The concept of vulnerability has emerged in the recent years as a cross-cutting theme in research on human dimensions of global environmental change. Vulnerability has been largely studied by scholars from various academic disciplines. The agricultural sector is highly vulnerable to climate change in many parts of the world. Vulnerability was used in relation to food security assessments, poverty mapping, natural hazard exposure, or climate impact studies. In the present paper, a vulnerability index is constructed by considering exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Multivariate statistical techniques, Ricardain and Principal Component analysis were used in assessing the impact of climate change in Krishna river basin of Andhra Pradesh in India. The impact of climate change on crop income and crop productivity analysis, using Ricardian models, indicated that temperature during North East monsoon has a significant impact on crop-net revenue. Whereas the net revenue increases initially with increase in temperature, it reaches a maximum, and then decreases, whereas the net revenue attains a maximum value at about 25.8◦C. The climate variables have significant non-linear effects on the crop-gross margin per ha. South West monsoon temperature has a positive effect on the crop-gross margin across all districts. More than 60 per cent of the area is vulnerable in the basin, where Ananthapur district is extremely vulnerable and Guntur district is less vulnerable. The adaptation strategies from such highly vulnerable areas can be studied and implemented in the less vulnerable areas to minimise the impacts of climate change over the coming years. Since climate change will result in yield and income loss, it is important to introduce different adaptation measures such as change in the cropping pattern, change of crop varieties, and investment in supplementary irrigation. It is also important that climate awareness and capacity building become an integral part of the development programs at all levels.


It is very important to determine the seepage behaviour of fractured rock mass infilling to evaluate the stability of the surrounding rock. The joint transfixion rate is the ratio of the unpenetrated length to the penetration length of a joint in a sample. Samples of the fractured rock mass infilling using different transfixion rates were prepared, and a TCQT-III low-permeability coal-rock triaxial seepage device was used to conduct three cycles of confining pressure-seepage coupling tests. Results show that the permeability is a power function in the confining pressure of the sample, and the permeability changes most significantly with the confining pressures. The permeability of the sample increases exponentially with the joint transfixion rate. The permeability loss is positively correlated with the plastic deformation of the sample; the permeability changes most significantly during the first cycle loading. There is over 60% recovery of the permeability of the sample under cyclic loading for loads that do not exceed the strength of the infilling. The stress sensitivity coefficient decreases as the confining pressure increases and is higher during the unloading stage than that during the loading stage for samples with an incomplete transfixion rate. The conclusions obtained in this study can serve as a reference for grouting applications.


1 Nicholl JP, Brazier JE, Snooks HA. Effects of London helicopter emergency medical service on survival after trauma. BM3' 1995;311:217-22. (22 July.) 2 Purkiss SF, Williams M, Cross FW, Graham TR, Wood A. Efficacy of urgent thoracotomy for trauma in patients attended by a helicopter emergency medical service. J R Coll Surg Edinb 1994;39:289-91. 3 Hamilton J. The emperor's new clothes. New Lanark: Tarantula Books, 1993.


In this demonstration, we focus on eye wear to assist people, sensing their physical, social and mental activities. Detecting and quantifying our behavior can raise awareness towards unhealthy practices. We use J!NS MEME prototypes, smart glasses with integrated electrodes to detect eye movements, in application cases from reading detection over ergonomics to talking recognition for social interaction tracking.


10 Cases of thumb defect had been repaired using island skin flap from dorsal part of index finger with satisfactory results. The author des-cribed in details the design of the island skin flap, the method of operation and the points for atten- tion during the operation and post-operation pe-riod. A discussion on the repair of thumb defect and the recovery of its functioning is presented and a vast amount of literature cited.


Introduction. Pipeline systems are exposed to several conditions that lead to a drastic reduction in their durability, primarily due to variable low-frequency and high-frequency loads arising in a process pipeline due to the operation of compressor units. Hence, fatigue failure occurs, leading to the pipeline failure. As early as at the pipeline installation stage, sections of process pipelines have weld connections, and thermal welding cycles have an adverse effect on the properties of materials exposed to fatigue loading. The study of weld connections in steel pipelines exposed to high-frequency vibrations and effects of weld seam defects on durability characteristics are the focus of this research.
Materials and methods. Low-carbon pipeline steel St20 was selected for the study. The radiographic inspection method, optical metallography, microhardness of structural phases, and the method of high-frequency fatigue tests were used.
Results. The results and principal conclusions about the effect of welding defects on durability characteristics of welded samples, made of pipeline steel and exposed to high-frequency fatigue tests, are presented; structural changes in weld connections are analyzed using optical metallography and microhardness methods. Defects of weld seams and their dimensions were identified by means of radiographic inspection. A comparative analysis of durability limits, demonstrated by the parent metal of the model material that has defective weld connections, and the same limits of defect-free samples is provided. The main causes of failure of weld joints, exposed to high-frequency vibrations, are identified.
Conclusions. Having summarized the research findings, we can argue that high-frequency vibrations have a negative impact on the parent metal of a process pipeline and its weld joints. The weld seam is the point of failure; defects trigger destruction, and their presence has a higher impact on fatigue characteristics than their dimensions or types. Characteristics of durability in case of exposure to high frequency loading applied to a weld joint in the gigacycle range are 67 percent below those of the parent metal.


Refrigerant loss or leakage not only has a direct impact on 'global warming'; but systems operating 'undercharged' due to leakage suffer significant loss of performance, with the resultant increase in power consumption. This indirectly impacts global warming through electrical power generation. All sealed pressure systems leak to some degree, but good design and engineering practices can minimise the rate of refrigerant leakage from sealed systems and restrict it to an acceptable level. Minimising leakage therefore offers a double benefit in a reduction of direct emissions in the form of refrigerant released to the atmosphere, and also indirect emissions as a result of prevention of an increase in power consumption.


The main object of this current work of systematization is the participation of the
neighborhood organization after process of regularization in Puertas del Sol.
Through this systematization, we can determine how to improve the life conditions
of a neighborhood, which was called outlying and with the support and training of
the bases and neighborhood leaders, they promoted the regularization process,
obtained the individual ownership, recovered public space with the Puertas del Sol
Ecological Park building and achieved the road infrastructure of the main avenue. All
this work generates better conditions for the citizens of this district and creates a
model of neighborhood development. The impacts that produce the participation
process after neighborhood regularization are mainly: economic, educational, social
and cultural. Economic impact allowed associative processes with respect to popular
and solidarity economy; it means people of Barrio Puertas del Sol built family
organic orchards and they get economic resources with them. Educational impact
enables child, teenagers and young people to move easily to their educational
institutions because roads and the public transportation enhanced. Social impact
affected positively to the families of the Puertas del Sol neighborhood. When they
are and feel legal owners of their properties, they feel peace and safety for their
families because these improvements avoid members family migration (internal and
external) and generate the opposite effect, people of Puertas del Sol neighborhood
work hardly on their grounds and produce enough money to cover the payments of
the basic services. Cultural effects help people to feel identified and proud of living
in the Puertas del Sol neighborhood. Nowadays, they live in a worthy place, free
pollution and green places, instead of calling their neighborhood as "the dump".


Ischaemum mistryi, a new species from the Sub-Tropical evergreen forest of Tilari Ghat, Maharashtra, India, is described and illustrated. This grass is unique with its leaves drooping, mostly congregated near the base, basal sheath villous, culms compressed at the base, lower glume of the sessile spikelet linear-lanceolate to oblongish tapering and slightly curled upwards, without a sub-apical ridge, nodules absent (if present 2–4 obscure) on its keels, and upper lemma of sessile spikelet bi-partite. Morphologically it is somewhat similar to I. mangaluricum, I. travancorense and I. barbatum. We provided a table of its detailed comparison with close species as mentioned above. According to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, we have assessed this new species as Critically Endangered (CR). The photo plates and illustration of the grass are given to facilitate its proper identification. A short discussion is also provided at the end.


In this paper, a novel pulse transit time (PTT) measurement method which employs electrocardiography and bioimpedance measurement (ECG-BIM) is proposed. Unlike conventional method based on ECG and photoplethysmography (ECG-PPG), the proposed method offers a promising technique for continuous and portable monitoring of cardiovascular diseases, as it requires only electrical components that can be fully integrated in a low-power and low-cost silicon circuit. To verify the validity of the proposed ECG-BIM method, experiments have been conducted on a human body in various conditions, using both the ECG-PPG and the ECG-BIM methods which is implemented using discrete off-the-shelf components. Experimental results show that the PTT data achieved from ECG-PPG and ECG-BIM methods are highly correlated, with correlation coefficient of 0.93, hence indicating the validity of the proposed method which can offer high level of integration and low power consumption for portable continuous cardiovascular signal monitoring.


Increase of N-demethylase and antioxidant activities and decrease of amount of hydroperoxides were observed in liver of rats after intragastric administration of Undevit (1/8 dragee/rats/day, 5 times a week during 2 months). Combination of Undevit with Cordiamin (5 mg/rat/day) resulted in augmentation of cytochromes P-450 and b5 content and activities of their reductases, velocity of amidopyrine and ethylmorphine N-demethylation and oxidation of HADPH. Activities of UDP-glucuronyltransferase, glutathionetransferase and hydrophobity of microsomal membranes were also increased. Antioxidant activity was increased and amount of hydroperoxides in liver microsomes and homogenates and in plasma was decreased in greater degree after administration of combination two compounds than after administration of Undevit alone.


In this study, a new type of deck arch bridge was proposed based on the triangle stability principle, and its mechanical properties were tested. The new deck arch bridge—named the superposed truss arch bridge—consists of main arches, auxiliary arches, a girder, and web members. These components adopt steel structures and are connected into a series of triangles to form a superposed truss structure. The new structural system design retains the advantages of the truss and arch structure. Additionally, the rise-span ratio of the main arch can be smaller in the new system design, so the rise height is smaller, which can decrease construction difficulty. The underlying mechanical principles of the new bridge were explained. A new type of railway deck arch bridge with a 650 m span was designed, and the finite element method was used to analyze its stiffness, strength, stability, and dynamic properties and the corresponding effects of the arch-axis coefficient, rise-span ratio, and span length on the mechanical properties. An experiment was carried out on a new deck arch bridge and a conventional deck arch bridge with the same span (10 m) to compare their performance. The results showed that the new deck arch bridge exhibited good mechanical properties while being inexpensive and easy to construct, which makes it suitable for high-speed railway bridges.


The lifetime and hyperfine structure of the $(6{s}^{2}6p7s) ^{3}{P}_{1}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ excited state in lead have been investigated by the technique of level-crossing spectroscopy. The lifetime of the state was determined to be $\ensuremath{\tau}=5.75(20)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ sec. The linewidth of the level-crossing signal was observed to saturate at a "coherence-narrowed" value in agreement with theoretical predictions. The magnitude of this narrowing corresponds to a 27(3)% branching ratio to the ground state. When the branching ratio and the lifetime are combined with the $f(3639 \mathrm{\AA{}}):f(4058 \mathrm{\AA{}})$ oscillator-strength ratio measured by Khokhlov, one may infer the absolute $f$ values: $f(2833 \mathrm{\AA{}})=0.169(17)$, $f(3639 \mathrm{\AA{}})=0.040(8)$, $f(4058 \mathrm{\AA{}})=0.155(31)$. The high-field level crossing in the hyperfine structure of the first $^{3}{P}_{1}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ state of ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{207}$ was found to occur at a magnetic field ${H}_{c}=4661.1(4)$ G, which corresponds to a magnetic-dipole-interaction constant $A=8.811(17)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{9}$ cps.


We describe a simplified method for the in situ detection of Drosophila mRNA with oligonucleotides (45-mers) as probes using a protocol developed for use on vertebrate brain (1). This method requires no pretreatment or prehybridization of sections, involves a simple 5 minute labelling procedure for the probes, and is comparable in sensitivity and specificity to other protocols. Stage 13 to 16 embryos were collected, dechorionated and embedded in cryoglue. 7 /tm sections were cut on the cryostat at — 20°C and thaw-mounted onto slides coated with 0.1 % (w/v) poly-L-lysine hydrobromide (Sigma, m.wt. 350 000). The sections were air-dried for one hour, fixed in ice-cold 4% (w/v) phosphate-buffered paraformaldehyde for 5 minutes, submerged in 1Xphosphate-buffered saline, rinsed with 70% ethanol and, finally, transferred into 95% ethanol. The sections can be stored at 4°C for several months. An antisense 45-mer oligonucleotide, built to exon 5 of the Antennapedia gene (5'ATG TCC GCC CCC ATG TAC GAG TTG GTG AAG TAC GAG GTC ATG CTC-3'; see ref. 4), was labelled by 3'-end tailing using a 30:1 molar ratio of 5'-[a-S]dATP to oligonucleotide. 1 ii\ of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (BRL, 14 U//U) was added to 2 /d of 5 X tailing buffer (BRL), 1 /d of oligonucleotide (0.3 pmol//d), 5 ^1 water and 1 /d of 5'-[a-S]dATP (1200 Ci/mmol, 10 /tCi//d, NEN, Dupont). This was incubated at 37°C for 5 minutes, after which time 40 /d of TE was added. Unincorporated nucleotides were separated from the labelled probe using a 1 ml spin column filled with Sephadex G-25 (3). For hybridization, 1 /d of the labelled probe was added per 100 /J of oligonucleotide hybridization buffer to yield a probe concentration of 6x 10~ fmol/^1. The hybridization buffer consisted of 4XSSC, 50% (v/v) deionized formamide, 10% (w/v) dextran sulphate, 25 mM sodium phosphate, pH 7.0, 1 mM sodium pyrophosphate, 5xDenhardt's solution, 0.2 mg/ml acid-alkali hydrolyzed salmon sperm DNA, 100 /tg/ml polyadenylic acid (5' potassium salt, Sigma, P-9403), 120 /ig/ml heparin and 10 mM DDT (1). This was applied to a slide with the section of interest (when removing sections from the ethanol storage box sections were allowed to air-dry for half an hour) and ParafilmTM was lowered onto the hybridization mixture. No prehybridization step was found to be necessary. The slides were incubated at 42°C overnight. The ParafilmTM was removed under 1 x SSC at room temperature and sections were washed at 55 °C for half an hour in 1 SSC (the addition of DTT was found to be unnecessary). After this, sections were rapidly taken through 1 xSSC (room temperature), 0.1 xSSC (room temperature), 70% ethanol, 95% ethanol and then allowed to air-dry. Figure 1 shows a photomicrograph of a sectioned Drosophila embryo after hybridization to an antisense 45-mer Antennapedia oligonucleotide and emulsion autoradiography. Heavy labelling is observed over the ventral cord and the abundance of Antennapedia transcripts in this region is identical to that reported previously (4). Probe specificity was tested by using a 20-fold excess of unlabelled probe in addition to labelled probe. No labelling above background was found when performing these control experiments (not shown).


A field experiment was conducted in the (2011/12) season to study the effect plant spacing on yields and its components of four fodder beet cultivars. The experiment was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in split plots arrangement with three replicates, plant spacing (25X60, 20X60 and 25X50 cm) were assigned to the main plots and fodder beet cultivars (Jamon, Splendids, Starmon and Vermon) were allotted to the sub plots. Spacing had a significant effect on all the quality traits except protein content of shoot. Spacing and varieties exhibited highly significant (p<0.01) differences in all of the studied characteristics. Varieties affected dry matter content of root, and protein content of shoot and root significantly (p<0.05). Dry matter content of shoot, Ash content of shoot and root, and organic content of shoot and root were not significantly affected by varieties. Vermon sown at 25 cm apart and 60 cm between rows significantly (p<0.05) attained the highest quality traits. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i3.11089 International Journal of Environment Vol.3(3) 2014: 286-293


A hierarchical economic–environmental model is formulated to analyze the sustainable management of farming production in a landlord–tenant system. The problem under study is interdisciplinary and combines various agricultural, economic, social, and environmental factors. To maximize profit, the landlord chooses a rental payment and the duration of a lease contract. Tenants invest into farmyard fertilizer in order to improve future crop growth and maximize their profit. It is shown that the qualitative behavior of optimal trajectories in the landlord–tenant problem is mostly affected by environmental conditions rather than by the end‐of‐horizon and delay effects. A range of model parameters is identified, where the optimal trajectory coincides with the first‐best environmentally and socially efficient solution.


A very common mistake in the calculation of a confidence interval occurs when there are no qualifying subjects in a by group for a category being tested. It is very tempting to assume that the confidence interval will be missing when the count is zero, which is incorrect. This tends to get overlooked since the usual methods of calculating confidence intervals, such as using a simple PROC FREQ in SAS®, will not take care of the situation without manipulating the code further. This paper will present the different methods in PROC FREQ that allow you to calculate the confidence intervals and discuss which methods are more appropriate to use. This paper will also explain how to use a formula instead of PROC FREQ to calculate confidence intervals correctly and with confidence.


In a starter (1) for starting of a vehicle-mounted machine (EC), a magnet (5) for pushing a gear (13) is provided. The magnet (5) has an electromagnetic coil (14), which consists of a single coil and electrically by a motor circuit (40) is separated, a stationary core (16) and a piston (20). The supply of excitation current to the electromagnetic coil (14) allows the fixed core (16) to be magnetized to attract the plunger (20). Therefore, a movement of the piston (20) leads towards a thrust of the movable member to the ring gear (27). A switch (7) is provided in the circuit and has a contact (32, 33), a movable core (28) and a switch coil (15) which functions as an electromagnet, which the movable core (28) in response to the supply of attracting current to the switch coil (15). A movement of the movable core (28) leads to on / off operations of the switch (7). The switch (7) is allowed regardless of the magnet (5) to work if both of the switch (7) and the magnet (5) are controlled.


A method of fabrication of AAO film in 0.3 mol/L H2C2O4 by adding 1,2-propanediol(PROH) and at sub-zero temperature has been proposed. The electrochemical characteristics of the barrier and porous layers of AAO films before and after pore-filling are examined using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). It is shown that the high and medium frequency range corresponds to the barrier layer properties and the low frequency ranges reflect the sealed porous layer properties. The calculated thickness of the barrier layer is in the range of 1 ~ 18 nm. The resistance (Rb) and the thickness (δb) of the barrier layer increase and the capacitance of the barrier layer (CPEb) decrease with the volume percentage of PROH increasing from in electrolyte from 25 % to 75 %. The surface non-homogeneity of AAO film goes better by pore-filling, leading to a decrease in the capacitance of the porous layer (CPEp) and an increase in the porous layer thickness.


Perinatal high fat diet (pHFD) exposure increases the inhibition of dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) neurons, potentially contributing to the dysregulation of gastric functions. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that pHFD increases the inhibition of DMV neurons by disrupting GABAA receptor subunit development. In vivo gastric recordings were made from adult anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats fed a control or pHFD (14 or 60% kcal from fat, respectively) from embryonic day 13 (E13) to A a subunits, while mRNA and protein expression were measured via qPCR and western blotting, respectively. pHFD decreased basal antrum and corpus motility, while brainstem microinjection of L838,417 (positive allosteric modulator of a2/3 subunit-containing GABAA receptors) produced a larger decrease in gastric tone and motility. GABAergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in pHFD DMV neurons were responsive to L838,417 throughout development, unlike control DMV neurons, which were responsive only at early postnatal timepoints. Brainstem mRNA and protein expression of the GABAA a1,2, and 3 subunits, however, did not differ between control and pHFD rats.. This study suggests that pHFD exposure arrests the development of synaptic GABAA a2/3 receptor subunits on DMV neurons, and that functional synaptic expression is maintained into adulthood, although cellular localization may differ. The tonic activation of slower GABAA a2/3 subunit-containing receptors implies such developmental changes may contribute to the observed decreased gastric motility.


To the Editor: The identification and sequencing of a novel coronavirus1 associated with the recently described severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)2 have permitted the development of antibody-...


At present,China's agricultural socialized service system is not fully in place and there are so many problems with that,such as the unclear organizational labor-division and positioning,the conflict between supply and demand,and the not strengthened supervision.We have to adopt such countermeasures as choosing a suitable mode of development according to the current situation,establishing a diversified service system,giving full play to the fundamental role of market mechanism,strengthening the government guidance and support,accelerating the development of profitable agricultural socialized service organizations and giving more support to the non-profitable ones,improving the township and regional public service organization,providing more service infrastructure and cultivating more talented person,and so on.


Abstract In this article, characterization of FeNi layers deposited on a Cu plate for variable magnetic field arrangement is shown. Layers were prepared using a simple electrodeposition process, from an aqueous solution of Fe2+ and Ni2+ sulfate salts containing boric acid, an iron activator. By application of variation of current values, times, and external magnetic field orientations, the resultant film quality was examined and the efficiency of the embedded elements was investigated. The studies show differences in the coating morphology and relative composition of ferromagnetic metals (Ni, Fe) electrodeposited on a not ferromagnetic (paramagnetic) metal (Cu). The obtained layers were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy.


A prior study of prospective teachers' mathematical website constructions demonstrated a trend for these prospective teachers to concentrate more on the design of the website than on its content. The present study used a taxonomy (1) to prepare guidelines for completing the construction project, and (2) to assess the cognitive level of the mathematical examples and exercises that the prospective teachers included on their websites. When compared with the constructions from the prior study, the teacher candidates in the current study showed a tendency to incorporate more examples and exercises at the procedural applications level of cognition.


Automated test case generation from behavioral models like finite state machines (FSMs) and statecharts has long been studied. Environments that enable a test designer to model a real complex software and to obtain test cases to validate such a software are mandatory in an automated test approach. This paper presents an environment, GTSC, which enables test sequences to be obtained from both Statechart-based and FSM-based behavioral models. The environment supports test case generation from some test methods for FSM, such as switch cover, DS and UIO methods, and also from some test criteria for Statecharts based on the SCCF family. Two case studies involving embedded software developed for two computers of scientific experiments of a satellite under development at National Institute for Space Research (INPE) are presented in order to show the usefulness of the environment.


In this paper we present a new filter bank design for the Split Spectrum algorithm based in the use of variable bandwidth filters equally spaced in frequency and energy gain equalized so that all bands have the same contribution from the possible echo defect. Improvements in the signal to noise ratio gain after recombination are reported in this contribution. We show the results obtained after simulations using stationary and non stationary models for the grain noise with a single defect. We also use the Frequency Multiplication recombination method to improve the performance of the algorithm. Signal to Noise Ratio enhancement factor was selected as the figure of merit to make the comparisons among the different methods. These results are contrasted with real processed signal obtained in laboratory from pieces of aluminum alloy and cement 32.5, showing the interest of the proposed new filter bank structure and recombination methods.


This document describes Linear B's entry for the 2005 NIST MT Evaluation exercise. Linear B examined the efficacy of human-aided statistical machine translation by looking at the improvements that could be had by involving non-Arabic speakers in the translation process. We examined two conditions: one in which non-Arabic speakers edited the output of a statistical machine translation system, and one in which they were allowed to select phrasal translations from a chart of possible translations for an Arabic sentence, and then edit the text.


ABSTRACT A sample of 23 students – 12 women, 11 men – enrolled on a two-year part-time master's course in counselling studies in Nairobi, Kenya, took part in a focus group discussion about their expectations of the course. The key themes that emerged were: adding to their skills and status and challenges to the counsellors. The findings are discussed within the context of counselling and culture.


When the past broke down in the wake of her stroke, my mother couldn't come up with a single noun for anything, not a watch, or a pen, or herself, such small words whose sudden weight made me see gravity in a whole new light as if loss played out like fire, and ninety years began burning their bridges. For those first few ER hours, her reply to each question was more body language than language, less sound than fury until, around dawn, a solid word against the emptiness came close enough to love. Maybe syllabic brainwaves clicked, or a late-breaking drug kicked in, but it didn't matter. Across that limbo between lost and found, while shaky vitals blipped, I finally heard a coherent response: "Cow," she said, when asked what she would order in a restaurant, and her split-screen face half-laughed along with the rest of us, so right on cue the young neurologist smoothed his hand across her blanket asking, "Now what do you call this, this thing that keeps you warm?" Digging deep, gung ho as always to please, my mother frantically ransacked the tomb of her memory, and then, almost calm, grasping some fugitive peace of mind, she looked at him the way stoics look at weather, and answered with embraceable logic, "I call it," she said, "I call it . . . the thing that keeps me warm."


This paper describes the design of an business telephone,which was developed by our company based on embedded system using S3C2410 of Samsung ARM920T.The emphasis is on the internal structure,characteristics and several important interfaces.It particularly expatiates the interface and function of business telephone on the target exploration platform of S3C2410.The experiment results show that this system can be used to achieve the expected object and it has very broad application foreground.


In modern society, there are anyhow various kinds of crisis, which test the ability of control of governments at all levels. Through the analysis of principles of governmental control of crisis, the study reveals the content, the meaning of each principle, and the problem and the measures when to carry through such principles. It is significant to raise the level of governmental control of crisis if the basic values and standards can be understood exactly.


PurposeThe World Health Organisation recognises that health and well-being are essential to achieve the United Nations Development Agenda 2030. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of ill-health worldwide. Much of the global burden of NCD is caused by individual unhealthy behaviours. A behavioural mindset shift is needed to reduce premature NCD mortality. This article provides an exploratory analysis to understand whether Portuguese society is on the path to achieving better health by considering certain unacceptable individual lifestyles that contribute to diseases and could be avoided.Design/methodology/approachAn online questionnaire was used to collect data from 558 Portuguese citizens. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were used to (1) assess whether respondents were aware of premature mortality caused by NCDs, (2) explore whether individuals should be accountable for their disease-related behaviours, and (3) test for associations between this accountability and respondents sociodemographic and health characteristics.FindingsOverall, respondents were unaware of the rate of premature mortality associated with chronic diseases and were unwilling to hold fellow citizens accountable for their unhealthy lifestyles. Following a healthy lifestyle proved relevant in the moralisation of others' unhealthy lifestyles, especially those who practice physical exercise.Originality/valueThis study is the first attempt to awaken attention to the impact that societies' procrastination for others' harmful health behaviours may have on achieving Sustainable Development GoalS (SDGs) and sustainable development.


Modern nano-metrology instruments require calibration references with nanometer accuracy in the x, y, and z directions. A common problem is the accurate calibration in the z direction (height). For example, it is generally not difficult to obtain accurate x- and y- calibration references for a Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM). It is, however, much more difficult to obtain accurate z-axis results. It is difficult to control z-axis piezo dynamics because during scanning in the xy-plane the x-and y-axes move at a constant rate whiles the z axis does not. Furthermore due to the high cost of producing calibration standards, the microscope is often calibrated at only one height. However, if the relationship between the measured z height and the actual z height is not linear, then the height measurements will not be correct. In this paper, we will present a method for the fabrication of calibration references with: (i) sub-10 nm features and (ii) multiple step heights on one reference, allowing for better calibration of the non-linearity in the z direction.


Abstract. Rapid advances in graphics generation capabilities, display technologies, and user interaction technologies have broadened the range of possibilities for information display and exploration. Taking advantage of these developments, we can build virtual reality environments that support immersive and highly engaging ways to experience the battlefield or monitor activity on the battlefield. Successful use of these environments requires a careful assessment of the demands of the planning, decision-making, or problem-solving task, and matching these demands against the features possible in various virtual environment installations. Further, the resulting applications must provide user interaction techniques that allow the virtual world's participants to build a cognitive map of the virtual battlefield, travel easily throughout the virtual world, and interact with battlefield objects.


Piezoelectric MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) are used in many applications now a day's including the diagnosis of diseases.COVID-19 is a pandemic recently affecting the entire world. Various techniques for detection are being used to date. Paper presents a simulation-based piezoelectric MEMS detection method for the virus, which is fast, portable, cost-effective, require less amount of sample, reliable, and can diagnose the stage for SARS-CoV-2(Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2) from the first day of virus infection. The design and analysis of cantilever-based MEMS biosensor is done COMSOL Multiphysics. Three cantilevers are used in the design, one each for viral load, IgM, and IgG. The bio-molecular reaction on the cantilever increases the mass at the end, changing the electrical and mechanical properties in the cantilever. Piezoelectric material generates the voltage proportional to the mass applied. From the values of voltage obtained from three cantilevers, the infection stage for symptomatic and asymptomatic can be diagnosed. Results show a linear relationship between the load applied and voltage generated. The proposed biosensor has a mass sensitivity of 20 copies /ml.


On the basis of commodity purchase state in Jinduicheng Molybdenum Group Co.,Ltd,the superiority and problems of commodity purchase were analyzed.and the countermeasures and suggestion were put forward.


The phase interaction among three-phase Active Power Factor Correction(APFC) circuit composed of normal single-phase APFC Boost circuits in parallel is analyzed.A single-phase active power Boost circuit employing two inductors and two diode is adopted,direct parallel connection of this circuit will reduce the phase interaction.A average circuit mode control chip UC3854B is used to control each phase,thus the circuit and parameters are easy to design.The simulative ande experimental results verified its validity.


The completely open-foldable dome of the GREGOR telescope is a further development of the DOT dome, respectively 9 and 7 meter in diameter. New technical developments are implemented and tested at the GREGOR dome, that are important for the design of the much larger dome for the EST, which will be 28 meter in diameter. The GREGOR dome is the first with more than one clamp working simultaneously for closing the dome and bringing the membranes on the required high tension for storm resistance. The storm Delta with 245 km/h 1-minute mean maximum at the location of the GREGOR gave no problems nor did the storms afterwards. Opening and closing experiences are up to wind speeds of 90 km/h without problems. Good observing circumstances never occur with higher wind speeds. A double layer of membranes is applied in the GREGOR construction whereas the DOT dome is equipped with a single layer. Simultaneous climate measurements inside and outside the dome have proven the thermal-insulation capability of this double-layer construction. The experiences with the GREGOR showed that the elongation by tensioning of the prestrained membrane material is much lower than originally expected. In the meantime, more strong and stiff membrane material is available and applied in the EST design. As a consequence, the clamps of the EST can have a relatively much shorter length and there is no need anymore for simultaneous operation of the clamps and the main actuators in low speed with help of a frequency inverter. The clamps can close after the main bow operation is finished, which simplifies the electrical control.


Drought is a global issue.With the global warming and intensified human activities,the intensity and frequency of drought and its impacts are getting increasingly serious.Faced with agricultural drought in China,following relationships should be soundly understood and dealt with:(1) The relationship between the north and the south.The current action "to transport grain from north to south" is some unreasonable in the view of rational utilization of water resources and balanced increase of crop yield,and which should be solved through strengthening the construction of water conservancy facilities and making policy adjustment for enhancing grain production capability in south China.(2) The relationship between high-medium-and low-yield farmlands.While pursuing higher yield in high-yield farmlands,attention also should be focused on increasing the output from the medium-and low-yield farmlands;(3) The relationship between increasing grain production and developing animal husbandry.Artificial meadow construction should be boosted to promote the development of animal husbandry and its integration with agriculture.(4) The relationship between conventional technology and high technology.Currently conventional technology still dominates in dryland farming production,so high-tech applications should be accelerated,and the current needs and future development should be effectively harmonized.Meanwhile,following technological approaches should be adopted to cope with agricultural drought:(1) To carry out semi-dryland agriculture in water-limited irrigable and dry mountainous areas,and gradually establish new agricultural water utilization structure including irrigated,dryland and semi-dryland agricultures simultaneously;(2) To set up water-saving agricultural structure using interspecies drought-resistant differences;(3) To establish the breeding objectives in crops with high abiotic stress resistance and resources use efficiency,especially having drought resistance and high water use efficiency varieties;(4) To extensively carry out conservation tillage possessing the comprehensive effects in conserving soil and water,fertilization,as well as increasing yield according to local conditions;(5) To exploit non-conventional water resources and take it as an important way for coping with agricultural drought;(6) To to make up deficiency of poor-harvest years with surplus of abundant-harvest years.With the current level of science and technology,it is not possible to avoid significant production decrease in severely dry year,the climate variability and the crop adaptability should be effectively integrated in yield statistics,which should be focused on periodic balance instead of yearly fluctuation.


The necrotizing fascitis, that develops after a Cesarean section, is acknowledged as a rare complication due to the development of antibiotics. Having a very high mortality rate, the only way to prevent the septic shock and the impairment of the cardiopulomary function is the use of adequate antibiotics, the infusion of IV fluids, a radical section of the necrotized fascia and a through cleansing. We have an experience in treating a primipara who had a necrotic fascitis after Cesarean section, and therefore, report this case with the review of articles enclosed.


Greenhouse studies suggested that dog mustard was less competitive than wheat, but of similar competitiveness to flax. In field studies, dog mustard growth and development were markedly affected by crop competition. Competition from flax and wheat reduced dog mustard leaf area, shoot dry weight, plant height, and seed production compared with the weed grown on summer-fallow. Dog mustard was a prolific seed producer when grown in the absence of interspecific competition. On summer-fallow, dog mustard produced as many as 79,100 seeds plant−1 when moisture was not a limiting factor. However, average seed production was 19,400 and 8000 seeds plant−1 in 1994 and 1995, respectively.


Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system is consuming the substantial power for its regular and sustained operation to maintain Relative Humidity (RH) and temperature of the plant in order to keep the quality of the end product. The topic of energy conservation and utilization of conventional energy sources are currently more relevant and important to the present scenario of electrical systems. The most commonly used electric drive in the Air Handling Unit (AHU) of HVAC system is of squirrel cage induction motor. Conventional method of AHU operation was comfortable, but not energy efficient and they are not controlled. Replacing an uncontrolled induction motor with a controlled one in AHU can significantly save electricity, increase the life of the mechanical part of the drive and improve the quality. The paper provides the introduction of a frequency-controlled electric drive to HVAC system, in particular, modelling, simulation 'without feedback' and 'with feedback' for controlling the speed of the AHU blower motor in MATLAB were analysed, the effect on the system harmonics is measured, Energy conservation are presented.


Introduction: HealthPathways (HPW) is an online health information portal which provides General Practitioners (GPs), guidance on the assessment, management, and referral of a range of conditions linked to local resources.  It has been adopted as an aid to improve the integration of patient care across the health system. However, there is a lack of understanding of the acceptance of pathways within primary health. Theory/Methods This qualitative study identified baseline factors that promote the successful implementation of HPW in a major Local Health District (LHD) in Australia. The development, implementation and acceptance of Diabetes HPW was evaluated using semi-structured interviews with purposive samples. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analysed qualitatively using a thematic analysis approach. Results A total of 16 interview transcripts were analysed. Four core themes were identified in relation to the processing of implementing the HPW: 1. The importance of creating & maintaining collaborative partnerships through the development of the pathways (engagement); 2. the process promoted trust and understanding between organisations and made their individual aims, processes and values clearer to one another (transparency); 3. HPW implementation was also seen as means of committing individual organisations to provide standardised and consistent care across the Local Health District (accountability); and, 4. the importance of providing adequate funding and resources to support the ongoing development and revision of HPW (Sustainability). Discussions This process evaluation provides additional, qualitative evidence about what facilitates the successful implementation of HPW and identifies barriers that hinder its success. Researchers anticipated the interview protocol would elicit an overall discussion about the strengths and limitations of HPW, as opposed to only about the Type 2 DM pathways; in particular its usability and utility, and suggested improvements or factors that might contribute to its success. An inductive approach was employed to conduct an analysis that extracted common themes amongst the qualitative data. Conclusions: This study provides an insight into the development and implementation of Type 2 Diabetes Mellites HPW across different levels of the health system in the LHD. The feedback and experiences from implementation and utilisation of the HPW across different levels of the health system and program implementation, provides the GP with an overall informed perspective on the acceptability of the pathways, what the general consensus is on its applicability and a transparent view on the impacts that the HPW may have on its day-to-day use. Lessons learned Collaboration between individuals and organisations has strengthened the development and implementation of the HPW. Engagement and transparency have demonstrated the significance of establishing collaborative partnerships to implement HPW. Limitations Despite a number of strategies to encourage the participation of GPs, the recruitment of GPs to take part in interviews was a challenge for the research team. Suggestions for future research Further research would be useful to investigate and explore the health outcomes and impact of HPW on the community including broader scope for evaluation of multiple pathways to identify the best ways of ensuring sustainability and uptake of the program.


Drug resistance is a worldwide problem. Drug resistant bacteria are more common in health clinic. Streptococcus mutans is the etiological agent of dental plaque. Over a number of decades epidemiological studies on human populations have indicated an association between the presence of Streptococcus mutans in plaque and their prevalence in dental caries. S. mutans has been implicated as cariogenic bacteria, because they produce high level of lactic acid and extracellular polysaccharide. It is observed that S.mutans is gaining resistance to commonly prescribed drugs. In the present study dental plaque samples were collected from patients of different locality within Bangalore city at M. S. Ramaiah Dental College, to study the pattern of drug resistance. Among 100 dental samples collected, 40 samples were grouped under Bangalore urban population and S. mutans was isolated. The isolates were identified as S. mutans by standard biochemical tests and fermentation studies. The isolates which showed positive results for gram staining and fermentation test were further confirmed with haemolysis test. The subculture of this S. mutans isolates were maintained in TH slants for further analysis. Antibiotic Sensitivity test with commonly used antibiotics signified the emergence of drug resistance in S. mutans. Out of 40 isolates 23 isolates were drug-resistant S. mutans. About 56% isolates showed sensitivity to penicillin and Ciprofloxacin, while 30% of the isolates showed sensitivity to Erythromycin and 70% showed complete resistance. The present study indicated the increased resistance in S. mutans of urban population, towards the effective antibiotics Penicillin, Erythromycin and Ciprofloxacin.


This book explores the connections that José Joaquín de Mora (1783–1864)
established with Britain, where he was exiled from 1823 to 1826 and was to
return as diplomat in the following decades. His admiration for the British
materialised in a series of cultural transfers aimed at the promotion and diffusion
of British culture in Spain and Spanish America. He contributed to the
popularization of Bentham's utilitarianism, the principles of British classical
economy, and the philosophy of the Scottish School of Common Sense; he
translated texts by Scott and Shakespeare and wrote an unfinished version
of Byron's Don Juan; and, above all, he presented Britain as a model for the
political, economic, and literary regeneration of the Hispanic world.


A bstrAct — Clastic dikes crosscut Paleozoic to Mesozoic strata in the western San Juan Mountains near Placerville and Ouray. These dikes trend W-NW for hundreds to thousands of meters and vary from tabular masses several meters thick to zones of bifurcating veins and breccia cemented by calcite. Clastic dikes near Ouray are exposed adjacent to, and cross cut, ~65 Ma granodiorite dikes and stocks and are overlain by ~30 Ma volcanic rocks. Near Placerville, clastic dikes crop out along fractures in Permian to Jurassic strata and have similar trends as some late Mesozoic to Cenozoic mafic to intermediate dikes, but are nowhere in direct contact with post-70 Ma intrusive rocks and lava flows. Clastic dikes exposed in the region are matrix- to clast-supported with angular to subrounded pebble- to boulder-sized fragments that are dominated by Proterozoic igneous and metamorphic rocks. A U-Pb detrital zircon-age analysis on a sample of clastic dike near Placer- ville yields zircon populations that are consistent with reworking of Proterozoic basement (1800 to 1400 Ma) and Paleozoic sedimentary rocks (500 to 350 Ma). Previous and current field investigations, and new fluid inclusion data, lend evidence that clastic dikes in the western San Juan Mountains formed by release of CO 2 -charged volatiles at depths greater than 500 m where Proterozoic basement was fragmented, entrained, and transported to higher stratigraphic levels. Herein, we propose that the clastic dikes formed by release of volatiles along deep fractures, from degassing of plutons or mantle melts after 70 Ma.


An optimal cognitive functionality ensures the efficiency of day-to-day activities and a person's integration into the socio-economic environment. Cognition is not a unitary concept, it incorporates several domains: attention, memory, executive functions, perception and praxis, language. Cognitive functions are affected as a result of a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), manifested by a prevalence of 20% to 80% after a stroke. We have proposed an experimental investigation - the use of the Reuven Feuerstein theory in the cognitive rehabilitation of post-stroke individuals, thus overcoming the social disadvantage and contributing to improving their quality of life, through social inclusion. The principle of mediated learning has proven to be effective in improving the cognitive abilities of post-stroke individuals in addition to medical treatment, representing an alternative service offered by the specialists in cognitive therapy, thus being a quick and cost-effective way of recovering.


Spectral mixtures of hyperspetral data often display nonlinear mixing effects. This paper develops locally linear weighted estimation (LLWE) based on two of the best known algorithms of manifold learning, Isomap and LLE. Studying on in situ spectral reflectance data, Spectral reflectance of four kinds of the mixed land-cover types in different percentages was measured and preliminarily analyzed. The model LLWE was verified by predicting the abundacne of main land-cover types. Compared with principal component regression (PCR) and partial least squares regression (PLSR), the results of the standard error of prediction show that the LLWE has better predictability. It's recommended that the proposed LLWE has the potential for the information extraction of mixed land cover types in hyperspectral remote sensing imagery.


Let f(x) = HI(x ai) be a polynomial of degree n with distinct real zeros which we shall assume are in increasing order: a1 6(f). More generally it is easy to see by considering the graph of f'/f that for given real k, the polynomial f' kf has one zero, which we shall denote by bi, in each (ai, ai+d). In addition if k > 0 there is one further zero bn > an, while if k 6(f). A deeper analysis shows that in fact the ratio 6(f ' kf )/1(f ) is bounded away from 1; in particular there is a constant cn > 1 such that S(f') 2 cn,(f). These results will appear elsewhere.


The fertility alteration of male-sterile wheat line BNS was studied by means of sowing date tests from 2007 to 2009.The results indicated that BNS was completely sterile and complete transition of fertility.The fertility of BNS alternated evidently during the tests.With the delay of sowing date,the fertility of BNS changed from complete male sterility to semi-sterility,and then to complete normal fertility.Low temperature was the main factor affecting fertility transition of BNS.It showed male-sterile at low temperature and fertility in high temperature.The young panicle was the thermo-sensitive part of fertility expression.The sensitive stage of BNS was in 5-18d before heading.The sensitive phase of the male fertility transformation was from stamen and pistil differentiation to anther chamber formation.BNS showed complete male sterility below 8℃,and its fertility transition temperature was 8-12℃,while it showed complete normal fertility above 12℃.When BNS was sowed between September 23 and October 17 in northern part of Henan,it was complete male sterile and could be used to produce hybrid.Whereas,if sowed after November 18,it was complete normal fertility and could be used to produce seeds of male sterile line.


Teams can benefit markedly when formal supervisors stimulate their individual members' emergence as informal leaders. Combining insights from informal leadership research and social learning theory, we cast supervisors' role modeling of initiating structure and consideration behaviors as seemingly straightforward means of achiev-ing this — but we suggest that the success of such role modeling critically hinges on supervisors' as well as members' status in the team . Results from a study of 220 nurses across 48 teams showed, accordingly, that a supervisor's initiating structure pro-moted individual members' informal leader emergence by increasing members' respective behavior. This indirect relationship only materialized, however, among relatively high-status supervisors and relatively low-status members. Moreover, although supervisors' and members' consideration were positively related (among relatively high-status supervisors and largely irrespective of a member's status), such behavior did not influence members' emergence as informal leaders. Together, these findings offer novel insights into how , when , and why formal supervisors may aid their team members' attainment of informal leader roles. They shed new light on the complexity of formal – informal leadership linkages, with both supervisors' and members' standing in the team representing crucial, yet heretofore largely unexamined boundary conditions for formal supervisors' respective influence.


The Maritime System of the Americas (MSA) refers to the waterway system that connects central and eastern portions of the US and Canada to the central and eastern portions of Mexico, the Caribbean countries, Central America, and the Northern rim of South America. For general cargo, land transportation, especially trucking, is the dominant system serving the region. The restructuring and trade growth within the NAFTA region presents an opportunity for water transportation to increase its market share of cargo movements and attract more general cargo volume. Increase in volume is expected for existing services, such as deep sea, short- sea and feeder operation. Additionally, new types of services are emerging, such as river/ocean and trailer ferry operation. The competitive cost advantages are most obvious for bulk shipments using river barges with transhipment to ocean vessels compared to rail units trains. A specialised niche market exists for relatively high value minor bulk (small lots) cargoes and general cargoes moving by river/ocean vessels as an alternative to carload rail service. Cost modelling also indicates that intermodal movement of domestic trailers, with inclusion of a roro ferry, has cost and logistics advantages over other transportation options and, therefore, has potential to significantly expand market penetration into the eastern/central regions of both Mexico and the US.


6588 Background: There are significant costs associated with IV administration of cancer drugs ranging from adverse events associated with the administration to the need for specialized equipment, ...


This research was carried out with the Adi and Galo tribes of East Siang and West Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, India to understand fishing methods employed by them using stones and boulders occurring in the river beds of small tributaries of the Siang River in the study area. The identified sustainable fishing technique is locally known as Lipum and practised by these communities. The capture of fish ranged from 4-10 kg per Lipum and one person could make 3-4 different Lipum structures per day. Lipum is prepared during winter season (in the month of November and December) and to undertake fishing during January and February. To prepare the Lipum, stones are placed in a circle with a diameter ranging from 1.5 m to 2.3 m, and arranged to produce a structure around 0.7 1.2 m high, depending upon water depth. Care is taken so that the Lipum remains submersed in water throughout the winter season. The lipum acts as a shelter for the fishes as it provides congenial environment to the fishes, where different types of algae grows as well as water flow becomes slow inside the structure. During harvesting of fish from the lipum, the entire structure is surrounded with the ishir with an opening in the top. The edir is fixed with the ishir in the bottom in such a way so that the fish is unable to escape. Gradually the stones are removed from the lipum and the fishes are scooped up. This fishing technique has been sustainable for subsistence communities like Adis and Galos. However, recent socio-political changes such as fishing with the use of electrical means like use of generator, battery, blasting, poisoning, etc., are affecting the dynamics of this practice. There is need to incorporate such Traditional knowledge practices in conservation and state fishing regulations.


Microbial lipases have been used in detergents, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, leather processing, and production of aliphatic acids and in the treatment of domestic and industrial wastes. Lipases represent an extremely versatile group of bacterial extracellular enzymes that are capable of performing a variety of important reactions, thereby presenting a fascinating field for future research. Using 16SrRNA technology, screening of lipase is encouraging to identify the potential strain producing lipase.


Engineering vector spatial modes of photons is an important approach for manipulating high-dimension photonic states in various quantum optical experiments. In this work, we demonstrate the generation of heralded single photons with well-defined vector spatial modes by using a self-stable polarizing interferometer comprising a spatial light modulator. Specifically, it is shown that, by carefully tailoring and compensating the spatial and temporal amplitudes of manipulated photons, one can exactly convert ultrafast single photons into desired spin-orbit states with an extremely high purity. This compact and robust device provides a versatile way for not only the generation, but also the manipulation and characterization of arbitrary photonic spin-orbit states.


The CO2 and water vapour fluxes arising from the tops of a plant of A. americana, growing in nutrient solution, were continuously measured at night temperatures of 15, 25, and 36°C, the day temperature being held constant at 25°C.


Between 2017 and 2025 Sweden is in need of an additional 600 000 homes to supply the current widespread shortage of housing. At the same time, this addition should preferably take place without taking new land in use. One way to densify effectively is to use existing industrial facilities in central locations. This thesis aims at promoting cultural and architectural history by creating recommendations for conversion of industrial properties, thus promoting mixed use and sustainable urban development. Factors perceived as preventative are identified from completed conversion projects. Based on these factors, the scope is limited to describe the ones that affect the ongoing of projects the most: change of detailed development plan, decontamination of soil and hazardous building materials, daylight and also energy performance and moisture safety. In Norra Sorgenfri, Malmo, the property Spiralen 10 is being studied and a conceptual conversion proposal is generated based on needs analysis and solutions for the respective factor. By adding greenery, social spaces and mixed usage, the proposal for Spiralen 10 can contribute to a more integrated area, preserving history and increasing security. This leads to sustainable urban development and increased housing construction. This thesis results in general recommendations for decontamination, daylight, change of detailed development plan and energy performance. The result is based on the solutions that are applicable to the study object. In general, the recommendations act as a checklist to determine which preventive factors need to be investigated at an early stage. It is important to distinguish all the preconditions, identify risks and engage experts in time. A possible reason why older industries are not being put to greater use might be that the required amount of measures becomes too economically uncertain. In order to increase the interest in conservation of industrial properties, more financial support from government and municipalities may be needed. In addition, more in-depth advice and recommendations are needed to facilitate conversions drastically, but the recommendations in this thesis can give rise to increased interest as they are used in successful conversion projects. (Less)


Status of mangrove ecosystem on Liong River, Bengkalis Island, Riau Province, is currently in a condition that tends to get a stressed doe to 60% of indigenous people living around mangroves are loggers. Series Landsat is used as recording data to map the mangrove and to see the changes in the region. This study aims to map changes in mangrove ecosystems from 1990 - 2017 using the OBIA method. The field observation was done using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The results showed that mangrove area has decreased every year. It was caused by anthropogenic and natural factors. Approximately 4.2% of mangrove decrease from 1990 to 2017 and mangrove highest exploitation occurred in 2007 with a decline of 31.5%.


Field-Course Format: This course took place over six days at ELTI's Training Landscape in the tropical dry forest ecosystem, located in the in the Azuero Peninsula. These sites demonstrate the varied biophysical and socio-economic contexts of different types of land use: (1) the Achotines Forest Reserve, containing mature and secondary tropical dry forest; (2) IDB Forestal, a native species timber plantation that incorporates cattle grazing in the understory; and (3) the APASPE model farms, privately-owned by members who have established silvopastoral and agroforestry systems, home gardens, and riparian buffer zones. The following activities occurred throughout the week:


There are several parent- and teacher-scored rating scales that are validated and available for assessing the severity of ADHD symptoms in pediatric populations. However, we are not aware of any symptom severity rating scales with published validation results when administered and scored by clinicians following a semi-structured interview with the parent or guardian. In a recent clinical trial, in order to have consistency in assessing entry severity criteria and changes in symptom severity over time across patients, we used the ADHD Rating Scale, administered and scored by trained clinicians. Using data from this trial, we assessed the validity and reliability of the ADHD Rating Scale when completed by trained clinicians based on interviews with parents. Results Indicate that this version of the scale has acceptable levels of inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, internal consistency, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and responsiveness. The psychometric properties were comparable to other validated scales for assessing ADHD symptom severity. Overall, this study supports the use of the ADHD Rating Scale as a clinician administered and scored tool for assessing the severity of ADHD symptoms in pediatric patients.


This paper presents a frequency regulation control architecture that can be augmented with existing Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) controllers for maintaining the grid frequency at nominal values on a WTG integrated power grid. The architecture uses an online reduced order modeling of power grid with frequency dependent network equivalents (FDNE) that can seamlessly evaluate the grid fluctuations with respect to the point of common coupling (PCC) of the WTG. Then an adaptive control architecture with the help of an online identification routine is used to augment the torque control of wind generator such that the frequency of the system is balanced. The main advantage of the proposed architecture is that the approach ensures grid frequency stability during oscillations due to grid or WTG related events at any power grid location. The proposed approach not only maintain the frequency within acceptable limits but also makes sure that voltages are at normal values. The architecture is evaluated using wind farm integrated Kundur two-area test system using real-time digital simulator (RTDS).


In order to constrain the age of the Hutuo Group,five meta-sandstone samples are collected from Sijizhuang Formation of Doucun Subgroup,Wenshan Formation of Dongye Subgroup,and Xiheli Formation of Guojiazhai Subgroup,respectively,in Hutuo Group,Wutai Mountains area,North China Craton.Zircons from these samples have been analyzed with the technique of La-MC-ICPMS.The results show that most of the 207Pb/206Pb ages of 2 sandstones from Sijizhuang Formation mainly concentrate at two peaks,~2.5Ga and 2.1~2.2Ga,respectively.The provenances of the~2.5Ga detrital zircons are derived from the Neoarchean Wutai Group and contemporaneous granitoids in the Wutai Mountains area.19 grains of the 2.1~2.2Ga detrital zircons have the weighted mean 207Pb/206Pb age of 2134±5Ma.So the maximal deposition age of the Sijizhuang Formation is limited to 2134Ma or less.Combining the formation age of the volcanic rocks of 2140±10Ma and thick layer of conglomerates at the bottom of the Sijizhuang Formation,we deduce that the Hutuo Group deposited at ~2.2Ga,middle Paleoproterozoic.The 207Pb/206Pb ages of the detrital zircons from the bottom of the Wenshan Formation mainly distribute at 2050~2122Ma.Among these detrital zircons,64 grains with younger ages produce the weighted mean age of 2068±3Ma,indicating the maximal deposition time of the Dongye Subgroup at ca.2070Ma.Considering the volcanic rocks of 2087±9Ma in the Qingshicun Formation at the top of the Doucun Subgroup,we confer that the Dongye Subgroup deposited at ca.2070Ma.The youngest zircon age from the metasandstone in Guojiazhai Subgroup gives the 207Pb/206Pb age of 1958±10Ma,constraining the Guojiazhai Subgroup deposited at the late or end of Paleoproterozoic.The North China Craton was finally cratonized at the end of Paleoproterozoic.As the Guojiazhai Subgroup unconformably overlies the Dongye Subgroup,the two stratigraphic units have recorded distinct geological features and may deposit at different geological stages.Therefore,we suggest that the Guojiazhai Subgroup should be separated from the Hutuo Group and re-named as the Guojiazhai Group which initially deposited at the age of 1.9~1.8Ga,and the substantial sedimentation completed during to post-cratonization process of the North China Craton.


Many techniques have been describedfor reduction mammaplasty and mastopexy. The techniques for reduction mammaplasty and mastopexy combine the resection of skin and breast tissue. The assessment of excessskin and quantity of tissue to be removed is a key element in mammaplasties. The format of the skin diffirs from patient to patient, depending on the quality of the skin and its relation with the glandular tissue. The principies described in this paper have been used in more than 4)000 patients. Long-term course has shown satisfactory results. Scars are a problem that seems to concern sur;geonsmore than patients themselves. It is concluded that patients who under;gomammaplasty are aware that there will be a scar after the sur;gery. Howeven how the scar looks is more important than how long it is. INTRODUCTION Techniquesfor reduction mammaplasty and mastopexy havebeen developedgradually,ashave their philosophical concepts. Reduction mammaplasty is successful when it provides good appearance, and adequate conRev.Soe. Bras. Cir. Plasr. Sao Paulo v.17 0.3 p. 11-26 ser/dez. 2002 11 Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Plastica Fig. la Schematic represemation of Fig. lb Transoperative view. marking point "N'. Fig. lc Evaluation of the location of Fig. ld Transoperative view. points "B" and "C". Fig. le Another transoperative view of the marking of points "B" and "C". sisteney, size, and shape, with the smallest sear possible. Every breast surgery involves the resection of skin and breast tissue, but not ali patients should have the same type of reseetion of skin and breast tissue. When a patient wants to undergo mammaplasty, it is beeause she is not happy with how her breasts look. She is mueh more worried with how they will look after surgery than with the sear. It makes no sense to make an ineision in the breast without attaining the best possible shape, merely to reduee the size of the future sear. The aim is to provide the best results, rather than rnerely improve appearanee. A final result with a smali sear and poor shape will be questioned by the patient. If the result is a long and disereet sear, but with good appearanee of the breasts, the patient will be happy. To undergo breast surgery is to substitute breasts whose shape the patient does not like for breasts with an excellent shape, aspeet and consisteney but with a sear. Good surgery norrnally leaves barely visible sears. Every patient who wants to have mammaplasry knows beforehand that sue h surgery will Ieave a sear. Breasts are different from eaeh other, and thus, surgeries will also be different and, eonsequently, every sear will differ in quality and appearanee, while their lengths do not matter mueh. It is the aspeet of the sear that matters rather than its size. PLANNING THE MAMMAPLASTY When planning for a marnmaplasty, many faetors have to be taken into account: a) the size and a eonsisteney of the breasts; b) the degree of ptosis; e) the distanee between the sternal 12 Rev. Soe. Bras. CiroPlast. Sao Paulo v.17 n.3 p. 11-26 ser/dez. 2002 Concepts on Mammaplasties and Mastopexies Fig. 2a Point "N' linked to points "B" and "C". These lines may be more or less eurved, depending on breast flaeeidity. These !ines shouJd not exeeed 7 em. Fig. 2b Points "B" and "C" are connected to the ends of the mammary sulcus. Figs. 3a and 3b Preoperative view of a patient with mammary ptosis. There is no tissue 011 the upper mammary pole. Volurninous skin exeesses. Figs. 3e and 3d One year after mastopell.l'.Only skin was removed. No sears are notieeable. Rev.Soe. Bras. CiroPlast. Sao PauJo v.17 n.3 p. 11-26 ser/dez. 2002 13 furcula and nipples; d) the quality of the skin; and, most importantly, e) the relation between the breast and skin tissue. Depending on these variables, we think: that each breast should have its won marking (rather than standard) and tissue resection should be individualized'!'. In short, the greater the excess skin in relation to breast tissue, the greater will be the quantity of skin removed. The quantity of resected skin determines the length of the inframarnmary scar, depending on the size of the breasts and chief1y on the relation between skin and breast tissue. Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Plastica When we try to reduce the length of the scar, the shape and appearance of the breasts are often affected. We will first address the types of skin marking, and then go on to describe the forms of tissue resection. Fig. 4 Schematic representation of three different types of skin marking. Figs. 5a and 5b Preoperative view of patienr with indication for reduction mammaplasty, who complained of the size of her brcasts. Figs. 5c and 5d -Eight years after reduction mammaplasty. During that period, the patient gave birth and breastfed normally. The shape, size and consistency were maintained. 14 Rev. Soe. Bras. CiroPlast. Sao Paulo v.17 n.3 p. 11-26 ser/dez. 2002 Concepts 011 Mammaplasties and Mastopexies Figs. 6a and 6b Patienr with mild hypertrophy and good quality skin. Figs.6c and 6d Six months after mastopexy. Vertical scar and small scar in the subrnammary suJeus. Figs.7a and 7b 37 year-old patient with mammary ptosis. Good qualiry skin. Figs.7c and 7d 3 years after vertical mastopexy. lev. Soc.Bras. CiroPlast. Sao Paulo v.17 n.3 p. 11-26 ser/dez, 2002 15 Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Plastica SURGICAL MARKING SKIN RESECTION Firstly, a hemiclavicular line is drawo to the submammary sulcus through the nipple. A point is marked 00 the projectioo of this Lioe00 the submammary sulcus. This point, called ''N.', correspoods to the future positioo of the mammilary-areolar complexo This point may be positiooed a Littlelower io cases in which difficulty to lift the nipples is expected. After determioing the positioo of Fig. 8a Scherne of plane resection.


Study of the Assessments of Urban Public Secondary School Teachers with Regard to Sources of Information (February 1984) Francis A. Baran, B.S.Ed., Fitchburg State College M.S., University of Connecticut, M.Ed., Westfield State College C.A.G.S., University of Massachusetts Ed.D., University of Massachusetts Directed by: Professor William C. Wolf, Jr. The general purpose of this study was to ascertain the assessments of urban public secondary school teachers toward sources of information which are related to their professional practice. The specific purposes were: 1. To ascertain relationships between various demographic vari¬ ables (sex, age, training, experience and major teaching subject area) and the types of sources of information identified as important to personal practice. 2. To ascertain characteristics (i.e., age, training, experience, etc.) of subjects who identified the various sources of information: cosmopolite, localite, impersonal, personal, personal cosmopolite, personal localite, impersonal localite and impersonal cosmopolite as important to their practice. 3. To identify from a selected list, reasons selected urban public secondary school teachers need information.


This study aimed to examine the components needed to contain books of Persian literature on the components of national identity and religion was performed. This study, a survey was descriptive. The population of the experts and teachers from secondary schools to 70 people of which 60 were selected as the sample size. Data were gathered by a questionnaire. Credit collection by teachers and subject specialists confirmed .Inferential statistics t test and Friedman test was used to rank. The results showed that the experts emphasized the elements of national identity in the books of Persian literature at the high school level 1 and 2 need more elements of religious identity. "Pride and national dignity", "maintain the Persian language", "tend to be national myths," "Introduction to Persian proverbs" and "religious feelings of pride (pride in being Muslim)" Are the highest rating.


This paper presents a simple and adaptable matching method dealing with web directories, catalogs and OWL ontologies. By using a well-known Knowledge Discovery in Databases model, such as the association rule paradigm, this method has the originality to be both extensional and asymmetric. It works at the terminological level (by selecting concept-relevant terms contained in documents) and permits to discover equivalence and also subsumption relations holding between entities (concepts and properties). This method relies on the implication intensity measure, a probabilistic model of deviation from independence. Selection of significant rules between concepts (or properties) is lead by two criteria permitting to assess respectively the implication quality and the generativity of the rule. Finally, the proposed method is evaluated on two benchmarks. The first contains two conceptual hierarchies populated with textual documents and the second one is composed of OWL ontologies.


In this article,class and properties of natural antioxidant was introduced,and expounds emphatically the application of anti-oxidizing capability of natural antioxidant in meat products.The problems of natural antioxidant in application in meat products are analyzed.


A method for the retainer ball bearing unit, comprising two half cages (51, 52), both connected to each other and about a central plane of the bearing (P) of symmetry. Each half has an annular holder member (53), two coaxially and circumferentially extending radially in opposite directions continuous radial ridges (56, 57), a first ridge (56) extending radially outward direction to sealingly engage a recess (25) formed in the outer ring of the bearing unit, and a second ridge (57) extending inwardly in a radial inner direction to sealingly engage the bearing unit a recess (35) formed.


The invention relates to an energy-saving and low-dust emission coal-fired power generation system. The energy-saving and low-dust emission coal-fired power generation system comprises a boiler, a desulfurization tower and an electrostatic dust collector. The energy-saving and low-dust emission coal-fired power generation system is characterized in that a waste heat recovery system is arranged in the upstream direction of the desulfurization tower, and a dedusting system is arranged behind the desulfurization tower; a waste heat recovery system is arranged in the upstream direction of the desulfurization tower; or a dedusting system is arranged behind the desulfurization tower. The waste heat recovery system recovers heat in a high-temperature flue gas at a tail part of the boiler and sends the heat into a steam turbine heater, and comprehensive utilization of flue gas waste heat is achieved through saving of extraction flow of the heater. The invention provides an energy-saving and low-dust emission coal-fired power generation system, clean emission in a true sense is achieved through the waste heat recovery system and the dedusting system, and the energy-saving and low-dust emission coal-fired power generation system is simple, reliable and efficient.


Abstract : The mere mention of the name 'Vietnam' conjures up a multitude of conflicting images and emotions in the hearts and minds of individual Americans. The current move toward a normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) demands a new perspective be taken on this traditional ambivalence. By exploring the geographical, cultural, and historical development of political and military organizations in Vietnam, this thesis goes beyond the focus of most sociological models that begin their examination of civil-military relations in Vietnam with the Communist lead revolution of 1945. One such model, that of the Revolutionary Professional Soldier, is used by this author to examine the evolutionary nature of civil-military relations in Vietnam, from their earliest manifestations during the colonial period to the present.


SUMMARY Earlier theories as to the anatomical basis of pain postulated a direct 'pain pathway' from specific receptors in the periphery. Anatomical studies linked this with small myelinated and unmyelinated fibers in the peripheral nerves. Subsequently, hypotheses were advanced which postulated that pain depended upon particular spatial and temporal patterns of sensory input into the nervous system rather than upon specific sets of fibers. More recent physiological studies have demonstrated the existence of peripheral receptors that respond exclusively to noxious stimuli and morphometric studies on peripheral neuropathies in man clearly implicate small myelinated and unmyelinated axons in the conduction of pain. Morphometric studies have also shown that spontaneous pain in neuropathies may be associated with a selective loss of small fibers. These observations therefore support the earlier concept of a specific nociceptive pathway involving small caliber fibers in the peripheral nerves. It is evident that this afferent pathway is capable of modification in the spinal cord both by peripheral inputs and by descending impulses. The notion of a 'pain pathway' as such is probably best avoided.


Objective:To determine the effects of normoxic vs. hyperoxic resuscitation on oxidative stress in a model of pediatric asphyxial cardiac arrest. Design:Prospective, interventional study. Setting:University research laboratory. Subjects:Postnatal day 16–18 rats (n = 5 per group). Interventions:Rats underwent asphyxial cardiac arrest for 9 min. Rats were randomized to receive 100% oxygen, room air, or 100% oxygen with polynitroxyl albumin (10 mL·kg−1 intravenously, 0 and 30 min after resuscitation) for 1 hr from the start of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Shams recovered in 100% oxygen or room air after surgery. Measurements and Main Results:Physiological variables were recorded at baseline to 1 hr after resuscitation. At 6 hrs after asphyxial cardiac arrest, levels of reduced glutathione and protein-thiols (fluorescent assay), activities of total superoxide dismutase and mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase (cytochrome c reduction method), manganese superoxide dismutase expression (Western blot), and lipid peroxidation (4-hydroxynonenal Michael adducts) were evaluated in brain tissue homogenates. Hippocampal 3-nitrotyrosine levels were determined by immunohistochemistry 72 hrs after asphyxial cardiac arrest. Survival did not differ among groups. At 1 hr after resuscitation, Pao2, pH, and mean arterial pressure were decreased in room air vs. 100% oxygen rats (59 ± 3 vs. 465 ± 46 mm Hg, 7.36 ± 0.05 vs. 7.42 ± 0.03, 35 ± 4 vs. 45 ± 5 mm Hg; p < .05). Rats resuscitated with 100% oxygen had decreased hippocampal reduced glutathione levels vs. sham (15.3 ± 0.4 vs. 20.9 ± 4.1 nmol·mg protein−1; p < .01). Hippocampal manganese superoxide dismutase activity was significantly increased in 100% oxygen rats vs. sham (14 ± 2.4 vs. 9.5 ± 1.6 units·mg protein−1, p < .01), with no difference in protein expression of manganese superoxide dismutase. Room air and 100% oxygen plus polynitroxyl albumin groups had hippocampal reduced glutathione and manganese superoxide dismutase activity levels comparable with sham. Protein thiol levels were unchanged across groups. Compared with all other groups, rats receiving 100% oxygen had increased immunopositivity for 3-nitrotyrosine in the hippocampus and increased lipid peroxidation in the cortex. Conclusions:Resuscitation with 100% oxygen leads to increased oxidative stress in a model that mimics pediatric cardiac arrest. This may be prevented by using room air or giving an antioxidant with 100% oxygen resuscitation.


This study shows how pressure buildup data distorted by afterflow can be analyzed directly to give a numerical value for effective well-bore transmissibility. Because such data are directly indicative of well-bore-limited productivity, the method is helpful in assessing the need for and the effectiveness of a well stimulation. Alternatively, it is a method for interpreting that portion of a pressure buildup curve not subject to Horner analysis. The method does not require any estimates of formation or well-bore properties for the analysis. The procedure consists of first plotting pressure buildup from flowing pressure as a function of shut-in time on a log-log scale and, second, matching the data points to one of a set of parametric type curves. From this match, a numerical value is calculated for well-bore transmissibility. Finally, the shape of the buildup curve indicates either well-bore damage or stimulation. The generation and use of type curves with computed data illustrating the effects of well-bore damage or stimulation are described. A variety of field examples demonstrate the practical utility of the method.


In the area of stress-strength models there has been a large amount of work as regards estimation of the reliability R=Pr(X<Y). The algebraic form for R=Pr(X<Y) has been worked out for the vast majority of the well-known distributions when X and Y are independent random variables belonging to the same univariate family. In this paper, we consider forms of R when (X,Y) follows a bivariate distribution with dependence between X and Y. In particular, we derive explicit expressions for R when the joint distribution is bivariate beta. The calculations involve the use of special functions.


This article discusses the recent adoption of the concept of civil society by Latin American social movements and political theorists. Our argument is that civil society has been employed in two contexts in Latin America: 1) in the re-interpretation of the ambiguous reception of liberalism in the region; 2) in the analysis of the constitution of a realm of societal autonomy throughout the struggle against authoritarianism. It is our contention in this article that social movements and civil associations are playing a central role in both processes.


Objective To express porcine interferon γ(poIFNγ)in prokaryotic cells and prepare the antisera. Methods The gene fragment encoding mature polypeptide of poIFNγ was amplified by PCR and cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pET28a(+). The constructed recombinant plasmid pET-28a-poIFNγ was transformed to E. coli BL21(DE3)for expression under induction of IPTG. The expressed protein was purified and inoculated to mice, and the antisera were prepared and determined for titer by ELISA. Results Both restriction analysis and sequencing proved that recombinant plasmid pET-28a-poIFNγ was constructed correctly. The expressed product, mainly existing in a form of inclusion body, contained 40% of total somatic protein and reached a purity of 90% after purification. The titer of prepared antisera was 10-5. Conclusion Porcine interferon γ was successfully expressed in E. coli, and high titer antisera was prepared.


A symmetry broken dielectric nanostructure that supports high-Q resonance is proposed to generate a wide range of pure visible colors. An antireflective coating layer is used to reduce reflection from a substrate. Almost 85.06% of sRGB and 64.77% of total color coverage are achieved from the structure.


Abstract This paper looks at the state of obscenity laws in the region, with specific reference to the Philippines. It begins with a discussion of the idea of free speech and the press being enshrined in the Philippines Constitution, and a review of US cases that have seen free speech pitted against obscenity laws. It then turns to the measures that have been taken in the region, particularly in regard to different countries' approaches to cyberspace regulation and to ASEAN's initiatives as a group.


The Dahl Salt-Sensitive (SS) rat maintained on a low salt diet exhibits a differential response to pregnancy; approximately half develop maternal syndrome (hypertension and proteinuria) while the other half are protected. The exact mechanisms of maternal syndrome are unclear, but it is proposed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved. Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated the importance of NADPH oxidase (NOX) 2-derived ROS produced by immune cells in the development of salt-sensitive hypertension and renal disease. Given the role of NOX2-derived ROS in the Dahl SS rat, we tested the hypothesis that genetic deletion of the p67phox subunit of NOX2 (SS
 Ncf2-/-
 ) will result in the protection from developing maternal syndrome. To test this hypothesis, 8 week old female Dahl SS and SS
 Ncf2-/-
 were instrumented with radio-telemeters for continuous measurement of mean arterial pressure (MAP). After a recovery period, baseline MAP was measured as well as an overnight urine collection for markers of renal damage before females were mated with males of the same strain and age. Virgin litter-mate controls were run in parallel. As expected, MAP and protein excretion levels were comparable at baseline between virgin and mated SS
 Ncf2-/-
 rats. These parameters remained comparable at the late pregnancy time point (108±3 vs 112±1mmHg, 9±3 vs 16±5mg/day,
 p
 >0.05). In contrast to the SS preeclamptic pregnancy, the SS
 Ncf2-/-
 mated rats are protected from the development of maternal syndrome (141±8 vs 112±1mmHg,
 p
 <0.001; and 98±16 vs 16±5mg/day,
 p
 <0.001; in the SS vs SS
 Ncf2-/-
 , respectively). This protection is accompanied with a significant reduction in uterine artery resistance index which is a marker of impaired blood flow, in the SS
 Ncf2-/-
 (0.85±0.03 vs 0.59±0.02,
 p
 <0.01). Despite these phenotypic differences, the number of infiltrating immune cells into kidneys or placentas do not differ between these two groups. These results suggest that NOX2-derived ROS contribute to the pathogenesis of maternal syndrome in the Dahl SS rat, and further investigations are necessary to clarify the source of the ROS within key organs such as the kidney and placenta.


A hypercrosslinked polymer (HCP)-immobilized ruthenium catalyst (HCP–PPh3–Ru) was prepared from benzene and triphenylphosphine (PPh3) through a one-step external cross-linking reaction. The structure and composition of the catalyst were fully characterized by many physicochemical methods. HCP–PPh3–Ru was found to possess high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, large pore volume, and low skeletal density. Moreover, the Ru catalyst was also featured some advantages, such as low synthetic cost and good chemical and thermal stability. HCP–PPh3–Ru was then used as a recoverable and effective catalyst for the synthesis of 2,4-diaryl-substituted pyridines from acetophenones, ammonium acetate (NH4OAc) and dimethylformamide (DMF), and the cycloaddition reaction of diazodicarbonyl compounds with olefins to afford dihydrofurans. In addition, a combination of HCP–PPh3–Ru and Amberlyst-15 enabled us to establish a simple protocol for the direct synthesis of carbazole derivatives from diazodicarbonyl compound, alkyl vinyl ether and indole. In these selected reactions, the catalyst was easily recovered and reused several times without significant activity loss.


Flow electrode CDI systems (FE-CDI) have recently garnered attention because of their ability to prevent cross contamination, and operate in uninterrupted cycles ad infinitum. Typically, FE-CDI electrodes suffer from low conductivity, which reduces deionization performance. Higher mass loading to combat low conductivity leads to poor rheological properties, which prevent the process from being continuous and scalable. Herein, Ti3C2Tx MXenes were introduced as 1 mg/mL slurry electrodes in an FE-CDI system for the removal and recovery of ammonia from stimulated wastewater. The electrode performance was evaluated by operating the FE-CDI system with a feed solution of 500 mg/L NH4Cl running in batch mode at a constant voltage of 1.2 and -1.2 V in charging and discharging modes respectively. Despite low loading compared to activated carbon solution, Ti3C2Tx flowing electrodes showed markedly improved performance by achieving 60% ion removal efficiency in a saturation time of 115 minutes, and an unprecedented adsorption capacity of 460 mg/g. The system proved to be a green technology by exhibiting satisfactory charge efficiency of 58-70% while operating at a relatively low energy consumption of 0.45 kWh/kg when compared to the current industry standard nitrification-denitrification ammonia stripping process. A 92% regeneration efficiency showed that the electrodes were stable and suitable for long term and scalable usage. The results demonstrate that MXenes hold great potential in improving the FE-CDI process for energy-efficient removal and recovery of ammonium ions from wastewater.


Alyssa Brugman is an Australian YA writer whose novels Finding Grace, Walking Naked, and Being Bindy have had success around the world, and have been shortlisted for numerous awards. She has also recently released a series of pony books published by Random House Australia: For Sale and Swap, Beginner's Luck, and Hot Potato. Her forthcoming novel, Solo, is scheduled for release in 2007. She lives in the gorgeous Hunter Valley. Australia's oldest wine producing region, where she writes full time. MCCAFFERTY: You've lived in Australia all your life. Where in Australia did you grow up? BRUGMAN: I grew up in a few places. When I was a child we moved from the mining towns out west to the northern beaches in Sydney. MCCAFFERTY: What was it like for you growing up? BRUGMAN: It's probably too complicated to go into at any length; but, to summarize, my parents divorced when I was six. I had one brother at the time, and then my mother married a man who had three daughters. They had two sons together. Then my father married a woman who had a daughter and a son. And then both my mother and my father divorced from their second partners. So at one stage I had four brothers, four sisters, and four parents. Now I have one brother and two half-brothers--technically--and only one parent who I am still in contact with. Over the course of the years I have lived in many different arrangements. I've been the oldest, the youngest, the middle child, the only girl, the youngest of four girls, with a single parent, in a nuclear family, and so forth. I've experienced most incarnations you can imagine. It all sounds a bit bogan (you would probably say "trailer park") when you summarize it like that, but it all happened over the space of twenty years or so. MCCAFFERTY: When did you begin writing? BRUGMAN: I can remember sitting in class in Year Four and embarking on a very Enid Blyton--inspired piece and being frustrated because I didn't have the vocabulary to express the story I was trying to tell. I must have been okay since I was selected for a special class with a visiting author (which was much less common than it is these days). It was during that visit that I decided writing wasn't for me because I had a lot of trouble doing the task that the writer set for me. So I'm careful these days when I visit schools, not to make the exercises too daunting. After Year Four I pretty much gave up on fiction until I was in my early twenties and I started again with Finding Grace. I did become involved in drama at school, and actor-improvised pieces in particular, which is storytelling. Writing essays is storytelling. Entertaining friends and family with tall tales over a meal is storytelling. We all do it every day. MCCAFFERTY: I agree that we're all storytellers in one way or another. It was Maeve Binchy who wrote that writing is talking. Surely you were a reader, too. What were some of your favorite books as a child? BRUGMAN: Writers that spring immediately to mind are Joan Aiken, Robert Cormier, and John Wyndham. We didn't have a television when I was growing up. Other kids used to stare and ask, "Do you have electricity?" as if they are mutually inclusive. My stepfather "didn't believe in it" [television]. So I read. I must have always had some interest in structure, because in primary school I read all the Agatha Christie mysteries. I would bookmark the pages with notes on how I thought the murder happened and then at the end I would go back and see if or when I figured it out. My mother was an English teacher so she gave me a lot of books to read and most were YA. She would give me eight or ten books and ask me to pick the ones I enjoyed most, and she would teach those. In later years, I would be given a book in class, and I would think, "Hey, I've read this already!" My parents had an extensive library, and they didn't censor my reading. I think they probably should have, but as you can imagine, there were a lot of kids to watch in my family, so the one sitting on the couch reading was the least of their worries! …


Objective:To evaluate the diagnotic value of DWI in acute purulent meningitis. Methods:MRI and DWI manifestations of 10 cases of acute purulent meningitis were retrospectively analyzed,and compared with 4 cases of tuberculosis meningitis,3 cases of viral meningitis and 1 case of fungus meningitis. Results: all of 10 cases of acute purulent meningitis have DWI high signal in cerebral subarachnoid space,and 4 cases of them have DWI high signal in cerebral ventricle.other kinds of meningitis have not DWI high signal. Conclusion: DWI might be helpful in diagnosis of Acute Purulent Meningitis.