This is the first series of papers critiquing the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and proposing an alternative modeling language based on a branch of mathematics called category theory (CT). We argue that modeling in CT provides a richer and more precise formal structure than UML, while still supporting many of the intuitive and diagrammatic features which engineers appreciate. Deep ties connect CT to formal logic, physics, and computer science, helping to connect our high-level models to simulation and implementation. In this paper, we focus on modeling UML's structural component, as exemplified by the class diagram using CT models. To do this, first, we introduce CT and walk through the constructs of the class diagram one by one. Later, we show how UML class models are implemented through standard CT constructions. As we do, we show that some UML constructs are redundant while others smuggle in assumptions that should be made explicit. Thus, we argue that the use of CT in information modeling could make our models less ambiguous, more precise, and more formal.


The innovation and entrepreneurship education play an important role in higher education system worldwide. However, cognition differences in innovation and entrepreneurship of undergraduates (such as grade, gender) are not well explored. In this study, taking undergraduates engaged in environmental science and engineering education from universities in western China (Gansu and Shaanxi provinces) as an example, the questionnaire survey method was used to study the impact of undergraduates with different grades and genders on cognition of innovation and entrepreneurship. Results showed that with the increase of grades, undergraduates' cognition of the innovation and entrepreneurship was improved, reflecting the improvement of interesting, the degree of support and ability for the innovation and entrepreneurship with the increasing of age. The abilities of independent innovation between male and female undergraduates were significant difference, with the former being lower the latter. This research can provide decision-making basis for the reform of the innovation and entrepreneurship education system in China's universities and colleges.


Rheumatic mitral valve stenosis is the most common form of organic heart disease
encountered during pregnancy and continues to cause maternal and fetal mortality. Medically refractory congestive heart failure due to mitral stenosis is a clinical challenge and its optimal management remains controversial. On the other hand due to hazard of x-ray to mother and fetus, there are some limitations for perceutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy (PBMV) with fluoroscopy. Therefore, we performed PBMV with the guide of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with Inoue method in 18 pregnant women with NYHA class 3 or 4 due to mitral stenosis during pregnancy. The average procedure time was 29.9 (20-40) min and the average fluoroscopy time was 51.7 (28-101) seconds. The average NYHA class decreased from 3.11 to 1.33. There was no maternal or fetal complication or mortality and no premature delivery occurred. Overall risk to fetus was lower than previous reports of surgical commisurotomy performed during pregnancy. PBMV can be performed safely during pregnancy with the guide of TEE and is effective in reliving symptoms of severe congestive heart
failure. It offers an effective alternative for the pregnant patients with severe mitral stenosis when congestive heart failure is not controlled by conventional medical treatment.


Universities in Malaysia have put forth a lot of effort in developing young entrepreneurs, especially in nurturing entrepreneurial competency among the students. However, how far the presence of entrepreneurial education offered by universities has influenced the students' entrepreneurial competency is still unknown. Thus, this research was conducted to fill up the gap. In this study, entrepreneurial education comprised of entrepreneurial training programs (TP), entrepreneurial curriculum courses (CC) and entrepreneurial co-curriculum activities (CA). Meanwhile, entrepreneurial competency (EC) was collectively measured through entrepreneurial knowledge, entrepreneurial skills and entrepreneurial attitudes. In order to obtain the required data, a total of 240 university students were selected from a public university in Malaysia. They were then surveyed through self-administered questionnaires. From the descriptive and inferential statistical analyses performed, this study found that: (i) students' entrepreneurial competency level was moderately high, which indicated that majority of the students had good entrepreneurial competency level and; International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences Vol. 8 , No. 9, Sept. 2018, E-ISSN: 2222-6990 © 2018 HRMARS 561 (ii) entrepreneurial training programs and entrepreneurial co-curriculum activities were two important factors that influenced students' entrepreneurial competency. Therefore, this study proposed that universities should encourage students to get involve with entrepreneurship through formal and informal education which focus on hands-on practices and "learning-by-doing". In addition, the collaboration between students and the local community is also important to develop competitive young entrepreneurs.


We report a high-resolution electron-energy-loss spectroscopy study of the coverage dependence of the Cs-Ru stretch vibration at 300 K. Surprisingly, the frequency of Cs-Ru stretch vibration shifts upward by about 30% with Cs coverage for $0l~{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{Cs}}l~0.19$. Only a quarter of this shift can be explained through lateral dipole-dipole interaction. We discuss two further mechanisms that may cause the other part of the shift. A slight decrease of the stretch frequency for ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{Cs}}g0.19$ is associated with the metallization of the alkali-metal layer including a structural change.


This chapter turns lessons from individual studies and systematic and qualitative reviews of the literature into a coherent multiple streams approach (MSA) narrative. It applies the MSA narrative to the politics of evidence-based policymaking in order to show how to make the MSA story as memorable, widely understood, and correctly applied as possible. It also describes policy entrepreneurs as the heroes of the MSA story. The chapter mentions policymakers that ignore most policy problems and outlines strategies that effective policy entrepreneurs combine to adapt limitations in their complex and unpredictable environment. It also details how the MSA story begins as an antidote to rational policymaking during a policy cycle.


The invention discloses a kind of injection mechanized production system and intelligent production methods, the production system includes cloud server, central control system, automatic loading and unloading system, injection-moulding device, manipulator, transmission system and packaging facilities, automatic loading and unloading system, injection-moulding device, manipulator, transmission system, it is connected between packaging facilities and central control system by fieldbus, central control system is used to receive automatic loading and unloading system, sensing data that injection-moulding device and manipulator are fed back simultaneously is sent to cloud server and optimizes scheduling controlling to corresponding equipment, cloud server is used to form corresponding data file after extracting analysis to the sensing data that central control system is sent, and it is sent to central control system after generating the optimal control decision-making of relevant device.The present invention can carry out intelligent injection production, greatly reduce artificial participation, improve production efficiency, can be widely applied in injection automated production industry.


Target tracking is one of the most important applications of wireless sensor networks. Optimized computation and energy dissipation are critical requirements to maximize the lifetime of the sensor network. There exists a demand for self-organizing and routing capabilities in the sensor network. Existing methods attempting to achieve these requirements, such as the LEACH-based algorithms, however, suffer either redundancy in data and sensor node deployment, or complex computation incurred in the sensor nodes. Those drawbacks result in energy use inefficiency and/or complex computation overhead. OCO, or Optimized Communication and Organization, is an algorithm that ensures maximum accuracy of target tracking, efficient energy dissipation, and low computation overhead on the sensor nodes. Simulation evaluations of OCO are compared with other two methods under various scenarios.


(...) Both the amino acids were negatively associated with each other indicating different pathway of synthesis for tryptophan and methionine. It is suggested that cross between (LU 217×Pant U 26)×(T 9×LU 79) needs to be studied more extensively for improving protein content and its quality. The presence of dominance and epistasis effects indicated that the segregating populations may be derived from multiple crosses followed by further intermatings among desirable segregants


The effects of the magnesium compound and yttria additives on the processing, microstructure, and thermal conductivity of sintered reaction-bonded silicon (Si) nitride (SRBSN) were investigated using two additive compositions of Y2O3–MgO and Y2O3–MgSiN2, and a high-purity coarse Si powder as the starting powder. The replacement of MgO by MgSiN2 leads to the different characteristics in RBSN after complete nitridation at 1400°C for 8 h, such as a higher β-Si3N4 content but finer β-Si3N4 grains with a rod-like shape, different crystalline secondary phases, lower nitrided density, and coarser porous structure. The densification, α→β phase transformation, crystalline secondary phase, and microstructure during the post-sintering were investigated in detail. For both cases, the similar microstructure observed suggests that the β-Si3N4 nuclei in RBSN may play a dominant role in the microstructural evolution of SRBSN rather than the intergranular glassy chemistry during post-sintering. It is found that the SRBSN materials exhibit an increase in the thermal conductivity from ∼110 to ∼133 (Wm·K)−1 for both cases with the increased time from 6 to 24 h at 1900°C, but there is almost no difference in the thermal conductivity between them, which can be explained by the similar microstructure. The present investigation reveals that as second additives, the MgO is as effective as the MgSiN2 for enhancing the thermal conductivity of SRBSN.


Does the consumer price index have an upward bias? The author believes that, while substitution and formula biases exist, to gether they might amount to 0.3 to 0.5per centage points. Other alleged causes of bias are not considered significant. The budget negotiators already have incorporated substi tution and formula adjustments in their baseline assumptions. To go beyond this is an attempt to camouflage an increase in taxes and a cut in Social Security, which could be regressive and call for excessive sacrifice by the elderly.


The invention discloses enrofloxacin injection which comprises the followings in weight percentage: 10-20% of enrofloxacin, 10-20% of polyethylene glycol 400, 10-20% of meglumine and 20% of sodium hydroxide. The enrofloxacin injection is prepared through the following steps: measuring a proper amount of water for injection, heating the water to 80 DEG C, adding meglumine according to the formulated amount, stirring for dissolution, adding polyethylene glycol 400, stirring for dissolution, adding enrofloxacin, stirring for dissolution, dropwise adding a proper amount of 20% sodium hydroxide solution till clarification, uniformly stirring, adjusting pH to 9.5-10.5, performing rough filtration and refined filtration, filling nitrogen for encapsulation, performing hot-pressing sterilization for 20 minutes at 121 DEG C, performing light inspection, and packaging. According to the invention, high-content enrofloxacin injection for veterinarian clinic is provided, small in irritation and excellent in stability, and has a long-acting function.


We detail the testbeds which can be found in the photonics and ARCoating test cases in Nevergrad. These testbeds, beyond their practical importance, are especially modular-and like all problems in photonics, possess a very high number of local minima. They constitute simple but crucial design challenges: designing a multilayered structure which can reflect light at a given frequency, reflect light on a whole range of frequencies or cancel the reflectivity ; designing a complex structure able to diffract the blue part of the spectrum and to cancel the reflectivity at any other wavelength.


Objective:To research the therapeutic and side effects of quetiapine in the treatment of schizophrenic patients. Methods:Thirty schizophrenic patients were treated with chlorpromazine as the controlled group.The efficacy was measured with the positive and negative symptoms scale(PANSS),while the adverse events were determined by the treatment emergent symptoms scale(TESS).Results: The efficacy rate of chlorpromazine was 80.0%,in which 50.0% were improved markedly.The efficacy rate of quetiapine was 90.0%,in which 76.7% were improved markedly.Conclusions: It is suggested that both drugs are effective exactly in the treatment of schizophrenic patients.Quetiapine appears to be more effective in improving psychiatric symptoms.


THE THEORY OF FICTION, to give it its common if somewvhat inflated designation, has developed into one of the major industries of English and American criticism of the last decade. After a long period during which Percy Lubbock's The Craft of Fiction (1921) more or less dominated theoretical or quasi-theoretical discussions of the novel, and most other studies consisted either of disjunctive essays in individual explication (as in the work of R. P. Blackmur or Dorothy Van Ghent), or historical panoramas of varying proportions of fact and evaluation (as with Arnold Kettle or Walter Alien), the mid-1950's saw a resurgence of interest in the deep-structure properties of the fictive act itself which continues to produce a variety of systems and "approaches" whose excitement is not diminished by their frequent partiality. Such books as Northrop Fryes' Anatomy of Criticism (1957), Wayne Booth's The Rhetoric of Fiction (1961), W. J. Harvey's Character and the Novel (1965), and Robert Scholes' and Robert Kellogg's The Nature of Narrative (1966) represent important contributions to a new


Sometimes one comes across an important book from which one learns about many matters while disagreeing with its main theses. One such work is Eric Blanc's Revolutionary Social Democracy. Working Class Politics Across the Russian Empire (1882-1917), a book that is likely to become the focus of important debate on the left. This is a truly ambitious and encyclopedic history of what the author calls "revolutionary social democracy," meaning the political trajectory of the various social democratic parties in central and eastern Europe that followed the politics of "orthodox Marxism" particularly identified with the early Karl Kautsky—a major Marxist theoretician of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) at the turn of the 20 century, and editor of its journal Die Neue Zeit. Kautsky is best known for having been a leading opponent of the openly reformist "revisionism" proposed by his younger contemporary Edward Bernstein.


As a new type of functional food,germinated brown rice improves the added value of rice,and makes rice products market richer.In this article,advance on active ingredients,processing technologies and product development of germinated brown rice were reviewed and problems as follows still needed to investigate were proposed:(1) To broaden the sources of raw materials,and study intrinsic mechanism of GABA content in brown rice varied with varieties to breed germination rice materials with high content of GABA;to optimize germination process to concentrate GABA and study changes of GABA for subsequent processing and storage;and do research on GABA changes in early Indica paddies with low germination ratio to expand usage of reserve paddies and reduce the cost of raw materials.(2) To study conversion and enrichment of phytic acid in germinating brown rice under the action of endogenous enzyme.(3) To develop and optimize efficiency of key processing technology of germinated brown rice and reduce production costs.(4) To develop new technologies to control microbiological contamination of germinated brown rice and ensure product safety.


Few-shot fine-grained image classification has attracted considerable attention in recent years for its realistic setting to imitate how humans conduct recognition tasks. Metricbased few-shot classifiers have achieved high accuracies. However, their metric function usually requires two arguments of vectors, while transforming or reshaping three-dimensional feature maps to vectors can result in loss of spatial information. Image reconstruction is thus involved to retain more appearance details: the test images are reconstructed by different classes and then classified to the one with the smallest reconstruction error. However, discriminative local information, vital to distinguish sub-categories in fine-grained images with high similarities, is not well elaborated when only the base features from a usual embedding module are adopted for reconstruction. Hence, we propose the novel local content-enriched cross-reconstruction network (LCCRN) for few-shot fine-grained classification. In LCCRN, we design two new modules: the local content-enriched module (LCEM) to learn the discriminative local features, and the crossreconstruction module (CRM) to fully engage the local features with the appearance details obtained from a separate embedding module. The classification score is calculated based on the weighted sum of reconstruction errors of the cross-reconstruction tasks, with weights learnt from the training process. Extensive experiments on four fine-grained datasets showcase the superior classification performance of LCCRN compared with the stateof-the-art few-shot classification methods. Codes are available at: https://github.com/lutsong/LCCRN.


The article is devoted to the study of strategic objectives of reforming the electricity market. Electricity is the basic sector of a national economy, the effective functioning of which is a necessary condition for stabilization and structural transformation of the economy and meeting the needs of the population. The efficient functioning of the electricity market is also a component of the state's energy security. The energy industry of Ukraine is an economic guarantee of state sovereignty, an element of good governance, a reliable basis for the sustainable development of a competitive economy and an integral part of the European energy space. non-discriminatory access to the power grid; timely development of the power grid economy in accordance with the needs of the economy; absence of restrictions on electricity transmission.The article analyzes the possibility of applying the experience of foreign countries in regulating the electricity market in order to increase the efficiency of the electricity industry and the competitiveness of Ukraine in the European market. Comparative characterization of foreign and Ukrainian experience of state regulation of the electricity market is a necessary step towards improving the electricity market. Exchange of experience, conclusion of bilateral and multilateral agreements and other major reforms will help bring the national model of regulation in this area to the next level in order to meet the international and European standards. A detailed analysis of the electricity market and the experience of foreign countries was made, some gaps in regulation and legislation were identified, and therefore the need to improve the legislative regulation of the electricity market was revealed. building market relations and establishing healthy competition.


The Dow Chemical Company is a global leader in the field of science and technology. Debbie Besseling recently had the opportunity to speak to Sazi Lutseke, managing director: Dow Southern Africa, about its business operations.


Results of testing of composite beams in which concrete slab and steel beam act as integral unit; function of shear connection between slab and steel beam is to resist horizontal shear between slab and beam and to prevent uplift of slab from beam; results show that simplicity and ease of installation make round stud connecting superior to other connecting devices.


The steady development of regions depends on features of development of an industrial complex. The conditions and factors influencing on development of an industrial complex of region in the conditions of globalization are studied. Typical problems of development of industrial complex of region in modern conditions on example of Tambov region are analyzed. On the basis of the analysis the reserves of sustainable development of region are defined.


The interstellar medium (ISM) is governed by supersonic turbulence on a range of scales. We use this simple fact to develop a rigorous excursion-set model for the formation, structure and time evolution of dense gas structures [e.g. giant molecular clouds (GMCs), massive clumps and cores]. Supersonic turbulence drives the density distribution in non-self-gravitating regions to a lognormal with dispersion increasing with Mach number. We generalize this to include scales ≳h (the disc scale-height), and use it to construct the statistical properties of the density field smoothed on a scale R. We then compare conditions for self-gravitating collapse including thermal, turbulent and rotational (disc shear) support (reducing to the Jeans/Toomre criterion on small/large scales). We show that this becomes a well-defined barrier crossing problem. As such, an exact 'bound object mass function' can be derived, from scales of the sonic length to well above the disc Jeans mass. This agrees remarkably well with observed GMC mass functions in the Milky Way and other galaxies, with the only inputs being the total mass and size of the galaxies (to normalize the model). This explains the cut-off of the mass function and its power-law slope (close to, but slightly shallower than, −2). The model also predicts the linewidth–size and size–mass relations of clouds and the dependence of residuals from these relations on mean surface density/pressure, in excellent agreement with observations. We use this to predict the spatial correlation function/clustering of clouds and, by extension, star clusters; these also agree well with observations. We predict the size/mass function of 'bubbles' or 'holes' in the ISM, and show that this can account for the observed H i hole distribution without requiring any local feedback/heating sources. We generalize the model to construct time-dependent 'merger/fragmentation trees' which can be used to follow cloud evolution and construct semi-analytic models for the ISM, GMCs and star-forming populations. We provide explicit recipes to construct these trees. We use a simple example to show that if clouds are not destroyed in ∼1–5 crossing times, then all the ISM mass would be trapped in collapsing objects even if the large-scale turbulent cascade were maintained.


A novel concrete curing agent with high performance has been developed through the introduction of monomers containing fluorine and silicon atoms into the polymer structure during the emulsion polymerization.The curing agent not only has high ability to reduce water evaporation and good mechanic stability,it could also improve the status of the concrete surface and decrease the phenomenon of desiccation,shrinkage and cracking.


it has also been studied by Japanesc in other disciplines. However, for this review we have selected only academic papers or books in the area of cultural anthropology) mainly based upon fieldwork, and even here we have been unable to cover everything because ofspace and other limitations. Ybshida's review deals with studies ofBalinese ritual and cosmolog}c Nakamura cencentrates upon studies ofBalinese social organization, and Kagami deals with studies ofconremporary issues in recent Japanese an-


Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage). Journal of Experimental Neuroscience Volume 13: 1 © The Author(s) 2019 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/1 79069519829632


Abstract This article argues that the citizens of Hegel's state cannot maintain themselves as politically free because they are susceptible to mutual enslavement. I demonstrate this by focusing on the Roman republican background of Hegel's constitution, the potential trajectory of its dissolution and the accompanying means of its cyclical fortification through courage. Hegel, by integrating aspects of the Roman mixed constitution also adopts the idea of decadence within his conception of civil society. After locating the source of decadence in the contractual relations of peace and the bourgeois inability to overcome the fear of death, I go on to argue that war for Hegel provides a theatre where freedom may be regenerated through courage. However, I also show that modern wars do not provide sufficient means of perpetuating Hegel's constitution. To demonstrate this, I distinguish three forms of war: colonial, limited and total war, arguing that only the latter offers a solution to decay of political disposition and loss of freedom, but that—by being itself susceptible to decadence—it cannot salvage Hegel's state from dissolution and reduction to contractual relations.


This paper, as a first attempt, examines to design the recursive least-squares (RLS) finite impulse response (FIR) smoother, which estimates the signal at each start time of the finite-time interval in linear continuous-time stochastic systems. It is assumed that the signal is observed with additive white noise and is uncorrelated with the observation noise. It is a characteristic that the FIR smoother uses the covariance information of the signal process in the form of the semi-degenerate kernel and the variance of the observation noise besides the observed value. This paper also presents the recursive algorithm for the estimation error variance function of the RLS-FIR smoother to show the stability condition of the smoother.


SOD activities,Malondialdehyde contents,soluble protein contents and chlorophyll contents were measured before and after high temperature treatment with six Chinese cabbage parents of hybrid in this experiment.The results indicated that the changes of SOD activities,chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b contents had no relations with the heat tolerance of Chinese cabbage parents of hybrid.So they could not be used as the screening index,the changes of malondialdehyde content and soluble protein content had a marked positive correlation with the heat tolerance of Chinese cabbage parents and they were excellent screening indexes.


The stability, persistence and dynamics of the peptide secondary motifs are investigated in a series of poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate)-b-polyalanine (PBLG-b-PAla) polypeptides through a combination of structural (X-rays, NMR) and dynamic (Dielectric Spectroscopy, NMR) probes. The unfavorable enthalpic interactions between the unlike blocks give rise to nanophase separation that results in the destabilization of PAla β-sheets. Contrary to this, the overall helicity of PBLG α-helices is enhanced. The dynamics of the "defected" amorphous segments and of the more ordered segments are studied by DS and 13C NMR, respectively. These probes provide information on the time scale and the mechanism of molecular and supramolecular motion.


After a series of reforms,the state-owned enterprises have made great achievement.The labor relations in the state-owned enterprises,with both the characteristics of the planning economy and that of the marketing economy,are both contradictory and unified.The process of contradiction and unification between the employees and employers is a course of game playing,during which the balance of the two sides' benefit can be found and the stability and harmony between the two sides be realized.Therefore,the theory of game playing determines that the labor relations in our country's state-owned enterprises will certainly lead to standardization,cooperation and unification.


Information seeking research has provided models of users in the search for information across many different contexts and situations. Digital content curation has emerged as a means for managing information and facilitating user learning by adding 'value' to digital content in different ways, enhancing the user experience. Using digital video and K–12 education as the context, this study examined factors representing video information seeking, user learning and use of curated video collections both individually and together as user-centred constructs. Two hundred and fifty-two K–12 teachers provided perceptions of their own information seeking processes and for different qualities of curated content and collections within the context of searching digital video for applied purposes. Results extracted underlying factors of these concepts and demonstrated significant relationships between them. Findings enabled the expansion of a model to incorporate both users' perceptions of information seeking together with user-centred constructs of learning through added value content and use of curated digital collections. Practical implications of the study help establish baselines for future studies for formulating, incorporating and emphasising added value and video curation qualities based on users' information seeking within the process.


ob tained by noting the educational placement of the child. 14 patients showed normal CT patterns. In 17 patients a volume loss of the cerebral white matter with ventricular enlargement was present, but there were no local cortical defects. From similar changes on the ventricles in CT four different patterns can be ascertained. Belonging to one of these CT patterns permits no statement about the neuro logical and mental defect in an individual case. But massive ventricular enlargements e vacuo go hand in hand with serious neurological and mental defects.


An athlete, to get the best result, brings the body to its maximum through targeted and personalized training. To do this, the athlete must be in a state of psycho-physical balance and it is possible not only thanks to proper training, but above all to a correct posture. It depends on many factors and once analysed, there are different ways to improve it. The aim of the research is to demonstrate, from the recognition of scientific literature, how posture can influence sporting performance, in particular in a fast-running race, of an elite athlete and how it can be improved. Therefore, the method adopted is that of the "Prisma" protocol, with the comparison of reviews of carefully selected scientific products. The data reported in the research describe a series of mechanisms according to which our body carries out a series of adaptations, which over time, can be fixed as postural defects and which can negatively influence performance. It is therefore necessary for the athlete to acquire a good running technique by performing a series of exercises aimed at improving the tone of the various muscle areas, joint mobility, coordination and harmonious movements, associated with a targeted postural and corrective exercise program, instead, to recover the flawed attitudes. In conclusion, it is possible to affirm how, through postural correction, and therefore of specific exercises of postural re-education and muscle tone, it is possible to achieve balance, well-being and an improvement in athletic performance.


The present article attempts to throw light on the nature and quality of discursive strategies used in Iranian discourse on the nuclear programme as represented in an influential Iranian daily, Kayhan (کیهان). Working within the general guidelines of critical discourse analysis, the general orientation of the article is towards explicating how the newspaper texts may come to be perceived within an Iranian socio-political context. The article is part of a larger research project which has looked at the discourses of Iran's nuclear programme as represented in different British and Iranian newspapers, and the ways they may devise micro-linguistic and macro-argumentative strategies to construct and de/legitimise the positions of Self and Other. The focus of this article is on findings on the broad argumentative aspects of one of the influential Iranian dailies which functions as a flagship of what can arguably be called the overarching conservative rhetoric of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Broad discursive approaches of the newspaper are distinguished in terms of a global, overarching, political macro-legitimatory approach versus a local, restricted micro-legitimatory approach towards identities of Self and Other and the nature of the political conflict over Iran's nuclear programme.


Hardness. Sp. Grav. Witherite Carbonate of baryta Rhombic 3 to 37 4 3 Bromlite ditto and lime ... Rhombic 4 to4"5 3*7 Barytocalcite ... ditto and lime ... Monoclinic 4 3-6 Pearl spar Carb. of lime & magnesia Ehombohedral.. 3-5 to 4 2'8 Pyromorphite... Phosphate of lead Hexagonal 3"5to4 6'5to7 Mimetite ) Arsenio-phosphate, with ) xr i Q.K T Kampylite j chloride of lead I ) Hexagonal 3 5 7 Linarite Cupreous sulph. of lead... Monoclinic 2'5 6*4 Galedonite ditto with carbonate ... Rhombic 2-5 to 3 64 Brochantite Hyd. sulphate of copper Rhombic 3-5 to 4 3-7 "With a view to show the vast importance of the lead mines of the northern district, it is deserving of mention here that the number of mines and the amount of lead ore and silver raised in the following counties in. 1867 was— Counties. Mines. Lead Ore. Silver. Northumberland and Durham 47 ... Tons. 22,574 Ozs. 77,678 "Westmoreland 7 2,418 25,142 Cumberland 75 5,682 31,022 Yorkshire 65 7,539 3,000 Whilst the total produce of Great Britain for 1867 was—Lead ore, 93,432 tons, of the value of £1,158,066; lead, 68,440, worth £1,337,509; silver, 805,394 ozs., worth £215,400: showing that Northumberland and Durham raise nearly one-quarter of the total produce of the entire kingdom. In conclusion the writer begs to acknowledge his obligations to Mr. T. Sopwith, F.E.S., and Mr. E. W. Bainbridge, of Middleton, for much valuable aid and information in preparing this paper, likewise to notice the general intelligence and civility of the miners, and their willingness to impart practical knowledge; and, lastly, the care which has obviously been bestowed by the large proprietors for the education and elevation of the people, and the promotion of their domestic comforts and happiness—a boon fully appreciated by them, and thus there does not appear to exist those unhappy differences between the employers and employed which in too many places are detrimental to the interests and welfare of every party.


Csaszar (3) introduced the notions of -compact and -opera- tion on a topological space. In this paper, we introduce the notions of almost -compact, ( ; )-continuous function and (; )-open function dened by -operation on a topological space and investigate some prop- erties for such notions. 1. Introduction and preliminaries Let X be a non-empty set with the power set expX. A function : expX ! expX is said to be monotonic (2) if and only if ABX implies AB . The collection of all monotonic functions is denoted by ( X) and the elements of ( X) are said to be operations. If 2 ( X), then a set AX is said to be -open (2) if AA . For AX, we denote by i A the union of all -open sets contained in A, i.e., the largest -open set contained in A. The complement of a -open set is said to be -closed. Any intersection of -closed sets is -closed, and for AX, we denote by c A the intersection of all - closed sets containing A, i.e. the smallest -closed set containing A. If is a topology on X and we write c for closure, i for interior, s = ci, p = ic, = ici, = cic, then c;i;s;p;; are all all elements of ( X) and s-open, p-open, -open, -open sets are said to be semiopen (5), preopen (6), -open (7), -open (1), respectively. Let 2 ( X) and ' 2 ( Y ). Then a function f : X ! Y is said to be (; ' )-continuous (4) if for each ' -open set V in Y , f 1 (V ) is -open in X. And f is said to be (; ' )-open (4) if for each -open set A in X, f(A) is ' -open in Y. In this paper, we introduce the notions of (; )- continuous function and (; )-open function and investigate characterizations for such functions. We also introduce the notion of almost -compact dened by -operation on a topological space.


To be able to screen and identify potential candidate agents for noninvasive imaging of diseases involving angiogenesis, a standardized in vivo angiogenesis model is needed. Angiogenesis is a common feature of many pathological conditions and has become an important target for diagnosis and treatment, with many noninvasive imaging agents emerging.


The procedures developed in cytochemistry offer special advantages for hormone assay. Maintenance of the target organ in culture (Trowell, 1959) prior to exposure to the hormone, allows it to be removed from the hormonal environment of the parent animal and to return to an apparently basal state. This has been shown to be particularly useful in the assay of trophic hormones, for it eliminates both the necessity of keeping the test animal in very strictly controlled environmental conditions prior to its use in the assay, and of preliminary hypophysectomy. Furthermore, the exhibition of the hormone to the target organ is carried out within the culture system at the end of the culture period, and this allows very precise regulation of the period of exposure to the hormone's action. Thus activity/time relationships can be studied and the period of exposure made optimal for the assay. The measurement of a chemical change in individual cells makes it possible to isolate the specific hormone-sensitive cells within the target organ, thus avoiding any diluting or masking effect produced by other cells in the tissue which are not involved in the response. The achievement of this isolation by optical means, with a microdensitometer, prevents the cells being exposed to the potentially damaging effects of separation by chemical or mechanical methods, and the normal histological relationships of the cells are preserved. These features of the cytochemical approach to hormone assay are probably important in contributing to the very great sensitivity of the assays developed so far. The approach should also prove very versatile, being theoretically applicable to the assay of any hormone for which a target cell can be identified and in which an appropriate hormonally-induced chemical reaction can be measured. The first hormone to which the technique was applied was corticotrophin (ACTH). This hormone is eminently suitable as a model system to test the feasibility of cytochemical bioassay, because it has a clearly identifiable target organ readily accessible to surgery, and a great deal is known about the chemical changes which occur in the adrenal cortex under the influence of ACTH. The guinea-pig was chosen as the assay animal because it is easy to handle, small enough


The rapid economic development in the new era puts forward new requirements for the training of advanced talents, which should promote the comprehensive and coordinated development of college students' comprehensive capabilities. Especially based on the background of the campus football era, college physical education teachers are required to innovate educational concepts, innovate teaching methods, promote students to feel the charm of football, and let more students enter the football game, love football and learn football. As a result, it helps the students' personalized learning and development, so that they have high enthusiasm for operation and a rich cultural life after school. In view of this, the author combines his own work experience, based on the background of the campus football era, to discuss the promotion measures of college sports education reform.


Desi Trisusanti (NIM:153223018), Realistic Mathematics Education Based on Bruner's Theory to Improve Critical Thinking Mathematically geometry of square At Junior High School Students Build Materials (Classroom Action Research at SMPN 2 Cimahi Grades 7B), Department of Mathematics (PMTK), 2017. Capabilities Critical thinking is very important to be possessed by learners. Critical thinking is applied to learners to learn to solve problems systematically, innovatively and designing fundamental solutions. Improvement of critical thinking skills is done through a meaningful learning process for learners. A knowledge will be meaningful for learners if the learning process is implemented in a context or learning using realistic problems. This study aims to improve the critical thinking skills of class 7B students on the material geometry of square through Realistic Mathematical Learning Model-Based Mathematical Learning. This research is a classroom action research with research objects 7B grade students of SMPN 2 Cimahi 2nd semester in the academic year 2016/2017 as many as 26 people. The study was conducted in two cycles, each cycle consisting of 4 stages of planning, action, observation and reflection. The indicator of success of this research is the percentage of critical thinking ability based on KKM more than 71.5% are in high to very high category, Percentage of critical thinking ability of individual mathematical experience from cycle 1 to cycle 2, percentage of classical learning completion at least 80% Students of realistic mathematics learning model based on Bruner's theory are in good category up to very well. Based on the analysis of research data, cycle 1 percentage critical thinking skills of learners reached 69.95% in middle category and the percentage of classical learning completeness reached 69.23%. While on the second cycle of the percentage of the critical thinking skills of students is reached 75.18% at the high category 5:23% or an increase of cycle 1. Percentage of classical learning completeness in cycle 2 reached 84.62%, an increase of 15:39% of cycle 1. Response Learners toward Learning Mathematical Model Realistic-Based Theory Bruner is on the rise and is in good category. From these results it can be concluded that the Realistic Mathematics Instructional Model-Based Theory of Bruner can improve critical thinking skills on the material flat wake mathematical learners 7B classroom SMPN 2 Cimahi.


For low-rate wireless personal area networks (LRWPANs) such as 802.15.4, there are very strict requirements on both, the power consumption and the complexity of the transceiver. Fortunately, the 802.15.4 physical layer is designed for noisy environments. In this paper, a low complexity receiver front end will be introduced with moderate loss in receiver performance, whereby exploiting the properties of the signal.


The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Think Pair Share learning model assisted by comics was more effective than without using comics for the ability to solve mathematical problems. This research is included in quasi-experimental research because it has a control group, but it cannot function fully in controlling external variables that affect the implementation of the experiment. The population of this study was all students of class VII of SMP Negeri 5 Yogyakarta in the second semester of 2018/2019 academic year. The sampling technique used is the Random Cluster technique. The results showed that the TPS-assisted comic-learning model was no more effective than the TPS-without comic-learning model in terms of mathematical problem-solving abilities


Organotransition metal complex have been extensively used as homogeneous catalysts in organic reactions and much effort has been paid to improve their activity and selectively. Cyclodextrins have been studied as a model of enzyme for selective catalysis. However, so far there are only a few reports on the inclusion compounds of organometallic complexes with cyclodextrins. Breslow et al.repored high acylation rates for β-CD using ferrocene derivatives and assumed β-CD substrate complexes as intermediate [1]..larad et al reported the preparation and propertics of cyclodextrin-ferrocen inclusion compounds as the first example of cyclodextrin inclusion compounds of organotransition metal complexes[2]. Song Le-Xin et al reported the supramolecular inclusion compound of β-cyclodextrin with cyclopentadieny-tricarbonylmanganese [3] .To our knowledge, there are no reports of inclusion compounds of β-CD with molybdenum organometallic complexes. In the present work we described the preparation and properties of the supramolecular of CpMo(CO)3Cl with β-CD in details. ……


The in situ time-of-flight neutron-diffraction measurements captured well the martensitic transformation behavior of the Ni-Mn-Ga ferromagnetic shape-memory alloys under uniaxial stress fields. We found that a small uniaxial stress applied during phase transformation dramatically disturbed the distribution of variants in the product phase. The observed changes in the distributions of variants may be explained by considering the role of the minimum distortion energy of the Bain transformation in the effective partition among the variants belonging to the same orientation of parent phase. It was also found that transformation kinetics under various stress fields follows the scale law. The present investigations provide the fundamental approach for scaling the evolution of microstructures in martensitic transitions, which is of general interest to the condensed matter community.


Proceedings of an annual Precise Time and Time Interval (PTTI) Applications and Planning Meeting are summarized. A transparent view of the state-of-the-art, an opportunity to express needs, a view of important future trends, and a review of relevant past accomplishments were considered for PTTI managers, systems engineers, and program planner. Specific aims were: to provide PTTI users with new and useful applications, procedures, and techniques; to allow the PTTI researcher to better assess fruitful directions for research efforts.


The elastic wave equation describes the evolution of a continuous body within the framework of classical linearized elasticity. We solve the Cauchy problem for this linear second-order system of partial differential equations via the variational approach. First we motivate the mathematical model and show how the elastic wave equation arises from the general equation of motion in continuum mechanics. Next we discuss the variational solution method which is based on the concept of weak solutions. In particular, we explain the abstract formulation of this method in Hilbert spaces. In the main part of the thesis, variational techniques are employed to establish existence, uniqueness, and regularity results for an abstract Cauchy problem associated to a general linear second-order evolution equation. Finally we apply these results to the elastic wave equation in a Sobolev space setting, assuming bounded and positive material parameters.


Abstract Introduction: The super pulse thulium fiber (SPTF) laser has recently been acclaimed by more efficient lithotripsy activities, shorter laser, and treatment times demonstrated in preclinica...


Natural products that contain stereocenters such as those having polyacetate and polypropionate structures are of considerable interest. Current technology for constructing these chiral molecules consists of strategies broadly defined as "acyclic stereocontrol." The most efficient tools for this strategy include modern aldol reactions and the reaction of carbonyl compounds with allylmetal reagents. In order to achieve highly efficient syntheses of natural products rich with stereochemistry, highly stereoselective transformations are required. One solution is the use of allylstannane reagents. Their advantages include ease of handling, relative stability, and selective reactivity. The addition of allystannanes to aldehydes combines the process of CC bond formation with the stereoselective production of one or two new stereocenters. The configuration of these centers is predictable based on reaction conditions. Oxygen substitution also contributes to the versatility of these reagents. Recently developed chiral allenystannanes and the use of InCl3 as a transmetallation agent have greatly enhanced the practical utility of these reagents. This chapter is limited mainly to carbonyl and imine addition reactions, most of which create one or two new stereocenters.

Keywords:

allylstannanes;
allenylstannanes;
propargylstannanes;
thermal reactions;
promoted reactions;
Lewis acid;
transmetallation;
achiral aldehydes;
chiral aldehydes;
indium trichloride;
scope;
limitations;
natural products;
addition reactions;
stannane reagents;
boranes;
tin chlorides;
method comparisons;
imines;
palladium catalyst;
synthesis applications;
oxygen substitution


Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and systemic immune‐inflammation index (SII), easily accessible systemic inflammation response parameters, were reported to associate with poor lung cancer prognosis. However, research on the effects of these markers on the risk of positive nodules (PNs) and lung cancer is limited.


Soil quality evaluation is an important tool to observe the sustainability of soil management practices. Therefore, an evaluation methodology was applied to seven sets of site preparation operations for forest stand installation (treatments), in order to assess their impacts on soil quality parameters. Treatments considered were (ranked from lowest to highest tillage intensity): (1) Original soil control (no intervention on the original abandoned field) (TSMO); (2) No subsoiling, no ploughing, plantation with hole digger (SMPC); (3) Subsoiling over the whole area, with covering shovel; (RCAV); (4) No subsoiling, contour bunds shaped by two plough passes (SRVC); (5) Subsoiling in future plantation rows, contour bunds shaped by two plough passes (RLVC); (6) Subsoiling over the whole area, contour bunds shaped by two plough passes (RCVC); (7) Subsoiling over the whole area, contour ploughing over the whole area (RCLC). These were applied in an experimental site near Macedo de Cavaleiros, NE Portugal, covering 1125 m2 each, further planted with a mixed stand (Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga mensiezii, and Chestnut, Castanea sativa). In each one of the treatments, 6 soil profiles were observed and sampled in the plantation row of the newly installed forest stand. Soil quality evaluation was done taking into account soil morphology features, soil analyses results at 0-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm depth, and enrichment ratios of soil parameters computed with data of actual and undisturbed conditions. The treatments SRVC, RLVC and RCLC showed the highest depth with an increasing of 20 to 40 cm when compared with the original situation. Also the same treatments presented the highest values of carbon and nitrogen in the layer 20-40 cm, but the lowest in the surface soil layer. Generally, no significant differences were found among treatments in what concerns exchangeable bases and acidity, cation exchange capacity, base saturation and pH values. The amounts of finer particles tend to increase with tillage intensity and, on the contrary, the opposite trend was found for bulk density. For the studied conditions, the SRVC and RLVC treatments seem to be the most adequate set of site preparation operations for new plantations of forest stands.


a mathematically rigorous definition of the one-dimensional Schrodinger operator -d(2)/dx(2)-gamma/x is given, It is proven that the domain of the operator is defined by the boundary conditions connecting the values of the function on the left and right half-axes. The investigated operator is compared with the Schrodinger operator containing the Coulomb potential -gamma/x.


The purpose of this study was to establish baseline white blood cell (WBC) differential values in various non-infected rodent species and to determine whether infection by Borrelia hermsii affects their WBC composition. This research utilized blood samples collected from a variety of locations in the Sierra Nevada Mountains over several consecutive years. Each sample was tested for infection by B. hermsii using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. One hundred fifty blood smears from non-infected rodents (50 from each species) and 52 blood smears from B. hermsii infected rodents were chosen for the purpose of this study. Samples were stained using Wright-Giemsa stain and 100 white blood cells from each slide were visually located and identified using a light microscope. Establishing white blood cell differential parameters in non-infected rodents from these species will provide the scientific community with an expected range for their WBC compositions. Determining the immunologic response to infection by B. hermsii will give insight into the role of rodents as reservoirs in the ecology of tick-borne relapsing fever.


Drawing on an ESRC funded study of children's experiences of hospital space this article explores the cultural politics of contemporary English childhood. Using the words and commentaries provided by both children and young people, the article argues that although, as patients, children and young people share the same hospital spaces, their experiences of them are quite different. Through mundane material and symbolic practices, a number of experiential continuities are created for the youngest children between life in hospital and life at home, continuities that work to downplay their identities as children who are sick. For young people, however, these practices are more problematic since the discourses of childhood that are recreated have little resonance with young people's own experiences and sense of self and identity. Thus this article provides evidence of the need for a more nuanced understanding of not only young people's needs in relation to hospital services, but also of the significance of understanding the ways in which particular constructions of 'the child' and 'childhood' are threaded through public discourses and come to be realized in institutional settings.


Here, a new 4:2 approximate compressor is presented by the gate dif- fusion input (GDI) technique. Although GDI cells suffer from threshold voltage drop, the dynamic threshold approach and carbon nanotube field-effect transistors are merged to overcome the mentioned problem. The proposed cell has full-swing outputs, while its error and power de- lay product are at low rates. Therefore, low voltage multipliers that are used in image processing can benefit from the proposed compressor.


Eight years ago, conjointly with my friend Mr. Blunt, I communicated to the Royal Society an account of an experimental inquiry into the action of sunlight on the micro-organisms of putrefaction and decay. We adduced evidence, conclusive in our opinion, that the solar rays were very hostile to these lowly forms of life; so much so that under favourable conditions bright sunlight, sufficiently prolonged, would altogether prevent their appearance in fluids which, under similar conditions of temperature and the like, but screened from light, swarmed in a very few days with countless saprophytes. By means of suitable absorptive media, we learned that the most active rays were those of the more refrangible end of the spectrum.


I was disturbed to read the article by Body and Foex1 advocating the embrace of utilitarian values in medicine. I hope it was merely a misuse of words. All penguins are birds, but not all birds are penguins. Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism, but not all ethical thinking that considers the consequences of one's actions is utilitarian. The authors of the article correctly make a clear case for efficiency and risk-benefit "consequential" thinking in medicine, and in particular in decision analysis. However, this is not utilitarianism.

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory in which the "right" action is that which maximises the aggregate "good" outcome across a population. The "good" can variously …


Infection with parasitic helminths can reduce inflammation in animal models of colitis. A component of this anti‐inflammatory effect may be induction of alternatively‐activated IL‐4 driven anti‐inflammatory/pro‐resolution macrophages (M(IL4)) that have been implicated in wound repair. Infection with helminth parasites or exposure to worm extracts may elicit unique macrophage phenotypes. We hypothesized that macrophages co‐treated with IL‐4 and a crude extract Hymenolepis diminuta (HdE), would have an enhanced ability to promote repair in wounded epithelial monolayers.


A new approach for the measurement of niche characteristics was employed which enables comparison between different plant species according to their distribution on a topographic gradient. Landform was analyzed with 4 attribute indices—elevation, aspect, location (position on slope) and slope—which were then viewed as a multidimensional environmental gradient. Using this model and the results of field sampling of Fagus engleriana and F. lucida communities and the topography of their habitats, multi dimensional niche breadths and niche overlaps were calculated for the two Fagus spp. The results suggest that: 1) the integrated niche width of F. engleriana is larger than that of F. lucida, the niche of F. lucida is wider on the aspect gradient, but F. engleriana is more broadly distributed on elevation, location and slope gradients; 2) niche overlaps of the two Fagus species are 0.259, 0.831, 0.670 and 0.676 on the elevation, aspect, location and slope gradients and the integrated nice overlap of the two species is 0.087; 3) the vertical ranges of F. lucida and F. engleriana are 1300 1950 m and 1450 2600 m respectively. F. engleriana prefers shaded and half shaded slopes at NW80 ° NE80 °; however, F. lucida population tends to concentrate on the half heliophilic and half shaded slope at NW20 ° SW10 °and NE20 ° SE10 °. F. luci da is absent at the valley bottom, and its importance value increases as the location uplifts; on the other hand, the importance values of F. engleriana are larger on the more stable and humid locations of type 1 and 3; the distribution range on slope gradient is wider for F. engleriana , with the majority on 20 40°, while F. lucida is concentrated in the range of 35 45°. The results indicate that topographic variables are efficient and effective indicators of gradients in plant species multidimensional niche space, and can properly reflect niche difference of different species at the scale of the landscape. Discussion of the reciprocal validation of the niche measurement on different environmental factors concludes the paper.


whether he was for or against war. He answered: "Neither for nor against . . . as I am neither for nor against earthquakes" (p. 9). In view of these kinds of statements, one wonders whether Kazantzakis was politically naïve or not truly political. Is he then open to criticism for egotism, self-indulgence, and obsession with personal salvation? As a writer of ambiguities and contradictions, Kazantzakis required the scholarly virtuosity of Bien who does not try to smooth them out, but carefully analyzes his transitions and ideological shifts over the years. 4) Kazantzakis is also a writer of the future or what Bien describes as his mythic (or eschatological) worldview. In a letter sent to Börje Knös on 21 October 1947, he states: "We know that the future does not depend on us. Nevertheless, we must act as though the future did depend on us. This is the only way that great deeds have always been done. Only in this way can the future be influenced by us" (p. 276). As a writer of the future, Kazantzakis favors myth over autobiographical truth as his Report to Greco suggests. His mythomania fabricates the past and constantly points to the future. Bien aptly points out that "his 'action' during the occupation years was a spiritual, artistic one; as such, it was directed toward the future since, in the eschatological myth that Kazantzakis had created for himself and the world, spiritual cries are by definition heard at some future dates" (p. 237). Indeed, Kazantzakis emerges from this brilliant biography as an imaginative and impractical man, acting out the myths that he had constructed himself. The second volume of Kazantzakis: Politics of the Spirit can be seen as the completion of a trilogy which started with an earlier study, Kazantzakis and the Linguistic Revolution in Greek Literature (Princeton University Press, 1972). It represents the culmination of a 50-year involvement with Kazantzakis for Bien who has spent his academic life studying and translating his work. Though the book is impeccably researched, a number of its chapters seem to have been written before the publication of more recent studies on Kazantzakis (e.g. Kyriaki Petrakou's O Καζαντζάκης και το Θέατρο, Militos 2005) or several on Greek history and politics. This, however, does not detract from the enormous importance of the book and no one working on Kazantzakis can afford to ignore this magisterial study.


The Cordova gabbro in the Hastings Basin of the southwestern Grenville Province has been studied thermochronometrically to see if the anomalous C magnetic pole was actually acquired prior to 1200 M...


A plurality of embodiments of the present invention provides an apparatus for collecting license revenue operating system and application software resides on the virtual computer system. Certain embodiments of these devices specifically related to license revenue to provide for the collection of modern or traditional operating systems or applications in a virtual machine environment, and further provide continuous revenue streams for the software manufacturer, rather than a one-time deal. More specifically, certain embodiments relate to systems and methods for providing software licenses implemented by using the license manager in a virtual machine environment, providing support to collect license in traditional operating systems and applications of computer systems revenue improved methods. Finally, embodiments relate to providing increased operating systems and applications running in a virtual machine environment, a plurality of software support and upgrades embodiment of the present invention.


The use of catheter-based thrombolysis in comparison to systemic thrombolytics has emerged as a potentially lifesaving therapy for patients with sub massive or massive pulmonary embolism (PE). The addition of ultrasound waves to accelerate lytic dispersion in ultrasound assisted thrombolysis (USAT) has been proposed to improve outcomes as compared to standard catheter-directed thrombolysis (SCDT). These two modalities have been compared in small studies, but larger population data on the outcomes of these therapies is still lacking.

 To assess the efficacy and safety of USAT versus SCDT in patients with submassive or massive pulmonary embolism.

 A review of electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane) was performed using keywords USAT, SCDT and PE and studies were included if efficacy and safety outcomes were compared between the two types of therapies. Efficacy outcomes that were evaluated included the reduction in right ventricle/left ventricle ratio (RV/LV ratio), pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) and Miller score. Safety outcomes that were evaluated included major bleeding, mortality and length of ICU stay. Standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for continuous variables. Risk ratio (RR) and 95% CI were reported for dichotomous variables using the random effects model in comprehensive meta-analysis and RevMan 5.4.1 softwares.

 Six studies with a total of 381 patients (USAT n=204; SCDT n=177) were included. No statistical difference in efficacy outcomes of USAT over SCDT was noted in the degree of RV/LV ratio reduction (SMD: −0.507; CI: −1.386–0.373; p>0.05; I2=92%), PASP reduction (SMD: 0.037; CI: −0.404–0.478; p>0.05; I2=59%), or Miller score reduction (SMD: 0.303; CI: −0.481– 1.087; p>0.05; I2=82%). Safety outcomes were also not statistically different with similar rates of major bleeding (RR: 1.44; CI: 0.54–3.85; p>0.05; I2=4%), mortality (RR: 1.46; CI: 0.35–6.05; p>0.05; I2=0%) and length of ICU stay (SMD: −0.01; CI: −0.29–0.27; p>0.05; I2=31%) in both treatment groups.

 Our data suggest that despite the technological advancement of USAT, there is no additional benefit over SCDT in terms of efficacy and safety. Further studies are warranted for both procedures investigating financial and clinical outcomes in real world practice.

 Type of funding sources: None.


The hangers used for supporting the large civil engineering structures as, e.g., roofs or bridge decks represent the flexible structural elements susceptible to excessive vibration due to wind excitation. In the case of closely-spaced individual hangers, the significant wake-induced oscillations leading to significant reduction of their lifetime can occur, see [1-5]. This abstract deals with an analysis of the aerodynamic vibration of a group of four existing hangers supporting the hangar roof and creating in cross-section the rectangular array, see Fig. 1. It is especially concentrated upon the determination of the cause of the violent vibration of one of the hangers. In particular, the excessive vibration of the bottom downwind hanger in the across wind direction was observed, while the rest of hangers remained nearly stationary. The dominant vibration mode of the hanger was characterized by a one node in the middle of the length and by frequency f = 5.85 Hz. It corresponds to the second resonant frequency identified from the spectrum of the response related to hammer impact test. All four hangers in the form of tension rods have the same diameter, D = 84.1 mm, mass per unit length  = 43.6 kgm and almost identical length 21 m and modal properties. The normalized distance between hangers in horizontal and vertical directions is equal to 3.15 D, and 3.8 D, respectively. The relatively high Scruton number of the hanger, Sc = 59.2, was determined for the expected very low logarithmic decrement of structural damping,  = 0.006.


Disclosed is a human antibody having a neutralization activity against a human influenza virus. Specifically disclosed is a human antibody which can recognize a highly conserved region in a human influenza A virus subtype H3N2 and a human influenza B virus and has a neutralization activity against the virus. More specifically disclosed is a human anti-human influenza virus antibody which has a neutralization activity against a human influenza A virus subtype H3N2 and is capable of binding to a hemagglutinin HA1 domain in a human influenza A virus subtype H3N2 or which has a neutralization activity against a human influenza B virus, wherein the nucleotide sequence of DNA that encodes a variable region of the antibody comprises any one sequence selected from those depicted in SEQ ID NO:5 to SEQ ID NO:12.


We consider the problem of guaranteed estimation of unknown right-hand sides of the equations entering the statement of the exterior Neumann problems for the Helmholtz equation from indirect observations of their solutions. A method is developed for the determination of guaranteed a posteriori estimates of this right-hand sides which are compatible with measurement data. It is shown that such estimates can be expressed via solutions of a uniquely solvable system of the Helmholtz equations.


Parole chiave. Artrite reumatoide, HLA, fattori ambientali. Summary. Rheumatoid arthritis: a typical multifactorial disease . The environmental factors act as a trigger for the clinical ex pression of rheumatoid in subjects with susceptibility genes. Genetic factors account for 60% of disease suscepti bility. This review focalizes the knowledges about the ge netic and environmental basis of the susceptibility to this pathology arthritis.


Early diagnosis and prompt treatment of tuberculosis is important in order to minimise complications and
sequale. It is important to select the proper regimen and ensure that hte patient is getting adeuqate number of
drugs for adequate duration. The principles of short course chemotherapy and the rationale behidn the currently
recommended regimens are outlined in this article. Standard (daily or intermittent) 6-month short course regimens
are sufficient to cure most forms of tuberculosis in children and only severe form slike miliary, meningitis and neurotuberculosis
require a longer duration of treatment. Worldwide, the DOTS strategy is now recommended in order to
ensure cure and cut down the transmission of disease in the community and wherever possible, should be employed
in the treatment of tuberculosis in children also.


In this paper we give the results of computing the effect of non-additivity of long range forces on the fourth virial coefficient of a Lennard-Jones 12-6 gas. We have considered only dipolar effects but have included all terms up to the fourth order of perturbation theory. We have also calculated the effect of the fourth-order triple-dipole term on the third virial coefficient. For the fourth virial coefficient we find that the dispersion non-additivity, while being positive at low reduced temperatures, goes through a negative minimum at a reduced temperature of about 1.25 before becoming small and positive at high temperatures. This is in contradistinction to the behaviour of the third virial co-efficient where the dispersion non-additivity is always positive.


Abstract Given the usual Bayesian scenario for the estimation problem, with quadratic loss function and the assumption of finite posterior risk, it is shown that the Bayes risk of a rule, δ, can be calculated in the following manner: The result is computationally expedient when the investigation of the behavior of a class of rules requires the use of a computer.


This paper studies the braking process for the mine electric locomotive.The braking process for the mine electric locomotive is divided into three stages: reaction time,idle stroke time and practical braking time.The reaction time of human eye to receive outside information and its effect on the braking length of a electric locomotive intensively are analysed.


Introduction: Many CRISM spectra measured at Mawrth Vallis, Mars appear to be mixtures of montmorillonite and hydrated silica or kaolinte [1, 2]. When two minerals are detected in the same pixel, their spectra may mix linearly or non-linearly. As non-linear unmixing is challenging, intimate mixtures prepared in the lab are critical for determining the spectral character of a non-linear mixture. Here we present spectra of intimate mixtures of montmorillonite with kaolinite, obsidian, and opal (the latter two being different forms of hydrated silica) and implications for CRISM data interpretation. A related study evaluates beidellitemontmorillonite mixtures [3]. Methods: Components were weighed and mixed proportionately, dry seived to ensure homogenous mixing, then measured at RELAB, Brown University under dry conditions or with a hand-held contact-probe ASD spectrometer in ambient lab conditions. The opal-smectite samples are natural and percentages were characterized by XRD. CRISM spectra are ratioed averages of regions containing at least nine pixels (for complete CRISM processing description, see [4]). Results: Here we focus on the 2.2 μm region where CRISM spectra show subtle variations in features that have important implications for mineralogy. Variations are also observed in the 1.4 μm region, but many bands are too weak for reliable descrimination. Kaolinite-montmorillonite. Kaolinite spectra have a narrow doublet at 2.17 and 2.21 μm. Montmorillonite spectra have a single absorption at 2.21 μm with an asymmetry toward longer wavelengths. With decreasing kaolinite abundance, the maximum inflection point on the longward side of this absorption shifts toward longer wavelengths, similar to montmorillonite (fig. 1a). Additionally, the absorption at 2.17 μm is reduced. At 60 wt% kaolinite, this feature is a clear shoulder, while at 50 wt% it is a more gradual shoulder, and at 25 wt% it is barely detectable (fig. 1a). Montmorillonite-obsidian. Montmorillonite spectra have an absorption at 2.210 μm due to Al2OH and obsidian spectra have a broader absorption centered at 2.216 μm due to SiOH species; therefore, the band center of the mixtures does not shift greatly (fig. 1b). However, since the obsidian feature is broader, the maximum inflection point on the longward side shifts toward longer wavelengths with increasing amounts of obsidian. At 50 wt% obsidian the inflection still occurs in the same position as for pure montmorillonite, but is not as sharp. At 80 wt% it is in an intermediate position, at 90 wt% it is slightly shorter than pure obsidian, and at 92 wt% it is in the same position as pure obsidian (fig. 1b). Opal-smectite. This series of natural samples shows that when ≥ 50% smectite is present, the spectra exhibit characteristics of smectite and little broadening of the 2.21 μm band due to opal is observed (fig. 1c). However, the samples with >70% smectite have spectra with a band center at 2.210-2.213 μm, whereas the spectra of samples with lower amounts of smectite have a band center at 2.207-2.209 μm. Other subtle changes in the spectra are observed in the asymmetry of the bands and the reflectance maxima. Ongoing Gaussian analyses may help resolve these features. Small differences in band depth at ~2.2 μm are detectable, especially when scaled to the band depth of the montmorillonite spectrum (Table 1).


Background. Neutrophils are the first inflammatory cells to invade in wound
healing process and are predominant cell marker in the wound within 24 hours
after injury. Senescent neutrophils undergo apoptosis and later cleared by
phagocytic cells such as macrophage. Research has been done to prove the use of
Aloe vera following tooth extraction could accelerate healing process by increase
the number of phagocytic cells, increase cells regeneration, anti-inflammation,
anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and as an immunomodulator. Aim. The aim of this
study was to prove the PMN count difference in wound healing process following
tooth extraction of Cavia cobaya with Aloe vera 90% gel application. Methods.
This laboratorary experimental research was done using Post Test Only Control
Group Design. Lower incisivus of twelve male Cavia cobaya as sample were
extracted then divided into two groups. Group 1, 90% Aloe vera gel was applied
into the socket and sutured and group 2 as a control. Half of the samples of each
groups was terminated and had their mandibula taken one day after tooth
extraction and the other was three days after then processed to be a histology
slides, and PMN cells were counted. Results. There were significant differences of
PMN count with 90% Aloe vera gel on day three (p < 0.05) compared with
control group. Conclusion. There were difference of PMN count with 90% Aloe
vera gel compared with control group.


Abstract A randomly orientated short carbon fibre reinforced magnesium composite consisting of Sigrafil C25 high strength carbon fibres in a matrix of AZ91D magnesium alloy has been fabricated by indirect squeeze casting. This was subjected to tensile testing at room temperature, and 150, 200, 300, and 350°C. Composite properties have been compared to monolithic AZ91D. Both unreinforced and reinforced materials were heat treated to the T6 condition. Results indicated that composites exhibited good strengthening over temperatures above 200°C. Changes in strength with test temperature were reflected in fracture surface morphology. Characterisation of the failure modes and composite microstructure was carried out using optical, scanning- and transmission-electron microscopy. The more effective use of the reinforcing phase at elevated temperatures and the general behaviour of the short fibre composite have been discussed in terms of features observed in the materials tested.


The heights of eruptive prominences were first measured vertically from the sun's limb without regard to the actual direction of eruption. A rotation in position angle as the prominence rose from the sun was first noted in the eruptive prominence of May 26, 1916, the rotational component resulting from an inclination of the direction of motion to a solar radius. The eruptive prominence of September 8, 1919, which was ejected at an angle of 57° to the radius, was the first for which it was realized that a determination of the trajectory was necessary to avoid large errors in the observed vertical velocities due to curvature of the sun's limb. Although in recent years it has been recognized that measurements should be made along the trajectories, very little detailed information has been obtained about the trajectories themselves. The object of this investigation is to determine the trajectories of a number of eruptive prominences and to study the niotions and expansion of each prominence along its trajectory. Plates, films, and prints from the spectroheliographs of the Kodaikanal, McMath-Hulbert, Yerkes, and Mount Wilson Observatories, and film from the monochromator in Pasadena were available for this purpose for nineteen eruptive prominences. Of these nineteen prominences only eleven (Nos. 4, 9, 28, 35, 38, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, and 65) were suitable for critical study. Their observed trajectories are shown in Figures 1 and 2. The trajectories of the remaining nine were less determinate owing to the forms of the prominences, changes in their forms, or to other circumstances. Five of the apparent trajectories were unidirectional (Nos. 4, 9, 28, 35, and 38). 4 wo (Nos. 45 and 46)


This paper reports on the on-going activities at DLR for the definition of a verification/validation strategy for the operational
higher level products and offers a first overview of the developing validation concept. Moreover, it will represent a spring board
for establishing new synergies with international parters, aiming at improving knowledge and exchanging ideas in the field, from
which all future missions could benefit.


The purpose of this work is to reflect on the renewal of the guidelines for the preparation for the sacrament of marriage in the Catholic Church in premarital courses, by linking the ideas and concepts of the latest documents of the Catholic Church on the subject of marriage.


This chapter provides guidance for the development, documentation, testing and distribution of expert systems. The guidance is directed at expert systems developed for wide distribution, as well as systems developed for use by a single or a very small number of users. It is the intent to describe a process that anticipates the problems that could be encountered and allows flexibility in the development of expert systems. Topics covered are: a structured approach to identify the candidate problem for an expert system development, knowledge engineering, knowledge representation, the development team, system design and development, system testing and evaluation, and distribution and maintenance of expert systems. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 869506.


The present study seeks to examine the opinion of 200 respondents about their preference and satisfaction towards Restaurants. The respondents were selected by simple random sampling in Coimbatore city of Tamilnadu. The relevant data on demographic characteristics, awareness, consumption pattern, opinion on the services rendered, the factors considered in selection of the restaurants were collected with the help of a structured questionnaire. Majority of the respondents do not frequently visit the same restaurant and they are aware of the restaurants through their friends. Majority of the respondents agree and are satisfied with the services offered in the restaurants. Taste and quality are the two important factors considered in selecting a restaurant. The chi-square analysis shows that the personal factors of the respondents does not have a significant influence on the items preferred in the restaurant, and occupation has a significant influence on the occasion for visiting the restaurants. By applying ANOVA it was found that there is no significant difference among various personal factors in the level of average satisfaction score. The results of "t" test reveal that there is significant difference between the respondents "visiting the same restaurant and different restaurant" in the average satisfaction score.


Nearly every job application asks it: have you ever been convicted of a crime? For the hundreds of thousands of young men leaving American prisons each year, their answer to that question may determine whether they can find work and begin rebuilding their lives. The product of an innovative field experiment, Marked gives us our first real glimpse into the tremendous difficulties facing ex-offenders in the job market. Devah Pager matched up pairs of young men, randomly assigned them criminal records, then sent them on hundreds of real job searches throughout the city of Milwaukee. Her applicants were attractive, articulate, and capable - yet ex-offenders received less than half the callbacks of the equally qualified applicants without criminal backgrounds. Young black men, meanwhile, paid a particularly high price: those with clean records fared no better in their job searches than white men just out of prison. Such shocking barriers to legitimate work, Pager contends, are an important reason that many ex-prisoners soon find themselves back in the realm of poverty, underground employment, and crime that led them to prison in the first place.


Effective functionality checking of any software application is the crucial event that determines the quality of outcome obtained.  Generally, checking scenarios that involves multiple test cases in mixture with multiple components is time consuming and also increases the quality assurance cost. Selection of suitable method/approach for optimization and prioritization of test cases as well as appropriate evaluation of the application would result in reduction of fault detection effort without appreciable information loss and further would also significantly decrease the clearing up cost. In the proposed method, test cases are optimized and then prioritized by Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm (PSO) and Improved Cuckoo Search algorithm (ICSA), respectively. Finally, the result will be evaluated for software quality measures.


In this study 38 birds species were listed in the main forest of Chbika by the method of the EFP and that of the IPA These species was distributed between 6 orders and 15 families whose 30 species were inventoried by the EFP and 26 species by the IPA the common species between both methods is 19. The order of Passeriformes was best represented with 10 families and 27 species. The dominant species counted by the EFP method was the Coal Tit (Periparus ater) and the Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) with 58 individuals each species (16.4%). While the Common Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) and Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) were most counted by the I.P.A. methods with respectively 13.6% and with 12%.


Objective:To discuss the use and results of benign parotid tumor excision for facial nerve anatomy by microsurgery.Methods:This paper is to summarize and analyze retrospectively the clinical experience of 48 cases with benign parotid tumor underwent operation from January.2006 to June.2009.All the patients underwent the superficial parotidectomy for facial nerve anatomy by microsugery.Results:Four of the 48 cases(8.3%)had temporary facial paralysis after operations.And the four patients were recovered in a month after treatment.No permanent facial paralysis occurred in the 48 cases.The patients were followed up for half a year to three years,no one recurrence.Conclusion :The study indicates that it is helpful to avoid the damages on facial nerve and to excise the parotid tumor,after undergoing superifical parotidectomy for facical nerve anatormy by microsurgery.


OBJECTIVE To investigate the status of rural health integrated management of village clinics in Jiangxi Province and evaluate the effectiveness of its implementation.METHODS Descriptive analysis was used to describe the status of rural health integrated management of village clinics,and comparative analysis was used to evaluate the effectiveness of its implementation.RESULTS There are 26 287 village clinics in Jiangxi Province and 1.57 village clinics in each village.53.2% of village clinics accepted the integrated management,and 89.9% of all carried out new rural cooperative medical system.Comparing with village clinics which didn't accept the integrated management,for village clinics which accepted the integrated management,the proportion of carrying out new rural cooperative medical system was 4.7% higher,they had 0.42 more health workers,the average area of office buildings was 10.2 m2 broader,the proportion of office buildings belonging to the public increased by 11.8%,the proportion of clinics whose drugs were delivered by county medicine companies increased by 5.1% and the proportion of clinics whose drugs were centralizedly procured by the township hospitals increased by 7.8%,while the proportion of clinics who procured drugs by themselves decreased by 11.8%,and their service ability was improved further.CONCLUSION The effectiveness of rural health integrated management of village clinics in Jiangxi Province was recognized,but the range and depth of integrated management need to be improved.


Photochemical studies on a range of model dibenzo[1,4]dioxins were performed in aqueous and organic solutions. The compounds were found to undergo a photochemically initiated aryl-ether bond homolysis that yields reactive 2-spiro-6′-cyclohexa-2′,4′-dien-1′-one and subsequent 2,2′-biphenylquinone intermediates. Under steady-state irradiation, the 2,2′-biphenylquinones were observed to participate in excited state hydrogen abstraction from the organic solvent to give the corresponding 2,2′-dihydroxybiphenyls. In the absence of continued irradiation, 2,2′-biphenylquinones with electron donating substituents thermally rearrange to the corresponding oxepino[2,3- b ]benzofurans, whereas the unsubstituted 2,2′-biphenylquinone and its derivatives with electron withdrawing groups thermally rearrange to the corresponding 1-hydroxydibenzofurans.


Recently, a meta-analysis by Zheng et al 1 reported that increased creatinine (Cr) was significantly associated with critical or mortal outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients based on unadjusted effect estimates (odds ratio (OR): 5.19, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.19-12.83). To our knowledge, in a univariate model, the adverse outcomes of COVID-19 patients are significantly associated with Cr2-5 , while the significant association disappeared in a multivariate model.


Gamow-Teller (GT) strength in $^{40}$Ar is studied by shell-model calculations with monopole-based universal intearction, which has tensor components of $\pi$\rho$-meson exchanges. Calculated GT strength is found to be consistent with the experimental data obtained by recent ($p, n$) reactions. Neutrino capture cross sections on $^{40}$Ar for solar neutrinos from $^{8}$B are found to be enhanced compared with previous calculations. The reaction cross sections for multipoles other than $0^{+}$ and $1^{+}$ are obtained by random-phase approximation (RPA). Their contributions become important for neutrino energies larger than 50 MeV.


that is, considering that these terms are singular, compound, or interrelated, and diversify them by looking at them as a source, plural, derivative, attributed, or rigid name, and study what the additions overlap, or some of them are associated with prepositions, and the extent of the association of the name (blood) with a large number of them Also, after the translation some of them remain in their non-Arabic name, and their association with the Arabic name, with verification of the accuracy or validity of the Arabized description of each term, and can some Arab terms be found for what has not been Arabized until now? Or change or reduce the name?The research will follow the descriptive and analytical approach with regard to studying the structure of Arabized medical terms that have entered Arabic, and terms translated from foreign to Arabic, and compare them in terms of simplicity and complexity, as well as a balance between synonymous Arab terms.


The common faults processing methods of the power cable are analyzed. Including the fault types and the line fault causes of power cable,rough detection and accurate detection methods of the cable fault and so on.


Summary Thefactors associated withthedevelopment ofheart failure andofatrial fibrillation inelderly patients werestudied ina prospective clinico-pathological series of171cases. Multiple logistic analyses allowed thecontributions ofmultiple factors tobeassessed simultaneously. Senile cardiac amyloidosis, ischaemic heart disease andatrial fibrillation weresignificantly associated withheart failure andhadadditive effects. Senile cardiac amyloidosis, ischaemic heart disease, mitral valve ballooning andhigher ageweresignificantly associated withatrial fibrillation buttheir additive effects weremodified bysignificant interactions between ischaemic heart disease andmitral valve ballooning (whose effects weremultiplicative) and senile cardiac amyloidosis andage(the ageeffect being confined tothose without amyloidosis).


ABSTRACT Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and research are globally recognised as engines of growth and development and indicators of citizens' well-being. Studies have continuously highlighted the unequal access and participation in STEM higher education based on class, caste, gender, disability and other markers of identity. This research paper investigates the underrepresentation of women in STEM at the Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) in India. IITs are India's top elite institutions that open window of opportunities to students across the world. The study uses the data available from the All India Survey of Higher Education (AISHE), the Council of Indian Institute of Technology and the websites of the IITs. The findings indicate a significant gap between males and females in faculty positions at IITs. Furthermore, the study finds that the underrepresentation of women faculty differs across the STEM disciplines at IITs in India. It needs more gender-just affirmative action policies such as intersectional reservation for women in STEM academic careers, funding, legal protection against harassment, and representation of women in various committees and leadership positions.


In real time applications, the trajectory which has to be followed and the task that has to be performed during motion planning of multi-axis non-linear mechanical systems, such as robot manipulators are of great importance. Due to the non-linear transformation between the task space and the joint space coordinates, singularities and uncertainties in the arm configuration occur, the unplanned occurrence of such problems drive the end-effector out of the desired path which may cause collision of the robot arm with objects located in its work cell (Koker, 2005; Antonelli et al., 2003). Depending on different tasks operation requirements and circumstances, motion control algorithms can be developed either at the kinematics level or at the dynamic level (Graca & Gu, 1993; Karilk & Aydin, 2000). To develop a dynamic control algorithm, torque limits of the joint actuators are to be handled, two typical approaches were introduced which are the Computed-torque and Resolved-acceleration approach, both approaches are based on the inverse dynamic model of the robot system (Asada & Soltin,1986; Sopng & Vinyasagar,1998; Faiz & Agrawal ,2000). A problem with these algorithms is the remarkable computational load required to handle the dynamics of a full-sized manipulator, which is seldom affordable by current industrial control units. In addition, implementation of torque-based control laws requires replacement of the low-level joint servos typically available in industrial robots with custom control loops. Aimed at overcoming the above drawbacks, a different approach to path tracking based on the kinematics control was proposed. In detail, kinematics control consists in an inverse kinematics transformation which sends to the joint servos the reference values corresponding to an assigned end-effector trajectory; as a first advantage, this allows simple interfacing with the standard control architecture of industrial robots. In the framework of kinematics-based methods for path tracking, the counterpart of the physically meaning joint torque limits is played by acceleration constraints and the use of full dynamic models can be avoided; this typically leads to computationally light algorithms that allow real-time implementation on standard numerical hardware even for robot arms of many Degrees of


ion: The process of ignoring the details of how a function works in order to focus on a simpler model of what the function does.


Using data from a sample of 455 African American children (ages 10 to 12 years) and their parents, this study tests a hypothesized model linking (a) maternal work demands to family routines through work–family conflict and depressive symptoms and (b) maternal work demands to children's externalizing and internalizing problems through family routines. Partial support for our hypotheses was found in single-mother families, but not in two-parent families. Work demands decreased family routines in single-mother families by increasing work–family conflict. In addition, higher levels of work–family conflict and maternal depressive symptomatology predicted an increase in children's externalizing problems and these relations were mediated through a decrease in family routines. Contrary to prediction, work demands bore no relation to children's behavior problems either directly or indirectly through family routines. Family structure differences in mediating processes are discussed in relation to mothers' subjective experiences of work and the roles of adults in the household.


This is a special edition. One of the most interesting and lively groups in current philosophy of science is HOPOS (History of the Philosophy of Science). It's been in operation for a few years, and though its focus is history, it covers most aspects of our discipline. As well as vigorous on-line debates, HOPOS sponsors an annual conference. This special issue contains top-notch papers from the 1998 conference held at Notre Dame. Other conferences have been (or will be) held in the USA, in Canada, and in Europe. The membership of HOPOS is international, and that makes it especially appropriate for ISPS, so we are delighted to publish some of their excellent papers. Thanks especially go to Cassandra Pinnick and Warren Schmaus for their editorial work. This edition is also special for a second reason. At least it's special for me. After Ž ve years of editing ISPS, I'm passing the torch to James McAllister. Of course, there have been little frustrations along the way, but for the most part I have much enjoyed being editor. My biggest surprise was that it was much less work than I expected. I took it on planning to devote two days a week (and praying it wouldn't be more), but found that one day per week was quite sufŽ cient. My Associate Editors, Lars Bergström, Martin Carrier, and Helen Longino probably felt as under-worked as I did (and glad of it, no doubt). My Assistant Editor, Karyn Freedman, and our referees have been excellent. That helped enormously, of course, and I thank them all unreservedly. From its start in 1986, ISPS has stressed its internationalism and its connection to the annual philosophy of science conference in Dubrovnik. I'm glad to say these have been upheld. But I'm sorry to say that our internationalism has not been extended. We have had remarkably few submissions from outside Europe and North America. We're starting to get good submissions from Asia, especially China (though none at all from Japan). But we've had nothing from the Arab world, or from Latin America, or from most of Africa. Our discipline is much too important to be left exclusively in the hands of the rich nations. The other disappointment I had in editing this journal was in Ž nding that I couldn't generate more philosophy of science with political import. I have long believed that well-trained philosophers of science are potentially a wonderful social resource. Who better to examine work done on, say, race and IQ? Who better to scrutinize the structure of the biotech industry and its effects on medical research? Who better to examine the lame doctrines that often underlie prevailing economic theories that are used as tools to further shift wealth from poor to rich? I was on my soapbox on this theme in an earlier issue. Lots of people expressed their agreement, but it hasn't translated into submissions involving socially relevant issues. I wish more top-notch philosophers of science would take up these concerns. It needn't become a full-time occupation. But devoting some research time to socially relevant topics can be a wonderfully rewarding activity—for the researcher and for society. Most journal editors share this sentiment to some degree and I think I can safely predict that James McAllister would welcome such submissions. Of course, he will have