Laser ablation (LA) sampling provides fast microelement ICP-MS analysis of a wide range of solid materials without their dissolution, thus decreasing contamination from water and reagents as well as reducing polyatomic isobaric interferences from acid solutions. However, the issue of matrix-matched calibration becomes crucial for LA-ICP-MS due to differences in behaviour during laser interaction and evaporation of solid samples. There are several approaches to LA calibration: simultaneous supply of standard solutions into a spray chamber; calibration using a set of NIST 61х synthetic glasses and glasses prepared from natural rocks and minerals (basalt, nephelinite, etc.) or pressed synthetic samples (calcium carbonates, phosphates and sulphides produced by USGS). A set of natural glasses for microanalysis is available from the International Association of Geoanalysts (IAG) in co-operation with the USGS. The G-Probe proficiency testing programme has been operating since 2008 and deals with solid samples for microanalysis (LA-ICP-MS, EPMA, EDS-SEM). A number of samples of different compositions were distributed: BBM-1G and BSWIR-1G natural basaltic glasses, GSM-1 gabbro; NIST SRM-based basaltic and diabase glasses; GP-MACS synthetic pressed calcium carbonate, GP-MAPS phosphate and some others. The aim of the present work was to estimate the LA-ICP-MS analysis quality using matrix-matched calibration with G-probe samples of various composition. All G-Probe samples were analysed using an ELAN 9000 Q-ICP-MS combined with a LSX-500 (Nd:YAG, 266 nm) laser ablation system. For silicate rocks, TB-1 basaltic glass was used for calibration; the remaining samples were analysed as unknowns. MAPS-4 calibration material were used for phosphate rock analysis. A combination of external matrix-matched calibration and internal normalisation was used for calculating element concentrations. LA-ICP-MS analysis quality was estimated using z-scores. Most of the results obtained were in a good agreement with assigned values.


Abstract This paper presents the use of a set of spatial statistics to quantify the forest landscape pattern caused by the patchwork of timber harvesting and the subsequent coniferous plantations made over a 60-year period (1921–1981) in the natural forests of Kyoto University Forests. Aerial photography and orthophotography were used to analyze spatial patterns of forest cover changes at patch level between 1974 and 1996. Base maps of forest pattern were digitized in raster format using four dominant forest cover types in the study area The total number of digitized patches for 1974 and 1996 were 435 and 453, respectively. Four groups of indices were employed to quantify landscape heterogeneity and pattern for each of the two years: (1) patch size; (2) patch abundance; (3) patch shape; and (4) patch spacing. Patch abundance and patch spacing measures provided considerable information on major patterns of forest landscape dynamics over time. Patch size and shape indices contributed information on specific characteristics of the individual patches and may be useful for applications designed to study specific interior and edge habitats or for the prescription of forest cutting patterns and/or cutting-unit size. The net loss of forest covers that occurred during 60-year period trends to be balanced primarily by regeneration of areas cut before 1943 and secondarily by plantation of areas cut before 1965.


The influence of high speed barrel type, twin shell V-shaped and three dimensional shaking mixers on the characteristics of directly compressible triamterenelhydrochlorothiazide (TRMI HCT) combination tablets was studied. The effect of number of mixer rotations on triamterene and hydrochlorothiazide content uniformity was studied and the properties of the produced tablets were compared. The high speed barrel type mixer was found to be the most favorable for the studied formula as the content uniformity of the drugs was achieved within the minimum time and number of rotations. The tablets produced had the highest crushing strength and the shortest disintegration time when compared to the other 2 mixers


This paper considers the protection of intellectual property rights and financial development in the green low-carbon endogenous economic growth model, and also considers the total financing scale of the firms in the financial development sector, the transformation ability of the R&D sector to the advanced technology of developed countries, and the intensity of intellectual property protection, which gives the household utility function to a household. After maximizing the utility function, this paper analyzes the economic growth rate and mainly finds that the economic growth rate increases with the increase of technological transformation capacity parameters, two kinds of production efficiency parameters, and the total financing scale of the firms, and in addition it decreases with the increase of the technical level of developing countries relative to developed countries. Then, considering the improvement degree of intermediate goods, R&D efficiency and financial frictional coefficient, the relationship between it and the economic growth rate is obtained. This paper finds that the economic growth rate increases with the increase of the degree of improvement; R&D efficiency parameter; the probability that any R&D project can bring positive returns; technical level; the investment in reducing carbon emissions; the amount of energy invested in the final goods production sector; and it decreases with the increase of the financial frictional coefficient.


AbstractThe definition attainable on a radiograph is canveniently measured in terms of the "unsharpness" of the image of a physically sharp edge. There are four main causes of radiographic unsharpness—geometric, movement, intensifying screens, and film—but in industrial radiogrophy only geometric and film unsharpness are significant, except when salt intensifying screens are used. With X-rays of energy up to 200 kV the film unsharpness of non-screen X-ray film is c. 0-Imm and geometric unsharpness is usually predominant. With high-energy X-rays however (above I MV) the film unsharpness has been measured to be fram 02-O8mm and becomes the dominant factor. Methods of measuring this film unsharpness are described and its significance in limiting the sensitivity attainable in radiography is discussed. The magnitude of film unsharpness can be predicted from a knowledge of electron ranges in film emulsions and a possible relationship between film unsharpness, graininess and the number of X-ray quanta adsorbed d...


DNA helicases are currently organized into superfamilies based on their sequence structures and 3-D conformations. Within each superfamily, there are members that have further evolved for specialized functions [1]. There is conservation of RecQ proteins from bacteria to humans. Whereas bacteria have one RecQ helicase, humans have evolved at least five differ‐ ent proteins [2]. The RecQ members belong to the helicase Superfamily II, and as such have the characteristic Rec fold [1]. In this chapter, we will focus on RecQ family members WRN, BLM and RECQL4 (RecQ protein-like 4), which is also referred to in the literature as RECQ4. Eukaryotic and archaeal MCMs belong to the helicase Superfamily VI, and have the AAA+ (ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities) fold [1, 3, 4, 5]. Both Rec and AAA+ folds are based on the ancestral ASCE (additional strand conserved E) fold or an alpha-betaalpha domain necessary for nucleoside triphosphate binding and catalysis [1, 6, 7]. A ration‐ ale for comparison of the RecQ and MCM family members relates to the importance of their activities for genomic integrity. The WRN and BLM proteins as well as other members of the RecQ family are characterized by this feature [8]. Both WRN and BLM are involved in DNA repair and a role for WRN in telomere homeostasis in humans is well established [2, 9]. MCM2-7 proteins, along with cofactors, are thought to function as the eukaryotic replicative helicase [10]. MCM8 [11, 12] and MCM9 [13, 14] are more recently discovered and their roles are less well defined. Although data point to a role for MCM8 in DNA replication, that role may be specialized in higher organisms. In human cells, MCM10 is recruited to chromoso‐


Objective To probe the effect of using damestic minimal invasive mechanical ventilation with it's nursing care at home in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)patients after discharge from the hospital.Method Ten cases of COPD were recruited as the experimental group,all of whom had received minimal invasive mechanical ventilation treatment during their stay in our hospital from May 2004 to March 2005,and kept up the treatment with the machine at home after discharge.Another 10 cases with the same disease status who had received similar treatment in the hospital,but changed to oxygen inhalation treatment at home,served as the control group.Blood gas analyses of both groups were compared.Result Both the experimental and the reference group showed remarkable improvement in blood gas test result after minimal invasive mechanical ventilation treatment during their stay in hospital,with no significant differences between the two groups(P0.05).One month later after they left hospital,the two groups' blood gas test indices were compared and notable differences were found(P0.05).Conclusion The ventilatory function of the remnant lung tissues would be improved,the frequency of hospitalization reduced and the life quality improved if the patients with COPD keep up the minimal invasive mechanical ventilation treatment at home with effective nursing measures.


Genomics study informs about Lassa fever epidemiology Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever prevalent in West Africa that has been gaining international attention as an emerging infectious disease with the potential to cause epidemics (1). Confirmed and suspected cases of Lassa fever have been steadily rising in Nigeria over the past 3 years. Laboratory-confirmed cases have increased from 106 in 2016 to 143 in 2017 and had already reached 562 by November 2018 (2). Part of defining the scope of the problem is trying to assess whether this is a true increase in the number of people afflicted by the infection, due to either changes in the virus itself or the geographical spread of the vector (rodents of the Mastomys spp.), or a reflection of higher rates of detection and diagnosis secondary to the increased attention and interest of clinicians and laboratorians (1). Lassa fever outbreaks illustrate the issues associated with the response and management of emerging infectious diseases: How do you plan the public health, clinical, and community responses to a disease while you are still learning about the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and the ecological factors contributing to the spread of the pathogen? On page 74 of this issue, Kafetzopoulou et al. (3) present the results of a rapid genomic study of Lassa virus (LASV) from the cases of 2018, which have improved understanding of how the disease has been spreading in Nigeria and have led to informed and targeted disease-control strategies. The study also further describes the use of a new and compact genomic sequencing device, which may start playing a larger role in defining other emerging infectious disease outbreaks in real time.


Over the course of many years, and in many skilled, stimulating and sometimes very provocative studies, Simo Parpola has examined various aspects of the conceptual constellation structuring and governing the ideology of Neo-Assyrian kingship. His basic assumption was and is the concept that the royal ideology was the most crucial element not only in supporting the tremendous effort of Assyrian military and administrative expansion, but also, and especially, in consolidating the expansion through the transmission of Assyrian culture to both the conquered and the still independent populations. The conscious aim of acculturation was to encourage and to develop a pro-Assyrian attitude in the peripheral, non-Assyrian social elites, a long process which at the end produced a global "Assyrianization" of the whole Near East. I am extremely happy, and I thank the editors very much for inviting me, to dedicate to him a study on this subject, in acknowledgment of his scholarly, social and human merits, and as a poor witness of my esteem and of my personal friendship – both unchanged since we met at the Cetona meeting 28 years ago. From a methodological point of view, the development of a pro-Assyrian attitude among members of the elites of the peripheral states should be taken a priori as a natural and unavoidable phenomenon, to be compared to many other similar examples in different historical and cultural milieus.1 In the case of Assyria, however, this basic reality is either opposed or still very doubtfully accepted in a large part of scholarly research. The traditional image of Assyria as that of an imperialistic power, endowed with absolutely negative characteristics such as inflexibility, violence and cruelty still persists. A good number of purely Assyrian texts (mainly royal inscriptions) can be (and have been) taken as attesting that a part of the periphery was favourable to Assyria and to its imperial expansion (either factual, through annexation, or merely ideological, through institutional alliance and political consensus).2 They


Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by tau protein accumulation. It is also classified as an atypical parkinsonian syndrome. The main features of PSP are recurrent falling and vertical gaze palsy. Other manifestations are bradykinesia, cognitive dysfunction, erect posture, dysphagia and …


Background: Bone-tendon interface (enthesis) plays a pivotal role in relaxing load transfer between otherwise structurally and functionally distinct tissue types. Currently, decellularized extracellular matrix (DEM) from enthesis provide a natural three-dimensional scaffold with tissue-specific orientations of extracellular matrix molecules for enthesis regeneration, however, the content and distribution of collagen and proteoglycan in the decellularized book-shaped enthesis scaffolds from rabbit rotator cuff by SR-FTIR have not been reported.Methods: Native enthesis tissues (NET) harvested from rabbit rotator cuff were sectioned into cuboid (about 30 mm × 1.2 mm × 10 mm) for decalcified. The decellularized book-shaped enthesis scaffolds were conducted and intrinsic ultrastructure was evaluated by histological staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The content and distribution of collagen and proteoglycan in the decellularized book-shaped enthesis scaffolds from rabbit rotator cuff were also measured innovatively by SR-FTIR.Results: The decellularized book-shaped enthesis scaffolds from rabbit rotator cuff were successfully obtaine©d. Histomorphology and SEM evaluated the decellularized effect and the structure of extracellular matrix during decellularization. After mechanical test, we found the failure load in the NET group was higher than that in the DEM group (P < 0.05), reached 1.32 times as much as that in the DEM group. Meanwhile, the stiffness of the DEM group was significantly lower than the NET group. Furthermore, the distributions of collagen and PGs content in the decellularized book-shaped enthesis scaffolds were decreased obviously after decellularization by SR-FTIR quantitative analysis.Conclusion: SR-FTIR was applied innovatively to characterize the histological morphology of native enthesis tissues from rabbit rotator cuff. Moreover, it can be used for quantitative mapping of the content and distribution of collagen and PGs content in the decellularized book-shaped enthesis scaffolds.


We proposed a novel laser amplifier for inertial fusion energy (IFE) based on an edge-pumped, gas-cooled multi-slab architecture. Compared to the face-pumped laser amplifiers for IFE, this architecture enables the pump, coolant and laser propagating orthogonally in the amplifier, thereby decoupling them in space and being beneficial to construction of the amplifier. To satisfy the high efficiency required for IFE, high-irradiance rectangle-waveguide coupled diode laser arrays are employed in the edge-pumped architecture and the pump light will be homogenized by total internal reflection. A traverse gradient doping profile is applied to the gain media, thus the pump absorption and gain uniformity can be separately optimized. Furthermore, the laser beam normal to the surfaces of the gas-cooled slabs will experience minimum thermal wavefront distortions in the amplifier head and ensure high beam quality. Since each slab has its own pump source and uniform gain in the aperture, power scaling can be easily achieved by placing identical slabs along the laser beam axis. Our investigations might provide an efficient and convenient way to design and optimize the amplifiers for IFE.


The purpose of this study was to understand residents' support for festival development by exploring their perceived social-cultural impacts, satisfaction with social-cultural life domain, as well satisfaction with their life as a whole under the theoretical framework of social exchange theory (SET). Using a sample of residents in Macao, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used for data analysis. Empirical results indicated that residents' support for festival development was positively influenced by perceived social-cultural benefits of festival, their satisfaction with life as a whole. In addition, residents' perceived social-cultural quality of life (QOL) positively affected their overall life satisfaction. While the results extended support for SET, the findings also shed light on practical implications for festival planers and organizers.


In open surgery of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm the patient loses a lot of blood when clamps are replaced, this put high demands on time -efficiency in the use of cellsaver and rapid infusion system. To keep the hemodynamic stable homologous blood transfusion has to be used. Transfusion of homologous blood is associated with an increase in mortality and therefore it would be beneficial to transfuse with the patient's own blood. The cellsaver can autotransfuse, but requires time. In order to be able to use the patient's own blood, a modified re-transfusion setup is applied at Karolinska Hospital Solna. The aim is to lower the use of homologous blood transfusion and to keep the patients hemodynamic stable. This setup consists of leftheart bypass with drainage from left atrium to a centrifugal pump and an oxygenator and return to the patient through arteria femoralis. The venous reservoir is primed but bypassed in the system with a clamp and a bridge between the drainage tubing and the centrifugal pump. Selective renal and visceral perfusion is done with oxygenated blood via rollerpumps. Previous the bleeding has been managed with cellsaver and homologous blood transfusion with rapid infusion system. The new way of managing the blood losses is to use the suction via the heart-lungmachine, which is done by rollerpumps transporting the blood from the surgical field to the venous reservoir and transfused back to the patient through vena femoralis. This way reduces the use of bankblood and keeps the hemodynamic stable and avoid sudden changes in blood pressure in critical times during the surgery.


Problems of toroidal membranes and shells under pressure have received a great deal of attention in recent years, with stress, vibration, and stability analyses being performed by many researchers. However, relatively few articles have appeared concerning similar analyses for the thick-walled elastic torus. Kornecki used the method of perturbation to solve for the stresses in a thick-walled torus, loaded by internal and external pressures. Kornecki worked with two equations of elasticity that pertain to this axisymmetric problem, written in terms of stresses; simultaneously, then, four compatibility equations were necessarily solved in obtaining a third approximate solution by perturbing on the ratio of the torus' two radii. In this note, the writers present results of an analysis of an extension of this problem in which displacements as well as stresses are examined. The solution is obtained by solving the basic equation of linear elasticity by the use of finite differences.


Herein,a pesticide information management system,CISOC-PESTMS,which has the functions:treatment of Chinese text,structure search and storing and text search,and its design will be presented.


A considerable faction of right-wing Zionists, of the sort who have long dominated pro-Israel politics, are often linked to organised Islamophobia promotion.


The invention discloses a p-NiO/n-ZnO heterojunction light-emitting device and a preparation method of the p-NiO/n-ZnO heterojunction light-emitting device. The p-NiO/n-ZnO heterojunction light-emitting device sequentially comprises a substrate, a Zn0.95Mn0.03Li0.02O buffer layer, an n-type ZnO layer, an electron blocking layer and a p-type NiO layer from the bottom to top. The substrate is an r-face sapphire or (100) face LaAlO3, the Zn0.95Mn0.03Li0.02O buffer layer and the n-type ZnO layer are nonpolar a-faces (110) orientated, and the electron blocking layer is Ni1-xMgxO or Zn1-xMgxO, the p-type NiO layer adopts (111)-orientation Li-doped LiyNi1-yOlayer, wherein the value of x is larger than 0.05 and smaller than 0.6, the value of y is larger than 0.05 and smaller than 0.10. The p-NiO/n-ZnO heterojunction light-emitting device and the preparation method of the p-NiO/n-ZnO heterojunction light-emitting device have the advantages that due to the fact that the buffer layer is imported, crystalline quality of the a-face ZnO layer is improved, the lattice polarization effect is overcome, the electron blocking layer is combined at the same time, leak current is reduced, and photoelectric property of the device is improved.


The use of multimedia in teaching and learning leads to permanent learning. Multimedia refers to any interactive application that integrates text, color, graphical images, animation, audio sound, and full motion video in a single application. Multimedia learning systems offer a potentially venue for improving student understanding about arts. Teachers try to find the most effective way to create a better arts teaching and learning environment through multimedia technologies. In this paper, the researchers defines multimedia, relevance of multimedia in teaching, and the needs to make full use of multimedia to create an authentic visual arts teaching and learning environment where students can easily acquire natural skill and effectively. Article visualizations:


Aim of this examination was to test the suitability of the impedance-splitting-method for quantitative evaluations of C. perfringens in minced meat. The application of the E-value (electrode-impedance) accelerates the measurement. DRCM with a combination of the selective substances 30 mg D-cycloserine and 50 mg sodiumazide per 1 000 ml was a suitable liquid selective medium for the detection of mesophile sulfitreducing clostridia by the impedance technique. C. perfringens can be identified with the confirmatory reactions Reverse-CAMP-Test and Acid Phosphatase after subcultivation on sheep-blood-agar. These tests can be carried out isolating the cultures from the selective medium. Results of this study confirm the suitability of the impedance-splitting-method as a fast screening for the quantitative determination of C. perfringens in minced meat. Further studies are necessary to determine the detection limit of this method for microbial counts below 10 2 cfu/g


In order to study dynamic properties of the vibrating roller in road compacting, the model of vibrating roller-bass soil is analyzed with mechanical impedance method. The Bode graph of mobility, the system mass, stiffness, damp, resonance frequency, antiresonance frequency are identified, and the math-model is improved conveniently. The theory is very important to develop the continuous abc-detector of the vibrating roller.


Jackie Ballard, Chief Executive of RNID, talks about the charity's Hidden Crisis report and campaign to get a national hearing screening programme for older people.


It was very refreshing to see a thoughtful piece on offshore wind energy and integrated risk analysis—a long overdue conversation (A. Staid and S. Guikema, "Risk Analysis for U.S. Offshore Wind Farms: The Need for an Integrated Approach," Risk Analysis, 2015; 35(4):587–593).(1) Despite the fact that the United States does not have any operating wind energy projects in the water, this is the right time to dig deeper into these questions (Note: Deepwater Wind in RI is the first approved as fivedemonstration project in the Atlantic Ocean off Block Island). We need to move in the direction of integrated assessments—beyond one sector (such as environmental or operational hazards). Most of the offshore wind (and land-based) research communities to date have focused on technology developments, levelized cost of energy, power production, and hazards and operational safety within the standards groups (more on this later). There has been some movement towards a more systems view, but most of the other sectors needing attention remain in "whack a mole" solutions—as an issue pops up, we whack it down with some proposed fix or study without having a broader view of how decisions are made and how energy supplies are sited and managed over time with coastal communities. Staid and Guikema make an important point that integrating risks following installation and deployment with a focus on hazard identification with probability methodologies is a needed contribution in risk characterization of offshore wind plants. One can appreciate particularly their central proposition that potential risks postconstruction must be addressed as we evaluate the sustainability of wind energy production over the long term in the United States. Also, one can appreciate a few of the hazard areas to be explored and better understood that


An expression is derived for the first quantum correction to the second dielectric virial coefficient of interacting rare‐gas atoms. It is shown that this correction is not large enough to account for the experimently determined negative values of this quantity for helium and neon. Based on this result, along with a previously established argument, it is concluded that the point‐dipole approximation is the likely cause of the discrepancy between the theoretical and experimental results.


The role of dilute concentrations (∼1 wt %) of a photoinitiator, 4,4′-bis(diethylamino)benzophenone, on the processability and properties of the resulting wet-spun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers are reported. Rheology measurements show no adverse effect on the viscosities of solutions by the addition of the photoinitiator. Fibers containing photoinitiator were successfully wet-spun from PAN–DMSO solution. FTIR results prove that 4,4′-bis(diethylamino)benzophenone was retained in the fibers after coagulation and post-stretching. SEM micrographs show no deterioration of the post-stretched fiber microstructure due to the presence of photoinitiator. Tensile testing results show a small reduction in the strain-at-break of post-stretched fibers containing photoinitiator when compared with pure (control) PAN fibers. After UV treatment, fibers with 4,4′-bis(diethylamino)benzophenone display a higher tensile modulus compared with the other sets. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction results show no significant decrease in interplanar spacing and size of the crystals within the fibers containing photoinitiator, but such fibers retain a higher extent of molecular orientation after being UV treated. Conversion indices were measured from the WAXD spectra and compared with conventional thermal stabilized fibers. This correlation confirms that the addition of 1 wt % photoinitiator to PAN followed by 5 min of UV treatment leads to a conversion index that is observed in control fibers after more than an hour, which could reduce the conventional thermo-oxidative stabilization time significantly. These results indicate the potential of the dual stabilization route in generating precursor fibers with higher molecular orientation, and possibly reducing the thermo-oxidation time during carbon fiber processing. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 2494–2503, 2013


This study is focused on assessing e-commerce applications in using co-creation of value. To achieve this aim, the author investigates the co-creation of value concepts which are implemented in successful e-commerce applications. A co-creation model is constructed in term of the DART building block principle. The value co-creation concepts of this model are implemented in a local e-commerce application and a prototype website is developed. Then a questionnaire is carried out to compare the new prototype website with the website of the local e-commerce company. Based on the results of the questionnaire, it is observed that the value co-creation applications are better applied in the prototype and the prototype is viewed much more positively. Through the prototype and questionnaire, the author shows that co-creation concepts can improve a local e-commerce website


This paper proposes a novel process to achieve high efficiency die and mold machining technology. The process consists of laser milling for rough process and micro end milling for finishing. In the present paper, reasonable pulsed laser irradiation method is investigated in advance. Some fundamental experiments were carried out to clarify influences of laser irradiation conditions on surface quality and material removal rate in case of hardened die steels for workpiece material. As a result, reasonable laser irradiation conditions including shorter pulse duration and higher peak power irradiation were derived.


W rit— Vitiation. — In a mortis causa disposition of lands the letters " ohn " in the word " John," the Christian name of the apparent disponee, were written on erasures throughout the body of the deed. It was admitted, that the word " James" had stood in place of " John" through out. In the testing clause, after the'words " are sub" scribed," there were inserted the words " in favour of " the said John Redder my son," but no notice was therein taken of the erasures which existed in the body of the deed: — Held (affirming the judgment of the Court of Session), that the deed was invalid. Proof— Writ.— Held (affirming the judgment of the Court of Session) incompetent to allow proof by the writer and instrumentary witnesses that important words in a deed were written upon erasures in presence of the grantor, before or at the time of his subscribing the deed, and that the testing clause was filled up in his presence. Writ — Testing Clause. — Observed per Lord Brougham, " The practice of postponing the filling up " (the testing clause) " is greatly to be discountenanced, and where it " is necessary after execution to take notice in the testing " clause of an erasure or alteration, such testing clause


The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) experience and lessons learned from using the License Termination Rule (LTR) since it was finalized in 1997 has revealed some important implementation issues impacting the decommissioning of NRC licensed sites. As a result, NRC conducted an analysis of LTR issues, with particular emphasis on resolving the institutional control issue so that the restricted release and alternate criteria provisions of the LTR would be more available for licensee use. In addition to the institutional control issue, NRC also evaluated issues dealing with the relationship of the LTR release limits to other release limits, realistic exposure scenarios, measures to prevent future legacy sites, and intentional mixing. For each issue, NRC evaluated a range of options that could resolve the issue and then recommended a preferred option for Commission decision. For example, NRC is planning on using the following options to resolve the institutional control issue: 1) a risk-informed, graded approach for selecting institutional controls; 2) NRC monitoring institutional controls after license termination using a legal agreement and deed restriction; and 3) NRC long-term control possession-only license. For the realistic exposure scenario issue, NRC is planning on using reasonably foreseeable future land uses, as opposed to defaulting to very conservative scenarios such as the resident farmer. Finally, many of the existing decommissioning sites that NRC regulates are complex and difficult to decommission for a variety of financial, technical, or programmatic reasons. NRC evaluated the lessons from these existing "legacy" sites and plans on changes to financial assurance and licensee operations to minimize or prevent future legacy sites. NRC is planning a variety regulatory actions to address these issues including: 1) a rulemaking for measures to prevent future legacy sites (changes to financial assurance and licensee operations); 2) revised guidance to support the rulemaking and to clarify institutional controls for restricted use, on-site burials, and realistic exposure scenarios; 3) revised inspection procedures and enforcement guidance to enhance monitoring, and reporting; and 4) a Regulatory Issue Summary to inform a wide range of stakeholders about the LTR analysis of each issue, Commission direction, and actions planned to resolve each issue. The outcomes of NRC's actions will affect both existing decommissioning sites and future decommissioning sites. For existing decommissioning sites, particularly the complex sites with long-lived radionuclides, the outcomes should facilitate decommissioning by addressing key challenges facing the sites, such as selecting exposure scenarios for dose modeling and selecting institutional controls. For future decommissioning sites, specific measures are recommended for financial assurance, licensee operations and reporting, and on-site disposal, that should reduce or mitigate the potential for future legacy sites.


Using literature and material questionnaire survey,and mathematical statistic research techniques,the author carries on an investigation on the present situation in which all the medical personnel in the Southern Part of Fujian Province participate in all the people health sports.The result shows that medical workers' body physique condition is bad in the area,but they have a good cognition manner to the human healthy factor,and have great interest in the health sports.However,the medical workers don't participate in the health sports actively,and the present situation of health sports facility is extremely bad.In view of this kind of situation,the author proposes that the sanitation system should treat the relationship between hospital economic efficiency and carrying out the staff sports correctly,and also gives countermeasures and suggestion to the improvement of fitness hard environment.


Because of the importance of carbonates to the ceramic industry, the dissociation of these materials has been studied by differential thermal analysis. Thermal-analysis curves were obtained for forty-three samples of limestone, magnesite, dolomite, cerussite, witherite, strontianite, lithium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, and ammonium carbonate in this survey.


Human factor C1 (HCF‐1) is needed for the expression of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV‐1) immediate‐early genes in infected mammalian cells. Here, we provide evidence that HCF‐1 is required for spliceosome assembly and splicing in mammalian nuclear extracts. HCF‐1 interacts with complexes containing splicing snRNPs in uninfected mammalian cells and is a stable component of the spliceosome complex. We show that a missense mutation in HCF‐1 in the BHK21 hamster cell line tsBN67, at the non‐permissive temperature, inhibits the protein's interaction with U1 and U5 splicing snRNPs, causes inefficient spliceosome assembly and inhibits splicing. Transient expression of wild‐type HCF‐1 in tsBN67 cells restores splicing at the non‐permissive temperature. The inhibition of splicing in tsBN67 cells correlates with the temperature‐sensitive cell cycle arrest phenotype, suggesting that HCF‐1‐dependent splicing events may be required for cell cycle progression.


A composite succession of total more than 2000 m thick deposits of lower–middle Miocene Pulau Balang Formation is well exposed. In general, the formation represents shallowing-up succession, typified by deep-water deposits in the lower part and shallow-water–paralic deposits in the upper part. Thick-bedded limestone that exposed in the Batu Putih area is occurred in between those lower and upper successions. This limestone developed during latest lower Miocene or earliest middle Miocene. The deep-water deposits of the Pulau Balang Formation typically are represented by mudstone dominated facies intercalated with thinto medium-bedded sandstones, with local associations of channel-fill deposits, slump deposits, bioclastic grainstone, and thinto thick-bedded gravelly sandstones. The simple parameters of channel-fill deposits in the outcrops of the Pulau Balang Formation are typified by lenticular geometry and erosional basal contacts. There are three characteristics of channel-fill deposits that observed near Samarinda City: (1) interbedded sandstones and siltstones, (2) thick-bedded sandstone, and (3) interbedded gravelly sandstones.


Technological innovation has fueled an evolving landscape in plastic surgery. Recently, artificial intelligence (AI) has demonstrated tremendous potential in enhancing our diagnostic ability, automating data acquisition for research purposes, and supplementing our intraoperative decision-making. Over the last two decades, advancements in AI enhanced pre- and intraoperative management of plastic surgery patients. However, the demand to keep plastic surgery patients out of hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic has recently inspired important AI innovations in postoperative care, such as telemedicine and remote patient monitoring. As we transition into the post-COVID era of medicine, these novel technologies will be critical in enhancing patient safety and satisfaction, while reducing rising healthcare costs. Herein, we review the basic principles of AI in plastic surgery and illustrate its significance in remote postoperative monitoring.


When compared to other types of motors, brushless DC (BLDC) motors have, larger torque, higher speed, greater efficiency, better control, longer maintenance life and are cleaner. However, their control circuitry is much more complicated than that of an ordinary brushed DC motor, often resulting in designers' preference for other motor types. This paper will step through the design of both the hardware and firmware required to produce a motor controller that is compact, affordable and expandable (power-wise). We will also show how it can be used for reliable high precision positioning of test probes in our remote microelectronics laboratory.


: Speaker separation in complex acoustic environment is one of challenging tasks in speech separation. In practice, speakers are very often unmoving or moving slowly in normal communication. In this case, the spatial features among the consecutive speech frames become highly correlated such that it is helpful for speaker separation by providing additional spatial information. To fully exploit this information, we design a separation system on Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) with long short-term memory (LSTM) which effectively learns the temporal dynamics of spatial features. In detail, a LSTM-based speaker separation algorithm is proposed to extract the spatial features in each time-frequency (TF) unit and form the corresponding feature vector. Then, we treat speaker separation as a supervised learning problem, where a modified ideal ratio mask (IRM) is defined as the training function during LSTM learning. Simulations show that the proposed system achieves attractive separation performance in noisy and reverberant environments. Specifically, during the untrained acoustic test with limited priors, e.g., unmatched signal to noise ratio (SNR) and reverberation, the proposed LSTM based algorithm can still outperforms the existing DNN based method in the measures of PESQ and STOI. It indicates our method is more robust in untrained conditions.


Evaluating scientific research has always been difficult. The peer-review process, which has been the mainstay of science evaluation for nearly a century, takes time, expertise, and no small amount of resources to do properly. But several trends in scientific research have made this process even more challenging. The sheer number of scientific publications produced per year has been growing at an exponential rate for over fifty years [1, 2] and has shown no sign of slowing down anytime soon. These publications are also growing increasingly technical and specialized, making qualified reviewers more and more difficult to find. Finally, the glut of researchers in the biomedical pipeline combined with the recent recession have resulted in a larger number of researchers competing for a shrinking pool of available research funds [3]. Evaluating scientific research in this context is becoming not only increasingly difficult, but also increasingly important to ensure that the right researchers receive promotions and funding to continue their work.

In this environment, a number of review boards, institutions, and even countries are turning to bibliometrics to facilitate the review process. Bibliometrics is the quantitative analysis of publications. It essentially extracts data from publications and analyzes that data in various ways to answer questions about the research that those publications represent. It is a method of studying the producers, processes, and evolution of research using research publications as a proxy for research. As such, the field of bibliometrics encompasses a wide variety of approaches and methods, but it has become best known for its attempts to measure the impact of scientific research through the use of various bibliometric indicators like the impact factor [4] and the H-index [5]. Because these indicators are perceived to be more objective than peer review, because they can be calculated with far less time and effort than peer review, and because there is some evidence that these indicators agree with peer judgment, reviewers and policy makers are increasingly using these indicators in addition to, and in some cases in place of, peer review of research impact.

Although the use of bibliometric indicators can provide a valuable supplement to the peer-review process, these indicators are all too often taken out of context and applied without a full understanding of the bibliometric research on which they are based. As a result, they are frequently used to measure things that they were not intended to measure or to make comparisons they are not actually capable of making. This article provides a short introduction to the basic ideas behind these indicators and discusses ways that they can be used responsibly to minimize the biases of peer review. For more extensive and technical overviews of this topic, see Haustein [6] and Mingers [7].


Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations pertaining to preparation of an Investigator's Brochure (IB) emphasize that the IB should summarize preclinical and clinical effects of the drug substance, and not that experiments should be archived in detail. The proper verb tense for presenting summarized effects believed by sponsors to characterize the effects of a new drug is the present. For example, sponsors should summarize results from their supportive animal safety studies in the IB by asserting which effects are or are not present in the species under test, and not which were or were not present.


An underground CO2 storage project is proposed under the village of Barendrecht, involving two nearly depleted gasfields. Because of the lack of sufficient knowledge of these kinds of storage projects, by the general public and also by the local politicians, several questions about the technical and geological aspects have been raised. In this report an effort is made to answer specific questions about the subsurface and its reaction to a CO2 storage project in a clear manner. These answers lead the reader through general CO2 information, followed by site specific details and also new calculations on the possibility and rate of CO2, that might escape from the reservoir in case of a dramatic subsurface failure. Based on our findings, as well as on previous research, we conclude that the threat of an accident is almost non-existent.


The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of systematic oropharyngeal management in prevention of acute mucositis induced by radiotherapy.Sixty patients with head and neck cancer were randomized into 2 groups: a treatment group(30 cases) and control group(30 cases).The patients in the treatment group received systematic oropharyngeal management and normal oral cavity nursing during the irradiation course,from beginning to the end.The other patients in the control group only received daily regular oral cavity nursing and intravenous infusion of vitamins and hormone when mucous membrane injury was found.Comparing with the rates of acute irradiation mucositis between the two groups,there was no significant difference(P0.05).Regarding to the grade of irradiation mucositis,the majority of patients in the treatment group were at stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ(70.0%),while those in the control group were at stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ(60.0%),there was a significant difference between the 2 groups(P0.05).To compare with the time mucous membrane injury was found during the irradiation,there was also a significant difference between the two groups(P0.05) as well as pain degree(P0.05).The patients in the treatment group were mostly in low-grade pain felling(VSA 0-3,63.3%)and others in the control group were mostly in middle and serious-grade(VSA 4-6,7-10,66.6%).No side effects were observed in both groups during irradiation process.In conclusion,the systematic oropharyngeal management is able to postpone the development of radiation mucositis.This preparation is also able to lower the incidence of grade Ⅲ,Ⅳ mucositis,and it has a potential for clinical application.


The clinical use of progesterone and progestogens in women is reviewed and requirements of effective use are specified including advantages side effects and mode of action of the formulations and their clinical chemical biological and metabolic effects. Progesterone and the progestogens available in France including derivatives of 17-hydroxyprogesterone and 19-norsteroids are described in terms of brand names type of effect or activity (antigonadotropic luteomimetic antiestrogenic gestational androgenic estrogenic or glucomineralocorticoid) routes of administration and usual dosages and metabolic effects. Background information is presented on the evolution of knowledge concerning metabolic effects of progestogens and the methodology of studies indicating a significant role of progestogens in cardiovascular complications is criticized. The association between various progestogens and high density lipoproteins and very low density lipoproteins is examined and implications for choice of formulation noted. Effects of progesterone and specific progestogens on electrolyte balance carbon hydrates and hemostasis are similarly examined and the androgenic effects of various formulations are noted. Indications for progestogen use are then outlined including supplementation or substitution at various phases of the reproductive cycle; for functional problems related to luteal insufficiency; uterine problems such as fibromas polyps endometrial hyperplasia adenomyosis or endometriosis and various breast problems. The choice of progesterone or a progestogen is discussed for various indications including regularization of menstrual cycles during puberty treatment of sterility caused by luteal insufficiency treatment of some conditions of pregnancy and to avoid premature birth and cyclical treatment of castrated or menopausal women. Indications and contraindications for use of progestogens alone in contraception are listed and the various formulations and their side effects are enumerated. Treatment of certain hormone-dependent cancers and of precocious puberty are also discussed. (summary in Eng)


Repatriation of human remains is one of the most difficult and challenging areas of museum practice today, and the literature on the subject has much to say about the philosophical, legal, and ethical dimensions but is not so helpful on the process itself. In Australia repatriation is now formally supported by Australian governments, government departments, and major museums, as well as by the public in general. Over the past 25 years, the repatriation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander remains, from both overseas and domestic holdings, has increased dramatically. However, many of the debates and issues involved in this growth in commitment to repatriation of remains have never made it to the public domain. While the successes are proudly broadcast through media, the bumps in the road behind successful repatriations are put behind us. Nonetheless, it is important to learn from the frustrations and rewards involved in repatriation and to use these to develop better philosophies, policies, and processes. This chapter describes repatriation as it is practiced by the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. It then diverges into a more personal description and opinion of some of the issues the author has encountered over the years in working on this important and often contentious topic, which, it is argued, should be regarded as an integral aspect of museum practice.

Keywords:

Aboriginal;
affiliation;
funding;
human remains;
National Museum of Australia;
policy;
provenancing;
repatriation;
Torres Strait Islander


In case of a drift-type disturbance, the systematic error of the period to be measured is reduced by the formation of first-order differences between the counts in successive time intervals. The influence of the correlation between the differences on the error of the period to be measured is studied in this paper. A connection is found between the parameters of the experiment to fulfill the condition that the correlation between the differences should be equal to zero. The precision limits of the period and reactivity measurements are obtained. 7 refs.


Concerning the growing rate of cesarean sections (CSs) worldwide, encouraging normal vaginal deliveries (NVDs) and mitigating CS rates is a necessity. This study investigated the status of delivery in hospitals affiliated with the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS) before and after implementing health system transformation plan (HSTP).


In this paper,the process on dissolving waste wool was studied by combining reduction and metalic salt methods in comparison.By means of the contrast tests including different reductants,metal salts and surfactants,the optimal solvent system was determined through investigating the texting indexes including wool dissolution rate and large molecular weight keratin recovery rate.Results showed that: Na2S2O3/LiBr/SDS dissolution system was the best solvent system,the keratin solution could be obtained at 94 % wool dissolution rate and over 50% keratin recovery rate,IR spectra showed that the extracted keratin was dominated a-helical conformation.


In animal farming, improvement of growth performance through successful nutrient uptake and digestibility is critical. Phytases hydrolyze the anti-nutritive phytic acid present in grains to lesser derivatives and release the phosphorus trapped therein. Twenty-eight fungi obtained from poultry droppings, cereal-rich soils and garden soils were screened for phosphate solubilization and phytase production using Pikovskaya agar and phytase screening medium. Out of the fungi, 61% were positive for phytase producing abilities and the most proficient, isolate GS1S6 with a solubilization index of 121%, was identified as Aspergillus niger GS1S6. Optimum phytase production was achieved at a fermentation period of 120 h, pH 5.5, glucose, (NH4)2SO4 using 72 hour old fungal inoculum. Mineral supplementation of natural agricultural substrates enhanced phytase production (1000U/L) the most in milled sesame seed medium. The ~31-38 KDa partially purified and characterized enzyme demonstrated optimum activities at 55oC and pH 6.0, while cationic inclusions reduced phytase activities. The Km and Vmax were low (1.308 mM and 0.077 mM/mL/min) from Linear-weaver plot with increasing substrate concentration implying that A. niger GS1S6 phytase may efficiently mineralize phytic acid and therefore hold great prospect for its commercialization.


1 Twenty‐six popliteal cysts arising in persons under 20 years of age have been excised. 2 In no case was the cyst found to communicate with the knee‐joint. 3 Preoperative radiographs in 10 cases confirmed the absence of such a communication. 4 Popliteal cysts in children are congenital bursae and not synovial herniations from the joint. 5 The apparent disappearance of such cysts on flexing the knee is due to the displacement of the bursa to the medial aspect of the knee and not to the displacement of the fluid contents into the joint.


Labella is an augmented system that employs non-traditional on-body interactions and explores the potential of using a mobile device as an interface to discover and learn about hidden parts of the body (figure 1). The system is designed to support pelvic fitness in women. It blends wearable and mobile technologies with modern lifestyle by combining a pair of underwear for embodied playful interaction, and a mobile phone as a tool for embodied discovery. The mobile app connects to the female body through the recognition of bespoke printed markers on specialist underwear (figure 2). We explore AR as a tool to help reveal the body in a playful way. We designed a system that aims to provide an enhanced experience to women in gaining awareness of their pelvic floor and to promote pelvic fitness. We use humour to address this topic of taboo and explore how embodied technology can contribute to make learning more accessible. By augmenting perception, our altered reality device makes visible the inside out (figure 3). It also shows potential to enhance engagement in intimate care practices.


Through literature,expert interviews,investigation,induction and analysis of policy-oriented way of life,the examination system,physical health,to cultivate an interest in nine aspects of the physical education tutor Selling Well depth analysis of the causes of the phenomenon,as the objective,real comprehensive,rational,fair,multi-angle look at a physical education tutor to provide theoretical reference.


A 33-year-old woman presented to the hospital with convulsive seizure and hypertensive crisis. As differential diagnosis cortical venous thrombosis, ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, space occupying lesion, Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) and epileptic syndrome were considered. Antiepileptic and antihypertensives drugs were used as initial clinical management.


The numerical modeling of chemically reactive fluid flow is a very difficult problem. Differing time scales for the chemical processes from the fluid processes are partially responsible for the difficulty involved. The chemical reactions take place in a very thin layer known as the flame front. The thickness of the flame front is very thin compared to a typical grid size used for computational fluid dynamics. Thus resolution of the flame zone requires the use of either a variable grid approach or a coordinate transformation. Experiments have been conducted involving the combustion of lean mixtures of hydrogen and air. A cursory review of the results seems to indicate combustion occurring in a one-dimensional fashion. An existing computer code known as CONCHAS:SPRAY has been modified to model these combustion experiments. An extensive parametric study that was performed in an attempt to achieve good agreement between the experimental and numerical results achieved with a one-dimensional model is discussed. The experimental results are examined in more detail to reveal the importance of multi-dimensional effects.


The invention provides a preparation method of polymer fatliquoring agent, comprising the following steps: (1) component A and component B are mixed, the component A is at least one of natural oil containing unsaturated fatty acid and long carbon chain unsaturated fatty acid ester, the component B at least comprises monoene which belongs to an unsaturated monomer, peracid is used as catalyst, so as to carry out copolymerization; (2) alkali is added in a polymer which carries out copolymerization, and the alkali and the polymer carry out neutralization reaction, the polymer is neutralized to have pH value from 6.0 to 8.5. In the invention, the peracid is used as the catalyst, the reaction condition is mild, no waste is discharged in the reaction process, and the product can be biologically degraded.


Principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis (FA) are variable reduction techniques used to represent a set of observed variables in terms of a smaller number of variables. While PCA and FA are similar along several dimensions (e.g., extraction of common components/factors), researchers often fail to recognize that these techniques achieve different goals and can produce significantly different results. We conduct a comprehensive review of the use of PCA and FA in accounting research. We offer guidelines on programming PCA and FA in SAS/Stata and emphasize the importance of implementation techniques as well as the disclosure choices made when utilizing these methodologies. Furthermore, we present intuitive, practical examples highlighting the differences between the techniques and provide suggestions for researchers considering the use of these procedures. Finally, based on our review, we provide recommendations, observations, notes, and citations to the literature, regarding the implementation of PCA and FA in accounting.


We propose a possibility that the inflaton potential is significantly modified after inflation due to heavy field dynamics. During inflation such a heavy scalar field may be stabilized at a value deviated from the low-energy minimum. In extreme cases, the inflaton potential vanishes and the inflaton becomes almost massless at some time after inflation. Such transition of the inflaton potential has interesting implications for primordial density perturbations, reheating, creation of unwanted relics, dark radiation, and experimental search for light degrees of freedom. To be concrete, we consider a chaotic inflation in supergravity where the inflaton mass parameter is promoted to a modulus field, finding that the inflaton becomes stable after the transition and contributes to dark matter. Another example is a hilltop inflation (also called new inflation) by the MSSM Higgs field which acquires a large expectation value just after inflation, but it returns to the origin after the transition and finally rolls down to the electroweak vacuum. Interestingly, the smallness of the electroweak scale compared to the Planck scale is directly related to the flatness of the inflaton potential.


Acoustic emission (AE) has been applied extensively to the non-destru ctive evaluation of materials and structures. In traditional AE measurement, various AE paramete rs ar detected, recorded and analysed to produce information on the characteristics of the materi al's f acturing behaviour. A quantitative analysis of AE waveforms, known as SiGMA (Simplifie d Green's Function for Moment Tensor Analysis), can also be used. From this analysis t he location of the AE sources can be found and classified into shear or tensile cracks, and their orientations can als o be determined. Selection of the initial amplitudes of the P-waves of recorded wa veforms enables six independent tensor components to be resolved. To determine source kinematics (crac k type and orientation) of a crack, eigenvalues of the moment tensor need to be calculated. This lead to the unified decomposition of the eigenvalues into a shear component, a CLVD (Compensa ted Linear Vector Dipole) component and a mean component. The aim of the decomposition is to determine the magnitude of shear and tensile contribution of an AE source, thus class ifying ources into a crack type. Since the orientations of a shear crack and tensile crack c an be determined using eigenvectors, source kinematics can be completely identified from AE waveforms. Notched concrete specimens were failed under a static four-point l oad. The AE waveforms produced during failure were analysed by the SiGMA procedure. The r esults demonstrate the ability of moment tensor analysis to determine the location, type and orientation of the crac k.


The optimum conditions for the resonance energy transfer between 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine(8-OHdG) and protamine were studied,and a novel method for the determination of 8-OHdG has been developed based on the resonance energy transfer fluorescence quenching effect of protamine.The fluorescence quenching intensity of Ps at 301 nm was proportional to the concentration of 8-OHdG.The linear range of the calibration curve was 0.50-7.1 μg·mL-1 in the pH 8.2 TrisHCl buffer solution with the detection limits of 0.18 μg·mL-1.The relative standard deviation was 6.2% and the average recovery was 104%(n=6).The proposed method is simple and sensitive,and has succeeded in analyzing the spiked urine sample with satisfactory results.


This paper reports on a qualitative study which evaluated the extent to which the ideals of ESD are incorporated into teacher training curricula. The study was conducted at 3 teacher training colleges of education and the University of Botswana. Participants of the study were lecturers. Questionnaire and observation were used to collect data. Findings reveal that in Botswana information on ESD has been fairly disseminated at teacher training institutions. This has resulted in the infusion of ESD in the training curriculum in some subjects. However, not much addressed the actual set of MDG and Sustainable Development Goals. To cover this deficit, the Ministry of Education came up with a strategy of change projects to sensitize institutions on EE and ESD. These projects range from infusion of ESD in the curricular, proper disposal of used oil and water and rain water harvesting. Results disclose that most lecturers were aware of the concept of ESD but have not taken much attention to have the concept aligned to courses they offer. As such amongst the recommendations made are, that there is immediate need to capacitate college lecturers on ESD.


Objective: To investigate the different To investigate the different expression of the transforming growth factor-3β(TGF-3β)in placentas between preeclamptic and normal pregnancies. Methods: Ten placental samples from preeclamptic pregnancies and ten from gestational age-matched normal pregnancies were obtained. The level of TGF-3β protein was valued by Western blot; the level of TGF-3β mRNA was measured by real time PCR. Results: Compared with the level of protein and mRNA of TGF-3β in placentas from normal pregnancies, the TGF-3β mRNA expression increased in placentas from preeclampsia, as well as TGF-3βprotein. Conclusion: The expression of TGF-3β increased in the placentas from preeclamptic pregnancies, and the high levels of TGF-3β in preeclamptic placentas may be relate to pathogeny of preeclampsia.


[Extract] Cultural diversity influences both natural resource management and natural diversity throughout the world. A wide variety of cultural landscapes with high biodiversity values are the joint works of people and nature; examples include traditional coffee production forests in Mexico, highly diverse aynoka potato cultivation in the Andes and coltura mista farming in the Northern Appenines (Farina 1995; Sotomayor 1995; Moguel & Toledo 1999). Many of these systems are now undergoing replacement by industrial monocultures, or abandonment, resulting in rapid biodiversity decline (Michon & de Forestra 1995; Pandey 2003). Tropical rainforests, however, are places where the biophysical influence of Indigenous peoples is more difficult to discern, despite their millennia of occupation. Biodiversity in old fallows of Amazonian tropical forest agricultural systems approaches that of primary forests (Fujisaka et al. 1998). Although Kayapo resource strategies in the Amazon clearly concentrate non-domesticated resources near campsites, the distribution of Brazil nut trees, linked to Indigenous resource strategies, can also be explained by the scatter hoarding of the large rodent, the red-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta agouti) (Posey 1988, 1999; Peres & Baider 1997). Nevertheless, tropical rainforests and their plants and animals are integral to Indigenous rainforest peoples' cultures; for example, yams are of great religious significance to the Baka people of Cameroon (Joiris 1993), while in the West Kalimantan, the, Kantu people's augury is based on omens from several birds, notably the Nenak (white-rumped shama, Copsychus malabaricus) (Dove 1999). Alliances based on recognizing and respecting this deep significance of tropical rainforest to Indigenous peoples through territorial rights are also proving effective for protection of natural diversity (Schwartzman & Zimmerman 2005).


AbstractThis work introduces two novel methods to the solution of water distribution networks equipped with pressure-control valves based on the global-gradient algorithm (GGA). One method, which c...


Intensive care unit patients are at particular risk of respiratory failure after major abdominal surgery. Non-invasive ventilation or application of continuous positive airway pressure through a face mask may stabilise respiratory function and avoid the need for endotracheal re-intubation. However, there are various contraindications to noninvasive ventilation and/or tracheal re-intubation, such as recent oesophageal anastomosis, anastomotic leakage or tracheal stenting for tracheo-oesophageal fistula. A specific management strategy consisting of continuous intratracheal jet ventilation to support spontaneous respiratory function is described in two patients with contraindications to noninvasive ventilation or mask continuous positive airway pressure after major oesophageal surgery.


The 2013 curriculum requires students to take an active and creative role in teaching and learning. Submission of materials in basic network learning process is still using a more dominant learning method that is owned by the teacher (teacher centered). It makes students in the learning process becomes more passive, so the students' activity in the learning process is still in the low category. One of the solutions to improve students 'learning activeness is by using tools or media that can attract students' attention. Learning tool or media is expected to help students to be interested and can play an active role in teaching and learning process. Learning tool or media used in this research is application of reward system. This study aims to (1) Know the difference between the use of reward system application in terms of activeness (2) to know the effectiveness of the use of reward system application in terms of student activeness. This research type is quantitative research with research design that is quasi experimental design with posttest only control design design. Techniques of collecting research data using questionnaires, interviews, and observation. Data analysis using t test and gain index analysis. The results of research are as follows: 1) there is difference of influence of using reward system application that is by t independent t test. Based on the analysis result obtained tcount of 3,790. ttable = 2.64208 at 5% error level with df = 76. So thitung> ttabel. 2) the reward system application is more effective with the experimental class result of -thount 3,703> -ttable 2,642 (76) while the Control class is -thount> -ttable (2,642,76) (1,016 <-2,642) and sig <0,05.


As part of the Discovery Program, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has solicited proposals for inter-planetary research to conduct solar system exploration science investigations. A mission, called Venus 2000 (V2k), has been proposed for exploration of the Venus Atmosphere. This is NASAs first voyage to Venus to investigate key science objectives since Magellan and will be launched in summer 2002. In keeping with discovery program requirements to reduce total mission cost and utilize new technology, V2k mission design and control will focus on the use of innovative and proven trajectory analysis programs and control systems provided by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).


Answering a question of G. Fici, we give an [Formula: see text]-adic characterization of the family of infinite LSP words, that is, the family of infinite words having all their left special factors as prefixes. More precisely we provide a finite set of morphisms [Formula: see text] and an automaton [Formula: see text] such that an infinite word is LSP if and only if it is [Formula: see text]-adic and one of its directive words is recognizable by [Formula: see text]. Then we characterize the endomorphisms that preserve the property of being LSP for infinite words. This allows us to prove that there exists no set [Formula: see text] of endomorphisms for which the set of infinite LSP words corresponds to the set of [Formula: see text]-adic words. This implies that an automaton is required no matter which set of morphisms is used.


X-ray diffraction (XRD) and $^{7}\mathrm{MAS}$ measurements have been performed on ${\mathrm{LiMn}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ (lithium cationic fraction, x=0.333), ${\mathrm{Li}}_{2}$${\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}$ (x=0.667), and the intermediate composition with x=0.40. The use of magic angle spinning produces complex manifolds of the spinning sidebands. The predominant interaction affecting the NMR spectrum is the transferred hyperfine coupling (TFHI) between the Mn ions and the Li spins. TFHI parameters are extracted from MAS-NMR spectra of oxides containing a large quantity of manganese. We obtained a full spectral assignment for the spinel ${\mathrm{LiMn}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$, for the rocksalt ${\mathrm{Li}}_{2}$${\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}$, and for the x=0.40 sample, which contains the rocksalt and both stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric spinel phases. According to XRD data, the rocksalt phase contains three nonequivalent lithium sites whose NMR peaks are shifted upfield from x=0.667 to 0.40 because of the cell volume expansion.mThe ${\mathrm{Li}}^{+}$ ions belonging to the two spinel phases of x=0.40 are quite mobile and give origin by motional narrowing to a single peak, which is slightly shifted upfield with respect to that of ${\mathrm{LiMn}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$.


This paper presents a new method in intrusion detection based on analyzing the audit trails of users' activities in a local area network. This approach consists of detecting the presence of known attacks in servers' audit sessions. Each attack scenario is described by a column vector containing the different occurrences of the system events that represent the attack. The detection procedure consists of examining the manifestation of the attack scenarios in the system event trace. This method could be applied to attacks on servers. The most advantages of the presented method are (1) it is easy to implement in any network having the audit mechanism, (2) it is very fast and may be used in real time and (3) it is robust.


Introduction: Years after mitral valve surgery, progressive degeneration of reconstructed mitral valves or bioprostheses might lead to severe mitral valve regurgitation. Patients with significant comorbidity, or impaired left ventricular function are poor candidates for redo surgery at an acceptable risk at that later time point. Methods and results: This study reports the first-in-man transapical valve-in-ring implantations in the mitral position of the fully repositionable Lotus valve system approved for transcatheter aortic valve replacement in Europe. Transapical valve-in-ring implantations with this valve system were successfully performed in a 64-year-old female, and a 53-year-old male patient. Both patients were NHYA class IV, and carried an unacceptably high risk of cardiac surgery due to clinical condition and comorbidity. The first patient was successfully implanted a 25 mm valve, improved to NYHA class II, and was discharged 2 weeks after the procedure. The second patient required a short episode of cardiopulmonary resuscitation after valve implantation (27 mm), and was placed on veno-venous ECMO for 24 hr to improve oxygenation. He developed stroke on day 7, and deceased from fatal, toxic rhabdomyolysis 13 days after the procedure. Conclusion: Transapical valve-in-ring implantation of the repositionable Lotus valve system in the mitral position is a feasible and promising option that merits further evaluation. VC 2015 Wiley Period-


Despite constantly evolving mobile hardware, realtime person segmentation on mobile phones is challenging due to the limited computational resources. To address this problem, we introduce a novel UNet-like network architecture based on MobileNetV3, which enables the segmentation of persons in images and videos on mobile phones. Our model, which is not limited to a specific shot type, outperforms specialized models in their respective domains and runs with 35 fps on a Google Pixel 4 mobile phone. Moreover, we demonstrate how the segmentation accuracy can be further improved by exploiting the temporal coherence of consecutive frames in videos.


Jute fiber along with Cu particle dispersed unsaturated polyester composites having different filler (both Jute and Cu were in equal wt%) loading viz. 2, 5, 10, and 15 wt% were fabricated by compression molding technique. In the present investigation, it is observed that with fillers (Jute and Cu) incorporation the microhardness increases and reaches its maximum at 10 wt% of fillers content followed by slight deterioration at 15 wt%. Structural investigation through X-ray diffraction, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy confirms the presence and dispersion of filler. It is observed that with filler addition the crystallinity (%) of the matrix increases which is obtained from X-ray diffraction pattern. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy ensured the bonding of fillers with the matrix and detected the presence of moisture. The mechanical testing viz., tensile, flexural, and Izod impact test shows the strength and modulus increase monotonically upto 10 wt% filler addition followed by slight decreases at 15 wt% filler content. The scratch result shows the optimization of strength and toughness of the composites. Thermo-gravimetric analysis and differential thermo-gravimetric analysis showed that the thermal stability, degradation temperature, and residual mass significantly increased with fillers addition. The water absorption test (room temperature and boiling temperature) predict a variation in weight with time. POLYM. COMPOS., 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers


Abstract ONE of the major problems in the production of high quality eggs is the production of eggs having good shells. Shell quality has been measured in many ways: thickness, smoothness, porosity, percentage total egg weight represented by egg shell, weight per square centimeter of shell, and the resistance of the shell to various crushing or puncturing forces being some of the more common methods. It is a well known fact that egg shells usually become weaker during the spring and summer. Since this station has also reported the seasonal variation in interior quality, an experiment was designed to investigate the effect of season as well as some other factors on egg shell quality as measured by egg shell thickness. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Stewart (1935) gives an excellent review of literature concerning the structure of the hen's egg shell. Miller and Bearse (1934) determined the shell percentages of eggs from December . . .


Disclosed is an organic light emitting diode which includes a substrate, a first cavity electrode which is located in a first micro-cavity region of the substrate, a first transparent electrode having a first thickness which is located in the first micro-cavity region to overlap with a first side of the first cavity electrode, a first light emitting layer which is electrically connected to the first transparent electrode, and a cathode layer which is located on the first light emitting layer.


FIELD: power industry. SUBSTANCE: method consists in rotation of rotating turbine blades due to flow of the wind reflected from side surface of obstacle and directed to the nozzle consisting of confuser and diffuser with similar convergence and divergence angles, arrangement of nozzle with turbine on the roof of facility on rotating platform so that confuser can be turned towards wind flow, and diffuser can be turned to opposite side; at that, nozzle confuser receives wind flow from several stationary confusers formed with planes of roof and vertical supports. Device includes side plane serving as wall of architectural structure and reflecting the wind flow, nozzle installed on the structure roof and consisting of confuser and diffuser with similar convergence and divergence angles and turbine in its narrow part, as well as upper roofing and vertical supports. Upper roofing and supports serve as structure for upper roofing structure and form stationary confusers or diffusers with similar opening angles in relation to the turbine. Turbine and nozzle are installed on rotating platform. Nozzle confuser and diffuser can be curved and can have the possibility of receiving the flow from several stationary confusers. EFFECT: improving wind use efficiency by enlarging the gripping area, including reflected flows. 3 cl, 14 dwg


The Nimish Subgroup igneous suite is a linear belt of volcanic and plutonic rocks in the Dyke Lake area of the southern Labrador Trough.
The volcanics are interbedded with the sediments of the Wishart and Sokoman Formations of the Aphebian aged, Knob Lake Group. The sokoman Formation forms a time stratigraphic horizon that separates the lower Petitsikapau Lake Formation from the upper Astray Lake formation of the Nimish Subgroup. The occurrence of these volcanics within the Knob Lake Group is unique relative to Labrador Trough stratigraphy, as elsewhere the Knob Lake Group is a dominantly sedimentary succession and volcanics are restricted to the younger Doublet Group.
Stratigraphic relationships between the Nimish Subgroup and the Sokoman formation indicate contemporaneous volcanic, clastic and chemical sedimentary activity. The internal stratigraphy of the Sokoman Formation exhibits a three-fold subdivision that is broadly correlatable with similar subdivisions in the Schefferville "main ore zone", 30 miles to the northwest. A detailed facies and paleogeographic model relating the volcanic activity to iron formation deposition in the Dyke Lake is presented.
The rocks of the Dyke Lake area have been affected by lower greenschist facies metamorphism during the Hudsonian orogenic event, circa 1735 my. Geochemical evidence indicates that the igneous rocks of the Nimish Subgroup have been metasomatized with large degrees of mobility in Na₂O, K₂O, CaO, MgO, SiO₂, FeO and Fe₂O₃ suspected. The "immobile trace elements", Ti, Zr, Nb, Y and Ga imply that the Nimish lavas are a mildly alkaline suite that has an alkali basalt-trachyandesite-comendite differentiation scheme.
The rare earth element, REE, geochemistry of the Nimish Subgroup is supportive of the alkaline nature of the volcanics and has been used to model the fractional crystallization petrogenesis involved in the two volcanic cycles. The geological, geochemical and geophysical evidence indicates that the Nimish Subgroup lavas are possibly a rift facies, alkaline suite related to the tensional tectonic regime that preceeded the extrusion of voluminous tholeiitic lavas of the Doublet Group.


Global attention to climate change has advanced an awareness of human impacts on the environment. Progressing more slowly is recognition of the critical link between forest ecosystems and human welfare. Forests provide a number of societal benefits or ecosystem services, such as water purification, climate and flood regulation, recreational opportunities, and spiritual fulfillment. This paper examines an emerging perspective that describes ecosystems as natural assets that support human health and well-being. The perspective serves as both a conservation approach and an extention of ecosystem management, involving the connection of ecosystem services to the people who benefit, in some cases with an assigned market value. We argue that the emergence of an ecosystem services perspective is timely as public interest in the state of environment increases and natural resource managers face the reality of rapid forest ecosystem change. Forest conservation that considers the supply and delivery of ecosystem services will enhance the health and resiliency of ecosystems, engage and serve a broader public, and attract private investment and leadership in a common effort to safeguard natural systems.


The objective of this review is to focus on the application of phytosome technology along with its preparation, various properties and characterization. The recent development and conducted works of various researchers have been studied thoroughly to establish the transdermal route as a potential way to deliver phytoconstituents. Plant derived products or plant extracts are increasingly receiving attention as dietary supplements for the homeostatic management of inflammation, toxicities, cancers, weight loss and other chronic or acute degenerative disorders. But these products frequently face stability and bioavailability problems. Plant products after their isolation become prone to instability and are potentially unfit to cross the biomembrane as such. Some plant products show hydrophobicity and their delivery to systemic circulation is a quite difficult task. The phytosome technique reduces these tasks to reasonable extents. Phytosomes or herbosomes are lipid compatible molecular complexes produced by interaction of standardized plant extracts and phospholipids with a stoichiometric ratio, having better stability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics profile. The phytosome or Herbosome technique increases the hydrophilicity of highly lipophilic drug there by making it suitable for drug delivery and increases the lipophilicity of hydrophilic phytoconstituents adequately to cross biological membrane. The topical application of phytosomes for cosmetic purpose has already been proven. This review contains a comparative account of liposomes and phytosomes along with recent advancements in the field of phytosome technology with a special concern to transdermal drug delivery. Key words: Phytosomes, phospholipids, bioavailability, topical route, transdermal drug delivery


The different isomer yields observed in many aromatic electrophilic substitution reactions can be explained by steric hindrance. However, this is not the case when there are drastic differences in the reaction yields of the isomeric products obtained. This is generally due to the presence of other factors, for instance, electric rejection between two positive charges in the reaction stage. Thus, a very important point to bear in mind is electric hindrance, a new theoretical concept. We have taken as an example 2-aminopyridine nitration. We provide an extended theory on this subject, which is in accord with the observed regiochemistry and with the reaction yields of the isomeric products obtained. Dipole moments were also taken into account. We discuss too the 2-nitraminopyridine rearrangement in acidic medium. The theoretical discussion is also in accord with reported trans-nitration experimental results. Our proposals were contrasted too with the findings from thermolysis and photolysis experiments carried out with 2-nitraminopyridine.


The premise of voltage sag mitigation for sensitive industrial processes is to reasonably assess the economic losses caused by voltage sag. And the process immunity time is the key information in the process of economic loss assessment. Existing research usually obtains process immunity time through monitoring systems or overall testing. However, in the actual situation, due to various constraints, the traditional method of obtaining the process immunity time is inconvenient. To get PIT more conveniently, a sensitive process immunity evaluation method based on response information flow is proposed in this paper. This method regards sensitive industrial processes as a composite system. According to the function of each part of the system and the response characteristics of voltage sag, it can be divided into three modular combinations, which are delayed structure, competitive structure, and conductive structure. According to the delay time and module combination characteristics of module response to the voltage sag, the propagation path of response information flow caused by sag can be determined, and the process immunity time can be evaluated.Finally, a case study of the painting process of a car factory in southern China shows that the proposed method can be applied to the sensitive process immune time assessment.


Monte-Carlo modeling was used to simulate the propagation of excitation light and the resulting fluorescence.Remitted fluorescence is determined for a series of cubic geometries representing small tissue samples.The results show that the fluorescence reaching the front surface of a tissue cube is a strong function of the cube volume.A tissue cube with dimensions greater than approximationly 3 mm is sutible for in vitro fluorescence detection.


In the last ten years, Indonesia has seen some principal changes in international and domestic affairs. As a result, Indonesian foreign policy need to be harmonized with these changes for contemporary and fixture interests. Ideally, this harmonization need to be addressed in conceptual fr ainework and foreign policy strategy which refers to national interests projection based on priority scale and national capabilities' reality. In a reflective way, this paper was looking back to the way Indonesian foreign policy in the reform era (1998-2008) responded to some international and domestic changes and how Indonesian foreign policy direction in the nest ten years might be that is based on future issues, problems and global challenges which potentially influence Indonesian foreign policy.


The article deals with the effect of an acidic environment on the mechanical properties of a Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) grid. GFRP composites are prone to the absorption of surrounding media which are either of a liquid or gaseous state, and this may result in the degradation of their mechanical properties. The effect of an acidic environment is examined on specimens cut from a GFRP grid. The specimens were stored in an acidic bath (pH scale 2 – 2.5) for a period of 0 (reference specimen), 1000, 2000 and 6000 hours. The temperature of the acidic bath was 60°C. The specimens were then tested using three‒point bending and the interlamination shear strength test. During the tests, the load and deformation of the specimens were monitored and flexural strength instead and modulus of elasticity were determined. The characteristics of the specimens exposed to the acidic environment were compared with those of the reference specimen. The experiment demonstrated the effect an acidic environment can have on the properties of GFRP material.


Bullying is the most common form of violence in our society. Studies have found that approximately 30 percent of students in grades 6-10 are involved in bullying, as a perpetrator, victim, or both (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2003). Nowadays the public attention in India is concentrated growingly on School Bullying, a major issue in our schools which has come to the fore due to active reporting by news papers and electronic media. In fact, it is general perception and considered view of all stakeholders, including that of law enforcing agencies and social workers that school bullying adversely impacts on conducive climate in schools and on pupil"s right to study without fear in a secure environment. The present study has been conducted to understand the extent of the problem of bullying among the school children in urban centres as well as to know the opinion of the stakeholders including the students and teachers about effective preventive strategies to be adopted.


Leisure time behaviour patterns of young women and the place of engagement in physical activities (PA) in it, as well as preferences for them were the aims. The data were collected with anonymous poll among 151 first-year female students and processed by frequency analysis and percentage computation. The findings indicate the young women from Pula mostly do sedentary activities (learning, reading, TV watching, internet browsing). Slightly less than a half of the subjects (73; 48.04%) were engaged in any kind of physical activity, but irregularly and in the amount insufficient to produce any positive effect on their health. These activities include: (running, walking,  cycling, roller-blading, aerobics, pilates, fitness, and folklore dancing. Although the students reported to have a relatively large amount of daily leisure time, the main reason for not engaging in exercise was lack of time. However, even the inactive students had certain preferences of would-be PA: they would be regularly engaged in: team sport games (team handball and volleyball), and in running, cycling, swimming, roller-blading, and aerobics. Occasionaly, they would do: volleyball, basketball, skiing, swimming, team handball, pilates, table tennis, hiking, running and cycling. The study reinforced the need for organized intervention to alter physical-activity-related behavior of young women.


Summarizing observed dry‐canopy evaporation (hereafter, evaporation) data from earlier papers, we developed a scheme for forest categorization according to evaporation rates in the growing season. Evaporation rates were represented by the Priestley–Taylor coefficient α calculated for daytime. We examined relationships between forest properties (e.g. climatic regions, leaf types) and α values. We obtained α data for 67 forest sites from earlier papers. Based on these data, we found (i) a clear difference in α values between broad‐leaved and coniferous forests, (ii) a greater variation in α values between individual coniferous forests than between individual broad‐leaved forests, and (iii) a clear relationship between canopy height and α values for coniferous forests. These three results were supported by surface conductance data summarized from earlier papers. We concluded that forests should be primarily classified into broad‐leaved and coniferous forests, and that coniferous forests should be further classified according to canopy height. This classification scheme is applicable only to forests with projected leaf area index (LAI) ≥3·0. Regardless of this LAI limitation, this classification will be useful because many forests satisfy this LAI limitation.


10012 Background: Whole exome sequencing (WES) can identify a wide spectrum of tumor and germline genetic findings. Before WES is incorporated into oncology practice, it is necessary to gain an understanding of the nature and frequency of these genetic results in cancer patients. Methods: The BASIC3 (Baylor Advancing Sequencing in Childhood Cancer Care) study investigates the clinical implementation of CLIA-certified WES for sequentially diagnosed children with CNS and non-CNS solid tumors. Blood and frozen tumor samples undergo WES, with the resulting germline and tumor reports deposited into the medical record and disclosed to families by their oncologist and a genetic counselor. Germline reports include: (1) deleterious mutations and variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in disease genes related to cancer or other patient phenotypes, (2) incidental medically-actionable mutations, (3) FDA-approved pharmacogenetic (PGX) variants, (4) mitochondrial (mtDNA) mutations, and (5) carrier status for recessiv...


Abstract : Silicon nitride is the material of choice for ceramic rolling bearings. The issue of low operational reliability in certain rolling contact applications in DoD systems may be related to its limited room temperature bending strength as compared with modern bearing steels. To explore the cyclic fatigue strength of silicon nitride, rotating beam fatigue tests have been performed for two types of high quality bearing-grade HPSN. A total of 122 rotating beam specimens have been tested, mostly in the maximum stress range 600 - 850 MPA. Statistical method has been applied to the test data to obtain the fatigue exponent, Weibull slope and crack growth parameter for the two baseline materials. Theory of ceramic reliability has been applied to predict the failure probability of ceramic rod (in RCF test) and ceramic balls (in thrust loaded hybrid ball bearings) in terms of fatigue cycles and friction coefficient. Forty-eight (48) hybrid ceramic 6206 size ball bearings have been endurance tested using sudden-death method and ceramic balls of the same materials used in the rotating beam tests.


Lignite is a kind of coal that has high moisture content and needs to be dried before being utilized. The dried lignite will readsorb moisture during its storage. In this work, a typical Chinese lignite was dried by air at 120–180 °C and hydrothermally dewatered at 200–320 °C. The moisture adsorption isotherms of treated coal and the parent coal were obtained at 30 °C to investigate the essential moisture adsorption properties. Then the moisture readsorption performance of the studied coal in the real storage was simulated by placing the samples in the atmosphere and monitoring the evolution of the sample masses. The experimental results indicated that the moisture readsorption capacity of the air-dried lignite was lower than the parent coal and decreased with increasing drying temperature. For the hydrothermally dewatered coal, the moisture readsorption capacity increased with increasing dewatering temperature to 240 °C and then decreased significantly as dewatering temperature rose to 320 °C. The inhibi...


This paper presents a check list of 179 bird species occuring in the Qwaqwa National Park which borders the eastern part of Golden Gate Highlands National Park. Data on the distribution, status, habitat preferences and breeding were obtained during several visits between December 1992 and March 1995. The following habitats were preferred: grassland, montane grassland, woodland, rocky hillsides, mountain slopes and riverine areas with Phragmites reedbeds. The conservation of waterbirds, raptors and other localised species such as Orangebreasted Rockjumper, Palecrowned Cisticola, Mountain Pipit and Gurney's Sugarbird is important as these species occur in specialised habitats.


| The open literature is replete with claims about convergence beneets associated with popular second-order-statistics (SOS) blind channel estima-tion/equalization algorithms. Surprisingly, the literature is at the same time sparse in addressing robustness concerns of these algorithms. This paper is intended to motivate interest in the study of such robustness concerns by providing a simulation-based comparison between some popular SOS algorithms and CMA for classes of channels of interest to both the practitioner and researcher.


Microcompression is a technique that was developed as a means to probe the properties of micrometer-sized specimens using a modification of a conventional nanoindentation system. We use this technique to present the first uniaxial compressive data on electrodeposited nanocrystalline nickel (a material system where the grain size is much smaller than the specimen size). The compression-tension asymmetry of this nanocrystalline material is also discussed.


Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 50(4) Bipolar disorder (BD) is frequently misdiagnosed and mismanaged because the 'concept' of BD II lacks definition, and prognostic value. Hypomania was first described and introduced into practice by Falret and Mendel in the 19th century. Despite long-standing recognition of the syndrome, a precise definition of hypomania has remained elusive. In 1976, upon observing less severe symptoms of mania that could be treated without hospitalization, Dunner et al. (1976) conceived BD II. Two decades later, BD II was formally installed in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), with the diagnosis contingent on the occurrence of hypomania in the context of a previous major depressive episode. In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fifth Edition (DSM-5), increased activity/energy was added as a core feature of mania/hypomania, alongside elevated or irritable mood. In hypomania, these symptoms must last for a minimum of 4 consecutive days, contrasting with the 7-day criterion for a manic episode. In addition, hypomania requires an unequivocal change in functioning that is out of character for the individual. An interesting and critical distinction with mania, however, is that this change in function, while observable to others, is not severe enough in hypomania to cause marked impairment, necessitate hospitalization or present with psychotic symptoms. Thus, DSM-5 defines and distinguishes hypomania and mania on the basis of duration of symptoms and severity of illness (associated impairment). However, in practice, it is extremely difficult to distinguish between no, some or marked impairment, which necessarily cascades as a function of severity. In sum, the criteria for hypomania are fuzzy and, clinically, its distinction serves no purpose other than perhaps to obscure the inception of mania.