to these shocks.


ObjectiveTo study the protein expressions of cyclin D1 and p16 in normal parotid, PA and CPA;and to analyse the correlation between their protein expressions.MethodsThe immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of cyclin D1 and p16.ResultsThe positive rates of cyclin D1 and p16 were 56.8%,65% in PA; 78.6%, 28.6% in CPA.In most cases,the expressions of cyclin D1 and p16 were reverse, the correlation rate was - 0.372. ConclusionThere is a negative correlation between the expression of cyclin D1 and p16, which may cause the abnormality of "pRb" pathway of parotid, and play a role in the carcinogenesis of CPA in the parotid gland.


Composition comprising a fertilizer composition having a release coating and one or more of basal micronutrient particles. The basal material coated with a release coating, and a coating of one or more micronutrients. Alternatively, the basal material is coated with a release coating having dispersed micronutrient discrete particles throughout. Barrier coating acts to cause the particles to the underlying micronutrient fertilizer composition to produce physical and chemical separation in order to obtain more soil solution micronutrients, and finally to the root zone of plants.


Computing and communication technology has had a significant impact on the engineering education system. This technology has improved online and collaborative learning. Besides that, it improves the students learning experiences. One of the distinguishing elements of engineering education is the laboratory requirement. In this paper, we discuss the current trends and key issues in virtual laboratories‐simulation environment laboratories and remote laboratories via the Internet. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 17: 108–118, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com); DOI 10.1002/cae20186


This paper primarily proposes a method of implementing statistical shape model (SSM) of distal femur by automatically determining subject have a wide range of applications in both and surgical planning. The main challenge in implementing SSM of distal femur as being complex in shape and a part of the whole femur, is to find correspondence across subjects automaticall the purpose of aligning training sub respondence is observer-dependent and time consuming, this study is intended to tackle these drawbacks by proposing a fully user magnetic resonance (MR) images of isolated knee because of high spatial resolution. The proposed methods are based on morphological analysis of distal f moral bone in 3D MR image to locate the anatomical features automatica been constructed by utilizing the implemented FCSs in a set of volumetric MR images. Images were reconstructed and synthesized in each dimension from the model, and finally w benchmarks index-generalization ability could be volumetric image (CT/MR) matching of distal femur


Social network data include social ties, node characteristics, and behaviors over time. Furthermore, studies have known that people who are close on a social network are more likely to behave in a similar way, owing, in part, to the influence of peers and the social contagion that acts along network ties. A primary interest of social network data analyses is to identify contagion-based social correlations. Therefore, in this work, we model and estimate contagionbased social network dependence based on time-to-event data. A generalized linear transformation model is proposed for the conditional survival probability at each observed event time. This model uses a time-varying covariate to incorporate the network structure and to quantify contagion-based social correlations. We develop a nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation for the proposed model. The consistency and asymptotic normality of the resulting estimators for the regression parameters are established. Simulations are conducted to evaluate the empirical performance of the proposed estimators. Then, we apply the Statistica Sinica: Preprint doi:10.5705/ss.202018.0222


Coseismic deformation field of the 2010 Yushu MW6.9earthquake has been derived from DInSAR technique and rupture slip distribution has been obtained using inversion approaches in a number of previous studies.In this paper,we have designed a novel unwrapping approach,in an effort to derive a higher precision for coseismic deformation of the Yushu earthquake.The InSAR interferogram was divided into upper and lower subregions along the surface rupture trace.Unwrapping is performed for the 2subregions respectively using network flow algorithm.Subsequently,the unwrapped interfrograms are stitched together to obtain the overall coseismic deformation,analyzing the statistical consistence of overlapping zone.We use three-dimensional coseismic displacements from GPS to validate the InSAR-derived deformation field of the novel approach.The result shows that,with respect to unwrapping for entire interferogram,subregion unwrapping approach can improve the accuracy of coseismic deformation accuracy.The maximum sinking value increases to 48.1cm for subregion phase unwrapping from 42.6cm for the approach of entire region phase unwrapping,with the former closer to the GPS-derived coseismic displacement.


An application specific integrated design using Quadrature Linear Discriminant Analysis is proposed for automatic detection of normal and epilepsy seizure signals from EEG recordings in epilepsy patients. Five statistical parameters are extracted to form the feature vector for training of the classifier. The statistical parameters are Standardised Moment, Co-efficient of Variance, Range, Root Mean Square Value and Energy. The Intellectual Property Core performs the process of filtering, segmentation, extraction of statistical features and classification of epilepsy seizure and normal signals. The design is implemented in Zynq 7000 Zc706 SoC with average accuracy of 99%, Specificity of 100%, F1 score of 0.99, Sensitivity of  98%  and Precision of 100 % with error rate of 0.0013/hr., which is approximately zero false detection


A statistical engineering approach featuring a formally designed experiment has recently been implemented for calibration of an internal, strain-gauged, wind-tunnel balance at Arnold Engineering Development Complex. It was necessary to consider a substantially wide variation in balance temperature for this particular application. The cost to perform a balance calibration with the balance equilibrium temperature as a completely randomized factor was therefore prohibitive. A design-of-experiments approach using a run schedule with restricted randomization, known commonly as a split-plot design, is being evaluated. For more than a decade, design of experiments has been implemented in wind-tunnel strain-gauge balance calibration processes. Calibration with design of experiments is a characterization process where data are collected and analyzed using statistical methods, allowing conclusions to be drawn with chosen levels of confidence and power. A sequential approach to new balance calibration using existing...


A convenient and general approach for cyclopenta[b]naphthalene derivatives containing a structurally diverse functionality at C-4 position has been successfully developed, whereby manganese(III) acetate plays a key role to facilitate the tandem 5-exo-dig and 6-exo/endo cyclization in an efficient manner. Various functional groups, including trimethyl silyl, aryl, ester, ketone, secondary/tertiary amide, phosphonate and halogen, capped on the terminal acetylenic unit are well tolerated under optimal reaction conditions. It is highly conceivable that this novel [6.6.5] framework formation procedure may have broad synthetic utility in light of its operational simplicity and high yields.


After having conquered Bo-hai State,Liao Tai-zu invested Yelv Bei monarch of Dong-dan instead of prince royal to establish Dong-dan State,who was well up on the cultures of Han and Tang.He had achieved accomplishments in education and military,which could bring Bo-hai under his control and remove the difference and actualize the ambition that held the Central Plains unification.The changes was decided by Yelv Bei' self-diathesis at the same time.


Unsafe injections are suspected to occur routinely in developing countries. We carried out a literature review to quantify the prevalence of unsafe injections and to assess the disease burden of bloodborne infections attributable to this practice. Quantitative information on injection use and unsafe injections (defined as the reuse of syringe or needle between patients without sterilization) was obtained by reviewing the published literature and unpublished WHO reports. The transmissibility of hepatitis B and C viruses and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was estimated using data from studies of needle-stick injuries. Finally, all epidemiological studies that linked unsafe injections and bloodborne infections were evaluated to assess the attributable burden of bloodborne infections. It was estimated that each person in the developing world receives 1.5 injections per year on average. However, institutionalized children, and children and adults who are ill or hospitalized, including those infected with HIV, are often exposed to 10-100 times as many injections. An average of 95% of all injections are therapeutic, the majority of which were judged to be unnecessary. At least 50% of injections were unsafe in 14 of 19 countries (representing five developing world regions) for which data were available. Eighteen studies reported a convincing link between unsafe injections and the transmission of hepatitis B and C, HIV, Ebola and Lassa virus infections and malaria. Five studies attributed 20-80% of all new hepatitis B infections to unsafe injections, while three implicated unsafe injections as a major mode of transmission of hepatitis C. In conclusion, unsafe injections occur routinely in most developing world regions, implying a significant potential for the transmission of any bloodborne pathogen. Unsafe injections currently account for a significant proportion of all new hepatitis B and C infections. This situation needs to be addressed immediately, as a political and policy issue, with responsibilities clearly defined at the global, country and community levels. EGYPT: Darwish MA, Raouf TA, Rushdy P, Constantine NT, Rao MR, Edelman R. Risk factors associated with a high seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in Egyptian blood donors. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1993;49:440-7. ABSTRACTWe performed serologic tests for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on sera obtained from 163 volunteer blood donors seen at one Cairo hospital. We found HCV infection in 36 donors (22%) measured by a second generation enzyme immunoassay. Thirty-five of these 36 positive sera were tested with a second generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA-2); 22 (63%) were reactive and another 12 (34%) showed an indeterminate reaction. Overall, 13.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.3-18.9%) of We performed serologic tests for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on sera obtained from 163 volunteer blood donors seen at one Cairo hospital. We found HCV infection in 36 donors (22%) measured by a second generation enzyme immunoassay. Thirty-five of these 36 positive sera were tested with a second generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA-2); 22 (63%) were reactive and another 12 (34%) showed an indeterminate reaction. Overall, 13.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.3-18.9%) of these Egyptian blood donors were serologically confirmed to be infected with HCV. Of several demographic variables and medical risk factors examined, the serologically confirmed (RIBA-2 reactive) donors were significantly older than nonreactive donors, and the age-adjusted risk of being HCV-positive was significantly greater in individuals residing outside Cairo. A knowledge of having received injections, of having a history of schistosomiasis, or of having concomitant hepatitis B surface antigen or antibody were significantly associated with an increased risk of HCV-seropositivity; however, after adjusting for confounding demographic factors, only schistosomiasis (odds ratio = 8.9, 95% CI = 2.35-33.52) was significantly associated with HCV infection. The HCV seropositive rate of 13.6% among Egyptians is 5-35-fold higher than that reported from volunteer blood donors in other countries. Screening for HCV should be instituted in Egyptian blood banks. Blood banks that do not test for HCV should include a history of schistosomiasis in their exclusion criteria used for routine screening of blood donors. el Gohary A, Hassan A, Nooman Z, Lavanchy D, Mayerat C, el Ayat A et al. High prevalence of hepatitis C virus among urban and rural population groups in Egypt. Acta Tropica 1995;59:155-61. ABSTRACTHepatitis C is a major health problem for Egypt. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus among different population groups living in urban and in two different rural areas (Suez Canal and North Sinai) of Egypt. Secondary objectives were to study the possible association between multiple blood transfusions, haemodialysis or Schistosomiasis and the seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C. A seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus in the urban blood donor population of 14.5% was found, confirming other reports. In the two rural areas of the Suez Canal and the North Sinai the seroprevalence was 14.4% and 15.5% respectively, showing a comparable seroprevalence in these three different populations. The seroprevalence was 70.4% in haemodialysis patients, 7.7% in health care workers, and 75.6% in thalassaemic children, thus a seroprevalence among multitransfused or haemodialysed patients comparable to the one described in many other countries. Schistomiasis does not seem to play a role in the seroprevalence of this disease in Egypt. Hepatitis C is a major health problem for Egypt. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus among different population groups living in urban and in two different rural areas (Suez Canal and North Sinai) of Egypt. Secondary objectives were to study the possible association between multiple blood transfusions, haemodialysis or Schistosomiasis and the seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C. A seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus in the urban blood donor population of 14.5% was found, confirming other reports. In the two rural areas of the Suez Canal and the North Sinai the seroprevalence was 14.4% and 15.5% respectively, showing a comparable seroprevalence in these three different populations. The seroprevalence was 70.4% in haemodialysis patients, 7.7% in health care workers, and 75.6% in thalassaemic children, thus a seroprevalence among multitransfused or haemodialysed patients comparable to the one described in many other countries. Schistomiasis does not seem to play a role in the seroprevalence of this disease in Egypt. Ismail NA, Aboul Ftouh AM, El Shoubary WH. Safe injection practice among health care workers, Gharbiya, Egypt. Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association 2005;80:563-83. ABSTRACTA cross-sectional study was conducted in 25 health care facilities in Gharbiya governorate to assess safe injection practices among health care workers (HCWs). Two questionnaires, one to collect information about administrative issues related to safe injection and the other to collect data about giving injections, exposure to needle stick injuries, hepatitis B vaccination status and safe injection training. Practices of injections were observed using a standardized checklist. The study revealed that there was lack of both national and local infection control policies and lack of most of the supplies needed for safe injection practices. Many safe practices were infrequent as proper needle manipulation before disposal (41%), safe needle disposal (47.5%), reuse of used syringe & needle (13.2%) and safe syringe disposal (0%). Exposure to needle stick injuries were common among the interviewed HCWs (66.2%) and hand washing was the A cross-sectional study was conducted in 25 health care facilities in Gharbiya governorate to assess safe injection practices among health care workers (HCWs). Two questionnaires, one to collect information about administrative issues related to safe injection and the other to collect data about giving injections, exposure to needle stick injuries, hepatitis B vaccination status and safe injection training. Practices of injections were observed using a standardized checklist. The study revealed that there was lack of both national and local infection control policies and lack of most of the supplies needed for safe injection practices. Many safe practices were infrequent as proper needle manipulation before disposal (41%), safe needle disposal (47.5%), reuse of used syringe & needle (13.2%) and safe syringe disposal (0%). Exposure to needle stick injuries were common among the interviewed HCWs (66.2%) and hand washing was the common post exposure prophylaxis measure (63.4%). Only 11.3% of HCWs had full course hepatitis B vaccination. Infection control--including safe injections--training programs should be afforded to all HCWs. Ismail NA, Aboul Ftouh AM, El-Shoubary WH, Mahaba H. Safe injection practice among health-care workers in Gharbiya Governorate, Egypt. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 2007;13:893-906. ABSTRACTWe assessed safe injection practices among 1100 health-care workers in 25 health-care facilities in Gharbiya Governorate. Questionnaires were used to collect information and 278 injections were observed using a standardized checklist. There was a lack of infection control policies in all the facilities and a lack of many supplies needed for safe injection. Proper needle manipulation before disposal was observed in only 41% We assessed safe injection practices among 1100 health-care workers in 25 health-care facilities in Gharbiya Governorate. Questionnaires were used to collect information and 278 injections were observed using a standardized checklist. There was a lack of infection con


Pakistan and other countries with high population growth rates are in need of an acceptable procedure to prevent fertilization and lower birth rates and reduce maternal mortality. Vaginal tubectomy and nonsurgical tubectomy are discussed as forms of female sterilization which may be suitable to women and countries with limited finances. 15,000 cases of vaginal tubectomy have been performed in Pakistan during 1972-92 with a failure rate of 1/1000 and no ectopic pregnancies. Quinacrine nonsurgical procedures have been used on about 4000 case during 1990-93 with no serious complications or side effects; the failure rate is 4% and no ectopic pregnancies have resulted. Vaginal tubectomy is suitable for Pakistani patients who have fatty abdomens and are reluctant to have an abdominal operation. Women also find the absence of an abdominal scar desirable because of the fear of abdominal rupture. Laparoscopic tubectomy is compared to vaginal tubectomy. In laparoscopic sterilization ectopic pregnancy is high for patients who have coagulation and division. Laparoscopic tubectomy case also have more complications than vaginal tubectomy cases requiring laparotomy. Vaginal tubectomy procedures are simple and economical, require short hospitalizations, have short recovery periods, have minimal postoperative discomfort and lower minor morbidity and major complications, and can be combined with other vaginal procedures. Endoscopic procedures may require general anesthesia which carries its own risks, requires sophisticated equipment and operative skill, and is not suitable for obesity; endoscopes are expensive in cost and maintenance. Other types of interval sterilization are not as accepted by women. Culdoscopic tubal ligation and hysteroscopic tubal occlusion are feasible and acceptable alternatives to vaginal tubectomy. Many gynecologists acquired skills in one method, which is used continuously; this makes it difficult to compare methods. Both vaginal tubectomy and quinacrine introduction into the uterine cavity are described as medical procedures.


This study analyses the gods and the heroes of the Greek myths whom Yeats represented in The Tower and inspects how these figures affected his poems; it also investigates how he developed his talents through the Greek myths in order to become a worldwide poet. Yeats accomplishes the universality of his art and deconstructs the ultimate reality of human beings in The Tower. He uses the gods and the heroes of the Greek myths as symbols of ageing, death, a forever resting place of human beings, the cycle of reincarnation, and the cycle of history. He, in his poems, especially represents the agony and conflicts of ageing, the rise and fall of history, the stream of consciousness of human beings, and the beginning and rebirth of culture through mystic figures: Oedipus, Athene, Poseidon, Dionysus, Centaur, Zeus, and Leda. The images of the Greek myths are stepping stones in Yeats's journey as a great poet as seen through The Tower. His poetic world and ideas cause everyone to enjoy his mature poems.


Rescue forces in disaster areas mostly use Mobile Ad-Hoc networks to enable quick communication facilities over various physical barriers. Such networks consist of mobile terminals connected to base stations (BS) or Access Points (AP) in order to transmit essential information to the outer world. In disaster areas, rescue forces are equipped with a PAN (Personal Area Network) which combines devices such as medical, vibration and noise sensors. In such areas where communication conditions are unstable, it is essential to deploy the infrastructure as soon as possible. For example, the authors of [2] propose an implementation of an Autonomous P2P Ad-Hoc Group Communication that supports the need of emergency communication in earthquake disaster areas. In [3] a model for developing Ad Hoc Network configuration technologies is proposed. This model, the Disaster Area Architecture, improves information exchange and coordination among the participants. We present a small self propelled robot. Our robot is resistant to mechanical damage [4] and operates as a communication relay in order to overcome communication disorders inside ruins or tunnels, between the PAN and the outer world. This robot is called when there is no direct connection towards a wireless Access Point (AP), using a short range communication request (by a smartphone for example). Our Mobile Hot Spot Relay (MHSR) depicted in Figure 1, moves independently and can be used in a disaster area, where it can be mobilized upon a request. While moving, it monitors the Wi-Fi signal towards the AP and when it goes under a certain (predefined) threshold it stops.


In this paper, we propose a method to estimate the distance between objects attached with radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags that are used for finding lost objects. Many systems for finding lost objects adopt real-time location systems (RTLSs) using received signal strength indication (RSSI). The fundamental structure of a general method for an RTLS using RSSI involves the creation of a number of reference nodes whose locations are known in advance. Crowded objects often form a group; hence, it is very helpful to find some object members of the group in a certain place so as to find the lost object belonging to the group. However, an RTLS is not required to know the objects located in a certain place or to estimate the distance between these objects. Hence, we propose a method to estimate the distance between objects rather than the individual object locations without using a method to obtain location-dependant information.


A wide-band adjustable gain low-noise amplifier (LNA) is disclosed. In various embodiments, the LNA includes a first inverting amplifier configured to generate a first intermediate signal. A first attenuator is configured to receive the first intermediate signal and to generate a second intermediate signal. In various embodiments, the LNA includes a second attenuator configured to generate a third intermediate signal. A second inverting amplifier is configured to generate a fourth intermediate signal using the third intermediate signal. A summing circuit is configured to generate an output signal based on the second and the fourth intermediate signals.


Background Pancreatic cancer (PC) has a high mortality and dismal prognosis, predicting to be the second most lethal malignancy. 5-Methylcytosine (m5C) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are both crucial in the prognostic outcome and immunotherapeutic effect for PC patients. Therefore, we aimed to create an m5C-related lncRNA signature (m5C-LS) for PC patients' prognosis and treatment. Methods Clinicopathological information and RNAseq data were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to extract m5C-related lncRNAs in PC. Univariate, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox analyses were adopted to build an m5C-LS. Kaplan–Meier (K-M), principal component analysis (PCA), and nomogram were utilized to assess model accuracy. In addition, we explored the model's possible immunotherapeutic responses and drug sensitivity targets. Results Three m5C-related lncRNAs were finally established to construct the risk signature, which has a good and independent predictive ability for PC patients. Based on the m5C-LS, patients were classified into the low- and high-m5C-LS group, with the latter having a worse prognosis. Furthermore, the m5C-LS allowed us to better discriminate the immunotherapeutic responses of PC patients in different subgroups. Conclusions Our study constructed an m5C-LS and established a nomogram model that accurately predicted the prognosis of PC patients, as well as provides promising immunotherapeutic strategies in the future.


Cosmic strings are predicted by many field-theory models, and may have been formed at a symmetry-breaking transition early in the history of the universe, such as that associated with grand unification. They could have important cosmological effects. Scenarios suggested by fundamental string theory or M-theory, in particular the popular idea of brane inflation, also strongly suggest the appearance of similar structures. Here we review the reasons for postulating the existence of cosmic strings or superstrings, the various possible ways in which they might be detected observationally and the special features that might discriminate between ordinary cosmic strings and superstrings.


Quasi-two-dimensional magnetism is one of the most enthralling topics of a modern solid state physics. Reduced dimension gives rise to plenty of new phenomena. One of the most intriguing case for 2D lattices is a hexagonal net of antiferromagnetically ordered spins. Minimal possible for 2D lattices coordination number (z=3), frustrated interactions of nearest neighbors with second and third neighboring spins and also a quantum fluctuations leads to a large variety of a possible ground states [1]. Fine examples of realization for such structures are mixed honeycomb oxides. Such compounds are described with chemical formulas: A2M2TeO6 and A3M2XO6 where A – is alkali, M – 3d-metal and X is for Sb or Bi cations. Crystal structure of these compounds is formed by alternating layers of Te/Sb/Bi and M oxygen octahedra forming a honeycomb ordering and alkali cations with different type of oxygen surrounding depending on a structural politype. So magnetic ground state in these compounds depend on the nature of cations, their spin, orbital and electronic states determined by the local environment and also by a type of superstructure ordering due to a complexity of in-and interlayer exchange interactions. Still no adequate description between crystal structure and magnetic properties for such compounds was established, so the aim of a present work was to investigate crystal and magnetic structures of Li3Ni2SbO6 and Na2Ni2TeO6 compounds. For Li3Ni2SbO6 synchrotron diffraction experiment revealed a peak splitting that finally allowed to identify true space group to be C2/m; additional diffuse scattering indicating stacking faults presence was also detected. Neutron diffraction pattern at RT for Na2Ni2TeO6 revealed an anisotropic peak broadening indirectly specifying a sample to be a possible mixture of a P6322 and P63/mcm politypes. Close to 90o values of Ni-O-Ni bond angles shows presence of weak ferromagnetic inlayer interactions according to Goodenough-Kanamori rules; distorted O-Ni-O bond angles indicate a trigonal crystal field presence at Ni sites. LT neutron powder diffraction revealed addition peaks associated with magnetic scattering appearing at temperatures below 15 and 27 K


We demonstrate a novel visualization dashboard, compatible with multiple data and telemetry sources, which offers dataset quality evaluation, dataset comparison, ML model error analysis interpretation, and network health monitoring. © 2020 The Author(s)


This article explores the ardent worship of San Lázaro/Babalú Ayé in Cuba (Cuba's most popular saint) through the procession undertaken on his behalf on 16 and 17 December. Thousands of Cubans participate in this procession each year, impeded by uncomfortable means ofambulation which are "promesas" for future or past miracles. Since the 1990s, the procession has also become a forum for overt political protest, manifested mainly through chants, slogans and songs. From the chants of Santería to the songs of nueva trova. these utterances enact the transformation of suffering into resistance, making this procession a significant barometer of social change.


The study approach has tackled the challenges of international paediatric Quality of Life (QoL) research by analysing QoL indicators and by using measures that are applicable for children and adolescents, as well as their parents to compare their perception about the subject's QoL. Subsequently a pilot study on QoL of children with dystonia was developed. The data were collected by KIDSCREEN-52 questionnaires. The KIDSCREEN-52 instrument measures ten Rasch scaled Health Related QoL dimensions. All interviews were recorder in order to a content analysis. Content analysis and text analysis were carried out using T-LAB software. Six children and adolescents (aged 8-17) with dystonia and 6 parents' interview were collected in this pilot study. We want to underline that all the children reported higher QoL's level than the QoL attributed by parents. The results of Kidscreen showed that the children obtained higher scores (so a better QoL too) than those that were reported by their parents in the following areas: psychological well-being, mood and emotions, relationships with peers, school. The QoL's average values in our sample, however, are often lower than the Kidscreen's European average standards. The content analysis shows that school inclusion influences all the QoL dimensions.


Fracture monitoring and diagnosis by fiber optic sensing technology provides invaluable information about stimulation efficiency. This technology becomes more critical for multistage fracturing over long horizontal wells. The combined analysis of distributed temperature sensing (DTS) and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) measurements has been used to map the fluid distribution during hydraulic fracturing, and fracture volume at the cluster level and at the stage level can be estimated from the analysis. In this paper, based on the interpretation of models for DTS and DAS, we extend the application to fluid containment and stage isolation evaluation.
 In plug and perf hydraulic fracturing, when a stage is finished pumping, the stage is isolated by a plug, and the next stage is perforated then fractured. If the plug is not functioning correctly, fracture fluid enters the previous stage, causing an uneven fluid distribution, and possibly more severe perforation erosion. Both DAS and DTS monitoring can record this phenomenon when it happens. Interpretation models are built to quantify the fluid distribution with the effect of plug leakage included. From DTS measurements, cooling below the stage being completed is counted as the fluid from the current stage. Given this information, the reservoir thermal model can estimate the volume of leakage. From the DAS measurement, we first interpret the volume distribution based on frequency band energy level to compare with the DTS interpretation, we then use the volume to estimate perforation erosion. Perforation erosion measurements from a downhole camera are used to confirm the estimation. With this approach, we understand the fluid distribution, plug performance, and the importance of stage isolation on perforation erosion during a multistage fracture treatment. The information can then be used to analyze and optimize completion and fracture treatment design.
 Field examples are presented in the paper to support the discussion, findings, and conclusions. Based on the results of fluid distribution estimated, we observed that higher injection rate and larger fluid volumes may create more uniformly distributed fluid. When considering communication between stages, the DTS and downhole camera show that there is a correlation between fluid distribution and perforation eroded area. In the completion design, only limited parameters show strong impact on fluid distribution and perforation erosion.


PRESENTATIONS Guest Editor Doruk Erkan, MD, MPH Barbara Volcker Center for Women and Rheumatic Diseases Hospital for Special Surgery Weill Cornell Medicine New York, NY, USA 15th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies Scientific Committees Chairman: Doruk Erkan, USA


This article discusses the problem of H ∞ control for Markov jump neural networks with time‐varying delay and redundant channels under event‐triggered scheme (ETS). First, considering the limited communication channel capacity of the network system, the ETS is introduced to reduce the network load and improve the network utilization. Second, the technique of redundant channels is employed to improve the successful rate of communication network, and two mutually independent random variables which obey Bernoulli distribution are used to reflect the phenomenon of data dropouts of the main channel and redundant channel, respectively. Third, a sufficient condition with a prescribed H ∞ disturbance attenuation performance is derived to ensure the stability of the closed‐loop system. And according to a set of feasible linear matrix inequalities, the co‐design of H ∞ controller and ETS is proposed. Finally, two simulation examples are given to prove the feasibility of this article.


When sophisticated technology is integrated into digital banking services with the goal of providing customers with an easy, fast, safe, and enjoyable experience, then details about customer behavior when receiving services are based on this sophisticated technology. Therefore, the goal of this study is to investigate how ease of use, usefulness, security, and self-efficacy affect resistance to technology or behavior when using digital banks among Jakarta's generation Z. In this quantitative study, partial least-square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is used. Specifically, SmartPLS 3.0 is used to analyze the data collected from 157 participants. According to the findings of this study, participants consider the factor of resistance to digital banking technology to be more important than the impact on usage behavior. Issues related to security are also an important factor for customers when using technology such as digital banking services. Notably, the limitation of this research is that it does not use aspects of the technology used in each digital banking service. Furthermore, comparing users from different generations can help to improve the findings of this study.


Selection and breeding were conducted for 10 years and 8 generations in Duroc pigs (SⅠline) using the modern porcine genetics and breeding theory and method The results showed the age of reaching 90 kg body weight decreased by 8 d; average daily gain from 25 to 90 kg increased by 62 g; feed conversion ratio dropped by 0 24 kg; backfat thickness declined by 0 44 cm; and lean meat content in carcass increased by 3 62 percent points Improvements for these traits were 5 00%, 8 86%, 8 45%, 27 50% and 5 98%, respectively The pigs of SⅠline after selection resulted in a fine crossing combination ability and their hybrids produced high performance


The book presents an investigation into the legal language of mediaeval Bulgaria, seen in its own cultural context: the Byzantine Commonwealth. Law and Language are cultural phenomena and their interdependence is closely linked to their civilisation in which they are embedded.


This work analyzes the changes in area under cultivation that occurred between 1985 and 1995/1996 in the mesa-regions Triangulo Mineiro/ Alto Paranafba and Zona da Mata of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The analysis was conducted in two methodological stages. First, variation in the area under cultivation for a specific crop was disaggregated into variation due to change in regional agricultural scale and variation due to the substitution effect. Second, an econometric model of the crop that had the greatest growth in cultivated area and highest substitution effect index value was developed to identify the main factors responsible for these high values. It is observed that the area under rice cultivation was reduced in all regions, a fact related with the high cost of production, that coffee cultivation expanded in Manhua~u, due mainly to the area's favorable climate and topography, and that the area devoted to pasture expanded the most. It is stressed that the amount of land devoted to pasture increased as labor became scarcer: a 1 % reduction in labor availability led to a 0.8% increase in pasture. ' Economist graduate by UFAL and Doctorate student in Rural Economy, UFV. CAPES's scholarship grantee. E-mail: email@example.com. 2 Agricultural Eng., M. Sc. Agricultural Eng. and Doctorate student in Rural Economy, UFV. FAPEMIG's scholarship grantee. E-mail: email@example.com. 3 Ph.D. Professor at the Federal University of Vi9osa DER/UFV, Zip Code 36571-000. Vi9osa-MG, Brazil. Email: email@example.com


A cross platform service method is discussed to realize Microsoft Windows clients to access files and application programs in UNIX file servers on UNIX system. SMB protocol takes the place of linking UNIX and Windows NT while Samba is the specific software. It is explained in detail that UNIX file server can be used on Windows NT system by creating and disposing the Samba software.


The development of petroleum production systems has become more and more sophisticated due to the complexity of deepwater oilfields. Selection of a field development option in early phase will significantly affect overall project economics, schedule and risk. Important factors that drive the selection of a deepwater field development and production system that including subsea production, floating platform, flowline and riser system and export system are identified in this paper. The screening starts with a fair number of potential alternatives. Invalid or obviously inferior combinations were eliminated and this yields a "long list". Considering the factors reservoir, fluid characteristic, wells, regions and so on, a "short list" was resulted. Finally, it presents a model for decision-making that takes into account the main goals of a company, through the use of fuzzy mathematics. A case study results suggest that the best alternative is not always the one existing the best economic indicators.


Energy consumption by human enhanced activities has led to distinctive environmental problems; in particular, climate change and global warming. In hot regions, the main reason for energy consumption comes from the cooling of many buildings. The intensity and duration of the sunshine in hot regions have a direct relation with the usage of cooling systems. The energy used for cooling purpose is continuously increasing and expected to increase in the following years.
Evaporative cooling is one of the passive cooling method which has been used throughout history. As it is cheaper, environmentally-friendly and simpler compared to vapour compression systems, it is more widely used in residential, commercial and industrial buildings in hot and dry regions. Since this method is less efficient and limited under hot and humid climate, the desiccant based evaporative cooling system is preferred in such areas in order to dehumidify the air.
The pad material used for evaporative cooling system is important as it helps to evaporate the water. Therefore, the material should be porous enough to absorb water which enhances the rate of evaporation. Moreover, the material should be available and cheap. This study shows the potential of using different materials for evaporative cooling systems.
The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility, suitability and potential of using local materials such as eucalyptus fibres, as cooling pads for evaporative cooling system in hot and dry regions. In addition to this, the liquid desiccant evaporative cooling systems by using potassium formate is also studied for hot and humid areas in Cyprus. Since Cyprus has multi-climate regions due to the topography and different weather condition, different cooling systems can be used for each region. The results are reported in terms of temperature difference, cooling output, COP, etc.
The wind tunnel is used to test the eucalyptus fibres with an inlet air temperature of 35 °C to simulate the climate in Cyprus. It was found that the maximum reduction of air temperature was between 11.3 °C and 6.6 °C, while the maximum cooling efficiency was in the range of 71% and 49% at 0.1 and 0.6 m/s air velocity respectively. Corresponding cooling capacities were also calculated as 108 and 409 W indicating a directly proportional relation between air velocities and cooling performance.
Following this, the conceptual design ideas of integrated eucalyptus fibres based evaporative cooling panel (EFECP) into building elements are considered to meet the demand for cooling and the architectural requirements of the building. These design ideas were developed for shutter, fenestration, toplighting elements, wind catcher-solar chimney and wall design of the building.
The cooling performances of the hollow fibre integrated by using potassium formate desiccant based evaporative cooling system were experimentally investigated under the incoming air temperature in the range of 35 ˚C to 40 ˚C. The cooling capacity is increased as the air velocity is increased. At 3.5m/s, the cooling capacity is 1340 W, 1530 W and 1920 W respectively for incoming air relative humidity of 60%, 65% and 70%. Both evaporative cooling systems performances are discussed and clearly presented in this study.
From the experimental testing in this thesis, it is concluded that local eucalyptus fibres can be used for hot-dry areas and liquid desiccant evaporative cooling systems can be used for hot-humid areas of Cyprus. Since using of eucalyptus fibres for evaporative cooling system is locally available, simple construction and easy to apply, the design ideas for integrating eucalyptus fibres with evaporative cooling system are developed within the scope of the thesis.
The usage of local eucalyptus fibres and Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fibres as evaporative cooling pad, the evaporative cooling process designed by using fibres and the conceptual building design ideas integrated local eucalyptus fibres combined with evaporative cooling system are all the novel ideas of this thesis.


Abstract. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is of great importance for weather and climate due
to its role as a heat and water resource. Relatively clean aerosol conditions
over the Plateau make the study on the aerosol–cloud–precipitation
interactions in this pristine continental region distinctive. In order to
investigate the impacts of aerosols on small-scale convection processes over
the TP, a convective event with precipitation observed on 24 July 2014 in
Naqu was selected to explore the influence of aerosols on the onset and
intensity of precipitation. We use the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for
Research and Applications Version 2 (MERRA-2) reanalysis to derive the cloud
condensation nuclei (CCN) number concentration, which can be regarded as the
real-time background. These values are adopted to initialize the regional Weather Research Forecast (WRF) 4.0 meteorological model and to simulate the onset of convective events
and the formation of precipitation. Four sets of experiments, named clean
(1/10 CCN), control (default setting), Tibetan Plateau (CCN calculated
from MERRA-2 reanalysis), and polluted (10 times CCN), were adopted for our
simulations. A detailed analysis of the microphysical processes shows that
the conversion of cloud water into rain is enhanced by small increases in
aerosol concentration, while it is suppressed by larger increases in
concentration. However, the transformation of cloud water to graupel and the
development of convective clouds are favored under a polluted situation. As a
result, the onset of the precipitation is delayed and cold-rain intensity
increases.


In this study, tin/tinoxide/multiwalled carbon nanotube (Sn/SnO2/MWCNT) nanocomposites were produced as anode materials for Li-ion batteries by a two-step process. Metallic tin was evaporated onto free-standing MWCNT buckypapers having controlled porosity and subsequently rf plasma oxidized in Ar:O2 (1:1) gas mixture. Besides, Sn/SnO2 nanocomposites were produced in the same conditions onto stainless steel substrates to make a comparison. X-ray di raction and scanning electron microscopy were used to determine the structure and morphology of the obtained nanocomposites. The discharge/charge tests, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were carried out to characterize the electrochemical properties of these composites. Promising results were obtained in the tin based MWCNT nanocomposites for next-generation micro battery applications because of the high active surface area of the SnO2/MWCNT core-shell structures.


The meat starter culture is widely applied in the meatpacking because of its unique physiological function.This article summarized the origin,the research status and the ingestion situation in public as well as the primary meat starter culture.Besides,the prospect to the future research of the meat starter culture has been made in the paper.


The magnetic properties of Ce in the $\alpha$ and $\gamma$ phase are calculated within the LDA+DMFT approach. The magnetic susceptibility in these two phases shows a similar behavior over a wide temperature range: a Curie-Weiss law at high temperatures, indicating the presence of local moments, followed by a maximum in a crossover regime, and a saturation characteristic of a state with screened local moments at low temperature. The difference in experimentally observable magnetic properties is caused by the shift of the susceptibility to higher temperatures in the $\alpha-$phase compared to the $\gamma-$phase, due to the larger hybridization between localized $4f-$states and conductive $spd-$electrons.


Fault tree analysis has become an important tool for safety analysis of software and embedded systems. To address growing complexity component fault trees have been introduced. This paper focuses on the analysis of fault forests, an overlapping of multiple component fault trees. We present ideas to aid common cause analysis to effectively reduce the overall risk of top events within these forests. We try to visually aid the developer to find basic events which affect a large number of top events, but also aid the risk reduction of one top event within the forest. We are not aware of any tool that supports common cause analysis.


Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to appraise the transition from bank-based systems to universal banking. Design/methodology/approach - The Wynne Godley and Francis Cripps macroeconomic framework is used to structure the argument. Findings - It is shown that the activity of oligopolistic firms leads, through their build-up of inventories, to an unstable system. However, the industrial structure of an economy might be embedded in a network of inter-bank linkages. The coupling of real and credit activities delivers a weak stability. Research limitations/implications - The paper is an attempt to marry a structural cycle model with the institutional transformations. The cyclical model could be made more complex and the institutional analysis richer, thereby generating a thicker set of connections between the two. Practical implications - The conclusion is that firewalls should be reconstructed between the traditional functions of banks as a conduit in the production of goods and services, and other financial entities involved in financial innovations. Originality/value - Schools of political economy that theorise the transformation of the regime of accumulation of yesteryear are synthesised into financialisation and potential instability.


Power outage accidents are caused by chain failures caused by the failure of vulnerable components affecting a certain range of components. Identifying the spread impact range of vulnerable nodes can effectively improve the system's vulnerability. Large-scale wind power grids connection increases the complexity of the power systems and brings new challenges to the identification and simulation of vulnerable nodes. In this paper, a method for identification of vulnerable node groups in wind power grids is proposed. The method identifies the central node of the vulnerable node groups in wind power grids based on interval electrical number, and determines the influence range of the central node through the minimum K-order structure entropy, so as to obtain the vulnerable node groups in wind power grids. An IEEE-39 bus system with wind power is used to verify the rationality of the proposed method, which provides a reference for the prevention and control of interlocking faults of power grids with wind power.


Based on the methods of optical spectroscopy a new principle of generating error signals in systems for multicriteria control is proposed. These systems are intended for control of processes that are accompanied by emission of electromagnetic radiation in the optical range. Instead of traditional measuring devices using a multichannel optical spectrometer and a diffraction spectral device with a fiber-optic transmission system (FOTS) of analyzed signals to generate error signals is proposed. An analysis of the formation of error signals based on spectral processing and detection of optical signals by the considered spectral devices is given. Spectral processing in these devices can be described in matrix form, and devices itself can be determined as multidimensional linear systems.


We show that the yield strength for Cu with ultrafine grain sizes becomes obviously temperature and strain-rate dependent, in contrast to the temperature/rate insensitive behavior of conventional face-centered-cubic metals. A thermally activated deformation mechanism is operative at room temperature and especially at slow strain rates, but not at 77 K. In addition to the gain in strength, the tensile ductility and particularly uniform strains also increase at cryogenic temperatures and with increasing strain rate, as a result of improved strain hardening due to suppressed dynamic recovery.


This study investigated the action of exogenously administered H2S on mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and renal function in combined states of hypertension and diabetes.


A new physics-based expression is presented for determining a buried object's location, orientation and magnetic polarizibility. The approach assumes the target exhibits a dipolar response and requires only three global values: a magnetic field vector H, a vector potential A and a scalar magnetic potential ψ, all at a single location in space. Among these values, only the scattered magnetic field, H, is measurable with current electromagnetic induction sensors. Therefore, in order to estimate the scattered magnetic scalar and vector potentials from data, a numerical technique called the normalized surface magnetic source (NSMS) method is employed. Originally, in the NSMS model, the scattered magnetic field outside the object is reproduced mathematically by equivalent magnetic charges distributed on a three-dimensional (3-D) closed surface. Here, a two-dimensional (2-D) implementation of the NSMS that uses elementary magnetic dipoles, instead of magnetic charges distributed on a planar surface placed under...


Introduction: Holoprosencephaly with unfused thalami is a rare malformation involving the forebrain and the face. The epidemiology of the disease is poorly known due to paucity of population based studies. Case Report: A 32-year-old grand multipara at 27th week gestation found on routine ultrasound examination to have a single live fetus with the fetal head showing dilated single cerebral ventricle, with no evidence of anterior midline echo (falx, inter hemispheric cistern and septum pellucidum). The thalami appear relatively small but not fused with a thin midline linear echoic septum separating them. Two subsequent sonograms at 30th and 33rd weeks of pregnancy, including coronal sonograms of the fetal head, correctly identified a dilated single cerebral ventricle. There was no history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension or previously affected child. Pregnancy termination was done on the couple's request, because of the poor fetal prognosis. Postmortem clinical examination revealed a female newborn with normal body structure. The couple declined consent for autopsy.


Copyright © 2019 by author(s) and International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development Journal. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0) ABSTRACT This paper represents different techniques of converting image to cartoon. Using any one of below mentioned techniques it is possible to convert all types of captured images to cartoon such as images of person, mountains, trees, flora and fauna etc. There are several other techniques for image to cartoon conversion such as using photoshop, adobe illustrator, windows MAC, paint.net and much more


Objective To observe the diagnostic value of detection on CRP,CTnI,CK and CKMB on myocardiac infarction.Methods The laboratory test of myocardiac enzymes of 32 cases MI patient were detected and compared with 38 cases normal adults.Results The CRP,CTnI,CK and CKMB data in MI group were higher than those in control group.The positive detection of CTnI,CK and CKMB of first time was more significance but CRP. Conclusion The application of CRP,CTnI,CK and CKMB might be significance in diagnosis of MI.


The procedures for carrying out three mine subsidence investigations in damaged homes on and adjacent to slopes and landfills are discussed in this paper. The procedures basically involve a review of the geotechnical/coal mine literature, field studies of the damage to structures and site specific topographic/geologic conditions and instrumentation to monitor ground movement In cases where the valley is shallow (less than 15 M [50 ft] of re-lief) and bedrock is exposed, precise level line surveys can be carried out on settlement points placed in a profile line from the crest to the floor of the valley. In landfills and deeper valleys where rock is not exposed, bore holes should be rig drilled and settlement points, extensometers and/or inclinometers used to identify the nature of any ground movement. Observations of rock disturbance in the outcrop exposures or in the cores provide an index of potential mine subsidence movement. The absence of such distmbance indicates that the hillslope or landfill is not being affect-eel by failure at mine level. The techniques given in this paper provide a simplified methodology for determination of the cause and origin of damage to structures in complex topographic/geologic settings.


Includes descriptive metadata provided by producer in MP3 file: "Surgery ICU Rounds - Podcasts - Myocardial Infarction: Diagnosis and Thrombolytics." By Jeffrey S. Guy, MD, MSc, FACS.


The internet has been a wonderful invention for making resources easily available to anyone with access. As a science teacher and NSTA member, you probably have a list of favorite internet sites for teaching-related information, including NSTA's website. (Note: For websites of the resources mentioned in this column, see "On the web.") Did you know there are websites where you can view or download entire high-quality books? If you have online access, you can build a free (electronic) bookshelf of high-quality resources such as those discussed in this month's column--without leaving your house! A good place to start is to bookmark the National Science Education Standards (NSES). As a reader of The Science Teacher, you probably do not need an introduction to the Standards. One of the things that sets the NSES apart from other standards documents is the recognition within the document that science education involves more than what happens in the classroom--you will see chapters related to professional development, science education programs, and even science education systems. The NSES is published by the National Academy Press (NAP), who make many other interesting books available on the web, including Selecting Instructional Materials: A Guide for K-12 Science; Knowing What Students Know: The Science and Design of Educational Assessment; and Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8. When discussing issues related to science standards and reform, documents from the American Association for the Advancement of Science's (AAAS) Project 2061 are often mentioned side-by-side with the national Standards--especially Benchmarks for Science Literacy. Benchmarks (available online) is more specific than the NSES in recommending what students should know and be able to do at different grade levels. Benchmarks was designed to establish markers of how students could achieve the kind of science literacy that AAAS set forth in a previous book, Science for All Americans (also available online). After standards and, perhaps, assessment, inquiry may be the most talked about topic in science education circles. Quality references on this topic are available via the internet, such as the NAP-published Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards: A Guide for Teaching and Learning. This book is tied closely to the NSES, while providing a vision of what inquiry looks like. The work also includes chapters devoted to inquiry and assessment, teacher preparation, frequently asked questions, research, and administrative support. …


The study of the scattering of conducting closed surfaces of resonant electric size is accomplished using the electrical field integral equation (EFIE) with the method of moments (MM) and planar triangular patch modeling. Patch models of regular polyhedrons of different number of faces are generated. The backscattering radar cross sections (RCS) of these bodies are calculated in all directions (solid angle of 4¿) of incidence of the plane wave. Vertical linear polarization is used. A comparison between the results obtained with the numerical method and the theoretical results of the circumscribed sphere is made, which permits to obtain some conclusions of the limitations in the simulation of curved surfaces by planar surface patches.


Epidermal cysts are considered as frequent benign epithelial origin with common localization. Scrotum refers to the typical localization of epidermal cysts, but multiple cysts are rare observation. Ultrasound examination is the method of choice in determining of the intra- and ekstratesticular localization of epidermal cysts, and in the assessment of the structure of the lesion. The clinical case of multiple epidermal cysts of the scrotum is demonstrated in the article.


This article introduces a new class of experimental designs, called split factorials, which allow for the estimation of both response surface effects (fixed effects of crossed factors) and variance components arising from nested random effects. With an economical run size, split factorials provide flexibility in dividing the degrees of freedom among the different estimations. For a split factorial design, it is shown that the OLS estimators for the fixed effects are BLUE and that the variance component estimators from the mean squared errors on the ANOVA table are minimum variance among unbiased quadratic estimators. An application involving concrete mixing demonstrates the use of a split factorial experiment.


The purpose of this study is to establish a tourism-CGE model to appraise the "opening up to Mainland Chinese tourist arrivals" policy on Taiwan. Using the model, this study suggests that the multiplier effect of the Mainland Chinese tourists' expenditure in Taiwan is 1.378, which is slightly lower than that for tourists from Japan and Korea. With 1,000 (3,000) Mainland Chinese tourist arrivals per day, labour demand for about 48,000 (144,000) people would be created, along with 38,146 (114,463) million New Taiwan dollars volume of product, which would account for about 0.354% (1.063%) of annual GDP growth. The results also reveal that the policy would not necessarily contribute positively to every industry, and industrial restructuring might occur. Finally, some tourism policy recommendations are discussed.


Two hybrid control algorithms, Sky Hook-Ground Hook and Mix-1-Sensor, were tested in an automotive semiactive suspension. A commercial Magneto-Rheological damper was implemented using an Artificial Neural Network in a Quarter of Vehicle model. The automotive semi-active suspension was implemented in a commercial Controller Area Network system; the control algorithms were implemented in an Arduino Due micro-controller system. Early results show better performance than automotive passive system and the feasibility of this application in a commercial vehicle.


The Espress project aims at a method for the development of safety-critical embedded technical systems which bases on strong mathematical concepts. To make such a method competetive with other approaches nowadays common in industrial practise it must be ultimatively supported by an elaborated set of tools integrated in a software development environment (SDE). Since the Espress project is not capable of developing all of the required tools alone, the need to reuse as many as possible existing tools arises to build at least a prototype of the desired environment. This working paper tackles the subject of integrating a loose \zoo" of existing tools together with newly written ones into a (more or less) integrated SDE for Espress. To this end, we rst sketch the kind of tools to be integrated in the envisioned Espress SDE on an intuitive level (as far as we can predict at the current stage of the project). We then discuss state-of-the-art concepts and techniques of the realization of SDEs.


Introduction The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities identified the Chinese blind massage policy as "reserved employment" in its Concluding Observations in 2012. In response, this paper reviewed the policy on blind massage in China and discussed its effectiveness and social impact. Methods: Adopting a historical perspective, this paper describes the development stages of the blind massage policy in China. It reveals the social construction process of the blind massage policy. Government data were provided to help analyze the positive and negative effects of the policy according to the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Results: The blind massage policy is a national strategy involving semi-reserved employment to improve the low employment rate of people with visual impairments in China. It promoted employment of people with visual impairments at the start, but, as the system of the blind massage gradually took shape, it restricted these individuals from choosing a career freely. The blind massage policy has resulted in deep-rooted social prejudices, and it demonstrates disability-based discrimination and charity-oriented practices. Discussion: The Chinese blind massage policy is discriminatory and does not reflect the modern concept of disability rights advocated in the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Implications for Practitioners: The Chinese government needs to promote institutional reforms to provide better education and employment for people with visual impairments to change the limited content of vocational training and eliminate discriminatory policies.


This paper brings as novelty for the Romanian literature the construction of Bayesian forecast intervals for inflation and unemployment rate in the period 2004-2017. Only few intervals included the registered values on the variables, but in the last stage when all the prior information has been used, the forecast intervals are very short. On the other hand, a novelty for the international literature is brought in this research by proposing a Bayesian technique for assessing prediction intervals in a better way than in the traditional approach that uses statistic tests.


In order to promote the further development of local economy in Heilongjiang Province, this paper analyzes the promotion effect of venture capital industry on local economic development in Heilongjiang Province under the financial big data. Design financial big data platform, which is composed of core working layer, application support layer and data resource layer. According to the data collected by the financial big data platform, this paper analyzes the GDP ranking, industrial structure and other indicators of Heilongjiang Province, and constructs the model of promoting economic development by venture capital industry, modifies the model by using the penalty estimation variable and penalty function, and outputs the analysis results. The simulation results show that the proposed method has high accuracy and short time, and can be further extended in practice.


Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations of energy transfer from vibrationally excited CO(2) to CCl(4) and CH(2)Cl(2) solvent molecules are performed to identify the efficiency of different energy pathways into the solvent bath. Studying in detail the work performed by the vibrationally excited solute on the different solvent degrees of freedom, it is shown that vibration-to-vibration (V-V) processes are strongly dominant and controlled by those accepting modes which are close in frequency to the CO(2) bend and symmetric stretch vibration.


Exposures for laminagraphy of the chest are usually designed to demonstrate either the detail of lung parenchyma or the detail of mediastinal anatomy. Rarely is it possible to show both areas optimally on a single exposure. This permits the possibility of missing a mediastinal lesion on laminagraphy of the lung because of underexposure of the mediastinum and of missing a lung lesion on mediastinal laminagraphy because of overexposure of the lung. Obviously, optimal exposure of lung and mediastinum on a single series of laminagraphic films would often be highly desirable. The necessity for films of two different exposures at the same laminagraphic level requires additional patient exposure. A wedge filter has been designed to overcome these difficulties. With it, a single series of laminagraphic exposures demonstrates ideally both lung and mediastinum. The filter can also be used for overpenetrated examinations of the chest allowing adequate visualization of both lung and mediastinal detail. Made of 1/2-in...