Resolution of bioethical issues can usefully employ information ofat least three types. The first involves use of ethically neutral biological fact for the purpose ofidentify-ing contexts within which ethical disputes arise. The second involves biological fact which has ethical import,since it serves to explode myth or clarify processes around which ethical arguments revolve. The third are ethical principles which stand or fall on their own merits and serve to frame biological facts. Grobstein's volume illustrates the important uses of the first two types' of work but also shows the difficulties which arise in the absence of a clearly deline-ated ethical perspective.


The structure of VHF (very high frequency) air-ground datalink and communication protocols are introduced, and the framework of VHF air-ground datalink communication protocols is analyzed. Relationship between ARINC specifications is analyzed comprehensively and the message format conversion between protocols is given. The model of data communication and messages conversion based on air-ground datalink is abstracted. Research on the framework and transformation flow of communication protocols establishes a steady base for the further application of VHF air-ground datalink messages in the civil aviation field.


Spinning reserve (SR) is one of the most important resources used by system operators to respond to unforeseen events. In a low-carbon economy mode, carbon capture plant is an important CO2 abatement option and might constitute a significant proportion of the generation mix. Due to their potential flexibility, such plants might affect the requirement for SR. This paper describes a multi-period optimization model for coordinating the generation, carbon capture and SR provision. In turn, this model is used to optimize the SR requirements, with the objective of minimizing the overall cost. Since this objective function combines the generation production cost, the expected energy not supplied (EENS) cost, SR provision cost and the carbon emission cost, it is better suited to evaluate the SR requirements of power system with carbon capture plants. Numerical results based on a 26-unit test system show that the proposed model is effective and practical.


The redox behavior of silicon nanoparticles (Si-nps), produced by laser ablation in liquid, was studied based on the optical measurements of Si colloidal solution after addition of noble metal salts. It was found that such prepared Si-nps can reduce Au3+ ions quickly, in contrast to the conventional microsized Si powders which are very stable in the noble metal ion solutions. Also, the Si-nps can reduce Ag+ ions, which should not occur according to the overall redox potentials of the ion solutions and bulk Si. Such reductive behaviors were attributed to the fresh surface of the Si-nps prepared by laser ablation in liquid and size-induced positive redox potentials for the system containing silicon and metal salts. This study could be beneficial to deepen the understanding of physical/chemical behaviors of Si-nps and important in the control of the chemical stability of the particles. Importantly, due to the nontoxic properties of Si and Si oxide, the reductive Si-nps have demonstrated the potential applica...


The Development of European Criminal Law as a Cultural Challenge The article gives an appraisal of the last years' development in criminal matters in the European Union and answers the question if an integrative "European Criminal Law" already exists. Against this background, the "Lisbon Judgment" of the Federal Constitutional Court is analyzed and the basic guidelines of the judgment regarding criminal law are elaborated. The article also explains the requirements made by the Federal Constitutional Court on the decisions on punishable behavior, on the rank of legally protected interests and on the meaning of threat of punishment. Based on this, the additional value of a supranational public prosecution is discussed, as well as some ways in which criminal law influences the cultural identity of European nations.


The decay of highly excited states of Mg is studied in fusion evaporation events completely detected in charge in the reactions C+C and N+B at 95 and 80 MeV incident energy respectively. The comparison of light charged particles measured spectra with statistical model predictions suggests that the dominant reaction mechanism is compound nucleus (CN) formation and decay. However, in both reactions, a discrepancy with statistical expectations is found for α particles detected in coincidence with Carbon, Oxigen and Neon residues. The comparison between the two reactions shows that this discrepancy is only partly explained by an entrance channel effect. Evidence for cluster correlations in excited Mg CN is suggested by the comparison between the measured and calculated branching ratios for the channels involving α particles. DOI: 10.1051/ C © Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences / 0002 2015) 201 epjconf EPJ Web of Conferences 0002 5 88, 88 , 2015 SIF (


A computer model is presented for an innovative wastewater treatment process known as the Algae-Bacterial-Clay Treatment (ABCT) system. In this process the photosynthetic production of dissolved oxygen by algae supports the bacterial breakdown of organic matter in wastewater. Clay is added to the plug flow reactor to dampen input BOD variation. The model was developed to gain an improved understanding of transient behavior of dissolved oxygen and pH in the treatment reactor during typical operation. The model consists of five nonlinear ordinary differential equations describing the time rate of change of algae mass, bacterial mass, organic substrate, dissolved oxygen, and dissolved carbon dioxide. A fourth-order Runge-Kutta integration technique was used to predict system response at discrete time steps. The pH variation expected from changes in dissolved carbon dioxide was based upon presumptions that the system is buffered by the carbonic acid system, and that alkalinity does not change appreciably during the course of time. These assumptions were confirmed by experimental results. The model successfully predicted diurnal fluctuations in dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH in the ABCT process. The model predicted that algae will supply sufficient oxygen during sunny and partly sunny days to eliminate the need for continuous mechanical aeration. This feature should result in significant cost savings over conventional secondary wastewater treatment schemes. Surplus dissolved oxygen produced by algae during the day should be completely depleted at night due to bacterial respiration. This lack of oxygen, in turn, resulted in reduced substrate utilization and potential effluent discharge violations. Mechanical aeration during the night might be one possible remedial strategy. Despite its dynamic behavior, the ABCT process would be a viable and potentially cost efficient wastewater treatment strategy.


The present study aims to document the effectiveness of self-directed activity-based Autonomous Learning for Advanced Acquisition of Physiology (ALAAP) module for endocrine learning among undergraduate physical therapy students.

Fifty-five second semester students (28 males and 27 females) of the physical therapy course of a private healthcare university were recruited and the traditional didactic method of teaching-learning was compared with that of the newly developed ALAAP module.

The triad approach employed to compare the scores of pre-test and post-test after the ALAAP module intervention showed P < 0.001 and Hedges' g effect size of 0.75 with a 95% CI of –3.41 to –1.5 implying the effectiveness of the module to be strong. Furthermore, the feedback obtained was favourable toward this module and showed that there was an increase in both the affective and cognitive domains of learning.

ALAAP module for endocrine physiology is effective and positively targeted all types of learners. It helped their transition from pedagogy to andragogy type of deep learning. The group work done by the students as a part of this module instilled collaborative and cooperative learning in them.


When trying to map the bibliometrics based 'research evaluation landscape' in terms of for instance methods, technical systems and stakeholders; the complexities soon become obvious. Different methods are used at different national and local levels; there is a great variation of systems used for gathering, organizing, and analyzing data; and a multitude of stakeholders, many of which taking on a variety of roles within the context of evaluation practices. To be able to study and understand the evaluation landscape, an infrastructure perspective is suggested as an analytical framework, as proposed by Star and Bowker (2006). According to Star and Bowker, an infrastructure should be understood, not as a concrete technology, but as a system of contextual factors, representing "one of a number of possible distributions of tasks and properties between hardware, software and people" (Star & Bowker, 2006, p. 232). In the context of research evaluation studies, "hardware" could be operationalized as technical systems, "software" as the evaluation practices per se, and "people" as the stakeholders involved. The operationalization of the concepts will be further illustrated by examples from previous research on e.g. stakeholders involved in the research evaluation process, systems used in bibliometric evaluations, and indicators utilized for measuring academic performance; as well as the use of one empirical example, outlining how one stakeholder can be studied through its different roles in research evaluation – as well as its interactions with other stakeholder, and its use, and production, of both 'hardware' and 'software'. (Less)


Based on the grey associative theory,an eco-environmental assessment model of basins is established. As a case, the eco-environmental evaluation index system of Chaohu Lake Basin is formulated, and classified standards of evaluation indices are put forward. The established model is utilized to evaluate the eco-environmental quality of Chaohu Lake Basin. Study result shows that Grey Associative Model(GAM) can not only reflect the eco-environmental quality state of a basin objectively and accurately,but also can be used to contrast the environmental quality of different districts or periods. Therefore, GAM is an ideal method for eco-environmental evaluation of a basin.


As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, an increasing number of concurrent associations are being reported including several postinfectious phenomena. The role of diabetes mellitus (DM) and its implications in increased severity and mortality of adults with COVID-19 is established. COVID-19 is known to cause hyperglycemia and worsen glycemic control in adults with active infection. However, the association in pediatric population is not well established. The interplay between biological, psychosocial, and economic factors for increased association of COVID-19 with Type 1 DM and/or presentation with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is not clear. We briefly describe a surge in the number of children with DKA as experienced in our center in the course of the ongoing pandemic with a brief evaluation of all the abovementioned factors.


L-Lam is the oligosaccharides solution of Laminaria (Lam.) japonica where their polysaccharides extract digested by 5 units/ml cellulase and 5 units/ml agarases (MA103-agarases and MAEF08-agarases). Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation products were obtained from the (I) Lam, (II) L-Lam, (III) L-Lam plus 0.5% yeast extract, or (IV) L-Lam plus 0.5% peptone were fermented individually with the following LAB starter groups: (A) Lactobacillus (Lb.) rhamnosus BCRC14068 and Enterococcus (Ent.) faecalis BCRC13076, (B) Lb. plantarum BCRC10069 and Lb. plantarum BCRC12250, or (C) Lb. plantarum BCRC10069 and Lactococcus (Lc.) lactis BCRC12315. The chelating ability on Fe(superscript 2+) ion of group (C) lactic starters fermented (IV) L-Lam-P was over 76.2%. The DPPH radical scavenging effect of lactic starters fermented nitrogen source added to L-Lam, (III) and (IV), were stronger than the groups without nitrogen source added to L-Lam, (I) and (II), fermented by lactic starters. Lactic starters fermentation products derived from (IV), 0.5% peptone added L-Lam, also showed a higher antioxidative capacity on TEAC (74.3%-78.6%), which was the best of all the fermentation products. The inhibition effect of (II) L-Lam against the mutagenicity induced by direct-acting mutagen 4-NQO evaluated by Salmonella (Sal.) typhimurium TA100 was 46.2%. It was only significantly higher than group (A) lactic starters fermented products with (III) L-Lam-YE (19.8%), but it showed no difference from the other fermented products. The inhibition effect of L-Lam against the mutagenicity induced by indirectacting mutagen B[a]P (with S9 mix) evaluated by Sal. typhimurium TA100 was 36.9%, which was only significantly higher than group (C) lactic starters fermented products with (III) L-Lam-YE (12.6%), but showed no difference from the other fermented products.


The design of a small (0.8×0.5×0.2 in.) and light (1 g) noise‐cancelling microphone based on the electret transducer is described. The microphone, mounted at the end of a boom, is used for a new operator's headset. The basic electret transducer is used as a first‐order gradient microphone whose directional characteristic is adjusted so that, for a given bandwidth and background noise spectrum (speech from nearby operators), the noise‐cancelling property is optimized. Pratical results indicating a minimum of 8 dB noise rejection are presented.


We establish the Hyers-Ulam stability of certain first-order linear differential equations where the coefficients are allowed to vanish. We then extend these results to higher-order linear differential equations with vanishing coefficients that can be written with these first-order factors. AMS (MOS) Subject Classification. 34A30, 34A05, 34D20.


In this dissertation, high-speed mixture fraction (a conserved flow scalar) and velocity measurements were performed to understand the linked spatio-temporal dynamics of scalar mixing processes in gas-phase turbulent jets. The current research focused on four over-arching topics: (i) design and construction of the high energy pulse burst laser system (HEPBLS), (ii) experimental verification of statistical convergence theory for time-series measurements in turbulent flows and the development of a new "multi-burst data processing methodology for "short duration time-series measurements, (iii) development and application of high-speed (10 kHz) two-dimensional mixture fraction imaging for spatio-temporal statistical analysis of scalar mixing, and (iv) development and application of simultaneous high-speed velocity and mixture fraction measurements to understand the space-time coupling between velocity and scalar fluctuations. The high-speed measurements presented in this dissertation were facilitated through the design and construction of a new high-energy pulse burst laser system (HEPBLS). The design target of the HEPBLS was ultra-high pulse energy output at high repetition rates for turbulence and combustion imaging diagnostics. Several modifications were made to the original pulse burst concept leading to ultra-high laser pulse energies (> 1 Joule/pulse at 532 nm and 10 kHz) over long burst durations (> 20 ms). The high laser pulse energies enable high-fidelity two-dimensional mixture fraction measurements at 10's of kHz using planar Rayleigh scattering and two-line mixture fraction imaging using spontaneous Raman scattering. While the primary imaging ii diagnostics used the second-harmonic (532 nm) output from the HEPBLS, it is noted that high-energy ultra-violet (266, 355 nm) output was demonstrated as well. The result is a flexible system capable of facilitating a wide range of laser diagnostic techniques at 10's of kHz that have not been available previously. Convergence of turbulent flow statistics from finite-record length time-series measurements was examined via theory and experiment. Analytical solutions of the convergence of statistical moments and correlation functions were developed and experimentally verified for the first time, providing a practitioner a method for accurately estimating the uncertainty of a measurement for a given record length. In addition, a new "multiburst data processing method was proposed (and experimentally validated) based on combined ensemble and time-series statistics specifically targeted for shorter-duration time-series measurements characteristic of data acquired using the HEPBLS. A subtle, but important, result was that the primary factor governing statistical convergence was the total amount of data and not the exact manner (i.e., record length or number of individual time series) in which it was collected. In this manner, a large number of short-duration time-series measurements can be acquired and achieve high statistical convergence. Scalar mixing dynamics was first examined using high-speed (10 kHz) planar Rayleigh scattering imaging in a series of turbulent propane jets. In this manner, quantitative two-dimensional measurements of the mixture fraction field were collected for jets with Reynolds numbers of Red = 10 000, 20 000, and 30 000 with high signal-to-noise ratios (60 < SNR < 200). The integral length and time scales were calculated via correlation functions across the full range of Reynolds numbers and as function of axial and radial position. The radial dependence of the integral scales was shown to be strongly affected by the increasing intermittency of the turbulence with


This is a reply to:Winter, Bronwyn. 2016. 'Women's human rights and Tunisian upheavals: is "democracy" enough?' Global Discourse 6 (3): 513–529. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23269995.2016.1155299


"Value chain" and "value added" are frequently used terms in management and economic policy. The paper provides a general overview on a value chain and some specific value added items are discussed in detail. Furthermore the European forest-based sector is introduced and structured into several value chains, specific data concerning the sector are provided and a process-based analysis of value added in the forest products industries are provided as well. Finally detailed information on the gross value added of the forest-based sector in Austria including the downstream branches is given. Finally the incoherent database of the sector is criticized.


Background: Significant increase in cell proliferation and vascularity occurs during the transition from normal oral mucosa through differing degrees of dysplasia to oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Aims: To evaluate the cell proliferation and vascularity in potentially malignant disorders and OSCC. Settings and Design: Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CD34 were quantified immunohistochemically (IHC) using anti-PCNA, anti-VEGF and anti-CD34 antibody. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 archival specimens included 10 oral lichen planus, 10 oral leukoplakia, 10 oral submucous fibrosis and 30 OSCC (well differentiated, moderately differentiated and poorly differentiated), and also, 10 normal oral mucosa as control group were taken. PCNA, VEGF and CD34 expression was assessed in relation to the localization and area of IHC-stained cells. Statistical Analysis: One-way analysis of variance test and post hoc least significant difference test were assessed for statistical significance. Results: Cell proliferation and vascularity appeared to increase gradually with disease progression. Conclusion: Upregulation of cell proliferation and vascularity indicates their possible role in malignant transformation of potentially malignant disorders.


The purpose of the article is to analyze and assess the natural, climatic, historical and cultural resources of the tourist center of Kamianets-Podilskyi (Ukraine). Based on this, it is planned to identify the existing problems in the tourism industry and form recommendations aimed to solve the issues. Methodology. The study used methods of comparison, analysis and synthesis and the method of generalization. The method of analysis was used to highlight certain elements of the overall picture, characterizing the potential of the tourist center, the historical value of architectural structures and the possibility of attracting investment in tourism development. The synthesis method was used to combine a variety of information into a coherent picture that objectively reflects the subject of research. The generalization method was used to formulate base messages, general statements and conclusions. Results. It was found that Kamianets-Podilskyi has rich natural, historical, architectural and cultural resources that attract thousands of tourists. The main sights of the city are the Smotritskiy Canyon, the Old Fortress and the Old Town with more than a hundred architectural structures. However, the potential of these resources is not fully utilized, as evidenced by the small number of tourists compared to other European tourist centers. The main reasons for the lag include an undeveloped information campaign of city promotion, poor transport links, an insufficient number of hotels, restaurants, entertainment establishments of the appropriate level. Local authorities and private businesses are working on solving these problems, but their efforts have not yet turned into a concrete result in the form of positive dynamics of growth in the number of tourists. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that an assessment was made of the tourism potential of Kamianets-Podilskyi in comparison with other European tourist centers and the problems that need to be solved to increase the attractiveness of the city. The practical significance lies in the popularization of the tourist town of Kamianets-Podilskyi. Dissemination of information about the tourist destination is an important step in increasing the tourist flows. The article provides practical recommendations aimed at increasing the attractiveness of the city, which can be used by both the authorities and private business. In addition, the above recommendations can be useful for other cities that plan to develop the tourism industry.


The purpose of this book is to provide nurses with the best available research, thereby enabling better decisions that result in improved health care and safety practices and lead to better outcomes. Nurses often are the ones who find errors and prevent pa tient harm. In their focus on patient safety, nurses identify critical issues and research for evidence-based practice. This book is a great resource for practicing nurses, nurse educators, re searchers, leaders, and students. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality strongly promotes that safety and quality of health care is dependent on the availability of the best research possible and the ability to deliver results of research into the hands of practitioners, policy makers, and consumers. This text is a culmination of subject expert knowledge, practice, and research from 89 contributors who represent a broad range of nurses and senior researchers across the nation. The topics covered in this text provide excellent background for any clinician, nurse educator, or nurse leader. The topics include • evidence-based practice, • patient-centered care, • working environment for nurses, • care models, and • patient acuity. The chapters provide an easy-tounderstand guide and include a background section and analysis of the literature based on the topic presented. Practice implications are identified at the end of each chapter and guide efforts for improving quality and patient care. Research implications for each topic outline target areas for improvement and can be used by clinicians to inform and guide practice. There are also questions and issues to develop or expand thesis topics and research papers, which faculty members may find useful. A section on critical opportunities contains current topics, including wrong site surgery, communication hand offs by nurses, medication administration safety, medication reconciliation, and personal safety for nurses. These topics are very well presented with numerous research citations and examples from all areas of nursing— from patient entry to the facility to discharge and home care. The authors use exhibits, tables, guides, templates, models, and representations within each chapter and conclude with a list of references including web sites for further independent review and citation. The volumes are written in a manner that allows for quick access, and they are


Three phase squirrel cage induction motor is generally adopted as a traction motor to drive high speed trains because of its robustness for surrounding environment and easy maintenance. In the design of traction motor, reduction of weight is very important in order to reduce kinetic energy to accelerate the vehicle. Therefore, in this paper, design variables of a preliminary designed traction motor to minimize its weight is determined using the optimization technique. Before the optimization process, rotor slot number is determined to reduce vibration and noise by the analysis of magnetic force. As a result, a design example to reduce weight by 12% than that of the preliminary designed motor is presented.


We studied the removing results of micro-2-chlorophenol from water with two serials of potassium permanganate composites.The results showed that potassium permanganate composites have good efficiencies in removing 2-chlorophenol.At the same time,we studied many parameters,such as pH values of water,concentrations of potassium permanganate composites,temperature of water of reaction and reaction time,and their influences on the results of removal of 2-chlorophenol.


Since the time immemorial man has been depending on its environment for his livelihood from minimum to the maximum level.1 From prehistoric time onwards Anthropologist has gathered innumerable evidences regarding the close and intricate relationship between man and environment. In the studies of ecological anthropology especially human ecology though we have the scope and capability to specialize on the studies of man-environment relationships, because of certain inhospitable circumstances no much work have been done so far. Therefore, the continuity as well as extension of such studies in inhospitable, adverse environmental situations has been minimized in India. This has resulted severe flaws in anthropological understanding of man environment relationship as well as understanding of High-altitude Cultures.2 Mostly high altitude areas are confined to the Himalayan belt of Northern India. Except few regions of Nepal and Uttarakhand in most of the areas because of inaccessibility, no anthropological study was possible in the past. Because of this, we lack substantial data in the fields of border line migration, socio-cultural interaction and the continuity of social identity of certain high altitude communities mostly in the field of Anthropology (Figure 1).3


Abstract : The invention of writing made standardization and conceptual control of information both possible and necessary as human civilizations passed experiences and values from one generation to the next. "Writing makes possible the codification and systemization of assertion, and hence the birth of doctrine." 3 Doctrine originally fused religious ritual with the exclusivity and power of literacy. The educated minority subsequently created effective models for controlling human action, and through both access and knowledge of codified information, limit how the majority could deviate from them. "Ritual... does not succumb to rational argument, erected in favor of political or economic expedients. Religious ritual blunts rational objections in exactly this way." 4 Ontological synthesis of doctrine for this article aims towards the scientific and historical aspects of the doctrinal process instead of ideological values.l


This large book is the ultimate result of a conference held at Dartmouth in 2001. It is superbly edited, richly illustrated, and in 11 chapters, it comprises the presentations by experts in this interesting field. Of the many books I get to read, this has been the most rewarding and I cannot stress enough how much future readers would be rewarded by acquiring this fascinating volume. What is time? DeCoursey sets the stage by reviewing the origin of human timekeeping and the emergence of chronobiology as a discipline in the last century. The ''Zeitgedchtnis'' has long been a puzzle to scientists, but it was not until less than 100 years ago that substantial progress began by the creation of the discipline ''chronobiology.'' The two principal protagonists of this effort, Pittendrigh and Aschoff, are given appropriate attention not only in the first chapter, but throughout the book. The volume provides a marvelous overview of the evolution of thinking about biological regulation of rhythms. The general terminology used in this discipline, such as ''free-running,'' ''circadian rhythm,'' ''pacemaker,'' ''Zeitgeber,'' etc., are introduced. Each chapter concludes with a concise summary and a series of challenging ''study questions'' that are useful to focus one's mind on the topics that have been discussed in such great detail. Following this most readable introduction, the subsequent chapters gradually discuss the increasing complexity of rhythms found in bacteria, plants, insects, various mammals, and eventually we learn of the impact on human activities. Among many examples I could give, there are considerations of the light receptors of birds, reptiles, and mammals, the dependence of a circadian timer for the Zeitgedchtnis in bees is highlighted, the transfer of melatonin to fetal hamsters is discussed, effects of pinealectomy, the as yet unknown target sites of melatonin, and especially the variably located sites of the perception of light and effector mechanisms are described in great detail. Of considerable importance in all of the chapters is the profusion of illustrative diagrams and the results from actual experiments. Chapters discuss how bats, living in dark cages, find the right time to emerge; how rodents, rapidly flown across time zones, readjust their rhythm; how entrainment to the circadian cycle works in general; and numerous specific examples are described in detail. Drosophila mutants and retinal organization in frogs are described with relevance to cylicity, and the wide differences existing in reptiles and birds are explored. But eventually we come to the location of the mammalian oscillator and to its location in man, where it is located principally in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The many sophisticated experiments to study its physiology, entrainment, and the molecular mechanisms of feedback loops that exist in bacteria, as well as the clock-controlled genes are explored in detail. But finally we really might want to know, how does all of this affect human circadian rhythms 24.3 h, what are the endocrine sequelae, and what are the effects of disturbed circadian cycles in complex life styles air pilots, nightshift nurses, doctors, travelers on human performance? The prologue of chapter 9 says: ''Not only do humans disregard clock signals, but they created their own environments, in places as bizarre as underground caves in the Antarctic ice sheet or gigantic work stations in outer space.'' These places have served as unique experimental laboratories for the study of circadian rhythm control and entrainment. As one who has regularly taken melatonin when traveling to Europe in order to avoid jet lag, the fact of why it is easier to travel west than east is detailed, and so is the therapeutic effect of this drug and the even better method of light provision in adjusting to different cycle needs. The penultimate chapter provides some cautionary tales of mishaps when circadian needs are disregarded in our complex society. Precise information on the Chernobyl disaster and many other accidents are provided that can be traced directly to the disregard of physiological needs. Suggestions are made for ''chronopharmacology,'' and eventually the book concludes with a ''forward'' look; what might be experimentally explored in the future and how this can affect our sociological behaviors. Book Reviews


The availability of electricity is fundamental to modern society. It is at the top of the list of critical infrastructures and its interruption can have severe consequences. This highly important system is now evolving to become more reliable, efficient, and clean. This evolving infrastructure has become known as the smart grid; and these future smart grid systems will rely heavily on ICT. This infrastructure will require many servers and due to the nature of the grid, many of these systems will be geographically diverse requiring communication links. At the heart of this ICT infrastructure will be security. At each level of the smart grid from smart metering right through to remote sensing and control networks, security will be a key factor for system design consideration. With an increased number of ICT systems in place the security risk also increases. In this paper the authors discuss the changing nature of security in relation to the smart grid by looking at the move from legacy systems to more modern smart grid systems. The potential planes of attack for future smart grid systems are identified, and the general anatomy of a cyber-attack is presented. The authors then introduce the various threat levels of different types of attack and the mitigation techniques that could be put in place for each. Finally, the authors' introduce a Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) communication system (operated by the authors) that can be used as a test-bed for some of the proposed future security research.


Cobalt doped zinc oxide nanorods Zn1−xCoxO (x = 0.01, 0.10) have been synthesized by a hydrothermal process with Zn(NO3)2, Co(NO3)2, NH4OH, CO(NH2)2 and C2H5OH at 150 °C for 1 h. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the crystalline structure, size and morphology of the samples. The photoluminescence (PL) and the PL excitation spectra of the nanorods were measured in the range of temperature from 15 K to room temperature. The PL spectra at low temperatures exhibit a group of ultraviolet narrow lines in the near-band-edge region of 3.0–3.4 eV and a very broad band peaked at 3.20 eV. The origin of the near-band-edge PL is interpreted as an emission from free excitons, neutral donor-bound excitons, radiative transitions from a donor to the valence band and donor–acceptor pairs. In particular, a group of emission lines in the red region of 1.8–1.9 eV have been revealed. These emission lines were assigned to the radiative transitions within the tetrahedral Co2+ ions in the ZnO host crystal.


In this demo we present software extension for the Wireless open Access Research Platform (WARP), named as Linux Enriched WARP (LE-WARP). The objective of the LE-WARP is twofold. First, to make the WARP more independent from external systems, e.g., need for external PC to be part of the WARP's network layer. This is achieved by introducing Linux OS to the platform. The second objective is to utilize a secondary network for coordinated statistics gathering from the WARPs. To demonstrate these features of LE-WARP, a prototype implementation consisting of distributed Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) based MAC protocol with distributed time synchronization algorithm and the Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) protocol for ad hoc networks is presented. The demonstration highlights the LE-WARP's ability to monitor the multihop test network consisting four nodes while utilizing the presented prototype implementation.


High structure in this world are using damper as a vibration controller device. The vibration control in a building is
very important due to the public safety. In this study, Active Mass Damper (AMD) is used as a building's structure and tested
using Active Force Control (AFC) during the seismic activity. By using a software, two dimensional mathematical models and
transfer function, stability of AMD and stability of AMD with AFC was identified, respectively. From the analysis, without AFC,
the vibration displacement of AMD is slightly proportional due to amplitude and time. With AFC, the overshoot of the AMD
system was reduced to 0% and the relationship between vibration displacement , amplitude and time was nonlinear for each
others. For a conclusion, the AFC has a potential to reduce the relationship between vibration, amplitude and time and can
gives AMD system more stable.


On individual ttials, 15 subjects stood G m before a minicomputer screen displaying a colon in a completely darkened room Subjects were aware that the light source wzs stationary. They were instructed to fixate the colon and to perform nonlocomotive jogging in place for 2 min. and continuously to report their sensations. Room lights were turned on after 30 sec., and subjects' deviations from their starting places were measured. All subjects had moved toward the light source (M = 4.42 m, SD = .43) although they were convinced that they had not moved. Instead, they had reported either the light source approached them or the light source became larger and/or more intense. On a second trial, subjects were cautioned against involuntary locomotion toward the light. In this case, locomotion toward the light was largely reduced or completely absent (M = 0.28 m, SD = .47). A t test for paired observations indicated that the difference was significant (hr = 29.55; p < .001). In two additional independent control conditions, subjects were to perform nonlocomotive jogging in a completely darkened room with no stimulus (n = 9) or while attending to a 50-dB, 1500-Hz tone (n = 12). In these cases, no appreciable forward locomotion occurred. These observations indicate that visual distance cues in an environment lacking optic flow patterns are misinterpreted depending on subjects' hypotheses concerning changes in the observer-environment relationship. Surprisingly, all subjects exclusively relied on kinaesthetic expectation that they themselves would remain stationary, such that unequivocal visual distance information (expansion of a stationary light source) was incorrecdy attributed to either sensory illusion or directional movement of the light source. One possible explanation of the observed involuntary movement toward the light might be that subjects try to fixate the source by slightly displacing their heads toward the light. This postural change relocares body equilibrium correspondingly, which, in turn, leads to an involuntary compensatory movement forwards to maintain balance. The fact that actual locomotion is not perceived by the subjects can be predicted from a model described by Andersen (1986). which suggests that suppressing ocular reflexes by means of a fixation point would reduce the sensation of self-motion in vection studies.


Surveys of vegetation on coastal sandbars in Songkhla Province show that almost all the natural vegetation has been eradicated except for a small renmant stand found on a coastal sandbar bes ide the shore at Ban Taling-Chan village in Chana District. Such vegetation may have dominated the landscape of the coasta l sandbars in Songkhla in the past. Vegetation profiles and a list of species are presented. Ninety-eight species of vascular plants in the study s ite were recorded between March 1993- September 1993 and May 1997- December 2000.


Low level laser (or light) therapy (LLLT) has been clinically applied for many indications in medicine that require the following processes: protection from cell and tissue death, stimulation of healing and repair of injuries, and reduction of pain, swelling and inflammation. One area that is attracting growing interest is the use of transcranial LLLT to treat stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The fact that near-infrared light can penetrate into the brain would allow non-invasive treatment to be carried out with a low likelihood of treatment-related adverse events. LLLT may have beneficial effects in the acute treatment of brain damage injury by increasing respiration in the mitochondria, causing activation of transcription factors, reducing key inflammatory mediators, and inhibiting apoptosis. We tested LLLT in a mouse model of TBI produced by a controlled weight drop onto the skull. Mice received a single treatment with 660-nm, 810-nm or 980-nm laser (36 J/cm2) four hours post-injury and were followed up by neurological performance testing for 4 weeks. Mice with moderate to severe TBI treated with 660- nm and 810-nm laser had a significant improvement in neurological score over the course of the follow-up and histological examination of the brains at sacrifice revealed less lesion area compared to untreated controls. Further studies are underway.


After training on a regular reinforcement procedure in which a lever-pressing response produced milk reward, each of 16 groups of water-deprived rats was exposed to a different concurrent contingency of regular reinforcement and random interval punishment for 20 experimental sessions. Under the intermittent punishment schedules used, the programmed probability and frequency of response-contingent electric shock were independently manipulated. Autopsies revealed (a) that changes in adrenal weights were about the same (independent of the amount of shock) over a wide range of punishment frequencies and (b) that the amount of adrenal hypertrophy was a decreasing function of shock probability over a range of probabilities from 0.0625 to 1.00.


(57) 2-wire bus system for connecting SUMMARY plurality of subscribers (7,8,9) is the attenuation of the line resonance in two-wire in the bus system with respect to the reference potential (10) At least one damping circuit for having a (3,4,5,6). In the two-wire bus system, the damping characteristics of the damping circuit (3, 4, 5, 6) is selected as follows, i.e., the attenuation start exceeds a predetermined resonant voltage limit is applied It is selected so. Accordingly, the effective signal is not attenuated by the attenuation circuit (3,4,5,6), so that the resonant voltage is attenuated only when it exceeds a limit value. Advantageously, to each subscriber connected to the bus system (7, 8, 9), one of the damping circuits (3, 4, 5, 6) is associated.


The absolute cross sections for ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$- and ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$-meson production in proton-beryllium collisions at 12.4 GeV/c are reported. Measurements were made for laboratory production angles between 0 and 12\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and pion momenta between 2 and 6 GeV/c. All recent data for pion production in $p\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Be}$ collisions are fitted with an empirical relation first suggested by Sanford and Wang.


This paper describes the synthesis and application of gold nanoshells as promising molecular contrast agent in reflectance based imaging and potential photothermal cancer therapeutics with enhanced cellular destruction in combination with photodynamic therapy.


The appeal in the juvenile law is corresponding to one kind of procedure to get relief by an appeal of dissatisfaction with the not yet decided decision to the higher court as meaning the dissatisfaction with the trial and the disposition of the juvenile protection case conducted by the juvenile department of the family court or the single judge of the juvenile department belonged to the district juvenile court under the jurisdiction of the place of an act, the dwelling place or the present address of a juvenile delinquent. There is a difference between the decision specified in the article 43 which has the character of final judgment in fact in this regard while the general appeal namely is intended for before end of trial in connection with the procedural matters in the course getting to the judgment; it may be judged that as a result the character of dissatisfaction with the final trial in the appeal of the juvenile law is relatively strong compared to the general appeal. If it is appraised like this, the necessity to allow the appeal in principle arises, it would not place a limit upon the person who can file of an appeal like the criminal procedure. However, the Constitutional Court is presenting the legal opinion (4 persons) to the effect that the prosecutor or the victim, etc. is not included in the appellant in juvenile law is not in contrast to the principle of Constitution through the object decision. The concurring opinion (1 person) and the incompatible opinion with the constitution (3 persons) on this express the opinion that the current law reducing the range of appellant is necessary to be improved legislatively. It is judged the situation is that the question if it is valid for the prosecutor or the victim, etc. to be included in the appellant in the juvenile law indeed is not wiped out still, in the midst of confrontation with opinions tensely for whether or not of unconstitutionality for the corresponding regulations among total 8 judges involved in the constitutional appeal for the article 43 like the object decision. This study, based on the point at issue, is intended to draw the conclusion to the effect that the prosecutor or the victim, etc. shall be included in the appellant is valid for the purpose of presenting the additional reason for an argument with the parts not appeared in the concurring opinion and the incompatible opinion with the constitution as the center out of decision of the Constitutional Court.


This research focuses on prediction of wind farm power for horizons of 0–10 minutes and not more than one hour using statistical methods. These short term predictions are relevant for both transmission system operators, wind farm operators and traders. Previous research indicates that for short time horizons the persistence method performs as well as more complex methods. However, these results are based on accumulated power for an entire wind farm. The contribution in this paper is to develop multi-dimensional linear methods based on measurements of power or wind speed from individual wind turbine in a wind farm. These multi-dimensional methods are compared with the persistence method using real 1 minute average data from the Sheringham Shoal wind farm with 88 turbines. The results show that the use of measurements from individual turbines reduce the prediction errors 5–10% and also improves the prediction error variance estimate compared to the persistence method. We also present convincing examples showing that the predictions follow the wind farm power over a window of an hour.


The quality of human resource is most essential for an organization to its growth. The importance of training and development programs can only be cherished with a clear comprehend of its direct effect on employee productivity. An enhancement in employee productivity also leads to the organization's performance. Training and development programs are most important to every organization for improving their productivity in their organization in gradual way. This paper aims to study the training and development programs in the organization through employee's demographic variables and assess to analyze the relationship between training and development programs and employee productivity. The design and carry out of this paper represents the progressions and the trained employee's. Data was derived through questionnaires distributed to selected employees (suggestion of senior HR officer). The questionnaire with consists of questions with 5-points Likert scales distributed to our samples of individuals. By using Chi-Square and Correlation analysis, it is found that, training and development programs are significantly association demographic variables and had significantly correlated to employee productivity and the success of the organization. From the findings of the study, that has been trying to understand the effect of training and development programs on employee productivity in this organization.


This paper contains new data and maps concerning distribution of the burnsi and kandiyohi pigment pattern variants of the northern leopard frog, Rana pipiens .


Recently, controversy has arisen based on reports of an increased risk of cardiovascular events associated with calcium supplementation. Publications with the opposing view that calcium supplementation does not increase cardiovascular events have also been recently published, including a meta-analysis and a randomized controlled trial with long term follow-up. This leads to the question of whether calcium supplementation is beneficial for bone but deleterious for the cardiovascular system.


An experimental program to determine the effects of repetitive loading on the serviceability and strength of full span composite panel form bridges is described. Six simply supported bridge decks were tested. The specimens consisted of three precast, pretensioned panels composite with a cast-in-place topping slab. Bond between the topping slab and the roughened interface surfaces of the panels provided the only means of shear connection. Items considered in the study include the topping slab thickness, panel joint type (flat or bevelled-edge), and the effect of longitudinal cracks in the topping slab. The specimens were loaded repetitively with 2,000,000 cycles of design load (HS20-44 axle load with allowance for impact). The loading arrangement was such that maximum transverse shear stresses and maximum longitudinal bending stresses were produced during each cycle. Performance was evaluated primarily on the basis of flexural rigidity, differential deflection between panels, and the strength and ductility of the composite system. Visible cracks in the concrete, extension of prestressing strands and strains in transverse steel were also considered in evaluating the specimens. Recommendations are made regarding the minimum topping slab thickness, type of panel joints and quantity of transverse reinforcement to be provided in the topping slab. (FHWA)


Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA) has long been known to be useful for the analysis of biodiversity of microorganisms based on SDSPAGE protein profile (sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis). However, varying methods of HCA consequently produce variability of analysis results and interpretations. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate and further determine the most appropriate method which could described the biodiversity based on protein profiles of T.evansi isolates from Indonesia. Eleven isolates of T.evansi from different geographic locations were run on SDS PAGE. Furthermore, SDS PAGE protein profiles from eleven isolates were converted into binary data and analyzed using five different methods of HCA i.e. Average Linkage, Complete Linkage, Single Linkage, Ward Linkage and McQuitty Linkage, respectively.Data were also analyzed by multidimensional scaling (MDS) and densitogram. The analysis showed that the dendrogram constructed with Ward Linkage gives the best results and corresponding with densitogram, MDS and able to describe the geographical origins of isolates.


This article describes the implementation of Word Sense Disambiguation system that participated in the SemEval-2007 multilingual Chinese-English lexical sample task. We adopted a supervised learning approach with Maximum Entropy classifier. The features used were neighboring words and their part-of-speech, as well as single words in the context, and other syntactic features based on shallow parsing. In addition, we used word category information of a Chinese thesaurus as features for verb disambiguation. For the task we participated in, we obtained precision of 0.716 in micro-average, which is the best among all participated systems.


Many different attempts have been made to explain the ongoing conflict in the DRC, ranging from ethnicity, to greed and resource wars, to the role of colonialism, and each provides useful contributions to the debate. In this article, we emphasise the concept of autochthony, which links identity and space, enabling the speaker to establish a direct claim to territory by asserting that he or she is an original inhabitant, a 'son of the soil'. Its expressions have led to violent struggles in Africa, where assertions about autochthony are used to justify land claims. This can be clearly seen in the case of eastern DRC. While acknowledging significance of both regional and international factors, we regard the conflict in North Kivu as largely an agrarian war, and its root causes must be located in the complex web of uncertainties concerning citizenship and land rights. This is fuelled as well as further complicated by the extraction of the valuable minerals that are abundant in this part of the Congo. This article explores how armed non-state groups in eastern DRC, specifically in the North Kivu conflict zone, attempt to create an order for operation, survival and navigation in a population to whom it seeks support from as well as preys upon. We believe that our analysis highlights the need for an approach that assumes conflicts always have a local angle, and in the case of DR Congo and North Kivu this is land and the questions concerning belonging.


This paper introduces an electronic code lock designed successfully by author which is developed on FPGA.On QUATUSII environment,the use of state machine(FSM) is to achieve elimination for shakes of the keyboard and system control module of behavior control.All modules in system and its operating principles and the design method of software are explained practically in this article,coupled with the key points of system design.The functions match the design requirements after the timing simulation for the codes of main modules and the test on developing board for whole system.


Abstract : There are three reports under one cover. First is a theoretical study of the viscoplastic response at a beam cross-section based on a strain-rate sensitive constitutive equation with strain hardening. Time delay between peak moment and peak curvature is determined. The second deals with the effect of using various relationships between static moment and curvature. The third presents some preliminary results of a numerical solution for the base motion response of a viscoplastic beam with immovable hinged ends, considering combined tension and bending.


The invention discloses an automobile generator assembly. The automobile generator assembly comprises a collector ring assembly and a rotor assembly which is connected with the collector ring assembly. The rotor assembly comprises a rotor shaft. A knurling section is arranged on one end of the rotor shaft. The collector ring assembly comprises a collector ring liner. The knurling section is embedded in a cavity of the collector ring liner. A first cylindrical cavity section, a tapered cavity section and a second cylindrical cavity section are successively arranged from the insertion direction of the rotor shaft in the cavity. The large end of the tapered cavity section is connected with the first cylindrical cavity section. The small end of the tapered cavity section is connected with the second cylindrical cavity section. The inner diameter of the first cylindrical cavity section is greater than the outer diameter of the knurling section. The inner diameter of the second cylindrical cavity section is less than the outer diameter of the knurling section. According to the invention, radial cumulative tension of the collector ring liner in a collector ring assembly installation process is reduced; radial cracks of the collector ring liner are avoided; and the reliability of connection is ensured. The invention further discloses an automobile with the generator assembly.


The 2-step procedure is widely used in numerical research on ground vibrations from trains. The ground is inconsistently represented by a simplified model in the first step and by a refined model in the second step, which may lead to distortions in the simulation results. In order to reveal this modeling error, time histories of ground-borne vibrations were computed based on the 2-step procedure and then compared with the results from a benchmark procedure of the whole system. All parameters involved were intentionally set as equal for the 2 methods, which ensures that differences in the results originated from the inconsistencies of the ground model. Excited by wheel loads of low speeds such as 60 km/h and low frequencies less than 8 Hz, the computed responses of the subgrade were quite close to the benchmarks. However, notable distortions were found in all loading cases at higher frequencies. Moreover, significant underestimation of intensity occurred when load frequencies equaled 16 Hz. This occurred not only at the subgrade but also at the points 10 m and 20 m away from the track. When the load speed was increased to 350 km/h, all computed waveforms were distorted, including the responses to the loads at very low frequencies. The modeling error found herein suggests that the ground models in the 2 steps should be calibrated in terms of frequency bands to be investigated, and the speed of train should be taken into account at the same time.


This paper describes the design of roadside beacons used in the Vehicle Information and Communications System (VICS). An outline of the system is provided first. This is followed by a brief description of the transmission capabilities of the beacons, and the types of information which are relayed by them to drivers. The latter includes: a) present location of the driver; b) maps of the driver's immediate vicinity; and c) real time traffic information, such as traffic congestion, parking availability, and speed limits. The basic information selection method used by the system when the amount of information available exceeds the transmitting capacities of the beacons is also described and discussed. For the covering abstract see IRRD 867248.


Energy storage systems such as Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors are extremely important in today's society, and have been widely used as the energy and power sources for portable electronics, electrical vehicles and hybrid electrical vehicles. A lot of research has focused on improving their performance; however, many crucial challenges need to be addressed to obtain high performance electrode materials for further applications. Recently, the electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) technique has attracted great interest to satisfy the goals. Due to its many advantages, the ESD technique shows promising prospects compared to other conventional deposition techniques. In this paper, our recent research outcomes related to the ESD derived anodes for Li-ion batteries and other applications is summarized and discussed.


One hundred forty nine cases of low back pain and sciatica have been examined by peridurography, using Conray 60% as contrast medium. Stereoscopic observation was performed on 89 cases of the patients.By this method, more accurate diagnosis were obtained than the ordinary. 17 cases of lumbar disc herniations were determined by this method, and all cases were confirmed by the operation.Severity of the pain during the procedure was variable, and patients with protruded disc were liable to complain more pain and often reappeared as usual.In the cases with seiatica there were observed more abnormal filling defects. Considerable cases frequently of spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis and low back pain showed abnormal findings in this examination.


A market-oriented housing finance system has been under discussion in Turkey recently. In this article we analyze different types of mortgages that have been used in developed and developing countries to select the one that is most appropriate for Turkey-one which minimizes risks for both lenders and borrowers. Each type of mortgage presents different risks to borrowers and lenders. After taking into consideration the economic history of Turkey, we conclude that the most appropriate mortgage for Turkey that minimizes risk is the dual-indexed mortgage model. We test this model by using data from the most volatile period of the Turkish economy, applying historical simulation and Monte-Carlo simulation. We find that, using this model; the total loan is paid off in a reasonable period without causing substantial difficulty for lenders and borrowers. Analyses confirm that borrowers and lenders are exposed to minimum risk if this type of mortgage is originated in Turkey.


The Mount Everest region is characterized by its alpine glacial environment. In an effort to understand environmental change in the area, our team cored Taboche Lake, situated at 4,712 m along the western margin of the lateral moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier. This research catalogues past earthquakes using geological records of the lake core that are important for the assessment of future earthquake hazards in the region. To achieve the aims of the study, core grain size characteristics and internal sedimentary structures from CT scan tomography, were coupled with radiocarbon dating of organic matter preserved in the core to reconstruct the environmental history of Loboche Lake. The 58 cm-long core consists of laminated silty sands and sandy silts with particle diameters less than 2 mm, covering  ∼ 2,000 years of sedimentation history. Syn-sedimentary deformational structure, folding of sediments, rhythmically alternating dark- and light-coloured laminations, and turbidites are discussed in terms of their origins as past climatic and tectonic indicators.


A three-factor hierarchical analysis of variance is applied to growth trial data. A formula for statistical power of this analysis is derived and used to compare the power of a two-factor analysis on the data collected at a single date with the complete set. Power is substantially higher for the latter. Applying a three-factor analysis allows growth trials to be performed more economically. Figures supplied by the Marine Institute in Ireland suggest that cost savings of 37% are achievable.


Stick- slip is the continuous stopping& release of the Bit/BHA due to the irregular down-hole rotation prompted by the existing relationship between the friction torque and the torque applied from the surface to free the bit.
   Friction coefficient between BHA and wellbore is the main player of stick slip amount, which can be mitigated by support a good lubricators as additives in drilling mud.
   Mathematical (or empirical) solves should be done through adjusting all parameters which supposed to reduce stick- slip as low as possible using different models, one of the main parameters is drilling mud. As per Nanoparticles drilling fluid is a new technology that offers high performance it's necessary to find out the relationship between the use of Nano fluid and the minimum stick- slip vibration. In this study (multiwall carbon Nano tube) will be used as a Nanoparticles in Fresh water bentonite mud and polymer mud by five tests per each one to find out the coefficient of friction and used it in a special torque and drag software as a part of drilling vertical well simulation to calculate expected bottom hole torque within five different Nano concentration per each mud type. In fresh water bentonite mud torque reduction was from 4000 ft-lb to 3500 ft-lb, while in polymer mud torque failed and didn't reduce, so it raised from 2050.88 ft-lb to be around 2200 ft-lb.


This whitepaper provides an overview of the cryptographic procedures and algorithms for the Simple Pairing feature in the Lisbon release of the Bluetooth Core Specification. The purpose of this whitepaper is to provide information to the security community for a peer review prior to the adoption of the Lisbon release. 2006-08-03 Status Released Version Revision V10r00 Document File Name Simple Pairing_WP Document Owner Core Specification Working Group E-mail Address radio- email@example.com


The main theoretical basis the communicative language teaching is established on includes Chomsky's transformational generative grammar, Hymes and Halliday's socialinguistics, Austin's "How to do things with words", Searle's "speech act" and so on. In China, there exist three views on the communicative language teaching: a, affirmative, with CECL as its principal representative; b,negative, its dominant representative is the traditional method. c, between affirmative and negative, with Syllabus for Junior English Majors and A New English Course (NEC) as its representatives.


Dimensionality reduction techniques are convenient for data aggregation to reduce battery energy consumption in sensor nodes. Normally, principal component analysis (PCA), a dimensionality reduction technique, has been used for data aggregation in WSNs. However, PCA yields to data errors when the sensing data are not related. The PCA processing time is also an issue in an urgent situation that the sensing data are required to be transmitted to the base station instantly. This paper proposes a novel data aggregation mechanism for WSNs, called Adaptive-PCA. In Adaptive-PCA, PCA is performed dynamically based on the sensing data. In a normal situation, PCA is performed for data aggregation to reduce the number of transmitted packets. On the other hand, in an urgent situation, sensing data change dramatically, PCA is not performed; the sensing data are transmitted to the base station instantly. Adaptive-PCA consists of two schemes which are 1) event checker and 2) PCA data accuracy checker. These two schemes drive each sensor node whether perform PCA or instantly transmit the sensing data. The simulation results show that Adaptive-PCA adjusts the number of transmitted packets to the environmental changes. Using Adaptive-PCA, the total battery energy consumption is less than that of a traditional WSN. Also, the data accuracy of Adaptive-PCA is higher than that of Non-adaptive-PCA.


Phonon-based analogs of electronic devices offer potential for future technologies Technologies based on microelectronic integrated circuits are driven by electronic devices in which the electron quasiparticles in solid-state components are manipulated to process, transfer, and store information. Much of the world's energy supply is consumed by these processes, with a considerable amount ending up as heat, generated through interactions between the electrons and the lattice of ions in the solid. Although heat generated from electron-lattice interactions in electronic devices is usually considered to be an inconvenient waste product, a prominent counterexample that exploits the coupling is found in thermoelectric devices, in which a thermal gradient is used to generate a voltage (the Seebeck effect), or a flow of electric current is used for cooling (the Peltier effect). Because the quasiparticles that carry heat in crystals are the quantized lattice vibrations called phonons, thermoelectric generators and refrigerators are examples of products based on electron-phononic devices. We examine the exciting steps that are being made in the manipulation and application of phonons, toward phonon-only–based phenomena and devices. Recent developments in the emerging field of "phononics" are providing a promising route to the development of phononic devices as a complement to electronics in future technologies (see the figure).


There are various studies on the fire suppression process but the study on second pollution from fire products is not enough yet. Therefor, in this study verify that environmentally-friendly properties(LC50) of foam extinguishing agent with increases its amount used through with Fish-Acute Toxicity Test using a fish named Misgurnus anguillicaudatus that is appointed by OECD Test Guideline. In conclusion, proven that environmentally friendly properties of the agent of hoseo university through 16 times of LC50 than that of


Effective flood plain management programs must appropriately combine structural and nonstructural measures. An effective nonstructural technique involves the placement of restrictions by legislative bodies upon private and public uses in flood hazard areas. Such restrictions prohibit obstructions in floodways and guide and restrict development in floodway fringe areas. The likelihood that flood hazard regulations will be more widely adopted has increased with the publication by the Water Resources Council of model statutes and ordinances for flood hazard reduction, the implementation of the federal flood insurance program, and the possibility of federal grants for land use planning. Even if such regulations are adopted, they must not conflict with legal and constitutional requirements of equal protection and due process of law. Courts have been reluctant to uphold severe restrictions on the use of a person's land when other economic uses are not possible or where the degree of hazard is small related to the severity of the restrictions imposed.


Contents: Introduction Origin and theories of the caste system A case study of Untouchables in a Punjabi village: class a new avatar of caste Family, social and religious organization of Dalits Voices of young people Teachers' and parents' views on caste and educational matters Reflections and application Bibliography Appendices Indexes.


A comprehensive experimental study of OH-stretching vibrations of size selected methyl glycolate clusters is presented. A depletion spectroscopy experiment in a crossed molecular beam apparatus was employed to scrutinize the cluster size assignment based on pressure dependence studies in a jet-FTIR experiment. First, the dimer to tetramer size assignments of the FTIR spectrum are confirmed by depletion signal angular dependencies measured at the FTIR absorption maxima. Then, independent depletion spectra of the size selected dimers through tetramers are presented. The depletion spectra exhibit peak broadening and blue-shifts with respect to the FTIR spectrum. These differences are discussed and partially explained by cluster heating through energy transfer in the scattering collisions with Ne atoms.


A craniofacial syndrome is characterized by morphological and developmental deviations in the cranial tissue components, including teeth [1]. It is difficult to determine whether the deviation has developed at a primary location that subsequently causes secondary alterations or whether there are general deviations in many structures and at many locations. Lately, focus has specifically been given to pathogenesis and genotype. A complete study of craniofacial syndromes would involve not only the dental approach, but also several medical, psychological, and neurological clinical and theoretical approaches. We have discovered that a lot of cases were due to pathological causes [2]. Abstract


Currently, When Shielding effectiveness(SE) test was conducted in MIL-STD-188-125-1, The experiments are using Loop antenna, Log Periodic(LP) antenna, Biconical antenna about shielding in the frequency range of 10k∼1GHz. But, Their size in the shielding effectiveness test influences chamber construction costs. And these influences play a role in increased production costs. So spiral antenna to clear antenna size problem was proposed. This antenna has small size and function to cover broad frequency compared to other antennas. To evaluate antenna performance, we use commercial software simulation program. And we observe radiation characteristic changing arm width and distance between arm. First, through magnitude analysis of S-parameter, antenna characteristic according to each arm distance is analyzed. Secondly, through Theta/Degree Vs. dB function and 2D/3D model, radiation pattern of antenna is investigated. Third, radiation energy magnitude and characteristic of antenna is investigated in simulation program.


TTL cache models provide an attractive unified approximation framework for caching policies like LRU and FIFO, whose exact analysis is notoriously hard. In this paper, we advance the understanding of TTL models by explicitly considering stochastic capacity constraints. We find in particular that reducing the variance of the cache occupancy is instrumental to optimize the cache hit ratio in an online setting. To enforce such a desired low variance, we propose a novel extension of the TTL model by rewarding popular objects with longer TTLs. An attractive feature of the proposed model is that it remains closed under an exact network analysis.


Studies on treatment of diabetes have mainly focused on medical therapy, but studies about effects of physical therapy on diabetes has seldom been reported. The present study was undertaken to observe the effects of sugar‐reducing device on postprandial blood sugar in diabetic patients. Twelve noninsulin‐dependent diabetic patients received postprandial treatment with SRD by stimulating acupoints and meridians on back of diabetic patients for 10 days. Postprandial blood samples were collected from these diabetic patients, and plasma glucose, total thyroxine (TT3, TT4), insulin and insulin receptors on erythrocytic membrane were measured before and after treatment. Plasma glucose was assayed by zymochemistry, and plasma TT3, TT4, insulin and insulin receptors were measured by radioimmunity. The results showed that treatment with SRD decreased plasma glucose (8.84±0.92 vs 12.92±0.82mmol/L, post‐treatment vs pre‐treatment, P<0.05) and increased insulin (44.12±0.92 vs 38.11±1.98μIU/ml, post‐treatment vs pre‐treatment, P<0.05) compared with the baseline before treatment (pre‐treatment), but plasma TT3, TT4 and insulin receptors on red cellular membrane were unaffected. The present study indicates that sugar‐reducing device reduces postprandial blood sugar partly by increasing plasma insulin. The sugar‐reducing device might exert a beneficial effect in diabetic patients.


In the past decades,terahertz technology has a great development and steady improvement,which has kept discovering and developing a series of potential applications in terahertz sensing,imaging,spectroscopy,security,and communication.After the recent technical breakthroughs in reliable sources and sensitive detectors,


Review on HLA-G (major histocompatibility complex, class I, G), with data on DNA, on the protein encoded, and where the gene is implicated.


A novel DNA nanomachine based on the linear rolling circle amplification strategy was designed for sensitive screening of microRNA (miRNA) at an ultralow concentration coupling catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) with DNAzyme formation.


Soliton interactions affect the pulse quality and capacity of communication systems. In this paper, parallel transmission of solitons without interactions are investigated to improve the pulse quality and capacity. Analytic two-soliton solutions for the variable coefficient nonlinear Schrödinger equation are obtained.The exponential profile of optical fibers is suggested to derive the parallel transmission of solitons, and influences of corresponding parameters are analyzed.


The present study aimed to compare two types of plastic collar, either a rigid and flat one or a flexible and conical one, for collecting sofl faeces. Measurements were performed in two successive series (separated by 5 days) on a group of 10 hybrid adult rabbits (mean live weight = 3590 g) fed ad libitum a commercial pelleted diet. Rabbits equipped with a flat collar showed a slightly higher (not significant) feed intake, and a higher hard faeces excretion (+ 10%). The quantity of soft faeces collected was 20% higher (P=0.05) in rabbits wearing a flat collar, compared to a conical one (resp. 28.2 vs 22.0 g dry matter/day). The use of a flat and rigid collar instead of a flexible one is recommended to obtain a more accurate total collection of soft faeces in adult rabbit.


This paper reports an intriguing property of a nonlinear feedback Nash strategy equilibrium in a dynamic game with no state variable in the payoff of each player. While the open-loop Nash and linear feedback Nash equilibria coincide with the static Cournot-Nash equilibrium in such a framework, the nonlinear feedback strategy can be properly defined and, furthermore, a particular type of the equilibrium outcomes approximates the bilateral collusion, as is originally proved by Tsutsui and Mino (1990) for a standard differential game with one state variable.


The first string of 70 in the IceCube neutrino observatory was deployed at the South Pole site in January 2005 and is now taking data. An IceCube string is composed of 60 digital optical modules (DOMs) each of which is an integrated package of a large area photomultiplier tube, high voltage unit, LED flasher calibration board, and embedded digital data acquisition system encased inside a glass pressure housing. The DOM posed a challenging design problem that had to simultaneously meet the extremes of high reliability in a remotely-deployed high pressure and low temperature environment, low power, wide dynamic range from single photon hits emitted by passing cosmic ray muons to tens of thousands of photons from immense electromagnetic showers, and fast time tagging of events to nanosecond precision. In addition the DOM had to be cost effective and reliably producible in quantities of several thousand units. The first year of real DOM production and testing was 2004: 400 DOMs were produced worldwide and tested in special dark freezer laboratories at temperatures ranging from þ25 to 55 C. Two hundred and eighty DOMs were sent to the South Pole for deployment and tested there again prior to deployment. Now frozen in the ice, the DOMs are showing exceptionally promising functionality. r 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 85.60.Ha; 96.40. z


The invention relates to a conjugate comprising AN ACTIVE SUBSTANCE AND SHOWING A COMPOUND point with metal compounds. BESIDES the invention relates to a process for the manufacture of said conjugate and usage.


It is important to know how people with a schizophrenic disorder experience their cognitive vulnerability and how that experience affects their daily lives. Rehabilitation, as we understand it, has the aim of stimulating patients to make the best use of their residual capacities, especially in dealing with social complexity. Unfortunately, the rehabilitation approach in psychiatry still lacks a firm scientific basis. Strong links need to be developed between the practice of rehabilitation and theories of basic cognitive and behavioural dysfunction in schizophrenic patients (Watts & Bennett, 1983). It is a prerequisite that the subjective experiences of patients are included in this endeavour: schizophrenia is an 'I am' illness (Estroff, 1989).


Device-to-device (D2D) communication, which enables direct transmissions between mobile devices to improve spectrum efficiency, is one of the preferable candidate technologies for the next generation cellular network. Network coding, on the other hand, is widely used to improve throughput in ad hoc networks. Thus, the performance of D2D communications in cellular networks can potentially benefit from network coding. Aiming to improve the achievable capacity of D2D communications, we propose a system with inter-session network coding enabled to assist D2D transmissions. We formulate the joint problem of relay selection and resource allocation in network coding assisted D2D communications, and obtain the overall capacity of the network under complex interference conditions as a function of the relay selection and resource allocation. To solve the formulated problem, we propose a two-level de-centralized approach termed NC-D2D, which solves the relay selection and resource allocation problems alternatively to obtain stable solutions for these two problems. Specifically, a coalition formation game associates relays with D2D pairs to enable network coding aided transmissions, and a greedy algorithm based game allocates limited cellular resources to D2D pairs and relays in NC-D2D, respectively. The performances of the proposed scheme is evaluated through extensive simulations to prove its superiority.


Abstract It is well-known that in practice it is rather difficult to calculate the minimal value function and optimal policies for decision processes with countable state space. Thus in general, approximation procedures are investigated. In this paper we show how the concepts and use of clustering techniques for large data sets, by adequate grouping of objects, can be useful in decision making processes. Using a linear-time clustering algorithm for the state space decomposition, we introduce an approximation procedure for a numerical solution of a finite horizon incomplete state-information semi-Markov decision processes with countable state space, finite action and signal spaces. We introduce the concept of admissibility for the decomposition of the state space, and for the new semi-Markov decision processes obtained, we calculate the minimal value functions and the optimal policies by dynamic programming. Finally, the convergence theorems are also proved.


Antioxidants are of natural or synthetic origin, used in the poultry feed to prevent deterioration during storage. Natural antioxidants are gaining popularity as a feed additive. To explore potential natural antioxidants, 16 herbs collected from all over Tamil Nadu were analyzed their Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC). Significantly highest (P< 0.05) Total Antioxidant capacity was observed for Syzygium aromaticum (2910.38 ± 39.47) and significantly lowest (P< 0.05) TAC was observed for Coriandrum sativum (177.9 ± 36.52). Emblica officinalis (2649.00 ± 41.20) had the second significantly highest TAC. The third significantly highest TAC was present in Curcurma Longa (2228.89 ± 215.68). Phyllanthus niruri exhibited similar TAC as that of Curcurma longa. From the study it can be concluded that Syzygium aromaticum, Emblica officinalis, Curcurma Longa and Phyllanthus niruri are herbs that possess significantly highest TAC and are probable candidates to be explored as antioxidant feed additives for poultry.


Objective Cardiorespiratory arrest is rapidly fatal without resuscitation. The authors aimed to determine the outcome of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for patient with respiratory disease presenting to the emergency setting with cardiorespiratory arrest. Materials and methods This prospective cohort study was carried out on 60 patients who presented to the emergency room with respiratory disorders and presented with or developed cardiorespiratory arrest. CPR was done guided by international guidelines for CPR. Patient demographic and clinical data, frequency of cardiopulmonary arrest, duration of resuscitation, length of hospital and ICU stay, and the outcome of resuscitation were recorded. Clinical and neurological examination and Glasgow coma scale were applied for all patients. Psychological assessment was done only for survivors (15 patients) using Beck depression inventory-II scale and Taylor manifest anxiety scale. Results Of 60 patients, 15 (25%) were discharged fully conscious, whereas 45 (75%) patients died. Age, sex, comorbidities, and cause of arrest did not show any statistically significant association with the outcome (P>0.05 for all). The duration of CPR was significantly lower in survivor group compared with nonsurvivor group (4.50±2.10 vs 12.87±8.52 min; P=0.001). There was a significant negative correlation between GSC and duration of CPR (r=−0.502, P<0.001). Beck depression inventory scale and Taylor manifest anxiety scale scores were significantly correlated with frequency of cardiopulmonary arrest (r=0.525, P=0.02 and r=0.407, P=0.031, respectively) and duration of CPR (r=0.491, P=0.032 and r=0.420, P=0.027, respectively). Conclusion Cardiorespiratory arrest had unfavorable outcome, and there was an inverse correlation between CPR duration and survival to hospital discharge, neurological outcome, and psychological outcome.


The purpose of this systematization was to do a feedback of the training process in psychology from the collection of the experiences of students and teachers who participated in the professional practice: Atencion psicologica en contextos, during 2013. The investigation was conducted from a qualitative perspective, the participants were eight students and three teachers, the instrumens used were: focus groups, semi-structured interviews and field notes. To analyze the data collected structured matrices were done from emerging categories which guided the discussion and an integrated approach to strengthen the training process proposal.


The role of the Sawangan Organic Rice Farmers Association in increasing the economic value of organic rice is an effort to make farmers more empowered. This study aimed to analyze the Sawangan Organic Rice Farmers Association's role in empowering organic rice farmers In the Sawangan sub-district, Magelang District. The research method is qualitative with a case study approach. Data collection was done by using observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. Informants as data sources were determined by purposive sampling. The results of this study indicated that the Sawangan Organic Rice Farmers Association, as a facilitator, had carried out various essential roles in empowering organic rice farmers. Empowerment was carried out through education by delivering marketing information and technical guidance on post-harvest processing, the role of facilitation in helping provide convenience, the role of advocacy, and the role of monitoring and evaluation. The role played by the Sawangan Organic Rice Farmers Association encourages changes in increasing the economic value of organic rice.


The excitation of internal m = 1 mode during application of resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) is observed on J-TEXT tokamak. It is found that the sawtooth oscillation disappears after RMPs penetration, and subsequently an internal m = 1 mode with a frequency around 2 kHz appears, were m and n are the poloidal and toroidal mode numbers, respectively. In addition, the internal m = 1 mode often coexists with a rotating m/n = 2/1 tearing mode, and its frequency increases by about 0.5 kHz when the 2/1 tearing mode is locked by RMPs. The bispectrum analysis proves that the m = 1 mode interacts with the rotating 2/1 tearing mode, which implies the mode coupling between these two modes. The frequency of m = 1 mode increases for higher electron density. These results reveal that, the internal m = 1 mode can be excited by RMPs and coexist with both locked and rotating 2/1 mode due to toroidal mode coupling.


Inertial Alfven solitary waves are investigated in an intermediate β ( α ≡ ( β 2 ) / Q < 1 ) quantum plasma, taking into account electron temperature degeneracy correction. We discuss the g...


Natural products are a rich source of drug candidates for clinical use. The Plectranthus ornatus Codd. belongs to a genus associated to the isolation of diterpenoids which are responsible for various biological activities. The three diterpenoids under study were isolated in the past from P. ornatus and are now being evaluated as potential COX-1 inhibitors. Obtained results suggest that rhinocerotinoic acid (2), but not halimane (3) and plectrornatin C (1), has a mild COX-1 inhibitory activity. Current studies are being carried out to understand if these compounds have effect as COX-2 inhibitors. This will contribute to establish their possible interest as anti-inflammatory agents.


In this Statement, IAB is commenting on a draft law of the parliamentary party The Left (Die Linke) relating to the so-called "ungrounded limitation" of temporary working contracts. At the present time, employers can employ staff for up to two years on a fixed-term contract without providing reasons. In its draft law (printed document 18/7), the parliamentary party The Left is speaking out in favour of abolishing the possibilities of fixed-term contracts without substantial grounds in the law on part-time and fixed-term work. Accordingly the admissibility of agreeing a fixed-term contract should be limited to the effect that there must always be an objective reason for it. From the point of view of IAB it is doubtful whether the abolition of fixed-term contracts that do not have substantial grounds is an adequate instrument to produce more employment security. On the one hand, establishments have alternative methods of flexibilisation at their disposal: they can increasingly fall back on fixed-term contracts that do have a substantial reason, and alternative forms of employment such as temporary agency work or freelance work. On the other hand, there would be the risk - if fixed-term contracts without substantial grounds are abolished - that employers exercise restraint in recruitment and that their scope for flexibility becomes restricted. For this reason it is not very likely that the discontinuation of fixed-term contracts without substantial grounds will lead to a clear increase in permanent recruitments. After all, empirical analyses indicate that fixed-term contracts without substantial grounds in particular are frequently used as an extended probation period and act as a springboard to permanent employment.


AbstractThe study examined global variability of air–sea sensible heat flux (SHF) from 1980 to 2009 and the large-scale atmospheric and ocean circulations that gave rise to this variability. The contribution of high-latitude wintertime SHF was identified, and the relative importance of the effect of the sea–air temperature difference versus the effect of wind on decadal SHF variability was analyzed using an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) approach. The study showed that global SHF anomalies are strongly modulated by SHF at high latitudes (poleward of 45°) during winter seasons. Decadal variability of global wintertime SHF can be reasonably represented by the sum of two leading EOF modes, namely, the boreal wintertime SHF in the northern oceans and the austral wintertime SHF in the southern oceans. The study also showed that global wintertime SHF is modulated by the prominent modes of the large-scale atmospheric circulation at high latitudes. The increase of global SHF in the 1990s is attributable to t...


Abstract A mathematical formula has been deduced to be used as an objective function to optimize the design variables of natural gas transmission pipelines, including compressor stations, in order to minimize the total capital cost. The design variables for steel transmission pipelines with different diameters and a compression ratio between 1–1.5 carrying 150–550 million standard cubic feet per day of natural gas have been optimized to select the optimum diameter, number of compressor stations, length between each two compressor stations, suction and discharge pressures at compressor stations. The software computer program Lingo has been used in this work.


Collective action, in the form of street protests in Bangkok and Rangoon, and collective beliefs, in the form of historical memory in the Philippines and the Karen imaginary, are the overarching themes of four of the seven research articles in this issue of the Journal of Southeast Asian Studies. The remaining three are concerned with politics and race in British Malaya and Singapore in the late colonial era and on the eve of decolonisation. The opening article, by Erik Cohen, analyses one particular and particularly disturbing episode — the splattering of human blood on pavements — during the red shirt demonstrations in Bangkok in early 2010. While openly symbolic, the spilling of blood was nevertheless difficult for many to understand 'in terms of the conventional vocabularies of religious and political action in Thailand'. As a performative act, it was construed both as non-violent resistance and even exorcism (ineffective, as it turned out) to avert the possibility of real bloodshed as well as, on the contrary, 'uncivilised' political theatrics. As a cultural act, its initial ascription to Khmer/Brahmanical ritualism was rejected and a Thai historical precedent invented for it. Finally, as magic, the 'act was intrinsically related to popular supernatural beliefs', which were detectable also in the subsequent cleansing despite its rational validation by medical discourse. 'The blood spilling episode,' concludes Cohen, 'thus seems to introduce an important innovation in the conduct of political protest in Thailand, with a wider implication for the study of social change in the kingdom'. The second article, by Hongwei Fan, examines the anti-Chinese riots that broke out in Rangoon in June 1967 as a result of the resident Chinese students' defiance of the Burmese government's ban on the wearing of Mao badges in school. The riots drastically ended more than a decade of 'fraternal' relations between the two countries and led to an exodus of Burma's Chinese community. Even though analyses of the riots were produced as early as the 1970s, Fan's account of the events and their political aftermath is unprecedented in terms of factual detail and analytical insight, being based on a wide array of Chinese sources, interviews with eyewitnesses and even a declassified Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) report. While explaining the riots as a response to the radicalisation of China's foreign policy instigated by the Cultural Revolution, Fan argues that domestic conditions (the 1967 rice shortages caused by Ne Win's economic nationalisation and the consequent rise of xenophobia) and Cold-War anticommunism also contributed to stirring Burmese hostility against the Chinese. 'Ne Win's determination to confront China,' claims the author, was 'no mean feat as Burma had always been wary of Red China for fear of being invaded and subverted from within'. The context of decolonisation and the Cold War evoked by Fan rises to prominence in the following two articles. Andrea Benvenuti reassesses the attitudes of the Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 43(2), pp 213–215 June 2012. 213


Objective A green and fast sample pretreatment method was proposed for determination of 8carbamate pesticides from apple.Methods The 8 carbamate pesticides in apple samples were extracted by dynamic microwave-assisted extraction with water as extraction solvent.The extract obtained was purified by two steps SPE.Finally,the extract was injected into the LC-MS/MS system for analysis.The parameters which could affect the extraction efficiency were optimized.Results The optimized extraction conditions were observed at water as extraction solvent;600 W of microwave forward power;extraction time,10 min;extraction solvent flow-rate,1.0 mL/min;2 mL ethanol as the elution solvent of SPE.The linearity ranges of the proposed method from 8.0 to 800 ng/g were obtained and the correlation coefficient were 0.994~0.999.The limits of detection for the eight carbamate pesticides were in the range of 1.1~4.2 ng/g.The recoveries of the eight carbamate pesticides for the spiked samples(8.0 ng/g)were in the range of 71%~90%.Conclusion This method could be applied to rapid detection of carbamate pesticides from apple.


SUMMARY A case history is presented of a patient who developed severe pulmonary oedema, when almost recovered from self-inflicted barbiturate overdosage. The resulting hypoxia was resistant to oxygen therapy with IPPV and CPPB. A fatal outcome ensued 14 days after admission. The diagnosis of fat embolism was confirmed by the demonstration of fat globules greater than 10,u circulating in the plasma. The pathogenesis and differential diagnosis is discussed. Fat embolism should be considered when the diagnosis of pulmonary oedema is in doubt.


The concept of measurement is interpreted differently in different sciences and there fore by definition in different areas of engineering and technology. As described in Chapter 1 the information extraction model is a particularly applicable concept for the cognitive evaluation of antenna measurements. In near-field scanning we are primarily concerned with microwave frequencies and as millions of years of human evolution have left our species without sense organs that respond to such frequencies, sensory cognition is largely irrelevant, leaving only rational cognition as a tool for the evaluation of microwave phenomena.


The Power Line Channel (PLC) is a very harsh transmission medium because of its frequency selective and time-varying transfer function that exhibits several notches in the band of interest. Moreover, a strong time varying noise is normally present and poses even more challenges to the modem designer. The time-varying and frequency selective nature of the PLC requires that adaptive and, possibly, nonlinear equalization be performed at the receiver. However, adaptive receivers suffer from severe performance degradation on time varying and Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI)impaired links because of the unreliability of the hard decisions used for channel estimation and tracking. In particular, unreliable hard-decisions are a major issue especially in harsh and time-varying environments. In the present paper, we propose to alleviate this performance loss by the use of optimal soft decisions: the Nonlinear Minimum Mean Square Error (NL-MMSE) filtered and fixed-lag smoothed estimates of the transmitted symbols.


Combined paddy and other field crops (OFC) fields are unique from other wetland or upland soils, because of seasonal alternation of wetting and drying conditions resulting anaerobic and aerobic conditions. Therefore, objective of this study was to assess spatio-temporal variation of soil properties in paddy fields under minor tanks with respect to OFC cultivation. Soil samples were collected at two soil depths from 24 locations covering the entire command area of the Bayawa Minor Irrigation Tank (MIT), Sri Lanka. Soil properties were analyzed and mapped using Arc GIS. Hardpan depth (HPD) was also determined by collecting undisturbed core samples at 0, 15, 25, 30, 45 and 60 cm depths from the same locations Statistical analysis was done to identify spatio-temporal variability of each property. Results revealed that, Bayawa command area showed low coefficient of variation (CV) for pH and bulk density, but high CV for saturated hydraulic conductivity (K s ). HPD was found to be varied in each section within the effective root zone. Overall, low K s , high clay content, high field capacity, poor drainage and the presence of hardpan are major obstacles to introduce OFC. Therefore, introduction of site specific OFC by considering the variability of soil properties is very important for sustainability of the MIT system.