The destinies of state-run railway and private railway were definitely contrary in early period of the Republic of China: state-run railway had a good benefit while private railway had various kinds of shortcomings. It had many problems such as corruption and internecine strife. The reason was mainly because the Ministry of Communications advocated the development of state-run railway instead of private railway. It regarded state-run railway and private railway as tough competitors, and in order to win a biggest space for state-run railway, the development of private railway was inhibited all the time. In fact, as for railroad construction, both of nationalization and privatization are one of the methods to realize the effective management, and they had their own merits respectively. It will benefit both of them if they combine with each other. This would be the wisest choice for the Ministry of Communications at that time, and only in this way could the government and the public attain a double-wins situation. On this point, the cognition of academic circles is changed from denying blindly to affirming fully, due to the immature of scholarship, it is obviously unable to jump out of the formula of binary opposition mode.


Emotion detection is very crucial role on diagnosis of brain disorders and psychological disorders. Electroencephalogram (EEG) is useful tool that obtain complex physiological brain signals from human. In this paper, we proposed a novel approach for emotional state estimation using convolutional neural network (CNN) based deep learning technique from EEG signals. Firstly, we convert 32 lead EEG signals to 2D EEG images with Azimuthal Equidistant Projection (AEP) technique. Then, 2D images that represented measurements of EEG signals sent to CNN based deep neural network for classification. In this study, we have achieved accuracy of 95.96% two classes as negative and positive valence, 96.09% two classes as high and low arousal and 95.90% two classes as high and low arousal dominance.


Medium carbon steel is coated with Cr Si Al by P C method (Pack Cementation).The morphology of coating is observed by using optical microscope.The surface composition of coating and the density distribution of Cr Si Al in coating are measured by EMP.The structure of coating is determined by X ray diffraction.The testing results of corrosion in salt water and oxidation at high temperature show that the corrosion and oxidation resistance of medium carbon steel coated by P C method is improved significarntly.


The deterministic growth of an interface formed by the synchronous hierarchical deposition of particles of unequal size, where the number of particles in a generation n obeys a hyperbolic scaling law, is studied. In the framework of a dynamical network generated by a horizontal visibility algorithm (HVA), the discrete deposition sites of the interface constitute network nodes, while the edges are determined by means of a mutual visibility criterion. We show analytically that the resulting sparse network is scale-free with a dominant degree exponent γ e = ln 3 / ln 2 and a transient exponent γ o = 1. Through an exact calculation of the average clustering coefficient we show that the network inherits the modular hierarchical nature of the underlying deposition process. It is shown numerically that the eigenvalue spectrum of the adjacency matrix possesses a fractal structure, the exact shape of which remains undetermined.


A new species ofPassiflora from Minas Gerais, Brazil, is described and namedP. saccoi. This species belongs to subgenusPassiflora seriesLobatae harms because of its lobed leaves, foliaceous, semi-ovate to semi-oblong stipules that are attached on one side above base and, hence, often appear sub-reniform, and foliaceous, verticillate bracts borne near the apex of the peduncle.


The fidelity of an English-to-Japanese translation of a circadian rhythm questionnaire was examined through simultaneous factor analysis in several populations (Jöreskog, 1971a). Results indicate significant differences in item responses between populations, although between-population convergence was obtained on one factor. Back translations revealed both major and minor content discrepancies between the original and translated scales, which preclude clearly separating linguistic or semantic and population differences in item responses. Within-population results based on classic measurement techniques were compared with results based on structural equation techniques (in the American sample only); each technique led to different data-based conclusions. On the basis of the structural equation results, refinements in the source (English) scale items are suggested.


Klebsiella pneumoniae is 1,3-propanediol(1,3-PD) production of bacteria. To acid production from Klebsiella pneumoniae 2-1 as the starting strain by diethyl sulfate(DES) mutation, using the proton suicide method selection, from containing 0.2 mol/L NaBr-NaBrO3 the screening 48 plate single colony selected, and then combined with the medium optimized fermentation rescreening, access to 6 acid mutant, which has a high Y-37 1,3-propanediol conversion. After primary screening, secondary screening and passage experiments show that it is the stability of the mutant strains. Strain Y-37in the automatic batch fermentation on the fermentation. The results show: mutants significantly reduce acid production, and 1,3- propanediol production increased significantly. Y-37 for 1,3-propanediol production by a strain of 10.67g/L increased to18.23g/L.


The COVID-Sars19 virus was a big problem in sports too. Before the Olympics, lots of Athletes lost motivation and the infected athletes lost some time from the preparation or missed the last qualification chance. The most important question how can we reduce the recovery time after the infection what is safety, without any cardiac risk. In our research, we create one new protocol that can reduce this time and the athletes don't lose too much time and don't lose their performance.


An adaptive LMS filter is employed to filter speech in signal‐to‐noise ratios varying from −8 to +12 dB. The filter configuration used is that previously proposed by Widrow, Boll, and Pulsipher and commonly called noise cancellation. Intelligibility measures were obtained using speech selected from (CID) W‐22 word lists. Fifteen lists of 50 words each were selected. Ten normal‐hearing and six hearing‐impaired individuals were subjects. Sound‐field and free‐field measurements, as well as processed and unprocessed data, were obtained and analyzed. Intelligibility was near zero for all SNR's less than 0 dB prior to processing. Following processing scores increased 30% to 40% for both normal and hearing‐impaired groups. For SNR's of +4 to +12 dB, intelligibility scores prior to filtering ranged from 10% to 50%; after filtering the scores improved to within 10% of the noise‐free sound‐field measurement. The specific test configuration, SNR improvement estimates, as well as additional results and comparisons, will be presented.


This is the first of two volumes of a business history of a major British bank in the Middle East. Volume 1 traces the history of the bank from its foundation in 1889 as The Imperial Bank of Persia, through the years it was the state bank of Iran, and its development of modern banking in that country, to the ending of its links in 1952. The Bank's history has great importance for an understanding of the economic and political history of Iran in the first half of the twentieth century, and of Britain's diplomatic and economic relations with Iran, and provides evidence challenging many accepted viewpoints. The Bank played a vital role in the region, and in the 'Great Game' between Britain and Russia. During the inter-war years its history was enmeshed with the Pahlavi dynasty and the rise of Iranian nationalism. The book will be invaluable to business and other historians as one of the first scholarly histories of a British overseas bank. Banking and Oil, Volume 2 of The History of The British Bank of the Middle East by Geoffrey Jones, was published in 1987.


The avalanche cartographic information collected up to present for the Catalan Pyre- nees pointed out the existence of localities at risk because of this hazard. It was therefore considered necessary to initiate a hazard mapping plan for all those localities at risk. The final objective of these works is to reduce the risk by fostering the improvement of civil protection plans, to plan protection works and to manage urban planning in hazardous areas. The project was defined in three stages: (1) preparation of the knowledge bases, (2) establishing the methodology and regulations, and (3) map production. The first stage consisted in identifying basic information needs and fulfilling them. To do this, different tasks were carried out. They comprised the characterization of Pyrenean major ava- lanches, the improvement of knowledge about Pyrenean snow climates, an exhaustive search of his- torical data, the accomplishment of dendrochronological analyses in forested avalanche paths, and the calibration of the Swiss avalanche dynamics model Aval-1D with the Pyrenean conditions. The second stage determined the number of localities that should be considered for avalanche hazard zoning. Besides, methodological specificities were defined. To this end, the work was performed in a pilot area where different zoning methodologies implemented in the Alpine countries were compared (France, Switzerland, Italy and Austria), and the analysis of the results led to the establishment of the zoning methodology. At present, the third phase of the avalanche hazard mapping plan has begun, with the completion of the first maps which are already in production. On the whole, we expect to per- form hazard mapping for twenty localities where avalanche risk is significantly high.


Using Phyllostachys iridenscens as the research material and MS as the basic medium.Through the different methods of disinfection,anti-browning treatment and added different types of concentration of plant growth regulators to induce buds.The result showed that the best disinfectant is to soak for 30 s with 75% alcohol and to deal with for 6 min with 0.1% mercuric chloride.The best medium is MS+6-BA(5 mg /L)+TDZ(0.1 mg /L).Adding PVP into the medium can bring obvious anti-browning effect.Soaking explant for 30 min in 100 mg /L cysteine and dark treatment can effectively ligten browning rate.


The structure of the monomolecular film of oily matter on water was studied by measuring the surface pressure of the film." There are solid, liquid and gaseous states of films, and the relations of these three kinds of films are quite similar as those of the three states of aggregations in three dimensional matter. Thus the curves of surface pressure F against molecular area a take the form shown in Fig. 1. The region BA is the gaseous film and CD the liquid film while BC the coexisting state of gaseous and liquid films. The height of BC corresponds to the surface vapour pressure of the liquid film. I have measured the surface vapour pressures of myristic acid film on 0.02 normal hydrochloric acidat various temperatures between 5T. and 30T. Adam-Jessop's surFig. 1.


We report the observation of a coherent nonlinear signal in pump-probe experiments on a ferromagnetic GaMnAs. The coherent signal, which is originating due to coherent interaction between pump and probe beams, depends on the polarization configuration of each beam and follows the sample magnetization as it changes with the applied magnetic field and∕or the sample temperature.


Abstract In this research, a vertical unidirectional solidification experiment was performed with Al–4˙5 wt-%Cu alloy. The microstructure of specimens obtained from the casting were analysed, which showed that the casting had columnar, columnar to equiaxed transition and equiaxed regions along upward direction. Porosity fractions in the specimens were measured quantitatively. It was found that there exists a decreasing distribution of porosity in columnar region from bottom chill and porosity with a high content in the specimen next to the chill. The general model coupling the Darcy's law with continuous equation was applied to the casting, however, the simulation results did not well agree with the experiment. Furthermore, hydrogen macrosegregation was incorporated into the model to predict the porosity formation, and effect of the macrosegregation was analysed and discussed. The results have shown that hydrogen macrosegregation has an important effect on porosity formation.


An experimental comparative study of different concentrations of colloidal silica gel and sand mixtures is presented. Resonant column tests were performed on samples of No. 120 Nevada sand permeated with colloidal silica of 5, 7 and 9 weight percent solution to determine the dynamic properties, the shear modulus and damping ratio, of the gelled sand. The behavior of the gelled samples is compared to pure sand samples. The influence of cyclic shear strain on the shear modulus and damping ratio was studied. Results show the influence of the concentration of the colloidal silica solution used for permeating the sand samples on the dynamic properties, indicating an increase in shear modulus with increasing concentration and a higher damping ratio for cyclic shear strains greater than approximately 0.01% for pure sand. The gel-sand mixtures result in a lower shear modulus than the pure sand samples.


Exploration geophysics is about to assume a more prominent position in the marketplace of scientific ideas. Starting in October, Geophysics and The Leading Edge will be delivered online in an entirely new way that will greatly enhance their utility and visibility. They will be served alongside more than 100 other journals from a site operated by the American Institute of Physics. Papers will be extensively cross-referenced and linked to papers in thousands of journals on major scholarly publishing sites throughout the world.


Hole mobilities have been measured in a series of vapor-deposited triphenylmethane (TPM) glasses with different dipole moments. The results are described by a formalism based on disorder, due to Bässler and coworkers. The formalism is premised on the assumption that charge transport occurs by hopping through a manifold of localized states with superimposed energetic and positional disorder. A key parameter of the formalism is the energy width of the hopping site manifold. For TPM glasses, the width is between 0.093 and 0.123 eV, increasing with increasing dipole moment. The width is described by a model based on dipolar disorder. The model assumes that the total width is comprised of a dipolar component and a van der Waals component. The dipolar components are between 0.037 and 0.089 eV, increasing with increasing dipole moment. The van der Waals components are approximately 0.085 eV, and independent of the dipole moment. The van der Waals components are significantly larger than literature values reported for a wide range of triarylamine (TAA) glasses. The difference between the van der Waals components is the principal reason for the differences in mobility between TPM and TAA glasses and is attributed to differences in charge delocalization of the TPM and TAA molecules.


This work focused on the key fishing region off Portland as well as the Great Australian Bight where a pelagic trawl fishery for arrow squid is proposed. The outcomes of this research provided a detailed understanding of the relationship between arrow squid populations and environmental conditions. This was achieved through detailed modelling using both biological and oceanographic/environmental parameters. Due to seasonality in upwelling and nutrient loads, and primary production blooms, arrow squid are subject to large variability in environmental conditions over small spatial and temporal scales. The influence of these oceanographic processes, quantified through satellite image derived data (e.g. sea surface temperature), revealed how arrow squid respond to environmental conditions in terms of recruitment, growth and reproduction. Growth and recruitment were determined through ageing of squid samples using statoliths and back-calculation of hatch dates. It was not only of interest to describe how squid respond to oceanographic changes through growth, reproduction and recruitment, but how these changes influence the availability of prey. Squid dietary analyses were also conducted in association with a biochemical analysis of squid tissue to determine squid condition. An ecosystem model was developed to facilitate understanding of stock dynamics, and to determine the influences that both natural and fishery induced changes have on stock size. Results from this research will help fishery management facilitate the optimal use of the arrow squid resource through the development of an ecologically sustainable fishery.


This paper aims at: 1 improvement of the specification verification capability of SDL without losing its advantages, i.e., transparency and descriptive power; and 2 realization of translation between specifications described by SDL and LOTOS. A method is proposed which gives a LOTOS interpretation of the specification by SDL.

First, the mapping of the object system structure indicated by SDL specification to the LOTOS description is discussed. Then the description of the processing definition of SDL specification is described. Using the method proposed in this paper, a LOTOS interpretation is presented as an example for the SDL specification for the switching service. The result of interpretation is evaluated and the flexibility of the verification process is discussed.


Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) are critical for the Wide Area Measurement System (WAMS), especially for real-time grid monitoring, disturbance location, and situation awareness. Once they are damaged, the stable operation of the power system will be affected directly and greatly. Therefore, it is urgent and necessary to study their immunity to electromagnetic pulse (EMP) events. In this paper, an effective impedance measurement scheme is proposed for port impedance measurement of PMU. The equivalent non-uniform transmission line model is established to eliminate the impact of the fixture in the de-embedding process. Then circuit of pulsed current generator is established to generate damping sinusoid and double exponential wave applied to the port. Finally, by using measured impedance as a load of the generator, the voltage and current responses of different ports are calculated in the pulsed current injection (PCI) testing simulation. Results show that common-mode impedance is large and differential mode impedance is small. The critical condition will appear in the common mode for voltage and differential mode for current.


The presented text presents fundamental questions that arise during the process of becoming a teacher. They concern the teleology of education and upbringing, the importance of these processes in teaching and the possibilities and limitations of building the teacher's authority. Attempts at answering these questions have been complemented with statements by surveyed teachers. The article concludes that the list of questions must remain open, and attempts to answer them should take into account the multidimensional challenges of contemporary life, the dynamics of change implied by the multifaceted nature of the teaching profession and the varied nature of the conditions under which it is performed.


A finite element method (FEM) simulation of wave propagation is performed for a model plate which includes minute cracks nucleated by spallation. The minute cracks are modeled by singular elements which express nonlinear stress-strain at the crack surfaces. The transmitted wave through these cracks is simulated and the 2nd harmonic amplitude is processed by fast fourier transform (FFT). The ratio of the 2nd harmonic component to the fundamental one increases with an increase in the incident wave of amplitude for the incident wave of amplitude 5–20 nm. The simulated results qualitatively confirm the measured nonlinear acoustic response on spalled samples.


Objective: To investigate the etiology pathogenesis, CT findings of the brain and differential diagnosis of hy-poparathyroidism. Methods: CT manifestations and clinical data of 11 cases with hypoparathyroidism were analysed retrospectively. Plain scan were taken in all cases. Results: Symmetrical calcifications in bilateral basal ganglia were found in all cases of this group. Symmetrical or non-symmetrical calcification were also found in bilateral dentate nuclei, thalami, walls of lateral ventricles, midbrain and cerebral subcortical areas. Conclusions: CT scan clearly showed specific calcifications in the brain of hypoparathyroidism and was valuable for diagnosing.


Statistical properties of laser speckles, formed in skin and mucous of colon have been analyzed and compared. It has been demonstrated that first and second order statistics of "skin" speckles and "mucous" speckles are quite different. It is shown that speckles, formed in mucous, are not Gaussian one. Layered structure of colon mucous causes formation of speckled biospeckles. First- and second- order statistics of speckled speckles have been reviewed in this paper. Statistical properties of Fresnel and Fraunhofer doubly scattered and cascade speckles are described. Non-gaussian statistics of biospeckles may lead to high localization of intensity of coherent light in human tissue during the laser surgery. Way of suppression of highly localized non-gaussian speckles is suggested.


This study aimed at investigating the role of RAD18 in the regulation of glioblastoma development as well as the underlying mechanisms. The human glioblastoma U251 and U87MG cells were transfected with siRNAs specifically targeting RAD18, and the effects of knockdown of RAD18 on the viability, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of U251 and U87MG cells were investigated. Transcriptome sequencing of the siRNA‐RAD18‐tranfected and siRNA‐NC‐transfected U251 cells was performed, followed by bioinformatic analyses for sequencing data. The results showed that knockdown of RAD18 significantly inhibited cell viability, promoted apoptosis, and suppressed migration and invasion of U251 and U87MG cells. Bioinformatic analyses of sequencing data identified 1,051 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (369 up‐ and 682 downregulated genes) in the siRNA‐RAD18‐transfected U251 cells compared with siRNA‐NC‐transfected U251 cells. Eleven DEGs, including nerve growth factor (NGF), colony‐stimulating factor 2 (CSF2), matrix metallopeptidase 1 (MMP1), platelet‐derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRA), and heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1), were identified as the hub nodes in protein–protein interaction (PPI) network. Moreover, the aforementioned 11 hub genes were significantly enriched in PI3K–Akt signaling pathway and GO functions associated with the extracellular region. Notably, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction further confirmed that the expression levels of NGF, CSF2, HMOX1, and MMP1 were significantly downregulated, while that of PDGFRA was markedly upregulated in the siRNA‐RAD18‐transfected U251 cells than in the siRNA‐NC cells. In conclusion, the knockdown of RAD18 may inhibit glioblastoma development by regulating the expression of the aforementioned key DEGs.


Objectives Migraine is one of the most frequent clinical manifestations of hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS). The comorbidity between these two diseases has been only partially investigated. We aimed to observe whether neurophysiological alterations described in migraineurs in visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were present in hEDS patients with migraine. Methods We enrolled 22 hEDS patients with migraine (hEDS) and 22 non-hEDS patients with migraine (MIG), with and without aura (according to ICHD-3), as well as 22 healthy controls (HC). Repetitive pattern reversal (PR)-VEPs were recorded in basal conditions in all participants. During uninterrupted stimulation, 250 cortical responses were recorded (4,000 Hz sample rate) and divided into epochs of 300 ms after the stimulus. Cerebral responses were divided into five blocks. The habituation was calculated as the slope interpolating the amplitudes in each block, for both the N75-P100 and P100-N145 components of PR-VEP. Results We observed a significant habituation deficit of the P100-N145 component of PR-VEP in hEDS compared to HC (p = 0.002), unexpectedly more pronounced than in MIG. We observed only a slight habituation deficit of N75-P100 in hEDS, with a slope degree that was intermediate between MIG and HC. Discussion hEDS patients with migraine presented an interictal habituation deficit of both VEPs components like MIG. Pathophysiological aspects underlying the pathology could account for the peculiar pattern of habituation in hEDS patients with migraine characterized by a pronounced habituation deficit in the P100-N145 component and a less clear-cut habituation deficit in the N75-P100 component with respect to MIG.


: The study assessed the physicochemical and microbiological parameters in five selected sachet water brands that are sold for consumption in the Gaye Town Old Zoo community. The study is significant because the quality of drinking water plays a vital role in the health aspect of all human beings. An experimental design was employed to achieve the goal of the research. The population of the research was 150 and the sample size was 75. The key findings of the research are: The Copper contents in the samples of the five selected brands of sachet water were above the stipulated WHO, (2012) water quality standards for drinking water. The concentrations of Cadmium, Chloride, Iron, Fluoride, pH, Turbidity and Total Hardness in the samples of the five different brands of sachet water met the stipulated standards for drinking water. The concentrations of Nitrite contents in three of the five brands met the stipulated standards for drinking water and the remaining two brands' concentrations of Nitrite contents were above the stipulated standards. The concentrations of Lead contents in one of the five brands were above the stipulated standards for drinking water. There were no bacteria present in three of the five sachet water brands. However, the presence of E.coli and Fecal Coliform was detected in the remaining two brands of sachet water. To conclude, none of the sachet water brands in the study area met all the parameters of the water quality standards for drinking water for both the Physiochemical and Microbiological parameters in relation to the World Health Organization (2012) drinking water quality standards and the Liberia Water Quality Standards (1987). It is recommended that; sachet water producers should have their water tested regularly especially in areas where fertilizers are commonly used where latrines (pit holes) are prevalent.


Jackfruit is a tropical climacteric fruit, belonging to Moraceae family, is native to south and Southeast Asia. Tripura is considered to be the home of jackfruit and it is reservoir of many year-round producing genotypes. Tripura have many underutilized fruits that are popular among people due to their diversified use and have remained wild or semi domesticated due to lack of research support. Tripura shares 16.84 % highest production of jackfruit in India followed by Orissa, Assam and West Bengal (NHB, 2015-2016). Artocarpus species are rich in phenolic compounds. It is now widely accepted that the beneficial effects of fruits and vegetables of jackfruit for the prevention of certain diseases (like cure ulcers. indigestion and cancer-fighting properties) are due to this bioactive phenolic compounds they contain.


Background: The Covid-19 pandemic imposed the most devastating challenge on healthcare systems worldwide. Iran was among the first countries that had to confront serious shortages in RT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 and ventilators availabilities amid the COVID-19 outbreak. This study aimed to investigate the clinical course of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with different rRT-PCR test results during the first 3 weeks of the outbreak in Qazvin province, Iran.

Methods: Data of hospitalized patients primarily diagnosed as having COVID-19 in all 12 centers across the whole Qazvin province during Feb 20-Mar 11, 2020 was analyzed for this retrospective cohort study. A multivariate logistic regression model was applied to assess the independent associates of death among COVID-19 patients.

Findings: 998 patients (57% male, median age 54 years) with positive chest CT-scan changes were included in this study. Among them, 558 patients were examined with rRT-PCR test and 73·8% tested positive. Case fatality rate was 20·68% and 7·53% among test-positive and test negative hospitalized patients, respectively. While only 5·2% of patients were ICU admitted, case fatality rates outside ICU were 17·70% and 4·65% in test-positive and test-negative non-ICU admitted patients, correspondingly. The independent associates of death were age ≥ 70 years, testing positive with rRT-PCR test, having immunodeficiency disorders and ICU admission.

Interpretation: Hospitalized COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms despite positive chest CT changes and major comorbidities were more probable to have negative rRT-PCR test result, hence lower case fatality rate and a more favorable outcome.

Funding Statement: None.

Declaration of Interests: The authors have nothing to disclose.

Ethics Approval Statement: This study was approved by the Research Ethic Committee of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences (QUMS-EC).


The power density for SiC and GaN isolated DC-DC converters were estimated, taking the series-parallel circuit topology and novel device characteristics into account. Design consideration for a 300 W 48 V-48 V LLC converter using GaN-FET and a 4800 W 384 V-384 V converter using SiC-MOSFET were conducted by using the power converter exact loss simulator. The power density of a low-power low-voltage GaN converter was higher than that of single SiC high-power high-voltage converter, and the potential of the series-parallel circuit topology was shown. Standardized high power density converters are attractive for future DC distribution system. This design contributes to realizing highly efficient and space-saving DC distribution system.


The collective procedural microsystem is composed by rules and by principles that protect transindividual rights, among which we can mention the principle of maximum amplitude, which establishes that collective rights must be interpreted in a way that they receive the greatest possible effectiveness in the specific case. The possibility of a wide incidence of the principle of maximum amplitude may generate instability in the collective procedural microsystem. Therefore, it is necessary to establish limitations in its application aiming at the security and the stability of the collective microsystem.


. In this work, we present a novel generic construction for a Distributed Key Generation (DKG) scheme. Our generic construction relies on three modular cryptographic building blocks. The first is an aggregatable Verifiable Secret Sharing (AgVSS) scheme, the second is a Non-Interactive Key Exchange (NIKE) scheme, and the third is a secure hash function. We give formal definitions for the AgVSS and NIKE schemes, as well as concrete constructions. The utility of this generic construction is flexibility ; i.e., any aggregatable VSS and NIKE scheme can be employed, and the construction will remain secure. To prove the security of our generic construction, we introduce formalized game-based notions of security for DKGs, building upon existing notions in the literature. However, these prior security notions either were presented informally, omitted important requirements, or assumed certain algebraic structure of the underlying scheme. Our security notions make no such assumption of underlying algebraic structure, and explicitly consider details such as participant consistency, communication patterns, and key validity. Further, our security notions imply simulatability with respect to a target key generation scheme without rewinding. Hence, any construction that is proven secure using our security notions additionally achieves UC security. We then present STORM, a concrete instantiation of our generic construction that is secure in the discrete logarithm setting in the random oracle model. STORM is more efficient than related DKG schemes in the literature. Because of its simple design and composability, it is a practical choice for real-world settings and standardization efforts.


Institutions of higher learning are regarded as important bases for the training of professional talents in fashion fields. With the increasingly fierce competition in fashion industry, there are also various challenges in the training mode of talents. Teaching reform has long been urgent. This paper expounds and analyzes the teaching reform ideas and methods of the stereo cutting and fashion design courses by analyzing the current situation and existing problems of the two courses. Through the exploration of the talent training mode of cooperative teaching of stereo cutting and fashion design courses, the single content and form of traditional professional courses are changed to enhance students' creative potential and the ability to adapt to market demands while improving the quality of teaching methods and teaching effects. The exploration of the cooperative teaching mode of courses has certain reference value for the cultivation of innovative talents in fashion design.


Acetonitrile is one of the important organic solvent which widely used in the industrial application. The high purity of acetonitrile can be obtained with the extractive distillation process to separate acetonitrile from water by using an entrainer. The acetonitrile-water extractive distillation using ethylene glycol as an entrainer was investigated using Aspen Plus. The RadFrac module distillation followed by ethylene glycol recovery column was utilised in the simulation. The phase equilibrium calculation of the mixture was calculated using The Non-Random Two Liquids-Hayden-O'Connell (NRTL-HOC) thermodynamic model. The effects of reflux ratio, number of stages, binary and entrainer feed stage, feed temperature on the distillate composition and energy consumption were discussed. The results show that the optimum parameters design consists of the theoretical stages of 45, the binary feed stage of 27, entrainer feed stage of 15, the binary feed temperature of 62 C, and the reflux ratio of 0.6 were required to achieve the purity of acetonitrile higher than 99 %w.


The development of automatic system to detect cracking information on pavement surface has been expected in order for the maintenance of a proper condition and repair planning of ever-expanding road-network. It is difficult to develop such a system that substitutes the conventional human-dependent interpretation and evaluation applying computer-based image analysing methodology due to a wided range of variation in images caused by the sundry pavement surface conditions and tough shooting environment, and such endeaver has not been successful in reaching the practical stage yet. This paper presents a cracking extraction system employing a combination of processing methodologies, which comprises of a process to enhance the linear continuity of cracking and a pavement surface density compensation process, as a processing algorithm for stable automatic extraction of pavement surface cracking.The following results were obtained through the aforementioned set of processes.1) The linear continuity of cracking could be enhanced and clearer cracking skeltal structure was obtained.2) The fluctuation of the intensity of reflected light caused by uneven lighting and surface conditions could be compensated.3) Moreover, a process to extract cracking lines stabely could be established.


This note complements the original paper QCD Parameters Correlations from Heavy Quarkonia1 where, here, we present a more detailed discussion of the [Formula: see text]-results obtained @ N2LO for two different subtraction scales [Formula: see text] from the (pseudo)scalar heavy quarkonia mass-splittings [Formula: see text]. This complementary discussion is useful for a much better understanding of these results.


Traditionally, the less glamorous chronic conditions have comprised a relatively small part of medical school curricula, leaving the new graduate without the necessary interest or the skills to manage a complex physical / psychosocial / spiritual condition such as diabetes mellitus (DM) effectively. Additionally, DM is often fatalistically viewed as leading to almost inevitable acute and chronic complications secondary to the disease process as well as substantial "non-compliance" with treatment.


The route to the conference center is signposted in Lunteren. On www.dewerelt.nl/engels/route you will find an itinerary to the conference center. Payment The cost of the attendance of the symposium amounts to € 120 (one day, NNV-member), € 150 (one day, non-NNV-member), € 200 (two days, NNV member), and € 250 (two days, non-NNV member). The fee is to be paid after the meeting on the basis of an invoice sent to you personally or to your institute/company. Payment by cash at the registration is not possible. Registration deadline is February 22, 2008. If you cancel after this date, you will still be charged the full fee. If you register after this date, accommodation cannot be guaranteed.. Summaries The summaries of all the contributions are coded as follows: M: main presentations of 40 minutes by invited speakers. O: contributions selected for oral presentation, (20 minutes). A/B: contributions selected for poster presentation. Each oral presentation includes at least five minutes for discussion. There will also be an opportunity to present the orals as posters. Please bear in mind that many people in your audience will be students and colleagues from other disciplines. The size of the poster is 841 x 1189 mm (A-0). The poster session will take place on Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning. You are kindly requested to stay with your poster for as long as possible. Once again there will be a prize for the best poster and for the best oral. The jury members for the poster prize are: Lunteren has its own railway station, which can be reached from the directions Amersfoort (Utrecht) and Ede-Wageningen. You can find the train time tables on: www.ns.nl/reisinfo. The conference center is a 10 to 15 minute walk away from the station. Call 0318-484555 for a taxi. Poster session 2 B 1 t/m B 32 Coffee and tea during session 12.30 – 13.45 Lunch Excellent passivation of lightly doped c-Si and p +-type emitters by the Negative-Charge-Dielectric Al 2 O 3 14.50 – 15.10 O11 Harm Knoops /TUE Deposition of TiN and TaN by remote plasma ALD for 3D integrated batteries 15.10 – 15.30 O12 Geert Willem Spakman / FOM Rijnhuizen Heat pulse propagation in and around magnetic islands in the TEXTOR tokamak 15. A28 Formation of the Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharge. Experimental and numerical investigation. A29 3 He(d,p)α nuclear reaction analysis of hydrogenic retention in tungsten exposed in Pilot-PSI …


We have observed sample of six optically faint, X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei with the Roentgen Satellite (ROSAT) Position Sensitive Proportional Counter (PSPC). These objects represents a sample of soft and hard spectrum sources; all were observed previously with the Einstein X-Ray Observatory. Included in this sample is EO132.8-4111, whose soft X-ray and ultraviolet flux distributions bear a striking resemblance to that of Mrk 841, but whose relative hard X-ray emission is much less than that of Mrk 841. The spectra are all fitted satisfactorily with single power-law models and their spectral indices (with one exception) agree with those estimated from the Einstein Image Propotional Counter (IPC) observations. Tests of short-term variability are carried out, with all sources showing constant count rates over the period of their ROSAT observations. Some sources do, however, show significant changes in count rate when compared to previous Einstein data taken a decade earlier.


Synthetic-derived bread wheat populations are used as sources of resistance genes for biotic and abiotic stresses. This study used direct field evaluation of synthetic-derived wheat lines to assess grain yield and its associated traits under varying moisture regimes during 2005-06 and 2006-07 at Tel Hadya and Breda, International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), Syria. Forty synthetic-derived wheat lines and 8 check cultivars were tested in 5 experiments using alpha-lattice design with 3 replicates. Analyses of variance revealed significant (p≤0.01) differences for grain yield and its associated traits except for biomass. Interactions due to genotype and environment were significant for all traits except for 1000-kernel weight. Phenotypic correlation coefficients of grain yield with grains spike -1 , plant height and harvest index were r = 0.80 ** , r = 0.73 ** and r = 0.68 ** , respectively. Cluster analyses of genotypes and environments clarified the effects of yield components and phenology on grain yield. Based on the shift multiplicative model (SHMM) analyses for 48 genotypes and 5 environments, grains spike -1 and harvest index were the major contributing components towards grain yield. Frequency and distribution of precipitation during the crop cycle differentiated yield potential across years. However, performance of synthetic-derived lines at various moisture levels was not significantly affected within each year at Tel Hadya and thus can act as good sources for drought-prone environments. We identified some lines bearing T. tauschii germplasm with yields equal and superior in some of the yield components to that of the high-yielding cultivars used as checks, thus providing useful material to wheat breeders.


Abstract Acrylamide is converted to glycidamide as a reactive metabolite by the monooxygenase isozyme CYP2E1. Since the latter is known to be induced in diabetic patients, increased acrylamide toxicity in such patients is suspected. Differences in acrylamide toxicokinetics in non-diabetic and diabetic rats receiving acrylamide (50 mg/kg) orally or via i.p. injection were investigated in this report. Blood was collected at various time points, acrylamide and glycidamide in plasma were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, and the data were analyzed for toxicokinetic parameters using the proper software. Mean maximum plasma concentration, the apparent clearance, and area under the curve in non-diabetic rats were significantly higher than in diabetics, an important fact to be considered in xenobiotic exposure of diabetic individuals.


Increasingly the population adopts a healthy diet and becomes demanding about the nutritional value of food, which has increased the demand for dehydrated foods as a healthy and practical option for intermediate meals. Enzymatic browning is a phenomenon that induces changes in color, taste and nutritional losses and is related to the enzyme polyphenoloxidase, which uses phenolic compounds as substrates. The objective of this work was to evaluate the application of conservative solutions containing citric acid (AC), ascorbic acid (AA) and sodium chloride (NaCl), replacing sodium metabisulfite in preserving the color of dehydrated apples. Analyzes were performed to evaluate the stability of the apples, through the pH content, soluble solids and sensorial analysis. At the end of the 10 hrs drying process, the final humidity of the apples was 3.58%. The pH levels in all solutions remained similar, decreasing as the acid concentration increased. Soluble solids contents also presented few variations, explained due to the content of soluble solids present naturally in the fruits in natura. According to the analyzes performed, it can be seen that the conservative solution containing ascorbic acid, citric acid and NaCl was effective to control enzymatic browning, serving as a potential substitute for Sodium Metabisulfite.


ABSTRACT This study examines the long run impacts of equity market volatility on index returns of nine major international stock exchanges in the Western and Asian regions. This study employs the text-based Economic Market Volatility (EMV) index to measure the degree of uncertainty in the U.S. stock market. Using monthly data from December 2001 to August 2018, the estimation results derived using the standard and nonlinear ARDL models deliver several key messages. First, rising U.S. stock market volatility exhibits significant and negative impacts on stock market returns, except for the stock markets of China, Hong Kong, and India whose impacts are negative but insignificant. Second, the use of the nonlinear ARDL model does not show any signs of asymmetry in the relationship between stock market returns and changes in the EMV index, suggesting that the change in the EMV index has symmetric effects on the changes in major stock indices.


In economics we often face a system, which intrinsically imposes a structure of hierarchy of its components, i.e., in modelling trade accounts related to foreign exchange or in optimization of regional air protection policy. A problem of reconciliation of forecasts obtained on different levels of hierarchy has been addressed in the statistical and econometric literature for many times and concerns bringing together forecasts obtained independently at different levels of hierarchy. This paper deals with this issue in case of a hierarchical functional time series. We present and critically discuss a state of art and indicate opportunities of an application of these methods to a certain environment protection problem. We critically compare the best predictor known from the literature with our own original proposal. Within the paper we study a macromodel describing a day and night air pollution in Silesia region divided into five subregions.


Work groups "promote efficient and effective accomplishment of group tasks among people who are gathered to accomplish group goals" (ASGW, 2000, p. 3). Due to the prevalence of use in actual counseling settings, counselor educators frequently use work groups as a pedagogical tool in educating counselors-in-training. This article introduces a classroom intervention designed to help counseling students develop self-awareness and skills pertaining to participating in work groups. Using constructivist pedagogy as our theoretical basis we will describe the intervention and the qualitative approach we incorporated to evaluate the intervention's impact in the classroom. Results and discussion including contextualization, limitations, implications, and suggestions for future research will follow in the remainder of this article. Author's Notes Correspondence concerning this article should be sent to Brian Hutchison at email@example.com


Distal ductal abnormalities, including congenital defects and obstructive disorders, are infrequently diagnosed causes of male infertility in a small fraction (1–2%) of all men [1,2]. It is important to identify this group of patients because these abnormalities are potentially curable causes of infertility [3]. The aim of this study was to assess the use of a saccharide microparticle echoenhancement suspension in patients with infertility, as a less-invasive method of evaluating the patency of the ejaculatory ducts and prostatic urethra.


Based on the variable structure model reference adaptive control (VS-MRAC) theory, a new control system for the control of a projectile fin using a piezoelectric actuator is designed. The hollow projectile fin is rigid, within which a flexible cantilever beam with a piezoelectric active layer is mounted. The model of the fin-beam system includes the aerodynamic moment which is a function of angle of attack of the projectile. The rotation angle of the fin is controlled by deforming the flexible beam which is hinged at the tip of the rigid fin. For the derivation of the control law, its is assumed that the parameters in the model are unknown, and only the fin angle is measured for feedback. It is shown that, in the closed-loop system including the VS-MRAC system designed using bounds on uncertain functions, the fin angle tracks the reference trajectory and the vibration is suppressed. Digital simulation results show that the closedloop system has good transient behavior and robustness to the uncertainties , unmodeled dynamics and disturbance inputs.


After the Brazilian redemocratization in 1986, the legislative institutions began a changing process derived from the assimilation of new constitutional competencies and the increasing pressure of interest groups in the development of a broad scope of public policies. The need to prepare a new legislative bureaucracy to deal with a panoply of new themes led to the creation of training centers. They began to be consolidated in broader models of corporate education, such as the Training Center from the Chamber of Deputies (CEFOR) and the Brazilian Legislative Institute (ILB) from the Federal Senate. These initial models influenced the development and diffusion of professional training policies to other legislative organizations. This paper presents an analysis of the corporate education trajectory in the National Congress to explore 'how have professional training policies been developed in the Federal Legislative Branch?'Institutional documents, interviews, and political speeches were used as data sources to analyze the two organizations paths. As its outcome, the paper synthesizes some historical elements of the vocational training policy in both legislative organizations. In short, it contributes to encourage a research agenda in the cross area of public administration and corporate education, in the peculiar context of the Legislative Branch.


In seeking to discover the causes of modern ecological dilemmas, the environmental movement of the past two decades has developed a penetrating critique of a number of mainstream American institutitions. Historians Lynn White, Jr., and Roderick Nash, for example, have identified the Judeo-Christian religious ethic, which places man at the center of a subservient biosphere, as central to the development of environmental callousness and mistanagement.1 Philosopher Eugene Hargrove has argued that western, Lockean property concepts are 325


While the use of micro unmanned vehicles is steadily increasing, there are currently no viable approaches for perching and holding on to landing pads. We describe the design, control, and planning methodologies to enable perching. Our work builds on an off-the-shelf UAV and motion capture system and addresses (a) the design and fabrication of a claw or gripping mechanism for perching; and (b) planning and control algorithms for perching. We show experimental results illustrating the robustness of our algorithms and the performance envelope for grasping and perching.


The need for more interactive, learner-centred pedagogies at Aga Khan University in East Africa led to the development of a partnership with Academics without Borders (AWB). AWB recruited three nursing faculty volunteers to provide mentorship to the nursing faculty at the three Aga Khan University Advanced Nursing Studies campuses in East Africa. As part of the evaluation and as a strategy to improve the quality of the mentoring and the project, the authors developed an action research study to identify facilitators and inhibitors to the success of this inter-cultural initiative. In this article, the authors share their observations and reflections as recorded in journal entries and postings to an online site as well as the results of a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis completed by mentees, mentors and project coordinators. Finally, the authors share their thoughts on the implications for future cross-cultural mentoring relationships at Aga Khan University and the potential for assisting others in similar relationships.


A total of sixty random samples of grilled chicken, chicken luncheon, beef shawerma, beef burger, yoghurt and veta cheese (10 samples of each) were collected from different cafeterias in Giza Governorate and examined bacteriologically. Our study revealed presence of E. coli by ratio of 20%, 10%, 10%, 20% 10% and zero% in the examined samples of grilled chicken, chicken luncheon, beef shawerma, beef burger, yoghourt and veta cheese respectively. Whereas Salmonella spp. were not detected, but Staph aureus spp. were detected by ratio of 40%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 20% and 20%, respectively in the examined samples. While mean Yerisina were detected by ratio of 10% in each of grilled chicken, beef shawerma and beef burger samples but failed to be detected from the examined samples of chicken luncheon, yoghourt and veta cheese samples.This study determined aerobic plate count, enterobacterial count, Bacillus cereus count and Staph aureus count in the examined samples.


Summary Nazifi, S., M. Saeb, N. Ghafari, I. Razeghian, S. M. Razavi, F. Vosoughi, F. Dehghani& H. Orangi, 2009. Reference values of oxidative stress parameters in adult native Iranian goats. Bulg. J. Vet. Med. , 12 , No 2, 119−124. The present study was performed on 132 clinically healthy Iranian native goats from both sexes (36 male and 96 female). The blood concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were determined. The reference values for oxidative stress parameters of adult clinically healthy Iranian native goats were as followed: SOD 778.65−1190.50 U/g Hb, GPX 266.67−322.00 U/g Hb, CAT 1536.29−2215.63 U/g Hb and MDA 0.346−0.801 μmol/L. There were no significant differences in oxidative stress parameters between the two sexes. Key words : catalase, glutathione peroxidase , Iranian native goats, malondialdehyde, refer-ence values, superoxide dismutase INTRODUCTION A stressful condition leads to the exces-sive production of free radicals, which results in oxidative stress, an imbalance in the oxidant/antioxidant system. Genera-tion of free radicals is an integral feature of normal cellular functions. In contrast, excessive generation and/or inadequate removal of free radicals results in destruc-tive and irreversible damage to the cell (Lopaczyski & Zeisel


Up to 30% of cancers harbor activating mutations in one of three RAS genes, HRAS, NRAS, or KRAS, that drive uncontrolled cellular proliferation, alter cellular metabolism, movement, differentiation, and promote cell survival and tumor immune evasion. The frequency of mutation varies across alleles and specific substitutions, with KRAS mutations occurring in roughly 81% of patients, and KRAS G12D, KRAS G12V, and KRAS G12C substitutions constituting 33%, 23%, and 12% of these cases, respectively. Cancer types exhibit characteristic preferences for RAS substitutions, the reason for which is still unknown. Oncogenic amino acid substitutions have been found to endow subtle differences in biochemical properties which cannot be explained by existing X-ray structural models. In addition, it is unclear whether these translate to distinctions in downstream signaling potential. We have initiated this study with the overall goal of understanding the effect of oncogenic mutations on the structure and dynamic properties of KRAS4b proteins in solution, and to identify any ensuing differences in effector binding behavior. Here, we present the data that identifies the structural differences between the common mutants KRAS G12D and KRAS G12C and the wildtype protein in the active conformation using solution-state NMR and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations, that could likely be coupled with the differing capacities to engage downstream effectors. Chemical shift perturbation (CSP) analysis demonstrates that oncogenic mutations in codon 12 of KRAS4b induce significant conformational differences when compared to the wildtype protein. These observations are localized to the Switch 2 region. We validate these observations in three-dimensional structures and reveal critical differences that are conferred by these oncogenic mutants. The solved three-dimensional solution structures of KRAS G12C/T35S/C118S-GppNHp and KRAS G12D/T35S/C118S-GppNHp reveal remarkable conformational differences within the Switch II regions, with the G12D-mutant protein adopting a relatively more flexible Switch II conformation than the G12C-mutant. Our MD simulations at a 2 µs timescale support these observations. Furthermore, we observed downstream signaling differences between KRAS G12C and KRAS G12D mutants in several cell line systems. If observed structural differences between KRAS mutants are found to directly translate to effector binding affinity, it would provide critical insight into why cancer types display preferences for RAS substitutions, and would inform RAS-targeted therapeutics.
 Citation Format: Brian Smith, Alok K. Sharma, Roger Ma, Megan Rigby, Vandana Kumari, Dominic Esposito, Dwight Nissley, Frank McCormick, Anna E. Maciag. KRAS codon 12 oncogenic mutations modulate protein conformation within the Switch II/Helix3 pocket [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Targeting RAS; 2023 Mar 5-8; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2023;21(5_Suppl):Abstract nr A033.


THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, MALAYSIA The One Belt One Road (OBOR) Initiative seminar on 29 March 2017 was organised by Urban Engineering Development Special Interest Group (UEDSIG) with the collaboration of the Malaysia Institute of Transport (Mitrnas). OBOR is a grand plan proposed by China's President Xi and supported by more than 100 participating countries along the route. It was timely too as evidenced from the number of participants and the ability of the organisers to bring in speakers who are high-level experts familiar with OBOR. To start the seminar, Dr Wang Hong Kok gave a warm welcome speech. He emphasised on the visions of UEDSIG and the expected skills for acquisition by engineers in the fields of urban planning, economics and housing. This was followed by Ir. Prof. Dr Jeffrey Chiang who highlighted the two objectives of the seminar: To explore the contributing factors leading to OBOR and to explore the potential benefits for Malaysian engineers. In the first paper, Dr Ngeow Chow Bing of Universiti Malaya, presented One Belt One Road Initiative: The Rationality and Historical Context. He named three uncertainties as contributing factors to OBOR: Geopolitical uncertainty, geo-economic uncertainty and domestic political economic uncertainty. In the second paper, Dr Zhang Miao, also of Universiti Malaya, presented One Belt One Road Initiative: The Economic Impacts. He focused on China's investments One Belt One Road Initiative: Opportunities for Engineers


Centrosaurine ceratopsians are characterized by well developed nasal horncores or bosses, relatively abbreviated supraorbital horncores or bosses, and adorned parietosquamosal frills. Recent study of several paucispecific (low diversity) bonebed assemblages in Alberta and Montana has contributed greatly to our understanding of ontogenetic and taxonomic variation in the skulls of centrosaurines. Relative age determination of centrosaurines is now possible through examination of ontogenetic change in several characters, including the surface bone morphology of specific skeletal elements. The within-group taxonomy of centrosaurines is based almost entirely on characters of the skull roof, relating particularly to horns and frills. Juvenile and sub-adult centrosaurines are characterized by relatively simple, unadorned skulls compared to their adult counterparts. As in numerous living taxa, the cranial ornaments of centrosaurines developed late in ontogeny, as individuals approached or attained adult size. An important implication arising directly from this study is that juvenile and sub-adult centrosaurines are difficult to distinguish taxonomically at the specific level. Two monospecific genera represented only by immature materials,Brachyceratops montanensisandMonoclonius crassus, cannot be defended and should be considerednomina dubia. The late ontogenetic development and diverse taxonomic variation of horn and frill morphologies support the contention that these structures are best interpreted as reproductive characters employed in mate competition.


Small animal registration is an important step for molecular image analysis. Skeleton registration from whole-body or only partial micro Computerized Tomography (CT) image is often performed to match individual rats to atlases and templates, for example to identify organs in positron emission tomography (PET). In this paper, we extend the shape context matching technique for 3D surface registration and apply it for rat hind limb skeleton registration from CT images. Using the proposed method, after standard affine iterative closest point (ICP) registration, correspondences between the 3D points from sour and target objects were robustly found and used to deform the limb skeleton surface with thin-plate-spline (TPS). Experiments are described using phantoms and actual rat hind limb skeletons. On animals, mean square errors were decreased by the proposed registration compared to that of its initial alignment. Visually, skeletons were successfully registered even in cases of very different animal poses.


External confinement by fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) is an efficient technique to increase the bearing capacity and ductility of concrete. To better study the mechanical behavior of bidirectional FRP confined concrete, the yield criterion of bidirectional FRP is presented based on the static equilibrium condition in this paper, and a model for calculating the bearing capacity of bidirectional FRP confined concrete is established. The model can capture the character of bidirectional FRP confined concrete. Effects of the confinement effect coefficient, the unconfined concrete strength and the material properties of FRP on bearing capacity are analyzed. Results show that each parameter has different effects on the bearing capacity of bidirectional FRP confined concrete.


Method of manufacturing a lithium secondary battery, a spinel lithium manganese oxide as a positive electrode material according to the present invention, (a) a first step of mixing the raw manganese material and the aluminum, the lithium source; (b) a second step of putting the mixture is put in a furnace for 5 to 24 hours at a temperature of 600 ~ 750 (C) a third step of mixing a zinc compound and a sulfur compound to the primary fired; And (d) a fourth step of 5-2 primary firing for 24 hours, the mixture according to the third step at a temperature of 650 ~ 800 The invention The advantage of so as to ensure both a high capacity and excellent cycle life characteristics by controlling the capacity characteristics by controlling the life characteristics by, zinc is added, and to prepare a spinel lithium manganese oxide as a solid phase synthesis method, and the sulfur was added there is.


A method of acquiring fuzzy decision rules from continuous domain decision system is proposed.First,we transform the continuous attributes value into the fuzzy value with fuzzy membership functions.Second,we give the definition of similarity degree of two objects of continuous condition attributions.(Third,) the definitions of λ similarity relation and λ similarity class of each object are given.According to the λ similarity relation,we give lower and upper approximations of rough-fuzzy approximation space and their properties.At last,we put forward a method of discovering fuzzy decision rules from continuous domain(decision) table by combining rough sets and fuzzy sets.Also,we verified the validity of this new algorithm(through) an example of effectiveness evaluation of the self-repairing flight control system.


Mucoepidermoid carcinoma, one type of malignant tumor of the salivary glands, consists of mucous, squamous, and intermediate cells, and mainly occurs in the major salivary glands, especially the parotid gland (60 %), and in the minor salivary glands (30 %). Clinically, mucoepidermoid carcinoma with destruction of bone is rare. We report a case of central mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the mandible. A 46-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of swelling of a right mandibular molar. Panorama X-ray film and a computed tomographic scan clearly showed a multilocular radiolucent lesion. The diagnosis on biopsy was mucoepidermoid carcinoma. We performed upper neck dissection, and block resection of the mandible with the patient under general anesthesia. The block resection of the mandible was followed by reconstruction with a mandibular reconstruction plate and a pectoral major musculocutaneous (PMMC) flap. Histologically, the tumor mainly consisted of mucous, squamous cells, and the histopathological diagnosis was mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The patient's postoperative course has been good, with no evidence of recurrence as of about 4 and a half years after the operation.


In ubiquitous computing environments, the software component model with semantic information and adaptation to satisfy various resources constraints and component interdependence is needed. This paper mainly presents an adaptive and semantic component model for an adaptive middleware. The model consists of an adaptive component model and a semantic virtual agent model. The contribution of our work is twofold. First, we present a resource-aware component interdependence graph to describe dynamic interdependent relationships among components. Second, we put forward a semantic interface of the semantic virtual agents model. As a result, the model is applied into a mobile music program to evaluate its performance.


The ruthenium(II) complex, [fac-PNHN]RuH(η-BH4)(CO) (B) (PNHN = 8-(2-diphenylphosphinoethyl)-aminotrihydroquinoline), serves as a highly versatile and effective catalyst (loadings of 0.1 1 mol%) capable of selectively hydrogenating a multitude of amides, including primary, secondary and tertiary, to give their corresponding alcohols and amines in high yields under base-free conditions. All products were confirmed by GC and GC-MS. Amines can be deemed key intermediates in the chemical industry that can be employed in a diverse range of applications including as dyes, drugs, agrochemicals, plastics, surfactants, textiles through to uses in the paper industry.1 Traditionally, amines are prepared by the hydrogenation of amides using stoichiometric or excess amounts of metal-hydride reagents (LiAlH4, NaBH4), boranes3 or silanes;2,4 this synthetic approach being largely driven by the ready availability of the precursor amides obtainable through chemical and biomass processes.5 Nevertheless, one limitation of this type of hydrogenation is the formation of by-products that can be toxic in nature which in turn poses problems with disposal.2,6 As an alternative, the direct hydrogenation of amides into amines using molecular hydrogen in the presence of a suitable transition metal catalyst presents a more environmentally friendly method.2 However, the low electrophilicity of the carbonyl carbon, and consequent high thermodynamic and kinetic stability, renders this class of carboxylic derivative2,7a difficult to hydrogenate and as a result quite forcing conditions (e.g., higher temperatures and pressures) tend to be required. Unsurprisingly heterogeneous catalysts have led the way with numerous systems developed,2,5a,8 nonetheless these more robust systems can suffer from incompatibility problems associated with functional group intolerance. Consequently, there has been interest in developing homogeneous variants that can operate under milder conditions whilst offering more control on the hydrogenation process.6,7 Indeed a wide variety of molecular catalysts have been reported for amide hydrogenation with two types of reaction pathway prevalent namely de-oxygenative hydrogenation (C-O cleavage, pathway A) or de-aminative hydrogenation (C−N cleavage, pathway B) (Scheme 1).2,9 [a] Z. Wang, Y. Li, Prof. Q.-B. liu. College of Chemistry and Material Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China E-mail: email@example.com [b] Z. Wang, Prof. G. A. Solan, Y. Ma, Prof. W.-H. Sun. Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics and Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com;firstname.lastname@example.com [c] Z. Wang, Prof. W.-H. Sun CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China [d] Department of Chemistry, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK Supporting information for this article is given via a link at the end of the document. R1 H R2 O H2, Cat H2, Cat R1 H2N R2 OH R1 N H R2 C-O cleavage -H2O C-N cleavage


The goal was to examine postekspluatacion of material working blades of gas turbine engines have a long lifespan and determining their maintainability. Looking for studies of chemical composition, microstructure, phase, physical and mechanical properties of heat-resistant nickel alloy. Have been developed for high-temperature heat treatment alloy modes (ЭИI893) to save the product.


The feature three-dimensional entrance pupil of a wide angle lens with the increase of field of views (FoVs) and pupil size is explored. Results show that the entrance pupil moves forward, displaces the optical axis, tilts and deforms as the FoVs and pupil size increases.


Environmental issues inevitably involve difficult controversies. These provide a special challenge for educators who wish to engage their students in important contemporary issues. Using a controversial issues approach, teachers promote problem-solving, critical thinking, citizenship, and technical competence. Yet bringing controversies into the classroom entails a significant risk for many teachers. This paper attempts to briefly address this problcm, by highlighting the virtues of controversy as an educational tool.


The Inter-port Trade provides a unique perspective to study Shanghai as the multi-functional economic center of China.The change of the inter-port trade reflects that Shanghai's development as industrial center had once given strong support to maintain Shanghai's impact as foreign trade center;and in the domestic inter trade,there is a trend for Shanghai to be transited from economic center to industrial center when influencing other ports.Direct shipping embarrassment,interest competition between Chinese and foreign businessmen,shortage and containment of capital of each port gradually made Shanghai as shipping center,business center and financial center.


In the Stavropol Region the portion of soil erosion takes up to 30-40% as the item of expenditure in the balance records of the organic soil. To compensate for such losses, 12-14 millions of tons of manure is required on the yearly bases. However, there is a drastic shortage of this replenishing agent and therefore, a research of untraditional means is highly needed in the form of the tangential harvest production. Research has accounted for the evaluation of the organic fertilizers (such as manure and straw) with their introduction into the genetic horizons, which imitate soil of various levels of erosion and were shown in the modeled experiments consisting of the following 4 variations: control, straw, straw combined with manure and manure. It has been determined that given the introduction of fresh organics into the humus free kind, the factor of humus growth is 3 to 4 times higher than that in the humus horizons. During the control, mineralization of soil humus was observed within the limits of 7 relative percent, but with the injection of nutrients, the direction of biochemical reactions changed towards the growth of humus. Manure is the most effective means of increasing soil organics, and its potency increased with bigger depth. At the horizon A the humus contained grew by 4% relative, at B1 by 10, B2 by 12, Bc by 27 and C by 38%. Biological activity of genetic horizons also had a positive change: with addition of the manure, nitrogen fixating ability increased to the level of unfertilized A, but with the addition of straw the nitrogenous and cellulite one increased 1.5 to 2.0 times at all horizons. Introduction of organic fertilizers leads to the enrichment of the soil N-NO 3, Р 2О 5, К 2О: manure increases the content of Р 2О 5 from 1.5 to 1.9 times, К 2О from 1.27 to 1.36 times. The content of nitrates after 12 month of incubation in А nах is approaching that of the control, but at the horizon В 1 и В 2 it is increasing sharply. The increase in fecundity of the genetic horizons under the influence of the introduced fertilizers is reliably proven by the level of produced biomass of the post winter wheat. Thus, given the disruption of the vertical wholesomeness of the soil on the weakly eroded black earths, a combination of straw and nitrogen is more effective and on the strongly eroded manure.


ABSTRACT This study investigates oasis expansion in the precolonial period and agricultural evolution in the colonial period using village-level statistics from the early twentieth century. This survey illustrates that the Kokand oasis in the Ferghana Valley initially appeared in the central part, where the Sart population settled by the seventeenth century. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Uzbek and Karakalpak tribes migrated to the valley peripheries, while the Kyrgyz semi-nomads settled in the alluvial fan. It is not surprising that such a migratory process created a mosaic-like ethnic distribution. Furthermore, this study suggests that the pattern coincided with a variety of agricultural practices, and presents two contrasting models of cotton monoculture under the Russian Empire. The main area occupied by the Sarts presents a general model of canal-irrigated cotton planting in Central Asia, while the Karakalpaks' cotton planting using groundwater in the periphery suggests multiple courses of nomad sedentarization.


Analysis of the archaeological exhibition organised by I.V. Savitsky State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, sheds light on the chronological framework of the archaeological heritage of the Southern Aral Sea Region. For the first time, the thematic exposition reveals the degree of available information on Ancient Khorezm monuments in terms of the ceramic production development and its relevance for studying the history of material culture. The exhibition acquires special significance in the context of the popularisation of historical science as a way to preserve the historical and cultural heritage in modern society. The display of the collections is a natural result of the work of several generations of the Khorezm archaeological and ethnographic expedition archaeologists, as well as the actual Karakalpak school of archeology. The exhibition of archaeological collections stirs interest in further research, promotes the popularisation of science, and stimulates the tourism industry development. It is a token of appreciation of sorts to the academic community, discoverers of the history of ancient and medieval culture, the creators of the Karakalpak school of archeology.


The horizontal,vertical distribution was studied based on the data obtained by field observations from January to February,2007 in Southern Yellow Sea and East China Sea.The high concentration of silicate was found in the area which was influenced by Changjiang River.The main factors that affect the distribution of silicate were different water masses,especially Changjiang diluted water and Kuroshio water.The Kuroshio intermediate water was the main source of the silicate in the continental shelf of East China Sea.


This report reviews the effects of pesticides, persecution and legal protection from a population perspective. In the past, legal hunting and organochlorine pesticides severely affected raptor populations. What lessons can be learned for the future? Is a second mass extinction, by other environmental pollutants, entirely out of the question? What use is legal protection, as long as habitat destruction and illegal persecution continue? Organochlorine compounds had a massive impact as a result of a combination of factors: 1) widespread use, 2) persistence and bio-accumulation, 3) effects on reproduction. These same characteristics apply to many compounds with weak hormone-like effects, for instance PCB's and organic tin compounds, which presently form a major environmental problem. Raptors, as top predators and long-lived specisproved most vulnerable to this set of circumstances. They suffered major population decline in many parts of the world. After regulation of organochlorine use, populations started to recover, but still faced an older threat: persecution. It appears that legal protection makes considerable difference, but in many areas illegal persecution remains quite a problem.


How to schedule transmission of non-real-time content in a heterogeneous network environment in which a plurality of communication networks to perform a mobile terminal and a data communication in accordance with the present invention there is a mobile user and a server process that receives the transmission schedule option from any of the operators, the whether the mobile terminal is connectable network and on the basis of the process, the transfer scheduling options, network information and data rate information, the collected connectable received input to collect the data rate, transmit data on the currently available access network to process and transfer the completion of the content and scheduling it will be characterized by including the step of repeating the data transmission according to the scheduling.


English. This study reports on the construction of the Russian Male Norms Inventory, which is intended to measure the endorsement of Russian male norms within Russian society. Using data obtained from personal interviews of Russian men and Russian literature, 69 items were constructed. Principal axis factoring with a sample of Russian men (n 432) suggested a three-factor solution that included 36 items. Extracted factors included Duty/Reliability, Privilege/Pleasure, and Inexpressive/Impassive. Internal reliability and indicators of convergent and divergent validity were strong, with correlations in expected directions. Implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed. P . B e e e eC Pe H, , ee ee ee e ee. e, ee e e , ee e, e 69 .P e e e e eee e 38 , (432ee –e ). ee :!/e, e/" e e/#e .B e e e ee ee ee, ee e e .B , e ee e


Improving the sense of 'presence' is a common goal of 3D display technology for film, television and virtual reality. However, there are instances in which 3D presentation may elicit unanticipated negative responses. For example, it is well established that violations of interpersonal space cause discomfort in real-world situations. Here we ask if people respond similarly when viewing life-sized stereoscopic images. Observers rated their level of comfort in response to animate and inanimate objects in live and virtual (stereoscopic projection) viewing conditions. Electrodermal activity was also recorded to monitor their physiological response to these stimuli. Subjects exhibited significant negative reactions to violations of interpersonal space in stereoscopic 3D displays, which were equivalent to those experienced in the natural environment. These data have important implications for the creation of 3D media and the use of virtual reality systems.


Between 2013 and 2020, a total of 27 distinct zooplankton taxa, encompassing both holoplanktonic and meroplanktonic organisms spanning different classes and orders, were successfully identified along the Romanian Black Sea coastline. The seasonal dispersion patterns of these zooplankton taxa revealed a notable augmentation in species identification during the warmer periods, contrasting with reduced zooplankton diversity during the colder seasons. This phenomenon was underscored by the outcomes of SIMPER analysis, which highlighted that copepods, meroplankton, and cladocerans predominantly contributed to the community structure during warmer seasons. In contrast, during colder seasons, cladocerans were scarcely represented, and the density levels of copepods and meroplankton were diminished. From a quantitative perspective, the dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans, exhibited its highest density and biomass during the warm season, with a relatively lower representation during colder periods. The variation in the abundance of zooplankton was closely linked to changes in salinity and temperature, culminating in noticeable fluctuations, which were particularly evident during the cold season. During this period, the values of zooplankton abundance were notably lower compared to those observed in the warmer season. The comprehension of zooplankton dynamics stands as a critical facet for assessing biodiversity, monitoring ecosystem well-being, and guiding conservation endeavours.


I N RECENT YEARS, a new conventional wisdom has arisen concerning the role of interest groups in the legislative process, one that minimizes their importance, regarding them as little more than service bureaus to be used or ignored by Congressmen at will. As a consequence, research on interest groups, at least among political scientists, has come to a virtual halt. However, case studies of the legislative process continue to provide at least occasional examples of successful lobbying efforts, suggesting that the new conventional wisdom is not universal in applicability. At the same time, a variety of political scientists have attempted to develop policy typologies that might, among other things, distinguish those processes for which groups are irrelevant from those in which they wield great power.


Enhancing business performance is the most desired goal among businesses. Currently, corporate businesses are moving towards enviropreneurial marketing (EM) strategy to gain competitive advantage by introducing green products to the consumer market. However, this strategy is not well exposed among SME entrepreneurs in Malaysia. Considering this, the purpose of this paper is to provide new theoretical viewpoint on marketing in regard to business and environmental sustainability, particularly for dealing with the environmental issues from the perspective of SME entrepreneurs in Malaysia. Four marketing strategies (product, price, promotion and place) have been conceptualized in EM strategy to achieve superior SMEs' performance. A conceptual framework is developed and justified in order to make a novel contribution to marketing theory and practice. Directions for future research conclude the discussion.


'Funk's G522DR' was planted on Sep 7 following sweet corn in a Cecil loamy clay soil type in Pike Co, GA. Plots were 6.1 m x 6 rows (91-cm row spacing) and were separated by 1 untreated row and 1-m alleys. Insecticides were applied over the rows on Oct 10 with a CO2 backpack sprayer calibrated to deliver 560 1/ha at 2.0-2.2 kg/cm2. Larval density was determined before treatment and 1, 2 and 7 days after treatment by visually inspecting 10 randomly selected plants removed from each plot. Treatments were replicated 4 times in a completely random experimental design.


In this paper we have proposed a technique as a testing method for the instrument of measuring the amount of fuel filled in motorbike fuel tank. The instrument used a fluid flow meter that can be used easily by consumers to check the accuracy of gas station filler gauge. The study aims to develop a prototype of fluid flow measurement devices and a digital reporting system through IoT. The research phase consists of designing a fluid flow equipment, designing a color detection device, and designing a reporting system with IoT. Reporting application uses the smartphone system as a display of measurement results from flow meters and color detectors. Testing the function of the accuracy of the flow sensor on the tool is done by using a calibration factor. The output of measurements are fuel volume discharge, type of fluid and the result are shown on smartphone which connected to the internet for its reporting system.


Professor James Tobin is a figure of truly historic significance in the economics profession. He is one of the major developers of modern macroeconomic theory. He has contributed fundamental knowledge to the theory of investment, of consumption, of money and banking, and of economic growth. His theoretical work made possible the development of the capital asset pricing model that has been a central paradigm in modern finance. His work on limited-dependent variable models has started a field within econometrics.


ABSTRACT Glaciated and recently (post-Little Ice Age) deglaciated areas are very dynamic environments, undergoing continuous changes, in particular as a consequence of climatic fluctuations and cryosphere changes. The intense geomorphic activity that takes place here conditions natural hazard, sediment transport and tourist fruition. A geo-morphological mapping with applicative purposes has to take into account the peculiarities and the dynamism of these specific areas. We here propose a methodological approach based on the interpretation of a multitemporal set of aerial photos (from 1983 to 2012), in a GIS environment, with application to the sectors modeled by Little Ice Age glaciers in the upper Orco Valley (NW Italy). The result is a geo-morphological map focused on the elements that are most relevant for application purposes, complemented by a map of the spatio-temporal distribution of the natural instability processes identified in the study area for the reference period, aimed to highlight the recent dynamism of the geomorphological elements in the map.


ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. MR. HAlMICK'S Introdcwtion to Organic Chemnstry6 is a wellwritten little laboratory book for use by junior students of chemistry who already lhave a knowledge of the simpler metli6ds of organic laboratory practice. It is not designed to meet the claims of any particnlar examination svllabus, but its fourteen chapters and roundgross of experiments seem enough to furnish the stuudent with a sound working knowledge oforganic chemical structure, notation, and technique. The word "affinas" on page 116 slhould read "affini&." The book contains a great deal of information useful to the student of chemistry, and may be recommended to lhim.


Rhodiola kirilowii is an adaptogenic plant indigenous to the high altitude of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. The plant is used in the Chinese traditional medicine for various purposes, mainly as general adaptogen for enhancement of the ability of anti-anoxia, protecting people against cardiopulmonary function problems when moving to high altitude, mild anti-stress and anti-inflammatory action. In our previous studies we obtained for the first time evidence of in vitro and in vivo immunotropic activity of Rhodiola kirilowii aqueous (RKW) and hydro-alcoholic (RKA) extracts in mice, rats and pigs. The first aim of the present work was to compare the in vivo influence of these two extracts on cutaneous angiogenesis induced in Balb/c mice by grafting sarcoma L-1 syngeneic tumor cells. The second aim was to compare the in vitro influence of RKW and RKA extracts on the migration as well as on the proliferation of murine endothelial (HECa10) cells and on the proliferation of murine tumor (L-1 sarcoma) cells in tissue culture. Results: In vivo, RKA administered orally significantly suppressed neovascular reaction to L-1 sarcoma cells. Rhodiola kirilowii aqueous had no influence on cutaneous angiogenesis reaction. In vitro, experiments showed that both extracts have stimulated the proliferation of HECa10 cells, and both of them suppressed proliferation of L-1 sarcoma cells. Inhibitory effect of RKA extract and stimulatory influence of RKW extract on HECa10 cells migration in the presence of L-1 sarcoma cells were observed. These findings might partly explain the differences in their in vivo effect.


This paper searches Internet auction sites to study consumer willingness to reuse and consumer satisfaction, along with its frequency of usage and evaluation. This study also examines the differency in the frequency of usage, the number of products purchased, consumer satisfaction and willingness to reuse, and evaluation of the auction sites according to the characteristics of consumers' socio-economic factors and the auction site itself. Determinant variables is investigated in the level of consumer satisfaction. The results of this study are as below: First, consumers used auction sites frequently, especially when they were in their 20s, intended to purchase clothes, and thought the delivery time would be short. In addition, consumers were more likely to purchase products, with low income buy first pay later, and short deliberation. Second, consumers, unemployed and in their 50s, sell-purchase among consumers were less likely to have a willingness to reuse the auction site. However, consumers with an experience to buy clothes or products with a price between 50,000 and 100,000 won were more likely to have a willingness to reuse the site. Third, consumer satisfaction with auction sites were higher among those who were females; responsible as a consumer; full of experiences; and received the product within a short period of time. Lastly, the willingness to reuse auction sites was positively related to the following type of consumers: single, employed, and responsible as a consumer.


Mesoporous monocrystalline rutile TiO2 has been fabricated at low temperature using mesoporous silicas SBA-15 and KIT-6 as hard templates. The key step of the synthetic process was introducing titanium nitrate complex into the template pores and allowing it to dry, dehydrate, decompose, and finally, form TiO2 crystals in the pores. It was found that the reaction temperature and concentration of HNO3 in the used precursor had great effects to the crystallization of TiO2. Removal of the silica templates after the TiO2 crystallization has been investigated. Crystallization of TiO2 in cage-containing mesoporous silicas, FDU-12 and SBA-16 was not successful, further confirming the previous speculation about strong interaction between the crystals and the wall of silica cages. The porous titanium oxide specimens were characterized by using various techniques, including XRD, HRTEM, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption. Proton conductivity and Li-ion insertion property of the samples were also examined. The highest...


Because of various problems of fluorine-containing gas absorption system in HDH process phosphoric acid plant,production can not run well,and the tail gas discharge can not reach the national standard.The washing process of fluorine-containing gas,and the existing problems and reformation scheme of fluorine absorption system about equipment,material,and blocking are introduced.Absorption rate of fluorine can be improved with the decrease of fluoride contents in air from 10~13 mg/m3 to 7~8 mg/m3 and the standard-attainment discharge after the reform.


This chapter examines virtual collaboration tools from the perspective of project managers of EU-funded projects. The chapter overviews virtual collaboration tool types, users types, and their motivation to use the chosen tool alongside the human factors. The authors have observed 40 EU project managers, who have managed 244 EU projects. Despite of the abundance of modern, web-based, and mobile tools, project managers are still not familiar with the advantages of cloud-based document systems and communication tools. Factors such as un-friendliness, security concerns, and lack of IT skills prevent more wide usage of virtual collaboration tools. Live meetings are still perceived as the most efficient channel for distributing and receiving project tasks, but they are closely followed by virtual meetings using the communication software. The authors propose a standardized process of including virtual collaboration tools to distributed project teams. Their experiences show that strong leadership and defined process increase the usage of IT tools and consequently the success of EU-funded projects. Virtual Collaboration Tools for Project Managers: A Study of Human and Technological Factors


We experimentally investigate about the Quality of Service perceived by the users, in a wide area IP network based on Fiber to the Building architecture, as a function of the network performance (throughput, packet jitter,...). The network consists of a real optical network based on core routers with optical Gigabit Ethernet interfaces connected by means of long single mode fibers (about 50 km). Introduction. Management and control of the Quality of Service (QoS) are key issues for the evolution of the next generation IP network [1]. In the past QoS measurements mainly regarded the television environment and most of the methods were defined in the ITU-R organism [2]. But due to impressive presence of triple play services over IP new normative has been introduced to define the QoS in an IP environment [3]. However, at our knowledge, a deep investigation about the correlation among typical measurements on the network performance as throughput, packet loss, packet jitter and delay (objective or network measurements) and the quality of service perceptiveness shown by the users (subjective or perceptive measurements) is still absent. In order to have a representative ensemble of comparison between objective and subjective measurements an IP network test bed, representing a wide regional network environment, including both an access and core part, was implemented and QoS investigations were performed by testing some multimedia services. Test bed structure and equipments


This dissertation focuses on the varied and interesting field of surface reconstruction. For example, in geometric modeling an implicit surface is defined by specifying for each point in space whether it is inside or outside an object, from which an explicit surface can then be constructed. In various medical applications a laser range scanner can be used to obtain a set of data from the surface of a patient's body part, from which an accurate reconstruction of the original surface is then created.
This dissertation provides a broad overview of such surface reconstruction techniques, highlighting the data conversions commonly used. This dissertation then advances the field in a number of ways. In particular, traditional implicit surfaces and their polygonizers are generally limited to manifolds. To allow a wider range of surfaces, including manifolds-with-boundary and certain non-manifolds, implicit surfaces are extended in multiple region implicit surfaces (MRISs). A detailed study of the reconstruction of MRISs is described, and two different approaches are examined. The first is an all-at-once approach that reconstructs an entire MRIS as a unit, whereas the second considers each of the component manifolds-with-boundary that make up an MRIS separately, thus reconstructing them one at a time. A number of examples are presented showing the types of surfaces possible with this new approach.
These MRISs and associated polygonizers are then applied to surface reconstruction from structured range data, as might be obtained by plane-of-light laser range scanners. After describing laser scanning systems and previous reconstruction algorithms, a new method of reconstruction is presented that directly defines an MRIS from structured range data, making use of both the structure and volumetric information available. This method has been developed to be simple, efficient and general purpose, being suitable for any number of scanners each moved with any type of motion. A number of possible medical applications of this work are discussed, such as its use in the fabrication of prosthetics and orthotics, for masks used in cancer radiation treatment, and for the study of scoliosis.


Addressing the neural network-based optical channel equalizers, we quantify the trade-off between their performance and complexity by carrying out the comparative analysis of several neural network architectures, presenting the results for TWC and SSMF set-ups.


Prolific writer and habitual collaborator of the French press of the first half of the XIXth century, Honore de Balzac was the director and owner of the magazines Le Chronique de Paris and La Revue Parisienne. This article analyzes Balzac's conception of journalism and his opinion about the role of the journalist of his time through his work as the director of magazines, and two of his works: the novel Lost Illusions, mainly the second part, and his essay Les journalistes: Monographie de la presse parisienne.


HDPE geomembrane geosynthetic material,because of its high tensile strength,seepage performance,construction convenient,is widely used in the area of impervious reinforcement in landfills,sewage treatment plants,chemical plants.This paper puts forward the uses of HDPE geomembrane in steel storage tanks of petrochemical engineering with real examples.


Due to the shared history, legal system, and close cultural links between the jurisdictions, there is a remarkable degree of similarity between the structure of Irish employment law and that of the...


ABSTRACT Based on the definition of nest compactness (Ie., the intersection of a nest of nonempty closed sets is nonempty) we show that the product of the two nest compact topological spaces is nest compact, and, this without invoking the compactness of the product of two compact topological spaces based on the classical definition of compactness (i.e., every open cover has a finit subcover). The same is done based on the definition of complete accumulation point compactness. The latter, by Remark 5, extends easily to the infinite products of topological spaces.