Guest-Host Raman under liquid nitrogen spectroscopy (GHRUNS) is introduced whereby solid state guest molecules are isolated inside cage-like host environments for the facile acquisition of their Raman spectra. This convenient method features reduced fluorescence, the analysis of populations in their ground states, and increased signal to noise ratios. Samples are also preserved through the reduction of thermal degradation and oxidation. To demonstrate the benefits of this new method, Raman spectra of the ubiquitous molecule C 60 inside a cage of water ice are presented. Using this technique, a new normal mode of C 60 is elucidated. The GHRUNS methodology is of interest to those seeking to acquire and characterize the vibrational spectra, structure, and properties of emissive, air-sensitive molecules.


Professor W. W. Sweet devotes the concluding chapter of his Revivalism in America to a discussion of the waning of revivalism. He quotes Bishop McConnell s apt illustration of the influence of climatic change. Why did the prehistoric mammoths become extinct? "There was a change of climate, and they all eventually died off. Of course, not all at once, but as the ages passed, they gradually disappeared." Professor Sweet gives this as essentially the explanation of the waning of revivalism. "As the social, cultural, and religious climate in America changed, the social, culturali and religious institutions changed likewise." The level of education was lifted both in the leadership and in the constituency of the old-line revivalistic churches. Emotionalism and the critical mind are not congenial. Educational processes tend to displace sudden conversions. Sophistication and worldly competition in the great centers of population have created a psychology antagonistic to the naivete on which revivalism throve. The modern mind, Dr. Sweet thinks, has gradually become immune to the appeals of the spectacular evangelist. Modifications and adaptations of the old fashioned revival have been devised, and some for a brief period have had a show of success. But they have left largely untouched the great mass of people of both city and country who have apparently become too thoroughly secularized to be moved by any of these types of mass evangelism. True, the so-called hysterical sects, the "Holy Rollers" and "Nazarenes" and the like, still hold tent meetings and evangelistic services in store fronts that attract attention of the hoi polloi, but the intelligensia among the ministers and the church members denounce these underprivileged groups or sneer at them or smile upon them tolerantly. The day of rugged individualism, Professor Sweet thinks, is past. If this is true, he concludes, the day


Kevin Hoover (1955–) received a D.Phil. in economics from Oxford University after an undergraduate major in philosophy, and his work reflects this dual competence. He has contributed both to contemporary economics (especially macroeconomics) and to economic methodology, serving for a decade as the editor of The Journal of Economic Methodology . After more than two decades at the University of California, Davis, Hoover is now a professor of economics and a professor of philosophy at Duke University. The Lucas Critique Perhaps the principal challenge to the use of econometric models in economic analysis is the policy non-invariance argument, popularly known as the 'Lucas critique'. Robert Lucas (1976) attacks the use of econometric models as bases for the evaluation of policy on the grounds that the estimated equations of such models are unlikely to remain invariant to the very changes in policy that the economist seeks to evaluate. The argument is originally cast as an implication of rational expectations. Among the constraints people face are the policy rules of the government. If people are rational, then, when these rules change, and if the change is correctly perceived, they take proper account of the change in adjusting their behavior. The rational expectations hypothesis implies that changes in policy will in fact be correctly perceived up to a serially uncorrelated error.


Open science is one of the key features of data-intensive research methods. Despite its manifold benefits, the interest and willingness of Malaysian researchers to share their research data are noticeably low. Likewise, Malaysia has not performed well in recent international open data assessments. Hence, The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) addressed the Malaysia Open Science Platform (MOSP) as one of the key strategies in National Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy 2021-2030. This study aimed to determine the organizational enablers that facilitate the delivery of MOSP strategic management by employing three qualitative approaches: literature review, desk research and semi-structured interview. This study determined leadership, people and cooperation as soft enablers while technology and systems as hard enablers. The change and stakeholder management were proposed as success factors in delivering these variables. A strategic framework was also presented as a foundation for MOSTI in formulating a robust and comprehensive strategy.


On the basis of a recently proposed theory of diffraction of light at very small apertures (of the order of a wavelength or less) in black screens, expressions are derived for the transmission cross section for diffraction of a monochromatic plane wave incident normally on a small circular aperture in a black screen. The results, which are illustrated by a set of curves, are compared with the predictions of the Kirchhoff theory. Comparisons are also made with the corresponding known results for the transmission cross section for acoustical diffraction at small apertures in hard and soft screens and for electromagnetic diffraction at apertures in conducting screens.


High-solids anaerobic digestion of organic fraction of municipal solid waste often shows inefficient biomethane recovery due to mass transfer limitations. Consequently, this study presents a two-stage anaerobic digestion process combining high-solids anaerobic digestion followed by ultrasonication of digestate and wet-type anaerobic digestion for effective biomethane recovery from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. The high-solids anaerobic digestion yielded methane production of 210 L CH4/kg volatile solids (VS). The digestate from the high-solids anaerobic digestion process was ultrasonicated at three different specific energy inputs (1000, 2500, and 5000 kJ/kg total solids (TS)). The increases in the soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) concentrations (8%–32%) and volatile solids (VS) removal efficiencies (3.5%–10%) at different specific energy inputs were linearly correlated (R2 = 0.9356). Thus, ultrasonication led to the solubilization of particulate organics and released soluble organic matters. All ultrasonicated digestate samples showed significantly higher biomethane yields than that observed for the untreated digestate samples. The highest methane yield of 132 L CH4/kg VS was observed for a specific energy input of 5000 kJ/kg TS, which was 1.94 times higher than the control (68 L CH4/kg VS). Although specific energy inputs of 1000 kJ/kg TS and 2500 kJ/kg TS showed comparable methane yields (113–114 L CH4/kg VS), they were ~1.67 times higher than the control. Overall, our results suggest that an integrated system of high-solids and wet-type anaerobic digestion with pre-ultrasonication of digestate has the potential to provide a technically viable solution to enhance biomethane recovery from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste.


A method is presented for calculating laminar viscous, compressible flows in which pressure gradients are assumed to be neglibible in energy conservation and in developing property relations, but not in momentum conservation. The equations are developed from Navier-Stokes equations in a noninertial reference frame. The method is an extension of an approximate method developed for calculating combined forced and contained natural convection in a rotating tank. The restriction to small density and temperature variations in the previous method is removed. For illustration, a two-dimensional simulation of the rotating tank problem is formulated, and the numerical computation procedure to be used is indicated.


Numbers of Lygus Hesperus Knight per 50 net sweeps and numbers of abscised and lygus bug damaged squares per cotton plant terminal were counted weekly. Square abscission and square damage showed a high positive correlation with L. hesperus numbers ( r = 0.92, n = 7, for week of count and r = 0.69, n = 63, for June through July) and with square age ( r = 0.96, n = 20); fruit set on first and second sympodial branch positions showed a high negative correlation with L. Hesperus numbers ( r = -0.65, n = 25, for zero to six bugs per 50 sweeps). Comparisons of the proportion of squares damaged by lygus bugs between the terminal 5 nodes, terminal 10 nodes, and all nodes on one to three dates per location indicate that the terminal 5 nodes provide a reliable estimate of L. Hesperus feeding damage to squares. Our calculations indicate that before 1 August each lygus bug collected in the sweep net indicates a potential for 23,400 abscised plus damaged squares per hectare on the day of sample. Boll retention in relation to lygus bug numbers is presented. This information is expected to provide guidance when developing management strategies for L. hesperus on cotton. Square damage and loss can be used to estimate need for pesticide use and for refining the lygus bug: square ratio as an estimator of treatment threshold.


?"The Roots of Modern Biochemistry is a superb introduction into modern biochemistry, much recommended as initial overview of the subject." Prof. Dr. Hans Fritz, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich


Tampereen ammatikorkeakoulu Tampere University of Applied Sciences Master's Degree Programme in Information Systems Competence LEIVO VÄINÖ: Team Building in ICT in Tredu "Using teamwork and communality it is possible to achieve goals you can never reach alone" Master's thesis 70 pages August 2015 This study was carried out as a project to develop co-operation and teaching amongst the ICT teachers in the department of electrical engineering at Tampere Vocational College Tredu. In the current tightening economic situation it is important even for educational institutions to make the most of their limited resources and the aim of this study was to provide tools for this. Adopting new approaches and developing one's own work in secondary vocational education, as well as in any task within the educational sector, is essential. The project developed teaching to be more collaborative and the teaching environment was updated to better correspond to current trends. The study looked at problems related to team building in a working community within education and presented arguments for the benefits of team building applied to the educational sector. One key question was how to make better use of the expertise areas of teachers in the ICT department and to increase the joint use of tools and equipment between different lines of study. The study also looked at guild schools. The aim of this developmental study was to create a setting for teamwork and thus to enable guild school type experiments in the ICT department of Tredu. Throughout the study, an important factor was the practical application of the ECVET point system brought about by the new vocational curricula. The literature gathered for the study focuses on functionality, the grass-roots level and the theory of team building and the study can best be described as a functional development project. The results of this study will be put to use when the development of the ICT team begins during the school year 2015 as well as when the first guild school experiments will be made.


Spectral radiance histories of plasma for He, D2, and H2+D2gas mixtures with the initial pressurep0=0.6,1.2 MPa after shock compressed by a two-stage light-gas gun was measured by u- sing transient radiation pyrometer. According to the signal amplitude of spectral radiance history, the reflectivityRof LY12 aluminum base-plate surface after shocked was obtained from a typical record by means of fit. It was found that the light reflectivityR(wavelength ranges 340~800 nm) of shocked LY12 aluminum base-plate surface unloading to He, D2and H2+D2mixing gas plasma is about 0.4, which decreases to half of the static state reflectivity( ~0.8). The reason of reflectivity decreasing at dynamic loading is discussed.


Oliver Heaviside devoted his whole life to polishing Maxwell's theory to a workable instrument. His life and achievements are reviewed in this paper.


PVC membrane ion-selective electrodes based on bis-sulfonamide podands and DOS (Bis(2-ethylhexyl)-sebacate) as plasticizer are described. They were found to behave as guanidinium ion sensors, exhibiting high selectivity for guanidinium ions over potassium ions


The nowcasting and very short-term prediction system (SisPI, for its acronym in Spanish) is among the tools used by the National Meteorological Service of Cuba for the quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF). SisPI uses the WRF model as the core of its forecasts and one of the challenges to overcome is to improve the precision of the QPF. With this purpose, in this work we present the results of the application of a bias correction method based on artificial neural networks. The method is applied to the highest-resolution domain of SisPI (3 km), and the correction is made from the precipitation estimation of the GPM satellite product. Results shows higher correlation with the artificial neural network model in relation to the values predicted by SisPI (0.76 and 0.34, respectively). The mean square error when applying the artificial neural network model is 3.69, improving the performance of SisPI by 6.78. In general, the bias correction has a good ability to correct the precipitation forecast provided by SisPI, being less evident in cases where precipitation is reported and SisPI is not capable of forecasting it. In cases of overestimation by SisPI (which happens quite frequently), the correction achieves the best results.


The objective of this study was to explore the implementation of the SURE-P intervention on primary healthcare among the selected local government areas of Niger State, Nigeria. In these local governments, the primary health centers are not enough, and the existing ones are dilapidated with the absence of facilities needed to operate effectively. To access medical services, some communities must travel long distances, resulting in high mortality rates. This study examined the perceptions of Desk Officers regarding implementing the SURE-P intervention in primary healthcare among the selected local government. A descriptive design within the qualitative tradition was used in the Study. Thirteen SURE-P desk officers from the state and selected local governments were purposively selected as participants for this study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, and a thematic framework was used for interpretation. The results revealed that the primary healthcare SURE-P initiative had improved access to medical facilities across the selected local governments, resulting in a slide reduction in maternal motility. Furthermore, there was a lack of adequate assessment of needs, insufficient funding, relatively low inclusion, and political pressure in the implementation process. Based on findings, it is recommended that the SURE-P intervention be sustained, adequately financed, that the community members' priority needs should be addressed, that the community members should be more inclusive, and track the implementation of the SURE-P intervention.


4595 Background: Radiologic procedures that involve embolizing branches of the hepatic artery lengthen survival for patients with unresectable HCC, but the benefit of administering intrahepatic art...


The ability of juvenile summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus to utilize dietary lipid as energy, and the effect of dietary lipid on weight gain and body composition was investigated in a 12-week feeding trial. Diets were formulated to provide 55% crude protein from herring meal and casein. Menhaden oil was added to produce diets with 8, 12, 16 or 20% total lipid while providing 16.0 kJ available energy/g dry diet. The diet containing 20% total lipid supplied 16.7 kJ available energy/g dry diet due to the high levels of protein and lipid. An additional diet was included to reproduce currently available commercial diet formulations for flounder, providing 55% crude protein supplied solely from herring meal and 16% total dietary lipid. Juvenile summer flounder (initial weight 23 g) were stocked into triplicate aquaria in a closed, recirculating system maintained at 20 C. Fish were fed 2% of body weight each day divided into two equal feedings. Upon termination of the study, effects of dietary lipid on weight gain, body condition indices, and proximate composition were determined. Weight gain (96-149% of initial weight), feed efficiency ratio values (0.43-0.48). fillet yield, and whole-body composition all were unaffected by dietary lipid level. High levels of dietary lipid did increase the lipid content in the finray muscle, as fish fed diets containing 16 and 20% dietary lipid had significantly higher lipid levels than fish fed the diet containing 8% lipid. No apparent protein sparing effect of lipid was observed. These data indicate that currently available commercial feeds for summer flounder may be over-formulated and show a need for further research to determine specific and accurate nutritional information for this species.


Red Creek, in the Red Desert area of the Great Divide Basin, Wyoming, is an arid-region anastomosing stream. The narrow, deep, and sinuous main channel is flanked by anastomosing flood channels, or anabranches. Most anabranches are initiated at meander bends. The primary mechanism of anabranch initiation is avulsion during overbank floods. Anabranch enlargement occurs by headward erosion. Anabranches act as distributary channels during floods, when water and sediment from overbank flows are transported to and deposited on the floodplain via the anabranches. During periods of low discharges, the anabranches act as tributaries to the main channel, transporting runoff from the floodplain and surrounding hillslopes to the main channel of Red Creek.

Aggradation is occurring in the main channel and on the floodplain throughout the study reach. Infilling of the main channel occurs primarily by lateral accretion, while the floodplain accretes vertically through deposition of overbank sediment from the main channel and anabranches. Infilling of the main channel may cause avulsion of the main channel into an anabranch. The abandoned main channel segment may then fill completely or act as an anabranch. Because lateral migration of channels is inhibited by the high cohesion of the silt and clay channel sediment, periodic avulsion is the primary form of lateral mobility in the system.


Qualitative research typically involves techniques such as focus groups, in-depth interviews (IDIs), ethnography, and metaphor elicitation. Rather than being a substitute for quantitative research, qualitative research - when conducted properly - can be a useful and necessary complement that allows the researcher to fully understand the needs, motivations, judgments, perceptions, and intentions that customers bring to the table. By following the guidelines described here, marketing researchers can ensure that they maximize the upside potential of their research project while minimizing the downside.


This study aims to analyze (1) the influence of interpersonal communication on the performance of millennial employees, (2) the effect of rewards on the performance of millennial employees, (3) the effect of punishment on the performance of millennial employees, and (4) the influence of interpersonal communication, reward, and punishment on the performance of millennial employees. The research was conducted at the BPRS Niaga Madani Office for 2 (two) months, from March to April 2022. The population used in this study were all 32 millennial employees of the BPRS Niaga Madani Office. Due to the relatively small number of samples (less than 100 people) and easily accessible by researchers, a saturated sample was determined. The results of the study conclude that (1) interpersonal communication has no significant effect on the performance of millennial employees, (2) rewards have no significant effect on the performance of millennial employees, (3) punishment has a positive and significant effect on the performance of millennial employees, and (4) interpersonal communication, reward, and punishment have an effect on positive and significant impact on the performance of the millennial employees of the BPRS Niaga Madani Office.


A TCSC (thyristor controlled series compensator) model based on the Current Injection Method is present, and an adaptive fuzzy logic TCSC controller is designed. With the Genetic Algorithm the parameters of TCSC can be adjusted robustly by the adaptive fuzz rules. Simulation results according to the different run modes on typical 500 kV line are presented to demonstrate the control strategy based on the energy function method can improve the stability of the EHV power grid. The TCSC model based on the Current Injection Method is feasible in the EHV power grid and significant to the development of UHV power grid.


The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) has a prolonged period of development relative to other muroid rodents. We have explored the consequences of this relatively long period of maturation on retinal cell number and topography by comparing the duration and topography of neurogenesis in the gerbil retina with that of a closely related species which develops rapidly, the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) (Sengelaub et al.: J. Comp. Neurol. 246:527–543, 1986). An analysis of thymidine‐labeled retinas indicate that cells destined for the gerbil retinal ganglion cell layer are generated for at least 12 embryonic days, twice the duration in the hamster. The period of cell loss in the gerbil retinal ganglion cell layer extends for at least 14 postnatal days, more than twice as long as in the hamster. The gerbil retina is generated in a center‐to‐periphery gradient for both retinal ganglion cells and displaced amacrine cells, while no such gradients are evident in the hamster retina. We conclude that the longer developmental period of the gerbil is associated with (1) a longer period of neurogenesis resulting in greater retinal cell number, (2) the expression of spatial gradients in neurogenesis, and (3) a larger eye at maturity. The last two factors, in part, may be related to the development of a highly differentiated area centralis and visual streak in the retina of this rodent.


Several large-scale, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have shown convincingly that neither β-carotene1–3⇓⇓ nor vitamin E, alone3–5⇓⇓ or in combination with other antioxidant vitamins,6 reduces the risk of fatal or nonfatal infarction (or other hard clinical end points) in an unselected population of people with established coronary heart disease (CHD) or at high risk of CHD. Two end point trials, much smaller trials that used vitamin E, have reported positive results,7,8⇓ and one trial, which used ultrasound, showed that a combination of vitamins E and C slowed the progression of carotid artery lesions.9However, these are far outweighed by the negative results in the other, much larger trials. Certainly there is no basis for recommending vitamin E supplementation to patients with CHD, especially because it may blunt the effectiveness of hypolipidemic therapy with statins and niacin.6 A surprisingly large fraction of cardiologists (≈40%) have been recommending such regimens10 despite warnings that this use was premature.11

At first glance, it might seem that these negative results close the book and that additional clinical trials of any antioxidants would be pointless. Closer examination, we believe, will show that such a conclusion would be premature and inappropriate.12 The hypothesis that oxidative modification of LDL plays a significant role in atherogenesis in humans is not necessarily disproved by the failure of these particular clinical trials any more than a negative trial of an ineffectual antibiotic in Pneumococcal pneumonia would prove that pneumonia is not a bacterial disease. The oxidative modification hypothesis is not that vitamin E will ameliorate the human disease but that oxidative modification of LDL and/or other oxidative events play a significant role in human atherogenesis as it does in animal models of atherogenesis. A corollary of the hypothesis is …


The progressive secretion of antimicrobial material by isolated aspen tissue was characterized. The active material diffused at a higher rate in standard culture than alpha-amylase. The pH of the tissue culture medium was not altered by tissue growth and the anti-' microbial material proved to be bactericidal. The incorporation of dimethyl sulfoxide did not increase the release of the active material. Catechol was detected in the tissue using enzymatic and chemical analys but the analysis led to the conclusion that catechol was not the pri mary material responsible for the observed antimicrobial activity. Further analysis with electrophoresis and chromatography demon strated that the inhibitory material may consist of several components.


According to self organizing map principle, a visualized topology map model for radar system effectiveness analysis based on information fusion of multiple parameters is built, and the effectiveness of different airborne radar is analyzed through the topology map obtained from the model. Through the topology ordering map and single parameter gray scale image from the model, the characteristics of detection capability, parameter correlation, parameter variation tendency of different type of radar can be observed clearly, and similarity prediction for the effectiveness of the other radars can be carried out. Compared with traditional methods, this paper provides a valid and rational way for effectiveness analysis.


The acquisition of multidrug resistance in nosocomial pathogens such as Serratia marcescens has been reported in the absence of antibiotic selection pressure. The broad antimicrobial spectrum of aminoglycosides and their synergistic antimicrobial effect in association with other drugs (such as β-lactams and fluoroquinolones) suggest the possible use of these antibiotics as a therapy for life-threatening infections. One of the most important mechanisms of aminoglycoside resistance is posttranscriptional methylation of 16S rRNA conferred by methyltransferases. To date, 10 kinds of 16S rRNA methyltransferase genes (armA, rmtA, rmtB, rmtC, rmtD, rmtE, rmtF, rmtG, rmtH, and npmA), whose products confer high-level resistance to aminoglycosides, have been reported in various Enterobacteriaceae strains [1]. The rmtB gene was first identified in S. marcescens in Japan, but has not been reported in S. marcescens elsewhere [2]. In the present study, we described an isolate of S. marcescens harboring rmtB, together with quinolone resistance genes and various β-lactamase genes, for the first time in China.

A strain of S. marcescens, designated GN1384, was isolated from the urine of a 81-yr-old male patient who suffered from urinary tract infections in September 2009 and was admitted to the second hospital of Hefei, China. Species identification was performed with the Vitek2 system (bioMerieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France) and confirmed with API 20E (bioMerieux). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of various antibiotics were determined by using the agar dilution method, and susceptibility data were interpreted by using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines [3]. The isolate showed a multiple drug resistant pattern, including some β-lactams, all the aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones (Table 1).

Table 1

Characteristics of clinical isolate S. marcescens GN1384 and its transconjugant

Then, genomic and plasmid DNA of strain GN1384 was extracted. Using primers described previously, we identified the resistance genotype of this strain by detecting the following resistance determinants through PCR, based on the above resistance phenotypes: 16S rRNA methyltransferase genes (armA, rmtA, rmtB, rmtC, rmtD, rmtE, and npmA); plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance determinants (qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, qnrC, qnrD, aac (6')-Ib-cr, and qepA); chromosome mutations associated with fluoroquinolone resistance (gyrA, parC, and parE); and genes coding for β-lactamases (TEM, CTX-M, SHV, OXA-1) [4,5,6,7]. The positive amplicons were subsequently sequenced, and the results indicated the presence of rmtB, aac(6')-Ib-cr, blaCTX-M-14, blaTEM-1, and blaOXA-1. In addition, two amino acid changes (Ser83Leu and Asp87Asn) in GyrA and five amino acid changes (Thr57Ser, Ser80Ile, Ala129Ser, Val131Leu, and Gly134Ser) in ParC were observed.

Conjugation experiments were performed with Escherichia coli J53 as the recipient, as previously described [8]. The transconjugants were selected on agar plates containing sodium azide (100 mg/L) supplemented with amikacin (128 mg/L). Conjugation experiments showed that aac(6')-Ib-cr, blaTEM-1, blaCTX-M-14, and blaOXA-1 were cotransferred with rmtB to the recipient. The MIC results revealed that it simultaneously exhibited an elevated level of resistance to β-lactams, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones (Table 1).

The extremely high MICs of all aminoglycosides tested against the multidrug-resistant S. marcescens were likely due to the presence of the rmtB gene. In contrast to the rmtB plasmid isolated by Doi et al. [2], the plasmid bearing rmtB in our study was self-transferable, as observed by Bogaerts et al. [9]. In accordance with a previous study, the close linkage between 16S rRNA methyltransferase and β-lactamase as well as plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance determinants revealed the significant relationship of these genes amongst Enterobacteriaceae [10]. It was also observed that the plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance gene together with the mutations in gyrA and parC contributed to the high-level quinolone resistance in S. marcescens GN1384. Further studies are required to assess the genetic environment of these genes and the role of these new substitutions in resistance to fluoroquinolones. The continuous and widespread use of aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and β-lactams in human or animal infection is the major driving force leading to these sophisticated resistance gene linkages. The dissemination of these linked genes by horizontal transfer simultaneously is very worrisome, and continuous monitoring should be reinforced.


The deduction of hybrid switching topology is a novel method to get new topology. This method is to get new topologies through theory deduction. In the process of deduction, how to identify isomorphic hybrid switching topology is an important problem. The definition and mathematical models of hybrid switching topology are given in the paper. A method of identifying isomorphic hybrid switching topology based on mathematical model of hybrid branch is proposed. The isomorphic hybrid switching topologies are determined by obtaining eigenvalues of their adjacent matrix. An example is given to validate this method.


face-to-face with whatever is being manipulated and experienced. For example, the steering system in a sports car, especially one with a mid-engine layout, lets you feel the road surface so you can tell when the road is slippery just by the feel of the steering. A good tool, like a high-quality wrench, becomes part of your hand, so you feel your hand is turning the bolt directly. The machinery disappears, and you feel connected to the object in question. A programming environment can also convey the A experience of immediacy, drawing the programmer closer to the program. When that happens, debug-ging is easier. The principle of immediacy can serve as a guide, keeping builders of programming environments on the path to productive environments. Like your favorite pizza, a programming environment can be described as a layered yet synergistic stack of ingredients: • Language semantics define how the user specifies a computation. • Affordances define how the user examines, changes, and runs programs. • A user interface brings the affordances into the user's sphere of perception and action. The principle of immediacy can be brought to bear on each of these layers. For example, in the user interface, it helps if each chunk of information (e.g., each procedure) shows up as a visually distinguished and clearly legible unit. At the low level of visual perception, designers frequently employ cues that Debugging and the Experience o


Activated carbon was made from sewage sludge with H3PO4 as a sludge activation agent during the pyrolytic process.The carbonization temperature,carbonization time,acid concentration,activation temperature,activation time were optimized.The effects of such factors on the sludge activated carbon were investigated.The optimal conditions were carbonization temperature 623K,carbonization time 50min,concentration of washing acid 25%,activation temperature 653K,activation time 50min.Under such conditions,the yield of the activated carbon was 48%,and the iodine adsorption value was 585.1mg/g.The activated carbon was used to purify dyeing waste water,and the adsorption efficiency could reach 99.97% with 0.5g activated carbon per 100 mL waste water.


Investigators conducted a survey in February 2014 that captured perceptions from library technicians and librarians across Canada about the changing roles and dynamics of work relationships. Focused on results from the academic library sector, this paper will share how work responsibilities, professional roles, and relationships between librarians and library technicians are perceived to be changing, as well as provide suggestions for improving workplace culture. Results will be of interest to academic librarians and library technicians who seek evidence of changing professional roles, and relationships between professions, as well as the need to mindfully reinvent organizational structures and culture. Introduction Investigators conducted a survey in February 2014 that captured perceptions from library technicians and librarians, in all types of libraries across Canada, about changing roles and the dynamics of work relationships. This paper will focus on the results from the academic library sector. Results on how work responsibilities are understood by respondents, as well as how professional roles and relationships are perceived to be changing will be highlighted. At the heart of the success of any academic library are people. This paper will be of interest to academic librarians and library technicians who seek evidence on changing professional roles and relationships between professions, as well as the need to mindfully reinvent organizational structures and culture. Presenting this overview from data provides the foundation for evidencebased solutions used to create and recreate a dynamic and respectful work culture that flourishes and engages staff. A number of definitions must first be outlined. In Canada, the job title "library technician" is commonly used to define a graduate from a two-year (on average) diploma program from a recognized institution. The Canadian Library Association (CLA) "Guidelines for the Education of Library Technicians" states that a library technician program "refers to such programs as library studies, library arts and documentation technology, library and information technology, techniques de la documentation" (2). In the workplace, library technicians may work in positions titled otherwise, such as library assistant, for example, but the distinction of this particular professional role is the diploma education. The Guidelines state that "The library technician plays an important role on a library staff, occupying a position with a level of responsibility between that of a clerk and a librarian" (CLA 2). In the United States, the job title "library technician" is less connected to a formal education program. The American Library Association (ALA) notes that "Training requirements for library technicians vary widely, ranging from a high school diploma to specialized postsecondary training" and adds that employers may hire based on previous work experience or educational training, or may provide on the job training to employees with no library experience or schooling ("Becoming a Library Assistant or Technician" par. 3). Furthermore, the Australian Library and Information Association differentiates library assistants, who have no formal schooling, with library technicians based on their completion of a diploma program ("Qualifications"). In the literature, a number of terms are used to refer to the job designation "library technician," including library assistant, technical assistant, and most commonly, paraprofessional. This paper will exclusively use the term "library technician" when referring to the results of the research study, however, other terms may be used within the literature review, in accordance with terms utilized in the literature examined. It is also necessary to define the term "librarian." The ALA affirms that "The master's degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association (or from a master's level program in library and information studies accredited or recognized by the appropriate national body of another country) is the appropriate professional degree for librarians" ("Becoming a Librarian" par. 2). To conclude, this study defines librarians as those who have obtained an appropriate master's degree from an accredited institution, and library technicians as those who have received the appropriate diploma from a recognized program. The research team consists of professionals who work in academic library settings and library education programs, and have thus observed changes in the workplace roles and relationships around them. The purpose of this study was to add evidence to daily informal observances by obtaining and examining a data set that may indicate how librarians and library technicians perceive changes that are occurring in academic libraries in Canada. Literature Review As reviewed in James, Koch, and Shamchuk (in press), only a small body of literature and research exists that investigates the evolutionary responsibility of librarians and library technicians in relation to each other, especially in regard to academic library environments. A current article by Delaney and Bates offers a comprehensive list of present and future trends occurring in academic libraries, including conjectures about how librarians can work to implement such changes, while making only passing mention of library staff as a whole, and no mention of the role of paraprofessionals. Similarly, each chapter in the book edited by Peacock and Wurm covers an area of role and responsibility change in academic libraries, from public service, to information literacy, to collections, to technology, all from a librarian's point of view, with no direct mentions of how these changes affect paraprofessional staff. Other studies examine changes in the staffing the reference desk, with library technicians taking over a larger percentage of reference interactions (Courtney; Dinkins & Ryan; Gremmels; Leong and Davidson), or the move to outsourcing of low-level cataloguing work and thus the addition of higher-level tasks previously associated with librarians being given over to library technicians in the technical services department (Cox & Myers; Leong and Davidson; Rider; Zhu). These two trends have allowed librarians to take on broader responsibilities, including administrative and management roles (Courtney; Cox & Myers; Leong and Davidson). Oberg describes the role of faculty status (101), lamenting the librarians and library technicians need to stop blaming each other and simply work together to further the goals of the library. Cox & Myers suggest the need for further research into fair and equal compensation across the library profession as a whole (221), while Leong and Davidson, Pilarski and Picasso, Rider, and Zhu advocate for fair training and the need to work to strengths as opposed to definitive titles or qualifications. Regarding libraries in general, Hill conducted a survey of 200 library workers across all types of libraries, noting the changes that were occurring for both librarians and library technicians, even though respondents acknowledged the distinct level of education offered by each level of library schooling. Hill goes as far as developing a list of best practices for mitigating the tension between levels of library staff, stating the importance of role overlap clarification, noting this may lead to improved productivity and workplace environment (23). Delong and Sivak further delineate the differences in training and competencies of both librarians and library technicians, addressing the opportunities and barriers to changing curriculum at the levels of library education programs. A major inspiration for this research study came from research conducted by Fragola, which is one of the very few articles that directly focuses on the relationship between librarians and library technicians and the effect on this relationship as a result of crossover in roles, in libraries across all sectors. Fragola clearly states paraprofessionals are doing librarian tasks (17), and attempts to discover if in-group bias, or the feeling that your group is better than another group and thus deserves preferential treatment, has a negative effect on the way librarians and paraprofessionals perceive each other. Although Fragola's research uncovered a small level of in-group bias, this was not prevalent to the larger extent suggested in the literature and anecdotal stories. Fragola suggest the actions of administrators and management are the key to fostering mutual respect and resolving tension that may exist, a sentiment echoed by Gremmels (248). Though the role definitions provided by Johnson may be dated, the discussion about the difference between librarians and library technicians and the causes cited, including societal, educational, and technological forces, are nonetheless useful to the larger discourse. Johnson also provides some solutions to the resentment, disrespect, and reluctance of librarians and library technicians to do away with bias, including revising library workflow to meet local needs, and the importance of administration communicating role importance to professionals, while considering union restrictions. Litwin's article further examines the concept of deprofessionalization of librarianship, providing a historical background and definitions of professional status, while making assumptions about paraprofessional motivation, within a context of changing institutional practices. Once again, the effect of budgets and the role of management is highlighted. Most of the literature regarding trends in work responsibilities and/or attitudes between librarians and library technicians are optimistic and offer suggestions for further enhancing workplace relationships, but there is a great need for further research on how the trends may affect working relationships, and for greater attention to specific library environments that are experiencing significant cha


Driving is a prototypical example of a closed-loop control problem. This chapter presents a tutorial introduction to the logic of closed-loop systems and the implications for theory and research on driver performance. The human-vehicle system is parsed into three coupled components: (1) the problem constraints; (2) the observer constraints; and (3) the control constraints. This paper hopes to illustrate the importance of each component to a full appreciation of the closed-loop dynamic and to consider how the coupling across these components will determine the emergent stability of human-vehicle systems. This paper hopes that this tutorial will help to provide common ground between behavioral scientists and engineers, so that each can better appreciate how the human factor, the vehicle, and the driving ecology interact to shape system performance. This paper also hopes that this will provide a theoretical context for interdisciplinary driver research using simulators. There is a growing appreciation among those who study human performance that context matters. Thus, increasingly it becomes important to be able to evaluate performance under conditions that are representative of natural life experiences. Driving simulators provide a unique bridge between the complexity of natural environments and the demands for controlled observation in order to test hypotheses about human performance. This is equally important for addressing practical issues associated with training and design, as well as for basic issues associated with understanding adaptive cognitive systems.


"Sybilla" equipment has been developed for two decades to propose solutions to the challenges faced by the very promising and expanding field of oxide thin film deposition. The underlying technology named Chemical Beam Vapor Deposition (CBVD) inherits its basic concept from Chemical Beam Epitaxy (CBE), and consists in effusing (in high vacuum conditions) beams of organometallic compounds towards a substrate on which they decompose under energy activation to form the film. The technique enables deposition of multi-element oxides (up to 3 was tested, up to 5 possible), either homogenously or in combinatorial mode (i.e with controlled precursor flow gradient emitted onto the substrate, in good agreement with theoretical model predictions). High homogeneity films can be achieved, even on large substrates (scaling between 150 mm and 450 mm wafer was shown). Precursor decomposition can be initiated either thermally (substrate heating) or by irradiating with energetic beams (laser and electron activations were studied). Additive growth can be obtained by such localized irradiation, or alternatively depositing through shadow masks and benefiting from the line-of-sight nature of the technique (and exploiting the precursor decomposition kinetics not to damage masks). The multi-parameter nature of the deposition technology (precursor nature, different flows, temperature) allows to tune growth rate (from few nm/h to several μm/h) as well as thin film physico-chemical properties (chemical composition, film morphology, crystallinity, etc.) and functional properties. Combinatorial growth reveals a very efficient facility to optimize processes (in one shot, saving time and resources) and address new thin film architectures.


Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a negative effect on the poor, minority populations, and a wide variety of vulnerable communities because of its unequal distribution in populated regions and its limited ability to be mitigated by the rise in chronic conditions or the lack of access to high-quality healthcare (HC). Furthermore, the pandemic's negative consequences, such as social isolation and travel limitations, disproportionately affect persons in the poorest socioeconomic (SE) groups. We prepared seven national case studies from across the world to address the difficulties of improving health and highlight some of the responses used by government agencies and local groups: Afghanistan (AFGN), Albania (ALB), Algeria (ALGR), Australia (AU), Brazil (BR), China (CN), and France (FR). We encourage academics to continue doing rigorous research and establishing a sound evidence foundation for further scientific inquiries into COVID-19 health equity problems throughout the world. HC organisations may improve their agility, resilience, and learning with the support of insights from complexity science in order to better prepare for unexpected occurrences in the future.


The application of vapor-phase transport (VPT) and dry-gel conversion (DGC) methods to the synthesis of (aluminosilicate) zeolites, aluminophosphate molecular sieves, metallosilicate molecular sieves and molecular sieve films/membranes were reviewed. The parameters influencing the synthesis, such as temperature, time, compositions of dry gels and organic templates were presented. The application of VPT/DGC in the preparation of shaped zeolite molecular sieves was also introduced.


Femtosecond photon-echo experiments on sodium resorufin in dimethylsulfoxide at room temperature show that optical dephasing in solution is of non-Markovian character. A single Gauss-Markov stochastic modulation process is used to interpret both the femtosecond light-scattering results and the steady-state absorption spectrum. The optical dynamics of this system appears to fall in the intermediate modulation regime. No evidence was found for contributions of slower dynamical processes to the absorption line breadth.


Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to propose several potential determinants of the distance between acquirer and target in M & - A deals and examine the negative impact of the acquirer-target distance on announcement returns of acquiring firms. Design/methodology/approach - – By employing two-stage regression model, the authors control for the potential endogeneity of acquirer-target distance. The authors use excess distance instead of raw distance between acquirer and target to look at the impact of acquirer-target distance on announcement returns. Findings - – The authors find that acquirer-target distance in M & - A tends to be longer when major hub airports are located closer to acquiring and target firms, target firm is located in a region with higher level of unemployment rate and median household income, and target firm is smaller and has more cash holdings. When controlling for the potential determinants of acquirer-target distance, including the level of targets information asymmetry, the authors still find that the excess distance between acquirer and target has a negative impact on announcement returns of acquiring firms. Originality/value - – This study provides three main contributions to the literature. First, the authors find that acquirer-target distance in M & - A is not exogenous and determined by several firm characteristics and regional economic factors. Second, the authors show that the acquirer-target distance has a negative impact on announcement returns even when controlling for the potential determinants. Third, by including information asymmetry measures as potential determinants of acquirer-target distance, the authors show that information advantage of local bidders may not be the most critical factor for their higher returns compared to the bidders from remote areas.


Traction batteries have been widely applied as the main powerplant for hybrid vehicles running in high power fluctuations. Based on the hybrid vehicle traction batteries, this paper described the batteries' dynamic impedance characteristics and the influencing factors in a wide frequency range by piecewise time-frequency analysis. Some of the effects are related to the operation regime of the battery, such as battery aging, cycling current size and state of charge etc. Others are related to the structure of the battery and the rection internal the battery, such as the effect of diffusion and polarization effect at low frequency, the skin effect at high frequency. This paper analyzed the role each factor played for the battery impedance and the frequency bond that they make function. It can be helpful to battery state evaluation by analysis the dynamic characteristics. Moreover, EMI responses of power battery were predicted as spreading path for EMI in electric vehicles.


Neurological involvement has a great importance in the clinical spectrum of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) (1). The presence of small fiber neuropathy (SFN), which cannot be detected in routine electrophysiological examinations, causes the peripheral nervous system involvement to be underestimated in the course of the disease and causes pain-related symptoms in patients that cannot be explained by routine examinations (2). Various methods can be used in the detection of SFN, and cutaneous silent period (CSP) measurement is gaining popularity recently due to its non-invasiveness and practical application (3).Evaluating SFN involvement in patients with pSS using CSP and evaluating its relationship with clinical parameters.Patients with a diagnosis of pSS followed in the rheumatology outpatient clinic and healthy volunteers demographically homogeneous with the patient group were included in the study. The CSP responses were recorded over the abductor pollicis brevis muscle in the upper extremity of all participants. The latency and duration values of the responses were obtained. In patient group, EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire, Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) and Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) were applied for the evaluation of symptom severity, mood, quality of life, presence of neuropathic pain and central sensitization, respectively. Comparison of CSP parameters between patients with pSS and healthy volunteers was determined as the primary outcome measure. The secondary outcome measure was the relationship between CSP parameters and ESSPRI, HADS, SF-36, LANSS and CSI scores.A total of 36 patients and 36 healthy controls were included in the final analyses. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of demographic data. The mean CSP latency was significantly longer in patients with a mean of 78.18 (±7.51) when compared to controls with a mean of 67.91 (±6.41) (95% CI: 6.98- 13.55, p<0.001). Mean CSP duration was also significantly shorter in patients with a mean of 33.40 (±6.93) (95% CI: 9.57 -15.31, p<0.001). There were no significant differences in CSP parameters (latency and duration, respectively) according to patients' neuropathic pain or central sensitization profile (p>0.05 for all analyses). There were significant correlations of CSP parameters with ESSPRI dryness (r=0.469, p=0.004; r=-0.553, p<0.001), fatigue (r=0.42, p=0.011; r=-0.505, p=0.002), pain (r=0.428, p=0.009; r=-0.57, p<0.001) subscores and mean ESSPRI score (r=0.631, p<0.001; r=-0.749, p<0.001). Significant correlations were not found between CSP parameters and SF-36 scores, other than CSP duration and "pain" subscore (r=-0.395, p=0.017). When the other correlations were investigated there were no significant correlations other than CSP duration and the HADS anxiety score (r=-0.201, p=0.02).As an indicator of CSP measurement, SFN is more common in patients with pSS than in the healthy population. The association with important clinical symptoms of the disease course such as dryness, fatigue, pain and anxiety highlights the importance of detecting small fiber neuropathy.[1]Margaretten M. Neurologic manifestations of primary Sjögren syndrome. Rheumatic Disease Clinics. 2017;43(4):519-29.[2]Birnbaum J, Lalji A, Saed A, Baer AN. Biopsy-Proven Small-Fiber Neuropathy in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome: Neuropathic Pain Characteristics, Autoantibody Findings, and Histopathologic Features. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2019 Jul;71(7):936-948.[3]Tekatas A, Tekatas DD, Solmaz V, Karaca T, Pamuk ON. Small fiber neuropathy and related factors in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus; the results of cutaneous silent period and skin biopsy. Advances in Rheumatology. 2020 Jun 15;60.None declared


Objective To investigate the clinical and radiological features of methotrexate(MTX)-induced acute encephalopathy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL).Methods We reviewed clinical and radiological data of this complication in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated from July 1,2005 to August 31,2009 in Beijing Children Hospital.Results Seven patients experienced acute encephalopathy within 3~10 days after receiving high-dose i.v.and/or intrathecal MTX.The signs and symptoms varied at presentation: hemiparesis,dysphasia,seizure,weakness and facial palsy.All patients recovered after 3~5 days.Acute encephalopathy occurred associated with the dosage of MTX,the age of the patients and MTX metabolism.Four patients had restricted diffusion by diffusion-weighted image(DWI) in the deep white matter,esp.centrum semiovale and corona radiate.Conclusion Acute MTX encephalopathy often manifests transient and focal motor function deficit.Restricted diffusion on DWI is a sensitive sign of acute MTX encephalopathy.


Fourteen patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) underwent immediate postexercise and 3-hr delayed @°1Tl single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)with quantitative analysis using bullseye polar maps. Test performance in detecting indMdual coronary artery stenosis @50%demonstrated 100% sensitivIty.Specificitywas 100% for circumflex stenosis, 78% for right coronary stenosis, but only 10% for left anterior descendingcoronarystenosis.Thisvery low specificitywasdueto the fact that 3/4(75%) patients with left anterior descending stenosis and also 9/10 (90%) patients wfth normal left anterior descending coronary arteries had immediate septal perfusion defects with redistribution inallcasesat3hr.Septal abnOrmalitieS weremostmarkedinpatients who achievedhighpeakheartrates(>170 bpm).Thus,with LBBB, @°@Tl SPECTis indeterminate for left anterior descending coronary disease.


An object of the present invention is to provide an elastic yarn winding machine, wherein the residual contraction can be kept low and the package when the package is formed is formed in a preferred form. The elastic yarn winding machine according to the present invention with respect to the yarn run direction along the yarn contact roller is disposed downstream of, and including an elastic yarn Y in the winding process the package with an outer circumferential surface 3 of the roller 18 in contact with . 4 is a traverse device disposed upstream of the contact roller 18 along the yarn traveling direction. Traverse device 4 is laterally moved elastic yarn Y by the contact roller 18 is wound into a package 3. Feed roller 27 is disposed upstream along the yarn traveling direction of the traverse device 4 (the yarn between the roller and the traverse device 4). Feed roller 27 and the rotational speed of the contact roller 18 is controlled so that the circumferential speed of the feed roller 27 is V2 V1 faster than the peripheral speed of the contact roller 18.


Treasury regulations defining the duties of those practicing before the IRS, commonly called Circular 230, are a cornerstone of federal tax practice. Recent judicial decisions, however, raise the genuine possibility that substantial portions of Circular 230 may be invalidated if challenged.


Salt affected soils have received the attention of scientist and development workers throughout the world. In Malaysia, agriculture is of prime importance for the livelihood of the population. However, degradation of soils though salinity has been a major agricultural problem in some states. The high evaporation rate in combination with high water table causes salinity development in the northern part of Malaysia. Digital image processing techniques supported by visual interpretation and in-situ ground measurements as field checks were used to delineate and evaluate both qualitatively and quantitatively the salinity pattern at Langkawi Island, Kedah. This study attempted to classify the whole Langkawi Island according to various salinity levels based on surface soil resistivity survey using a grid approach of 13km2 interval. The resistivity was measured within the soil root zone of 0-15cm2. An empirical acquired ground measurement through multiple regression analysis was applied. The results showed that the correlation of Landsat TM data with actual salinity levels is high. The resulting regression model was used as a basis for generating digital cartographic product to depict salinity pattern over the entire island for optimum agricultural development zoning.


Nerolidol and methyl acetoacetate underwent Carroll reaction and the reaction mixture was fractionatedto give a fraction rich in (5E,9E)-farnesylacetone followed by Grignard reaction and Carroll reaction to give teprenone withan overall yield of 19.1% and purity of 98%.


In cloud computing field, computation and memory resources are becoming a relevant growing business. On the other hand, mobile network architecture faces many hurdles, including lack of flexibility for providing enhanced services and distributed architecture, and expensive cost to provide a network topology that meets the users' equipment (UEs) needs. To cope with these problems, cloud computing is used in mobile telecommunications market thanks to network functions virtualisation. In our paper, we develop a fuzzy controller to support virtual network functions placement and provide an adaptive solution to manage and organise the network. Our approach enables the solution to adapt to UEs' mobility and their needs in term of quality of experience. Furthermore, it minimises S-GWs relocation cost and the path between UEs and packet data network gateways, taking into account the resources capacities. The experimental results show that our approach provides good results compared to the literature methods.


: Phenols and flavonoids are common in plants which act as antioxidants and free radical scavengers. The study aimed at estimation of total Phenolic, Flavonoid content and Antioxidant activity of Pterosperum suberifolium (L) Leaves. The various solvents like Hexane, Ethylacetate, Acetone, Methanol and Ethanol were used for extraction process by percolation using soxhlet apparatus. Determination of total phenol content for different extracts of leaves was done using Folin – Ciocalteau, total flavonoid content using Aluminium chloride by colorimetric method. Antioxidant nature of leaf was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DDPH) assay, Ferrous reducing antioxidant capacity assay and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and compared between the various extracts. Total phenol content was expressed in mg of Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE) per g dry weight. The content of flavonoids was expressed in mg of Catechin equivalence (CE) per g of dry weight. Based on results, phenolic content is significantly high in Acetone extract (78.02 mg GAE/g. Extract). Similarly significant high concentration of flavonoids observed in methanol extract (85.25 mg CE/g Extract). For Antioxidant activity methanol extract showed highest activity and Hexane extract shown the least antioxidant property.


Approximately one tenth of the investment in the American steel industry is in electrical plant. The power consumption of steel mills is increasing. About two thirds of the power used is generated within the plants but there is a trend toward increased purchase of power. Electricity is gaining a foothold in the field of transportation through the Diesel-electric locomotive. D-c motors are being used more for main-roll drives. Synchronous motors are also gaining favor. Reversing drives have developed interesting ramifications. There is a trend toward subdivision of main roll drives. The combination of reduction gears and mill pinions into a single unit is of interest. The use of new types of bearings affects power requirements. The concentration of d-c power associated with the main-roll drives of wide strip mills has introduced problems concerning interrupting capacity of circuit breakers and strength of bus installations. In the field of auxiliary drives, the increased application of small individual induction motors is notable. Electrical precipitation finds greater acceptance in the field of gas cleaning. Electric melting furnaces supply a small but growing increment of total steel production. High-frequency heating is finding some uses. New types of electric furnaces are being installed for heat treating and annealing operations.


The initial oxidation stages of perfect and defective graphitic surfaces exposed to atomic oxygen have been studied with a combined high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy (HR-PES) and density functional theory (DFT) computational approach. The resulting oxygen-containing surface functional groups are identified by analyzing the multicomponent C 1s and O 1s core level spectra that are then interpreted on the basis of DFT calculations. In the initial oxidation stage, epoxy groups are formed on perfect graphene, whereas the preferential adsorption of the O atoms on the vacancies of the defective surfaces results in structures containing pairs of oxygen atoms in ether and carbonyl (semiquinone) configurations. The formation of these functional groups is preceded by metastable structures consisting of single O atoms occupying single C vacancies.


The information retrieval is one of the common operations in computer information systems. This paper proposes a kind of information retrieval method based on fuzzy set theory.


This study explored the overall visual elements of arcade buildings and streetscapes from the perspective of tourists and then evaluated their influence on the identity and emotion of places. The scope of the research was to take the arcade building in the port area of Shantou Small Park in Guangdong, China, and apply the eye-tracking experiment method and semantic difference method. This entailed collecting the eye-tracking data of 16 people, implementing 334 questionnaires for evaluation, verifying the correlation between the visual elements and place identity emotions, and then screening out the visual elements that affect place identity through correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. The results show that plaque text morphological richness (p = 0.045 < 0.05, and the regression coefficient B = 0.146), the color brightness of plaque text (p = 0.031 < 0.01, and the regression coefficient B = 0.171), window morphological richness (p = 0.038 < 0.05, and the regression coefficient B = 0.106), window color brilliance (p = 0.047 < 0.01, and regression coefficient B = 0.094), and plant color brilliance (p = 0.029 < 0.05, and the regression coefficient B = 0.154) are five visual element evaluation factors that have a significant correlation with the identity and emotion of places. Although the fineness of architectural decoration is negatively correlated with place identity, it is not obviously significant. The research results provide reference for the visual control design of arcade buildings.


The author considers a still relevant topic, i.e. the formation of the state mechanism of Bolshevist Russia. The history of the first years of Soviet rule was one of the most politicized issues, and its academic reconstruction is still in progress. The author aims to clarify the reasons for the discrepancy between the Bolsheviks' pre-revolutionary views on the dictatorship of the proletariat and the political realities of the period of civil war. The methodological basis of the research is the recognition of integrity of the historical process: while having opposite objectives, the autocratic and the Bolshevist regimes were both characterized by the weakness of civil society and the domination of the state in the political system. The author maintains that the transfer of power during 1918 from workers to the party state management was caused by the absence of prerequisites for a socialist revolution. The article describes V.I. Lenin's views on these prerequisites, as well as his polemics with groups of "democratic centralism" and "working opposition". The analysis conducted allows the author to draw a conclusion that both the fractional groups and the majority of the Central Committee of the CPSU were wrong. The opposition insisted that the Marxist provision requiring the transfer of power to workers be implemented, while V.I. Lenin emphasized the scholastic character of these requirements and urged to proceed from political realities.


This research was conducted to find out whether there was an influence of the rupiah exchange rate, SBI interest rate, inflation rate on the Jakarta Islamic Index. The study population was the Jakarta Islamic Index with a sample of the Jakarta Islamic Index data for the 2007-2017 period. The method of analysis is done using multiple linear regression. The analysis shows that the rupiah exchange rate and SBI interest rate have a significant effect on the Jakarta Islamic Index, while inflation has no significant effect on the Jakarta Islamic Index. Simultaneously the exchange rate, interest rate and inflation have a significant influence on the Jakarta Islamic Index.


Welfare reform efforts in the 1990s aimed at reducing welfare dependence and moving women into work. Public assistance use fell and labor force participation among mothers rose at a stunning rate over the decade. Poverty declined, but at a slower rate. These changes are causally related to the strong macroeconomy, welfare reform efforts, and other policy changes, especially the EITC and minimum wage expansions. This paper concludes that all of these effects reinforced each other, producing very large behavioral changes. It is too early to predict the effects of these changes on long-term family well-being.


Background: Breast cancer is a common malignancy and a major cause of death in women. Many factors responsible for breast cancer such as viruses. Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), infection which has been implicated in pathogenesis of certain disease and some studies has been described the involvement of viruses in cancers. Aim: To determine the presence of HSV-1antigen in women presented with breast cancer. Methods: Twenty two formalin-fixed paraffin embedded breast tissue collected from the Al-Kadhimiya teaching hospital in Baghdad. Clinical data were analyzed from the medical records; in addition ten normal breast tissues used as control group. All samples were sectioned and examined by direct immunofluorescence for detection of HSV-1 antigen. Results: Detection of HSV-1 Ag in tissues patients with breast cancer was 31.8% (7 out of 22), where statistical significant was found between expression of HSV-1 and patients with breast cancer based on statistical analysis. While no significant correlation between HSV-1 and age, grade, type of tumor and lymph node metastasis. Conclusion: Based on the results of the current study, Herpes simplex virus-1 could be a co-factor in the oncogenesis of breast cancer or could infect cancer tissues opportunistically. Key Word: Breast cancer, Herpes simplex virus-1, direct immunofluorescence technique. Tumorgenesis. Department of Pathology / College of Dentistry / Baghdad University/ Baghdad / Iraq.


Martin Walser's novel describing the troublesome, self-destructive relationship between two sales representatives, Brief an Lord Liszt (1982; Letter to Lord Liszt, translated by Leila Vennewitz in 1985), has been adjudged by most critics to be another example of Walser's continuing attack on the German Wohlstandsgesellschaft in the sixties and seventies, the reign of big business in a commercialized, anti-individualistic society. In an interview with Walser, Anton Kaes discussed the development of this theme in his work and proposed: "Your earlier novels ... made you well-known as a chronicler of the FRG's economically thriving society.... However, you seem somehow recently to have given up a panoramic overview of society in favor of more restricted and concentrated anecdotal descriptions [of that society] (for example in The Inner Man or Letter to Lord Liszt)." In response to this comment, Walser explained that he had indeed newly changed the narrative stance in his fiction. Not only had he begun to use a third-person narrator instead of a first-person one, but he had also limited himself to depicting one protagonist in his relationship to an inimical world as personified by a single one of its inhabitants. Kaes inquired further as to whether this concentration on one individual might incline Walser to use autobiographical material more readily since he seemed to be associating his own malaise with his protagonist's. Walser replied: "My fictive character is a reaction to that which, I, in order to avoid my being indiscreet in regard to myself> call my shortcoming. The figure is therefore the expression of that shortcoming." In general, and especially in the matter of Letter to Lord Liszt, interpreters of Walser's work have paid insufficient attention to its confessional aspects; thus, one eminent critic, Frank Pilipp, attributes (admittedly not totally) the "sorrows" of Walser's protagonists to their inherited lack of social standing. While it must be conceded that this character "flaw"—e.g., Franz Horn's despair as a result of his socially induced self-effacement—is patently the motivating factor in bringing about the downfall of Walser's protagonists, I shall seek to


A lock for toolboxes is provided, which belongs to the technical field of hardware fabrication. The lock comprises a lock shell mounted on the body of a toolbox and comprising a lock housing with a cavity and a panel, wherein a second lock hook hole is arranged at the bottom of the lock housing, a pair of positioning holes are respectively arranged at two side walls of the lock housing, and a lockbody hole is arranged in the center of the panel; a lock body arranged in the cavity of the lock housing and provided inside with a lock barrel member and a pair of lock pins; at least one spring arranged in the cavity of the lock housing and contacted with the lock body; a lock cover fixed on the lock housing and provided thereon with a first lock hook hole; a lock hook arranged on the cove of the toolbox, the bottom end of the lock hook being bended to form a latching portion. The invention has the advantages that the lock ensures the hermetic closure between the body and cover of the toolbox, which protects the tools inside the toolbox from the damages due to the invasion of rainwater and mist into the toolbox; and the lock has the advantages of long service life, good invisibility, improved anti-theft property, convenient opening/closing operation, and simple structure.


Drying periods of porous glass disks of nonhygroscopic MPG glass and hygroscopic Vycor glass were investigated. A simple model of dimensionless segment sizes is proposed where a dimensionless segment size is equal to the value of the tortuosity factor of gas diffusion. This model was applied to the estimation of the segment size and the drying periods of a porous Vycor glass disk. The drying rate curve of the Vycor glass disk showed that the first falling rate period appeared to be included in the constant rate period and that the second falling rate period started right after the constant rate period ended, whereas the drying rate curve of the MPG glass disk estimated from previous models showed that the first falling rate period and the second falling rate period were clearly distinguished. The difference in drying periods between two porous glass disks was caused by a large difference in the respective segment sizes.


Cryptococcus neoformans causes life-threatening infection in the immunocompromised. This and other opportunistic pathogens are an increasing threat as immunosuppression increases globally. To counter antibiotic resistance, there is precedent for developing immune enhancing therapy. However, our understanding of how immunocompetent patients resolve these infections is poor as opportunistic infections typically resolve subclinically. Because this has led to a lack of clinical data, we rely on animal models. Current in vivo infection models either lack mammalian immunity or are not compatible with long term high content imaging required to model the complexities of human host-pathogen interactions. Therefore, we have developed an ex vivo murine precision cut lung slice (PCLS) model to understand innate immunity in cryptococcosis. C57BL/6 mice were sacrificed 0 or 24 hours post infection with KN99α cryptococci. Lungs were inflated with 37°C agarose, 300μm thick PCLS were prepared on a vibratome and imaged by confocal or wide-field fluorescence microscopy. Using PCLS and immunofluorescence, we demonstrate cryptococcal replication and clearance rates are balanced over the first 24 hours of infection. Cell-mediated immunity is alveolar macrophage centric, although alveolar macrophages demonstrate limited phagocytosis of cryptococci and enable intracellular cryptococcal replication. Cryptococcus neoformans responded to the lung environment by forming enlarged cells, although these were not large enough to be titan cells. To further understand cryptococcal proliferation in vivo, we also infected animals with plb1 mutant Cryptococcus neoformans that has been shown to exhibit proliferation defects in vivo. We found no difference in fungal burden with plb1 infected animals 24 hours post infection, but observed significantly larger fungal cells and no incidences of phagocytosis. Thus, the PCLS model can be used to assess the lung immune response early in cryptococcal infection, demonstrating that resident lung macrophages cannot control cryptococcal infection and offer an intracellular niche for Cryptococcus neoformans growth.


Abstract Van der Tas's (1988) I index and the between-country C index introduced by Archer et al. (1995) are competing measures of international harmony. We present comparative statistical properties of these indices, via a simulation study covering three accounting methods in 10 countries, with uniform, bimodal and unimodal distributions of companies across accounting methods. The indices are also adjusted for non-disclosures using techniques developed by Archer and McLeay (1995) and Archer et al. (1995). The I index and the between-country C index are mathematically equivalent in the two-country case even in the presence of non-disclosures. As more countries are compared, the two indices diverge. The means and standard deviations of the I index, with a correction proposed by Archer and McLeay (1995), decrease and there is little skewness or kurtosis. In contrast, as more countries are compared, the between-country C index exhibits more stability in means, lower standard deviations, higher skewness and k...


The author has identified the following significant results. Agricultural consultants have expressed substantial interest in work being conducted on center pivot irrigation and have inquired as to how ERTS-1 imagery can be used to aid those in the irrigation field. Results of the land use mapping experiment indicate that ERTS-1 imagery has major potential in regionalization. The ways in which land is utilized within these regions may then be studied more effectively than if no adequate regionalization is available.


The project Wide-Field Plate Database (WFPDB, http://wfpdb.org) started in the early 1990's, had aimed to create an inventory and later on a database for existing astronomical photographic wide-filed plates received in professional astronomical institutes and observatories over the world. At present the WFPDB represents a unique web portal of astronomical search for the photographic plate data (metadata for about 600 000 plates) which allow to obtain information for existing astronomical observations of celestial objects over the past 130 years. Briefly, this is a unique virtual telescope working as a "Time Machine" for obtaining metadata information on historical photographic observations of minor planets, comets, stars, galaxies, etc. The project also aims to continue and expand the successful work initiated during the past 15 years by extending the provision of technical support of the plate digitization using the flatbed scanners and data pipeline plate processing, including online access to data, based on international standards of the European Virtual Observatory (EURO-VO).


In this article, I perform a cohort-based analysis of the female-to-male wage ratio using aggregate data from 1985 to 2005. While the inter-cohort improvement in the gender wage ratio is apparent, the convergence is smaller when the ratio is calculated for each level of education. This pattern suggests a hypothesis that a certain portion of the gender wage convergence is due to changes in educational composition of the workforce. I find that a large part of inter-cohort improvement in the gender pay ratio for recent cohorts is attributable to compositional changes.


We reviewed a case of multiple ossifications ofthe spinal ligament combined with hypophosphatemic Vitamin D resistant rickets. The patient was a 39 year-old woman with severe spastic gate and paresthesia of extremities. Magnetic Resonance Image and Computed Tomography revealed the ossification of spinal ligaments and severe compression of the spinal cord. Anterior decompression of the cervical spine was performed and immediately after the operation, treatment of 1,25(OH)2D3 was started. 2 years after the operation, we detected the shrinkage of the ossification at the cervical level.


A remarkable Mykênæan gold-find brought to light some years since in the island of Ægina after finding its way into the London market has secured a permanent resting-place in the British Museum. In the interests of archæological science it must be a matter for rejoicing that our national collection should have received so important an accession in a department of ancient metal-work hitherto almost wholly unrepresented in any museum outside Athens. Opinions may well differ as to the propriety of removing from the soil on which they are found and to which they naturally belong the greater monuments of Classical Antiquity. But in the case of small objects, made themselves for commerce, and free from the same local ties, the considerations, which weigh under other circumstances, lose their validity, while on the other hand the benefits to be derived by students from their partial dispersion are not to be gainsaid. This, it is true, is not the standpoint of the Greek, or, for that matter, of the Turkish Government. But the theory that the present occupants of Greece or the Ottoman possessors of the Eastern Empire are the sole legitimate heirs even of such minor monuments of ancient culture is not likely to commend itself to the outside world.


According to the characteristics of all-life education, this article discusses that vocational technology education is an importnt part of all-life educational system and puts forward, in order to carry out all-life educational idea, it is necessary to better the sense of vocational education system and to take corresponding mechanism and measures.


In order to study the law of instability and failure in the process of loading of the south dumping site of Hesgoola Coal Mine, the FLAC 3D numerical simulation experiment and the bottom friction simulation experiment were carried out for the deformation and failure of the slope of the south dumping site, the law of instability and failure in the process of loading of south dumping site is obtained, and the relevant safety precontrol measures and suggestions are put forward. This is of great significance to ensure the safety production of the south dumping site of Hesgoola Coal Mine.


Russia has abundant gas resources located in direct proximity to China and is able to satisfy a significant share of gas demand of the world's second largest economy. For long, Russia's attempts to enter China's rapidly growing gas market were to no avail. Despite the eventual conclusion of a long-negotiated Sino-Russian gas contract in May 2014, some uncertainties about Russia-China gas cooperation persist. The article addresses the Chinese gas market principal trends, examines Russia's current position as China's supplier and scrutinizes Russia's China-bound gas export potential. The article explores whether Russia's interest to further expand in China's gas market can materialize and how Russia needs to act in order to attain this goal.


There are in modern Chinese poetics many concepts on the essence of poetry. The concepts reflect the explorations of poets in various aspects of poetic characters, the important ones including " Free expression of oneself", "I live, and I sing" , "Poetry comes from the transformation from reality to imagination" , "Poetry is the conveyance of experience" , etc. The clarification and exposition of the concepts on poetic essence is of great significance for establishing the modern poetics system and developing contemporary poetic art.


What is the content of the lesson is of interest to him? First of all the presence of novelty in the learning material. Often the topic of the lesson is already familiar from the course of last year, the media and, therefore, the material seems a well-known and uninteresting, it is treated superficially. Interest in the lesson can stimulate various aspects of its content, but also for their perception of the emotional side, it is important to excite interest. [4] To this end, teachers use a work of art, poetry, music, colorful illustrations, living objects, epigraphs to the training topic, the lesson that create a certain emotional students. Cognition in studying biology involves, first, the assimilation of the students of biological knowledge, skills, and, secondly, the development of their mental faculties and cognitive interests. To the assimilation of biological knowledge, the formation and development of skills went more productively, you must use a variety of pedagogical tools to encourage their development. The presentation as a learning tool, a significant impact on the mental development of the students, but not directly, but in the implementation of cognitive activity [1, 3].


DualFS is a next-generation journaling file system which has the same consistency guaranties as traditional journaling file systems but better performance. This paper summarizes the main features of DualFS, introduces three new enhancements which significantly improve DualFS performance during normal operation, and presents different experimental results which compare DualFS and other traditional file systems, namely, Ext2, Ext3, XFS, JFS, and ReiserFS. The experiments carried out cover a wide range of cases, from microbenchmarks to macrobenchmarks, from desktop to server workloads. As we will see, these experiments not only show that DualFS has the lowest I/O time in general, but also that it can remarkably boost the overall system performance for many workloads (up to 98%).


Based on the casting thin- sections,scanning electron microscopy,X- ray diffraction,rock image granularity analysis and other physical data,the diagenesis and porosity evolution of Chang 6 reservoir was analyzed by adopting the combination of qualitative analysis and quantitative calculation method. The dominating pore type of Chang 6 reservoir was feldspar- dissolved pore,inter- granular pore and lithic- dissolved pore. Using statistical relationship between original porosity and sorting coefficient,the Chang 6 reservoir sandstone original porosity was calculated and the average was 38. 16%. Mechanical compaction and cementation were destructive diagenesis,affected by this effect,the impact of compaction was greatest and its loss- rate of porosity was 72. 9%,this was the main cause of reservoir densification,and the loss- rate of porosity of cementation was 19. 7%. Dissolution of Chang 6was more development,it improved porosity about 20. 9%. In the process of calculation,the error rate was 3. 4%,the main influencing factor of the error rate was sorting coefficient of detrital rock and more stages of diagenesis.


This paper presents a new clustering algorithm, called Cell-MST-Based Method that is a combination of a Cell-based method and Minimum Spanning Tree based (MST-based) methods. The algorithm is dedicated for Big Datasets on a limited memory computer, especially for thin big datasets which have a small number of attributes but a very large number of instances. Firstly, a Cell-based method converts a big dataset to a small grid of cells in such a way that the required memory to store an edge-weighted graph created from the grid which is less than the available memory of a computer. Then MST-based methods obtain an optimal threshold, estimate the number of clusters and determine the initial centroids. The proposed Cell-MST-based methods can reduce more than 99% of the required memory of the previous similarity-based and MST-based cluster number estimation methods. Moreover, this new Cell-MST-based method also outperforms the quantization error modeling method in terms of executing time and estimated accurate level.


435Background: Mortality following major urologic cancer surgery is a significant outcome to patients and providers. We utilized a population based cohort to test the hypothesis that the nature and number of perioperative complications impact the probability of mortality in major urologic surgery. Methods: Using the Premier Hospital Database we identified patients that underwent major urologic cancer surgery: radical prostatectomy (RP), radical nephrectomy (RN), or radical cystectomy (RC). Ninety-day complications were captured using ICD9 codes and complications were categorized according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Clinical Classification categories. The primary outcome was predicted probability of perioperative morality. Adjusted regression models were used and analyses were survey weighted. Models were adjusted for patient, hospital, and surgery characteristics, and we examined the predicted probability of mortality in three scenarios (no complication, index complication, or readm...


The changes taking place in the higher education system in the Republic of Belarus require the search for new pedagogical teaching technologies, the updating of tools, methods and methodological techniques. At Polotsk State University, innovative pedagogical practices and technologies, information and communication technologies and distance learning technologies are widely used in the training of specialists in physical education. When choosing and implementing new pedagogical practices, technologies, forms and methods of teaching, constant requests for the formation of future specialists ' competencies are taken into account. The use of innovative teaching methods increases the quality of students ' knowledge, interest in studying the course and future professional activity.


ABSTRACT Auckland has a temperate climate with comfortable warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Previous studies show that Auckland buildings use more energy during winter than other seasons. Auckland building thermal design should focus more on winter indoor thermal conditions. During the winter, high relative humidity can negatively impact indoor health conditions. A conventional Auckland school has a number of low-rise, isolated buildings with lightweight envelopes. In over 90% of Auckland schools, each isolated building only has one to four classrooms. For these types of school buildings, the building envelope becomes the most important design factor for indoor thermal and health conditions. For some energy rating software and design hand books, prescriptions of steady-state R-values ignore the benefits of thermal mass and direct building thermal design towards lightweight wall with high insulation. Based on field study data, this study compares and evaluates indoor thermal and health conditions of classrooms with or without thermal mass in their envelopes.


In this study, a phased array antenna was designed using modified Least Mean Square algorithm, to adaptively track incident signals from satellite. The algorithms would form the beam perfectly and the main beam will be centered at the location of the desired signal and the nulls will be located at exactly the direction of the unwanted signals. The main beam and nulls would be steered toward incident signals automatically during adaptation process. The phased linear array using both point sources and micro-strip rectangular patch was designed. 8-elements with 0.5 wavelength separation were used. It was found that with micro-strip antenna sources placed along one of the axis, the algorithm gives a lower side lobe which gives best cancellation of interferers from other satellites with higher directivity and lower half-power beam widths.


This chapter seeks to flesh out Sylvan's stance against Empire by interfacing his essayistic production with his poetry. For instance, in his O Racismo da Europa e a Paz no Mundo, written during the heightened period of anti-colonial struggle in Africa and Asia, Sylvan offers a theorization and cursory genealogy of European and European-American global hegemony, ranging from the European historicization of itself as 'the standard civilization,' the fantasy of European superiority, and its resignification of difference in order to retain the balance of global power. This chapter thus contextualizes Sylvan's anti-imperial thought with that of postcolonial and decolonial thinkers such as Frantz Fanon, Aimé Césaire, and Enrique Dussel; in addition to elaborating the points where Sylvan's thought further problematizes and contributes to the theorization of contemporary global power.


The study examines the relationships among entrepreneurial orientation, market orientation and networking on firm performance with radical and incremental innovation as the mediator. The present study draws on the resource-based view theory to provide insights about intangible resources and capabilities among SMEs. The study adopts a subjectivist approach and is based on multiple case study method by conducting interviews with 7 SMEs purposively operating in different sectors. The research findings seem to support both proactive and responsive market orientation (PMO, RMO), entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and networking have positive relationships on firm performance with radical and incremental innovation as the mediator. It appears firms initiating radical innovation take longer for new product performance because of lack of information about customer needs in the market but networking assists in providing market information that enables commercialization of new products. Further, networking among firms drives performance while strong ties are practiced to a lesser extent.


Effects of morphology of Pt, orientation of PZT, and stoichiometry of PZT on electrical properties of PZT thin film capacitors prepared using the sol-gel technique were investigated. Although the predominant orientation of PZT grown on as-deposited Ti/Pt was (100), both heat-treatment of Ti/Pt bottom electrode and application of the Ti-seed technique to Ti/Pt bottom electrode promoted (111) orientation of PZT. However, the surface of PZT on heat-treated Ti/Pt was very rough in contrast to the smooth surface for Ti-seeded PZT. Remnant polarization P/sub r/ increased from 14 [/spl mu/C/cm/sup 2/] for (100) orientation of PZT formed on as-deposited Ti/Pt to 31 [/spl mu/C/cm/sup 2/] for heat-treatment and 44 [/spl mu/C/cm/sup 2/] for Ti-seed. However, fatigue properties did not improve even though surface morphology of Ti/Pt bottom electrode and orientation of PZT were changed. Electrical properties of PZT showed strong stoichiometry (A/B) dependence of PZT. In particular, excess PbO by 30 mole % (A/B=1.30) revealed great fatigue performance.


Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surfaces (SLIPS) have received much attention in the past few years, due to their excellent non-stick, ultra-liquid repellent, self-healing properties, as both industrial and medical materials. We have developed a porous PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)-based SLIPS coating, in which pores are introduced using a PTFE emulsion containing NaCl and ZnAc2; NaCl was found to be a necessary ingredient. The durability of the coatings was evaluated by water impact, sandpaper abrasion and hot-air testing; we found that the stability of the coating are affected by the sizes of the pores and surface microstructures. The best performance and durability of the SLIPS occurs for a nanoporous/nanotextured surface, unlike a superhydrophobic surface, which is associated with hierarchical structures.


Preventive programs on sexism and heterosexism, life skills and social skills-based, are a theoretically grounded alternative, but not yet empirically studied. This paper aims to discuss the prevention of sexism and heterosexism by means of life skills and social skills training programs. The paper focus on: (a) the identity development in adolescence; (b) the impact of sexism and heterosexism on the health; (c) the rigidity of gender role and its damage on the adolescent health; (d) the mental health prevention based on the competence improvement; (e) life skills and social skills as protective factors in mental health; and (f) the use of life skills and social skills programs as potential strategies to reduce the sexism and heterosexism.


Properties of polymer composite material consisting of carbon fabric and two matrix types (epoxy and organic-silicon) have been studied. The main purpose of the organic-silicon matrix is to relax stresses arising in carbon-filled plastic components under loads and to decelerate (or stop) crack growth. The structure of the composite material was determined by using a tomography. On the basis of the structure, a finite-element model was developed and a calculation of the stressed-deformed state depending on elastic characteristics of the matrix was performed. A safety factor calculation was made. It was found out that the addition of organic-silicon material in the composite composition made possible to decrease stress values in the crack tip that considerably increased the service life of such materials.


General practitioners manage more melanomas than dermatologists or surgeons in Australia. Previously undescribed, the management and outcomes of melanoma patients treated by multiple Australasian general practitioners are examined.


Abstract The resolving power of gravity and magnetic surveys can be markedly increased under certain geologic conditions when data from both types of surveys are available. A number of theoretical as well as actual examples are discussed as they apply to the solution of both regional as well as local exploration problems. A discussion of the basic principles of these two methods and their application to interpretation techniques is also presented.