Control of dual induction motor fed by a single voltage source inverter is a challenging task especially during unbalanced load conditions on each motor. Such drive configurations are common, for example, in traction. Conventional control algorithms solve the control of each motor in a separate control loop and the overall control action is designed as a weighted contribution of each control loop. In such a case, the control performance strongly relies on the specific design of weighting coefficients, which should be state dependent and time varying value in majority of cases. In this contribution, we formulate the control problem as an optimization task and investigate the use of state-dependent Riccati equation and predictive control concepts. We show that it is sufficient to consider a simple linear quadratic regulator (LQR) with rule-based predictive controller for current limitation. The proposed control algorithm naturally weights contribution of tracking error of each drive. Moreover, due to high level of symmetry in the system, only two parameters are tuned manually. Experimental testing is used to validate the control algorithm on a laboratory prototype of dual induction motor drive with a rated power of 2 × 4.5 kW.


This work represents an investigation of the erosion of solid bodies placed in an air stream. The test specimens were formed into cylindrical and conical shapes. Ice, acetophenone, and para-dichloro-benzene were used as the materials for the solid models. It was possible to correlate the rate of erosion as a function of the Reynolds number.


Objective To observe the effect of expression vector containing mutant DNA polβ gene derived from prostate cancer on cellular biological behavior when they were transfected into NIH3T3 cell.Methods Two eukaryotic expression vectors containing mutant DNA polβ derived from prostate cancer (pcDNA3.1-M2 and pcDNA3.1-M2) were transfected into NIH3T3 cell lines and the effects on gene expression of DNA polβ and the corresponding cellular biological behavior including the changes of cell cycle and cellular spontaneous mutation rate were observed.Results The NIH3T3 cell line which overexpressed mutant DNA polβ gene derived from prostate cancer and the NIH3T3 cell line which overexpressed wild-type polβ gene were all obtained and also presented.The cellular biological behavior included the increase of S-period frequency (SPF) of cell cycle and the elevation of spontaneous mutation rate of HGPRT gene.Moreover,both the SPF of cell cycle and spontaneous mutation rate of HGPRT gene in cells transfected with wild-type DNA polβ were significantly higher than those in the cells transfected with specific mutant DNA polβ derived from prostate cancer.Conclusions Tumor genesis is due to the overexpression of DNA polβ.


Reservoir computing (RC) is a unique machine learning framework based on a recurrent neural network, which is currently involved in numerous research fields. RC systems are distinguished from other machine learning systems since detailed network designs and weight adjustments are not necessary. This enables the availability of many device and material options to physically implement the system, referred to as physical RC. This review outlines the basics of RC and related issues from an implementation perspective that applies semiconductor electron device technology. A possible interpretation of RC computations is shown using a simple model, and the reservoir network is understood from the viewpoint of network theory. Physical implementation and operation issues are discussed by referring to our experimental investigation of dynamic nodes using a semiconductor tunnel diode with cubic nonlinearity.


A series of polycrystalline SmFeAs1 − xOx bulks was prepared to systematically investigate the influence of sample density on flux pinning properties. Different sample densities were achieved by controlling the pelletizing pressure. The superconducting volume fraction, the critical current densities Jcm and the flux pinning force densities Fp were estimated from the magnetization measurements. Experimental results show that: (1) the superconducting volume fraction increases with the increasing of sample density; (2) the Jcm values have a similar trend except for the sample with very high density due to different connectivity and pinning mechanisms, moreover, the Jcm(B) curve develops a peak effect at approximately the same field at which the high density sample shows a kink; (3) the Fp(B) curve of the high density sample shows a low-field peak and a high-field peak at several temperatures, which can be explained by improved intergranular current, while only one peak can be observed in Fp(B) of the low density samples. Based on the scaling behaviour of flux pinning force densities, the main intragranular pinning is normal point pinning.


Particle size distribution (PSD) is an essential property of cement. The only standard method to measure the PSD of cement, namely ASTM C115 [1] is limited in scope; this standard describes a method for determining "fineness" with a lower size detection limit of 7.5 μm. As there is no standard procedure covering the whole range of cement PSD, the implementation of different measurement methods varies widely within the industry. In general, the round-robin results summarized here have demonstrated the high variability between participants using instruments based on the same physical principles. ASTM committee C01.25.01 sponsored a round-robin test to measure the PSD of cement. The aim of the current report is to analyze the data generated during those tests and to summarize the various approaches available to measure the PSD of cement. The analysis of the data is conducted in two parts. In the first part, an attempt is made to establish a reference distribution using a standard cement powder (SRM 114p). This is followed up by a comparison of the roundrobin data in order to initiate discussion on developing a standard test method for cement PSD to be submitted for ASTM consideration. The report provides all raw data collected during the round robin tests, and the results of a statistical analysis of the collected data. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the ASTM Task Group C01.25.01 that provided the data from the round-robin test. We would like to thank all the participants (listed below in alphabetical order) of the round-robin for their comments that allowed us to better understand the industry's perspective. Also, we would like to thank Robin Haupt and the staff of Cement and Concrete Reference Laboratory (CCRL) who were instrumental in providing the samples to the round-robin participants. Participants to the Round-Robin: Ray Braun, Southdown Cement Gregory Buchanan, Roan Industries, Inc. Paul Bussee, Southdown Mario Cesar Cabrera – Cabrera, CENAM Bob Collins, Blue Circle Mike Coole, Blue Circle Industries PLC Fraser Deas, Blue Circle Cement Jim Kaminski, Malvern Jennifer Kimball, Dragon Larry Necessary, Roanoke Doug Ostrander, Lehigh Cement Co. Greg Pokrajac, Particle Sizing Systems Sadananda Sahu, RJ Lee Group, Inc. Brian Sears, Horiba Instruments Inc. Nile R. Strohman, W. R. Grace & Co. Craig Szabo, Lafarge R.L. Tuttle, Holnam, Inc. Jesse Uribe, TXI Ren Xu Coulter TABLE OF CONTENT


Production of Ca+ and He+ ions by Freeman source under the auxiliary of inert gas and the microstructure analysis of both implanted titanium foil and nano- Ti film were described. The XPX analysis for Ti film specimen implanted by Ca+ ion indicated that Ca content reached to 33 % at the implanted dose of 1×1018/cm2, and the titanium surface appeared mainly in the forms of CaTiO3, CaO and TiO2. It is clear that the implanted calcium linked up with titanium monomeric unit in the chemical conjugation. The XRD spectrum for titanium specimen implanted by He+ splits up obviously, and became more acute at the range of 15—40? The crystal sizes of the nano-film specimen on the crystal face of (100) and (101) calculated by Sherrer mode were 19.3nm and 20.2nm after implantation, still remaining nano-crystalline size. The intragranular crystal of nano-film surface reached a certain growth, and the growth of surface grain size of nano-titanium film was observed by AFM at m-visual field, but a large amount of substructure was still observed at nm-visual field. Hance based on AFM observation and XRD analysis, an important phenomenon was found that the surface granules of nano-titanium film existed after high dose implantation; and meanwhile they split up into micro-crystals remaining nano-crystalline gain size.


This paper presents IHS transform-based histogram matching fusion spatial high-resolution images. Geometrical co-registration QUICKBIRD 0.6-m panchromatic image and KONOS 4-m multi-spectral images, clipped out same region. IHS transform KONOS images, according to the intensity component gray histogram to match QUICKBIRD gray histogram. Inverse-IHS fusion of KONOS hue and saturation component with QUICKBIRD Panchromatic Image is matched. The study shows that IHS transform-based histogram matching fusion images is clearer, including more efficient fusion.


Abstract The present study reports an attempt to validate a self-help behavioral marital bibliotherapy program. Five clinical distressed couples were evaluated via a multiple baseline analysis. Dependent measures included both pre-post and continuous forms of assessment. Treatment involved the weekly introduction of both reading and exercise material. Topics included communications, problem solving, sexual dysfunction, maintaining relationship gains, etc. With the exception of a decrease in laboratory-assessed negative behaviors, results were highly variable and generally reflective of minimal change. These findings were discussed with regard to measurement failure, manipulation of the independent variable, and continued examination of marital self-help materials.


An analytic study of the shielding and time evolution of zonal flows in tokamaks and stellarators is presented, using the action-angle formalism. This framework permits one to solve the kinetic equation without expansion of that equation in small parameters of radial excursions and time scales, resulting in more general expressions for the dielectric shielding, and with a scaling extended from that in earlier work. From these expressions, it is found that for each mechanism of collisional transport, there is a corresponding shielding mechanism, of closely related form and scaling. The effect of these generalized expressions on the evolution and size of zonal flows, and their implications for stellarator design are considered.


1 WHEN I was a first-term graduate student in the late 1960s, it was said that the field of general relativity was " a theo-rist's paradise and an experimentalist's purgatory ". There were some experiments – Irwin Shapiro, for instance, had just measured the effects of general rela-tivity on radio waves as they passed the Sun – but the field was dominated by theory and by theorists. This seemed to reflect Einstein's own attitudes: although he had a keen insight into the workings of the physical world, he felt that the bottom line was the theory. As he once famously said, when asked how he would have reacted if an experiment had contradicted the theory, " I would have felt sorry for the dear Lord. The theory is correct ". Since that time the field has been completely transformed. Today, at the centenary of Einstein's annus mirabilis, experiment has become a central component of gravitational physics. I know of no better way to illustrate this than to cite a paper by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration that was published in Physical Review D last year (see Abbott et al. in further reading). This was one of the papers reporting results from the first science run of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), but with 374 authors from 41 institutions in 8 countries it is reminiscent of particle physics, not general relativity. The breadth of current experiments – ranging from tests of classic general relativity such as the Shapiro delay and the bending of light, through space-based measurements of " frame-dragging " to searches for gravitational waves or violations of the inverse-square law – attests to the ongoing vigour of experimental gravitation. With all this data, can we still be sure that Einstein was right? Testing the foundations At the heart of the general theory of relativity is the equivalence principle – an idea that came to Einstein two years after he developed special relativity and led him to the dramatic conclusion that mass and gravity are intimately linked to the curvature of space–time (see figure 1 and box on page XX). Put in simple terms, the equivalence principle states that gravity and acceleration are equivalent. Embellished over the years, this idea is now called the Einstein equivalence principle and encompasses three separate principles: the weak equivalence principle, and the principles of local Lorentz and local position invariance. The weak equivalence principle …


Big Data will have a profound impact for the future of science and technology and economic development. The direct purpose of doing scientific research on Big Data is rapidly obtaining valuable information from a variety of types of data. Study on effective and simple data representation method is one of the technical problems which must be solved in the network big data processing. This paper proposes a big data modeling method of oriented electronic document. The core of this method is representing knowledge of electronic document and building Big Data model of electronic document using of ontology meta-model architecture.


Two sets of k labelled points, or configurations, in ℝ m are defined to have the same shape if they differ only in translation, rotation and scaling. An important matter in practice is the estimation of the shape of the means; the shape determined by the means of data on the vertices of configurations. However, statistical models for vertices-based shapes always involve some unknown samplewise nuisance parameters associated with ambiguity of location, rotation and scaling. The use of procrustean mean shapes for a finite set of configurations, which are usually formulated directly in terms of their vertices, will enable one to eliminate these nuisance parameters.


International exchange and training programs play a significant role in the development of international cooperation between educators from different nations. More and more teachers and school administrators participate in exchange programs and implement new curricular and instructional practices in their institutions. This paper presents findings of a phenomenological interpretive case study of the impact of international exchange programs for educators on their participants' pedagogical practices, social status and professional careers. The study was conducted in 2005 in the US and Russia. Through observations and in‐depth interviews with 35 informants, the author compares the perception of exchange programs and their outcomes for American and Russian alumni. The findings demonstrate differences and similarities in participants' perspectives on their roles in international programs and on the application of program outcomes.


By constructing an intellectual capital statement a knowledge management strategy is developed. It defines how knowledge resources are configured and developed. Experiences from Danish firms show that the intellectual capital statement functions both as a management tool used to systematize knowledge management activities and as a communication tool oriented towards employees, customers, partners, and investors.


A supply chain is a system, consisting of material suppliers, production facilities, distribution services and customers. These are all linked together through the downstream feed forward flow of materials and the upstream feedback flow of information. Several organizations have adopted the concept of "Lean" to improve the performance and position in the market place and. The "Agile" manufacturing has been recently emerged as a customer demand driven option. It defines as using market knowledge and virtual corporation to exploit profitable opportunities in a volatile marketplace, leanness stands for developing a value stream to eliminate all waste, including time and to ensure a level schedule. Leagile is one suitable way to exploit the both approaches, lean and agile. It requires the selection and setting up of a material flow decoupling point. The positioning of the decoupling point, therefore, depends upon the longest lead-time and at the same time customer is prepared to tolerate this time lag and the point at which variability in product demand dominates. Downstream from the decoupling point all products are pulled by the customer demand, that is why that part of supply chain is market driven. Upstream from the decoupling point the supply chain is essentially forecast driven. This review paper will explore the approaches of lean, agile and leagile decoupling point to suggest the most suitable supply chain practices, processes and procedures. Several factors are needed for lean and agile practices' success; not only is it necessary to implement most of the technical tools but an organization's culture needs transforming too.


This study explores the critical success factors of ERP implementation in the manufacturing sector of Karachi. Data were collected from 252 such employees of the manufacturing sector of Karachi who have been using ERP solutions for the time duration of at least one year. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Multiple Regression Analysis were used. The results of the factor analysis indicate the presence of four factors. Three of these factors, namely Data Quality (DQ), System Quality (SQ), and Consultant Support (CS) were the critical success factors, whereas, the fourth was the dependent variable i.e. successful ERP Implementation or ERP Success. Once the factors were extracted, the reliability was tested, and then the CFA was used to test the convergent and discriminant validity of the instrument. Multiple Regression Analysis was then applied to determine the impact of each factor on successful ERP Implementation or ERP Success. It was found that the Data Quality (DQ), System Quality (SQ) and Consultant Support (CS) have a significant impact on Successful ERP Implementation (henceforth known as ERP Success). Therefore, it is recommended that while implementing the ERP systems, firms must ensure that data accuracy while they are entering the data or providing the data to the vendor/consultant. It is also recommended that the firms must be mindful of the system quality and the consultancy services (software support services) provided by the ERP vendor.


A newspapers are probably quite as thoroughly divided in their opinions upon the causes of Jaw breaking and its pre› vention as they are on other ques› tions of national importance. Exam› ination of their editorial contents, however, seldom reveals the reasons why the opinions were held; conse› quently, it is unwise to draw con› elusions about newspaPer attitudes, except as to their correctness. It might be interesting to specu› late, for instance, why the Chicago Herald-Examiner has vigorously campaigned against capital punish› ment with eight-column editorials, and why almost at the same time it demanded the life of a notorious criminal in opposition to its own Newspaper Attitudes In Law Breaking


In this paper a novel and compact ultra wide band antenna is proposed having modified hexagon shaped patch with slots etched on the patch and step size slots truncated in the ground plane for attaining wide impedance and minimal return loss characteristics. The proposed antenna is designed and stimulated using HFSS, which is a high frequency structure stimulator, based on Finite Element Method. The proposed antenna can operate from 3 GHz to 30 GHz for VSWR < 2. The minimal return loss characteristic of -15.40 db is obtained at 19 GHz and exhibits good radiation performance over the entire frequency range. Index Terms –Antenna, Ultra wide band, WPAN, DGS, Wireless and Mobile Communication


Sedimentological analysis of the Weichselian deposits exposed in the coastal cliff section at Lønstrup Klint, northern Jutland, Denmark, demonstrates the presence of four sedimentary units comprising fine‐grained lacustrine and fluvial deposits of the latest Middle Wcichselian. The Lønstrup Klint section also shows an interplay between glaciotectonics and sedimentation. The two lower sedimentary units are separated by an erosional unconformity of pretectonic origin, whereas the upper two units are syntectonic. The glaciotectonic processes reflect the Late Weichselian expansion of the Scandinavian ice cap into northern Jutland. The sedimentary structures indicate high rates of deposition. The area underwent dramatic palaeogeographic changes from deep lake to proglacial fluvial plain in a time‐span of a few thousand years.


Gamper and Knapp (2002) define Computer-Aided Language Learning (CALL) as "a research field which explores the use of computational methods and techniques as well as new media for language learning and teaching" (p. 329). In more general terms, CALL can be thought of as the use of computers to help learn languages. As a sub-category of Computer-Aided Learning (CAL), CALL deals exclusively with learning languages. Specific examples of CALL tools and utilities include games, tests, exercises, and word processing, and their use in a CALL session is determined by the syllabus, software, teacher, or learner. The popularity of CALL is constantly increasing as multimedia developments and technology are advancing. In the last few years, CALL systems have become fully integrated with audio and video support, creating interesting and attractive presentations. With the Internet emerging, a new platform for CALL systems has evolved. Thus, there has been a move from CD-ROM-based CALL to online Web-based CALL, enabling more connectivity and interactivity with other students or teachers. Important examples of why CALL has moved to Web-based mediums include the ability to carry out audio and videoconferencing, use chat rooms and e-mail, and communicate with native speakers of the language.


Communication skills have been recognized as an essential part of management since the earliest studies and continue to be a focus of attention. For example, Bond, Hildebrandt, and Miller (1984) using a database of 5,299 executives (board chairs, presidents, or vice-presidents of leading American corporations), and testing among other things the degree of importance of business communication, found that communication has had and continues to play the highest overall significant role in management advancement. About four in five of responding executives cite oral and written communication as the single, most important course in career preparation of a young person today. A more recent study by Bennett and Olney (1986), surveying vicepresidential-level executives of Fortune 500 corporations, indicates 97.7 percent of the respondents believe that communication skills had affected their advancement to top executive positions. While the management-communication relationship has been obvious for more than six decades, two major trends have emerged to place a new focus


Rolled dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA), which are prepared by rolling up a flat dielectric elastomer , are subjected to non-homogenous deformation and thus does not perform as well as the flat ones. Typically, the rolled ones reported actuation of not more than 37.3% axial strain; whereas the flat one undergoing pure-shear deformation reported much greater actuation . This study shows that oil encapsulation helps the rolled DEA suppress pre-mature breakdown. Under isotonic test, oil-encapsulated tubular DEAs sustain very high electric field of up to 712.0 MV/m, which is 50% higher than that of the dry DEAs. Hence, it can produce up to 50% axial strain while deforming the passive oil capsules. In addition, it produces an isometric stress up to nearly 0.6 MPa, 114% higher than that of the dry one.


Significance When trying to prove that two topological spaces are distinct, one often associates algebraic invariants such as groups, rings, and matrices to topological spaces. For manifolds, in dimension four, the homology and intersection form are especially useful invariants. Here, we describe how they can be computed using the information contained in a trisection diagram and provide some applications. Given a diagram for a trisection of a 4-manifold X, we describe the homology and the intersection form of X in terms of the three subgroups of H1(F;Z) generated by the three sets of curves and the intersection pairing on H1(F;Z). This includes explicit formulas for the second and third homology groups of X as well an algorithm to compute the intersection form. Moreover, we show that all (g;k,0,0)-trisections admit "algebraically trivial" diagrams.


ABSTRACT: Dispositional Need for Closure (DNFC; Webster and Kruglanski 1994) concerns the propensity to seek and process information before reaching a judgment. Psychology researchers have demonstrated consistent effects on hypothesis generation and confidence in lay-judgment settings. Although psychology literature, in a validation sample, identifies accounting students as a group high in DNFC, we find professional auditors significantly lower in DNFC than reported in their sample of accounting students, and progressively lower in DNFC at higher professional ranks. Yet, substantial variance in this critical characteristic persists even at higher ranks, to potentially affect judgment. Since findings concerning lay decision makers are not always applicable to accounting professionals, we investigate the effects of DNFC on the hypothesis generation and confidence of experienced auditors. Auditors higher in DNFC generate fewer, lower-quality hypotheses, yet express greater confidence in their hypothesis set....


JMI system of Equipment Maintenance Materials(EMM)was constructed from the aspect of synchronization.The application strategy was put forward.It was concluded that the key applications lie in the information system network construction of EMM,the adoption of different JMI modes for different EMM and reduction of supply levels.The aims of implementing JMI system of EMM are to reduce inventory costs and achieve precise support of EMM by synchronized military business.


The factors that have lead to the current widespread use of ion beam etching are described. A brief description of the physical processes involved in the removal of material from the surface being etched is followed by a discussion of several ion etching equipments that are commercially available. The etching characteristics of one of these systems which was developed in the authors' laboratories are described in some detail. The applications of ion beam etching are then reviewed and the uses of this technique in the production of active devices, VHF quartz oscillator crystals, surface wave and integrated optical circuits, and the preparation of specimens for electron microscopy are described. Finally the place that ion beam etching will take in future technology is forecast


A cellular telecommunications system (10) request to subscriber units (30) to volunteer for a transfer when a deficiency communications resources is about to occur. The subscriber units (30) can volunteer for transfer to another cell in accordance with any one adjacent cell provides a suitable current signal to the service of the current communication. If there is a neighboring cell having an adequate signal strength, the subscriber unit (30) may volunteer for transfer to this other cell. The cellular telecommunications system (10) may accept the voluntary transfer request, which causes the execution of the transfer. However, the cellular telecommunications system (10) may refuse the transfer request. In this case, the subscriber unit (30) may have its communication to be abandoned or she may try to find another cell to transfer its communication before the expiration of a predetermined time.


Introduction. In the conditions of continuous development of investment and innovative technologies the necessary requirement for the further successful and productive development of an agro-industrial complex is updating of technics, technologies, management methods, the organization of production.
The purpose of the paper is to study the innovative development of the agricultural sector of Ukraine and to develop a mechanism for implementing investment and innovation technologies.
Results. The implementation of the mechanism of introduction of investment and innovation technologies in the agricultural sector should become an effective means of ensuring innovative development in all parts of the technological chain of agricultural production.
The main task of the mechanism is primarily to ensure the coherent development of all its components – agricultural enterprises on the basis of deepening agro-industrial integration and involvement in the production of the latest advances in science and technology.
Thus, the mechanism of introduction of investment and innovation technologies in the agricultural sector should ensure the implementation of a number of tasks:
– stimulating scientific developments aimed at creating new technologies and agricultural products;
– effective transfer of scientific achievements, knowledge and results of scientific developments into production;
– financing of investment and innovation projects on acceptable terms for agricultural enterprises;
– fair distribution of results of investment and innovation projects;
– deepening agro-industrial integration;
– development, examination and support of investment and innovation programs and projects;
– education, training and retraining;
– formation of investment and innovative way of thinking;
– participation of the state and regional authorities in investment and innovation activities of agro-industrial enterprises.
Conclusions. Thus, the need to implement the mechanism of investment and innovation technologies in the agricultural sector will create a favorable environment for innovation, bring the agricultural sector of Ukraine to the world level, will ensure the receipt of competitive agricultural products.


To investigate whether and how e-government affects corruption, this study collects longitudinal data (2006-2015) from 29 Chinese provinces for empirical analysis by adopting Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) and Panel Threshold Regression (PTR) model. The results of analysis show that e-government has a restraining effect on corruption and presents a significant threshold characteristics. Specifically, the restraining effect of e-government on corruption shows a dynamic non-linear characteristic, with a trend of first rising and then declining. Besides, the restraining effect is more obvious in provinces with lower e-government level.


Transition metal oxides, possessing high theoretical specific capacities, are promising anode materials for sodium‐ion batteries. However, the sluggish sodiation/desodiation kinetics and poor structural stability restrict their electrochemical performance. To achieve high and fast Na storage capability, in this work, rambutan‐like hybrid hollow spheres of carbon confined Co3O4 nanoparticles are synthesized by a facile one‐pot hydrothermal treatment with postannealing. The hierarchy hollow structure with ultrafine Co3O4 nanoparticles embedded in the continuous carbon matrix enables greatly enhanced structural stability and fast electrode kinetics. When tested in sodium‐ion batteries, the hollow structured composite electrode exhibits an outstandingly high reversible specific capacity of 712 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.1 A g−1, and retains a capacity of 223 mAh g−1 even at a large current density of 5 A g−1. Besides the superior Na storage capability, good cycle performance is demonstrated for the composite electrode with 74.5% capacity retention after 500 cycles, suggesting promising application in advanced sodium‐ion batteries.


This paper reviews the recently developed processing techniques for remotely sensed imagery, including very high resolution (VHR) information extraction, super resolution techniques, hyperspectral image processing and object detection, and also some artificial intelligence approaches.


Since April 2020 The Ministry of Education stated the "Learning from Home" policy, that's why The research was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in the academic year of 2020-2019 starting in April 2021. Where learning is learning process have been held virtually with the support of internet and some communication and computer-based device. As a matter of fact, distance learning is not as simple as it should be. So the purpose of this research is to improve grammar skills through interactive learning media so that it is interesting and does not make students bored while following the distance learning. Therefore, the authors conducted research by knowing the use of learning media based on Kahoot as an effort to improve students' English grammar skills. The research method applied is the Classroom Action Research Method which goes through 2 cycles with the final results showing that the use of kahoot as an alternative learning media is very effective in growing up the enthusiasm of students to attend lectures so that it has an impact on improving students' English grammar skills with the finding of the average score of students with The number of  70 in the first cycle and 80 as the average value in the second cycle, these results significantly increased from the average score of 60 before the implementation of kahoot as learning media.


This paper presents the results of an experimental study of the aerodynamics of an elliptical flap plate wing in pitch-plunge motion. Several wing motion kinematics are derived from the kinematics of the Agrius Convolvuli (hawk moth) in hover. The experiments are conducted at a Reynolds number of 4, 800 and reduced frequency of 0.38, which are typical of the hawk moth flight. Three cases are reported: the hawk moth kinematics in which the elevation angle is ignored, the hawk moth kinematics with a correction to account for elevation angle effects, and a harmonic pitch-plunge kinematic of the same frequency and amplitude as the hawk moth kinematics. In all cases the wing pivots about the leading edge. The experiments are performed in The University of Michigan water channel. The wing model used has a Zimmerman planform shape with aspect ratio 3.87. Phase averaged force measurements are reported. Average thrust coefficients of 2.79, 2.64 and 2.39, respectively, are measured for the three cases. The measured peak thrust coefficients are 5.0, 4.8 and 6.1, respectively. The propulsion figure of merit in hover was also measured and found to be 0.47, 0.48 and 0.49 for the three cases. The flow evolution was measured using PIV. The results show formation of Leading Edge Vortices (LEV) and Trailing Edge Vortices (TEV) at different phases of the motion which depend on the particular kinematics. The relation between LEV and TEV vortex evolution and force generation is discussed.


Abstract Framed through ecological and LatCrit theories, this article offers critical perspectives on the academic achievement of two Latin@ students. Findings suggested participants obtained critical support from the micro and meso systems to access college, but they also had to battle multi-layered oppression on their own. The study cautions using successful stories to mask inequity in our educational system that disadvantages Latin@ students.


Mast cells are found in the brain, where they contribute to immune responses. They have been implicated in multiple sclerosis, but their potential role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), another inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, remains elusive. In the present study, we examined mast cell responses to amyloid β (Aβ) peptides 1-40 and 1-42, the major components of the Alzheimer amyloid plaques. Rat peritoneal mast cells were used as experimental model for human brain serosal mast cells. Fibrillar Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42 peptides induced concentration-dependent exocytosis, as assessed by measurement of histamine secretion; exocytosis was reduced by pre-treatment with pertussis toxin and with antibodies against the CD47 receptor and the β1-integrin subunit. Fibrillar Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42 peptides coated on heat-inactivated yeast particles and soluble fibrillar Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42 peptides were also recognized and phagocyted by mast cells. Uptake of the peptides was decreased in the presence of 4N1, a peptide agonist of the CD47 receptor, but remained unchanged in the presence of 4NGG, a peptide derived from 4N1 which does not bind to CD47. Non-fibrillar forms of Aβ1-40 and 1-42 peptides were unable to elicit mast cell responses. These results show that fibrillar Aβ peptides can trigger mast cells and elicit exocytosis and phagocytosis. The Aβ-induced activation of mast cells operates through a CD47/β1-integrm membrane complex coupled with Gi.-protein. The present data support the hypothesis that mast cells, similarly to microglial cells, could play a major role in AD pathogenesis.


Using the example of a project in Sheffield intended to promote user-involvement and participation in planning healthcare services, the author criticises the failure of the project to actually provide any forum for user-participation. The structures used to set up these partnerships are often too prescriptive, he argues, setting out a framework in which consultation may take place, and leaving no room for legitimate local interests which may not fit this framework. This article also appears in the Development in Practice Reader Development and Management. This article is hosted by our co-publisher Taylor & Francis.


He was old and very ill. He was one of those patients who becomes etched in the mind of a young and enthusiastic house officer working in a busy medical ward. He was admitted in the end stages of severe pulmonary hypertension having coped alone at home for many months. Now he had to accept the help of others in the final stages of his life. His ankles were grossly swollen and seeped fluid like sap …


Porphyra yezoensis has a strong capacity of stress resistance, which makes it a good species for studying the mechanism of plant stress resistance. In this paper, the biochemical and physiological effects of salinity stress, Cu 2+stress were studied. The results showed that under all the stresses, the mannitol content increased, and it increased by 200% in 45‰ seawater,which is the maximum the malondialdehyde(MDA) content increased with the increase of stresses, and it increased most by 300%, then decreased after 2 hours. Our results indicate that under the stresses of salinity and Cu 2+, mannitol plays the role as an osmoregulatent to fight against the stresses. And the change of MDA content indicates that the system of free radical eliminating also plays an important role in the stress resistance.


The propensity of electrically insulating materials to generate/store electrical charges leads to a panel of electromechanical phenomena that can be either exploited in applications relevant to electrical engineering, or represent limitations in the performance of insulating materials. The aim of this contribution is to describe various features of these electrical-mechanical coupling phenomena with focus on the field-induced strain measurement of charged polymers, on the charge distribution measurement by pulsed electroacoustic method and on the contribution of electromechanical effects in electrical ageing phenomena.


Business processes management has become frequent in the context of Information Systems (IS), allowing a more organized and aligned flow of business to the software requirements. However, the integration of Information Systems with the current Business Process Management System (BPMS) still has some limitations, such as increased manual work, lack of code standardization, and complexity of BPMS architectures. Based on this, this paper proposes an approach for the integration of Information Systems and BPMSs. More specifically, an approach that allows abstracting the capture of user activities in an IS and its execution in a BPMS. For evaluation purposes, we use our approach with an example application. In addition, we integrate the same application with a market BPMS directly and with a Business Object-Process mapping framework. From the three system implementations, we performed qualitative and quantitative analyzes.


The demineralization of Thai, Colorado and Condor oil shales was carried out by three step treatment. The first step was decarbonation using HC1 aq., the second was demineralization using HF-HC1. At this stage, more than 10 wt.% of minerals based on products remained in the shales. It is considered that some kinds of minerals such as FeSx and fluoride salts remained judging from elementary analyses. The third step, washing by hot HC1 aq. was effective to remove these salts. The resulted shales contained 2.2, 2.5 and 2.7 wt.% of minerals based on the products, respectively.Most of kerogen was recovered for Thai shale, while about 5% of kerogen lost for Condor shale. However, organic carbon recoveries were fairly good for every oil shales. This means that the kerogen content of Condor raw shale included not only kerogen but also some inorganic compounds which volatilize at the same temperature range as the kerogen does.


The loss of teeth has serious functional, esthetic disabilities, in addition to compromising the patients' quality of life. Currently, in the private sector, the status of prosthetic rehabilitation is only limited to anterior teeth due to esthetic reasons and rarely the posteriors. This could be called as inefficiency or lack of knowledge on part of few dental practitioners to understand and explain the importance of functional occlusion to the masses. Occlusion and its relationship with the temporpmandibular joint has always been debated. However, there are studies that have tried to elucidate this quite often ignored aspect of rehabilitation. The purpose of this review is to illuminate the relationship between the teeth and temporomandibular joint harmonious relationship. The authors intend to create an awareness and encourage the dentists to conduct long term trials on this controversial yet an important aspect of prosthetic dentistry.


This paper describes the results of a study designed to assess the practical relevance of learning objectives for a course that corresponds to the IS 2002.4 recommended guidelines for an information technology hardware and systems software course. This study represents the first step in identifying the baseline technical knowledge that IS majors should possess upon entering practice. The survey reveals a general consensus among survey participants, consisting of experienced IT academics and practitioners, that learning objectives associated with systems thinking, systems administration functions, and information assurance practices are useful. However, the survey revealed that study participants had notably different perceptions concerning the value of learning objectives associated with achieving a deeper understanding of technical concepts concerning the design and functioning of hardware and systems software. The identification of these systematically differing perceptions among IT professionals is provocative and warrants further investigation.


Objective This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of hyperemic microvascular resistance (HMR) and its relationship with hyperemic stenosis resistance (HSR) index and fractional flow reserve (FFR) in stable coronary artery disease. Methods This is a substudy of the DEFINE-FLOW cohort (NCT02328820), which evaluated the prognosis of lesions (n=456) after combined FFR and coronary flow reserve (CFR) assessment in a prospective, non-blinded, non-randomised, multicentre study in 12 centres in Europe and Japan. Participants (n=430) were evaluated by wire-based measurement of coronary pressure, flow and vascular resistance (ComboWire XT, Phillips Volcano, San Diego, California, USA). Results Mean FFR and CFR were 0.82±0.10 and 2.2±0.6, respectively. When divided according to FFR and CFR thresholds (above and below 0.80 and 2.0, respectively), HMR was highest in lesions with FFR>0.80 and CFR<2.0 (n=99) compared with lesions with FFR≤0.80 and CFR≥2.0 (n=68) (2.92±1.2 vs 1.91±0.64 mm Hg/cm/s, p<0.001). The FFR value was proportional to the ratio between HMR and the HMR+HSR (total resistance), 95% limits of agreement (−0.032; 0.019), bias (−0.003±0.02) and correlation (r2=0.98, p<0.0001). Cox regression model using HMR as continuous parameter for target vessel failure showed an HR of 1.51, 95% CI (0.9 to 2.4), p=0.10. Conclusions Increased HMR was not associated with a higher rate of adverse clinical events, in this population of mainly stable patients. FFR can be equally well expressed as HMR/HMR+HSR, thereby providing an alternative conceptual formulation linking epicardial severity with microvascular resistance. Trial registration number NCT02328820.


The maneuverability and flight path accuracy of unmanned aerial vehicles (Uavs) is improved with a direct force control (DFC) controller based on a vertical model of the vehicles and Singh's algorithm. Simulation results for a certain model show that the outputs of velocity, incidence angle, pitching angle, and vertical path angle can asymptotically track the control instruction according to the anticipative target, and have good performances. This implies that the DFC controller can decouple the movement modes and can accurately calculate the 3 modes of the direct lift control such as direct lift and pitch pointing.


The kinetics of the coil‐to‐helix transition of (dG‐dC)3 in M NaCl, 45 mM sodium cacodylate, pH 7, were measured in H2O, D2O, 10 mol % ethanol, 10 mol % urea, and 10 mol % glycerol. At 43°C in H2O the recombination rate is 1.3 ± 0.2 × 107 M−1 s−1; the dissociation rate is 68 ± 10 s−1. The destabilization of the helix in 10 mol % ethanol and 10 mol % urea relative to water is primarily due to a large increase in the helix‐dissociation rate. In 10 mol % glycerol, the destabilization of the helix is due to a decrease in the recombination rate and an increase in the dissociation rate. Above 20°C, two exponential decays longer than 1 μs are observed after a temperature jump. The slower relaxation time is 4–10 times faster than the bimolecular component and is independent of oligomer concentration. We attribute this relaxation to a rapid equilibrium between two helical states. At low temperatures and oligomer concentrations of 1 mM or greater, the helices aggregate in 1M NaCl. Experimental data are presented under conditions where aggregation is unimportant and evidence is given that the ΔH‐determined spectroscopically is unaffected by aggregation.


This manuscript discusses bandgap narrowing models for highly phosphorus doped silicon. We simulate the recombination current pre-factor J0,phos in PC1Dmod 6.2 of measured doping profiles and apply the theoretical band gap narrowing model of Schenk [J. Appl. Phys. 84, 3684 (1998)] and an empirical band gap narrowing model of Yan and Cuevas [J. Appl. Phys. 114, 044508 (2013)]. The recombination current pre-factor of unpassivated and passivated samples measured by the photo conductance measurement and simulated J0,phos agrees well, when the band gap narrowing model of Yan and Cuevas is applied. With the band gap narrowing model of Schenk, the simulation cannot reproduce the measured J0,phos. Furthermore, the recombination current pre-factor of our phosphorus laser doped silicon samples are comparable with furnace diffused samples. There is no indication of recombination active defects, thus no laser induced defects in the diffused volume.


Summary A hydraulic retention time (retention) also known a s HRT is one of the most important parameter in bio gas plant exploitation. In practice, there are many substrate s with different HRT used in agricultural biogas pl ant which makes difficulties in fermentation process optimization. The aim of this study was to investigate and compar e the efficiency of biomethane production and to determine the dynamics of the fermentation process expressed by reaching 60, 80, 90 and 100% of HRT. The results showed very big difference s in efficiency of methane production as well as HR T duration between analyzed substrates. The total fermentation period (100% of HRT) for investigated substrates amounted average 31,5 day (range: 21-41 days). However production of last 10% of methane average out 28%. It proves very low dyn amics of fermentation process in the last phase.


It is common for longitudinal clinical trials to face problems of item non‐response, unit non‐response, and drop‐out. In this paper, we compare two alternative methods of handling multivariate incomplete data across a baseline assessment and three follow‐up time points in a multi‐centre randomized controlled trial of a disease management programme for late‐life depression. One approach combines hot‐deck (HD) multiple imputation using a predictive mean matching method for item non‐response and the approximate Bayesian bootstrap for unit non‐response. A second method is based on a multivariate normal (MVN) model using PROC MI in SAS software V8.2. These two methods are contrasted with a last observation carried forward (LOCF) technique and available‐case (AC) analysis in a simulation study where replicate analyses are performed on subsets of the originally complete cases. Missing‐data patterns were simulated to be consistent with missing‐data patterns found in the originally incomplete cases, and observed complete data means were taken to be the targets of estimation. Not surprisingly, the LOCF and AC methods had poor coverage properties for many of the variables evaluated. Multiple imputation under the MVN model performed well for most variables but produced less than nominal coverage for variables with highly skewed distributions. The HD method consistently produced close to nominal coverage, with interval widths that were roughly 7 per cent larger on average than those produced from the MVN model. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


This paper shows that microwave cavities and waveguides synthesized with nonseparable solutions of Helmholtz wave equations have interesting properties concerning field energy and Power. Moreover they have better attenuation and Q factor in comparison with the conventional waveguides and cavities.


The utility model relates to a normally-open high-frequency electromagnetic switching valve for an automatic gear-box. A limiting block is closely matched on the inner wall of a casing body, a valve core component comprises a large-diameter part, a middle part, a small-diameter part and a steel ball, wherein, the large-diameter part is connected with a precompression spring in a supporting seat, the middle part passes through the limiting block, the small-diameter part passes through an axial channel of a valve seat, and a valve core convex surface is formed between the middle part and the small-diameter part; the spherical surface of the steel ball and the conical surface at one end of the valve seat form a throttling opening, and the valve core convex surface and the conical surface at the other end of the valve seat form a throttling opening; a working oil port II is connected with a rear cavity, an oil inlet opening is connected with a front cavity, a working oil port I, the front cavity and the rear cavity form a channel through the valve seat, and the channel is provided with two throttling openings; a coil is arranged at the periphery of a supporting seat, and a coil cover installed outside the coil is respectively connected with the supporting seat and the casing body. The utility model has the advantages that the screw plug is only required to be unscrewed when the filter element is blocked, the filter element is taken out and replaced, and the entire switching valve can be continued to be used, therefore, the maintenance cost is reduced.


In response to the letter by Grant and colleagues highlighting the impact and need for pharmacy services in patients with cystic fibrosis, we also wish to highlight the unique need for a pharmacist as an essential member of the team caring for patients with childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


Truth in Government Accounting Act of 1987 - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to prepare and make public annual consolidated financial statements for the United States based on accrual accounting procedures. Directs the Secretary to publish such statements each year on a date not later than the date the President submits the Federal budget to the Congress. Directs the Secretary to notify the public of the availability of such statements, including placing notice on all tax forms. Requires the Comptroller General to audit the consolidated financial statements each fiscal year. Requires the President to include in each budget a summary of how the use of accrual accounting procedures would affect the estimated Federal expenditures, appropriations, and receipts. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to prepare all of the budgets submitted to the President according to both accrual accounting procedures and the cash basis accounting method.


During the spring and summer of 1904 the Albatross was detailed for bathybial investigations in southern California. An extensive series of dredgings were taken in the San Diego region, and another in Monterey Bay, the two being connected by a third series, taken at intervals along the intervening stretch of coast. The fishes obtained form the basis of the present paper, the following genera and species being described as new: Raja montereyensis. Xenognathus, new genus (Alepocephalidae). Xenognaihus profundorum. Lampanydus ritteri. Zastomias, new genus (Stomiatidae). Zastomias scintillans. MelampJiaes hispinosus. MelampTiaes nycterlnus. Sehastodes wilsoni. Icelinusfuseescens. Asterotheca, new genus (Agonidae). Xenopyxis, new subgenus (Agonidae). Xeneretmus leiops. Xeneretmus ritteri. Paraliparis caudatus. Paraliparis albescens. Lipariscus, new genus (Liparididae). Lipariscus nanus. Embryx parallelus. Maynea californica. Lycogramma, new genus (Zoarcidae). Bothrocara remigera. Lycodapus mandibularis. Lycodapus lycodon. Lycodapus attenuatus. Lycodapus grossidens. Nematonurus ahyssorum. Monoceratias, new genus (Ceratiidae). Monoceratias acanthias.


In this work, the effect of the electrodes separation on plasma parameters and morphology properties for coated glass samples by silver metal using low voltage DC discharge plasma sputtering source. At fixed argon gas pressure 0.2 mbar and discharge currents Id(20,30,40,50 and 60)mA, for different electrodes separation d (3,4,4.5,5,6)cm was studied. The plasma sputtering source consists of a cylindrical chamber including two circular electrodes made from stainless steel. The cathode electrode is carrying the silver metal as a target and permanent magnet, while a glass sample coater is placed on the anode electrode. The plasma parameters: temperature of electron(Te) and ion density(ni) were determined by using cylindrical single Langmuir probe. Also, the surface morphology for the coater samples were studied by atomic force microscope (AFM). The results of this work shown that a linear increases in ions density and an exponential decreasing in electron temperature for different electrodes separation. Furthermore, the relationship between the average grain diameter and average grain height as a function of electrodes separation are nonlinear. The minimum average grain diameter is (90 nm) at d=4 cm for Id=40 mA and minimum average grain height is (5.5 nm) at the same electrodes separation and discharge current. When the temperature of electron increased, the values of average grain diameter increased while the values of average grain height decreased. Keyword: Langmuir probe, surface morphology, magnetron sputtering, DC discharge. 1Introduction Cold plasma technologies have found a widely field used in different applications such as, in material processing, manufacture of thin film material, medicine and industrial process [1-5]. The magnetic field is widely used which caused enhancement of some attractive features for discharge in plasma source [6,7]. Sputtering process is one of the most common ways to fabricate thin films, nanostractured, coating and nanoparticle of various materials [8,9]. The basic process for production particles as follows: A target (cathode) of material desired to be deposited, is bombarded with energetic ions. Then, the target atoms are ejected into the space and travel some distance until they reach the substrate and formed a thin layer. In magnetron sputtering a higher plasma density and deposition rates can be achieved by using a magnetic field which confines the motion of secondary electrons near the cathode surface (target). Furthermore, an applied of magnetic field is caused for enhancing the efficiency and quality of deposited films at lower inert gas pressure [10,11,12]. Generally, a DC power supply is usually used to sputter conducting target, while RF power supply is required for insulator or semiconductor target [13,14]. In the present work, different electrodes separations for planar DC magnetron plasma coater low voltages were investigated to determine the effects of this variation on the electrical characteristics discharge, plasma diagnostics and the morphology of silver coater on glass substrate by using a constant argon inert gas pressure. 2Experimental setup Fig.(1) shows a schematic diagram of the experimental setup. The cylindrical discharge chamber is a Borosilicate glass tube of 127 mm length and 165 mm diameter. Two parallel, circular electrodes made of stainless steel are enclosed in the discharge chamber. The anode (stage of substrate) is made of stainless steel with a diameter 50 mm and the cathode of silver with a diameter 57 mm and 0.1 mm thick as a target according to the


This paper analyses methods to reduce the price risk of Ecuadorian oil exports through hedging in the oil futures market. I simulate ex ante cross hedges over the 1991–96 period and find that in every case, ex ante hedging would have been effective in reducing risk. I provide quantitative estimates of the return/risk trade-offs from hedging Ecuadorian oil and find that for risk minimising short hedges, a 1 per cent reduction in risk would have cost a reduction in return of 0.65 per cent. In sum, I find that oil futures hedging offers Ecuador significant risk-reduction potential.


Dhulipala, Venkat/A nation state insufficiently imagined? Debating Pakistan in late colonial North India (no. 3, pp. 377–406) Govind, Rahul/Revenue, rent...profit? Early British imperialism, political economy and the search for a differentia specifica (inter se) (no. 2, pp. 177–214) Guite, Jangkhomang/Civilisation and its malcontents: The politics of Kuki raid in nineteenth century Northeast India (no. 3, pp. 339–76) Kuruppath, Manjusha/Casting despots in Dutch drama: The case of Nadir Shah in Van Steenwyk's Thamas Koelikan (no. 2, pp. 241–86) Mishra, Pritipuspa/Beyond powerlessness: Institutional life of the vernacular in the making of modern Orissa (1866–1931) (no. 4, pp. 531–70) Mishra, Saurabh/Of poisoners, tanners and the British Raj: Redefining Chamar identity in colonial North India, 1850–90 (no. 3, pp. 317–38) Mitchell, Lisa/'To stop train pull chain': Writing histories of contemporary political practice (no. 4, pp. 469–96) Mukherjee, Tilottama/Markets in eighteenth century Bengal economy (no. 2, pp. 143–76) Naim, C.M./Individualism within conformity: A brief history of Waz'dār... in Delhi and Lucknow (no. 1, pp. 35–54) Nair, Savithri Preetha/'...Of real use to the people': The Tanjore printing press and the spread of useful knowledge (no. 4, pp. 497–530) Nomura, Chikayoshi/Selling steel in the 1920s: TISCO in a period of transition (no. 1, pp. 83–116) Pue, A. Sean/In the mirror of Ghalib: Post-colonial reflections on Indo-Muslim selfhood (no. 4, pp. 571–92) Raj, Kapil/The historical anatomy of a contact zone: Calcutta in the eighteenth century (no. 1, pp. 55–82) Sarkar, Nilanjan/An urban imaginaire, ca 1350: The capital city in Ziya' Barani's Fatawa-i Jahandari (no. 3, pp. 407–24) Sharan, Awadhendra/From source to sink: 'Official' and 'improved' water in Delhi, 1868– 1956 (no. 3, pp. 425–62) Stark, Ulrike/Associational culture and civic engagement in colonial Lucknow: The Jalsah-e Tahzib (no. 1, pp. 1–34) Viguier, Anne/An improbable reconstruction: The transformation of Madurai, 1837–47 (no. 2, pp. 215–40)


Abstract Using recycled aggregates to prepare geopolymer concrete plays an essential role in reducing dependence on natural resources and solving the problem of waste accumulation. However, the application of geopolymer recycled aggregate concrete (GRC) has been greatly limited due to the defects in the quality of recycled aggregates and the limitations of the brittleness of concrete materials. Therefore, the work is dedicated to improving GRC properties and exploring the mechanism of action of steel fiber (SF) and nano-Al2O3. In this study, calcined gangue, slag, fly ash, and recycled aggregate were used as raw materials, the influence of SFs (0–1.25 vol%) was first explored by single factor analysis, and on this basis, the effect of nano-Al2O3 (NA) (0–2 wt%) on the GPC performance of SF was studied. The microstructure of GRC was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The test results showed that adding SF could significantly improve the splitting tensile and flexural strength of GRC, among which 0.75 vol% is the most excellent. However, the increase in compressive strength could be more apparent. The addition of NA can make up for the lack of SF in improving compressive performance. When NA content is 1 wt%, the version of GRC is most apparent. Adding 1% NA has the most significant advance in GRC performance. The microstructure analysis showed that the NA could promote the polymerization reaction, generate more gel, and make the contact interface between SF and matrix more compact, thus improving the strength of GRC.


WASTE MINIMIZATION (WM) is at the heart of an environmental control program at the Alliance Refinery (see box on page 53 for plant description). The catalyst for the program is a corporate policy stating that all BP America facilities should be covered by a W M program. Major facilities are to develop written W M programs that are facility-specific. Groups of smaller, similar facilities, such as gas-only retail outlets are to have one plan specific to the group. The written programs include: Waste stream inventories Identification of W M opportunities and practices Facility-specific annual W M goals Annual review of W M achievements. Strategy. In setting WM goals, the approach has been to systematically identify and evaluate W M opportunities relative to all aspects of refinery operations and design improvements. Unlike other mandated environmental programs that deal with specific refinery emissions, WM must consider emission or discharge in a holistic sense, i.e. relative to the refinery's raw materials, products, operating procedures, site specific environmental regulations, housekeeping, and WM practices. A rapid, spectacular reduction in the volumes of wastes generated (as found in the petrochemical industry) isn't feasible. Rather, a refinery must emphasize a combination of recycling, reuse and treatment in addition to source reduction to achieve WM. A production-index approach to our WM goals has not been taken. This leads to misleading and confusing data on the refinery's WM efforts, because of the complex and ever changing operating nature of the refinery in processing various petroleum crudes and producing a wide array of fuels and other petroleum products. Instead, our omnimedia WM approach is to systematically identify and evaluate refinery emissions for the potential to reduce generation by source reduction , recycling, reuse and treatment. Database and profile. Table 1 summarizes the database and profiles for various wastes, residues and intermediates generated and/or handled by the Alliance Refinery. Data sheets on each of these streams have been developed and modified for the refinery. The data sheets include, for each material: a general description, physical/chemical data, hazard information, handling and storage precautions, transportation , treatment and disposal guidelines, and selected references. These data sheets are very similar to material safety data sheets (MSDS). Opportunities and practices. Opportunities for W M are assessed through: Identification and screening of options or techniques Inspection of the facility and interviews with refinery Development of a ranking of options Selection of options for further analysis. In …


An age and growth study was made of 685 white bass, Morone chrysops (Rafinesque), collected from Cedar Bluff Reservoir during 1968 through 1970. The body scale relationship was linear with an intercept of 45.8753 in total length. The length-weight relationship was described as, W = 1.0849 x 10-5 L3.0284 There was no significant difference in length between the sexes after the first year of growth, but females were larger during the first year. The 1968 year class was poorly represented in the sample; this probably resulted from poor spawning or hatching success. Growth compensation occurred with most growth equalized by the third year. Approximately 10% of the total sample was over 3 years old. Coefficients of condition were higher in July than in May or June. The July condition was attributed to increased feeding. Spawning began in mid-June and terminated in early July. The sex ratio was equal but females appeared longer lived.


Cartoon Network leveraged its marketing and creative capabilities, public access, and blue-ribbon partners to launch the nationwide "Rescuing Recess" campaign, which mobilizes grassroots action to preserve or reinstate playtime for elementary school children. The campaign is also a powerful example of successful cause marketing. Cartoon Network partnered with child advocacy and policy-making organizations; encouraged children and adults to write letters to legislators advocating for education policy change; made cash grants to schools to purchase recess equipment; and initiated National Recess Week, with locally organized rallies to raise awareness of the issue and encourage adults to volunteer as recess monitors. This article is printed by permission of Cartoon Network. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


If searched for a ebook Unit Operations in Food Processing, Second Edition by R. L. Earle qcfylrm in pdf format, then you have come on to the correct site. We furnish full variation of this book in DjVu, PDF, doc, ePub, txt formats. You can reading Unit Operations in Food Processing, Second Edition online qcfylrm either downloading. Also, on our site you may reading the manuals and another artistic books online, either download theirs. We will to attract your regard that our website does not store the book itself, but we grant ref to the site where you can load either reading online. So that if have necessity to download Unit Operations in Food Processing, Second Edition pdf by R. L. Earle, then you have come on to correct website. We have Unit Operations in Food Processing, Second Edition DjVu, doc, txt, ePub, PDF formats. We will be pleased if you go back us again and again.


During the study on the effects of various chemicals on root-tip cells in Allium fistulosum, some plants having new karyotypes were found. As is well known, somatic chromosome complement of Allium fistulosum consists of 16, a pair of which bearing nucleoli and big satellites. The material used in the present investigation was collected from the field of Kiyosu, the suburbs of Nagoya, Central Japan. This local variety is called " wakeginebuka ". The other material is a commercial variety " Kujonegi " , which is cultivated in the field of Aichi and Gifu prefecture. Root tips were fixed with Carnoy's fluid without chroloform, stained by aceto-orcein technique. Meioses in pollen mother cells and mitoses in pollen grains were observed with acetocarmine smears. Nucleoli attached to the nucleolar chromsomes were distiguished easily from the other components, in the cells stained with pyronin-methylgreen, thionine or tholuidine blue. The work has been carried out under the direction of Dr. T. Shimamura of the Nagoya University to whom the author wishes to express his sincere gratitude. To Dr. H. Ono of the Tokyo Metropolitan University the author is indebted as well for his critical reading of the manuscript.


Using the methods of literature,expert interviews,questionnaire survey and mathematical statistics and based on the theory of main function region,the paper tries to position the concept and main function of extracurricular sports competitions in Chinese colleges,conducts an in-depth analysis of the existing problems of the competitions,and proposes the reform scheme and operating mechanism of extracurricular sports competitions,namely the introduction of credit system,the clarification of the organizations and institutes,the annual arrangement of the competitions,the diversified and systematic competition content,the establishment of a mentoring system for sports classes,and the diversified and regular evaluation of sports competitions.


With the increasing applications of VSC-HVDC technologies in power grids, the importance of incorporating DC grids and converter stations into the optimal power flow (OPF) problem is increasing. The modeling of a converter station involves highly nonlinear operational constraints and integer variables representing the tap settings of LTC transformers. In this paper, an efficient OPF algorithm for hybrid AC–DC grids with discrete control devices is presented. A successive linear approximation method for the power flow equations in both AC and DC grids is introduced. The operational constraints of the converter station are thoroughly investigated. The proposed linearization of the power flow equations facilitates the convexity of the VSC modeling. A fictitious branch is added to the AC grid to handle the highly nonlinear converter losses. The discrete nature of the LTC transformer in the converter station is accurately modeled. An iterative solving algorithm is proposed for the OPF model. The strict satisfaction of the power flow equations is enabled through the application of an AC feasibility recovery process based on the power flow calculation in hybrid AC–DC grids. Case studies demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms several selected commercial solvers.


In Unigene Laboratories, Inc. et al. v. Apotex, Inc. et al., 655 F.3d 1352 (Fed. Cir. 2011), the Federal Circuit addressed issues of obviousness and the crime fraud exception to privilege. The Federal Circuit affirmed the District Court's denial of summary judgment of obviousness and its grant of summary judgment of nonobviousness. In addition, the Federal Circuit found that the District Court had properly found that documents had not been improperly withheld based on the crime-fraud exception and that additional theories of inequitable conduct raised by Apotex at later stages of the litigation had either been previously addressed by the District Court or had been waived. This case report presents the arguments made at the District Court and Federal Circuit and how each of these courts addressed the issues raised by the parties.


This letter presents a miniature manipulator with variable stiffness towards minimally invasive transluminal endoscopic surgery, such as the endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). The manipulator comprises hollow modules with holes in the sidewall, compact with a 4 mm diameter, and dexterous with six degrees of freedom (DOFs). Basic operations of grasping and stripping can be achieved via the terminal surgical tools. The flexible tubes and torque coils are adopted to avoid the motion coupling of the joints. The worm gears with an anti-backdrive property are used to transfer power from the motor to the reels. The variable stiffness is achieved by using the spring-sliding block-based driver system, delivering both high payload/accuracy and flexibility. The system is described in detail. The kinematics, workspace and variable stiffness are analyzed. Tests in terms of the grasping force and variable stiffness are conducted. Results show that the grasping force is larger than 3 N, and the manipulator's stiffness can be tuned with high rates of change. The manipulator's performances, such as the dexterity and the coordination of operation under the master-slave configuration, were preliminarily demonstrated through the basic mock-up operations.


In the varieties of capitalism literature, Germany is understood as a monolithic model of a coordinated market economy. This analysis shows how institutions for configuring capital and labour at the national level are implemented at state and regional level. By focussing on the labour side this article gives a contribution to the investor dominated shareholder value discussion. It identifies a spatial distinction between capital and labour and concludes a variation of German Models instead of one German Model.


UDC 517.9
We propose a method for the construction of exact solutions to the nonlinear heat equation based on the classical method of separation of variables and its generalization. We consider substitutions used to reduce the nonlinear heat equation to a system of two ordinary differential equations and construct the classes of exact solutions by the method of generalized separation of variables.


1000 ≦ 2%. We considered a mesh mask. With it, we improved the abrasion resistance by increasing the laser irradiation time to less than 30 s; by increasing the laser irradiation, the abrasion resistance decreased. We revealed that abrasion resistance irradiation time 20


Stories have always been a form of communication, the first form of narrative we have encountered in early childhood. And although we have grown up they continue to fascinate us. They maintain and recreate bonds with old traditions, legends, archetypes, myths and symbols. In analyzing stories, Joseph Campbell (2008) proposed the monomyth or the Hero's Journey, a basic pattern, which comprises fundamental stages and structures identifiable in all narratives from different cultures and ages. Although the pattern was further refined and enriched according to the specifics of the narrative (myth, fairy tale, dream, movie etc.) the common structural elements of the Hero's Journey from the ordinary world to a challenging and unfamiliar world include: the departure, the initiation and the return. Picking up on Campbell's model, Sachs (2012) proposes a circular representation of the hero and his/her journey. In this model, a new character, the mentor, plays a pivotal role in the shaping of the hero and his/her transformation. It is the mentor that supports the hero in her/his taking the call to adventure as well as in providing the needed support for crossing the thresholds to the supernatural world and back. Based on what Sachs (2012) suggests that brands could use storytelling as a means to engage with consumers. In doing so he argues that brands should reflect and adopt the role of mentors in their consumers' journeys, guiding them through the challenges on their own world and contributing to their personal fulfilment. This paper aims to evaluate four stories, all focused on women and empowerment and as a result our discussion focuses mainly on the position of the brand within the story and its role. This, we believe, may contribute to a new trend focused on the adoption and applications of empowerment storytelling.


The incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has increased in recent years. CKD is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, although the mechanism remains unclear. Elevated soluble form of the receptor for advanced glycation end products ( RAGE) is related to proinflammatory signaling pathways that may promote diabetic nephropathy and vascular dysfunction. Because lifestyle modification reduces systematic inflammation in adults with obesity and hyperglycaemia, the hypothesis that exercise plus caloric restriction would lower soluble RAGE in adults with CKD was tested in this study.


Background: Despite extraordinary advances in modern radiology and laboratory investigations an accurate diagnosis of acute appendicitis cannot be made in atypical cases. No single diagnostic aid can dramatically reduce the rate of negative appendicectomy. Methods: To reduce the rate of negative appendicectomies, application of RIPASA and Alvarado scoring done in every clinically diagnosed cases of appendicitis in a prospective study from January 2015 to January 2016 was done. 100 patients with right lower quadrant abdominal pain fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criterion underwent appendicectomy in Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, Dr. S.N. Medical college, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. Results: The results of both scoring system were reported and were correlated with intraoperative and histopathological findings. Chi-square test was applied to calculate the p-value for the association between the variables of studied. The mean age was 24.86 years (10-80 years) and there were 61 males and 39 females in the study. Histopathological examination confirmed appendicitis in 95 patients with 5 negative appendicectomies. Negative appendicectomy rate for RIPASA and Alvarado score was 2.17% and 1.54% respectively. Accuracy for RIPASA and Alvarado score was 93% and 68% respectively. Conclusions: RIPASA score is a more valuable tool for diagnosing acute appendicitis with 93% accuracy, sensitivity 94.74% and specificity 60%; inspite of sophisticated investigations like CT, thus reducing the cost of treatment and minimize negative appendicectomy rate.


Component-based software development techniques are being adopted to rapidly deploy complex, high quality systems. One of its aspects is the selection of components that realize the specified requirements. In addition to the functional requirements, the selection must be done taking into account some non-functional requirements such as performance, reliability, and usability, among others. Hence, data that characterize the non-functional behavior of the components are needed; a test set is needed to collect this data for each component under consideration. This set may be large, which results in a considerable increase in the cost of the development process. Here, a process is proposed to considerably reduce the number of test cases used in the performance evaluation of components. The process is based on sequential curve fittings from an incremental number of test cases until a minimal pre-specified residual error is achieved. The results from experiments with image compression components are a clear indication that a reduction in number of test cases can be achieved while maintaining reasonable accuracy when using the proposed approach.


Asset allocation using Markowitz model has many disadvantages, particularly because the optimal weight is sensitive to the estimation error of the model. To overcome the problem of estimation error, we follow Black-Litterman model, where the initial expected returns are linked to market implied return and subjective views of investor for each asset to adjust the expect return. To adjust the heteroscedasticity of the volatility, we further combine the standard Black-Litterman model with several GARCH-typed models to estimate time-varying covariance matrix. Finally, we conduct an empirical analysis using five industry indexes in Taiwan stock market.


This paper establishes the relationships between market orientation and crowdsourcing in knowledge‐based firms for improving their organizational performance. By understanding the relationships among these variables, firms are in a better position to tackle complex business and innovation problems faster and at a lower cost. Results from the Spanish biotechnology and telecommunications sectors show the relevance of social networks for a better adaptation to rapidly changing markets and increasing competitiveness.


A series of novel bis-thiazolidine derivatives with pyrrole ring was designed and synthesized. N-phenyl succinimide on haloformylation with Vilsmeier-Haack reagent (DMF/POCl3) furnished halovinyl aldehyde which on condensation with l-cysteine afforded the target compounds in catalytic amount of piperdine. The synthesized compounds were characterised by spectral analysis. Biological screening shows some of the synthesized compounds exhibit good anti-microbial activity.


The number of women requesting a cervical smear test in Manchester has soared since Coronation Street's Alma Halliwell was diagnosed with cancer. The Christie Hospital in the city where the TV soap is filmed says it is analysing 1,000 smears a day, compared with 2,000 a week before the storyline was introduced. Pictured from this week's episode are Alma, played by Amanda Barrie, and Mike Baldwin, played by Johnny Briggs.


Introduction One of the significant challenges facing tissue engineering is the inadequate diffusion of oxygen to transplanted cells. In this study we investigated whether the diffusion problem could be solved by incorporating oxygen producing materials to generate endogenous oxygen. We fabricated a scaffold system that would provide sustained release of oxygen to cells and tissues for prolonged survival in vivo.


In a water plant,streaming current was monitored along water treatment process chain.The results showed that streaming current had a similar influence on deciding the working efficiency of coagulation and filtration.The streaming current value was not varied largely in the subsequent process of sedimentation and filtration.Thus keeping the optimum dosage in coagulation and flocculation would also be in favor of filtration.


abstract: distribution processes are usually only compared with respect to their result, i.e. the distribution of income among individuals (or households). this limitation is unsatisfactory when a broad welfare theoretic conception of economic justice is borne in mind: not only the 'static' inequality as exhibited by a given distribution of income has to be taken into account. full consideration has to be given as well to the underlying mechanism by which income is distributed, i.e. the 'imputation mechanism' . given a model of the imputation mechanism, it is possible to construct measures of 'process inequality' (as opposed to measures of 'static' inequality of a particular distribution of income). this is done for the 'chance' model whichis related to the conception of 'unequal opportunities'. on the basis of a 'dynamic equity principle' the measure (d) of process inequality is derived. it is shown that the measure (d) of process inequality contains normatively relevant information which could not be obtained by taking only 'static' inequality measures into account.;


We compared automated DNA extraction instruments of AutoMate Express, EZ1 Advanced XL, Maxwell 16 and QIAcube for forensic purpose. DNA was extracted from fresh bloodstains and fresh diluted bloodstains on cotton and denim, three 3-mm punches of FTA card containing buccal cells collected by EasiCollect, and head hair roots and shafts. The genomic and mitochondrial DNA was quantified by real-time PCR assay using D17Z1 locus and/or the C region of hyper variable region 1 (HV1). The extracted DNA was used to amplify 15 STR loci of Identifiler kit and/or the A and the C regions in HV1.   AutoMate Express tended to give the highest DNA concentration from all the samples except for FTA cards and hair roots. Full STR profiles were obtained using all the instruments from bloodstains on cotton and denim, FTA cards and hair roots. Out of the 15 diluted bloodstain samples on cotton and denim, full STR profiles were obtained from 14 and 15 samples for AutoMate Express, 11 and 14 samples for EZ1 Advanced XL, 0 and 6 samples for Maxwell 16, and 8 and 14 samples for QIAcube, respectively. When 20 μl of the denim extract was concentrated and amplified with 1 ng of 9947A DNA, PCR inhibition was slightly observed using AutoMate Express and Maxwell 16, but not observed when using EZ1 Advanced XL and QIAcube.   When the A and the C regions of HV1 were amplified using 2,000 copies of the hair root DNA extracted by all the instruments, positive bands were observed from almost all the samples. On the other hand, when 2,000 copies or less of the hair shaft DNA were amplified, the bands of the A region were weaker than those of the C region for all the instruments especially for AutoMate Express.   In conclusion, AutoMate Express and EZ1 Advanced XL are suitable for DNA extraction from forensic samples, since they are easier to operate than QIAcube is, and they give higher DNA yield than Maxwell 16 does.


Red-sensitive plates of the optical remnant of 3C 58 (G130.7 + 3.1), obtained at the prime-focus of the Hale 5 m telescope in 1977 and 1989, have been used to search for rapidly expanding knots of nebular emission. No such nebulosity was found. If the optical nebula represent the expanding shell of a supernova, then its age must be a few thousand years. A more likely alternative is that the nebulosity that is presently visible (which is significantly enriched in nitrogen) represents quasi-stationary circumstellar material that was excited and compressed by passage of the fast-moving shell of a supernova that exploded about 800 years ago. 7 refs.


The existence of magnitude type variation from existing earthquake catalogue sources show that uniforming process is necessary. Beside that these type of magnitude will saturates in certain value, which are different with moment magnitude (Mw) which is not saturated and can describe earthquake process better. Our research initially did compatibility test between summary magnitude which is largely used by BMKG with other magnitude type. Furthermore, the purpose of our research is determination of empirical relation between magnitude type summary magnitude (M), local magnitude (ML), body-wave magnitude (mb), dan surface magnitude (Ms) which are usually used by earthquake catalogues to Mw. Method used in this research is linear regression using data set from BMKG, ISC-EHB, USGS, and Global CMT catalogues with are limited in West Nusa Tenggara and surrounding area. Data used in this research contains of 24.703 earthquake events during period May 9th 1922 until June 27th 2020. The result of this research shows there was good relation between M magnitude type with others magnitude type. Our research also found a conversion formula of M, ML, MLv, mb, and Ms to Mw with well-defined correlation.


Abstract Yao H, Paterson AM, James AL, McConnell C, Field T, Ingram R, Zhang D, Arnott SE, Higgins SN. 2020. Contrasting long-term trends of chloride levels in remote and human-disturbed lakes in south-central Ontrario, Canada. Lake Reserv Manage. XX:XXX–XXX. We examined a 41 yr data record from 4 monitored lakes in south-central Ontario, Canada, to demonstrate and explain long-term changes in chloride (Cl) loading and in-lake concentrations in relation to the degree of watershed disturbance. A mass balance calculation for each lake was used to determine ungauged shoreline loads. Correlations of lake Cl concentrations with each of 3 major contributing sources (inputs from inflowing streams, atmospheric deposition, and ungauged shoreline areas) revealed the contribution of each source to Cl trends at each lake. Areal loads (Cl load per year per unit area) showed the relative intensity of the contributions. Two lakes (Red Chalk, Plastic) with relatively undisturbed watersheds showed declining trends in atmospheric deposition, stream loads, lake export, and lake Cl concentrations, whereas 2 lakes (Harp, Dickie) with disturbed watersheds showed increased stream loads, lake export, and lake concentrations, despite long-term declines in atmospheric deposition. This contrasting trend was related to increased Cl concentrations in inflowing streams, which were caused by increased residential development and road salt applications. The ungauged shoreline loads in the disturbed watersheds made a contribution as high as 80% to total Cl loads. As increasing Cl concentrations have implications for aquatic biota, even at the relatively low concentrations observed in the study lakes, these findings highlight the need for improved management of road salt applications. Our results confirm that even relatively remote lakes within the Canadian Shield are potentially at risk from watershed disturbances that are disrupting the natural loading of Cl to inland waters.


The Mediterranean has recently been under-represented in the historiography of the British overseas experience. This contribution highlights the British engagement with the Greek-speaking world in that context. The interactions between the British Ionian Protectorate and the emergence of an 'independent' Greek state are evoked. It is seen that while the British encouraged the latter, they did so within strict limitations and with some regrets. The role of the Royal Navy and the character of the Hellenic monarchy receive special comment. Issues of language and understanding are identified as important sources of 'deception' in Anglo-Hellenic relations. Strategic pressures constraining both British and Greek choices nonetheless maintained the intimacy of the connection through revolutions and wars. The ambiguity of Britain's involvement in the island of Cyprus is shown to be crucial to the eventual erosion of Britain's leading position in the Mediterranean region, though two sovereign 'Special Base Areas' remain today on the island. Residues of the issues covered in this article continue to be discernible at many levels, not least within the contemporary European Union, with its own expanding Mediterranean dimension.


This report explains the present state of in-situ tracer experiment techniques for rock mass and the points to remember when conducting in-situ tests.There are several methods for in-situ tracer experiment. First their principles, advantages and disadvantages and application examples to rock mass are described for typical in-situ tracer testing methods. Point dilution test and single-well injection-withdrawal test are introduced as typical single-hole tracer testing methods. On the other hand, natural gradient test, radially divergent test, radially converging test and dipole test are introduced as typical cross-hole tracer testing methods.A tracer injection system and a recovery system are required to conduct an in-situ tracer experiment. Secondly equipments for in-situ tracer experiment are outlined with testing procedure. And points to remember for test equipments are described.Selection of tracers is one of the most important issues for a successful in-situ tracer experiment. Conservative tracers are used to investigate the phenomena of advection and dispersion, whereas reactive tracers are used to address the phenomena of sorption and matrix diffusion. Thirdly desirable conditions for conservative tracers and generally used conservative tracers are described. And the points to remember for selecting reactive tracers and concentration of injected tracers are outlined.In order to conduct an in-situ tracer experiment successfully and estimate the characteristics of rock mass for solute transport accurately, geological and hydraulical characteristics of rock mass should be investigated closely prior to the in-situ tracer experiment. Finally the procedure for investigating the transport properties of rock mass is outlined including prior geological and hydrological surveys as well as in-situ tracer experiments.


Objective To know the sanitary situation of the centralized water supply and secondary water supply in the city of Hohhot.Method To investigate the sanitation of eleven centralized water supply and some of the secondary water supply in the city of Hohhot.Results The sanitary situation of drinking water in this city was generally consistent with the National drinking water standards.But the qualified rate of free residual chlorine in the outlet water and pipe water were 72.73%and 67.39%,a bit of low.None of the Waterproof material using in the Secondary water supply facilities was been match with the national regulations about Wading products Health licensing documents.Conclusion The monitoring results show that mere were many security risks in the city of Hohhot on the health status of drinking water.So the government and the relevant departments should attach great importance to the sanitary situation of drinking water in this city.


This study aimed to improve science process skills of students in learning physics through program using the inquiry learning model. This research is action research through the stages of planning, implementation, observation, and reflection, its are implemented in cyclical form. The subjects were students of biology education courses that take the course Physics I in the first semester of academic year 2013/2014. The instrument in this study using the Performance Appraisal Sheet Process (PASP) based on woorksheet to obtain data of science process skills of students. The results showed that as many as 75 % of students have a science process skills with good category, 17 % of students with unfavorable category, 8 % of students categorized as very poor (bad). As for each component of science process skills, students appear to difficulties in conducting data analysis with a score of 59,8 but both in carrying out experiments with a score of 70,5. From the research that has been done can be concluded that the learning program using the inquiry model in physics learning can improve student science process skills.


In this paper, the microscopic mechanism of rutting formation is studied by the Discrete Element Method (DEM). The particles in discontinuous asphalt mixtures are discretized into circular rigid particles by DEM, then the initial model is created in accordance with the actual pavement. The displacement vector changes of particles under loading and the process of rutting formation are presented in this paper. The asphalt pavement model has been built to simulate the material properties of asphalt pavement by the PFC2D software. At the same time, the displacement vector changes in each layer have been analyzed under loading. In addition, the mechanisms of permanent deformation have been studied and the rutting formation process of asphalt pavement has been simulated. The results show that the Discrete Element Method used to study permanent deformation characteristics of asphalt pavement is reasonable and feasible.


The present study was undertaken to evaluate the ef fect of some selected medicinal plants on immunomod ulatory activity that comprises of screening to identify th e activity of ethanolic extract of medicinal plants on humoral and cell mediated immunity (specific immune response). Experiments were conducted in vivo in Swiss albino mice. Withania somnifera (WS) ethanolic extract was found to enhance humoral immune response on 7 th day by 12 % as compared to the standard control cyclophosphamide t hat exhibited 54% humoral immune response, where as cell mediated immune response was observed with an enhan cement in the values (19.27%) in comparison with co ntrol cyclosporine (37.63%).


Exposure of skin to ultraviolet (UV) radiation might provoke acute and chronic inflammation and oxidative stress which might cause DNA damage leading to skin photoaging and photocarcinogenesis. Previously we showed that Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench (EH) extract, rich in phenolic acids, has protective effect on human blood lymphocytes exposed to UVC radiation. In this study we checked whether the pre-treatment of human keratinocyte HaCaT cells with lyophilisate of EH (1 and 10 mg/mL) could reduce or prevent primary DNA damage induced by UVC radiation (253.7 nm) in laboratory conditions. Prior to that experiment we examined cell viability using MTT test upon exposure to EH and UVC (30 and 60 min) alone and in combination. Primary DNA damage in HaCaT cells was studied using the alkaline comet assay. Exposure of cells to EH and UVC alone or EH in combination with UV radiation did not reduced cell viability. Opposite to that UV radiation (30 and 60 min) caused a significant increase in the level of primary DNA damage (P<0.001). Pre- treatment of cells with both concentrations of EH was not genotoxic to HaCaT cells. Only concentration of 1 mg/mL EH successfully protected the cells against the effects of 30 min exposure to UVC radiation. Positive results obtained in this study speak in favour of continuing the research on effectiveness of Echinacea purpurea preparations and their potential application in developing cosmetic products for skin protection.


There are rich CBM(coalbed methane) resources in Wubu mining area.To speed up the CBM development in Wubu mining area,the draining effect and the combination of gas-producing layers of CBM wells in the Wubu mining area have been analyzed.And form the point of view of the hydraulic connection between the coal seam and the aquifer,the causes for different draining effect of CBM wells in Wubu mining area have been discussed.The result indicates that coal seam S1 has no hydraulic connection with the aquifer,and the aquifer has not influenced the draining effect of the coal seam S1,so the draining effect of the S1 coal seam is good.There is no good aquifuge between coal seam T1 and limestone aquifer K2.The crushed fracture has extended to the roof of coal seam T1 during hydraulic fracturing process,limestone aquifer K2 has influenced seriously the draining effect of coal seam T1.So the draining effect of coal seam T1 or the multi-layer S1 and T1 are not good.Considering above factors,suggestions on the further development strategy of CBM resource in the Wubu mining area in near future have been put forward.


A novel fringe-counting fibre optic sensor is proposed. It consists of a Vernier-type optical fibre resonator, and is driven by a source that covers one or several free spectral ranges of the Vernier resonator. Such a source can be synthesised by scanning a single-mode laser. The resolution of the sensor can be a small fraction of a wavelength. Fibre optic Vernier resonators can be constructed in several ways. A design using two cascaded fibre Fabry-Perot resonators is analysed in detail. An equivalent design consisting of two recirculating ring resonators is suggested as an improved solution.