Development of oil and gas deposits in fractured reservoirs entails certain risks due to peculiarities of geological structure. Classification and identification of fractures in reservoirs is of high-priority importance and makes it possible to assess the impact of both fractured systems and matrix blocks on field development parameters.
This article presents the results of statistical and qualitative analysis of the influence of fracture systems and fracture heterogeneity to classify reservoirs in crystalline basement granitoids using the example of the White Tiger (Bach Ho) and Dragon (Rong) fields located on the southern shelf of the South China Sea (Viet Nam). Field classification of fractured reservoirs is based on a well-marked difference in parameters between wells within a field, due to fracture heterogeneity. In order to solve the tasks set, construction and analysis of graphs of well performance parameters distribution (productivity, flow rates, accumulated indicators, etc.) as well as Lorenz curves were carried out. According to the results, all the objects under study are characterized by asymmetrical shape of distribution curves, which indicates a significant influence of fracturing.
Based on the calculated values of the fracture influence coefficient, it is found that fractured reservoirs in crystalline basement, as a first approximation, belong to type 2. This fact is inconsistent with the earlier works on crystalline basement, in which rocks are classified as reservoirs of type 1. Such contradiction is explained by the fact that the microfracture systems and the blocky low-permeability part exhibit matrix properties, but are not fully matrix. This part of the reservoir is proposed to be called a "pseudo-matrix". If macrocracks dominate in the section, the basement rocks are identified as type 1 fractured reservoirs, but if microfracture systems ("pseudo-matrix") dominate in some parts of the void space, they may show the properties of type 2 reservoirs forming a mixed type of fractured reservoirs.


Based on Venigalla's work, we mainly constructed a multiclass, multimode nonadditive path costs traffic assignment model with emission effects under different engine operating modes. Then, we used a path-based gradient projection (GP) algorithm to solve the mathematic model we put forward. After that, we applied the model as well as the GP algorithm into Charlotte network as a numerical example. In particular, we considered different network structures and different locations in the model so that it can simulate on-road vehicle situation. Compared with the F-W algorithm, it can be shown that GP algorithm has a rapid convergence speed than FW algorithm. The results also demonstrate that GP algorithm could be widely used in solving the traffic assignment problem with nonadditive path costs.


Executive Summary Context: Hospital report cards have been around for at least a century. In their contemporary expression, hospital report cards are often seen as originating with the mandatory report cards on coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) in New York and Pennsylvania in the early 1990s. While hospital report cards have proliferated in the US as well as the UK, Canada has adopted their use at a slower pace and as a result has fewer of them. The late 1990s were witness to the first Ontario Hospital Report. In response to the Ontario Hospital Report, Canada's Fraser Institute developed and publicly released its own version of a hospital report card. As report cards become increasingly popular in Canada, it is worth reflecting on pitfalls to be avoided in their production as well as on how they might best function to help hospitals achieve a standard of excellence. This care in reflection is particularly important given the fact that the fervor or enthusiasm for the public reporting of quality improvement data is well ahead of the science that supports such reporting. Objective: In this paper we compare the Ontario Hospital Report with one produced by the Fraser Institute for both British Columbia and Ontario. The two reports are quite different in format although both use a similar data source from the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI). Analysis Design: The two hospital report cards were evaluated according to the following: 1) relevance of the indicators (importance of areas covered, comprehensiveness of the picture of hospital performance, validity of indicators as 2 measures of quality); 2) relevance of the methodology (does methodology compensate for indicator limitations, sufficiency and quality of data used, appropriateness of scoring system), and 3) analysis and interpretation of results (objective presentation of results, presentation of limitations, utility of presentation of results). Results: The Ontario Hospital Report employed a balanced scoreboard approach. This specific hospital report card should be regarded as a work in progress. Some of the indicators used were fairly new, and even some of the more established indicators could benefit from validation studies. Nevertheless, the process by which the research group has developed and is refining this hospital report card-including extensive stakeholder participation, repeated investigation of data quality issues, and ongoing assessment of indicators-is very strong. This process inspires confidence that the report is currently as good as it can be, and that it will …


The reproductive and psychosocial health problems of the women victims of flood continue anarea that government is hardly conscious about. The current study hence puts forward that theimplementation of the main beliefs of cognitive- behavioral therapy on the victims, particularlyfor problems like women's reproductive role and psychosocial distress. Studies explored all overthe world have exhibited that during flood, women are distressed differently and there is asystem of gender discrimination at each level of the disaster course: exposure to risk, physical,psychological and psychosocial impact and the context seems no different in Assam, India.Women and girls in Assam take the strain of floods every year. Women and girl children shouldbe carefully considered in all planning and programs pertained to disaster process. It needs to beassured that flood


Hypertension remains one of the important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and a major global public health problem. The left ventricular hypertrophy is a recognized complication of systemic hypertension and strongly predicts cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In Nigeria, few studies have evaluated the accuracy of multiple electrocardiography (ECG) criteria in the diagnosis of the left ventricular hypertrophy among hypertensives. This study sets out to determine ECG criterion or criteria that define most accurately echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) among patients with hypertension in a tertiary health institution in Nigeria.

One hundred and seventy-eight hypertensives and 89 age- and sex-matched controls were recruited consecutively into the study. All participants including hypertensives and control subjects had echocardiography whereas only hypertensive subjects had both echocardiography and ECG. ECG LVH was determined using various ECG criteria.

The various ECG criteria for diagnosis of LVH were lower in sensitivities (23.5–38.6%) compared to specificities (64.1–72.9%). The sensitivities and specificities were 28.9% and 64.0%, 38.6% and 72.9%, 23.5% and 64.1%, 34.6% and 69.4%, 34.4% and 68.0%, and 38.6% and 72.9% for Sokolow-Lyon, Cornell voltage, Romhilt-Estes, Cornell duration product, Goldberger, and Massoleini criteria, respectively. The areas under the various receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were 0.7010, 0.6040, 0.5960, 0.5950, 0.4790, and 0.4660 for Sokolow-Lyon, Cornell voltage, Massoleini, Romhilt-Estes, Goldberger, and Cornell product duration criteria, respectively.

Cornell voltage, Sokolow-Lyon, and Massoleini ECG criteria had the highest combination of sensitivities and specificities with the highest ROC values and thus most accurate ECG LVH criteria


BACKGROUND: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease, compulsory notification is mandatory your research (BRASIL, 2010). LITERATURE REVIEW: In 2003, the prevalence rate of leprosy in Brazil was 4.52 cases per 10,000 inhabitants in 2011, dropped to 1.24 per 10,000 inhabitants (BRASIL, 2012). The social and psychological effects of the disease, as well as their weaknesses and highly visible consequences, resulted in a historical stigma associated with


The present invention relates to the manufacturing method of a kind of full welding steel case and full bolt truss combined bridge lower edge steel box-girder, the manufacturing method includes the following steps:(1)Assembled moulding bed makes;(2)Central bottom plate cell location;(3)Other bottom board unit positioning;(4)Group weldering tabula plate unit and web unit;(5)Group weldering top plate unit;(6)Group weldering anchor tie plate unit;(7)Group weldering tuyere plate unit;(8)Assemble lower-chord panel point plate;(9)Steel box girder segment preassembling and measurement.The advantage of the invention is that:Assembled order of the invention, convenient for the control of each node, meanwhile, the technological parameter of each node is strictly controlled, the splicing accuracy of lower edge steel box-girder has been effectively ensured.


Search for effective biological strain for use to remedy water pollution has been limited. This study was performed to search for effective bacteria capable of extracting nitrate from wastewater. Samples from abattoir inside (Abi) and abattoir outside (Abt), fishpond of kwalkwalawa (Fpk) and mabera fishpond (Fpm) wastewater were used. Using conventional standard plate technique as 1.96×10 7 cfu/ml (Abi) had highest bacteria count while 1.05×10 7 cfu/ml (Fpk) had minimal. The obtained pure colonies were morphologically and biochemically characterized including two Enterobacter specie, Proteus and Pseudomonas specie. The isolated organisms were used as a test organism for the removal of nitrate present in high nitrate containing medium. Prior to the extraction, the wastewater samples were physicochemically analyzed using parameters like color, odor, pH, alkalinity, hardness, temperature and nitrate. For nitrate extraction, bacteria were inoculated in a separate tubes containing nitrate broth, incubated in a rotary shaker 150rpm at 37°C for 16hrs. The supernatant from 10minutes centrifuged culture were used for nitrate removal evaluation after a series of reaction and stop using spectrophotometer at 420nm. The absorbance 0.732 proteus specie after estimation of nitrate in a medium was maximal while Enterobacter specie 0.574 was minimal. Meanwhile, two of the Enterobacter specie has similar absorbance 0.012 while Original Research Article Bello et al.; JALSI, 23(12): 52-58, 2020; Article no.JALSI.63551 53 Proteus and Pseudomonas species had 0.016 and 0.010 respectively in the nitrate concentration removed within the media. The nitrate present in the medium was compared with a known standard curve prepared with NaNO3 at 100-1000 ppm. The result indicated that bacteria from fish pond wastewaters had highest potential for extracting nitrate and that inherent bacteria are capable of removing pollutant nitrate and the bacteria may be able to remove nitrate efficiently if genetically engineered.


In baroque literature, el desengano is a commonplace that gets a large development. El desengano means that man realizes that everything he can see is «vanas sombras». In this article, the question of blindness in Lope de Vega's religious poetry is studied through three different aspects: first, blindness of the self in religious poetry is considered as a transformation «a lo divino» of petrarchist lover blindness. Secondly, the divine call is studied in some literary and religious texts, like Saint August Confessions , or Lope de Vega's Soliloquios . Finally, the different methods used by the Society of Jesus to finish with man's blindness ( compositio loci , emblems) are analysed.


(11S, 12R)-and (11R, 12S)-[2H14]palmitic acids 1 are converted in the pheromone gland of the moth Mamestra brassicae into the [2H11]- or [2H13]-hexadec-11-enyl acetates 2 by a formal syn-elimination of the C(11)-HR and C(12)-HR hydrogen atoms; this characterises the unique Δ11 desaturase from insects as closely related to the Δ9 desaturases from mammals, plants and bacteria.


Ag-Pd core–shell nanoparticles with different thickness of Pd shell are successfully prepared applying polyol methods with 1,2-propanediol as a solvent and reducing agent. A strongly electronic interaction between the sublayer Ag and surface Pd atoms are measured for the Ag-Pd core–shell particles with lower Pd/Ag atom ratios (Pd:Ag ⩽ 3:10), which derives from the near-surface alloying effect. Upon increasing the thickness of Pd shell, the effect of Ag core on surface Pd atoms become weaker, correspondingly the surface Pd atoms present the features closed to pure Pd. All Ag10@Pdx/C core–shell catalysts exhibit improved ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) activities compared to pure Pd/C. Here, the EOR activities of Ag10@Pdx/C catalysts decrease when adding the thickness of the Pd shell, in which the Ag10@Pdx/C with the lowest Pd/Ag ratios (Pd/Ag = 1:10) shows the highest i p value ten times that of Pd/C. The participation of Ag as a core with low electronegativity and larger lattice constant can increase the electron densities and bring the lattice expansion of surface Pd atoms, due to the electron effect and the geometric effect, which effectively strengthen the bonding energy of reaction species on Pd surface and benefit the OH– adsorption for EOR, especially in lower Pd/Ag ratios than forming a monolayer Pd. For oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), the Ag10@Pdx/C samples also exhibit enhanced activities than pure Pd/C. Differently, there is a volcanic relation between the mass activities and the Pd/Ag atom ratios, where the Ag10@Pd3/C with about a monolayer Pd shell exhibits highest ORR activity. The improved ORR activities may be relay on the appropriate OH– adsorption, the exposed surface Ag atoms and the quick transformation of OH from Pd atoms.


The interconnection popularization has the profound influence on human society's development,the computer network and the multimedia technical development and is expediting one kind of new artistic class-network multimedia art,network multimedia art is one kind of new artistic class.Network multimedia art in the different form existence can affect the artist and the artistic dissemination simultaneously to receive the audiences.Under the network environment,network multimedia art(in narrow sense)has its unique characteristic,namely on-line dissemination,media dependence,interaction,hypothesized,idea,thus providing us a clear understanding to the network multimedia art.


The Polycomb group protein Bmi1 is a constituent of the Polycomb repressive complex 1, and it is an important molecule for the regulation of the self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells. In the field of clinical hematology, there are reports that the level of Bmi1 expression in blast cells is related to the prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, and myelodysplastic syndrome. We investigated whether the level of Bmi1 expression in leukemic cells is related to the prognosis and the characteristics of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In all the leukemic blast cells, Bmi1 gene expression was lower value than that in normal B cells. There were no correlations between the level of Bmi1 gene expression in leukemic blast cells and other parameters, including prognosis. Here, we report that the level of Bmi1 expression in blast cells is not related to the prognosis of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.


In this lecture, we prove the existence of a competitive equilibrium. We will first study the existence in an Edgeworth economy with two goods and two agents, and then study the existence for general models. As, in this course, we do not deal with multi-valued functions (sometimes called correspondences), the proof we will give will be based on Brouwer's fixed point theorem for functions, rather than Kakutani's fixed point theorem for correspondences. For this reason, the existence proof we give here does not directly replicate the idea used in 2 goods case. However, it saves us from the heavy lifting work of understanding (the continuity) of correspondences.


As engineers we would like to think that we produce something different from that of a chaotic system. The Eiffel tower is fundamentally different from the same components lying in a heap on the ground. Mt. Rushmore is fundamentally different from a random mountainside. But we lack a good method for quantifying this idea. This has led some to reject the idea that we can detect engineered or designed systems. Various methods have been proposed each of which has various faults. Some have trouble distinguishing noise from data, some are subjective, etc. We propose to use conditional Kolmogorov complexity to measure the degree of specification of an object. The Kolmogorov complexity of an object, is the length of the shortest computer program required to describe that object. Conditional Kolmogorov complexity is Kolmogorov complexity, with access to a context. The program can extract information from the context in a variety of ways allowing more compression. The more compressible an object is the more we may deem the object specified. Random noise is incompressible, and so compression indicates that the object is not simply random noise. We hope this model launches further dialog on use of conditional Kolmogorov complexity in the measurement of specified complexity.


Akenson, Donald. God's Peoples: Covenant and Land in South Africa, Israel, and Ulster. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1992. Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. London: Verso, 1983. App, Urs. The Birth of Orientalism. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2010. Atkins, Gareth. Converting Britannia: Evangelicals and British Public Life, c. 1770–1840. Woodbridge: Boydell and Brewer, 2019. Bar-Yosef, Eitan. The Holy Land in English Culture, 1799–1917. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. Barkun, Michael. Religion and the Racist Right: The Origins of the Christian Identity Movement. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1997. Batalden, Stephen K. Russian Bible Wars: Modern Scriptural Translation and Cultural Authority. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013. Batalden, Stephen K., Kathleen Cann and John Dean (eds). Sowing the Word: The Cultural Impact of the British and Foreign Bible Society, 1804–2004. Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix, 2004. Bayly, C. A. The Birth of the Modern World, 1780–1914. Oxford: Blackwell, 2004. Becker, Judith (ed.). European Missions in Contact Zones: Transformation through Interaction in a (Post-)Colonial World. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 2015. Bell, Duncan. The Idea of Greater Britain: Empire and the Future of World Order, 1860–1900. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007. Belich, James. Replenishing the Earth: The Settler Revolution and the Rise of the Angloworld. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. Benes, Tuska. In Babel's Shadow: Philology and the Nation in NineteenthCentury Germany. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 2008. Bhabha, Homi K. Nation and Narration. New York: Routledge, 1990. Boehmer, Elleke. Empire, the National, and the Postcolonial, 1890–1920: Resistance in Interaction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Brantlinger, Patrick. Rule of Darkness: British Literature and Imperialism, 1830–1914. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1990. Brantlinger, Patrick. Dark Vanishings: Discourse on the Extinction of Primitive Races, 1800–1930. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2003. Brett, Mark. Decolonizing God: The Bible in the Tides of Empire. Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix, 2008. Brown, Stewart J., and Timothy Tackett (eds). The Cambridge History of Christianity, Volume VII: Enlightenment, Reawakening and Revolution, 1660–1815. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Burton, Antoinette and Isabel Hofmeyr (eds). Ten Books that Shaped the British Empire: Creating an Imperial Commons. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2014. SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY


Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is the most common presenting complaint of patients in Gynaecology Outpatient department. Early diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia throughultrasongraphic measurement ofendometrial thickness and definite diagnosis by histopathologic examination will help the clinicians to give appropriate treatment to the patients.The objective of this study was to correlate the histopathology findings in abnormal uterine bleeding with endometrial thickness by ultrasonography. Methods: This was a prospective study done from Nov 2016 to June 2018.A total of 382 cases of AUBpresenting above 40 years of age were included. Endometrial thickness was measured by ultrasonography. Histopathological findings were studied and compared with the endometrial thickness. Statistical analysis were done using chi square test. Results: A total of 382 cases were analysed. Maximum number of cases were from perimenopausal age group (68.32%). Majority of the cases were due to non organiccauses(85.34%). 46.86% of patients hadendometrial thickness of 5-10mm followed by endometrial thickness of 11-15mm in39.01%. Disorderedproliferative endometriumwas the most common pattern (38.34%) in our studyfollowed by secretory endometrium (35.58%) and menstrual endometrium (18.71%).These findings were found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: A thorough histopathological work up and clinical correlation is mandatory in cases of abnormal uterine bleeding above 40 years to find out organic lesions. Careful screening can detect precursor lesions likeendometrial hyperplasiaand early cases ofendometrial carcinoma which has excellent prognosis and it will help in further management.


From a pressurized capsules irradiation experiment RIPCEX I in-pile creep deformation data were obtained by subtracting the strains due to swelling from the total deformations. The remaining creep strains may be explained as the sum of two deformation processes. The first one is proportional to stress and irradiation dose and corresponds to a SIPA type creep while the second one is proportional to stress and volume swelling and is comparable to the I-creep proposed by Gittus. The proportionality factors for these mechanisms are fairly constant for different stabilized austenitic steels within the temperature range applied in this irradiation experiment.


In this paper we discuss several different Kalman filter methods to estimate signal parameters in a GNSS receiver's signal tracking loop with a special emphasis given on how to construct the measurement residuals and the relevant design matrix. There are three variations of error state Kalman filters for a loop filter, and a direct state Kalman filter for the entire signal tracking loop. Based on detailed signal models for a signal tracking loop, four different Kalman filters for signal tracking are compared with the traditional one. Block diagram implementation of the direct state Kalman filter for the entire signal tracking loop is proposed by using the analogy relationship with the traditional method in a scalar tracking mode and a vector tracking mode. Numerical simulation results show that the Kalman filter methods provide 2 to 3 dB carrier-to-noise ratio gain in carrier phase and Doppler tracking compared to the traditional method.


- Hidden Markov models (HMMs) have been extensively used in biological sequence analysis. HMMs and their applications in a variety of problems in molecular biology. The difficulty of using computational approaches to discover genes in DNA sequences is yet unsolved. gene prediction from within genomic DNA are far from being powerful enough to elucidate the gene structure completely. We develop a hidden Markov model (HMM) to represent the degeneracy features of splicing junction donor sites in eucaryotic genes. he HMM system is fully trained using an expectation maximization algorithm and the system performance is evaluated using the 10-way cross-validation method. he HMM system is fully trained using an expectation maximization algorithm and the system performance is evaluated using the 10-way cross-validation method. Abstract- Hidden Markov models (HMMs) have been extensively used in biological sequence analysis. HMMs and their applications in a variety of problems in molecular biology. The difficulty of using computational approaches to discover genes in DNA sequences is yet unsolved. gene prediction from within genomic DNA are far from being powerful enough to elucidate the gene structure completely. We develop a hidden Markov model (HMM) to represent the degeneracy features of splicing junction donor sites in eucaryotic genes. he HMM system is fully trained using an expectation maximization algorithm and the system performance is ev aluated using the 10-way cross-validation method. he HMM system is fully trained using an expectation maximization algorithm and the system performance is evaluated using the 10-way cross-validation method.


The problem of controlling the tip position of an experimental flexible-link manipulator is considered. An output feedback control strategy is employed to overcome the non-minimum phase characteristics of the model. The controller consists of an inner stabilizing control loop and an outer servo loop that allows tracking of the desired trajectory. Experimental results are presented to illustrate the performance of the proposed controllers.<<ETX>>


The utility model discloses differential fiber fabric, which is formed by weaving first warp yarns, second warp yarns and wefts; the distance between each first warp yarn and each second warp yarn is larger than or equal to 1; the first warp yarn is a staple fiber yarn; and the second warp yarn is classified as a filament fiber. A fabric in the warp direction adopts differential staple fiber yarns and filament fibers synchronously, so that the defect in the prior art that the fabric in the warp direction only adopts staple fiber yarns with different performances or filament fibers with different performances is overcome, and the differential performance and the fashionable style of the fabric can be exerted vividly and incisively. Therefore, the differential fiber fabric meets the needs for people to pursue the individuation and differentiation.


Abstract : This report describes three laboratory simulation experiments to compare target acquisition performance obtained using monochrome and colour films of identical routes and targets. It is concluded that monochrome films give similar results to those obtained with colour films for relatively prominent targets capable of being acquired at long ranges in: (1) experiments which involve first-pass detection range measurements, or (2) experiments involving potential range measurements. The adequacy of monochrome films for simulating the acquisition of more difficult targets, only capable of being acquired at short ranges, or more difficult navigation tasks remains untested.


The start-up of a sequencing batch biofilter integrating anaerobic and aerobic conditions, for the mineralization of P-nitrophenol (PNP) was studied. In this study a reactor packed with volcanic stones and inoculated with microorganisms from activated sludge processes treating municipal and industrial wastewater was used. The reactor was acclimated with a concentration of PNP of 25 mg/l during 75 days (25 cycles). The duration of the first two operation cycles was 8 days. As the bacterial population acclimated to the anaerobic/aerobics conditions, cycles duration was reduced to 40 h (30 h anaerobic stage and 10 h aerobic one). The PNP was transformed to p-aminophenol (PAP) in the anaerobic phase. The mineralization of PAP was found in the oxidative phase. Removal efficiencies of 100% were obtained for initial concentrations of 25 and 55 mg/l of PNP. In the reductive phase (anaerobic) 60% of biotransformation of the PNP to PAP was observed. In the aerobic phase the amines mineralization was 100%.


1. Let's start at the top. According to the first two sentences of the version of Cooke and Young's paper which I received for developing these comments: "Over the last decade, there has been a rapid increase in the number of mergers in the United States. Yet, this development has not been marked by an indepth consideration of the impacts of such takeovers" (my italics.) But as I understand the typical use of the terms, there is a significant difference between the ethical issues involved in mergers and takeovers. Not all mergers involve takeovers, and not all takeovers involve mergers. For an example of the first type, consider the company now called Dart and Kraft. Kraft Foods did not make a tender offer for the stock of Dart Industries, or vice versa; there was simply an exchange of the individual companies' securities for the stock of the new, larger company, and a rather minimal consolidation of operations. On the other hand, consider the oil company takeovers which T. Boone Pickens has attempted to engineer: his objective has been, not to merge Gulf or Philips or Union into his company, Mesa Petroleum, but rather to break them up, selling off unprofitable refining and marketing operations, and separating the stream of earnings from proven reserves from exploration and development activities. So mergers, particularly amicable conglomerations, and takeovers, particularly hostile asset plays, raise very different ethical questions (though there may of course be some overlap, since all or part of the operations of a company which is taken over may be merged into those of the acquiring company.) With mergers, while there may be some loss of jobs or plant closings due to consolidation of overlapping operations (as in the merger of Jones and Laughlin Steel and LTV Corp.), the focus is usually on large-scale questions about antitrust, concentration of power, appropriate public policy with respect to industries facing foreign competition, etc. With takeovers, the focus is usually on the rules of tender-offer warfare, the rights of


Objective:To observe dynamic changes of lung perfusion of the acute PE and to compare with the gold standard in pathology,to evaluate dual-energy perfusion imaging for diagnosing acute PE by using dual-source CT.Methods:24 experimental rabbit models of acute pulmonary embolism were established via femoral vein using gelatin sponge as embolus materials,which were randomly divided into 4 groups (i.e.group 2h,1d,3d,and 7d,n=6,respectively).Standard non-enhanced and contrast enhanced dual source CT scanning with dual energy mode were performed pre-and post-embolization 2h,1d,3d,7d.All images including pre-and post-embolization were analyzed by lung PBV software.CTPA,dual energy perfusion imaging (DEPI),and fusion images were obtained.To observe the dynamic changes of lung perfusion,the numbers and locations of PE in DEPI,CTPA,and fusion images were recorded in a per lobe basis;The location and number of the embolism in these slices were recorded.With the pathology results as the reference standards,sensitivity,specificity,PPV,and NPC of CTPA,DEPI,and fusion images were measured.Results:Before embolization on the DEPI,lung appeared as uniform red pseudo-color.at 2h after embolization,the embolic lung tissue showed blue,at 1d and 3d,blue and black;7 day,black.Comparing to pathology as a standard of reference,sensitivity,specificity,PPV,and NPV of CTPA,DEPI,and fused images were 100%,95%,95%,and 100%,98%,100%,100%,and 99%,respectively.Conclusion:Dual-energy lung perfusion imaging of DSCT can display the dynamic changes of the lung perfusion after PE,which has a high diagnostic sensitivity in assessment of acute pulmonary embolism.


Noctilucent Clouds (NLC) are observed since 1997 by a RMR lidar at a mid-latitude site at Kühlungsborn/Germany (54°N, 12°E). In June 2019, we detected the brightest NLC so far, having a backscatter coefficient at 532 nm of ~50-10 /m/sr, while 2.5-10 /m/sr is a typical value at this location. Another three NLC in that period reached a backscatter coefficient of more than 20-10 /m/sr. These strong NLC allow, e.g., for high-resolved studies with temporal resolution of 10 seconds and vertical resolution of 45 m. We will show examples of high-frequency oscillations in our data that cannot be found with typical integration times of several minutes. The period in June 2019 was not only unique in terms of NLC brightness, but also regarding NLC occurrence. While the all-year average is ~6 %, the occurrence rate in 2019 was 13 % and, and 20% if we consider June only. In the past, we found an anti-correlation between solar activity and NLC occurrence: Increasing solar UV radiation results in enhanced radiative heating and photolytic water vapor destruction. However, the high number of NLC in 2019 can only partly be explained by solar activity, even if the Lyman-alpha flux was slightly lower compared to previous years. TIMED/SABER monthly averaged temperature profiles showed an unusual low mesopause in June 2019, related to lower-than-average temperatures below 83 km. We claim that this as the main reason for the comparatively frequent and bright NLC. At the same time, meridional wind data of our nearby meteor radar show only weak southward winds and even a wind reversal at 93 km, which is not typical for the season. We will discuss potential reasons for the strange dynamical situation. We note that the weather dependent lidar observations are in good agreement with the radar observations of ice particles, so-called Mesospheric Summer Echoes (MSE). Co-located radar observations also showed unusually large occurrence rates of MSE in June 2019 as well as the occasion of many MSE below 83 km altitude.


This paper studies multivariate nonparametric change point localization and inference problems. The data consists of a multivariate time series with potentially short range dependence. The distribution of this data is assumed to be piecewise constant with densities in a Hölder class. The change points, or times at which the distribution changes, are unknown. We derive the limiting distributions of the change point estimators when the minimal jump size vanishes or remains constant, a first in the literature on change point settings. We are introducing two new features: a consistent estimator that can detect when a change is happening in data with short-term dependence, and a consistent block-type long-run variance estimator. Numerical evidence is provided to back up our theoretical results.


The paper reseachs to determine Ca2+ and Mg2+ of ground water by automatic titrate instrumout It is titrated by EDTA The point of titration is judged by computer The method is simple and exact The detection limit for Ca2+ is 0126 mg/L The detection limit for Mg2+ is 0143mg/L The RSD of Ca2+ is 123% The RSD of Mg2+ is 137% The average recoverys of Ca2+ and Mg2+ are 978%~1041%


Radioactive 129 I has a half-life of 1.57x10 7 years and is produced in the nuclear fuel cycle. One method of conditioning 129 I is to adsorb it from a gas stream heated at ~ 200 0 C onto a AgNO3 impregnated ceramic to form Ag 129 I. A range of commercial porous AgNO3-impregnated porous alumina and silica sorbents are available for this purpose. Once 129 I is incorporated as Ag 129 I then the long term immobilization is a challenging problem because of the long half-life of 129 I and its volatility during processing. In this paper we review the work carried out by various investigators in attempting to contain this Ag 129 I and our current program. It covers the immobilization of AgI in glasses, ceramics and other matrices by sintering, hot pressing or hot isostatically pressing (HIPing). The volatilization of AgI above its melting point of ~ 552 0 C entails that HIPing in a can is a very good option to produce a dense material. The matrix selected has to densify at low temperatures to prevent the AgI volatilization. The selection of the matrix, the HIPing temperature and the aqueous durability of the matrix will determine the best solution for the immobilization of 129 I via AgNO3-impregnated sorbents.


term &dquo;efficiency.&dquo; Moreover, it has often been misapplied and abused. Part of the explanation lies in a failure to understand the basic concept of the term. Other contributing factors are: use of the term in a loose and vague manner, failure to consider it from the point of view of all interests involved, consideration from a short-run standpoint rather than the long pull, and neglect to keep in mind the ultimate objective of the effort to which the term has been applied. It is therefore deemed advisable to throw some light on these points in the following few paragraphs.


In recent works the self-assembly process has been investigated to replace the present chromating procedure on reactive metals like aluminium and the improve the lacquer adhesion and corrosion inhibition. These self-assembling layers were formed of small bifunctional organic molecules with phosphate or phosphonic acid groups attached to the metal substrate. The idea of this work was to apply these results and techniques to cellulose derivatives on implant metals. The formation of ultra-thin layers of phosphorylated cellulose derivatives has been reported previously. These ultrathin layers were built on metal substrates like aluminium, titanium or steel for adhesion promotion and corrosion inhibition. Hydroxypropyl-2-phosphatepropyl cellulose was synthesised for adhesion on hydrophilic metallic surface. Hydroxypropyl-2-cinnamoylpropylester cellulose was prepared in order to crosslink the adsorbed layers. The layers were formed on metal surfaces via dip coating from dilute solutions and characterised by means of contact angle measurements, SEM investigations and FT-IR spectroscopy. Initial corrosion tests were performed.


Based on conventional research methods in the field of Sport Education, the results of the article have been systematized with formulas and algorithm systems commonly used in analysis and processing Sport Science Data, thereby identifying the errors that are often made when applying Mathematical Methods of Statistics, to be the basis for offering the application of mathematical theory of methods in analyzing and processing data, contributing to improving the quality of scientific research in school.


In this paper we discuss our approach to based on holographic techniques implementation of neuro-fuzzy predictor for processes, described by Fractal Brownian Motion (FBM) model. We use the model of the predictor as a Riemann - Stieltjes integral over the observed traffic of specific weight function. We discuss two-layered bi-directional optical neural network to find our solution. To find the weight function we use non-linearity in the correlation layer of the neural network. In our experiments we used air-photograph of forest as this kind of images demonstrates self-similarity property and can be described by the FBM model. As a first step we used approximate solution for the weight function, achieved by using binary filtering function in the correlation layer. We demonstrate experimental results and discuss directions of our future investigations.


Background: To assess maternal and perinatal outcome in preterm labour associated with a a-symptomatic bacteriuria. Materials and Methods: forty preterm labour cases (group I) and equal number of subjects with no pre-term labour (group II) were selected. A clean mid-stream urine sample was collected from all patients. Pus cells per high power field were measured after direct microscopy examination of the unspun urine. Result: Out of 40 pre-term patients, asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) was seen in 10 (25%). Parity was nulliparous in 12 in group I and 10 in group II, multiparous in 18 and 22, grand multi in 10 and 8. BMI was obese in 22 and 20 and non-obese in 18 and 20 in group I and II respectively. Comorbidity was anaemia in 6and2,hypertension in 1 and 0, hypothyroidism in 3 and 1, GDM in 4 and 3 and renal calculi in 3 and 1 in group I and II respectively. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Common micro-organism isolated were E. coli in 5, mixedin 3, Klebsiella in 1 and Pseudomonas in 1 patient. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Intrauterine growth restriction was seen in 1 and 0, low birth weight (LBW) in 3 and 1, preeclamptic toxaemia was seen in 2 and 1 and preterm premature rupture of membrane in 1 and 0 in group I and group II respectively. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Asymptomatic bacteriuria is a typical illness. Asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy increases the likelihood of negative maternal and foetal outcomes in pregnant women.


The development status of peanut industry in Linyi City was described,the existing problems were analyzed,and the development suggestions were put forward,so as to promote the development of peanut industry in Linyi City.


Liquid dairy manure is applied with irrigation water or injected into the soil, as well as being used for the production of biogas. One of the problems facing dairy operations is the slurry manure transportation and pumping through pipelines to distant locations of the farm, especially when the sand content (used as bedding material) increases. In this study, rheological properties of sand-laden dairy manure (SLDM) including total solids (TS%), density and apparent viscosity were determined at four levels of manure solids (7, 10, 13 and 16 %TS) as well as the liquid manure taken from a manure separator tested at shear rates of 1.76 to 225.28 1/s using a concentric cylindrical rheometer. Effect of temperature on the apparent viscosity at five levels (10° C, 21° C, 30° C, 40° C and 50° C) and various shear rates was investigated. Fresh manure collected with a scraper contained 36% sand. Results of the study showed that sand-laden manure is a non-Newtonian fluid, and behaves as a shear thinning material (pseudoplastic), but approaches Newtonian fluid when concentration decreases. Increasing the sand content, will increase density and reduce the viscosity of the slurry manure. Apparent viscosity at a shear rate of 112.64 1/s and ambient temperature of 21° C, for 7,10,13,16 TS% and effluent of separator was 37.1, 101.5, 352.9, 773.4 and 147.4 mPa.s, respectively. The relationship between temperature, concentration (TS%) and shear rate with apparent viscosity was represented by an exponential model.


We present an efficient method for estimating cluster centers of numerical data. This method can be used to determine the number of clusters and their initial values for initializing iterative optimization-based clustering algorithms such as fuzzy C-means. Here were combine this cluster estimation method with a least squares estimation algorithm to provide a fast and robust method for identifying fuzzy models from input/output data. A benchmark problem involving the prediction of a chaotic time series shows this method compares favourably with other more compositionally intensive methods.<<ETX>>


Transport properties of electron rich Sm0.2Ca0.8Mn1−xRuxO3(x=0; 0.04) were measured under hydrostatic pressures up to 1 GPa and applied magnetic fields up to 1.5 T at the temperature interval 77<T<300 K including critical points of these manganites. The 4% Ru doping in Mn site converts low temperature robust orbitally ordered (OO) antiferromagnetic (AF) phase observed in the undoped compound to a two-phase [coexisting ferromagnetic metallic (FMM) and OO/AF phases] state. As a result of the appearance of the phase separated state, colossal magnetoresistance and slow relaxation of resistivity with logarithmic time dependence that are enhanced by pressure, are observed in Sm0.2Ca0.8Mn0.96Ru0.04O3. In contrast, negative magnetoresistance, originated from some minute FM interaction that was observed in Sm0.2Ca0.8MnO3, is depressed and practically vanished by external pressure. Except for this, the relaxation of resistivity is also absent in Sm0.2Ca0.8MnO3.


The reasons of an image distortion from infrared electroviewer are analyzed and a calibration model is set up for the nonlinear distortion. The model can be used in any imaging system which has a nonlinear radial distortion. The experimental result of calibrating the image distortion for the IR electroviewer is shown in this paper, the maximum position error is less than 1 pixel. The model can be expanded and grafted.


An infrared radiometer has been used for measuring and visualizing the radiation temperature distribution of a surface in many fields. Measured radiation energy by the radiometer is a summation of an emitted radiation and a reflection, which is called a radiosity flux. The present paper shows the characteristics of the radiosity of tested materials. The infrared sensor in used to measure the erosion rate of the graphite by ion beam injection and the temperature distribution of a cutter.


The reproductive behavior of the redfin shiner, Notropis umbratilis, is described with emphasis on the spawning association between this species and the green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus. Daily tabulations of the number of male redfin shiners present on the spawning grounds during 2 breeding seasons showed that more male shiners were present over the nests of green sunfish during times when sunfish were establishing nests and spawning than at any other time. Studies conducted in small areas of the spawning grounds also showed that dense aggregations of minnows formed over nests of actively spawning male green sunfish. Eggs collected on watch glasses placed in occupied and unoccupied sunfish nests indicated that redfin shiners utilized nests throughout the period they were occupied, but that they rarely used unoccupied nests. The following field experiments were conducted: removal of sunfish from their nests, establishment of moving sunfish models, visual occlusion of sunfish nests, and introduction of water containing milt or ovarian fluid of the green sunfish. When milt or ovarian fluid was released into a pond, shiners assembled and carried out breeding activities at the site where the fluid was added. Using this technique, spawning aggregations of shiners were produced over a muck substrate in the absence of both green sunfish and nests. Shiners also collected over a moving model of a sunfish; they showed no reproductive behavior and left as soon as the movement of the model ceased. Male shiners continued to defend their territories when nests were occluded, but the removal of sunfish resulted in a marked decrease in the number of shiners defending territories. An odor hypothesis is presented to explain the mechanism involved in the use of sunfish nests by Notropis umbratilis. It is suggested that the scent of milt and ovarian fluid by spawning sunfish initially attracted the shiners to the sunfish nest and sexually stimulated them. On subsequent days, some of these male shiners returned to the sunfish nest and continued their reproductive activities.


Ultrasonic inspection system consist of the operator, equipment and procedure. The reliability of results in ultrasonic inspection is affected by its ability. Furthermore, the reliability of nondestructive testing is influenced by the inspection environment, materials and types of defect. Therefore, it is very difficult to estimate the reliability of NDT due to the various factors. In this study, the probability of detection by logistic probability model and Monte Carlo simulation is used for the reliability assessment of ultrasonic inspection. The utility of the NDT reliability assesment is verified by the analysis of the data from round robin test nth these models.


I attended classes in Communication Theory, Organizational Communication, and Research in Communication Studies, and completed a variety of individual and team-based assignments. So far, the evaluation on my for-credit submissions has been very positive.


The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has faced conflict and instability for over 25 years, exacerbating poverty and gender inequalities. Despite the abundance of valuable natural resources, DRC is one of the poorest, least-developed, and gender-inequitable places on Earth, ranking 179th out of 189 countries on both the Human Development Index and Gender Inequality Index1 [1]. Almost 70% of the population live below the international poverty line of US $1.90 a day, and over 6 million children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition [2][3]. Decades of conflict have claimed over 5.4 million lives and displaced millions more, primarily in the eastern provinces [4]. In South Kivu, continued insecurity and a lack of governance have challenged progress, disrupted markets, and destroyed assets. 90% of informal entrepreneurs in South Kivu live below the poverty line and the vast majority are women: women are 6.7 times more likely than men to be "survivalist" entrepreneurs, meaning they operate low-growth businesses [5]. Women's vulnerability to poverty is reinforced by a complex web of barriers. Women lack ownership of assets, personal income, and often do not receive inheritances. A married woman often needs her husband's permission to work, open a bank account, obtain credit, start a business, or travel [6]. 68% of women in South Kivu did not complete primary school, and the illiteracy rate for


AbstractThe interaction between magmatism and sedimentation creates a range of petroleum plays at different stratigraphic levels due to the emplacement and burial of volcanoes. This study characterizes the spatio-temporal distribution of the fundamental building blocks (i.e., architectural elements) of a buried volcano and enclosing sedimentary strata to provide insights for hydrocarbon exploration in volcanic systems. We use a large data set of wells and seismic reflection surveys from the offshore Taranaki Basin, New Zealand, compared with outcropping volcanic systems worldwide to demonstrate the local impacts of magmatism on the evolution of the host sedimentary basin and petroleum system. We discover the architecture of Kora volcano, a Miocene andesitic polygenetic stratovolcano that is currently buried by more than 1000 m of sedimentary strata and hosts a subcommercial discovery within volcanogenic deposits. The 22 individual architectural elements have been characterized within three main stratigrap...


Nichita Stanescu successfully breaks away from the Romanian poetic doctrinarism,and leads the Romanian poetry back to its own essence.He carries on the modernist endeavours of the first half of the twentieth century,and at the same time returns to the Romanian poetic tradition.His poetry does not have what Czesaw Miosz calls the "gloomy" feel,nor is it influenced by various kinds of social and cultural thoughts.Moreover,his poetry is not "experimental" in form and language,and resists details from the daily life.Instead,Nichita Stanescu keeps and develops traditional lyric's lucidity and succinctness,abstracting poetry from life itself to explore its meaning.His poetry has achieved a balance between the inner and the outer world,the modern and the traditional,the local and the universal.


In this era of globalization, Japanese teachers as well as teachers in other areas of the world have increasing chances of encountering bilingual students such as returnees and immigrants. It is important to understand the development of these students. The authors conducted a survey about bilingualism on 60 bilingual high school students at an international school in Japan. The survey questions asked about the students' background and their experiences as a bilingual. Twenty-nine students responded to the survey. The responses were classified according to whether the reported advantages/disadvantages were linguistic, socio-cultural or identity-related. Linguistic disadvantages as well as advantages were experienced by most students. Bilingual influences on identity were mostly favorable, but some difficulties were common. Despite these disadvantages, socio-cultural advantages were prominent. It was reassuring to see that many bilingual high school students felt they were socio-culturally advantaged and mostly felt secure about their identity as a bilingual. However, we should not dismiss linguistic difficulties experienced by many of them and some cases of insecure identity, as these are crucially related to the mental health and creation of self-identity that is typical of adolescence.


Abstract : Many Department of Defense (DoD) support organizations are financed with revolving funds to take advantage of the flexibility offered by them. DoD is interested in developing performance metrics applicable to program analysis of defense support business areas. Key indicators geared to assist Inventory Control Points and senior DoD officials evaluate the overall performance of the Supply Management Business. This report, the second in a series focusing on the Defense Working Capital Fund (DWCF), explores the Supply Management Business Area. Using the Balanced Scorecard, this report identifies 19 metrics and evaluates the potential for near-term implementation at the DoD Inventory Control Points. A major consideration in this analysis was data availability and minimizing the new data requirements. An in-depth discussion has been provided in the appendix describing the data availability and data manipulation requirements to implement the metrics.


We study the cosmological dynamics of an extended DGP scenario such that the induced gravity is modified and there is a Chaplygin component on the brane. Our motivation is to study the possible impact of f(R) gravity and Chaplygin behavior on the brane. We explore the cosmological dynamics of this setup in the presence of the Gauss-Bonnet curvature effect. We show that modified gravity has the potential to mimic a Chaplygin gas behavior and effective phantom nature in some subspaces of the model parameter space. This model also provides a natural framework for a smooth crossing of the phantom divide line.


Based on the analysis of diffraction efficiency theory of reflection holograms, this paper deduces the formulate concerning the relationship between the several physical parameter that will directly affect the diffraction efficiency. Moreover, in the framework of this formulate, the paper carries out a emulate research of the variation trend of the diffraction efficiency in various conditions based on MATLAB. The results show that this approach is feasible and can offer a new way to study the diffraction efficiency of reflection holograms.


The primary carbon sources for juvenile penaeid shrimps in a mangrove-fringed bay at Inhaca island : A dual carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis


A quadrature modulator and demodulator which provide the requisite level of performance while minimizing power consumption. In the quadrature modulator, the I and Q Signals are provided to two pairs of mixers. Each mixer in a pair of mixerS modulates an I or Q Signal with the respective inphase or quadrature IF Sinusoid. The I and Q modulated Signals from each pair of mixers are Summed. Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.


Results of a study of the influence of manufacturing environment factors on wireless personal networks are presented in the paper. A classification of such factors is proposed, and the noise immunity of wireless personal networks is determined using a real production as an example. A method for evaluating noise immunity based on a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) is proposed. RSSI values can be obtained natively from almost any receiver and transmitter, which makes this method affordable compared to using network analyzers and other specialized equipment. In the conducted experiment the receiver and transmitter were located at a distance ranging from 0.5 to 25 m from each other. The act of signal transfer was carried out alternately under the influence of each production environment factor. Then measured RSSI values were analyzed and converted into the maximum permissible distance between the receiver and the transmitter in accordance with the proposed method. As a result, data on the influence of a production environment on the noise immunity of wireless personal networks was obtained. Nevertheless, it is concluded that the influence is not significant enough to decide against the use of wireless personal networks, since the influence of many factors can be offset by the use of mesh topology and a dense arrangement of receivers and transmitters. The results are particularly interesting in the context of manufacturing digitalization, where the wireless method of data transmission from field level sensors becomes preferable to the wired due to the requirement for flexibility and mobility of a production process.


The principle of natural selection is taken as a starting point for an analysis of evolutionary levels. Knowledge and values are conceived as vicarious selectors of actions from a repertoire. The concept of metasystem transition is derived from the law of requisite variety and the principle of hierarchy. It is defined as the increase of variety at the object level, accompanied by the emergence of a situation-dependent control at a metalevel. It produces a new level of evolution, with a much higher capacity for adaptation. The most important levels are discussed, with an emphasis on the level characterizing man as distinct from the animals. An analysis of the shortcomings of this "rational" system of cognition leads to a first sketch of how the next higher "meta-rational" level would look like. tautological principle that stable (intrinsically and with respect to the environment) systems tend to maintain, and hence will be "naturally" selected (Heylighen, 1989b), whereas unstable systems will be eliminated. Each system is undergoing changes, either generated by internal processes, or by changes in the environment. Evolutionary selective systems will be those systems that "survive" the changes, i.e. that maintain a continuous identity, even though their state may have changed. We will suppose that the system is internally stable, i.e. that it is not destroyed by its own internal processes. In that case, the system will have to cope with external changes, which might perturb its internal organization, by adequate reactions. Such reactions are said to compensate the perturbations induced by the environmental changes, bringing the system back to its stable mode of operating (Heylighen, 1990c; Maturana & Varela, 1980).


Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS), CIHR CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement, CIHR Frederick Banting & Charles Best CGS Masters Award, Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship, Universities Without Walls CIHR Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research, Ontario Veterinary College Dean's Doctoral Scholarship, University of Guelph Deans' Tri-Council Scholarship


This short note is an erratum to the article [R. Joubaud and G. Stoltz, Nonequilibrium shear viscosity computations with Langevin dynamics, Multiscale Model. Simul., 10 (2012), pp. 191--216]. We present required modifications in the proofs of Theorem 2 and 3.


The Macondo blowout released roughly 5 million barrels of oil and up to 500,000 tons of natural gas into Gulf of Mexico at a depth of 1500 meters. Inarguably, the gas released from the Macondo blowout remained in the deep water. At least 30% of the oil remained in the deepwater plume, whereas the remainder reached the surface, forming sometimes thick and expansive surface slicks. The hydrocarbon injection led to profound changes in microbial community composition and activity in the Gulf 's waters and sediments and in nearshore benthic habitats. We provide a comprehensive literature review of the blowout's impacts on microbial community composition and on microbial activity across Gulf of Mexico ecosystems. Although microbiological research in the wake of the blowout led to many noteworthy discoveries, it also revealed an urgent need to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the environmental factors that regulate microbial hydrocarbon degradation in the environment.


At present, there is no scientific evidence supporting any definite role for follow-up after gastrectomy for cancer and albeit many retrospective series have clearly demonstrated that early diagnosis of tumor recurrence in the asymptomatic phase has not resulted in a survival improvement, compared to late diagnosis (1-4), still the clinical practice in most high volume centers implies that after surgery patients are submitted to repeated clinical and instrumental checks.


The relationship between the presence of an obstacle in a cell's migration path, in this case a series of posts, is attempted to be correlated with the migration speed of a cell sheet as they pass through the posts. Using photolithographic methods, a post-laden substrate was previous constructed in the lab. Cell sheet was imaged through a microscope, as it migrated through the post structure. Using image analysis techniques, it was found that the average cell migration speed for six different post sizes, 25x25, 50x25, 50x50, 50x100, 100x25, and 500x25 microns, did not differ significantly. This lack of difference among post sizes suggest either that the experimental set up is flawed and thus will not show the correlation between post size and cell speed, or that the grouped cells have the ability to seamlessly navigate physical obstacles of different sizes. These questions will continue to be resolved through ongoing research in the Pathak Lab.


If a conventional spacecraft propellant management device (PMD) of the screened channel type were employed with a cryogenic liquid, vapor bubbles generated within the channel by heat transfer could "dry out" the channel screens and thereby cause the channels to admit large amounts of vapor from the tank into the liquid outflow. This paper describes a new tapered channel design that passively 'pumps' bubbles away from the outlet port and vents them into the tank. A predictive mathematical model of the operating principle is presented and discussed. Scale‐model laboratory tests were conducted and the mathematical model agreed well with the measured rates of bubble transport velocity. Finally, an example of the use of the predictive model for a realistic spacecraft application is presented. The model predicts that bubble clearing rates are acceptable even in tanks up to 2 m in length.


High‐κ gate‐all‐around structure counters the Short Channel Effect (SCEs) mostly providing excellent off‐state performance, whereas high mobility III–V channel ensures better on‐state performance, rendering III–V nanowire GAAFET a potential candidate for replacing the current FinFETs in microchips. In this paper, a 2D simulator for the III–V GAAFET based on self‐consistent solution of Schrodinger–Poisson equation is proposed. Using this simulator, capacitance–voltage profile and threshold voltage are characterized, which reveal that gate dielectric constant (κ) and oxide thickness do not affect threshold voltage significantly at lower channel doping. Moreover, change in alloy composition of InxGa1‐xAs, channel doping, and cross‐sectional area has trivial effects on the inversion capacitance although threshold voltage can be shifted by the former two. Although, channel material also affects the threshold voltage, most sharp change in threshold voltage is observed with change in fin width of the channel (0.005 V/nm for above 10 nm fin width and 0.064 V/nm for sub‐10 nm fin width). Simulation suggests that for lower channel doping below 1023 m−3, fin width variation affects the threshold voltage most. Whereas when the doping is higher than 1023 m−3, both the thickness and dielectric constant of the oxide material have strong effects on threshold voltage (0.05 V/nm oxide thickness and 0.01 V/per unit change in κ). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


In a method for producing a ceramic, glass, carbon, boron, silicon and / or a composite material containing surface, having the surface structures with dimensions in the submicrometer range, the untreated surface, on which the structures are to be produced and for a laser irradiation are available, one with a pulsed laser beam or scanned several times in such a manner that adjacent light spots of the laser beam abut one another without gaps or overlap, and a certain area of a predetermined relation between the process parameters is maintained.


Breast cancer in women is a major public health problem throughout the world, being the second most common cancer worldwide. Sonomammography has been always recommended as the basic breast imaging modality for early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. Some malignant tumors have been missed, specially in dense breasts, and high false-negative rate have been reported. Contrast enhanced spectral mammography is a new modality, used to depict the tumor vascularity and neoangiogenesis; a classic sign of malignant tumors.

 The purpose of this study is to determine the added value of dual energy contrast mammography to sono-mammography in the assessment of suspicious breast lesions.

 36 patients were included in the study, referred from outpatient clinics in private settings and from Demerdash Hospitals. Contrast enhanced spectral mammography CESM was performed by using a digital mammography unit (Seno DS; GE, Buc, France) that had been adapted to obtain two images for each view: a low-energy image (below the k edge of iodine, 33.2 keV) and a high-energy image (above the k edge of iodine) at 45 to 49 kVp.
 Results: CEDM versus sonomammography shows p (0.021) value less than 0.05. Also the area under the ROC curve was higher for MX+CEDM (94.4%) than that was for sonomammography (63.8%) compared to pathology analysis with 100% sensitivity, 88.2 % specificity, 90.48 %PPV and 100 % NPV in diagnosis of suspicious lesions.

 The diagnostic accuracy of CEDM+ MX for the detection of breast carcinoma has proven to be superior to sonomammography alone. CEDM had a better diagnostic accuracy mainly due to improved positive and negative predictive values (Positive predictive value about 90.48, negative predictive value 100). The role of CEDM in detection of multifocal / multicentric carcinomas with particular interest for the assessment of the extent of disease specially in dense breasts is appreciated.


Karaoke and cafe are places which often be visited by customer. This
places are very busy and potentially robbing can be happenned. To manage
karaoke and cafe easier it is neededautomation, so it can work effective and
efficient. The objective of this final project report isto make a managing
automation prototype of Karaoke and cafe data based on AVR microcontroller.
A managing automation prototype of Karaoke and cafe data based on
AVR microcontroller has been made. Generally detection of managing
automation prototype of Karaoke and cafe data based on AVR microcontroller has
designed use 16/32 Atmega, LCD, 4x4 keypad, DC motor, L293D IC, and push
button. For ordering prototype, microcontroller receives input from keypad, than
the result of microcontroller process will show by LCD output and seven
segments. For automatic order serving, microcontroller receives input from push
button, than microcontroller output becomes L293D IC input. The L293D IC
outputs control DC motor. At door security, microcontroller processeson LCD
output and IC L293D, IC L293D control DC motor. At billing karaoke,
microcontroller receives input from the push button, and outputwill be displayed
as seven segments. This prototype makes managing karaoke and cafe easier, save
the time and energy.
It can be concluded that m anaging automation prototype of karaoke and
cafe data based on AVR microcontroller can be used as real managing automation
prototype of karaoke and cafe data.


In this article there is presented a proposal for the measurement system that provides a direct determination of the value of the absorption coefficient of radiation by a very thin sample - cell cultures. The absorption coefficient can be obtained by applying the measured thickness of biological sample for resolved Bouguer's law. A fundamental understanding of how lasers interact with tissue and knowledge of its optical properties will enable to choose the most appropriate laser for a clinical treatment.


A three-dimensional geological model that incorporates spatial information efficiently and intuitively is an important basis for the planning, construction, and utilization of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal geological repository sites. However, traditional modeling methods cannot describe extremely complex geological contexts accurately due to the sparsity of effective data. This paper proposed a cokriging gradient interpolation method based on integrated potential fields that combines relationship and orientation data from outcrop descriptions, contour lines, boreholes, and stratigraphic contacts. A multi-stratigraphic sequence was constructed via a curve/surface tracking algorithm, and optimal geological interfaces were screened using universal cokriging equations. The geological modeling for a HLW disposal repository shows that under different data completeness conditions, this method can reveal the spatial distribution of geological structures (including fault networks and intrusive bodies), achieve better approximations for complex geological environments, and provide strong support for HLW repository roadway planning.


The central piece for healthcare and public health is information. Through the shared use of the Internet and the WWW, for example, elder patients can be "visited, diagnosed, treated and managed" from their homes, with the help of telemedicine systems. This technology also provides society with additional benefits within a global health perspective, with applications ranging from disease prevention and genetics to surveillance and epidemiologic studies. At the same time questions arise regarding: privacy of that information, quality of the services delivered and in general the information assurance process, i.e., authenticity, confidentiality, integrity, availability, and non-repudiation. A common aspect to information protection and sharing standards for interoperability. In the continuity of a previous IEEE EMBS mini-symposium [1], this mini-symposium aims at debating about critical issues to be considered between the needs for medical information (EHR) sharing and assurance within the healthcare and the other critical infrastructures. Speakers will present challenges introduced by the information security and assurance aspects of the healthcare and public health environment. This special session will be concluded by a panel discussion that will associate the technical issues presented to the: social, economic, political and ethical issues that drive policy and its implications.


Chang'E-6 mission willfirstlandon the far side ofthe moon andbring lunar samples back. as a hyperspectral imager aboard the Chang'E-6 lander, the Lunar Mineralogical Spectrometer (LMS), will achieve the goalof spectral detection and mineral composition analysis in sampling area, the data of LMS will alsobe compared with the results of the returned sample laboratory measurements.The visible and near-infrared hyperspectral remote sensing is an effective tool for lunar minerals identification and quantification. Ground validation experiment can be used to evaluate the detection ability of LMS. According to the modal abundances of lunar minerals and glasses ofAPOLLOsamples, binary mixed samples, ternary mixed samples and seven-membered mixed samples were prepared. The samples were ground and stirred homogeneous to about 200 mesh (median particle size about 75μm), to simulate the soil state of lunar surface. Under the laboratory ambient condition, the 480-3200 nm spectral data of the samples were acquired using the Engineering Qualification Model (EQM) of Chang'E-5 LMS, the performance of which is consistent with theflight model of Chang'E-6 LMS. By fitting the mixed samples' spectral data of the EQM using the Modified Gaussian Methods (MGM), the following conclusions can be drawn:The subtle spectral changes of mixed samples can be detected. The modal abundance of low-Ca pyroxene, high- Ca pyroxene and plagioclase can be derived based on the spectral parameters such as absorption position, depth or width of the mixed samples, and the correlation coefficient R2 are better than 82%, indicating that the LMS has good quantitative detection capability.


The journals April 23 editorial accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of having failed to clearly present its criticism of the clinical use of quinacrine for tubal sterilization. The organization responded June 4 that it would undertake formal review of the use of quinacrine. That review was undertaken in July during a consultation of 22 experts from Australia Chile China the Dominican Republic Hungary India New Zealand Turkey Uganda the UK the US and Vietnam. The group noted that there had been several technological advances since the last WHO review in 1983 and felt it time to identify promising approaches for use in developed countries and to set priorities for research. Participants concluded that a safe effective non-surgical method of sterilization is indeed needed and should be developed. Chemicals are however limited as are the methods by which they can be delivered reliably and consistently to the fallopian tubes. The standardized testing of all compounds with known or potential use as tubal occlusive agents should precede clinical studies which should be conducted in a stepwise fashion. With specific regard to locally applied quinacrine toxicology testing completed more than a decade ago is inadequate. The further use of quinacrine requires the completion of necessary toxicology testing including the full range of genotoxicity studies and if needed long-term animal carcinogenicity testing. Other animal tests including tests for teratogenicity should be conducted if the initial results are satisfactory. Contingent upon the receipt of satisfactory results from initial toxicology tests phase I and II clinical studies of intrauterine quinacrine should be initiated. Irrespective of the results of toxicology testing retrospective studies of women already treated with quinacrine should be continued and completed. The high standards of safety demanded in the testing and use of contraceptives should apply whether the subjects recruited to the studies are from developed or developing countries.


Preface: Anne-Marie Brady Part 1: Antarctic Politics in the Current World Order 1. The Antarctic Treaty: Challenges, Coordination, and Congruity Marcus Haward Part 2: Antarctica and Competing Foreign Policy Objectives 2. China's Rise in Antarctica? Anne-Marie Brady 3. India and Antarctica: Towards Post-Colonial Engagement? Sanjay Chaturvedi 4. South Korea's Strategic Interests in Antarctica, Anne-Marie Brady and Kim Seungryeul 5. Malaysia Turns to Science to Re-engage with the Antarctic Treaty System BA Hamzah 6. United States foreign policy interests in Antarctica Christopher C. Joyner 7. Russia, the post-Soviet world, and Antarctica Irina Gan 8. New Zealand's Antarctica Anne-Marie Brady 9. The French Connection-the role of France in the Antarctic Treaty System Chavelli Sulikowski Part 3: Burning Issues on the Antarctic Ice 10. Rallying Round a Flag? Scientific Internationalism in Word and Deed Aant Elzinga 11. Titanic Part II? Tourism, Uncertainty, and Insecurity in Antarctica Jane Verbitsky 12. Biological prospecting in the Antarctic: Fair Game? Julia Jabour


The turbidimetric method of determination of hydrogen chloride and chloride ions has been elaborated. The determination range of the method is 20--100 microgram Cl-in solution. The precision error is +/- 3.28%.


Chapter 4 addresses the fact that in discussions of religious disagreement, some epistemologists have suggested that religious disagreement is distinctive. More specifically, they have argued that religious disagreement has certain features which make it possible for theists to resist conciliatory arguments that they must adjust their religious beliefs in response to finding that peers disagree with them. The chapter considers what its author takes to be the two most prominent features which are claimed to make religious disagreement distinct: religious evidence and evaluative standards in religious contexts. It argues that these two features fail to distinguish religious disagreement in the ways they have been taken to. However, it shows that the view that religious disagreement is not a unique form of disagreement makes religious disagreement less, rather than more, worrisome to the theist who would prefer to rationally remain steadfast in her religious beliefs.


-- Application of the business rules approach is often argued in research and practice to result in more efficient and enhanced processes. As the extent of this statement has yet to be shown, in this paper the process simulation method is applied to assess the effect of business rules externalization and automation on business process performance. A real-world decision and information intensive process is used here as a case study. Business process simulation is applied here to assess process performance difference between as-is and enhanced to-be process. Comparison of the obtained simulation results of the re-engineered to-be process that includes automated business rules and the as-is process indicate an increase of process performance measured in time and costs while attributing this effect to the automation of identified business rules.


THE lymphatic system is rather taken for granted. Many important functions are ascribed to it, yet it is not normally in evidence. Arteries are felt, veins are seen, and even filaments of the sympathetic nervous system are becoming familiar to the surgeon round the bile-ducts and elsewhere, but lymph-vessels are rarely noted. Perhaps the only time the practitioner sees them is when they present in the skin as the red streaks of lymphangitis. The medical student is fortunate if he sees the thoracic duct when doing his dissecting course. Despite the fact that lymph-vessels are developed from and accompany veins, peripheral lymphatics are not seen at operation except to the trained eye in a gross condition such as advanced breast cancer, when infected lymphatics may be seen where these structures converge on the termination of the axillary vein. Small blood-vessels may bleed, but, as lymph is a colourless fluid, it is not seen even when lymphatics are extensively divided in procedures such as radical mastectomy and groin clearance. The only lymph-vessels commonly seen are the lacteals in relation to the small intestine. The practised surgeon is wary in dissections above the inner end of the collar-bone when working in the region of the thoracic or right lymph-duct. The former is in close relation to the esophagus when this structure is being mobilized by blunt dissection behind the aortic arch, but its injury in this or any other situation is of the nature of a surgical rarity. As a result of this lack of apparentness of the lymphatics, the system i s a somewhat nebulous one, and the surgeon assumes, usually correctly, that it will look after itself, as indeed it does in the majority of cases. Just how correct is this assumption ? Before dealing with this question it is pertinent to ask what are the results of injury to large lymphducts, which in turn leads to an inquiry into the functions of the lymphatic system.


Background: The incidence of breast cancer and its fatal effects are constantly on a rise across the globe. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Pakistan with approximately 1 in every 9 Pakistani women developing breast cancer at some stage of their life. There is a constant search for better screening methods which help in early detection and also reflect upon the prognosis of the tumor. CA 15-3 is a reliable serum marker that also helps in identifying patients who would benefit most from adjuvant therapy. Objective: To determine the correlation of serum CA 15-3 with histological types of breast cancer. Methodology: This prospective cross sectional study was conducted on 51 cases of female carcinoma breast from December 2015 to August 2016. The specimens were collected after mastectomy or lumpectomy and then transported to collection Shaukat Khanum Lab and city lab for chemical analysis and histopathological analysis. All the data was analyzed by using SPSS version 17. Results: In the current study, a total of 51 patients were included. Results of serum CA 15-3 level ranged from 3 to 743.2 U/ml (with mean of 40.62).


Steerable needles are capable of curved paths through soft tissues, which is useful for steering around obstacles and compensating for deviations from the intended needle path. However, the ability to reach a desired target still depends on setting the initial needle launch pose such that the desired target is within the needle's workspace. Thus, it is desirable to have a means of adjusting the needle's launch orientation locally at the tissue entry point. In this paper we present a new aiming device for steerable needles that locally adjusts needle launch orientation. It consists of a tendon-actuated, notched tube design, which enables adjustment of the needle's initial orientation.


Executive Summary
> The EU's current existential crisis underlines the
cultural weaknesses of the European integration
project and its disconnect with European societies
and identities.
> In a rapidly changing world shaped by intertwined
transnational cultural and technological flows,
managing the variety of Europeans cultures and
their interactions with the globe has become a
strategic priority.
> There is an appetite among countries and civil
societies outside of the EU for more cultural
relations with Europeans.
> The 2016 Joint Commission and High
Representative Communication on an 'EU strategy
for international cultural relations' is the first of its
kind. Its main purpose is to put culture on the EU
external action agenda, to signal that Europeans
have cultural 'soft power' abroad, and to
encourage them to use the EU as an enabler of their
cultural relations.


We assess the constraints imposed by the observed extragalactic background light (EBL) on the cosmic history of star formation and the stellar-mass density today. The logarithmic slope of the galaxy number–magnitude relation from the Southern Hubble Deep Field imaging survey is flatter than 0.4 in all seven UBVIJHK optical bandpasses, i.e. the light from resolved galaxies has converged from the UV to the near-IR. We find a lower limit to the surface brightness of the optical extragalactic sky of about 15 nW m−2 sr−1, comparable to the intensity of the far-IR background from COBE data. Assuming a Salpeter initial mass function with a lower cut-off consistent with observations of M subdwarf disc stars, we set a lower limit of Ωg+sh2>0.0013 I50 to the visible (processed gas + stars) mass density required to generate an EBL at a level of 50 I50 nW m−2 sr−1; our 'best-guess' value is Ωg+sh2≈0.0031 I50. Motivated by the recent microlensing results of the MACHO collaboration, we consider the possibility that massive dark haloes around spiral galaxies are composed of faint white dwarfs, and show that only a small fraction (≲5 per cent) of the nucleosynthetic baryons can be locked in the remnants of intermediate-mass stars forming at zF≲5, as the bright early phases of such haloes would otherwise overproduce the observed EBL.


Uric acid is the end result of purine metabolism is one of the components of nucleic acids contained in the nucleus of cells of the body .. In 2013 there were 42 cases, and in 2014 of gout increased to 59 cases. Interest to know how to influence the knowledge and habits of the family against gout disease in the villlage Drien Rampak Sub-District of Arongan Lambalek West Aceh District. An analytical study with cross-sectional design is carried on the villlage Drien Rampak Sub-District of Arongan Lambalek West Aceh District in June 2015, with a population of 59 people and sample using total population. Analysis of data using univariate and bivariate with chi-square test. The existence of significant influence between the factors of knowledge, and habits of families with gout (P.Value <I± = 0.05) in the village Drien rampak Sub-district Arongan Lambalek District of West Aceh district. Concluded that the knowledge factor, and family habits influence significantly with gout in village Drien Rampak communities in the sub-District Arongan Lambalek West Aceh district. Expected that people pay more attention to lifestyle and a healthy diet, so as to avoid and suppress cases or gout.


The effect of new corrosion inhibitors, namely pyridine, 2-methylpyridine (2-picoline), 4-methylpyridine (4-picoline), 2,4-dimethylpyridine (2,4-lutidine), on the corrosion of ΑΙ-surface in hydrocholoric acid (HCl) and nitric acid (HN03) was investigated at the HF and B3LYP level using the ab initio 6-31G and LANL2DZ basis sets from the program package Gaussian 98 ( A.7 Public Domain version ). The physico-chemical properties of corrosion inhibitors are one of the principal criteria for the determination and selection of inhibitors. The inhibition of the Al-surface in solutions of hydrocholoric acid and nitric acid by some Nheterocyclic compounds has been studied. The calculated results indicate that the compounds were adsorbed on the metal surface mainly in their protonated forms. In the Al-surface charge is transferred to the inhibitor and the organic inhibitor is adsorbed at the Al-surface in an inclined state. The co-adsorption of the inhibitor and CI or NO^ and H ^ is discussed. The results show that pyridine and its derivatives can act in hydrocholoric acid better than nitric acid media. In other words the stabilization energy increases in hydrocholoric acid.


The article explores the world of so-called youth gangs from suburban neighbourhoods, children of marginalisation, and reflects upon this phenomenon in the contemporary context. These groups are primarily composed of children of the metropolitan sub-proletariat, primarily characterised by their immigrant status and defined by global as well as local elements. The dominant image of these groups constructed by society is discussed as being stigmatising, even more so during the recent financial crisis. At the same time, these groups provide a sense of belonging and an identity to which individual members can refer. Furthermore, despite their ambiguity and contradictions, gangs can also be seen as groups of resistance against the structural violence that they endure. The interpretative framework of the article is based on various ethnographic research studies that the author conducted over the last ten years on marginalized youth groups, bandas latinas [Latino gangs ] in Catalonia in particular.


Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the need to promote digital education has been felt even more, bringing the DELTA Research Group to reflect on how digital education could optimally facilitate the creation of an educating community able to promote and support educational success exclusively through distance learning. In order to answer, in this paper the experience of the 2019/2020 edition of "Scuola dei Compiti" (a recovery project for secondary schools of the poorest suburbs of Turin) is analysed in the perspective of the priority strategies illustrated in the Digital Education Action Plan for the period 2021-2027. Results will show that this was a forerunner experience perfectly in line with the principles and directions outlined in the document. Moreover, thanks to digital education, even a peculiar edition of the project such as this one has been a success: in fact, it has allowed students to improve from a cognitive and metacognitive point of view, even during a time that was very difficult for some families.


A series of novel phthalonitrile derivatives containing amino groups were synthesized via nucleophilic displacement of 4-nitrophthalonitrile and phenolic derivatives:4-(2-hydroxyl phenoxy)phthalonitrile(2o),4-(3-hydroxyl phenoxy)phthalonitrile(2m),4-(4-hydroxyl phenoxy)phthalonitrile(2p).The structures of these phthalonitrile-based compounds were confirmed by FT-IR and 1H NMR.Differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)and thermogravemetric analysis(TGA)were used to investigate thermal behaviors of these compounds.The results indicate that protonation(viz.,acidity)of hydroxyl groups make remarkable contributions to the cure reactions.


I designed a model of dark matter and dark energy, and established some physical concepts and laws needed by the model. Then I used this model to analyze some physical problems, which is very effective.


The bithyniid Gabbiella rosea, a Lake Turkana (Kenya) endemic, was only described by Mandahl-Barth in 1968. However, it was already collected early in the 20th century but misidentified and recorded s.n. G. neumanni (Von Martens, 1897).


Wallace highlights that the pace of change in healthcare is rapid and the implementation of new evidence into clinical practice is suboptimal.1

I hope that GP practices do not follow all the Quality and Outcomes Framework prescribing guidance given by NHS England in the 2019-20 General Medical Services contract as I am concerned about serious adverse consequences that may result from the …


Based on the cognitive- affective dual perspective,this study constructed the conceptual model to investigate how tourism destination image affects tourists' word- of- mouth,and discussed the mediating role of identity salience between tourism destination image and word- of- mouth. The empirical results indicated that the tourism destination image includes affective image,physical atmosphere and accessibility; identity salience is positively affected by accessibility with the cognitive viewpoint,and is positively affected by the affective image with affective viewpoint,tourists' satisfaction is also positively affected by accessibility with the cognitive viewpoint,and is positively affected by both affective image and physical environment with the affective viewpoint; identity salience mediates the relation between affective image and accessibility and satisfaction and word- of- mouth. With the cognitive- affective dual perspective,this study expanded the theoretical mechanism of tourism destination image affecting word- of- mouth.


Abstract The influences of prior austenitization treatment and the state of applied stresses on the evolution of transformation plasticity strains during isothermal bainitic phase transformation and the resulting microstructures were examined. The key finding is that, upon pre-straining, the amount of transformation plasticity strain under superimposed elastic stresses is dictated by both the prior austenite grain size and the (0.01 % offset) yield strength of the supercooled austenite. Furthermore, the superimposition of internal stresses present due to pre-straining and externally applied stresses results in transformation plasticity strains similar to those obtained when a permanent stress equivalent to the 0.01 % offset yield strength of the supercooled austenite is applied. Another important result is that lower transformation plasticity strains were observed when decreasing the austenite grain size, which is accompanied by an increase in grain boundary area per volume, hindering the growth of preferred variants. Overall, the results clearly lay out the influence of austenite grain size and the particular 0.01 % offset yield strength of the supercooled austenite in limiting the transformation plasticity strains, which has to be incorporated into current models involving bainitic phase transformations.


—In this paper, tradeoff content caching strategy is proposed to jointly minimize the cell average outage probability and fronthaul usage in cloud radio access network (Cloud-RAN). At first, an accurate closed form expression of the outage probability conditioned on the user's location is presented, and the cell average outage probability is obtained through the composite Simpson's integration. The caching strategy for jointly optimizing the cell average outage probability and fronthaul usage is then formulated as a weighted sum minimization problem, which is a nonlinear 0-1 integer problem. Two heuristic algorithms are proposed to solve the problem. Firstly, a genetic algorithm (GA) based approach is proposed. Numerical results show that the performance of the proposed GA-based approach with significantly reduced computational complexity is close to the optimal performance achieved by exhaustive search based caching strategy, and the GA-based approach can improve the performance by up to 47.5% on average than the typical probabilistic caching strategy. Secondly, in order to further reduce the computational complexity, a mode selection approach is proposed. Numerical results show that this approach can achieve near-optimal performance over a wide range of the weighting factors through a single computation.


© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com COTTON: Gossypium hirsutum (L). 'Delta and Pine Land 1518 B2XF'


A tri-state boost converter with a switch across the inductor is studied in this paper, which eliminates a zero of control-to-output transfer function in the right half plane (RHP). Based on the analysis of operating principle of fixed freewheeling-time (FFT) controlled and constant reference current (CRC) controlled tri-state boost converters, the corresponding small signal models are established using the time average equivalent circuit method, which are verified through the SIMPLIS simulation results in frequency domain. Particularly, the analysis and comparison of control-to-output transfer functions corresponding to the two control techniques are given in this paper. The research results indicate that the absence of the RHP zero in CRC control is implemented as expected, but it reappears in FFT control. Finally, the theoretical analysis is verified by the simulation results performed in PSIM software in time domain.


AS THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) IS BEING CONSTRUCTED increasingly as a political entity more attention is being paid to how its institutional evolution corresponds to national demands. It is necessary to understand how political responsibility patterns are structured (MacMullen 1999), and moreover how they are related to accountability, policy and transparency considerations (Bovens 2007). We want to know whether the extension of direct democracy (Binzer Hobolt 2007) challenges the EU polity. Quite naturally, the question of how representation is taking place on the European level is a significant issue, and most importantly, how the party vote at the national level is being transposed to the European level (Reif & Schmitt 1980; Marsh 1998; Hix & Marsh 2006). All these issues and considerations are part of and belong to the democracy deficit debate and they influence the evaluation of European unification. However, before the question of party stances and participatory or representation opportunities can be addressed, the first question to be asked concerns how the national polity affects citizens' views about the EU—and thus probably about the integration process itself. This essay argues that the opinion of voters of their home country's democratic performance will influence their views about the EU. It asks whether people are more pro-EU when they are satisfied with their national political environment or, on the contrary, whether they are more sceptical about the EU when their own country performs well according to democratic criteria. This question can be raised about citizens' views and indirectly about political elite views as well, and this leads in turn to a further question of whether citizens' and elite views are structured similarly or differently: do mass views and elite views about Europe correspond to the health of the national polity in the same way, or does the elite think more positively about the EU irrespective of the national political scene? Are the political elites in the countries whose performance is undervalued by their citizens more pro-EU? Views and opinions about the EU appear in more than one dimension. In the broadest sense they express a general sympathy concerning integration. On a 'lower level' they reveal what people think about the operation and about the politics of the EU, and even more concretely they reflect views about EU policies. In the following EUROPE-ASIA STUDIES Vol. 61, No. 6, August 2009, 1041–1057