The effects of hypophysectomy and of hormone treatments on the interrenal of Tilapia mossambica were studied, utilizing measurements of mean interrenal nuclear diameter as an index of interrenal function.

Hypophysectomy of Tilapia maintained in isotonic Ringer's solution resulted in a significant decrease in interrenal nuclear diameter after 21 days. This decrease was prevented by treatment of hypophysectomized fish with mammalian ACTH. Mammalian ACTH significantly increased the interrenal nuclear diameters of intact fish maintained in fresh water, but failed to do so in intact Tilapia kept in isotonic Ringer's solution.

Administration of cortisol acetate to intact Tilapia reduced the mean nuclear diameter of interrenal cells. The degree of response was both dose and time dependent. Administration of 0.04 mg/day of deoxycorticosterone acetate for 21 days also significantly reduced the mean interrenal nuclear diameter. Treatment with the same dose of DCA for only 14 days, or with a smaller dose for 21 days, failed to induce interrenal atrophy.

These results suggest that a pituitary-interrenal axis, resembling the pituitary-adrenocortical axis of mammals, exists in Tilapia mossambica.


Most existing algorithms for optimizing the lifetime of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are developed assuming that the sensing ranges of sensors are fixed. This paper1 focuses on adjustable WSNs and proposes a lifetime maximization approach, in which the active periods and sensing ranges of sensors are scheduled simultaneously subject to the constraints of target coverage and power limit. First, the lifetime maximization problem is converted to a problem of finding a set of coverage patterns that can lead to the best schedule when fed into a linear programming model. A genetic algorithm is then developed for coverage pattern finding. With each individual representing a coverage pattern, evolutionary operators and repair strategy are tailored to evolve the pattern set efficiently. Experimental results in a variety conditions show that the proposed approach is advantageous in both terms of computational time and solution quality.


Based on the study on the synthesis te chnology of regent ,this paper is to modify its structure,develop the new varieties of regent a nd analog,and search for the possible substitu te for the rat poison pesticide consisting of organic phosphorous.Thus it can make up for the h ome market gaps in partial pesti-cide and create social effects and ec onomic profits.


The Henry Review acknowledges the adverse-selection and supply-side problems stunting the Australian market for longevity insurance. We propose a resolution that would give workers a choice between either or both of two kinds of super account, one taxed under the current arrangements (or those proposed in the Henry Review) and the other only in retirement and at the marginal rate of the retiree. The new accounts would be reserved for the purchase of lifetime annuities.


The magnetic filter device for separating contaminants from the working fluid of the iron component is provided. The separation apparatus of bar, that each chamber having a housing divided into a plurality of the filtration chamber is provided with a magnetic core of longitudinal elongated and capturing the pollutants according as the magnetic core is a fluid flows through the filter body It generates a magnetic field. The bar and the passage is provided with a fluid communication path between the first chamber and the second chamber are arranged to maximize the exposure of the fluids to magnetic fields.


This report was prepared as part of the Ohio River Basin Energy Study (ORBES), a multi-disciplinary research program supported by the Environmental Protection Agency. The extensive air quality analysis undertaken for the ORBES included examination of pollutant emissions and resulting concentrations under various policy assumptions; collection of additional particulate and sulfur oxide measurements from the utilities for use in the analysis of current conditions; evaluation of the meteorological conditions under which maximum pollutant concentrations are likely to occur; examination of the validity of using conventional dispersion models for predicting worst-case pollution conditions; and cataloguing meteorological conditions under which regional pollution episodes occur. In this report, the focus is on the factual materials used to formulate the key air quality findings set forth in the main report of this study. It draws from Volumes II and III of the same series. Volume II is entitled 'Air Quality and Meteorology in the Ohio River Basin: Baseline and Future Impacts;' Volume III, 'Selected Impacts of Electric Utility Operations in the Ohio River Basin (1976-2000):An Application of the Utility Simulation Model.'.


This paper reports findings from interviews and focus groups conducted within a multidimensional action research project concerning medication management among Indigenous Australians. Participants were Aboriginal people with mental health problems, carers and family members, and health and social service workers from different regions in South Australia. A meta-analysis of findings from each regional project component was conducted, and major themes conceptualised and developed into a coherent summary. The findings revealed problems of a magnitude not previously realised—mental health problems (including alcohol and drug problems) and medication management among Aboriginal people clearly are major issues requiring immediate and sustained attention if the health and welfare of the Australian Indigenous population are to be improved. Findings concerned eight major areas: social and emotional wellbeing issues; stressors on Aboriginal health services and providers; training for the Aboriginal health workforce; mainstream health services for Aboriginal people; trust and confidentiality within Aboriginal health services; English language literacy and numeracy skills of Aboriginal clients; remote living arrangements for many Aboriginal people; problems with alcohol use; and institutionalised and individual racism in the community at large.


This paper discusses a multi-dimensional analysis for Customer Relationship Management (CRM). For this, We propose a decision-making methodology which employs three analysis models. The first model is a three-dimension positioning map to derive a strategy which achieves the Process Value Line (PVL). The second model is the web-shape analysis model to visibly understand the individual based on the customer CSI (Customer Satisfactory Index) data. The third model which supports the web-shape analysis model, is the relative satisfactory analysis model. It considers a satisfaction level after purchasing against before purchasing. Then we perform overall analysis based on the three analysis models to provide marketing strategies to decision makers.


A computational study of the five soybean β‐amylase X‐ray structures reported so far revealed a peculiar conformational transition after substrate (or inhibitor) binding, which affects a segment of the β‐strand 6 (residues 341‐343) in the (β/α)8 molecular scaffold. Backbone distortions that involve considerable changes in the ø and ψ angles were observed, as well as two sharp rotamer transitions for the Thr342 and Cys343 side chains. These changes caused the outermost CA‐layer (at the C‐terminal side of the barrel), which is involved in the catalysis, to shrink. Our observations strongly suggest that the 341FTC343 residue conformations in the free enzyme are not optimal for protein stability. Furthermore, as a result of conformational transitions in the ligand‐binding process, there is a negative enthalpy change for these residues (—27 and —34 kcal/mol, after substrate or inhibitor binding, respectively). These findings support the proposed "stability‐function" hypothesis for proteins that recognize a ligand (Shoichet BK, Baase WA, Kuroki R, Matthews BW. 1995. A relationship between protein stability and protein function. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 92:452‐456). They are also in good agreement with other experimental results in the literature that describe the role of the 341‐343 segment in β‐amylase activity. Site‐directed mutagenesis focused on these residues could be useful for undertaking functional studies of β‐amylase.


Pseudoislet studies have concentrated on single beta‐cell lines or a combination of insulin and glucagon‐secreting cells, overlooking the potential role of somatostatin in insulin release. This study sought to evaluate a heterotypic pseudoislet model containing insulin‐ (MIN6), glucagon‐ (αTC1.9) and somatostatin (TGP52)‐secreting cells of mouse origin and to compare these pseudoislets with traditional monolayer preparations.


Chrysanthemum morifolium is a cut flower with high economic value, however this flower has relatively short freshness period, thus it is necessary to use soaking solution by adding shredded basil leaves extract solution and carrageenan hydrogel material in it. Hydrogel serves as the water provider and energy substrate for respiration process of chrysanthemum. The basil leaves extract works as anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. The soaking is done to extend the freshness period of the chrysanthemums. This study aims to describe the effect ofthe composition of basil leaves extract and carrageenan hydrogel material on soaking medium to the freshness period of chrysanthemum, also to study the microorganism growth on the soaking medium. This research uses Completely Randomize Design on factorial pattern with two factors. First, Hydrogel Concentration (H): without hydrogel, 500 ml of water (H0); 10 g of carrageenan hydrogel, 400 ml of basil solvent (H1); 10 g of carrageenan hydrogel, 500 ml of basil solvent (H2); 10 g of carrageenan hydrogel, 600 ml of basil solvent (H3). Second, basil leaves extract (K): without basil leaves extract, without hydrogel (K0); 125 g/l of basil leaves extract (K1); 250 g/l of basil leaves extract (K2); 375 g/l of basil leaves extract (K3). This research uses 16 treatments 3 replications. The analysis is done by applying ANOVA, followed by Duncan's test at the significance level of 95%. The research parameter includes the blooming flowers percentage, freshness period of spray chrysanthemum, and the condition of the soaking medium. The findings show that the composition of 400 ml of  250 g/l concentration of basil leaves extract, and 10 g of carrageenan hydrogel can extend the freshness period of chrysanthemum by 12.67 days, and prove that some microorganisms grow in the soaking medium. Keywords: spray chrysanthemums, soaking medium, basil leaves extract, carrageenan hydrogel, freshness period.


Since librarians have taught people how to use technology for years, this author believes that professor librarians are the next step in the evolution of the profession. She uses her own role to prove her point


Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease involving the pancreas and bile ducts is an increasingly recognized syndrome, and serum IgG4 has been proposed as a biomarker for monitoring the disease activity and therapeutic response in most cases. However, there are few reports on the utility of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) as a marker of IgG4-related diseases, including its use in the disease activity and therapeutic response. We reported a 50-year-old woman presented with epigastralgia and obstructive jaundice. MRCP was not only suggestive of the diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) but also showed progressively skipped stenotic lesions of the intrahepatic bile ducts. In addition, MRCP indicated reversible changes of the IgG4-related disease in the pancreas and bile ducts after steroid treatment, despite the serum IgG4 level remaining abnormally elevated. We herein suggest the importance of MRCP in the diagnosis of IgG4-related disease and in monitoring the effects of treatments.


An automatic endoscope, called a rhizoscope, has been developed to study the growth of plant roots in the soil. Unlike conventional methods, this method is nondestructive for cultivated plants. This work has required the development of an original electro-optical sensor and an automated driving system. The rhizoscope is operated by a microcomputer. The root images are stored on floppy disk for off-line processing and analysis. Preliminary test results, obtained by simulation and in a greenhouse, are presented.


In a recent review essay in this journal Konrad Jarausch discussed the paradigm of illiberalism in the historiography of modern Germany. He found it suggestive but wanting in precision.1 A related theme, which served as the implicit conceptual base of much fruitful research in the past decades, involves what might be termed the German limits of civic rationality. By the limits of civic rationality I mean the fact that groups committed to a fervent nationalism in the abstract can demonstrate very partial or flawed insights into public needs. This is hardly a new theme, having served from the nineteenth century as the basis for critiques of Interessenpolitik down to Ralf Dahrendorf 's contemporary indictments of both conservative and socialist traditions. As a historical guideline the limits of civic rationality sensitizes the researcher to the constant tension between the pursuit of group objectives and the skewed conceptions of the public interest: the difficulties in the way of establishing a German res publica. Both of these important studies are based upon this continually challenging theme, although they focus on different centers of group interest and activity. While David Abraham examines the consequences of economic rivalries for the Weimar regime, Michael Geyer counterposes the military's concepts of power politics with the more genuine imperatives of German national security after 1918. His juxtaposition of armaments or security cuts across the two interwar German regimes; his book offers perhaps the more striking reworking of the inherited theme, but remains vulnerable to issues of definition and precision.


The realization of the Hofstadter model in a strongly anisotropic ladder geometry has now become possible in one-dimensional optical lattices with a synthetic dimension. In this work, we show how the Hofstadter Hamiltonian in such ladder configurations hosts a topological phase of matter which is radically different from its two-dimensional counterpart. This topological phase stems directly from the hybrid nature of the ladder geometry, and is protected by a properly defined inversion symmetry. We start our analysis considering the paradigmatic case of a three-leg ladder which supports a topological phase exhibiting the typical features of topological states in one dimension: robust fermionic edge modes, a degenerate entanglement spectrum and a non-zero Zak phase; then, we generalize our findings - addressable in the state-of-the-art cold atom experiments - to ladders with an higher number of legs.


Production of chlorinated polyethylene and uses were introduced. And its consumption status and market prospect were analyzed. Suggestions of development on domestic production were put forward.


As a follow-up to the International Conference on Health Research for Development that took place in Bangkok Thailand in 2000 WHO convened a Ministerial Summit on Health Research to be held in Mexico City in November 2004 to review progress to date and reflect on emerging opportunities in the global field of health research. In 1990 the Commission on Health Research for Development recommended that all countries should undertake essential national health research; it stipulated that international partnerships are the foundations for progress and that financing for these efforts should be mobilized from both international and national sources. In 1996 WHOS Ad Hoc Committee on Health Research Relating to Future Intervention Options outlined a five-step priority-setting approach to decide how health research funds should be allocated. It identified "best buys" for the development of products and procedures in several key areas including childhood infections malnutrition microbial threats noncommunicable diseases and health systems. Overall progress has been slow and there is much more to be done to deal with major health challenges. (excerpt)


This paper presents the design of an integrated smart feeder/shuttle system. The design of such a system was motivated by the need to provide easy access to main haul transit services. Park and ride lots in many train stations can no longer accommodate automobiles brought to the stations. Some train riders have switched their mode of transportation from public transit to solo driving. Shortage of parking spaces at rail stations encourages passengers to drive alone, hence more cars on freeways and worsening traffic congestion. The purpose of this study is to design an innovative feeder/shuttle system that will 1) meet the needs and desires of end users, 2) utilize intelligent transportation technologies, and 3) increase the operational efficiency. Ideally, this smart feeder/shuttle system should be attractive to consumers because the service should be reliable and routing/scheduling should be flexible enough to meet the needs of riders. Among the attributes are the provision of door-to-door services and smooth and synchronized transfers between main haul and collector transit systems. To design an innovative feeder/shuttle system, new integrated and routing concepts have been developed. Ten different routing strategies are examined, including combinations of fixed/flexible routes, fixed/flexible schedules, one or bi-directional approaches, and short-cut (shortest path) and/or short-turn (turn around) concepts. The evaluation of these strategies is performed using a simulation model which is developed and constructed for this project. This simulation tool allows for the examination of: (a) various operating strategies from the user and the operator perspectives, (b) different routing models and scenarios, and (c) different real-time communication possibilities between the user, operator and a control center. This simulation model is used in a case study of Castro Valley in Alameda County, California. In this case study the feeder/shuttle service is coordinated with the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service and the ten routing strategies are compared while using four fleet sized scenarios.


Development of a suitable regenerable sorbent is a major barrier issue in the Hot Gas Cleanup program for Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle systems. This has been a challenging problem for the last 20 years. Many of the sorbents developed in prior work did not retain their reactivity and physical integrity during repeated sulfidation/regeneration cycles. This paper is a report on a promising sorbent (METC10) developed at the Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) which has demonstrated sustained reactivity and physical integrity during repeated sulfidation and regeneration cycles. METC10 sorbent was tested in a low pressure (260 kPa/23 psig) fixed-bed reactor at 538{degrees}C (1,OOO{degrees}F) with simulated air blown K Rust Westinghouse (KRW) coal gas. The sorbent was subjected to 3.5 sulfidation/regeneration cycles using steam as the regeneration diluent. There were no appreciable changes in reactivity during the 3.5 cycles and spalling or other physical deterioration was not observed. Sorbent pellets, which were prepared by a commercial vendor (United Catalysts, Inc.) to METC specifications, were exposed to fifty sulfidation/regeneration cycles using conditions typical of the Tampa Electric Company (TECO) Clean Coal Technology (CCT) demonstration project. After the fiftieth sulfidation cycle, both the sulfur loading value (more than 6 lb/ft{sup 3}) and the attrition (less than 5 wt%) satisfied the requirements necessary for the TECO/CCT project. These sorbent pellets were also tested with real coal gas for 240 hours in a moving bed reactor at General Electric (GE) company. Sulfur absorption was according to the sorbent movement rate and the attrition rate was very low during 240 hours of the pilot plant operation.


The utility model provides a wire holder of a stator winding, a stator with the wire holder and a motor with the wire holder, suitable for the technical field of motor structure. The wire holder of the stator winding is mounted on a stator body which includes a stator core and the stator winding to accommodate and fix lugs, and enameled wires of the stator winding and leading-out wires of an external power supply are connected to form the lugs; and the wire holder comprises an insulating seat and pins for clamping the stator winding, wherein the insulating seat includes an arched block-shaped member which includes an inner concave cambered surface and an outer convex cambered surface, the top of the insulating seat recesses downwardly to form wire fixing holes, and the pins are protruded out of the inner concave cambered surface of the insulating seat. According to the utility model, the wire holder of the stator winding carries out insulation processing on the lugs which are formed by connecting the enameled wires of the stator winding with the leading-out wires of the external power supply, thereby simplifying wiring and insulation processing technologies of the enameled wires of the stator winding and the leading-out wires of the external power supply, improving the connection efficiency of the enameled wires of the stator winding and the leading-out wires of the external power supply, and reducing the labor intensity and the processing cost.


It is a common interest and understanding that providing the population with administrative services is an important aspect for the proper functioning of every given society. There is no society without the proper management of its local population. It is to this end that there is a need to examine the position of international law in seeing the administrative management of its population with emphasis in the Ukrainian government. The objective of this article is: 1) to study international experience in providing administrative services; 2) to elaborate propositions for improving the processes related to the provision of administrative services to the population.
The experience of foreign countries in the field of providing administrative services to the population (in particular, the United States, Canada and Western Europe) has been analyzed. It has been emphasized that Ukraine needs to build its own system of administrative services, taking into account effective models of carrying out public administration in developed Western countries. It has been noted that the quality of administrative services to the representatives of different segments of the population is one of those criteria, which assists in assessing the effectiveness of the entire state system of the country. It has been emphasized that the service state institution, whose activity is to provide both public and private administrative and legal services, the example of which can be the above-mentioned service institution of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, is only part of the large-scale reform of the existing state legal mechanism in Ukraine that has to change the essence of the functioning of state agencies in this area.


In this paper a synchronization method and a compatible PWM strategy for the asymmetrical bridgeless boost rectifier are proposed. In this method the grid current is forced to have the same phase angle as the voltage generated by the rectifier. The proposed method eliminates zero-crossing distortion caused by the use of diodes, thus reducing the harmonic distortions of input current. Simulated and experimental results are presented.


The present work is composed of two products. On the one hand, a documentary by an author that deals with the relationship between mother and daughter based on the reconstruction of the story of the daughter's name. The documentary recreates the youth of the mother through which the narrative of the political violence of the eighties in Colombia is narrated. On the other hand, a sociological writing that seeks to describe Elizabeth's life trajectory, with the aim of understanding how the concept of care is constructed through her life and bringing us closer to the different generations of caregivers of her family.


Although heat-inactivated foetal calf serum is regularly used as an "inert" additive for culture media, reconstitution of complement activity occurred on the addition of fractions of human sera. The nature of these factors is discussed. Chicken erythrocytes (CRBC), the target cells used in the study, were directly shown to be susceptible to the lytic action of bovine serum, suggesting their potential use in the assay of bovine complement.


In many ways, the initiation and growth of a tumor parallels the development of a cell culture in which a change has occurred because of a somatic mutation. In the past, the similarity of these two events led to the hypothesis that the occurrence of somatic mutations was the important event in the origin of a tumor. It was soon apparent, however, that the cancer by somatic mutation hypothesis was inadequate, because it could not account for the following observations: (1) viruses seem to induce certain kinds of tumors; (2) compounds exist that are highly carcinogenic but not mutagenic; and (3) Compounds exist that are highly mutagenic but that have no, or only a weak, carcinogenic activity. The study of the relationship between the carcinogenic activity and mutagenic activity of different compounds has been complicated by the fact that these two activities are rarely tested in the same organism. This is particularly important because it may not be the compound itself but some metabolic breakdown product that functions either as a proximate or ultimate Previous experiments with N e ~ r o s p o r u ~ strongly suggest that an activation of two potent carcinogens, diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) (TABLE l), similar to that which occurs during their metabolism in the liver, was required before they showed mutagenic activity. Analogously, the potent carcinogen cycasin, a glycone, seems to require a deglucosylation to achieve both its mutagenic5 and carcinogenic activity." Another difficulty with the cancer by somatic mutation hypothesis was the existence of potent mutagens that differed drastically in their carcinogenic activity. We know now that gene mutations result from a wide variety of genetic alterations and that the spectrum of genetic alterations is mutagen-specific. Thus, it is possible that potent mutagens differ in the type of mutations they can induce. A characterization at the moltcular level of the genetic alterations in the mutations produced by different carcinogens could provide some understanding as to whether carcinogenic activity is correlated with the production of a particular type of genetic alteration. Methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and N-methyl-N '-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) (see TABLE 1) are examples of compounds that give the same reaction products with DNA, and that are potent mutagens but differ in their carcinogenic activity. Both these compounds are methylating, and it is likely that the main methylation products in D N A in both cases are 7-methylguanine and 3-methyla d e n i ~ ~ e . ~ . ~ MMS and MNNG are both strong mutagens in microorganisms?-'* MNNG is a potent ~a rc inogen , '~ , ' ~ whereas MMS has very weak carcinogenic ac t i~ i ty . ' ~ We have used these two compounds to try to determine whether there is any correlation between carcinogenic and mutagenic activity. Clearly both


It generates light through the generation of the third harmonic, a light source in which the optical fiber base. The light source includes a pump light source for supplying pump light having a fundamental mode of wavelength lambda The light source is also provided optically connected optical fiber to the pump light source. The central region having a refractive index profile of the optical fiber core is: (i) the relative refractive index values delta The optical fiber condition The pump light, the third harmonic light is emitted from the exit end of the generated optical fiber with a higher order mode of wavelength By the fundamental mode of the pumping light and the higher order mode of the third harmonic beam overlap over the length of the optical fiber, the conversion efficiency of 1% or more is obtained.


With the expansion of innovation practices, design and development of improved quality products requires advanced surface finishing procedures. Thus for achieving this high quality surface finish, aftermath of processes such as grinding etc. are performed, which eventually result in rising the temperature at work piece-tool interactions, deteriorating the quality of product produced. In the present work, study has been made to explore the surface roughness of Computer Controlled infusion type Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) grinding of AISI-52100 alloy steel. Superior results have been taken from the MQL grinding with nanoparticles of Al2O3 alongside using vegetables oil under different parameters.


During a ten-year period (1976-1986) at the Toronto General Hospital, 121 patients underwent aortoiliac reconstruction with one or both of the distal anas tomoses to the level of the profunda femoris artery. The cumulative five-year graft patency rate in 117 patients surviving the operation was 97±1.3%, the cumulative five-year clinical success rate (patent graft and clinical improve ment) was 76±5.2%, and the cumulative five-year hemodynamic success rate (patent graft and improved ankle/brachial pressure ratio) was 67±5.9%. There was no significant difference in cumulative clinical success when stratified for sex, preoperative grade (claudication vs limb salvage), proximal anastomosis (end-to-end vs end-to-side), or length of profundoplasty. The authors' experi ence indicates that aortoprofunda bypass is a successful operation for the man agement of multilevel vascular occlusive disease with very few patients requiring subsequent distal revascularization. It is not unusual to observe clini cal improvement despite a relatively small increase in "resting" ankle/brachial index. A gradual decrease in clinical and hemodynamic success can be expected secondary to either anastomotic hyperplasia or progression of distal athero sclerotic disease.


In April 2014 government forces defeated a rebel offensive in the north of the Syrian province of Latakia. Although they initially reached the coast, the insurgents were unable to hold their positions there. The rebel forces included many Chechens and other Caucasians, who had previously been seen fighting exclusively in the Caucasus. Their strong presence in Syria is a completely new turn in international jihadism, and a warning to be taken seriously, as many arrive from the Georgian, Turkish and European diasporas rather than from their original home republics. While their goal remains to "liberate" the Caucasus from Russian rule, they are now struggling to topple the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and there is a risk that they will continue terrorist activity after returning to Turkey and Europe. The arrival of the Chechens in Syria makes a joint anti-terrorism strategy with Turkey even more urgent, and forces Western states to cooperate with Russian security agencies.


groups, of which the chief distinguishing features may be briefly summarized as follows: (a) Obese: Marked preponderance of women, mostly in the fifth and sixth decades; high incidence of "neuritic" pains and less marked loss of weight. ' ( b) Arteriosclerotic: Mostly over the age of sixty years; mild type of diabetes overshadowed by degenerative changes, chiefly affecting the circulatory system. . (c) "Toxic": Younger: larger numbers of males than III other classes; diabetes more acute in onset and more severe; more often associated with sepsis. 1. One thousand seven hundred cases of true diabetes mellitus have been reviewed and divided into three groups: obese, arteriosclerotic and "toxic". 2. The sex incidence of the whole series shows 64'5% females. 3. Hereditary or familial factor was found in '16·3%, there being no significant differences between the three groups. 4. Males tend to develop the disease at an earlier age than females. 5. Although the cardinal symptoms of diabetes were seen to be the same in all the three classes, significant differences were noted in regard to visual disturbances, gangrene, neuritic pains, sex incidence, and age at onset and type of onset. 6. Two hundred and twenty-four cases of non-diabetic glycosuria showed a male preponderance and earlier incidence. 7. Of these latter patients, 32'6% were symptomless as compared with only 2% of the patients who had true diabetes. 8. Of symptomless glycosurias 31'7% proved to be true diabetes mellitus.


Video on Demand (VoD) streaming constitutes a continuously increasing proportion of the global IP traffic. Conventional streaming approaches use a client-server topology, where one server or a group of servers serve all the clients. The main drawbacks of this technology is poor scalability. An alternative is the well known Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network topology which addresses this problem. However, for browser-based application, there is no standard method for distributed data dissemination. We present an application that uses WebRTC to establish direct browser to browser connections. We have designed two protocols WebPeer and CodedWebPeer for browser based P2P streaming. WebPeer is a conventional P2P protocol, while CodedWebPeer is a network coding enhanced P2P protocol. With our system, we demonstrate that using WebRTC P2P assisted VOD streaming can be accomplished. Furthermore, it outperforms the conventional client-server setup in terms of throughput by 70%, for the investigated scenario. In addition, by applying network coding, the performance of the network improves even further.


The effect of quantum confinement in PbSe quantum wells and dots is studied using tight binding calculations. Compared to zinc-blende semiconductors, unusual physical properties are predicted for rock salt PbSe nanostructures. The energy gap increases as the inverse of the size both for wells and dots. For PbSe nanocrystals, the luminescence lifetime, the confinement energy, and the intraband optical properties are in good agreement with experiments. The high quantum yield observed experimentally can be explained by the absence of surface dangling bonds in these systems. The origin of the second peak measured in the absorption spectra is discussed, whereas S-P interband transitions exhibit very small oscillator strength. The full frequency-dependent dielectric function $ϵ(\ensuremath{\omega})$ is calculated for PbSe quantum wells. Its imaginary part ${ϵ}_{2}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ is strongly anisotropic and shows large variations with respect to its bulk value even far from the gap region.


The MITF transcription factor and the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway are two interconnected main players in melanoma. Understanding how MITF activity is regulated represents a key question since its dynamic modulation is involved in the phenotypic plasticity of melanoma cells and their resistance to therapy. By investigating the role of ARAF in NRAS-driven melanoma through mass spectrometry experiments followed by a functional siRNA-based screen, we unexpectedly identified MITF as a direct ARAF partner. Interestingly, this interaction is conserved among the RAF protein kinase family since the formation of BRAF/MITF and CRAF/MITF complexes was also observed in the cytosol of NRAS-mutated melanoma cells. The interaction occurs through the kinase domain of RAF proteins and is correlated with their kinase activity level. RAF/MITF complexes modulate MITF nuclear localization by inducing an accumulation of MITF in the cytoplasm, thus negatively controlling its transcriptional activity. Taken together, our study highlights a new level of regulation between two major mediators of melanoma progression, MITF and the MAPK/ERK pathway, which appears more complex than previously anticipated.


Background: Problem-based learning (PBL) is used by many medical schools as either a full-time curriculum or an addition to a traditional curriculum. Purposes: The effects of PBL are examined using frameworks derived from theories of expertise and PBL' s goals. Methods: Students in full-time PBL, elective PBL, and full-time traditional curricula at two schools were compared on a series of pathophysiological explanation tasks over the course of the 1st year of medical school. The students' explanations were analyzed using written protocol analysis techniques derived from cognitive science research. Results: PBL students generate explanations that are more accurate, coherent, and comprehensive than non-PBL students. They transfer the reasoning strategies that they are taught and are more likely to use science concepts in their explanations. This effect is stronger for the full-time PBL students. Conclusion: The results demonstrate strong benefits of PBL, particularly for the full-time students.


We consider the following two problems: first, line parameter estimation (LPE) and second, instrument transformers (ITs) calibration. Typically, sensors connected to PMUs are line current transformers (CTs) and line or bus capacitive voltage transformers (CVTs). Even small systematic errors in the sensors can lead to significant errors in the estimation of line parameters. Hence, a phase-wise model for simultaneous LPE and IT calibration is derived. The line parameters and ratio correction factors (RCFs) estimated using the proposed method are shown to be accurate. The proposed approach requires only one bus with accurately measured voltage and one line with accurate current measurement to estimate line parameters and RCFs of remaining ITs in a network. The proposed method is stable for multiple systematic instrument transformer errors. Simulations performed on the 10 bus system validate the claims.


A compact, durable, low-reagent-usage, portable miniaturized electrochemical sensor is successfully developed for the high sensitivity detection of trace lead. We fabricated micropillars array working electrodes on the chip and established ultra-low concentration sodium acetate-acetate (NaAC-HAC) buffers (pH  ≈  4.5) system to enhance the detection sensitivity of the sensor. The ultra-low concentration buffer possesses unique features such as low baseline current and high peak current difference height. The analytical performance of the fabricated electrochemical sensor with 3D gold (Au) working electrodes modified by bismuth-film was comprehensively studied. The microsensor exhibited a high sensitivity of 0.0412 µA ppb−1 and a satisfactory detection limit of 0.15 ppb when detecting lead ions under optimized conditions. Moreover, good linearity (correlation coefficient: 0.9993) with lead ion measurements in the concentration range of 1–120 ppb and excellent repeatability (RSD: 1.79%) was obtained, the chip has satisfactory selectivity for common interference ion. Besides, a low consumption of 350 µl of reagents per test was acquired. Finally, the proposed microsensor was applied to detect trace metal ions in tap and lake samples with satisfactory results.


We report a scanning focused laser technique for pixel-by-pixel activation of the screen-printed carbon nanotube cathodes for field emission flat panel displays. The turn-on and working field of the cathodes became as low as 1.96 V µm−1 and 2.70 V µm−1, respectively, after 57 kW cm−2 laser irradiation. The current density even reached 4.00 mA cm−2 at 2.90 V µm−1, which was 1285 times larger than the untreated one. This dramatic enhancement is due to the fact that the focused laser can remove not only the surface contamination, but can change the geometric structure of the treated pixel as well. More importantly, these laser activated carbon nanotube cathodes show much more uniform field emission performances, as required by flat panel displays.


Aim

Multiple spatial and non-spatial processes are involved in determining the complex patterns underlying the spatial variation of individual species and their assemblages. This complexity, and the logistical challenges involved in following dispersal for multiple species across multiple sites, make it challenging to infer the processes underlying metacommunity spatial heterogeneity. The goal of our paper is to present a robust quantitative framework for inferring spatial patterns across multiple ecological communities.

Innovation

Unlike numerous metapopulation studies that have inferred migration rates based on landscape connectivity metrics which take into account the spatial positioning of occupied and empty patches, metacommunity studies have relied on spatial predictors built without considering such information. Here, we introduce a novel method called the multi-species spatial network (MSSN) to detect and explain spatial variability in community assemblies using a graph-theoretical approach. The MSSN approach can be best described as a reconciliation between the spatial positioning of sites and their patterns of patch occupation.

Main conclusions

Our simulation and real data analyses showed that our MSSN approach was better at detecting spatial patterns within metacommunities than the commonly used MEM method (Moran's eigenvector maps). In addition, our proposed framework is also useful in estimating the levels of spatial connectivity for each local community. Finally, our framework is flexible enough to incorporate different types of functions, metrics and algorithms to detect complex spatial patterns.


Based on the data collected from the on-the-spot investigations and interviews in the southern Jiangsu town-enterprises,the paper exposes the phenomena of the rigid reorganization in it's"Second-time Undertaking"regarding the reformation of the transformation from the state-owned ones to the pri- vate-owned ones,pointing out the severe effect some erroneous viewpoints have around it on the growth of the town-enterprises and making a detailed analysis on the wrong arguments concerning the issue and their theoretic background.


The aim was to evaluate whether headache experts rarely, if ever, investigate spontaneous or provoked migraine/headache attacks. All the 494 Original Articles in five volumes of Cephalalgia (from 2014 to 2018) were screened and classified as dealing with spontaneous or provoked migraine/headache attacks, or other aspects of migraine/headache. Only 4.9% (24/494) of papers reported on studies of spontaneous and provoked migraine/headache attacks. Investigations of the pathophysiology of spontaneous or provoked migraine/headache attacks in humans could result in the development of better drugs for migraine, and to the identifications of biomarkers for use in personalized medicine.


We consider a diffusion process with coefficients that are periodic outside of an 'interface region' of finite thickness. The question investigated in the articles [1,2] is the limiting long time / large scale behaviour of such a process under diffusive rescaling. It is clear that outside of the interface, the limiting process must behave like Brownian motion, with diffusion matrices given by the standard theory of homogenization. The interesting behaviour therefore occurs on the interface. Our main result is that the limiting process is a semimartingale whose bounded variation part is proportional to the local time spent on the interface. We also exhibit an explicit way of identifying its parameters in terms of the coefficients of the original diffusion.
Our method of proof relies on the framework provided by Freidlin and Wentzell for diffusion processes on a graph in order to identify the generator of the limiting process.


This paper proposes a controlled quantum netw ork coding scheme based on single controller so as to control the decoding operation at the receivers for traditional quantum netw ork coding schemes.This scheme is designed based on the paradigm XQQ( Crossing Tw o Qubits) protocol,and it can control the decoding process of tw o receivers simultaneously by means of introducing the controller in controlled teleportation.Scheme analyses show that w ithout the permission of the controller,any attacker cannot decode and acquire the quantum information from the senders in this scheme,even if he can get all the information of the receivers.Thus our scheme can enhance the security of transferring quantum information in quantum netw orks.


Currently sea desert due to overabundance of sea urchins is occurring worldwide. Iso-yake means the desertlike state of the sea without seaweed. In Japan, such damage is severe, causing an adverse adversely affecting effect on coastal fisheries and the environment. In particular, along the Japanese coast, there are rich seaweed beds, and the abalone and other coastal fisheries are important industries. Therefore, there is also a major economic concern. Furthermore, in the Tohoku region, the Iso-yake tendency began after the 2011 East Japan earthquake and has become a problem. Therefore, a small remotely operated vehicle (ROV) has been developed to remove sea urchins. We study the ROV system and the status of sea urchin removal. The experimental area is Nojima island Shizugawa Bay, in Miyagi Prefecture (Tahara,2019). ROV SYSTEM FOR SEA URCHIN COLLECTION The Vega is a medium-sized ROV manufactured by KOWA Corporation. The maximum depth is 150 m. The ROV is shown in Fig. 1 and Table 1. In this study, we add sub Thruster, robot Arm, and sensors. The ROV is based on a ROV of less than 45kg and has a sea urchin collection system. Sea urchins are collected by vacuum into the nozzle attached to the tip of the ROV. It recognizes sea urchins via a recognition system with machine learning to assist operators in finding sea urchins. This ROV is used to collect sea urchins and to reverse sea desert. It is intended to be operated in shallow water about 20m of depth. It has four thrusters for forward, backward, ascending, and descending movements. In addition, a characteristic feature is two small thrusters for tilt control, which is important in sea urchin collection. This in consideration of tilt control will be described later. An important goal is to stop overfishing, other than sea urchins, in consideration of environmental issues. Therefore, it is necessary to selectively recognize and collect sea urchins. (James, 2012; James, 2016) Hence, it is important to educate the ROV operator using a sea urchin recognition system employing sea urchin image recognition. Figure. 1 ROV System Table 1. ROV(Vega)'s Specifications


In the wake of 9/11, 2001 religious extremism became a major concern of international security agencies. Pakistan, in particular, became a focus of academic discourse on radical religious extremism and militancy. It was during these times that the President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf presented the idea of "Enlightened Moderation". According to him, the Muslims would have to adopt the modern path and the world should promote justice to get rid of extremism. This study examines President Musharraf's policy of "Enlightened Moderation" and its different interpretations by the national print media. The study finds that despite President Musharraf's efforts to explain this idea at length, it was interpreted in multiple, often conflicting ways by scholars in Pakistan.


Abstract In this article, the free vibration behavior of functionally graded circular Levinson plates is investigated. Hamilton's principle is adopted to derive the governing equation of the system, which effectively takes into account the effects of both thermal stress and physically neutral surfaces. With the devised formulation, three typical temperature distributions and temperature-dependent (TD) features are studied. The natural frequencies of the corresponding functionally graded plates can be computed through the use of the differential quadrature method. Hence the impacts due to temperature fields, volume fraction index, TD characteristics, and thickness-to-radius ratio on the natural frequency of functionally graded circular plates can be quantitatively analyzed.


Since the earlier works in recommender systems, the main aim of this research area is to assist users in the finding of relevant content among the overwhelming amount of data available on the Web. Recommender systems research interest started in the 90s with the rise of the Internet and the increasing of available data that it entailed. Nowadays, with the explosion of user-generated content in the context of the Web 2.0, the necessity of recommender systems is the same than in the 90s, but the related problems that they have to face are more challenging every day. This context of user-generated content and social web hinders the implementation of recommender systems, being one of the most acute the accurate modelling of user preferences. The initial works on the literature mainly addressed this issue from the perspective of Collaborative Filtering systems; however, the use of Content-based features is becoming more widespread. Among these Content-based systems, most of the works in the literature usually rely on the modelling of user and item dimensions by separate: user profiles are analyzed and modelled according to their Content-based features to then find the items that are most closely related to this model. This methodology introduces the problem of the user-item gap; i.e., the gap between both representation spaces. To overcome this problem, this thesis proposes a common representation space for recommendation. The modelling of both dimensions together in a common representation space appears to be, conceptually, the most sensible choice. In particular, we propose on a concept-based user-item modelling generated through the application of Formal Concept Analysis (FCA). Our main hypothesis is that the concept-based abstraction of user and item profiles that FCA generates will facilitate the better identification of useritem relationships, which can be understood by user preferences. Therefore, users and items will be represented in a common space by means of the unfolding user preferences (in the form of formal concepts), hierarchically organized in a natural way according to this specificity. In this way, it is expected to overcome the user-item gap problem, thus improving the recommendation process. In order to test our claim, we have isolated the evaluation of the performance of our proposal. The rationale is to firstly evaluate the performance of FCA for data representation to then evaluate this representation when applied for the recommendation task. To that end, we have applied the proposed FCA-modelling to two different scenarios independently of the recommendation task (Topic Detection @ Replab 2013 and Image Diversification @ MediaEVAL 2014 and 2015). The evaluation of FCA in these scenarios proves its overall suitability, achieving state-of-the-art results for both scenarios. This evaluation proves as well that, in contrast to other proposals in the literature, our system is barely affected by the different parameters related to its operation. Finally, we have addressed an extensive comparison to other well-known data representation methodologies (namely, Hierarchical Agglomerative Clustering and Latent Dirichlet Allocation) in relation to the quality of the generated representations. As proven by this comparison, the FCA-based representation has more quality and presents a more homogeneous behaviour than the rest of methodologies. In a later step, we have extended this modelling by integrating semantic features related to the item content. Not only does this enhanced model improve the modelling step, but it also enables a higher-level and more abstract representation, which results in lighter and more compact model. This aspect facilitates the overcoming of the challenges related to the application of our proposal to social-based real scenarios (i.e., Topic Detection @ Replab 2013). We have finally applied our FCA-based model to the recommendation task. We have firstly conducted a preliminary experimentation to prove the suitability of our proposal in social-based recommendation scenarios (NEWSREEL 2014 and ESWC LOD-RecSys 2014). From the analysis of the outcome of this preliminary experimentation, we have refined our FCA-based recommendation approach to create a common representation space for recommendation. Throughout its evaluation carried out in different social-based scenarios (UMAP 2011 Dataset and ESWC LOD-RecSys 2015), we have analysed the different aspect involved in the recommendation process, proving that, when available, higher-level semantic features entails more accurate recommendations than when raw textual descriptions are applied. We have confirmed as well that, as stated by other experimental works in the literature, in these social-based environments, systems using Content-based features outperform Collaborative Filtering systems Finally, this extensive analysis confirms our initial hypothesis in regards to our proposal. The high performance of our model for data representation remains when applied to the recommendation task. In particular, our FCA-based common representation space outperforms other recommender systems reported in the literature for the addressed tasks.


Four pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) have been isolated from overground part of Ligularia sibirica (L.) Cass, of family Compositeae and it has been identified as a Tussilagine (I), Isotussilagine (II), Tussilaginine (III), Isotussilaginine (IV). Moreover, Ligularia sibirica (L.) Cass, showed low anti-inflammatory influence on the model of acute proliferative inflammation and it's LD50=1,334 g/kg. which confirmed that this species relates to the less toxic plants.


Knowledge of fraction equivalence is fundamental for building knowledge of fractions. This study aims to design a collaborative learning environment for developing the concept of fraction equivalence in classroom settings. According to the cognitive conflict theory, the key for developing a concept is to arouse a strong interest or an appropriate level of anxiety in learners in recognizing the anomaly clearly and reappraising the cognitive conflict situation deeply. A mobile learning environment for collaborative engagement is created in this study to encourage the resolution of cognitive conflict. Two situations are designed to stimulate reflection of learners about the concept of fraction equivalence: one is triggered by the anomaly between the learning peers and the other is triggered by the anomaly between the learner and the computer system, which has the authority of correctness in the situation. Two pedagogical tools for encouraging reciprocal tutoring in the collaborative learning environment are elaborated.


Motivated by Generative Adverserial Networks, we study the computation of a Nash equilibrium in concave network zero-sum games (NZSGs), a multiplayer generalization of two-player zero-sum games first proposed with linear payoffs. Extending previous results, we show that various game theoretic properties of convex-concave two-player zero-sum games are preserved in this generalization. We then generalize last iterate convergence results obtained previously in two-player zero-sum games. We analyze convergence rates when players update their strategies using Mirror Descent, and Optimistic Mirror Descent. We analyze these algorithms when they are used with the squared l2 norm as a regularizer — yielding Gradient Ascent, Extra-Gradient Method, and Optimistic Gradient Ascent. We show exponential convergence when the payoffs of players are linear, or strongly concave and smooth. For the more general method of Optimistic Mirror Descent, we show last iterate convergence for any monotone game with bounded gradients, as well as monotonic convergence in games with strictly monotone and smooth payoffs.


Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is an antitumor treatment that comprises the action of chemotherapy drugs enhanced by electric field pulses delivered locally over a target tumour [1]. The electric pulses promote the reduction of the cell membrane selectivity through a phenomenon called electropermeabilization (or electroporation, EP) [1–3]. Neither the EP protocol nor the ECT treatment provoke any observable effect in the treated tissue right after the application is done. In fact, animal tissues show no other indication of treatment success than tumour shrinkage and disappearance, called Complete Response (CR). Notwithstanding these outcomes are an obvious (and desired) indication of treatment's effectiveness, no tangible feedback is offered to clinicians earlier than 4-10 weeks [4]. In this sense, the present work aims to discuss a tentative approach to expedite treatment effectiveness feedback based on chemical species variations due to EP of tissue cells.


Abstract : This report describes the design of a graphical input language and CAD system for specifying control system block diagrams. The goal to develop a graphical means of defining block diagrams that avoided the need to create the textual descriptions required by most existing traditional analysis packages was accomplished. Generalized requirements for a successful human interface were developed. A graphical input methodology was developed that meets these human constraints. The CAD system designed allows graphical definition of linear systems and translation of these systems into forms acceptable by traditional analysis programs. (Author)


The article presents a synopsis of the fruitful relationship between Niklas Luhmann and Humberto Maturana. The Luhmannian theory is a conceptual structure whose dimensions include the understanding of the social as a whole. Notwithstanding the passing of the author in 1998, his posthumous writings are still being published and the influence of his thinking is gradually extended to several domains within social sciences. A core part of that complex thinking was developed with the benefit of concepts that Luhmann adapted from Humberto Maturana's biology. This study explains the workings of such tie and its reach for understanding modern globalized society.


Objectives of this study were to study the molecular epidemiology of ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in selective hospitals in Iran, to determine the prevalence of TEM, SHV and CTX-M genes responsible for ESBL production among ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae, to investigate the susceptibility of Klebsiellae spp producing ESBLs towards non-beta-lactam antibiotics, all in different seasons. Clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae were identified during Mar. 2007 to Apr. 2008 in Ilam hospitals, the province in west of Iran. All isolates were found in surgery wards. ESBL activity was first evaluated using the standard disc diffusion test for cephalosporins and monobactam, then using the double-disc synergy test between cephalosporins and clavulanate. PCR assay had done for ESBLs genes detection. The results showed sixteen K.pneumoniae were identified by chemical methods. No resistance had occurred among K.pneumoniae toward non-beta-lactam antibiotics. BlaSHV was dominant gene responsible for ESBLs production while just one blaTEM along with blaSHV were found. BlaCTX-M was not responsible for ESBLs production in our study. 37.5% K.pneumoniae producing ESBLs in surgery ward in west of Iran must be considerable and need to further study in different part of hospital in Ilam and in Iran. Strict antibiotic policy should be adopted in hospitals to estimate the impact of higher resistance in bacteria and to take steps for reducing these resistances.


Chinese teaching in the United States dates back to the late nineteenth century,which experienced a hundred years before the normalization of Sino-US relations.Influenced by domestic political and cultural environment,Sino-US relations,international political situation and other external factors as well as the methods of Chinese language teaching,language education trend and other factors,Chinese teaching in the United States has experienced ups and downs during this century,such as start-up,turning,leaping and stagnant.The development of the Chinese teaching in the United States in this century indicates the profound cultural and political connotations,which reflects the changes in Sino-US relations and the motivation of learning Chinese.At the same time,it also tells us the stable and sustainable development of the current overseas "Chinese fever" lies in how to enhance the inherent attractiveness of Chinese culture to overseas.


In many countries worldwide the circumstances of unnatural deaths, including suicides, are subject to official investigations, usually by medical examiners or coroners. In England and Wales, where our experience is based, investigations into sudden or unexplained deaths are conducted by a coroner, an independent officer appointed by the local government authority, who usually has a legal or medical professional background. Findings from the investigation are presented at a public inquest at which the coroner reaches a verdict about the likely cause of death. The paper records of the investigation (the "inquest record") are usually then filed at the coroner's offices or local authority archive. The content of inquest records varies, but they generally include police reports, witness statements, postmortem autopsy and toxicological reports, and, where judged appropriate, information on health service contact from general practitioners and psychiatrists. There may also be photographs of the scene of death and copies (or originals) of suicide notes. The files from these investigations are a valuable source of information to further our understanding of suicide, whether from a historical or sociological perspective (e.g., Atkinson, 1978; Bailey, 1998) or, in a public health context, by providing data relevant to suicide prevention strategies (Bennewith, Hawton et al., 2005). Suicide case files have been used for sociological autopsy studies (Langer, Scourfield, & Fincham, 2008), qualitative thematic analysis (Valle, Gosney, & Sinclair, 2008), and as part of psychological autopsy studies (Hawton et al., 1998). In addition, the health authorities in England and Wales are required to carry out local suicide audits, including an analysis of inquest records, though the value of this has been questioned (Caley & Fowler, 2008). Outside the United Kingdom, researchers have used inquest records to investigate various aspects of suicide, including social and environmental factors (Almasi et al., 2009), gender differences (Walsh, Clayton, Liu, & Hodges, 2009), and associations with specific problems (Wong, Cheung, Conner, Conwell, & Yip, 2010). In the United States, researchers use the reports compiled by the police, medical examiners, and coroners to extract data for the National Violent Death Reporting System (Ward, Shields, & Cramer, 2011). Yet working with such material can be challenging, both practically and emotionally, and there is relatively little published guidance on the use and limitations of these records (Bennewith, Hawton et al., 2005). To our knowledge, only one study has addressed the impact of such work on the researchers themselves (Fincham, Scourfield, & Langer, 2008). We have been involved in extracting information from coroners' records for a number of research projects (e.g., Appleby, Cooper, & Amos, 1999; Bennewith, Gunnell et al., 2005; Hawton et al., 2005). This editorial draws on our experiences to highlight some of the issues that need to be considered when planning research into suicide based on records such as those produced by coroners in England and Wales.


Myocardial perfusion is evaluated in first‐pass MRI using a gadolinium‐based contrast agent, which limits its repeatability and restricts its use in patients with abnormal kidney function. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a promising technique for measuring myocardial perfusion without contrast injection. The ratio of stress to rest perfusion, termed myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR), is an indicator of the severity of stenosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).


Research on how higher education institutions work with professional formation indicates that insufficient attention is currently paid to issues of professional responsibility and ethics. In the li ...


Taking as the background the discourses on friendship initiated by ancient Confucian and Greek philosophers, this article is to be focused on Xunzi's views on friends by examining where and how he engages an ethical justification of friendship. It will be argued that although Xunzi shows certain consistency with Confucius and Mencius, he explores issues on friendship through his own perspectives on human nature, on learning and education, and on the nature and function of human community. we will then proceed to examine the three arguments Xunzi provides: friendship is justified as it is needed in overcoming the inborn tendencies towards competition and strife; friendship is justified because it is taken as supplementary to learning and education, and friends are considered equivalent to teachers in terms of moral influence and exemplary models; friendship is justified in the way that it is auxiliary for human communities to function well. We will come to the conclusion that these three perspectives constitute Xunzi's ethical justification of friendship, which is not only significantly divergent from Greek propositions but also differentiable, one way or another, from those proposed or presumed by Confucius and Mencius.


Study – Data Collection, Statistical – Data Interpretation, – Background. Diabetic nephropathy is the main cause of impaired renal function and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in dia betic patients. Objectives. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and characteristics of normal to mildly increased albuminuria in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with chronic kidney disease. Material and methods. This retrospective study was performed on 310 patients diagnosed with T2DM and renal insufficiency (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ) referred to Ahvaz hospitals between 2014–2020. Demographic and clinical data, as well as laboratory param -eters, were extracted from patients' medical records. After considering the inclusion criteria (adult diabetic patients with renal failure (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ) and exclusion criteria (patients with hypertension, cardiovascular disease (ischemic heart disease, chronic heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular disease), urinary tract infection, anatomical disorders of the urinary tract, kidney stones, benign prostatic hyperplasia, history of diuretic use, nephrotoxic drugs such as ACEI, ARB, NSAIDs, physiological causes of albuminuria such as prolonged standing and exercise, systematic disease (e.g. systemic lupus erythematosus) and dialysis patients), in terms of age, gender and duration of diabetes and lipid profile and retinopathy and neuropathy and HbA 1C , patients were divided into three groups based on the severity of albuminuria (albumin-to-creatinine ratio): normal to mildly increased albuminuria (ACR < 30 mg/g), moderately increased (ACR: 30–300 mg/g) and severely increased (ACR > 300 mg/g). Results. T2DM patients with a mean age of ± 9.5 years, including 164 women (52.9%) and 146 men (47.1%), par ticipated in the study, of which 4 patients (1.3%) had normal albuminuria, 76 patients (24.5%) had mildly increased albuminuria, 142 patients (45.8%) had moderately increased albuminuria, and 88 patients (28.4%) had severely increased albuminuria. Individuals with normal to mildly increased albuminuria compared with moderate to severe albuminuria had lower duration of diabetes, age, creati -nine, retinopathy, neuropathy, HbA 1c , LDL, Tchol ( p < 0.001), higher GFR ( p < 0.001) and lower TG ( p = 0.003), while HDL-c ( p = 0.07) and patients' gender ( p = 0.2) were not significantly different. Examination of the odds ratio (OR) showed that retinopathy, high age and high HbA 1c levels had the greatest effect on the development of moderate to severe albuminuria, whereas increased GFR and a small increase in LDL had a preventive effect on moderate to severe albuminuria. with diabetes and renal insufficiency had normal to mildly increased albuminuria. This can limit the role of microalbuminuria as a screening tool to detect the onset of diabetic nephropathy.

https://www.termedia.pl/Journal/-95/pdf-47526-10?filename=03 FM&PCR 3 22 - O - Ghaderian - Evaluation - 1098.pdf


Enhancing electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) of polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) relies on modification of carbon nanotube (CNT) distributions achieved by controlling fabrication parameters. However, establishing correlations between fabrication parameters, CNT distributions, and SE properties is a challenging task due to the restrictions on the traditionally implemented CNT network detection techniques and qualitative CNT distribution descriptors. Herein an SE enhancing methodology for single‐walled carbon nanotubes/polyimide (SWCNT/PI) nanocomposite films in which AC sinusoidal voltages (5, 10, and 15 V at 10 Hz) are applied during processing to control CNT distribution is presented. The prepared nanocomposite samples are characterized using scattering‐parameter measurements for SE estimation and second‐harmonic electrostatic force microscopy (2ωe‐EFM) for subsurface CNT network detection. The detected CNT networks are described by implementing the uniform‐distancing (CNTD), agglomeration (CNTA), and shielding (CNTS) quantitative CNT descriptors. The results show enhancement on the nanocomposite SE values with the increment on the CNTS descriptor, which increases with lower applied voltages during processing. The SWCNT/PI nanocomposite studied herein exhibits a predominant absorption SE mechanism, which makes it a candidate for potential EMI absorber material applications. The proposed methodology represents an alternative for the quantitative assessment of correlations between PNC properties, CNT distributions, and fabrication parameters.


Objective: This study aimed to clarify the effectiveness of early skin-to-skin contact (SSC) after a cesarean section (CS) program. Methods: An "early SSC after CS" program was implemented at a tertiary care hospital in Tanzania. A non-equivalent group design was used. A questionnaire was used to collect data on exclusive breastfeeding, breastfeeding intention, Birth Satisfaction Scale—Revised Indicator (BSS-RI) score, perioperative pain with a visual analogue scale, and infant hospitalization for infectious diseases and diarrhea at 2–3 days postpartum. Follow-up surveys were conducted until 4 months postpartum regarding exclusive breastfeeding, breastfeeding intention, and hospitalization of the infants. Results: This study involved 172 parturient women who underwent CS, with 86 in the intervention group and 86 in the control group. The exclusive breastfeeding rates at 4 months postpartum were 57 (76.0%) in the intervention group and 58 (76.3%) in the control group, with no significant difference. The BSS-RI score was higher in the intervention group (7.91, range 4–12, SD 2.42) than in the control group (7.18, range 3–12, SD 2.02) (p = 0.007) for women who underwent emergency CS. The survival probability for infants hospitalized owing to infectious diseases, and diarrhea was significantly higher in the intervention group (98.5%) than in the control group (88.3%) (χ2 = 5.231, p = 0.022) for multiparas. Conclusion: The early SSC after CS program showed a positive effect on the birth satisfaction of women undergoing emergency CS. It also reduced the incidence of infants hospitalized owing to infectious diseases and diarrhea for multiparas.


Visually impaired people worldwide suffer from many difficulties related to their access to and exchange of information, which constitutes a major obstacle and threat to their study and social life. In recent years, scientists have worked to find new technologies that help the blind people and facilitate their access to and exchange of information. In this paper, a novel vibro-tactile braille display and keyboard device is presented. The developed device is an electronic Braille reading/writing device allows blind people to read textual information in Braille language and facilitate their typing/writing process on computer. For displaying textual information in Braille language, six vibro-tactile actuators are used to represent/code Braille cell of each single character. The device provides fast and accurate mnemonic output by concurrently vibrating the users' fingers of both hands based on the pattern of character. The designed keyboard got inspiration from the conventional Perkins Braille writer which 6-dot codes are inputted by using the user's hand finger chords. The developed braille keyboard/display improves and simplifies the communication for visually impaired people based on their sensation of vibration which is suitable for blind people who has low tactile sensation (e.g. due to diabetes). The developed device provides high privacy for users and with high compatibility to computer environment.


The research based on author's interest about the growth of Islam community as minority in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Siem Reap is a popular and interested place for tourism in South East Asian while not for Indonesian. Speaking about Siem Reap is not only about tourism, it is more about dark history of Khmer Kingdom and also history about Muslim Cham-Chvea as Islam population in Cambodia. The Cham-Chvea who was founded in the time writer do the research has a common history to Indonesian Islam Population. That is why author thinks that Islam growth in Siem Reap, Cambodia has the same root as Indonesian.


We carried a retrospective study on 42 patients with ectopic pregnancies at ESIC Medical college, Sanathnagar, Hyderabad, Telangana State from May 2016 to September 2017. The study was approved by Institutional Ethical Committee. The case sheets of the patients with EP were traced through the labor ward and operation theater registers. The primary outcome measures studied were incidence of EP, their risk factors, mortality and morbidity in these women. Mode of diagnosis, management modality, complications and need for blood transfusion were also recorded. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using SPSS software version 20.0.


Uterine rupture is a disastrous obstetric complication, with high rates of feto-maternal morbidity and mortality. The most frequent risk factor in present times is previous uterine surgery. We hereby report 3 cases of uterine rupture in unscarred uterus with varied presentation at different period of gestation so as to show the spectrum of clinical presentation of this entity. Quick recognition with prompt resort to laparotomy is crucial in influencing feto-maternal morbidity. All uterine ruptures don't present with classical symptoms. Thus, clinicians should have high index of suspicion for uterine rupture in women presenting with some, or all, of these features, regardless of parity or history of previous uterine surgery or parity.


Methylnaphthalene <bived mesophase pitch was spun through Y- and cross- shaped nozzles of different lobe dimensions in temperature range of 280 to 295°C by fixing the spinning rate to evaluate die-swelling phenomena which defonned cross-sectional shape and domain alignment of the carbon fiber. The higher temperature of spinning enhanced the refonnation through the lower viscosity. The thinner lobe emphasized the die-swelling through the larger shear rate, which reduces the viscosity, although the nozzles of the present study had the same cross-sectional area. Shape factors of the nozzle and fiber rescribe the extents of cause and results of die-swelling, respectively. Die-swelling is found to change the radial type alignment of the constituent domains to random order. The degrees of preferred orientation along the fiber axis were slightly influenced by die-swelling. The pressure in spinning and the nozzle shape were correlated to the reformation extent of the resultant fiber.


ABSTRACT. I show how a consistent line of anti-Cartesian and anti-Kantian philosophies established by Herder, Humboldt, Hamann, and Vossler transformed the sign-character of human expressions into an expression of style by concentrating on the German term 'Art' as a sort of habitus. Especially Humboldt concentrates on the non-natural and non-functional character of language in defining it as a cultural product. Herder, Humboldt, Hamann, and Vossler recognize the insignificance of grammar as long as it is regarded as an abstract foundation for linguistics. Style is of utmost importance for all of them since they undermine the representation-theory by means of an "open rhetoric" using flexible rules and defining a sort of creative structural analysis. "Die Art" or the "how" of language gives linguistic expression the status of something spiritual and non-static. All four thinkers formulated their opposition to philosophical abstractions in terms of a "philosophy of life" and attempted to read "signs" as expressions of a historical and cultural reason.Keywords: Wilhelm von Humboldt; Gottfried Herder; Johan Georg Hamann; Karl Vossler; structuralist stylistics; representation theory1. IntroductionIn this article I show how a consistent line of anti-Cartesian and anti-Kantian philosophies established by Herder, Humboldt, Hamann, and Vossler attempted to transform the sign-character of human expressions into an expression of style by concentrating on the German term 'Art' as a sort of habitus. First, this is opposed to Kant's view, which dismisses language in favor of purity of reason. However, it is also different from contemporary structuralist stylistics. In the twentieth century, structuralists concentrate on language as a cultural product, but they do so only in order to find a kind of "pure reason" in language. The paradoxical character of this constellation will be made clear through an examination of style, habitus, and the German term "Art." Charles Taylor held that the main work of linguistic understanding is "to see the place that representation has in that culture" (1985: 291). For Taylor, the skepticism of the above three philosophers of language (whom he calls the HHH) towards any autonomy of linguistic representation corresponds exactly to the skepticism modem philosophers have towards (linguistic) norms. As a matter of fact, the essential critical part of the HHH-philosophy consists in undermining the representation-theory by means of an "open rhetoric" using flexible rules and defining a sort of creative structural analysis. On the other hand, the French linguist Oswald Ducrot is able to point to Humboldt's linguistics as an initial movement of a structuralist variation of stylistics relying on the theory of representation or sign theory when writing: "For Humboldt (...) a language's organizational mode, even though arbitrary, is a means to fulfill its representational function. It is, in a way, the style and the way any people choses to express the most universal spiritual power." Ducrot concludes "that nineteenth century linguistics had a concept of structure or a system (these two words are central for linguists of this epoque)" (Ducrot 1973: 32).This is surprising if one considers that Humboldt's dynamic "innere Form" has indeed been used as a weapon against static methods of French linguistic theories focusing on "external" structures (cf. Hutton 1998: 19). Most commonly, Humboldt's anti-sign linguistics has been opposed to Saussure's structuralist linguistics (Trabant 2001) because "inner form" implies that the word is not a copy of the object but a mental image produced by the speaker, which links language to "ways of thinking." The paradox is that the "innere Form" remains a form; there is nothing in Humboldt suggesting a romantic unity of language and people producing mystical, intimate connections between both or even the formulation of a national soul as advanced by Fichte and Schelling later (cf. …


In this Letter we identify special systems of (an arbitrary number) N of first-order Ordinary Differential Equations with homogeneous polynomials of arbitrary degree M on their right-hand sides, which feature very simple explicit solutions; as well as variants of these systems—with right-hand sides no more homogeneous—which feature periodic solutions. A novelty of these findings is to consider special systems characterized by constraints involving both their parameters and their initial data. The general system of an arbitrary number N of first-order Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs) with homogeneous polynomials of arbitrary degree M on their right-hand sides reads as follows: żn (t) = ∑ ml (M) {cnm1m2···mN [z1 (t)] m1 [z2 (t)] m2 · · · [zN (t)] mN } , n = 1, 2, ..., N , (1a) where (above and below) the symbol ∑ ml (M) denotes a sum running over all nonnegative values of the N indices ml subject to the restriction N


Learning ObjectivesDescribe how women working under different conditions find their jobs to be more or less threatening than the norm.Clarify the ways in which women workers' past work-related experiences relate to present concern over poor indoor air quality or hazardous materials.Identify how communicating about workplace risks—by employers and coworkers—influences current concern or job change. Is job turnover related to concern about workplace health risks? Using data from a national sample of working women, we examined the relationships among workplace risk communications, worker concerns about workplace threats from hazardous substances, indoor air quality, and job change. Eight percent reported changing a job as a result of concern over workplace threats to health. Previous workplace injury predicted concern about hazardous materials and indoor air quality as well as job change, but employer communication about workplace health risks was associated with less job change and less concern about indoor air quality. Women worry about workplace threats to their health enough to change their jobs, but employers may have the power to cut turnover costs and reduce disruption to workers' lives through the use of risk communication programs.


In recent years there has been an increasing awareness about the importance of involving children with special needs in the process of designing technology. Starting from this perspective, the paper presents the participatory design process carried out with children with autistic spectrum disorder for the design of a Kinect motionbased game aimed at fostering social initiation skills. By describing the strategies used for the design of the activities, we will suggest possible approaches aimed toward widening the space for contributions of children and including them at a more creative level. Within that, major emphasis will be dedicated to discussing the "empowering dimension" of participatory design activities as an instrument to enhance benefits both for design results and for the children themselves. Finally, the balance between structure and freedom in the design of the activities will be discussed.


Malicious software, popularly known as malware, is widely acknowledged as a serious threat to modern computing systems. Software-based solutions, such as anti-virus software (AVS), are not effective since they rely on matching patterns that can be easily fooled by carefully crafted malware with obfuscation or other deviation capabilities. While recent malware detection methods provide promising results through an effective utilization of hardware features, the detection results cannot be interpreted in a meaningful way. In this paper, we propose a hardware-assisted malware detection framework using explainable machine learning. This paper makes three important contributions. First, we theoretically establish that our proposed method can provide an interpretable explanation of classification results to address the challenge of transparency. Next, we show that the explainable outcome through effective utilization of hardware performance counters and embedded trace buffer can lead to accurate localization of malicious behavior. Finally, we have performed efficiency versus accuracy trade-off analysis using decision tree and recurrent neural networks. Extensive evaluation using a wide variety of real-world malware dataset demonstrates that our framework can produce accurate and human-understandable malware detection results with provable guarantees.


A radar absorbing material, CMS-184, and assemblies bonded with two silicone based structural adhesives, DC-577 and RTV-630, were subjected to limited accelerated aging conditions and then evaluated for degradation of mechanical properties and adhesion, respectively. Aging conditions likely to be equivalent to 150 to 750 years at 72/degree/F and 100% RH only slightly changed the tensile strength and failure strain of CMS-184 (initial modulus remained unchanged). The RTV-630 adhesive performed better than DC-577 adhesive in butt tensile tests of unaged and aged specimens. Based on the results of these accelerated aging studies, both the CMS-184 absorber material and the RTV-630 adhesive should survive the expected life of current weapon systems. 3 tabs.


Abstract Old chalk and flint mine workings occur widely across southern and eastern England. Over 3500 mines are recorded in the national Stantec Mining Cavities Database and more are being discovered each year. The oldest flint mines date from the Neolithic period and oldest chalk mines from at least medieval times, possibly Roman times. The most intensive period for mining was during the 1800s, although some mining activities continued into the 1900s. The size, shape and extent of the mines vary considerably with some types only being found in particular areas. They range from crudely excavated bellpits to more extensive pillar-and-stall styles of mining. The mines were created for a series of industrial, building and agricultural purposes. Mining locations were not formally recorded so most are discovered following the collapse of the ground over poorly backfilled shafts and adits. The subsidence activity, often triggered by heavy rainfall or leaking water services, poses a hazard to the built environment and people. Purpose-designed ground investigations are needed to map out the mine workings and carry out follow-on ground stabilization after subsidence events. Where mine workings can be safely entered they can sometimes be stabilized by reinforcement rather than infilling.


The effects of gallium on the isomerization reaction of n-heptane over Pt/Ga2O3/WO3/ZrO2 catalyst were investigated in a fixed-bed micro-reactor with the experimental conditions in following ranges: temperature from 433 to 463 K, LHSV from 0.5 to 4 h-1 and H2/n-heptane feed molar ratio from 5 to 20. Based on the experimental study on the kinetics of n-heptane isomerization, the reaction orders versus hydrogen pressure and n-heptane pressure and the apparent activation energy values for n-heptane isomerization over Pt/1.0GWZ and Pt/WZ catalysts were determined. The experiments show that the ratio of mutibranched i-heptane to monbranched i-heptane in the product of isomerization increases with the addition of Ga into the Pt/WZ catalyst. The found hydrogen reaction orders over Pt/1.0GWZ and Pt/WZ catalysts are -1.4 and -0.9, respectively, and the reaction orders versus n-heptane over Pt/1.0GWZ and Pt/WZ catalysts are equal to 1. The apparent activation energy for n-heptane isomerization over Pt/1.0GWZ and Pt/WZ catalysts are 1.0717×105 J·mol-1 and 1.2957×105 J·mol-1, respectively. Thereby the corresponding kinetic equations for the isomerization of n-heptane over Pt/1.0GWZ and Pt/WZ catalysts were obtained.


The authors present recent results on heavy flavor production at Tevatron Run II for typically {approx} 1 fb{sup -1} of analyzed p{bar p} data at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV. This includes results on single and correlated open charm and bottom cross sections, charm pair production kinematics, J/{psi}, {psi}(2S) and {chi}{sub cJ} cross sections and polarization measurements in J/{psi}, {psi}(2S), {Upsilon}(1S), and {Upsilon}(2S).


A summary of the main approaches to the study of megaliths reveals how recent processual work that relates them to general principles fails to deal with the specificity of their variability, and their particular historical context. A systematic comparison between central and western European megaliths and central European long-houses in the 5th and 4th millennia reveals eight points of similarity. It is suggested that the tombs represent a transformation of the houses. This may be understood in relation to a transformation in the productive base and social organisation of the period. The specific form of the houses is related to the marking out and naturalisation of the position of women, and the importance of lineages at a time when labour was the key factor in the productive system. When the scarcity of land becomes predominant over the scarcity of labour, the emphasis changes from the domestic context of the home to the mediating properties of the supernatural expressed in the tombs, for control over the lineage. The evidence for Central and Atlantic Europe is compared. The history of research on the megalithic monuments of western Europe provides a clear illustration of the deleterious effects of the split between historical and processual approaches in archaeology. In this paper, some of these effects will be illustrated, but then, using essentially the same material, an alternative approach will be examined. A perspective that treats the evidence as ideologically informed representations can resolve the previous dichotomies and indicate the potential in the study of prehistoric social relations.


: Traditionally magnetic loop detectors are usually used to count vehicles passing over them in the intelligent transportation system. Real-time image sequences are captured by video surveillance system. The virtual loop that emulates the practicality of inductive loop detectors is placed on images. It's more convenient however it happens in false detection and discrimination once vehicles are lane departure due to overtaking or crossing. This paper presents an efficient approach for vehicle numeration based on two double virtual lines DVL for counting vehicles and for calculating speed. Double virtual lines are assigned on frames which are across two-way multi-lane. The region between DVL is the detection zone instead of virtual loop zone in every lane thus on the scale back the proportion of false detection and misjudgment from lane departure for vehicles. Then in the detection zone the dual-template convolution is designed to detect and find moving vehicles to eliminate the mapping of one-many and many-one. The effective rules are given in terms of the constraint of the horizontal and vertical distances to improve the accuracy of vehicle numeration.


The study aims to: (1) describe the use of the magic box educative aids for Mathematics learning of the 5th grade students of SD Muhammadiyah 16 Surakarta in 2016/ 2017, (2) identify the problem faced in the implementation the magic box educative for mathematics learning of the 5th grade students of SD Muhammadiyah 16 Surakarta in 2016/ 2017, dan (3) to increase the learning outcome for mathematics in the implementation the magic box educative for mathematics learning of the 5th grade students of SD Muhammadiyah 16 Surakarta in 2016/ 2017. It was a collaborative class action research. The techniques of the data gathering comprised observation, interview, test, and documentation. The results show that 1) there was an increased Mathematics learning outcome, i.e., from 30.77% into 94.87%. It indicates that the students could achieve KKM ≥75; the students in an average of 66.95 into 82.67 amounted to 35 people, so that the indicator of learning outcome at 75% could be achieved. 2) Constraints encountered in the use of the magic box educative aids for Mathematics learning of the 5th grade students of SD Muhammadiyah 16 Surakarta in 2016/ 2017 is student tend to be passive and less confident, less teachers skilled in the use of the magic box educative, conditioning of students in class . 3) There was an increased learning activity, i.e., the lowest score of 1 into 9 and the highest score of 4 into 15. The inactive students into the very active ones in learning activity achieved ≥75% of the previously active students.


There have been many research results in the real number field of the pipeline job scheduling problem, but there are few in the quasi-field. Therefore, based on the basic axiom model of the maximal quasi-field, the pipeline job queue is abstracted into n m-dimensional square matrices, and the principle of combinatorial optimization is applied to design a heuristic algorithm to solve an optimal arrangement of the square matrix, so as to obtain a optimal solution. The experimental data shows that the calculation process of the solution is simple, which provides a new idea for balancing the calculation efficiency and the quality of the solution in large-scale data analysis.


How many acres are there in a square mile? When was the Jurassic period? How many electrons are in an atom of nitrogen? Perpetual science students Coleman and Dewar present this basic resource for scientific facts--a must for students, science writers, and anyone who just wants to understand the world around them. 200 charts and graphs.


Abstract This paper deals with Monte Carlo simulation and focuses on the use of the concepts of variance reduction, relative error and bias in testing the performance of stationary M/G/1 retrial queues estimators using either Random Sampling (RS) or Refined Descriptive Sampling (RDS) to generate input samples. For this purpose, a software under Linux system using the C compiler was designed and realized providing the performance measures of such system and the statistical concepts of bias, relative error and accuracy using both sampling methods. As a conclusion, it has been shown that the performance of stationary M/G/1 retrial queues estimators is better using RDS than RS and sometimes by a substantial variance reduction factor.


Unequal development of early detection (ED) and early intervention (EI) programs/services for psychosis has been shown across Europe. The present report aims to fill in the knowledge gap regarding the implementation and several other important aspects of ED/EI services in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), a region with highly underdeveloped mental health service research.


An enterprise is represented by its process model that is constructed by the integration of smaller processes corresponding to value-added contributors. Replacing the sub-processes can modify the super-process. Component processes are represented in task systems in order to discover how process attributes will be preserved after integration. This approach is especially versatile if virtual enterprises are formed over the Internet through integrating the published processes of core competencies. The virtually constructed super-process can be exercised as a simulation before the real process is enacted. A final process is thus a composition of core-competency processes that is believed to yield an optimal enterprise operation. Core-competency processes from individual organizations are expected to be available to form value-added chains. Once matured, such a market of processes will offer alternatives by different organizations.


Comfort conditions and energy savings obtained using phase-change materials (PCMs) on a typical Portuguese family house, in summer, are analyzed for three different locations in the country: Interior-North (Bragança), center (Coimbra) and interior-South (Évora). Assessment of the effectiveness of PCM is based on the simulation results obtained using the "ESP-r" software package. Results show that comfort temperature conditions can be increased and energy needs for cooling can be reduced to roughly one half using PCM. Nighttime ambient temperature shows to be of major relevance, as PCM need to undergo the liquid-solid phase change during the night.


By contrast of the epistemological aesthetics,the paper clarifies the quality of the appreciation in the eye-view of modern aesthetics.Modern aesthetics argues that ontological understanding is the core of appreciation,the essence of understanding indwells the language,and fulfills itself with the help of language.


The recent massacres in Ngozi Province, Burundi, in which army units have killed around 20,000 people and driven at least 50,000 into exile, demand some explanation in terms more useful than those of 'tribal violence' which news coverage has tended to rely on. The following notes, though incomplete and based on a more superficial knowledge of the country than would normally warrant publication, are offered towards a greater understanding of the context of these events.


The first organized effort to collect weather observations from ships at sea was begun in 1841 when Lieut. Matthew F. Maury was placed in charge of the Depot of Charts and Instruments of the United States Navy. Prior to that time, however, there was some individual investigation and research. For centuries it had been customary for seamen to keep some form of record of weather-conditions on voyages but it was not until the early part of the nineteenth century that the observations were assembled and utilized to chart the winds of the cyclonic storm and to depict other phenomena of the Earth's atmosphere. Our present knowledge of marine meteorology has in a large measure been developed during the past 100 years.


The enzymatic production of glucose from starch for conversion by yeast into ethanol is discussed. The contribution of enzyme cost in producing ethanol is calculated. (DMC)


Call for Papers for Volume 2.2 (2014) of the journal MATLIT, edited by Sandy Baldwin (West Virginia University) e Dibs Roy (West Virginia University).