We study the dust evolution in the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A. We follow the processing of dust grains that formed in the Type II-b supernova ejecta by modelling the sputtering of grains. The dust is located in dense ejecta clumps that are crossed by the reverse shock. We also investigate further sputtering in the inter-clump medium gas once the clumps have been disrupted by the reverse shock. The dust evolution in the dense ejecta clumps of Type II-P supernovae and their remnants is also explored. We study oxygen-rich clumps that describe the oxygen core of the ejecta, and carbon-rich clumps that correspond to the outermost carbon-rich ejecta zone. We consider the various dust components that form in the supernova, several reverse shock velocities and inter-clump gas temperatures, and derive grain-size distributions and masses for the dust as a function of time. Both non-thermal sputtering within clumps and thermal sputtering in the inter-clump medium gas are studied. We find that non-thermal sputtering in the clumps is important for all supernova types and accounts for reducing the grain population by ~ 40% to 80% in mass, depending on the clump gas over-density, the grain type and size, and the shock velocity in the clump. A Type II-b SN forms small grains that are sputtered within the clumps and in the inter-clump medium. For Cas A, silicate grains do not survive thermal sputtering in the inter-clump medium, while alumina, silicon carbide, and carbon dust may survive in the remnant. Our derived masses of currently processed silicate, alumina and carbon grains agree well with the values derived from the observations of warm dust, and seem to indicate that the dust is currently being processed within clumps by non-thermal sputtering. Out of the ~ 0.03M ⊙ of dust formed in the ejecta, between 30% and 60% of this mass is present today in Cas A, and only 6% to 11% of the initial mass will survive the remnant phase. Grains formed in Type II-P supernovae are larger and better survive their journey in the remnant with mass fractions of surviving dust in the range 14-45%. For very dense ejecta, which describe the ejected material in supernovae such as SN1987A, non-thermal sputtering is inefficient within the clumps and dust survival efficiencies in the remnant range between 42% to 98% in mass. For the SN1987A model, the derived surviving dust mass is in the range ~ 0.06-0.13M ⊙ . This type of supernovae with dense ejecta may then efficiently provide galaxies with dust. Specifically, silicate grains over 0.1 μm and other grains over 0,05μm survive thermal sputtering in the remnant. Therefore, pre-solar grains of supernova origin that are found in meteorites, in particular silicate and alumina grains, possibly form in the dense ejecta clumps of Type II-P supernovae.


To monitor the residual of polysaccharide activating agent 1-cyano-4-dimethylamino pyridinium tetrafluoroborate(CDAP)effectively in the process of preparing vaccines,a simple and rapid method was established based on high performance cation exchange chromatography.The validation result showed that this method is of good specificity,accuracy and precision.The limit of detection is about 16 μg/L.There is a good linearity between 20 μg/L and 100 μg/L.


Abstract An efficient and simple protocol for the Meyer–Schuster rearrangement of propargyl alcohols into α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds has been developed using catalytic amounts of p-toluenesulfonic acid in 1,2-dichloroethane. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT


Strong electron intersubband infrared absorption is observed for Sb δ‐doped Si/Si1−xGex multiple quantum well structures grown on (110) Si substrates. The intersubband absorption is shown to be allowed for both the optical field components perpendicular and parallel to the quantum wells due to the tilted ellipsoidal of constant energy surfaces. About 90% infrared absorption is measured by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer using a waveguide structure with 10 internal reflections. For various samples used in experiments, absorption peaks ranging from 4.9 to 5.8 μm are observed. The peak energy is shown to be tunable by changing the Ge composition in the Si1−xGex barriers and the doping concentration in the Si quantum wells.


An outbreak of acute gastroenteritis affecting 31 people occurred between 3 and 5 August 2007 during the Formula One race that took place at the Hungaroring in Mogyorod, Hungary. The venue has a capacity of around 200,000 spectators.


Objective To study the surgical treatment of enophthalmos deformity caused by orbitozygomatic fractures.Methods X-ray,A coronal and an axial computed tomography scan of the orbit,and three-dimensional CT reconstruction were employed to demonstrate the status of the orbitozygomatic fracture and the displacement and herniated orbital contents of the patients preoperatively.Following exposed the fractured area,the displaced orbital bones were repositioned after osteotomy and rigid fixed by micro-plate and screws to reconstruct the orbital rim.Then the fractured orbital walls were repaired precisely with autogenous bone and biomaterial which were fixed to the area beneath the periosteum.Results All patients had their enophthalmos deformity corrected and regained satisfactory zygomaticofacial appearance with this technique.The movement of the globe recovered well,postoperative CT scan demonstrating orbital walls were reconstructed well,the location and formation of medial and inferior rectus muscle were normal,and there was no optic nerve compressed.Conclusions The late orbitozygomatic fracture with enophthalmos deformity can be corrected or obviously improved by the reduction of displaced bone fragments and precise reconstruction the orbital walls with autogenous bone and biomaterial.


An overview of the state of the art in international space transportation systems, covering current launch vehicles, the space shuttle system, and the related aspects of IR astronomy, space physics, and space biology. A phase-over from expendable vehicles to a shuttle-based reusable space transportation system is visualized in 1980.


The present invention relates to execution apparatus and method of the measurement report considering the coexistence interference device. Such herein, the transmission at the first frequency band of the first network system to detect the interference caused to the reception of the second frequency band of the second network system, the terminal second based of the interference detection unit that controls so as to avoid the frequency bands, the interference in the second frequency band are generated, or support information generating unit that generates support information indicating that there is likely to occur, the measurement rule obtains a second measurement value by performing a measurement for the frequency band Te, measurement control unit generating a measurement report including the measured value, and the terminal including a transmitter for transmitting assistance information or measurement reports to the base station Disclose. According to the present invention, the measurement procedure in the interference vulnerability band device coexistence interference occurs are clearly defined, it is possible to schedule constraints of the base station is reduced by the measurement reports to interference vulnerable zone. .BACKGROUND 9


Summary Jewish clerks during the Zionist state-building period were intensively engaged in the social construction of productivity, and in turning the latter into a mechanism of social restraint. The clerks' productivism and concern with social utility was manifested in the reproduction of accepted Zionist physiocratic and constructivist notions of productivity, as a strategy in the politics of status; in the modernist transformation of the understanding of productivity to suit their own occupational terminology; in the prescription of the necessary qualities of the productive clerk; and in realization of these discursive campaigns in the practice of labor relations. These manifestations challenge a simplistic approach to the dissemination of the language of productivity as either a one-sided nationalist socialization, or a straightforward managerial strategy of control. Based on primary archival sources of the clerks and their union this paper argues instead that they reflected the intertwining of national attitudes with from-below advancement of group interests.


This work describes the electrochemical investigation of two ionic liquids (ILs), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EMIM Ac) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIM Cl), as electrolytes in supercapacitors (SC). A comprehensive study on high temperature (HT) endurance that is required for system integration in microelectronics has also been carried out. It has been found that EMIM Ac containing SC performs better than a BMIM Cl containing SC, and HT treatment improves the capacitive performance.


Belching is defined as the act of expelling air from the stomach through the mouth and it is a physiological act that occurs occasionally in everyone and usually not related to a disease or gastrointestinal pathology. Persistent and uncontrollable belching is benign in origin, but can be distressing in its psychosocial consequences. There have been case reports where the patient may belch up to 20 times a minute. A high prevalence of anxiety disorders and major depression has been described in relation to persistent belching and these symptoms increase due to an ongoing stressor. Many patients stop belching during speaking and it has been shown that distraction also reduces the frequency of belching whereas putting attention to their belching behaviour usually results in an increase in belching frequency. Treatment ususally requires a combination of both pharmacotherapy and sessions of psychotherapy though it often becomes challenging at times. We report herewith a case of persistent psychogenic belching in a female patient that responded to a combination of multiple medications. A 35 year old female patient reported to the opd with complaints of repeated belching through out the day from last 2 years. She had already consulted many physicians and surgeons and all her investigations were normal. After rapport building, and serial mental status examination, stressors mainly in the form of marital discord, disturbed sexual relations were elicited and direct relation with worsening of symptoms whenever there would be increase in stress was observed. Both pharmacotherapy in the form of ssri and non pharmacological intervention in the form of individual psychotherapy, individual & couple therapy, relaxation techniques were adviced and the patient improved significantly. A consultation liaison approach to eliminate organic causes in these cases is prudent before considering a pure psychological and psychosocial etiology. Clinicians must be aware that persistent psychogenic belching though rare needs a team based approach in its management and elimination of patient distress is the key to success.


We have studied the interaction between water molecules and halide anions and acquired the influence of concentration by the spontaneous Raman spectrum. The results agreed well with the previous researches. To explore further, the stimulated Raman scattering of a halide–water binary solution is measured to study the nature of the hydrogen bonding between water molecules and halogen anions. Under the effect of laser-induced plasma, the OH stretching vibration spectra of aqueous solutions of halogen ions pretty exhibit different trend compared with that of spontaneous Raman spectrum. The frequency shifts of water OH vibration show different values and directions with adding different halide anions. The red shift of F−– and Cl−–water molecule clusters is due to the process of charge transfer, whereas the blue shift of Br−– and I−–water molecule cluster is due to polarization effect without charge transfer. The results demonstrate that F− and Cl− slightly weaken the hydrogen bond (HB), whereas Br− and I− enhance HB in the water cluster. The decrease of concentration of halogen ions aqueous solution can weaken the effect on the HB.


Background Vitamin D deficiency is associated with smaller volume of optic chiasm in older adults, indicating a possible loss of the visual axons and their cellular bodies. Our objective was to determine whether vitamin D deficiency in older adults is associated with reduced thickness of the ganglion cell complex(GCC) and of the retinal nerve fibre layer(RNFL), as measured with high-definition optical coherence tomography(HD-OCT). Methods Eighty-five French older community-dwellers without open-angle glaucoma and patent age-related macular degeneration(mean, 71.1±4.7years; 45.9%female) from the GAIT study were separated into 2 groups according to serum 25OHD level(i.e., deficient≤25nmol/L or sufficient>25nmol/L). Measurements of GCC and RNFL thickness were performed using HD-OCT. Age, gender, body mass index, number of comorbidities, dementia, functional autonomy, intracranial volume, visual acuity, serum calcium concentration and season of testing were considered as potential confounders. Results Mean serum 25OHD concentration was 58.4±26.8nmol/L. Mean logMAR visual acuity was 0.03±0.06. Mean visual field mean deviation was -1.25±2.29dB. Patients with vitamin D deficiency(n=11) had a reduced mean GCC thickness compared to those without vitamin D deficiency(72.1±7.4μm versus 77.5±7.5μm, P=0.028). There was no difference of the mean RNFL thickness in these two groups(P=0.133). After adjustment for potential confounders, vitamin D deficiency was associated with reduced GCC thickness(ß=-5.12, P=0.048) but not RNFL thickness(ß=-9.98, P=0.061). Specifically, vitamin D deficiency correlated with the superior medial GCC area(P=0.017) and superior temporal GCC area(P=0.010). Conclusions Vitamin D deficiency in older patients is associated with reduced mean GCC thickness, which can represent an early stage of optic nerve damage, prior to RNFL loss.


Trauma is something many different youth go through in their lives. However, those who've experienced trauma are affected within their school settings and need traumaspecific interventions to be successful in their school performance. The purpose of the of this study was to examine the current research on trauma therapies and how those treatments affect youths' school performance. The areas of school performance that effects youth are their grades, school refusal, negative classroom behaviors and social skills. This systematic review will focus on how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other similar treatments such as trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), game based cognitive behavioral therapy (GB-CBT) and cognitive behavioral intervention for trauma in schools (CBITS) effect the grades, school refusal, negative classroom behaviors and social skills of these traumatized youth. A systematic review research design was utilized analyzing 20 studies meeting criteria and these articles were then analyzed. CBT, TF-CBT, GB-CBT and CBITS were all found to be effective when working with youth who experience traumatic symptoms and affect their school performance. However, the findings have shown to be limited and further research is needed to better address the benefits of broader use of trauma therapies in schools. TRAUMA THERAPIES AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCE 3


This paper examines the theoretical import of disaggregating self-reported delinquency data into two constituent parts: (1) prevalence data, which record the proportion of any group involved in crime, reject the decision to participate in crime, and (2) incidence data, which record the frequency of offending within the subgroup of participants, reject the decision to repeat a previously committed offense. The importance of this conceptual distinction is that different causal facts may be involved in these separate offending decisions and those differences would be obscured if the data were not disaggregated. We review major delinquency theories to determine if theoretical variables are more strongly related to the prevalence or the incidence of delinquency. Multivariate models tentatively suggest that the distinction between prevalence and incidence should be maintained, although additional research with more serious offenses is needed.


included in Method 1500 (hydrocarbons, BP 36-1260C).' Therefore, the estimates of methyl ethyl ketone concentrations made by Daniell et al are probably biased low. PETER M ELLER Quality Assurance and Statistics Activity, Division ofPhysical Sciences and Engineering, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Robert A Taft Laboratories, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226-1998, USA


In this paper, an approach to enhance the tracking performance of charge-coupled device (CCD)-based photoelectric tracking system (PTS) is proposed. The CCD sensor is usually utilized to provide the line of sight (LOS) errors directly, by which the PTS is widely used for visual fine tracking control. Generally speaking, the higher the closed-loop bandwidth of the system, the better the closed-loop performance of the system. However, the tracking performance of PTS is greatly limited by a low CCD sampling rate, which causes insufficient error attenuation performance when tracking maneuvering targets or suffering platform disturbances. In order to extend the tracking error attenuation bandwidth, especially at middle frequency, an error-based feedforward control (EBFC) method is recommended. Combining the LOS error from CCD and the controller output, the relative position of target can be estimated, which is helpful for producing a high-gain controller to suppress LOS errors. The feedforward node is designed before the inner loop to construct a pure and novel forward route, which makes the feedforward controller acting as a lead-lag controller to ensure the stability of system, actually. Simultaneously, the control bandwidth and controller design analysis of this method is presented. A few comparative experimental results show that the improved control method can effectively enhance the error attenuation performance of the LOS for the CCD-based PTS.


The objective of this study was to determine the effect of replacing FM with mealworm ( Tenebrio molitor ) on the growth performance and immunologic responses of white shrimp. In addition, the toxicity of such replacement to white shrimp was measured. Mealworm was incorporated to partially or totally replace fish meal in diets for white shrimp. Experimental groups of shrimp with an average initial body weight of 2.39 ± 0.49 g were fed each of 4 isonitrogeneous diets formulated to include 0, 25, 50 and 100% (control, MW25, MW50 and MW100 respectively) of mealworm substituted for fish meal. After eight weeks of feeding trials, shrimp fed diets MW25, MW50 and MW100 had higher live weight gain (10.05 ± 3.06, 11.41 ± 2.08, and 10.36 ± 1.57, respectively), higher specific growth rate (2.56 ± 0.11, 2.79 ± 0.09, and 2.61 ± 0.07, respectively), and better feed conversion ratio (2.89 ± 0.08, 2.69 ± 0.09, and 2.72 ± 0.19, respectively) compared to those of shrimp fed control diet. Survival rate was 98% in all treatments. No toxicity was found in post-mortem pathophysiologic examinations. The levels of immune markers such as beta-glucan binding protein, prophenoloxidase and crustin associated with shrimp's cellular and humoral immunity were found to be higher in 25 and 50% mealworm replacement groups. These results clearly indicated that replacement of fish meal with 50% mealworm for shrimp diet was optimal in promoting the growth performance of shrimp without any adverse effect.


The thermoelectric power of N,N′-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine·I2, N,N′-di-β-naphthyl-p-phenylenedia-mine·I3.5, phenothiazine·I3, and N-methylphenothiazine·I3 was measured in the temperature range from −35 to 140°C. The observed power for each complex was explained by means of the mechanism of mixed conduction of electrons with holes, and the ratio of electron-conduction to hole-conduction was estimated as a function of temperature. In the iodine complexes of the substituted p-phenylenediamines the conductivity due to electrons is found to be larger than that due to holes, while in phenothiazine·I3 holes contribute more to the conductivity. In N-methylphenothiazine·I3, the hole-conduction is predominant in the higher temperature region and the electron-conduction in the lower temperature region.


A feasibility study of ExoMars parachute supersonic experiment to be possibly performed in the CIRA Plasma Wind Tunnel "Scirocco" facility is presented and analyzed. In particular, the test feasibility analysis has been firstly focused on the capability of the "Scirocco" facility to match test requirements which simulates the entry in Mars atmosphere. Some test conditions in terms of facility reservoir conditions have been simulated by means of CFD computations of the modified nozzle, and verified with respect to testing requirements. The proper functioning of "Scirocco" subsystems (test chamber, diffuser, vacuum system, etc.) in these facility driving conditions has also been checked. In particular, the "Scirocco" facility makes available a 80-MW power vacuum system that guarantees inside the test chamber the low pressure conditions of the Mars atmosphere into which the parachute is foreseen to be opened. CFD simulations of the complete facility configuration (nozzle, test chamber, diffuser) with the test article inside has been performed in order to predict the overall flow field and, in particular, to check the position of the capsule model with respect to the nozzle exit section, the position of the parachute model (preliminarily modelled as a plate) with respect to the diffuser entry section, and to evaluate the effects of the interaction between the bow shock wave in front of the capsule and the flow exiting from the nozzle, and the pressure that establishes inside the test chamber. Moreover, the effects of the capsule's wake on the parachute incoming flow have been evaluated, the right functioning of the diffuser (occurrence of tunnel blockage) and the occurrence of cryogenic temperatures on some facility components have also been verified.


It's bizarre; it's scary; it's unbelievable at a time when paedophilia has been starring as the worst crime in the world. I am talking about a new low on the slippery slope of sexualisaing little children.


The paper by Bertakis et al1 in this issue o f The Jou rn al o f Family Practice addresses patient satisfaction with specific physician behaviors. The results suggest overall patient satisfaction with the discussion o f psychosocial issues and with the lack o f physician dominance. A discussion o f psychosocial issues is frequently considered important but is not consistendy believed to be a necessity o f the physician-patient interaction. Family physicians have been particularly strong advocates o f dealing with the nonmedical context o f the physicianpatient relationship, and family physician educators have incorporated education regarding this relationship into residency training programs. Much o f this is taught un der the rubric o f "behavioral sciences." Perhaps it is time to establish a scientific basis for this emphasis on the effects o f developing a positive physician-patient relation ship. Does the educational effort in this area pay off for patients in the long run? The first major issue is the relative importance o f the physician-patient relationship as compared with other aspects o f medical care. M ost studies, including the study of Bertakis et al,1 suggest that patient ratings o f biomed ical competence correlate best with overall satisfaction, whereas other physician behaviors, such as dealing with psychosocial concerns, have a smaller role. I f the patient believes the physician is medically incompetent, a nice physician-patient relationship that includes discussion o f psychosocial topics will not overcome this deficiency. The second major issue is terminology. The litera ture on patient satisfaction and psychosocial concerns suffers from unclear and nonrepetitive use o f terms that may or may not be related. In attempting to place the work of Bertakis et al1 in perspective, this is o f tanta mount importance. What is "psychosocial concern"? Is it interpersonal skills? Is it patient-centeredness, open ques-


The characteristics of mountain torrents disaster system in Jiangxi Province are introduced,and in accordance with their characteristics,the topography,geomorphology and climatic factors,three major regions are divided including Huaiyu Mountain Area in the northeast,Luoxiao Mountain and Jiuling Mountain Areas in the west,and Wuyi Mountain Area in the southeast,which have the high mountain torrents disaster risk,while the risk in the lake plain of the north centre is low.The main factors influencing the mountain torrents disaster in high risk regions are analyzed.


Ti foil and Ti/Ni/Ti multiple interlayers were selected for the bonding of tungsten to copper or CuCrZr alloy with thermal-mechanical simulator Gleeble 1500D. The effects of technology parameters on the microstructures and shear strength of the joints were performed. The interfacial bonding mechanism was studied through microanalysis. When Ti foil was used for bonding of tungsten to pure copper but not transformed into liquid solution during the holding time, a reaction zone including multiple compound layers with brittleness was formed and the strength of the joints was lower. However, if the Ti foil was transformed into liquid solution and extruded mostly out of the bonding zone, the strength of the joints can reach 220MPa due to the chemical and mechanical interfacial bonding. The joint was formed through the diffusion and reaction among the Ti, Ni, Cu and W to form multiple compound layers and solid solution layers when Ti/Ni/Ti was used for bonding tungsten to CuCrZr alloy. Similarly, if Ti foil was transformed into liquid solution, a strong joint can be obtained, otherwise, the strength was relatively low.


This paper presents a measurement set for the variation of the electrical parameters that characterize the functioning of an electro thermal installation with electromagnetic induction. The measurements were made using a three phase power quality analyzer, CA 8334B. In order to recover the recordings, the transients, the alarms and the screen copies, there was used the QualiStar View software.


Pressure sores are a significant cause of injury and death in patients with spinal cord lesions above the waist. Sores can be prevented by body movement. However, patients with spinal cord lesions lose awareness of body parts and can forget to move body areas frequently enough to prevent sore formation. The SoreStop system unobtrusively encourages patients to move their limbs. It consists of a vibrating armband, sensor inputs, and an Arduino microcontroller. The armband vibrates if the user has not moved enough during the previous 15 minutes. The microcontroller responds to force-sensitive resistors attached to the user's buttocks or position sensors mounted on paralyzed limbs. SoreStop will allow for the development of further devices that may significantly reduce the formation of deadly pressure sores in paraplegics and other patients with sensory loss.


Gravitational waves have now twice been detected emanating from the merging of binary
black hole systems. In this thesis we detail the methods used to search for binary merger
gravitational wave signals associated with short gamma-ray bursts, focusing on systems
that include at least one neutron star.
We �rst cover the background theory behind gravitational wave emission, the means of
detection via interferometry, and the types of astrophysical sources that could be detected
now or in the near future. We follow this with a review of gamma-ray burst theory and
observations, focusing in particular those bursts with short durations. These are likely to
be caused by the mergers of binaries that include a neutron star and a black hole, or two
neutron stars — events of great interest to gravitational wave astronomy.
We then discuss the methods used to search gravitational wave data in a targeted way,
using the prior observation of a short gamma-ray bursts to focus the analysis and improve
the chances of making a detection. We also summarise early searches of this kind and
present the results of a search carried out on LIGO and Virgo data spanning 2005–2010,
targeting short gamma-ray bursts detected by the InterPlanetary Network.
We then turn our attention to the current, second generation of gravitational wave
detectors. We present a detailed calculation of the prospects of success for the targeted
short gamma-ray burst search technique, and �nd that we might reasonably expect to
make up to a few detections per year around the turn of the decade.
We then outline a new search structure for use during the second generation of detectors,
and an astrophysical event alert system for the control rooms of gravitational wave
observatories.
We end with a presentation of the results of the new and improved search carried out
during the �rst observing run of Advanced LIGO.


Reconstruction of on well style heat treatment furnace, which is high energy consuming, long treatment cycle, low productivity, low production quality, and seri- ous environment polluting, is presented. Conservation ef- fect and social benefit are obtained through new material of furnace framework and new technology of temperature controlling system.


We would like to thank Deecke and Soekadar (1) for their insightful comments on our paper (2). We agree that the voluntary movements in our study were not fully unconstrained. A green light was used to indicate to the participant that a trial had started. This indeed raises the question whether our results generalize to movements without external cueing. Please note that, in our study, the green light is not a response trigger. It indicates the onset of a self-timed waiting period that is followed by an open-ended period during which movements could be freely made. In contrast to many studies on the readiness potential (RP), our study did not require participants to move within a specific time. Thus, …


Background: Pharmaceuticals are critical for the health and well-being of populations. However, they can be poisons, and drug disasters such as that of thalidomide and other less dramatic cases of drug injury, constantly remind us of the imperative of testing and control of medicines. Sadly, in Africa and Nigeria in particular, pharmaceutical regulation is severely constrained by limited national capacities to undertake core regulatory roles. Citizens have continued to be exposed to potentially harmful medicines, sub-standard and counterfeit products and irrational prescription of pharmaceuticals. This study seeks to deepen the understanding of how pharmaceuticals are regulated, what regulatory constraints there are, and proffer policy solutions to improve regulatory capacity and performance in Nigeria. Method: The study adopted a mixed method approach, using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to collect data from key pharmaceutical actors in Nigeria. The questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS version 20.00, while interview data was transcribed, coded and content analysis undertaken. Key themes were identified and interpreted. Results: 80% of business premises were formally registered with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, while 83% of questionnaire respondents were satisfied with overall regulatory performance. 60% of retail pharmaceutical retail outlets surveyed had at least one regulatory inspection in the last one year preceding the study and 6.7% of the sample had not had an inspection visit. Qualitative interviews revealed a number of regulatory capacity challenges ranging from inadequate financing, infrastructural deficits, socioeconomic to official corruption. Conclusion: We conclude that improving services at pharmaceutical retail outlets to achieve health system objectives will require a modification of current rigid control approach by integrating market driven strategies that creatively engages all stakeholders, while recognizing appropriate relationships and balance between needs and standards.


The Westinghouse AP600 advanced pressurized water reactor design uses a gravity-forced safety injection system with two nozzles in the reactor vessel downcomer. In the event of a severe overcooling transient such as a steam-line break, this system delivers boron to the core to offset positive reactivity introduced by the negative moderator defect. To determine if the system design is capable of successfully terminating this type of reactivity transient, a test of the system has been initiated. The test will utilize a 1:9 scale model of the reactor vessel and cold legs. The coolant will be modeled with air, while the safety injection fluid will be simulated with a dense gas. To determine the necessary parameters for this model, a scaling analysis was performed. The continuity, diffusion, and axial Navier-Stokes equations for the injected fluid were converted into dimensionless form. A Boussinesq formulation for turbulent viscosity was applied in these equations. This procedure identified the Richardson, mixing Reynolds, diffusion Fourier, and Euler numbers as dimensionless groups of interest. Order-of-magnitude evaluation was used to determine that the Richardson and mixing Reynolds numbers were the most significant parameters to match for a similar experiment.


Recent projections anticipate that the essential energy consumption will increase by 48% in 2040. This has prompted to a need to create proficient and sustainable techniques of storing energy. Solar thermal energy can be stored in the form of latent heat by utilizing appropriate phase change materials (PCMs), which offer high heat storage capacity. An experimental study was done in Khartoum city during summer season to investigate the thermal performance of solar water heating system integrated with PCM using flat plate collector as a heat source. The PCM used was paraffin wax whose melting point is 56 °C. An energy and exergy analysis was done to assess the thermal performance of the system and fix the thermodynamic blemish in the energy system. The outcomes showed that PCM acted as smart material which can regulate the temperature of system in the required range. The outcomes indicated that the overall energy and exergy efficiencies of the system were 85% and 76% respectively. The number of entropy generated was 0.26. The results showed that PCM acted as smart regulator to keep supplying the amount of heat to the system even after the absent of heat source. PCM also could increase the exergy output and led to reduce the exergy destruction. This indicates that the PCM could improve the exergy efficiency. The overall outcomes showed that the PCM optimized the performance of solar water heater system by improve energy and exergy efficiencies.


The inspection of offshore parks, dam walls and other infrastructure under water is expensive and time consuming, because such constructions must be inspected manually by divers. Underwater buildings have to be examined visually to find small cracks, spallings or other deficiencies. Automation of underwater inspection depends on established water-proved imaging systems. Most underwater imaging systems are based on acoustic sensors (sonar). The disadvantage of such an acoustic system is the loss of the complete visual impression. All information embedded in texture and surface reflectance gets lost. Therefore acoustic sensors are mostly insufficient for these kind of visual inspection tasks. Imaging systems based on optical sensors feature an enormous potential for underwater applications. The bandwidth from visual imaging systems reach from inspection of underwater buildings via marine biological applications through to exploration of the seafloor. The reason for the lack of established optical systems for underwater inspection tasks lies in technical difficulties of underwater image acquisition and processing. Lightening, highly degraded images make a computational postprocessing absolutely essential.


Objective To observe long-term efficacy of Tirofiban in interventional treatment of patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome(ACS).Methods One hundred twenty-three ACS patients(69 males,54 females),who were in line with the current coronary interventional treatment indications and received coronary revascularization successfully,were enrolled and first given intravenous drip of domestic tirofiban in a dose of 0.4 μg·kg-1·min-1for 30 min,and then in a dose of 0.1 μg·kg-1·min-1continuously for 24 h~48 h.Heparin or low-molecular-weight heparin was reduced by half,and aspirin and clopidogrel were given in conventional dose.Death for any reason,new myocardial infarction and refractory angina pectoris were observed within 30 days or 1 year after use of tirofiban.Results Within 30 days of medication,1 patient died of intracranial hemorrhage(0.8%),no more myocardial infarction and refractory angina pectoris occurred.After a 1-year follow up,no more deaths or myocardial infarctions were noted,but angina pectoris appeared in 2 patents(1.6%);15 presented with mild-moderate bleeding(12.2%),2 with severe bleeding.Conclusion Tirofiban,a safer drug with high selectivity and good anti-platelet effectiveness,is fit for ACS patients.


This article presents an ablative method of cutting masks from ultra-thin metal foils using nanosecond laser pulses. As a source of laser radiation, a pulsed fiber laser with a wavelength of 1062 nm with the duration of pulses from 15 to 220 nanoseconds (ns), was used in the research. The masks were made of stainless-steel foil with thicknesses of 30 µm, 35 µm, and 120 µm. Channels of different lengths from 50 to 300 µm were tested. The possibilities and limitations of the presented method are described. The optimization of the cutting process parameters was performed using the experiment planning techniques. A static, determined complete two-level plan (SP/DC 24) was used. On the basis of the analysis of the test structures, we designed and produced precise shading masks used in the process of organic field effect transistor (OFET) electrode evaporation. The ablative method proved suitable to produce masks with canals of minimum lengths of 70 µm. It offers facile, fast, and economically viable shadow mask fabrication for organic electronics applications, which moreover might enable fast prototyping and circuit design.


This study aimed to examine the role of environmental commitment, environmental consciousness, green lifestyle, and green self-efficacy in influencing pro-environmental behaviour. Data were obtained through a survey of 72 students at one of the training centers in Malaysia. The hypothesized relationships were tested using partial least squares (PLS) methodology. Results showed that environmental commitment, environmental consciousness, green lifestyle, and green self-efficacy positively influenced pro-environmental behaviour, thereby providing new insights to existing literature on environmental sustainability. The results may be used by educational institutions, the government, and private agencies to strengthen students' knowledge, attitude, and behaviour that support environment-based education. The scope of the study was limited to students at a training center, so the results may not be generalizable to different settings. Another limitation was that the study used limited contextual elements. The novelty of this study is that it examined the role of environmental commitment, environmental consciousness, green lifestyle, and green self-efficacy as determinants of pro-environmental behaviour among students in an educational setting in Malaysia.


For polytopic time singular system with inputs cons traints, the paper addresses a robust predictive co ntrol law using linear matrix inequality (LMI). A piecewi se constant control sequence is calculated by minimizing the worst-case linear quadratic objectiv e function. At each sample time, the sufficient conditions on the existence of the model predictive controllers are derived and expressed as linear ma trix inequalities. The resulting predictive control law leads to regular, impulse-free and robust stable sy stem, and the performance of this closed-loop system is g uaranteed. Finally the numerical imitation shows th e effectiveness of the proposed method.


We directly measured the nanoscale dynamics of hydrogen induced lattice expansion and deformation of palladium thin films in-situ. These results provide several key material parameters needed for designing high performance optical hydrogen sensors.


Drought in Bondowoso County has the potential to occur sustainably with diverse topographic variations. This study aims to determine drought conditions by using a vegetation index with a multi-temporal Landsat 8 OLI image from January-July 2021. The vegetation index methods used are SAVI (Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index), EVI (Enhanced Vegetation Index), and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index). The three vegetation indices were chosen because they provide different vegetation sensitivities. The results showed that all three vegetation indices provided a slight difference inaccuracy. SAVI has an accuracy result of 86%, EVI with 14% accuracy, and NDVI has 80% accuracy. The difference in accuracy results from the condition of Bondowoso Regency with a variety of vegetation. Temporally also showed that SAVI is more sensitive to vegetation information, especially in areas close to clouds, than in EVI and NDVI. It can be concluded that SAVI can provide drought information better than EVI and NDVI.


Abstract.  The study of religion seeks to understand life and life practices, which means that it is internally suited to dynamic teaching-learning methods such as exploration, conversation, and imaginative construction. Wabash Center hospitality enables reflective conversations about the nature of our craft, the shape of our vocation, and the direction of our discipline.


Abstract
Purpose
Development is a dynamic concept that pertains the evolution of human societies. Over the past few years policy makers, as well as academics, have incorporated a very important, yet sometimes neglected, component in the concept of development which is environmental costs and sustainability. One of the key aspects that affects sustainability is energetic consumption, therefore our aim is to determine if changes in oil, coal, and gas, prices during the period 2000–2010 influenced sustainable development.

Methodology/approach
We modified the Human Development Index (HDI) by adding energy consumption component, and propose what we call the Modified Human Sustainable Development Index (HSDI) which captures a broader definition of sustainable development. Then we employ econometric techniques to study the effects of changes in commodity prices on our index in the short run.

Findings
Our results show a nonlinear effect of commodity prices on our index, low and middle-income countries display a positive effect of prices on our HSDI, with smaller effects in the former ones, while high-income countries do not seem to exhibit a significant effect. While low and middle-income countries are typically commodity producers.

Middle-income countries are able to obtain larger benefits in terms of sustainable development due to a better institutional structure which constitutes an opportunity for them in the aftermath of the crisis.

Practical implications
Middle- and low-income countries should design policies that enable them to take advantage of the rises and protect their economies from the falls.

Originality/value
We address the problem of sustainable development and commodity prices in a post-crisi world, which was not reviewed in the literature. In addition we build a measurement of the Human Sustainable Development Index that considers energy consumption as one of its factors. Which is in line with previous results about energy consumption and the Human Development Index.


White adipose tissue (WAT) has the capacity to undergo a white‐to‐beige phenotypic switch, known as browning, in response to stimuli such as cold. However, the mechanism underlying beige adipocyte formation is largely unknown. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is highly induced in WAT and has been implicated in lipid metabolism. Here, we show that ApoE deficiency in mice increased oxygen consumption and thermogenesis and enhanced adipose browning pattern in inguinal WAT (iWAT), with associated characteristics such as increased Ucp1 and Pparγ expression. At the cellular level, ApoE deficient beige adipocytes had increased glucose uptake and higher mitochondrial respiration than wild‐type cells. Mechanistically, we showed that ApoE deficient iWAT and primary adipose precursor cells activated the thermogenic genes program by stimulating the production of ketone body β‐hydroxybutyrate (βHB), a novel adipose browning promoting factor. This was accompanied by increased expression of genes involved in ketogenesis and could be compromised by the treatment for ketogenesis inhibitors. Consistently, ApoE deficient mice show higher serum βHB level than wild‐type mice in the fed state and during cold exposure. Our results further demonstrate that the increased βHB production in ApoE deficient adipose precursor cells could be attributed, at least in part, to enhanced Cd36 expression and CD36‐mediated fatty acid utilization. Our findings uncover a previously uncharacterized role for ApoE in energy homeostasis via its cell‐autonomous action in WAT.


As impact excavation diameters subtend a nontrivial fraction of a planetary body, both the excavation process and ejecta emplacement may depart form the classical description of impacts into a planar surface. Hemispherical particulate targets were impacted at the NASA-Ames Vertical Gun Range in order to trace the evolution of the ejecta curtain and to document the effects of slope and surface curvature on crater shape and cratering efficiency. The experiments suggest that basin size impacts or large craters on small bodies may be shallower than their counterparts on a planar surface but may have displaced a larger relative mass. Moreover, the increased ejecta curtain angle with distance may result in a change in ejecta emplacement style with distance. Although the ejecta curtain is vertical, ejecta within the curtain impact the surface at 45 deg and the time between first and last arrival within the curtain increases. This increased interaction time as the ejecta curtain density decreases should result in a more chaotic style of implacement.


This study investigates the relationship between different levels of state balanced budget laws and state borrowing costs. Using federal guidelines for state balanced budget law classifications, this author inserted dichotomous variables in an empirical model of state borrowing costs. Ordinary Least Squares Regression is utilized to determine which balanced budget laws are recognized in state interest costs. The results indicate a significant relationship between the most restrictive levels of balanced budget laws and state borrowing costs. The strongest balanced budget laws are associated with lower interest costs while the weakest budget laws are associated with higher costs. It appears that taxpayers in states with weaker balanced budget amendments may not be as protected against excessive government growth as those in states with the most stringent balancing requirements.


Total 128 neomycin-resistant(neo) mutants including the 117 mutants from microwave mutagenesis and the 11 mutants from auto-mutagenesis were obtained by neo mutant selection on neomycin-containing plates coupled with microwave-induced mutation technique.Among the neo mutants obtained,the 8 neo mutants from microwave mutagenesis appeared to be bioactive with the inhibition rates over 20% at the 100μg/mL of sample concentration on K562 cells.By combination of the different time of microwave irradiation and the different concentration of neomycin,it has been appeared that the 120 s of microwave irradiation is likely to be favorable for obtaining more neo mutants.


Porous germanium (PGe) nanostructures attract a lot of attention for various emerging applications due to their unique properties. Consequently, there is an increasing need for the development of low‐cost synthesis routes that are compatible with large‐scale production. Bipolar electrochemical etching (BEE) is a widely used solution for producing porous Ge layers. However, the lack of controllable production of large‐scale uniform PGe layers is the limiting factor for mainstream applications. Large‐scale homogeneous PGe layers formation is demonstrated by improving the BEE process. The PGe structures demonstrate excellent homogeneity in thickness and porosity, with a relative variation of below 2% across the 100 mm wafer. Furthermore, this process enables accurate tuning of the PGe's physical properties through variation of the etching parameters. PGe structures with porosity ranging from 40% to 80% and an adjustable thickness, while preserving low surface roughness are demonstrated, giving access to a large variety of PGe nanostructures for a wide range of applications. Ellipsometry and X‐ray reflectivity are employed to measure the porosity and thickness of PGe layers, providing fast and non‐destructive methods of characterization. These findings lay the groundwork for the large‐scale production of high‐quality PGe layers with on‐demand characteristics.


A novel method for improving the range-velocity resolution is developed in random step radar. With the interpolation and extrapolation (IE), the range sidelobe caused by the discontinuous spectra and frequencies hopping can be suppressed significantly. The velocity resolution can be improved by IE algorithm in the same way. Finally the simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.


Drugs influence the human body in many ways. Cocaine (COC), for instance, leads impaired drivers to the tendency for speeding, high-risk behaviour and total loss of control [1]. As a consequence an-easy-to-handle on-site test is necessary to diagnose impaired drivers and reduce car crashes related to the influence of drugs. Another example for a drug of interest would be caffeine. There are extended studies that analyze the connection between caffeine and suicidal, maniac and schizophrenic behaviour as well as depressions [2]. For research in this field it would be helpful to monitor the caffeine level with a non-invasive method.


Cationic waterborne polyurethane (WPU) is limited in wider applications due to its poor water resistance and worse flexibility. However, polysiloxane is widely used because of the advantages in these two aspects. To improve the water resistance and the flexibility of cationic WPU, combining with the characteristics of organosilicon compound, the hydroxyalkyl-containing bifunctional group polysiloxane (PPC) and self-made trifunctional group modifier PPS were used to modify the cationic WPU. The particle size and size distribution of the modified cationic WPU emulsion, the water resistance and the surface moisture resistance of the corresponding membrane were investigated. The results indicated that the cationic WPU modified by PPC will show the moderate hydrophilicity, which had positive effect on the water resistance. Although PPS had a negative effect on the dispersion and the emulsification of the polymer, a small amount of introduction can greatly improve the water resistance and the water repellency of its membrane.


Cadmium(Cd)is a toxic heavy metal to rice. Sulfur(S)and selenium(Se)may alleviate its toxicity by changing Cd distribution and species in rice seedlings. Here, we investigated the subcellular distribution and chemical forms of Cd in rice seedlings under different S concentrations and foliar-applied Se using hydroponic experiment. The proportion of Cd in cell wall was larger under 10 mg Cd·L-1than under 1 mg Cd·L-1. As solution S and foliar-sprayed Se increased, soluble Cd increased while Cd in cell wall decreased, indicating the enhanced translocation of Cd to vacuole by the supply of S and Se. Also, the percentage of NaCl-extraction Cd fraction increased while that of ethanol-extractable Cd decreased with increasing supplies of S and Se, illustrating that the presence of S and Se could promote Cd transfer to less active forms. However, Se supply did not significantly increase Cd transfer into the vacuole and NaCl-extractable fraction under high S concentrations, implying competition between S and Se.


In this article, we consider higher order fractional nonlinear differential equation of type \begin{align*} &_aD_t^qx(t)-p(t)x(t)+\sum_{i=1}^m q_i(t)|x(t)|^{\lambda_i-1}x(t)=v(t)\notag\\ &\underset{t\rightarrow a^+}{\lim}J_a^{n-q}x(t)=a_n\\ &_aD_t^{q-k}x(a)=a_k, \quad\quad\ k=1,...,n-1\notag \end{align*} where $_aD_t^q$is Riemann-Liouville fractional differential operator of order $q$, $m-1<q\leq m, m\geq1$ is an integer. We obtain some oscillation criteria for this equation.


Abstract An efficient one-pot method has been developed to access 5-amino-2-(het)aroyl-1,3,4-oxadiazoles through I2/DMSO-promoted oxidative cyclization of 4-phenylsemicarbazide with (het)aryl methyl ketones under mild conditions. This reaction proceeds smoothly with a wide range of methyl ketones containing various functional groups to give the corresponding products in moderate yields under mild conditions.


Laser thermal adjustment as an application of laser forming in microsystems attracts much attention. Previous work on laser thermal adjustment of the two-bridge actuator (TBA) shows that the deformations induced by laser forming are limited. In this paper, an actuator with three cut-outs including six heating positions is designed to enhance the deformation range. A deformation model is developed for such an actuator by introducing the factors of the in-plane and out-of-plane angles to the TBA's formula, which takes energy constraints into account to avoid the melting phenomenon and negative deformations. The deformation range of the three cut-outs actuator (TCA) is determined by using the relation between in-plane and out-of-plane angles of the TBA. The optimization of the processing parameters for the TCA is conducted to reach the designed target position based on the optimization algorithm of adaptive simulated annealing (ASA). The model prediction is validated by the finite-element analysis (FEA) simulation and experiments.


Researchers reviewed data on 2000 pregnant women recruited from either the Central Hospital of the Congolese Armed Forces P. Mobengo or the National Public Health Laboratory both in Brazzaville Congo to determine the effect HIV infection had on women of reproductive age on the progression of pregnancy on delivery and on the future of the infant and the mother. 5.8% (108 women) tested positive for HIV antibodies. 1 woman with AIDS died at 7.5 months gestation. 4 the women with AIDS died between 7 to 12 months postpartum 1 case of ganglial tuberculosis. 25 to 29 year old women had the highest HIV seroprevalence while 30 to 34 year old women had the lowest (6.9% vs. 3.6%; p M .05). 7.76% (70) of the 1172 registered deliveries were to HIV-positive women. Although HIV-positive women were significantly more likely to experience miscarriages that were HIV-negative women (14.3% vs. 1.6%; p < .001) they did not suffer from any more complications than HIV-negative women. 76.9% of HIV-positive women and 90.5% of HIV-negative women experienced a normal delivery. There was no significant difference in birth weight between infants born to HIV-positive women and those born to HIV-negative women. 8 infants born to HIV-positive women died within 2 years. Before 3 months the deceased infants tended to suffer from a respiratory infection accompanied by fever and weight loss. After 3 months they suffered from diarrhea especially fulminating diarrhea and failure to thrive. These findings demonstrated a need for public health officials to rank control of vertical transmission as a high priority.


Improving performance has been the mantra and driving force behind much of New Zealand's public sector1 reform work since the mid- to late 1980s. These reforms have had a positive effect and this performance drive remains important today. However, it would also be fair to say that New Zealand and its public sector have changed significantly over the past two to three decades, and these changes have altered the relationship between the public sector and the public of New Zealand. The public are demanding more of our public accountability system. In today's diverse, dynamic and connected world, how well the public sector tells its story and assures the public it is meeting its expectations is as important as how well the public sector manages itself and delivers services.


The Thule Society was a secret brotherhood where Hitler and the other pioneers of German National Socialism first met in Munich in 1919-20.


Highly sensitive and selective detection of morphine (MO) was realized by coupling an immunoreaction of an anti-MO monoclonal antibody and a surface-plasmon-resonance (SPR) phenomena. A normorphine-bovine serum albumin (NM-BSA) conjugate prepared as an antigen was immobilized on the Au thin film of sensor chip by physical adsorption. The incident angle of the SPR system using the NM-BSA immobilized chip increased almost linearly with increasing concentration of antibody up to ca. 5 /spl mu/g/ml (ppm). The addition of MO into the antibody solution (5 ppm) was found to reduce the incident angle shift sharply because of the inhibition effect of MO. Based on this inhibiting principle, the present sensor could detect MO very sensitively in the concentration range of 0.1-10 ng/ml (ppb).


Objective: Through the epidural injection drug combined with functional exercise therapy,to analyze clinical therapeutic effect on lumbar disc herniation pain.Methods: 203 cases of lumbar disc herniation accepted treatments in our hospital in the recent 3 years.25 ml miscible liquids composed of glucocorticoid,vitamin B1,vitamin B12,lidocaine and compound salvia miltiorrhiza liquids were injected into lumbar epidural space of patients with lumbar disc herniation pain,then they received manipulation and lumbar back muscle function exercise.Results: 146 cases of lumbar disc herniation can insist to functional exercise after undergoing epidural drug.105 cases of that was cured and the curative ratio is 71.9%.57 cases of lumbar disc herniation can't insist to functional exercise after undergoing epidural drug.30 cases of was cured and the curative ratio is 52.7%.The differences between them are statistically significant(P0.05).The clinical therapeutic effect of epidural injection drug combined with functional exercise therapy on mild and moderate lumbar disc herniation pain is optimum and the curative ratio is 84.4%.Compared with patients with severe lumbar disc herniation pain,the differences are statistically significant(P0.05).Conclusions: The therapy of epidural injection drug combined with functional exercise can have ideal clinical therapeutic effect on patients with mild and moderate lumbar disc herniation pain.


The Author Mark Wesley is a veteran video game programmer with 8 years experience developing commercial games across a variety of platforms. He's worked for major developers such as Criterion, Rockstar and EA Black Box, shipping numerous titles including Burnout, Battalion Wars, Max Payne 2, Manhunt 2 and skate . Although a generalist who has worked in almost every area of game programming from systems to rendering, his current focus is on gameplay and AI. Most recently, he was the skater AI lead on skate and is currently the gameplay lead on skate 2 .


The essay is a response to a biographical dominant of the critical discourse on the works of Alina Szapocznikow. It seems to miss an aspect of her sculpture which isthe most important from the point of view of art history – that of the impact of thespecific works on the spectator. Such an objective of art history has been formulated by Michael Brötje, the founder of the existential-hermeneutic study of art. That radical theory, based on the dismissal of the discourses which are external to the artistic object, instead turning the critic's attention to the medium as the meaningful foundation of the work, is adequate to a perspective adopted in the present essay. It has been modified to fit sculpture since Brötje himself applied it mainly to painting. The essay includes analyses of her three works: "Stopy (Fetysz V)," "Maria Magdalena," and "Dwuczęściowa." In each case, the existential-hermeneutic method has been applied; focusing mainly on the impact of the medium, as well as the term "creation-analogy" has been used, also originally introduced by Brötje. That term makes it possible to express nonreflective qualities which constitute the meanings of the works in question. The descriptions present evidence that such qualities are inseparably connected to the substance of sculpture and stem from its structural order.The analysis of "Stopy (Fetysz V)" introduces the term "creation-analogy," demonstrating that a description which reveals the artifact's impact does not have tobe related to meanings implemented by external discourses. Autonomous reflectionon the work's medium points at a visual analogy to the key stages of the history of salvation described in the Bible. A biblical parable, so distant from the usual contexts which have determined the perception of the work, coherently grasps each of the sculpture's elements. Another analysis proves that the content can be intentionally grafted on the medium. In "Maria Magdalena," Szapocznikow presented in a concise way the life of the title figure, including the stages of her advancement to sainthood shown in the Scripture. That allowed the critic to show a possible connection of the artist's intention with a visual analogue. The description offered stresses also the formal complexity of the sculpture, which makes it difficult to follow the perceptual logic of the work. That contributes to a network of meanings, graspable only through non-rational contemplation. The last analysis demonstrates that Szapocznikow's works can also generate parables which are not related to religion. "Dwuczęściowa" turns out to express the artist's opinion on the influence of technology on human life. Still, the sculpture reveals also meanings far from those opinions, activating the archetype of "Mother-Earth." That analogy, unrelated to biblical topics, is quite general, yet intelligible to all spectators who enjoy contemplation. The conclusion is that the results presented must be systematized to become a starting point for a future theory of systematic analysis of sculpture in terms of existential-hermeneutic study of art.


The National Society for Epilepsy's campaign to 'Count Epilepsy Out' has succeeded in excluding antiepileptic drugs from the proposed changes to the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme.


In this paper, we pursue a solution for data sharing via SRIO interface in the embedded system with dual DSPs. In order to collect the information of the other devices in the system and control them, the two DSPs create a fast and reliable link based on SRIO to access the system respectively. In this context, DSP not only achieve the purpose of coordinated control, but also monitor each other under some special conditions. Finally, we complete the design and implementation based on FPGA.


Abstract Extreme flood events are caused by long-lasting and/or intensive precipitation. The detailed knowledge of the distribution, intensity, and spatiotemporal variability of precipitation is, therefore, a prerequisite for hydrological flood modeling and flood risk management. For hydrological modeling, temporal and spatial high-resolution precipitation data can be provided by meteorological models. This study deals with the question of how small changes in the synoptic situation affect the characteristics of extreme forecasts. For that purpose, two historic extreme precipitation events were hindcasted using the Consortium for Small Scale Modeling (COSMO) model of the German Weather Service (DWD) with different grid resolutions (28, 7, and 2.8 km), where the domains with finer resolutions were nested into the ones with coarser resolution. The results show that the model is capable of simulating such extreme precipitation events in a satisfactory way. To assess the impact of small changes in the synopti...


This thesis is about serial publication on Maeil-Sinbo in the latter half of the 1910s, which was considered the literal style transformation. In the inner form, The literal style on Maeil-Sinbo in the latter half of the 1910s was separated instructions from sayings in the aspect of conversation reproduction. Furthermore spacing words and writing of short sentences were established, so prose style sentences of modern novels was established that it break from verse style sentences of the old novels. With an objectification of description which has begun by transforming a termination of a word, it has an critical effect on replacing a reading method of modern novel with a silent reading. On the other hand the literal style of a serial novel has polarized in 'Maeil Sinbo' a language adapted a taste of subscribers, because of a change of a point of view which is willing to share a popular novel with a novel for intellectuals. This fundamentally causes a direct effect that the literal style of a serial novel is dependent on view of media's language.


Background The real impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on overall mortality remains uncertain as surveillance reports have attributed a limited number of deaths to novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the outbreak. The aim of this study was to assess the excess mortality during the COVID-19 outbreak in highly impacted areas of northern Italy. Methods We analysed data on deaths that occurred in the first 4 months of 2020 provided by the health protection agencies (HPAs) of Bergamo and Brescia (Lombardy), building a time-series of daily number of deaths and predicting the daily standardised mortality ratio (SMR) and cumulative number of excess deaths through a Poisson generalised additive model of the observed counts in 2020, using 2019 data as a reference. Results We estimated that there were 5740 (95% credible set (CS) 5552–5936) excess deaths in the HPA of Bergamo and 3703 (95% CS 3535–3877) in Brescia, corresponding to a 2.55-fold (95% CS 2.50–2.61) and 1.93 (95% CS 1.89–1.98) increase in the number of deaths. The excess death wave started a few days later in Brescia, but the daily estimated SMR peaked at the end of March in both HPAs, roughly 2 weeks after the introduction of lockdown measures, with significantly higher estimates in Bergamo (9.4, 95% CI 9.1–9.7). Conclusion Excess mortality was significantly higher than that officially attributed to COVID-19, disclosing its hidden burden likely due to indirect effects on the health system. Time-series analyses highlighted the impact of lockdown restrictions, with a lower excess mortality in the HPA where there was a smaller delay between the epidemic outbreak and their enforcement. This study identifies another important element to research on #SARSCoV2 and provides actionable strategies to quantify the excess mortality due to #COVID19 spread, which has public health and research implications to minimise the disease impact https://bit.ly/3jbKXAW


Spontaneous network are called sometimes as accidental network formed by nodes which have mobility nature allocated in close proximity which connect to each other share resources and services. The creation of network with security concern is a point of issue in wireless network. The work aims to create network in secure manner. The updations of the nodes and further communication in the network to be done in Hierarchical means. The root and parent node selection to be done as the most efficient node in the terms of mobility,energy,and by counting the number of neighbor nodes.The nodes in the network maintains parent and child ID. The work focus on decreasing the overhead during data communication. By using the efficient Head node selection the energy management can done properly. The structured communication protocol enables to achieve data communication more perfect than the existing works.


It is well known that sex features of humans are mainly regulated by sex hormones. For men, testosterone made from the testicle is the primary sex hormone. During puberty, stimulated by sex determining region Y (SRY), testosterone facilitates the development of male features such as body and facial hair, deeper voice, muscle strength, and bone mass (Dufty, 1989). In adult females, testosterone concentrations are about 15-fold lower than that in males and androgen precursors are converted to estrogens. Whilst testosterone has been recognized as the major factor for the physiological features of male, the secretion of testosterone or/and other male specific hormones was suspected to be the cause that leads to shorter lifespan in men than that in women (Nieschlag et al., 1993). Although it seems a reasonable approach to extend the lifespan by reducing the level of testosterone, the studies produced mixed results (Dunn et al., 2021; Hughes & Kumari, 2019; Paternostro, 1994). In spite of the extensive research on the effect of reduction of testosterone level in the past several decades, there are still hug gaps in understanding its role in the lifespan in males (Morley et al., 2005; Schooling & Zhao, 2021). With the emerge a new concept of principal law of lifespan (PLOSP) (Gu, 2022a, 2022b), the role of testosterone in the lifespan of males may be examined in a different angle. The most distinguished feature of the PLOSP from other theories on the longevity is that different strategies should be applied to the different life stages and the same strategy may produce totally different effects if applied to the different life stages (Gu, 2022a). Thus, reduction of the testosterone level in different life stages may lead to different effects on the lifespan of males. Here, we identify potential problems in the past studies of testosterone and explore the future directions in the regulation of testosterone levels in different life stages to extend the lifespan of males.


We develop a geometrical method to detect the presence of chaotic
dynamics in delay differential equations. An application to the
classical Lotka-Volterra model with delay is given.


The mass surface consisting of 373 different neutrondeficient nuclides has been measured with the timeresolved Schottky Mass Spectrometry (SMS) at the FRSESR facility recently. Exotic nuclei were produced in fragmentation of Sm projectiles, separated in-flight with the FRS, and injected, stored, and electron-cooled in the ESR. The masses of Zr, Ru, Rh, Sb, I, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, and Eu nuclides have been determined for the first time. In addition, masses for I and Xe could be obtained by connecting known α-decay energies to the corresponding directly measured daughter nuclei. It is interesting to note that in former experiments the limit for the observation of one single stored ion was at about Zinc (Z=30) [1]. In the present experiment, however, single stored Magnesium (Z=12) ions were identified due to the improved signal-to-noise ratio. The present mass accuracy of the time-resolved SMS is about 30 μu [1]. By restricting to a small frequency range, one can minimize ion-optical nonlinearities and achieve a mass accuracy as small as Δm/m = 4.3 · 10−8. In the example shown in Figure 1, we used the well-known masses of Tc (ME = −83603(4) keV) and Mo (ME = −86803(4) keV) in order to determine the mass of the isomeric state Mo. The obtained mass value is compared to the literature in Fig. 2. For selected cases this evaluation method is very powerful, however, one does not use the advantage of the broad-band frequency recording which enables a simultaneous mass measurement of hundreds of nuclides with a relative accuracy of 1.5 · 10−7 [1].


This article describes the way of modeling blank which has certain roughness parameters. The way of modeling of grinding circle's work surface is described also. Form-building movements were set. Modeling of process of grinding that allows to predict a roughness of the processed surface was made.


A frequency divider with super-dynamic D-type flip-flop is demonstrated in 2 μm GalnP/GaAs HBT (f T = 40 GHz) technology. By biasing the HBT devices around tire peak transit-time frequency (f T ), the operating frequency of a D-FF with ECNFP (emitter-coupled negative feedback pairs) can be improved. At a supply voltage of 5 y a divide-by-two function of 9.5 GHz is achieved.


We present results of a theoretical study of photocurrents in the Weyl semimetals belonging to the gyrotropic symmetry classes. We show that, in weakly gyrotropic symmetry classes Cnv (n = 3, 4, 6), the circular photocurrent transverse to the incidence direction appears only with account, in the electron effective Hamiltonian, for both linear and quadratic or cubic in quasi-momentum spindependent terms as well as a spin-independent term resulting in the tilt of the cone dispersion. A polarization-independent magneto-induced photocurrent is predicted which is also allowed in gyrotropic systems only. For crystals of the C2v symmetry, we consider a microscopic mechanism of the photocurrent in a quantized magnetic field which is generated under direct optical transitions between the ground and the first excited magnetic subbands. It is shown that this current becomes nonzero with allowance for anisotropic tilt of the dispersion cones.


This article shows how you can develop media education at an academic level formal, non-binding and high school, working with the implementation of media competence and attitudes favoring the development of critical, reflective and pluralistic media before. For this we have worked with students from first high school who attended the course in Physics and Chemistry from technological and sanitary arrangements during 2011-2012. The products ordered on this project students have been podcast scientists, in Spanish and in English, on scientific timelines, video podcast on murals recipes and multimedia presentation. The technological tools used were Audacity, Dipity, Video Maker or other video editor and Glogster. For communication, assignments, evaluation and reporting of this platform was used Edmodo.


A linear theory of drift mirror instability accounting for the nonzero electron temperature effects is developed. Generalizing our previous approach to the analysis of this instability by accounting for a nonvanishing parallel electric field, we have derived the expressions for the mode frequency and instability growth rate. The origin of the electric field is due to the electron pressure gradient which builds up in a plasma with nonzero electron temperature, because the electrons are dragged by mirror-accelerated protons as they pass from regions of high magnetic flux into those of lower magnetic flux. The electrostatic force drag associated with the parallel electric field provides a substantial reduction of the wave phase velocity and increases the drift mirror instability threshold. It is shown that in a plasma with nonzero electron temperature the drift mirror mode is accompanied by the field-aligned current which varies in phase with the compressional changes in the magnetic field. The transition to the cold electron temperature limit is discussed.


: In the development of intrabody communication systems, the most challenging goal is to protect against noise due to other electronic devices. In this regard, it is known that fl uorescent lamps using high-frequency electronic ballasts generate signi fi cant noise in electromagnetic fi elds. In this paper, we conduct an experiment of noise voltage received by a wearable transceiver in the presence of fl uorescent lamps using high-fre-quency electronic ballasts, and show that the noise electric fi elds generated by the lamps result in a signi fi cant level of the received noise voltage.


On the model, in the five cases of missing central incisors or lateral incisors, I picked some teeth in various combinations as abutment teeth, analyzed movement of the loaded bridges, compared each capacity to load and got the following conclusion:1. The load-capacity index that was in proportion to the capacity of bridges to load was gotten.2. The relation between load-capacity index and suitability of bridges was examined from the three-dimensional movement of bridges and got the following criteria:1) load-capacity inde≥20: suitable for bridge2) load-capacity index 13∼19: border areasuitable for the bridge that abutment teeth at the both sides of missing teeth have balancedresistancenot suitable for the bridge that abutment teeth at the both sides of missing teeth have unbalanced resistance3) load-capacity index≤12: not suitable for bridge3. Considering the load-capacity index and the three-dimensional movement of bridges, suitable designs of bridges are following:(1) |1 (2), (3)(2) 1|1 (2)(3), (1) |12 (3), (3)(2) 1|12 (3)(4), (3) 1|12 (3)(4)


A brief review of studies on the seasonal growth of fish is presented, followed by an equally brief review of length-converted catch curves. A new method for constructing catch curves from representative length-frequency data is presented. This new method explicitly accounts for seasonal growth and thus eliminates the bias in Z caused by such growth. Some practical and theoretical implications of the new method are discussed.


The importance of engineering in nation development cannot be overemphasized. This is because the prosperity and economic well being of any country have direct links with the technological know-how of that country. Adequate and in-depth knowledge of basic engineering courses are required to become a successful engineer. This study was carried out to compare the performance of those engineering students who entered through the University Matriculation Examination (UME) and those who gained admission through pre-degree science programme (PDS) in selected basic engineering courses at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso. Secondary data in the form of the results or scores for the past five years were collected from the examination officer of the Department, through the permission of the Head of the Department. Essentially, cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of the students was used. Data were analyzed using means and standard deviations at 95% confidence level. Data were further subjected to ANOVA-tests. The trends of performance of students based on courses and years of study were also investigated.


The optimal distance between transmitting and receiving antennas in the array for detecting antipersonnel mines buried at shallow depth has been determined. The scanning method with small step has been proposed


We developed a far-infrared spectroscopic ellipsometer for measuring the complex permittivity of high-permittivity materials in the terahertz (THz) region and demonstrated the dielectric function of SrTiO3 single crystal at 0.75–21 THz. The responses of the Slater, Last, and O6 displacive modes, which are all optical phonon modes of SrTiO3 at room temperature, were clearly observed. The complex permittivity measured by the ellipsometer agreed with the permittivity simulated by a damped harmonic oscillator model. The far-infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry is useful to analyze the phonon modes of high-permittivity materials, which enable us to understand the contribution of the ionic polarizations to the low-frequency permittivity.


This paper issues the importance of improving administrative staffs′ abilities in colleges,and analyzes and evaluates the current situation of administrative staffs′ abilities of expressing in colleges through discussing.On the basis of it,the paper puts forward the aim,thread and strategies.


Reconfiguration and smart control of remote-controlled sectionalising switches in distribution networks are considered as the major solutions for loss mitigation, interruption time reduction and reliability improvement after events. That is because these automation tools bring about changes in the topology of the network, isolate the faulted regions, operate distributed generators for local load satisfaction and restore the un-faulted regions as rapidly as possible. Thus, a new solution methodology for solving the simultaneous optimal wind turbines (WTs)/switches placement as well as network reconfiguration is developed to enhance the distribution network's efficiency and reliability. Power losses, voltage deviation index, switch cost and reliability cost based on expected customer interruption cost are considered as the objective functions. The approach profits from a new multi-objective algorithm based on modified artificial bee colony for providing the best compromise solution. The presented framework is shown to provide superior results when applied to the IEEE 69-node test feeder. Finally, different scenarios based on feeder reconfiguration, switch placement and WT placement problems are constructed and presented in Section 5.


Vehicle arranged with a passenger compartment (12), a vehicle roof (14) which closes off the passenger cell (12) in its closed position with a behind the passenger compartment (12), open at the top loading surface (20), and with a device for moving the vehicle roof (14) from its substantially horizontal closed position into a substantially vertical open position, characterized in that the device for moving the vehicle roof (14) of a roof pivot means (24) is formed (at the rear edge (15) of the vehicle roof 14 ) is fastened, whose lower end is hinged approximately in the middle between the upper edge of the vehicle roof (14) and the loading surface (20) pivotally mounted on the passenger compartment (12) and by means of which the vehicle roof (14), (exclusively by means of a continuous pivoting movement D) is movable from the closed position to the open position.


Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease that culminates in right heart failure and death. Prostacyclin (PGI2) and its derivatives are effective treatments for PAH when administered as continuous parenteral infusions. This treatment paradigm requires medical sophistication, and patients are at risk for complications from an indewelling catheter; drug interruptions may result in rebound pulmonary hypertension and death. We hypothesized that the salivary gland can be repurposed into an endogenous production site for circulating PGI2 through the expression of a fusion protein embodying cyclooxygenase-1 (Cox1) and prostacyclin synthase (PGIS) domains. We utilized ultrasound-assisted gene transfer, a nonviral gene transfer strategy that achieves robust gene transfer to the salivary gland. We initially found that Cox1-PGIS expression in livers of mice using an adenoviral vector dramatically increased circulating PGI2 relative to untreated rats or rats treated with PGIS alone. We then utili...


Theatre has been, throughout the centuries, an exceptionally good tool in liberation and emancipation processes, both on individual and collective levels, apart from being a place to claim one's speech and develop strategies of revelation and recognition (of oneself, of the other), a site where many groups can assume their role as social actors. The work of thinkers such as Antonio Gramsci, Paulo Freire and Augusto Boal, in the fields of politics, culture, education and theatre, show us that the dynamics of resistance and liberation have a lot in common and ask for an interdisciplinary approach according to the complex and global nature of the many problems that are affecting the development of a society where freedom, justice, equality and solidarity could be cardinal values.


The problem and the solution .The prevalence of formalized succession planning practices in organizations appears to be increasing, largely due to changing demographic and related trends. However, many organization leaders report low levels of confidence in their succession planning systems and processes. Best succession and talent management practices can help organizations achieve significant benefits, including improved financial performance. A practical, five-step approach to succession planning is proposed that incorporates both best practices and an innovative application of role theory. The approach should help organizations look to and prepare for the future more effectively, including better specifying the future requirements they will have for their leaders. Implications for human resource development (HRD) professionals and recommendations for further research are discussed.


Penny Harrison, Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing at De Montfort University, Leicester, looks at how to understand the cause of negative incidents in care


The Quine-McCluskey method is an algorithm to minimize Boolean functions. Although the method can be programmed on computers, it takes a long time to return the set of prime implicants, thus slowing the analysis and design of digital logic circuits. As a result, it slows down the dynamic reconfiguration process of programmable logic devices. In this paper, we first propose a data representation for storing implicants in memory to reduce the cache misses of the program. We then propose an algorithm to find all prime implicants of a Boolean function. The algorithm aims to reuse the data available on cache, thus decreasing cache misses. After that, we propose an algorithm for step 2 of the Quine-McCluskey method to select the minimal number of essential prime implicants. The evaluation shows that our proposals achieve much higher performance than the original Quine-McCluskey method. The number of essential prime implicants is a low percentage, less than 50%, of the total prime implicants generated in step 1 of the method.


The Haemodynamic, thermoregulation and metabolism is regulated by the thyroid which is inturn regulated by the pituitary and the hypothalamus. Thyroid hormones perform a wide array of metabolic functions including regulation of lipid, carbohydrate, protein and electrolyte and mineral metabolisms. While the effect of thyroid hormones on lipid metabolism is well known, the effect on electrolytes and minerals has not been well established and also the underlying mechanisms not well understood. Therefore the present study was undertaken to assess the levels of serum electrolytes in patients with thyroid disorders.


Up to the latter part of the twentieth century, material culture studies, centered on the artefact per se, remained primarily descriptive. Artefacts collected by explorers, colonial personnel, geologists, or missionaries were stored in museums. Curators or scholars studied them, often with little information on their ethnic origins or their function and meaning among the people who produced them, thus providing little insight into those peoples' social lives. The concept of material culture n...


This investigation refers to the lifting of geological-structural and gravity data from the southern
part of the eastern border of the sedimentary basin of Loja. The processing and analysis of the
data obtained allowed the interpretation of the disposition and structure of the subsurface
sediment phase on metamorphic basement.
In the study area a total of 125 stations measuring relative gravity were arranged in profiles with
West-East orientation. Spaced approximately 250 m between stations, and 1000 m between
profiles. Data processing yielded values of Bouguer anomaly in the area. This is shown on a
contour map for this variable.
Gravimetric models were generated from the residual anomalies, calculated based on data
Bouguer anomaly, and then correlated with structural data area geological mapping. As a result,
the inferred geological sections for each profile show the geometry of sedimentary fill and
structures of each geological formation


The Block LT2000 was one of the important blocks for SINOPEC overseas oil exploration in South Gabon Subbasin.The block was located in the superimposed area between the early continental margin rift basin and the late passive continental margin basin and had complicated structural conditions which resulted in two petroliferous systems of the subsalt and the above-salt.The hydrocarbon accumulation rules were still unclear.By using the methods of plate tectonic theory,basin analysis and structural analysis,it is clarified that the subsalt petroliferous system is the principle exploration strata in the block and it is divided into two structural layers with different structural characteristics.For the assessment of the subsalt structural configuration and trap development degree,north part of the block is the most favorable area for hydrocarbon accumulation and should be the major petroleum exploration direction.


Objective: To study the solubilization effect of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin on cinnarizine at various pH value. Methods: Phase-solubility method was adopted to study the solubilization effect at 37℃ and UV spectrohotometer was used to determine cinnarizine. Results: The apparent solubility of cinnarizine was significantly enhanced by increased HPCD concentration and decreased pH value and the apparent solubility constant was calculated. Conclusion: HPCD is an ideal solubilizer for cinnarizine.


The present study reports colibacillosis of layer chickens in a commercial egg-producing farm in middle part of Korean peninsular. Two flocks of chicken at 18-20 weeks of age were affected during the initiation of egg lay. They were characterized by no clinical signs, but sudden mortality, from 5%~7%, with severe lesions of speticaemia and fibrinous polyserositis. A Gram-negative bacterium was consistently isolated in pure culture from tissues. Isolates were typed biochemically as E. coli. The serotyping tests typed isolates as somatic group O1(7/10), O46(1/10), O78(1/10), O84(1/10). Interestingly, All the isolates were sensitive to enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, neomycin, cefepime, cefoxitin, ceftiofur. The isolates harbored the putative virulence genes, fimC, iucD and Iss. The results suggested that certain E. coli virulence genes, host factors and stress, such as initiation of egg lay may be associated with occurrence of colibacillosis.


This paper presents a zero-overhead dynamic optically reconfigurable gate array (DORGA) that uses the load capacitance of gates to construct a gate array to maintain its state during optical reconfiguration, and uses junction capacitance of photodiodes as configuration memory. It improves a reconfiguration overhead problem of the previously proposed DORGA. The reconfiguration procedure is executable without the overhead of optical reconfiguration by reducing the dispersion delay between optical reconfiguration circuits. This paper presents the design of 1,632 gate count zero-overhead DORGAs reduced the dispersion delay using a standard 0.35 /spl mu/m three-metal CMOS process technology.


Introduction One could say that in the past quarter-century the legal academy has been queered. In the more than twenty-fi ve years I've been teaching in law schools, the number of LGBTQ law professors has increased dramatically, especially with regard to "out" lesbian and gay law professors. Similarly, the number of LGBTQ law students and LGBTQ courses, and the breadth of LGBTQ course content, has multiplied, certainly since my years as a law student in the late 1970s. Many law schools now tout themselves as "LGBT-friendly" in their communications with prospective students. The indicia of friendliness include LGBTQ-identifi ed faculty, a student group, a course, and testimonies by alums and students. Yet while law school may be more friendly, I'm not convinced that the legal academy has been queered, at least suffi ciently so. While there are more LGBT law professors, we do not necessarily devote scholarly attention to developing what a queer pedagogy might be. One of the few substantive forays into the subject is a pair of articles by Canadian law professors Kim Brooks and Debra Parkes, published in 2003 and 2004.1 As new law teachers, Brooks and Parkes draw on other outsider pedagogies to develop sets of principles to guide their quest for a queer law school pedagogy.2 In a less hopeful article published


For many years commentators have requested more active regulation of attorney ethics in international arbitration. Gradual deterioration of ethical standards in international arbitration will bring disrepute and, once its reputation is lost, it could take decades to rebuild confidence. The first reason for increasing unethical behavior is that there is no ethical code generally applied to all lawyers participating in international arbitration. A second reason might be that nobody is actively regulating attorneys in international arbitration. The first step to solve this problem is that major arbitration institutions should cooperate to enact a uniform code of conduct to be generally applied to all attorneys representing parties in international arbitration. Recently, IBA and LCIA prepared guidelines on party representation in international arbitration, and the guidelines will help attorneys follow uniform standardsof ethics. However, this will not be sufficient. There should be a regulating body to monitor attorney ethics and take sanctions against unethical attorneys accordingly. Arbitrators, who can see unethical behavior by attorneys from the closest distance, are the most appropriate regulating force rather than courts of arbitration seat or an attorney"s licensing country. Of course, arbitrators don"t have powers to withdraw or suspend an attorney's license, but they have powers to control attorneys'behavior within arbitration proceedings such as an allocation of fees and costs, barring the assertion of claims or defenses, drawing adverse inferences, or precluding the submission of evidence or testimony. Furthermore, arbitrators should be provided with such obligation as active control of attorney ethics. Even arbitration institutions should participate by imposing on an attorney who is a repeat offender a suspension from appearing in future arbitrations. Unethical behavior will decrease through concerted actions among arbitrational institutions to introduce a uniform code of conduct and to empower arbitrators for more efficient regulation of attorney ethics.


Cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz) and cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) were processed into flours and used to substitute wheat flour for preparation of cookies. The chemical, including proximate composition and anti-nutritional factors, and functional and pasting properties of the blends were determined. Cookies were produced from the blends with 100% wheat flour as a control. The anti-nutritional factors, physical properties and organoleptic attributes of the cookies were evaluated. An increase in the level of cassava flour substitution resulted in a decrease in the protein content of the composite flour. However, addition of cowpea flour resulted in an increase in the protein content. There were significant (p 0.05) different from the control in overall acceptability. This indicates the feasibility of producing nutritious cookies with desirable organoleptic qualities from cassava, wheat and cowpea composite flour.


Questions and Answers Important Facts about Special Events Great Expectations What to Expect as a Special Event Coordinator The 12 Phases of a Special Event A Budget Brainstorming Session for Cost Management The Proof Is in the Planning A Dozen Brainstorming Modules for Success Coordinating Community Service and Volunteer Projects D-Day What to Do during the Event Wrapping Up with a Flair Reward Thyself - Author's Epilogue


When dealing with the quality of digital, block-based compressed and encoded video data, the objective measurement of the blocking artifacts plays an important role since "blockiness" in video sequences is deemed to be one of the most annoying sources of distortion. Objectively measuring the video quality enables the dynamic monitoring and the parameter adjustment in a variety of image and video processing applications. In this paper, we propose a No-Reference (NR) metric to measure the blocking distortions by using the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) method. The metric measures the SVD values along the block boundaries in both the horizontal and vertical directions. It also incorporates the pixels that are near the boundaries. The difference of the SVD values gives a prediction of the blocking artifacts. The proposed metric is simple and provides computational savings. Our results show that our metric has a strong correlation with the subjective quality scores.


"W HAT constitute legitimate grounds for comparison? In the V manifold answers to this perennial question we can trace both the history of academic literary studies during the past century and the rich tensions among contemporary speculative schools. Comparisons are usually made with reference to tropes or topics: the first a rhetorical and formal, the second a thematic and ideological, way of establishing connections among writers. One sure ground for finding stylistic or substantive relationships is genetic: philology, as the basis of an organic, diachronic historicism, and Quellenforschungen of the old-fashioned "sources and analogues" sort started it all. Recent rhetorical analyses which trace tropes and echoes metaleptically through a single literature or across national and linguistic borders continue the historicist model, as does the eccentric revisionism of Harold Bloom, energetically discovering or imposing configurations among contemporary American poetry, English Romanticism, psychoanalytic theory, and Jewish mysticism.' The other habitual basis for comparison, less stylistic than thematic, and synchronic rather than diachronic, isolates periods, enlarges ideas that may have been mere motes in the eye of the Zeitgeist into isms and schools and movements, and produces those topical handles and convenient labels (e.g., "the city in Baudelaire, Dickens, and Dostoyevsky," "the Romantic Hero," "post-modernism") so necessary to literary pedagogy. But grounds keep shifting, and today's canon may become tomor-