Meta-data related to musical content have become a very popular research issue over the past years. The af(cid:2)rmation of ID3 embedded meta-data in mp3 (cid:2)les and the release of the Mpeg7 standard are only the surface of a phenomenon that is attracting more and more attention in the research labs of many business oriented companies and universities. The main reason for this interest is that music has just re-cently, but very rapidly, become a real electronic resource, that is managed through a computer and can be down-loaded over the Internet. The consequences of this fact are enormous. First of all, there is a clear need to manage large sets of music (cid:2)les on a hard disk, which is of course quite different from managing them on a bookcase. This issue has been addressed quite successfully by several popular soft-wares, which allow you to index music (cid:2)les by author, title and genre. Another need is to (cid:2)nd your way through the very large offerings of musical content that you can access over the Internet and that is getting more and more indis-tinct, as it has already happened for other kinds of media: it may not be hard to (cid:2)nd something you are looking for, but the discovery of interesting content of which you are not yet aware, might really be dif(cid:2)cult. Besides these needs, are also new possibilities dis-closed by this scenario. all, the simple title, author and genre paradigm to provide more interesting heuristics and services relying on them. to the Semantic Hi(cid:2) European


This summary of new alternative road types contains experiences obtained from plan-level pilot sites and their continuation plans and implementation. Experiences obtained from other planning sites of new road types are also utilized. The objective of this summary is not so much to compare road types as to determine what factors have affected the suitability of the road type in each section of road (project) under study, and what needs to be taken into consideration when planning new road types. Another goal is to describe the basic characteristics of each road type. This summary is intended to be used as a basis for drawing conclusions and for compiling recommendations or guidelines for applying new road types. In the reviews new road types primarily refer to three-lane roads with or without median barriers, wide-lane roads and four-lane roads with median barriers. A two-lane road containing three-lane sections with a median barrier at regular intervals can also be considered a new type of main road. Correspondingly, conventional road types are two-lane roads, conventional limited-access highways and motorways. The cross section of a road with wide shoulders corresponds to that of a conventional limited-access highway, except that it is implemented as a road with mixed traffic and crossings.


IL‐4 is an important cytokine that can influence bone. We identified two distinct actions of IL‐4 to inhibit osteoclast formation: one direct on osteoclast progenitors and the second through the production of a novel T‐cell surface‐associated molecule(s). These data show a new link between the immune system and bone.


MUCIN LAYERS AS COATING FOR BIOMATERIALS Seunghwan Lee, Javier Sotres, Bruno Zappone, Jan Busk Madsen, Kirsi I. Pakkanen Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Society, Department of Biomedical Science, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden; CNR – IPCF LiCryL Laboratory, C/o Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita della Calabria, (CS), Italy


This study presents a detailed modelling and simulation algorithm for coupling thermal desalination plants with nuclear reactors. Different coupling techniques concerning co-generation systems for linking thermal seawater desalination units (MED and MSF) to nuclear power reactors using Advanced Process Simulation Environment (APROS) are presented and discussed. In addition to developing a simulation model for the coupling unit, a separate APROS simulation model for the thermal desalination processes is also constructed and assessed against design data of a 1200 m/day production capacity of thermal desalination plants available at the industrial desalination fabrication facility in Tripoli-Libya. The simulation model developed is intended to serve as a design tool as well as for research purposes to study in particular thermal desalination (MSF and MED) coupling to nuclear reactors and/or fossil energy sources. It is designed to improve the understanding of the thermal desalination process by developing a control strategy for plant dynamics and thermodynamically optimise process operating conditions. The developed simulation algorithm includes simulation modules describing the main components of the coupled system comprising the coupling unit, brine heater, and stages of distillation subsystem. The coupling unit which separates the nuclear side from the desalination side is simulated in two different ways. First, it was simulation to produce hot water at preset temperature and pressure. And then modelled to produce saturated steam. In addition to the thermal optimization of the coupling unit, the APROS algorithm simulating the coupling unit is developed in such away that avoids the possibility of both radioactive contamination of desalted water and penetration of brine water in turbine circuit. 1) Introduction A major problem that faces Middle Eastern and North African States is access to sufficient water for domestic, industrial and agricultural use. Libya is one of these countries where river systems do not exist and the main water source in the country is the underground fossil water, which contributes more than 98% of the total water consumption. Libya is classified as an arid or semi-arid area, receiving less than 150 mm of rainfall per year and high evaporation rates ranging between 1700 mm/year in the north to about 6000 mm/year in the south [1,2]. The rapid population growth rates and the ever increasing rate of urban drift that has led to serious pressure on urban water supply worsen the problem. Industrialisation, particularly when it involved heavy industry, has made further demands on available water resources. As a result of the excessive water use, the water table has fallen markedly in many areas and has led to the intrusion of seawater into the aquifer. Recent studies on the water resources and


The purpose of this study is to incrementally, through a combination of various methods, examine the assumptions about the working economic outcomes that can be made based on planned ergonomic intervention in a department at Pfizer Health AB in Strangnas. The study contributes to knowledge about how assumptions on OSH financial results can be made, based on planned ergonomic interventions. These assumptions were based on biomechanical calculations made on the basis of ergonomics measurements with inclinometer. The study is important because previous research has shown that poor work environment have a bad impact on the economy of a company in different ways. It can for example be negative impact on the company's productivity and quality of the units produced or the services provided. Poor work environment can also contribute to increased absence due to illness.The study was conducted using three methods: 1) ergonomics measurement, 2) biomechanical calculations and 3) working economic analysis. To obtain documentation for the ergonomic measurements two inclinometers were used and attached to the arm and back at one long and one short test person. The biomechanical calculations were performed using a computer program called ALBA. The operations that were assumed to be most burdensome were calculated. Also an operation that remained unchanged after the intervention was calculated. That was made to give a better picture of how the workload would be after the intervention. The economic analysis was based largely from the assumption of sick leave due to heavy strenuous work. The calculation method used was "Remaining costs". The method helps to calculate the costs that the company had left when staff were absent from work. The study results showed that, through the assumption of one long-term illness every three years, it would be worth investing in ergonomic improvements for at least 4156 thousand kronor in C-Class (cost of occupational injuries + reduced product waste) with repayment in one year and four months. Compared to the cost of the planned interventions of 3150 thousand kronor it was assumed well worth implementing planned changes. The conclusion from the study was that the intervention could be recommended intended to reduce the workload and the repetitiveness of the employees.


Water channels have been ubiquitously found in plants and play important roles in plant growth and development because they can specifically promote the transportation of water across the membrane. Based on the advances in research into plant water channels, this article discusses mainly the eco-physiological characters of plant water channels and their involve- ment in stomatal movements, with the conclusion that water channels may play important roles ins tomatalo scillation.


This article puts forward a new idea of constructing inorganic chemistry experiment teaching which is a studentcentered teaching and designed to improve the student's experiment ability and innovation.By using modern information technique and multi-media lab,the student is offered more chances to do experiments independently.Thus,we can realize the purpose of developing green chemistry experiment and mini chemistry experiment.


We focus on the relationship between the linearization method and linear complexity and show that the linearization method is another effective technique for calculating linear complexity. We analyze its effectiveness by comparing with the logic circuit method. We compare the relevant conditions and necessary computational cost with those of the Berlekamp-Massey algorithm and the Games-Chan algorithm. The significant property of a linearization method is that it needs no output sequence from a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) because it calculates linear complexity using the algebraic expression of its algorithm. When a PRNG has n [bit] stages (registers or internal states), the necessary computational cost is smaller than O(2n). On the other hand, the Berlekamp-Massey algorithm needs O(N2) where N ( 2n) denotes period. Since existing methods calculate using the output sequence, an initial value of PRNG influences a resultant value of linear complexity. Therefore, a linear complexity is generally given as an estimate value. On the other hand, a linearization method calculates from an algorithm of PRNG, it can determine the lower bound of linear complexity.


Purpose
This paper aims to bridge the gap between theoretical dissertations on the demand and supply for equity by Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the reality of the capital raising markets.

Design/methodology/approach
The mixed-methods approach includes questions integrated into a survey of 26,000 SMEs paired with semi-structured interviews with the CEOs or Chairs of the 15 Australian small-scale private equity (SSPE) firms.

Findings
Contrary to capital structure theory expectations, 46 per cent of Australian SMEs are interested in equity funding, despite a stated ability to acquire additional debt. The authors reveal a mismatch between supply and demand for SSPE with few SMEs able to meet private equity (PE) firms' stringent investment criteria.

Research limitations/implications
The population of Australian SSPE firms is small and interviewee responses are qualitative and are not easily replicated.

Practical implications
To improve SSPE market liquidity, SMEs must overcome severe information asymmetry to demonstrate their quality and reduce the cost of due diligence for PE firms. One relatively easy step is for SMEs to voluntarily adopt auditable financial controls on SMEs similar to publicly traded firms.

Originality/value
Few studies focus on small firm equity, which is essential to economic growth and innovation. The authors use a large data set of Australian SMEs and unique informationally rich interview data on the population of Australian firms in SSPE, an industry known for its lack of transparency.


The article discusses the increasing use of mixed methods designs in applied research, particularly work commissioned by government. The roots of this trend are discussed in the UK and US context, drawing out particularly the implications for qualitative methods, the role of benchmarks and quality standards, and the implications for critical research. Examples from socio‐legal research and research on social aspects of health and illness illustrate the argument.


Antithrombotics (such as antiplatelets and anticoagulants) and statins are often prescribed for primary or secondary vascular prevention. From a clinical perspective, practitioners often weigh the risk of bleeding, which is traditionally associated with antithrombotics, against their potential benefit. Such benefit/risk considerations have been the driver of randomized clinical trials investigating the role of aspirin in primary or secondary vascular prevention among specific populations at risk.1– 3 Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is perhaps one of the most feared side effects of antithrombotic use because of its high risk of mortality and morbidity.4 Although the initial publication of results from the SPARCL (Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels) trial5 suggested that the risk of ICH associated with statins among patients with noncardioembolic stroke was a concern, subsequent analyses from the SPARCL trial6 and other populationbased and hospital studies7– 9 reassuringly showed that statins do not increase the risk of ICH.


A hetero-arm star polymer, poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-poly(L-lysine) (PEG-PNIPAM-PLys), was synthesized by "clicking" the azide group at the junction of PEG-b-PNIPAM diblock copolymer with the alkyne end-group of poly(L-lysine) (PLys) homopolymer via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. The resultant polymer was characterized by gel permeation chromatography, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopes. Surprisingly, the PNIPAM arm of this hetero-arm star polymer nearly lose its thermal responsibility. It is found that stable polyelectrolyte complex micelles are formed when mixing the synthesized polymer with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) in water. The resultant polyelectrolyte complex micelles are core-shell spheres with the ion-bonded PLys/PAA chains as core and the PEG and PNIPAM chains as shell. The PNIPAM shell is, as expected, thermally responsive. However, its lower critical solution temperature is shifted to 37.5 °C, presumably because of the existence of hydrophilic components in the micelles. Such star-like PEG-PNIPAM-PLys polymer with different functional arms as well as its complexation with anionic polymers provides an excellent and well-defined model for the design of nonviral vectors to deliver DNA, RNA, and anionic molecular medicines. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 1450–1462, 2009


We report observations on the reactivity of the dinuclear bridged metal-metal-bonded carbonyl [Rh(II)(CO)(&mgr;-CpPPh(2))](2)(2+) (2(2+)) and of the bis(solvate) cations [Rh(II)(solv)(&mgr;-CpPPh(2))(2)](2)(2+) (3(2+)) with nitriles, amines and pyridine and in general with nitrosyl cation and nitrite anion. By reaction of nitriles and pyridine with 2(2+) we obtained monosubstituted [Rh(2)(CO)L(&mgr;-CpPPh(2))(2)](2+) (4(2+)) and disubstituted [Rh(L)(&mgr;-CpPPh(2))](2)(2+) (5(2+)) (L = MeCN, PhCN, pyridine). These complexes (5(2+)) were also obtained directly from 3(2+). In the reactions with 2(2+) the difference in reactivity of the two rhodium(II) sites suggests a specific role of the metal-metal bond. With secondary and primary amines, reductions of 2(2+) to [Rh(I)(CO)(&mgr;-CpPPh(2))](2) (1) were also observed, and the selectivity with respect to substitution or reduction was strongly solvent dependent. Lithium diisopropylamide induces quantitatively the reduction of 2(2+) to 1 and apparently the substitution of the solvent in 3a(2+). Finally, the new compounds [Rh(II)(THF)(&mgr;-CpPh(2))](2)(2+) (3a(2+)), [Rh(II)(&mgr;-H(2)NC(5)H(4)N)(&mgr;-CpPh(2))(2)](2+) (6(2+)) and [Rh(II)(NO(2))(&mgr;-CpPh(2))](2) (7(2+)) were obtained from 2(2+) and PhIO, from 3(2+) and aminopyridine, and from 2(2+) and nitrite anion, respectively. The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis and the usual spectroscopic methods including COSY NMR experiments. Reaction of NOBF(4) with 1 led efficiently to the compound 2(2+) again through a redox process, instead of a substitution.


Expounding the advantage of potassium ferrate,K2FeO4 was used in studying the degradation and viscosity decreasing of the polyacrylamide-containing wastewater from ERO,the result showed that with pH value controlled at about 4 and temperature at round 60℃ for reacting 30 min with 0.003mol/L potassium ferrate,the effect of degradation and decreasing viscosity is obvious,the oil content water reached the second class of nation discharge standard.The method of potassium ferrate for treatment of poly-PAM wastewater from ERO is feasible.


The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by behavioral manifestations that affect the normal operation/development of children, adolescents and adults in different life contexts. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders6 (DSM), the ADHD presents the necessary clinical strength to be considered a specific neurodevelopmental disorder. In this article we describe the main characteristics of ADHD, highlighting aspects related to epidemiology, symptomatology, comorbidity and evaluation, but above all we debate the amendments made to the diagnostic criteria in the DSM‑5, namely: specifiers, age of onset, cutoff, and comorbidity with Autism Spectrum Disorder.


According to the United Nations (UN), nearly 1 billion of the 8 billion people in the world live in slums (1). These dense and disordered communities form in urban areas without a formal plan; their residents frequently lack addresses. Often they don't have immediate access to water, power, or emergency services.

Researchers hope applying the principles of topology to the layout of slums similar to this one in Cape Town will improve the lives of residents. Image credit: Shutterstock/Moobatto.

Slums stem from all sorts of complex social and economic ills that don't have easy solutions. But these chaotic communities share a common trait: a lack of connectivity. "Many parcels aren't connected to a broader urban infrastructure—roads, power, telecommunications, sewer lines," explains Christa Brelsford, a fellow at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN. Brelsford's research examines ways that people interact with urban environments.

That lack of connectivity, she says, is essentially a math problem. For the last 5 years, she has been working with interdisciplinary researchers to analyze data, collected firsthand by residents, to define mathematical ways in which slums differ from more functional neighborhoods. The researchers are seeking efficient and nondisruptive ways to improve lives.

But scholars who've studied slums and their multifaceted origins are skeptical that applying such mathematical approaches will help. Some fear they could even make the problem worse.

Topologists study surfaces and spaces; they want to know what properties remain after transformations such as stretching, squashing, or twisting. If two surfaces can be deformed into one another without tearing, ripping, or stitching, then they're topologically equivalent. Topologists, according to an old math joke, don't know the difference between a coffee cup and a donut. But the field's roots can be traced back to geography. "There's a long history of using mathematics to describe …


The objects of study in the domain of analysis on semigroups are semigroups endowed with a topology that is to some degree compatible with the algebraic structure. The compactness of the topology leads to remarkable properties of the involved semigroups. This is the reason why compact semigroups have a special status among semigroups endowed with a topology and why one compactifies non-compact semigroups. The talk presents, on the one hand, the main aspects concerning semigroup compactifications and oers, on the other hand, an historical overview on this subject from its origin till recent results about compactifications of subsemigroups of Lie groups.


Germfree Sprague-Dawley rats monoassociated with Eikenella corrodens exhibited alveolar bone loss. This progressive bone loss occurred over a period of weeks, during which time the hosts developed an immune response toward the infective microorganism. By means of repeated bacterial vaccination resulting in elevated serum antibody titers, reduced bone loss was observed.


The reaction of cis-{(η5-C5H3)2(CMe2)2}Ru2(CO)4Br2 with naphthalene affords the syn-facial [cis-{(η5-C5H3)2(CMe2)2}Ru2(μ-η6,η6-C10H8)][OTf]2, (22+), a complex that appears to be two electrons short of the 18-electron rule. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the Ru atoms satisfy their missing valence by a combination of a weak metal–metal bond and sharing electrons from the central π bond of the naphthalene. The one-electron reduction of 22+ yields 2+, a Class II mixed-valence complex, while the two-electron reduction of 22+ causes a hapticity change from η6 to η4 on one of the naphthalene rings and yields cis-{(η5-C5H3)2(CMe2)2}Ru2(μ-η6,η4-C10H8) (20), a zwitterionic complex. The DFT calculations predict that the Cs isomer of 20 is 4.69 kcal/mol lower in energy than the C2v isomer, which is a transition state. Reaction of cis-{(η5-C5H3)2(CMe2)2}Ru2(CO)4Br2 with anthracene affords the analogous syn-facial anthracene complex, [cis-{(η5-C5H3)2(CMe2)2}Ru2(μ-η6,η6-C14H10)][OTf]2, (4), an...


Broadcasting is a fundamental networking service where the source node tries to disseminate the message to the whole network. The problem of Minimum Latency Broadcast Scheduling (MLBS) which seeks a fast and collision-free broad-cast schedule has been well studied when nodes are energy-abundant. However, in battery-free wireless networks, node can only receive or transmit packets after it has harvested enough energy. In such networks, it is of great importance to exploit the harvested energy smartly to reduce broadcast latency. Un-fortunately, the existing works rely on predetermined structures may greatly increase the latency by choosing a node with large charging latency as the backbone node. In addition, they assume each node can only transmit once which may result in much waiting latency. To address the above issues, we investigate the MLBS problem in battery-free wireless networks without predetermined structures in this paper. Firstly, to make use of the harvested energy smartly, we intertwine the construction of broadcast tree and the computation of an energy-satisfied and collision-free schedule. Secondly, a Delayed Broadcasting technique is proposed for each node to tradeoff between the number of transmissions and its waiting latency. By considering residual energy and transmitting time, two latency and energy aware scheduling algorithms are proposed, in which the broadcast tree can be constructed adaptively according to nodes' energy status. Finally, the theoretical analysis and simulation results verify that the proposed algorithms have high performance in terms of broadcast latency.


The compound [Ir2l2(CO) (a-CO) (dppm)2] (1) (dppm = Ph2PCH2PPh2) reacts with acetylene and phenylacetylene to give the vinylidene-bridged complexes [Ir2I2(CO)2(M-CC(H)R)(dppm)2] (R = H (5), Ph (7)). With acetylene the first species observed is proposed to be the alkynebridged [Ir2I2(CO)2(M-HC2H)(dppm)2] (3), in which the alkyne is bound parallel to the Ir-Ir vector. This compound transforms to [Ir2I(CO)2Oi-HC2H)(dppm)2] [I] (4), in which it is proposed, on the basis of , {31 }, 13C and 13C{31P} NMR experiments, that the alkyne is unsymmetrically bound, allowing it to bond with one metal while still remaining bound to both. Compound 4 transforms to the vinylidene-bridged product 5 within ca. 20 h at ambient temperature. When the reaction of 1 with phenylacetylene is carried out at -40 °C, the only species detected is the acetylide-bridged hydrido complex [Ir2(H) (I) (CO)2(g-C2Ph) (dppm)2] [I] (6). However, at temperatures above 0 °C, only compound 7 is observed. A mechanism is proposed for the acetylene-to-vinylidene transformation. Compound 5 reacts with additional acetylene to give the products [Ir2I(CO)2(#t-CCH2)^-HC2H)(dppm)2][I] (8) and [Ir2(CO)2Ot-CCH2)(M-HC2H)(dppm)2][I]2 (9a), in which the metals are bridged by a vinylidene unit and an alkyne group. These cationic complexes are also obtained in the reaction of [Ir2(CO)2(M-I)(dppm)2]+ (2) with acetylene. The structures of 5 and 7 have been determined by X-ray crystallography. Compound 5 crystallizes with 0.75 equiv of CH2C12 in the orthorhombic space group Pbca with a = 16.474


Increasingly in the last decade, proteomics has become a widely used technique in the field of cell biology. This is due not only to improvements in technology and analytical procedures, but also because of the innovative and diverse ways in which the methodologies of protein and peptide analysis have been applied. This has resulted in the broadening of applications and potential uses for proteomics, including analyses of cellular substructures and mechanisms to imaging of protein distributions in cells and tissues. The growing scale and scope of modern proteomics projects has brought to the fore computing challenges involved in managing and mining the resulting very large and complex data sets. Modern proteomics is therefore inherently multidisciplinary, requiring the expertise of software engineers and statisticians as well as cell biologists, protein chemists and mass spectrometrists. This review article will describe some of the elegant, quirky, and novel applications of mass spectrometry based proteomics to medical research, diagnostics, quality control and drug discovery.


Justice-impacted students include those who are incarcerated and released [2]. This population overwhelmingly consists of African American men due to drug policies developed in the 1980s [3]. Attempts by this population to obtain postsecondary credentials are stymied by Pell Grants and state aid ineligibility and the greater risk of FAFSA verification requests. Incarcerated students face additional challenges related to the location of their education: the prison. The understandable need to preserve security and safety results in logistical hurdles for student transfer and tracking, communication, and volunteer safety. Prisons' limited classroom space and work requirements restrict the number of students that can participate. Networking issues and computer technology barriers, along with many incarcerated students' lack of digital literacy, make completing assignments difficult. In addition, the resources needed for prison education programs—administration, staffing, instructor training, and transportation—make such programs quite expensive. S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0 Policy Brief


The properties of sea water in deep-sea are still quite poorly understood, even though those of the surface water have been sufficiently investigated. In this study, the specific conductance of sea water was measured under the circumstances : pressure of 1 to 2,000 bars and temperature 10 to as well as over the concentration of 6.228 to 19.372 per mil chloronity. The specific conductance gave the linearity with the given pressure. The initial slope, of the specific conductance n versus the pressure P over the pressure 1 to 1,000 bars showed a large positive value, but the second slope over the pressure 1,000 to 2,000 bars was relatively less positive value. And our equations were comparable with the empirical formular obtained by Horns et al. (1963).


NEURAL tube defects, including anencephaly and spina bifida, are among the commonest major congenital malformations in the United States.1A study in selected Massachusetts hospitals disclosed a combined prevalence rate of 2.24 per 1,000 births during the years 1930 to 1965.2Between 1972 and 1975, twenty-six neural tube defects were found among 18,155 consecutive deliveries at the Boston Hospital for Women (1.43 per 1,000).3The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta reported an incidence of 2.35 per 1,000 for the white population and 0.9 per 1,000 for the black population.4Among the first 6,031 pregnancies screened in Nassau County, NY, ten neural tube defects were prospectively identified. Women who have been delivered of a conceptus with one of these lesions are at approximately 2% risk of having another similarly affected offspring in each succeeding pregnancy.3In a given year, however, more than 90% of all


The corrosion behavior of 7075 Al alloy in alkaline NaCl solution containing different concentration of NaOH was investigated by electrochemical method,and the effects of NaOH concentration and Cl-content as well as temperature on the corrosion behavior were explored. Results indicated that,at lower NaOH concentration( 0. 1 ~ 0. 5 mol /L),the growth of barrier layer( the adhered layer of corroded products) was dominant on Al alloy surface,and the growth rate of the barrier layer rose with increasing NaOH concentration. Besides,at higher NaOH concentration( 1. 0 ~ 5. 0 mol /L),the dissolution of the barrier layer was dominant on Al alloy surface,and the degree of destruction of the barrier layer caused by hydrogen evolution rose with NaOH concentration. In the meantime,the presence of Cl-accelerated the hydrogen-evolution-induced damage of the barrier coating to some extent,and such an accelerating function augmented with elevating NaOH concentration. Moreover,in the solution consisting of 0. 04 mol /L NaOH and 0. 01 mol /L NaCl,temperature mainly influenced the growth of the barrier coating,and the growth rate of the barrier coating rose with elevating temperature.In the solution consisting of 0. 40 mol /L NaOH and 0. 01 NaCl,however,temperature mainly influenced the dissolution of the barrier layer,and the degree of hydrogen-evolution-induced damage of the barrier layer augmented with elevating temperature.


The piping components of nuclear power plants (NPPs) should be designed and maintained to ensure their structural integrity under seismic condition as well as normal operation condition. Thus, the reliability of integrity assessments of piping components under the seismic loading condition is an imp...


The core of metabonomic is to study the response of organism under extraneous or endogenic
stimuli, which takes place in metabolism level. The objects of metabonomic study are the small
molecules ( metabolites ). It is widely used in disease diagnosis and the discovery of biomarkers,
also obtains the widespread applications in the drug research and development domains.
This work took the diarrhea patient''s fecal samples, after treated with organic solvent, as the
objects of the study. Fast HPLC/ IT-TOF MS was used to perform the analysis; simultaneously the
data was processed by metabonomics software of Phenomenome Profiler M Series. The potential
aims were not only to realize the fast distinguishing between the infectious diarrhea patients and
the non-infectious diarrhea patients, but also to pursuit the efficient differentiation of different
pathogenic origins. Potential biomarkers which are used in differentiating were identified by using
the MSn function of LC/MS-IT-TOF.


In this paper, a new modified ranked set sampling method is suggested, which is called stratified unified ranked set sampling (SURSS), for estimating the population mean. Then, we compare the efficiency of the empirical mean estimator based on the proposed sampling method with simple random sampling (SRS), stratified simple random sampling (SSRS) and stratified ranked set sampling (SRSS) via a simulation under three symmetric distributions: standard normal, uniform, and Student's t. The simulation results indicate that the estimator based on SURSS with perfect ranking is unbiased and more efficient than competitors based on SRS, SSRS, and SRSS for symmetric distributions. Keywords : simple random sampling ; ranked set sampling ; unified ranked set sampling ; stratified unified ranked set sampling


Coccygodynia is severe burning pain around the coccyx and idiopathic coccygodynia refers to the forms of coccygeal pain that are not associated with well defined pathological conditions, such as recent fractures, dislocation, infectious diseases, or tumors of the coccyx. We experienced a case of coccygodynia in which patient had suffered from intermittent severe pain around the coccyx for nine years without a well defined cause. So coccygeal nerve block and low caudal blocks were performed with local anesthetics and steroid and the pain was controlled effectively.


This study proposed a nuanced approach to the association between job insecurity and financial stress by examining whether financial well‐being mediates the established association. In addition, we examined whether the association between the job insecurity and financial stress, through financial well‐being, is moderated by income. For this study, we conducted a path analysis using 1,145 survey respondents. Results revealed a significant relationship between the job insecurity and financial stress and a partial mediation effect of financial well‐being. Moreover, the indirect effect of job insecurity on financial stress through financial well‐being was moderated by income. Although people who have higher financial well‐being were more likely to have lower financial stress, this relationship varied by income such that it was stronger for higher income groups than for lower income groups. Our findings provide insights into the way job insecurity and financial well‐being influence financial stress. This study will help the researchers and practitioners develop more effective and adaptive intervention programmes and resources for individuals and families. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.


This document represents a first step in the process of developing comprehensive value-impact methodology for the nuclear industry. It describes the development of the methodology and includes a discussion of the uses of cost-benefit or value-impact by other industries. This background is provided as a guide to the development of the methodology for the specific problems confronted by the nuclear industry. The use of benefit-cost analysis, or value-impact analysis, within the nuclear power industry has grown in recent years and is relied upon by both the regulatory community and the regulated industry. This report summarizes the state of the art of value-impact analysis as it affects these users. Relevant past experience in such fields as water resource development, transportation, environmental concerns, and health and medicine is reviewed. A critique of the applicability of existing value-impact analysis methods to nuclear safety decision problems is presented.


Lower order aberrations are another way to describe refractive errors: myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, correctible with glasses, contact lenses or refractive surgery. Lower order aberrations is a term used in wavefront technology to describe second-order Zernike polynomials. Second-order Zernike terms represent the conventional aberrations defocus (myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism). Lower order aberrations make up about 85 per cent of all aberrations in the eye.


A possibility distribution for photon path-length in turbid media is derived from the analytical solution of time resolved diffusion equation. And subsequently, mean path-length, path-length of maximum probability are investigated as a function of tissue optical properties and source-detector separation respectively. It is found that reduced scattering coefficient has a greater influence on path-length distribution than absorption coefficient, and mean path-length is in linearity relation with source-detector separation in its whole range, whereas path-length of maximum probability is in linearity relation with source-detector separation only in case of large source-detector separation. Monte Carlo simulations have shown good agreements with theoretical analysis.


A method for injection of an imaging contrast into a patient, includes: a. in a first phase, injecting a fluid having a first concentration of contrast agent for a first period of time; and b. in a second phase, injecting a fluid having a second con centration of contrast agent for a second period of time. The osmolarity of the second phase is higher than the osmolarity of the first phase. In several embodiments in which the con trast agent of the first phase is of the same composition as the contrast agent of the second phase, the second concentration can be higher than the first concentration. The first phase can, for example, precede the second phase. The method can fur ther include: c. in a third phase, Subsequent to the second phase, injecting a fluid having a third concentration of con trast agent for a third period of time. The osmolarity of the third phase is lower than the osmolarity of the second phase. In embodiments in which the composition of the contrast agent of the third phase is the same as the composition of the contrastagent of the second phase, the third concentration can be lower than the second concentration. The fluid injected in the first phase can, for example, be closer to the osmolarity of blood that the fluid injected in the second phase and can even be generally iso-osmolar to blood plasma (for example, within 20% or even 10% or less of the osmolarity of blood plasma of the patient). Likewise, the fluid injected in the third phase can be closer to the osmolarity of blood plasma that the fluid injected in the second phase and can even be generally iso-osmolar to blood.


The invention relates to a power supply (3) for a bus (2) of a bus system (1) of the building installations, comprising a power supply (1), a bus coupling (11) and a detection unit (12) for detecting operating data, wherein the power supply (3 ), particularly a memory unit (13) for storing the detected operating data comprises, as well as a bus system (1) for building installations in a bus (2) with at least one (on the bus 2) coupled bus device (4) and at least one (on the bus 2) coupled such a voltage supply (3).


To correlate function of gap junction intercellular communication(GJIC) and connexin43(Cx43) expression with carcinogenesis,progression and metastasis of gastric cells GES-1(human normal gastric mucosal cell line),AGS(low malignant gastric cell line),SGC-7901(middle malignant gastric cell line),BGC-823(high malignant gastric cell line),GJIC function and Cx43 expression at mRNA and protein levels were investigated using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching(FRAP) under laser scanning confocal microscope,scrape-loading dye transfer(SLDT),real time quantitative PCR and indirect immunofluorescence assay.Data showed that with increasing malignancy,GJIC function become reduced or lost.GES-1 showed good GJIC function,AGS,SGC-7901 showed reduced GJIC function,but BGC-823 showed no GJIC function.Compared to GES-1,Cx43 expression(mRNA and protein) was downregulated in AGS and SGC-7901,but absent in BGC-823.This suggests that reduction in GJIC function and Cx43 expression was associated with occurrence,development and metastasis of gastric tumor.


images so ambivalent in Buddhist ritual? Once the confirmation of ritual success shifts from a private vision of Buddhas to a publicly available image miracle, the ritual specialist loses "control" over the ritual performance (p. xiii). Shinohara sees the development of complex man.d. alic rites as an attempt to reassert control (p. 45). New techniques of visualization remove criteria for the ritual's success from the sensible public realm. Shinohara attempts to explain ritual change by thinking of Buddhist ritualists as historical actors, motivated by a desire to control the space of ritual interpretation. This is as much an economic argument as it is a psychological argument. I expect that Shinohara's hypothesis here will be controversial, and will spark valuable debates at the intersection of Buddhist intellectual, ritual, and social history.


All kinds of wasted materials of lead-acid batteries have potential environmental risk and recycling value.So it is necessary to find out a scientific rapid detection method.This article introduces the application of.The ICP plasma emission spectrometry can detect As,Pb,Cd contents of metal elements in the wasted materials of lead-acid batteries(wasted lead paste,positive grid,alloy slag) and eliminates the interference of other metal ions.


Conventional ferrite heads will be eliminated from high performance recording Systems and thin film inductive and magnetoresistive heads will be widely used. Thin film metals and alloys will be used in head technology. However Permalloy, Sendust, and amorphous alloys currently used in high performance heads will not meet new materials requirements. The future lies with multilayers and artificial structures in which properties can be engineered independently during the fabrication process.


Spreadsheet with passages from the ancient author Lucian relevant to ancient Greek seafaring religion, in both Greek and english translation.


Due to the new environmental regulations for fuel quality, refineries need to process cleaner fuel. This requires an improvement in performance of hydrotreating catalysts. Improvements in catalyst activity require knowledge of the relationships between catalyst morphology and activity. Molybdenum sulfide, the generally agreed catalysts that give the best performance in hydrocracking and hydrotreating was investigated for its morphology effects on hydrotreating reactions. Three types of MoS2 catalysts with different morphology were studied. They are crystalline MoS2, exfoliated MoS2 and MoS2 derived from a precursor, molybdenum naphthenate. Exfoliated MoS2 with minimal long range order, with much higher rim edges has shown relative higher hydrogenation activity. Generally, results of MoS2 catalyst activities in hydrogenation, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation and hydrideoxygenation are in agreement with the rim-edge model.


The objectives of this study are: to describe the different types of incubators that existed through the first half of the 20th century and to list the kinds of nursing care given to premature babies concerning the use of incubators. It is a historical study. The primary sources are two articles that are found in the National Library, and three articles that were published in the Brazilian Nursing Review in the 1940s and in the 1950s; and the secondary sources are books and articles of national and international periodicals on themes related to pediatric and neonatology history. The types of incubators were closed, semi-closed and open. As far as the nursing care is concerned, one noticies two moments: the immediate care, relating to the first care given to the newborn in the delivery room and its transportation to the nursery, preferably in an incubator, and the intermediate cares, relating to the care given in the nursery. We conclude that it has influenced directly the care given to the premature babies since it requires a more specific assistance.


Traditional false data filtering cannot be applied efficiently to wireless sensor networks.Therefore false data filtering for WSN should be studied.After describing the concepts and characteristics of wireless sensor networks and false data filtering in the networks,this paper presented the classification standards for false data filtering.Then it analyzed the key mechanisms of the existing representative false data filtering,and pointed out the merits and demerits of them in detailed.In particular,this paper summarized the current research progresses.Finally,it also pointed out the open research problems.


The family Cephaloziellaceae is here defined in a very broad sense based mainly on molecular studies and includes morphologically diverse elements. Necessary new combinations are made in addition to some transfers and new synonyms in Cylindrocolea and Cephaloziella .


The multiplicity of standardization in halal industry poses social and economic challenges. Shariah scholars are the major stakeholders in Halal Assurance System (HAS), aspiring towards uniform standardization by educating all stakeholders on the concept of halal (lawful). The halal standard is surrounded by confusion, as there are different governments, cultures, halal policies, schools of thought, laws and regulations, public interests and logos. International Halal Accreditation Forum (IHAF), based in UAE is acting as the apex body of current HAS and is focused on empowering and coordinating halal accreditation and certification bodies around the globe to unify its standardization process by establishing common protocols and achieving a robust zero tolerance HAS. The purpose of this research is to review and compare the differences in halal standards of IHAF with JAKIM-Malaysia, MUI-Indonesia, MUIS-Singapore and SMIIC-Organization of Islamic Cooperation and some certification bodies in European countries such as Croatia. Halal industry must ensure participation from the shariah scholars well versed in modern science to achieve universal standardized HAS. Shariah scholars, halal trainers and few HAS bodies in UAE were interviewed and the feedback indicate the influence of the global standardization on halal consumer psychology and on sustenance of HAS as a prospective global hub in UAE.


Background: the latest STS guidelines recommend concomitant AF ablation not only during mitral surgery (Class I, Level A) but also during other cardiac surgery procedures (Class I, Level B) for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Nevertheless, it is still unclear if limiting the lesion set to the left atrium (LA) yields similar safety and efficacy compared to a biatrial (BA) approach. Methods: Pubmed, Scopus and WOS were searched from their inception to April 2018: 23 studies comparing BA vs. LA approaches for concomitant AF ablation (3, randomized, 5 propensity-adjusted, and 15 observational) including 6216 patients, were identified. Of these, 9 studies (1236 patients) focused on mitral surgery as main procedure. Results: Freedom from AF was significantly higher in the BA group at 6 months (OR 1.38, CI 1.08-1.76, p = 0.01) and one year (OR 1.53, CI 1.05-2.23, p = 0.03), but also permanent pacemaker (PPM) implants (OR 1.62, CI 1.17 – 2.24, p = 0.004) and reopening for bleeding (OR 1.83, CI 1.01 – 3.31, p = 0.05) were higher in the BA group. In the mitral surgery subgroup, BA approach was superior in terms of one year freedom from AF but no significant differences were found regarding PPM implants and postoperative bleeding. Conclusions: BA AF ablation seems more effective than LA approach achieving sinus rhythm at one year; on the other hand a LA approach may be preferable in patients with higher risk of bleeding (i.e. dual antiplatelet, complex surgery) and in procedures with a substantial risk of AV block.


The UK's National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) has developed a remote, non-electrical, radiation-mapping device known as RadBallTM, which can locate and quantify radioactive hazards within contaminated areas of the nuclear industry. RadBallTM consists of a colander-like outer shell that houses a radiation-sensitive polymer sphere. The outer shell works to collimate radiation sources and those areas of the polymer sphere that are exposed react, becoming increasingly more opaque, in proportion to the absorbed dose. The polymer sphere is imaged in an optical-CT scanner, which produces a high resolution 3D map of optical attenuation coefficients. Subsequent analysis of the optical attenuation matrix provides information on the spatial distribution of sources in a given area forming a 3D characterization of the area of interest. RadBallTM has no power requirements and can be positioned in tight or hard-to reach locations. The RadBallTM technology has been deployed in a number of technology trials in nuclear waste reprocessing plants at Sellafield in the UK and facilities of the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). This study focuses on the RadBallTM testing and modeling accomplished at SRNL.


A new type of hydrogen-deuterium exchange reaction in acid media, viz. the exchange of hydrogen atoms of the t-butyl group, substituted in benzene rings, has been found. The reaction is first-order in the concentration of the hydrocarbon. There is no simple relation between the rate constant, k, and either the acidity function H0, or the concentration, ca, of the acid. Log k is, however, linearly related with (- H0 + log ca). The activation energy is 20.2 ± 0.3 kcal/mole.

The results indicate that the exchange reaction of the t-butyl group proceeds via an ionic intermediate in which the carbon-carbon bond between the t-butyl group and the aromatic ring is probably weakened. The rate-determining step of the reaction is the formation of this intermediate.

The exchange reaction seems to be closely related to isomerization and transalkylation reactions; the formation of the ionic intermediate may be a common step for all three reactions.


Bourdieu's Ethical Turn?.
The last phase of Pierre Bourdieu's work is critically reviewed, asking whether his later, critical work has to be interpreted as the result of what might be called an "ethical turn." A clarification of the critical potential present in Bourdieu's general methodological and theoretical presuppositions is given. It can be seen that Bourdieu's analyses have, owing to their antiessentialist relational logic, always been critical, and that there is a definite continuity between his "older" work and his later work. However, there is still a case for the idea of an ethical turn in his oeuvre, for his analyzes have become harsher in tone. The foundations of Bourdieu's critique are critically examined. First, it is noted that his change in tone reveals a theoretical inconsistency between his earlier work and his later writings. Second, a critique is given of the theoretical basis of all of Bourdieu's work, the relational logic. It is argued that his antiessentialism is founded on -- in Putnam's words -- a "God's eye point of view" that seems to be incompatible (even if ever attainable) with precisely this antiessentialist analysis. 40 References. Adapted from the source document.


This thesis deals with the problem of presenting and managing multiple live audiovisual data streams for television viewing. Prior work has dealt with content presentation and navigation in a large information space and typically has not concerned itself with the time critical aspect of the data. This thesis extends and modifies these concepts and applies them to entertainment. A general purpose super computer is programmed to be the digital television prototype. The massive computing capability and the connectivity of the prototype provides the backbone for testing new user interface designs. We took advantage of the computer's internal connectivity to provide multiple perspectives for the most complete and up to date pictorial presentation. User interface experiments are conducted to explore screen layouts for television viewing. We eliminated image motion and used peripheral vision to watch multiple television channels. An array of one full motion main and three relatively static side channels is a reasonable configuration for watching television. Command input using an externally attached proximity sensor has shown promise as means of controlling the television. Thesis Supervisor: Andrew B. Lippman Associate Director, MIT Media Laboratory The work reported herein is supported by the Television of Tomorrow consortium Parallel Processing Interfaces to Television


Historically, Africa has tended to be misrepresented in maps. In the commonly used Mercator method of mapping a sphere (the Earth) onto a at plane (a map), countries further away from the equator are distorted and enlarged. Consequently, Africa is diminished and presented as smaller than it actually is. This work seeks to correct this misrepresentation by showing the continent in relation to something we associate as being large - the Moon. Both images are to the same scale and sized correctly relative to each other.


Introduction The primary source of agricultural production for most of the country is rainfall. Efficient Utilization of rainfall improves the crop growth and development. About 80% of the world and 60% of Indian Agriculture is rain dependent. Changing rainfall pattern effect is directly felt on cropping pattern. Considering the importance and issues of rainfed farming, the study was undertaken in Coimbatore region of Tamil Nadu for determining the rainfall pattern which will be useful in crop planning. The two and three parameter distribution Normal, log-Normal, Weibull, Gamma, Logistic, Exponential, GEV (Generalized extreme values) were used here to study the best fit. The rainfall seasons of Tamil Nadu are Kharif (June to September), Rabi (October to January) and Zaid or summer (February to May). The selection of best fitted distribution is the key in determining rain-fall pattern. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 04 (2018) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Rainfall plays an important role in agricultural production system. Studying the rainfall distribution through the statistical models is also essential in agricultural field. In this paper, an attempt has been made to show the pattern of rainfall in TNAU1 Station Coimbatore through the Statistical distributions. In the study, the different statistical distributions are fitted for seasonal rainfall data and the best fit is determined. The historical rainfall data were collected for 34 years (1982 -2015) from the Meteorological Observatory AC & RI Coimbatore. The statistical distributions like Normal, Log-normal, Weibull, Gamma, Logistic, Exponential and Generalized Extreme value (GEV) are used for three different seasons such as Kharif, Rabi and summer. For Parameter estimation the Method of Maximum Likelihood are used here. The Comparisons of best distributions by goodness of fit-tests such as Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Anderson Darling test and Chi square test are also made in this paper. The trend test such as Mann Kendall trend test and Sen's slope estimation were performed for studying the rainfall pattern. The Maximum rainfall occurred in the Rabi season with 9.028 (mm) and minimum rainfall in the summer with 0.371 (mm). K e y w o r d s Seasonal rainfall, Statistical distributions, Goodness of fit–test, Mann Kendall trend test, Sen's slope estimator Accepted: 23 March 2018 Available Online: 10 April 2018 Article Info Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(4): 3053-3062 3054 Probability and frequency analysis of rainfall data enables us to determine the expected rainfall at various chances (Bhakar et al., 2008). The rainfall pattern decides the cultivation of crops, their varieties, adoption of cultural operations and harvesting of excess rain water of any region (Sinhabab, 1977; Budhar et al., 1987; Thalur, 1998, Kar et al., 2004). Kumar et al., (2007) conducted a study to identify best fit trend of weekly rainfall data of 45 years (1955-1999) for the western Uttar Pradesh at various probability levels and expected rainfall frequency for crop planning and management to work out the irrigation period required for the crops and found 70% probability level was useful for planning of kharif crops and to decide proper time for various agriculture operations. Rajendran et al., (2016) conducted a study to analyze the nature of distribution and frequency of rainfall of 32 years (1982-2013) for Dharmapuri district. Rainfall frequency analysis was done using Weibull's method and resulted that annual average rainfall of 938.1mm can be expected to occur once in 2.5 years at a probability of 40%. Fisher (1924) studied the influence of rainfall on the yield of wheat in Rothamasted. He showed that it is the distribution of rainfall during a season rather than its total amount which influence the crop yield. Materials and Methods Coimbatore region comprise of 10 Taluks with Latitudes N 11° 0' and 16.4016' and Longitudes E 76° 57' and 41.8752' (Fig. 1). The total geographical area of the district is 642.12 km2 (net area sown is 6.0%). The normal annual rainfall of North East Monsoon is 328.9mm and South West Monsoon 189.8mm. Thus the major part of rainfall comes from the North-east Monsoon. The Yearly rainfall (mm) data of 34 years (19822015) were collected from Meteorological Observatory AC and RI, Coimbatore and it was converted by arithmetical ways to seasonal rainfall data. The best fit probability distribution was evaluated by using the goodness of fit test such as Kolmogorov Smirnov test, Anderson darling test and chisquare test at 5% level of significance. Statistical distributions Probability distributions are widely used for understanding the rainfall distribution and computation of assumed rainfall (Rajendran et al., (2016). In this study the distributions such as normal, log-normal, Weibull, gamma, logistic, Exponential, extreme value distributions are considered for selection of appropriate distributions. These are the class of continuous probability distributions.


The topic introduced the simulation of Pro / E cam,and designed the software of it.It was verified by the process of motion simulation analysis.


Background: Determine the survival rate among children after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and identify predictors of survival. Methods: This is a retrospective study over a 6.1-year period at a medical center in central Taiwan. Children younger than 6 years old with apnea and no palpable pulse who presented to the emergency department (ED) were enrolled in a chart review. The characteristics of the patients and the outcomes of illness were analyzed. Results: From January 1999 to February 2005, 58 young children who came to the ED without a palpable pulse were enrolled in our study. Thirty-nine patients (68%) had no return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in the ED and 19 patients (32%) had a ROSC and were admitted to the ICU. Factors that predicted ROSC included a short interval from starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to ROSC in the ED and the administration of fewer doses of epinephrine in the ED. Only 2 patients (3%) survived to hospital discharge, and both had neurologic sequelae. Conclusions: These results suggest that OHCA among young children has a very poor prognosis. A shorter interval from starting CPR to ROSC and administration of fewer doses of epinephrine in the ED were the main factors predicting survival to hospital admission. Prolonged CPR can not increase the survival rate in preschool OHCA children.


This paper analyzes the condition in installing the Chinese frontier ports and current situation of the frontier port system, exposing influence on the regional economy in the development of frontier ports. It holds the point, along with the formation of the Chinese frontier port system, development of the frontier areas will promote economic integration between Chinese and neighbor countries′ frontier areas.


Acting on the transcriptional level, synthetic promoters have been useful tools for controlling gene expression and have applications in many fields. Here, we discuss synthetic promoters and libraries in regard to current and future applications in the field of biocatalysis or biotransformation. We also focus on synthetic promoter design principles and distinguish between prokaryotic and eukaryotic destinations. The natural toolboxes available for tuneable gene expression and the regulation of enzyme function are limited and primarily host specific. Synthetic biology offers generally applicable concepts and quick implementation. Smart alternatives to transcriptional regulation enrich the engineer's tool box for optimizing industrial enzyme production and host‐cell physiology for whole‐cell processes. Industrially applicable, tuneable enzyme cascades and artificial circuits for iterative up‐ and down‐regulation will soon be achieved.


This paper analyzes public safety from a conceptual duality: on one hand,
as a human dimension; on the other hand as an intrinsic dimension of State authority.
Following a documental approach - descriptive and based on the principles issued by
security experts- the study provides a binomial between human rights and public safety.
Finally, by comparing the approach proposed here and the tasks performed by the
Mexican government, it concludes that security must be more than police and patrols, and
obviously have distinct features from the military and warfare.


ABSTRACT We examine the relation between intra-group trust and monitoring in a patriarchal society, and how this relation affects workgroup performance. Data were collected from 352 women who were members of 72 female workgroups in Addis Ababa by means of field experiments and a survey. The data are analyzed using multiple mediation analysis. We find that intra-group trust needs time to develop, and that trust is higher in workgroups with more monitoring. The positive relation between monitoring and trust might be explained by women's ambition to overcome disempowerment and negative gender stereotypes. The results also indicate positive effects of intra-group trust and monitoring on workgroup performance, and that the effect of monitoring runs through its relation with trust. The last finding stresses the importance of monitoring for developing intra-group trust in these female workgroups.


Image recognition algorithm is becoming one of the most important technology for intelligent vehicle application such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), however its computational costs are still considerably high. To realize such applications using image recognition algorithm as hard real-time task with low power consumption, we have developed heterogeneous multi-core SoC specialized for image recognition [1]. Subsequently, several image recognition applications have been developed using this SoC. In this paper, we address two ADAS applications and image recognition algorithms for them, and evaluate them on the SoC. The results of the evaluation show that the SoC allows these applications to run with significantly low power consumption comparing with general purpose CPU.


As the flowers of Nicotiana mutabilis open and senesce, their petals show a striking color change from white through pink to red. This was associated with an increase in chalcone synthase (CHS) gene expression and a substantial rise in petal anthocyanin content. It was also accompanied by up-regulation of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACO) transcripts and elevated rates of ethylene production at the onset of petal wilting. Emission of the fragrant monoterpenoid volatiles 1,8-cineole, linalool, and terpineol also increased as petals developed pink coloration. The increase in volatile emis-


The mass spectra of biological molecules, whose molecular mass exceeds 10 kDa, invariably contain multiply charged ions. For example, a survey scan of a small protein will produce singly, doubly and triply protonated molecules, the intensity of the doubly charged species often being greater than that of the singly charged entity. Although the spectra resulting from doubly charged peptides have not previously been studied, collisional activation of such doubly charged species may result in significant additional information pertaining to molecular structure. The techniques employed to study ions originating from multiply charged species were linked scanning of constant B/E and tandem mass spectrometry, namely low collision energy spectra acquired on a BEQQ hybrid instrument. The methodology was applied to model compounds whose tandem mass spectrometry characteristics are well known, e.g. gramicidin S and angiotensin I. The results for the product ions of the [M + 2H]2+ species of the models were obtained which highlight the methodology required for high-mass materials.


In the paper, the equivalence of the functional inequality $$\|2f(x)+f(y)+f(-y)-f(x-y)\|\leq\|f(x+y)\|\;\;\;(x,y\in{G})$$ and the Drygas functional equation $$f(x+y)+f(x-y)=2f(x)+f(y)+f(-y)\;\;\;(x,y\in{G})$$ is proved for functions $f:G\rightarrow E$ where $(G, +)$ is an abelian group, $(E, )$ is an inner product space, and the norm is derived from the inner product in the usual way.


BACKGROUND
Continuity between doctors and patients likely affects patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE
To assess the current evidence on the relationship between continuity and patient satisfaction.

METHODS
Systematic review of studies of adults in general, family, or internal medicine practices with ongoing, direct, face-to-face contact with their physician. Measures of the relationship between continuity and patient satisfaction were examined.

RESULTS
A MEDLINE search covering 1984-2007 and a Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature search covering 1981-2007 identified 263 relevant studies and 12 studies met inclusion criteria. There were 12 different continuity measures and 9 different satisfaction measures.

CONCLUSIONS
Continuity has a variable effect on patient satisfaction.


The paper deals with analytical calculation of spectra integrals of HF signals which can be regarded as measures for quantifying the human exposure to signals with continuous spectra. Signals generated by Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) are of interest. An approach based on the well-established expressions stemming from the signal theory, where integrals of radiated field spectra are calculated from the measured field amplitudes, is used. A computational example dealing with measured DAB spectra is presented.


Expert testimony plays a critical role in criminal litigation. The legal system has developed both evidentiary and procedural rules to govern the use of experts. The rules of evidence specify the conditions under which expert testimony may be admitted at trial and thus considered by the trier of fact. The rules of procedure cover related issues, such as pretrial discovery of scientific reports and the appointment of defense experts. This article explains and critiques these legal rules. The concluding section recommends ways in which these rules can be improved.


Gramsci's reflections on dialectics in his Prison Notebooks emerge from his twin criticisms of Bukharin and Croce. Tracing the sources of Gramsci's conception of the dialectic, I examine his distinctive articulation of the relationship between structure and superstructures, arguing for its foundation in his "homogeneous circle" of philosophy, politics and economics. This re-articulation of the 'philosophy of praxis' illustrates the potential for dialogue between Gramsci and more recent thinkers.


Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancer and one of the most frequent causes of cancer-related deaths,the cancerization of gastric mucosa epithelial cell is a gradual process.Intestinal metaplasia and gastric epithelial dysplasia are precursor lesions to gastric adenocarcinoma.In recent years,scholars have made some progress in molecular biological events for premalignant gastric lesions,including the expression of protein,enzymes,gene and others.It is one of the general direction to screen markers of adequate sensitivity and specificity to allow the early detection of premalignant gastric lesions.


In order to meet the requirements of the clear single pixel outline for the medical image,a new edge algorithm based on wavelet maximum edge detection algorithm was presented.Firstly,a corresponding subordinate function should be constructed through fuzzy algorithm;then the obtained maximum values need a further sifting;finally,the edge of the single pixel can be obtained.


The invention provides a method, a client and a system for inviting instant communication users to send images and belongs to the technical field of communication. The method comprises the following steps that an operation control for inviting the invited part to send images is arranged in an instant communication tool, and triggering massages of an inviting part on the operation control are collected; inviting massages are generated and are sent to a client of the invited part, wherein the inviting massages comprise a control for carrying out image collecting operation; and the client of the invited part outputs inviting massages comprising image collecting controls, wherein the image collecting controls are provided with an image pickup collecting control and/or an image pickup uploading control and/or a screenshot control. When the method, the client and the system are utilized, users send inviting massages for inviting the other part to send images through triggering the corresponding operation control in the instant communication tool, and the invited part can obtain the image massages through triggering the image collecting control in the inviting massages and sends the image massages to the inviting part, so the image sharing process among instant communication users is more convenient and fast, and the use experience of the users is improved.


In the last three decades, the organisation of production has undergone a major transformation from vertical integration towards de-verticalisation, with associated increases in outsourcing and the international fragmentation of production into global value chains (GVCs). Among the most important consequences of GVCs are the creation of new opportunities for developing countries to participate in international markets and cross-border business networks, and the development of new contractual practices and new models of collaboration among firms, including network forms of organization. This paper examines these two aspects of GVCs through a case study of the commercial aircraft industry in Brazil. First, I provide an analysis of the role of multilateral contractual networks as an instrument to promote developing countries' small and medium enterprises (SMEs) access to GVCs, and increase the benefits derived. Second, I examine the lack of the proper legal tools in Brazil to regulate the different forms of inter-firm collaboration that exist within multilateral contractual networks.


This paper mainly studies the relationship between CO2 absorption coefficient and temperature under low temperature conditions. Firstly, based on HITRAN database, this paper determines that the best detection peak of CO2 is located at 1572.34nm. Then, it obtains a general expression between the absorption coefficient and the temperature. And this expression is fitted and analyzed by two different methods. Finally, the derived formula is used to correct the literature data with an error of 0.516% in the paper.


The essay investigates what meaning the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child should have to children in the shoe industry. To be able to answer this main issue the essay is divided into the following sub-categories:

- How does the situation look like when it comes to child labour?
- What is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child?
- Who is responsible for the observance of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child?
- How and where are shoes produced?
- What routines do shoe companies have in order to find out how and by whom their articles have been produced? Rules verses reality.

According to article 32 in the convention, children have the right to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's education, or to be harmful to the child's health. This sounds very good, but the question is if the convention really fulfills its purpose.

Defining child labour is not that easy. It has to be distinguished from "child work", which is not harmful. At least 250 million children, from 5 to 14 years old, are involved in child labour. The problem is particularly large in Asia, where more than 153 million children are working.

There is a clear connection between child labour and poverty. To change that downward spiral of poverty, which many countries are seized in, the primary thing to invest in is public education.

International conventions have an important part to play when dealing with the elimination of child labour. The Convention on the Rights of the Child could be summarized by the following sentence: Children should be respected. That means that administrative authorities should base their decisions on a child perspective, if a child is involved.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is making sure that the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child is made in the right way. The committee is also looking after the implementation of the two optional protocols, on the involvement of children in armed conflict and on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. The committee can not receive complaints from individuals, but it makes sure that children can invoke their rights in court for example.

When it comes to child labour in the shoe industry, there is a big risk that children are harmed by different chemical substances. Chrome-6 is especially dangerous because of its carcinogenic effects. Many industries do not always have the knowledge and desire that it takes to handle these hazardous substances.

International organizations, such as OECD, ILO and IPEC, have been striving for a safe working environment and for the elimination of child labour. It is due to them, among others, that many companies have chosen to take a social responsibility and to sign Codes of Conduct. These codes have had a huge penetrating power in the business world.

One of the most important conclusions in this essay is that the Convention on the Rights of the Child has an important part to play when it comes to children's rights, but when it comes to child labour the most important thing is that the companies themselves realize that they have to work with this question. To run a successful business you have to have a wide, human perspective, since the reputation is so important. The Convention on the Rights of the Child should continue to be a general underframe and a goal for children's rights. Other important conclusions in the essay are that a clear definition of the concept "child labour" in the Convention on the Rights of the Child is desirable and that Sweden should incorporate the convention as a symbolic demonstration.


Using the UK SMEs Finance Monitor data over 2011–2017, we explore the determinants of bank debt rejections for UK SMEs. In the wake of the global financial crisis, business overdrafts and term loans show slightly different trends although the factors affecting rejections are similar. We find that since 2014 rejection rates reduced for both facilities and they remained stable in the run-up to the Brexit referendum and its immediate aftermath, although export and import SMEs operating in industries with a high share of EU trade experienced tighter conditions. Further, we present robust evidence that firms with female owners, organised in partnerships, and with a higher initial credit balance are more likely to have their credit application approved. Finally, younger, smaller and more innovative SMEs are more likely to be rejected, while their chance of being successful in their credit applications increases substantially after 2014.


Abstract The compression of fairly short solid cylinders under axial load is considered. Radial expansion is prevented over a central region of the outer surface by a rigid constraint concentric with the cylinder. Physically the situation arises when a fairly soft rivet is expanded into a relatively rigid plate. Two types of elastic material are considered; firstly, rubber-like materials governed by a strain energy function of the Mooney form, and secondly, metals which have a quadratic strain energy function. In the former case a finite axial compression is permitted prior to contact between the cylinder and the constraint. In both cases the irregularities introduced by the constraint are sufficiently small that they can be described by infinitesimal elasticity theory. The analysis utilizes displacement potential functions and is reduced to solving a set of dual cosine series. The particular case in which the cylinder height and diameter are equal and the contact height is equal to the radius is examined in detail and the contact stresses are given graphically.


Nowadays, to enhance the
 welfare of laboratory animals environmental enrichment is required. As a
 result of several experiments environmental enrichment may alter the results
 of experiments.
 Aim of the present study
 was to test the influence of housing systems and cage environments on the
 breeding performence and the behavior. Furthermore, we examined the effect of
 certain physiological parameters (haematology, body weight and relative organ
 weights). The results are presented by sharing the means and the coefficient
 of variation.
 32 female and 32 male
 mice of the inbred strain DBA / 2 NCrl (Charles River, Netherlands) were kept
 in groups of four of the same sex. They were kept in Makrolon Type III cages
 from 6 weeks of age for 4 weeks in order to adapt. At the age of 10 weeks
 they were arranged as breeding pairs and put into enriched (according to
 SCHARMANN, 1993) and non-enriched Makrolon Type II long cages. 16 cages, 8
 enriched and 8 non-enriched, were placed in an Open Rack, whereas the other
 16 cages, again 8 enriched and 8 non-enriched, were placed into a Scantainer.
 The animals´ breeding
 performance was registered from week 10 to 40. Additionally, the behavior was
 recorded by video camera and video cassette recorder (VCR). The analysis is
 done by observing the behavior recorded and by recording the length of each
 behavioral pattern.
 When the male mice were 36 weeks of age, a blood sample was taken. Two days
 later they were killed and the body and organs were weighted. The same was
 carried out with the females when they were 40 weeks old.
 Concerning the breeding
 performance the data of this study show, that there are no significant
 differences (p<0,05) between the two housing systems and enriched and
 non-enriched cages. Also the relative organ weights do not show an aberration
 except for the spleen weights. Moreover, significant differences between the
 behavior cannot be detected. An exception is the behavioral pattern
 "pawing", which is significantly performed more often in enriched
 cages than in non-enriched. The blood parameters haematocrit, haemoglobin and
 the RBC (number of red blood cells) significantly differ between the two cage
 forms in female mice. The values are lower in the non-enriched cages. The
 number of white blood cells (WBC) does not differ neither between the housing
 nor between the cage forms.
 Refering to the breeding
 performance and the behavior the animals do not show significant differences
 between the two cage forms. The animals´ welfare does not seem to be affected
 by beeing kept in enriched cages.
 As a result environmental
 enrichment may alter the results of experiments but does not necessarily
 improve the animals´ welfare. Before a study is carried out it is important
 to know the effects of environmental enrichment. Otherwise the results will
 not be interpretable. Therefore one should rethink the suggestion for a law
 calling for environmental enrichment.


Visible light active photocatalyst, carbon-coated W18O49, was prepared by the heat treatment of the powder mixtures of ammonium paratungstate with poly(vinyl alcohol) at a temperature of 800 °C for...


There is continuous and ever increasing need to introduce Computers in our Health Care Delivery System.
An Automated Computerized Report Sheet System in Senior Secondary School expose the inadequacies of the old manual system.
All the calculations, compilations and transfer of records into the report sheet that would have been done tediously by subject teachers manually, mentally and vigorously for days/weeks, can be done with little human input.


Soon after the realization of Moore's law, the suspicion on this law reaching an end persisted. Now, the concern is as serious as it can get. Not only the feature size has to be scaled down, the manufacturing cost also has to be contained. This presentation covers the lithography tools and processes to sustain Moore's law of scaling and Moore's law of economy. It includes the three viable candidates to push lithography beyond the 20nm logic node. (1) Extension of immersion lithography beyond the optical resolution limit by multiple patterning. (2) Reduction of the ArF immersion wavelength by an order of magnitude to the 13.5 nm EUV wavelength. (3) Use of massive parallelism on e-beam direct write.


A 10 dB branch line coupler with a dumbbell shaped defected ground structure (DGS) is proposed in this paper. The 150 ohm transmission line of the proposed BLC above the substrate is of much small size than the conventional due to the DGS in the ground layer. The equivalent LC circuit of the proposed 150 ohm line is obtained. The proposed 150 ohm transmission line is now used in the 10 dB branch line coupler. The proposed 10 dB coupler is now of reduced size and from the simulation result it's seen that flatness of the response increases, in turn increasing the bandwidth.


Over the recent decades,the alumina industry in China has been developing rapidly.From the point of view of the design,this paper analizes the advantages of using standardized design for alumina refineries.It analyzes the feasibility on the standardized design for production process methods,design capacities and technical equipping level.It focuses on the description of the writer's personal view on the execution of the standardized design for the popular design capacity of 400kt/y.


Many hotels and restaurants have installed self service check in out and have recently provided new self service technologies. To successfully implement and use self service technologies, it is important for the hospitality operators to understand the factors that determine both willingness and resistance of the customers to use self service technologies. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore factors that affect customers willingness to embrace the usage of self service technologies. Comprehensive understanding of customers behavior related to their demographic factors and readiness will promote successful implementation of new SSTs as well as effective modifications of existing SSTs. Structural equation modeling was conducted to test hypotheses with a sample of 180 consumers. The results indicate that consumer's extrinsic motivation had the most significant impact on their likelihood of using new SSTs. Also, younger customers and those who do not believe in interactions with employees at hospitality industry were also more likely to use these SSTs.


James Farndale, Senior Lecturer in Hospital Administration, City of Westminster College, London, presents in this volume a series of papers on the administrative, social, and economic aspects of the British National Health Service. The volume authoritative, informative, and provocative, is intended for the general reader at home and abroad as well as for workers in the health service. The contributors—eminent doctors, hospital administrators, senior civil servants, barristers, economists, sociologists, and press representatives—all write with conviction based on intelligently evaluated experience. The introduction presents the text as "a form of stock taking and also a self-examination in which are described some of our strong points and achievements, but in which are disclosed some of our weaknesses and problems." Little is offered to substantiate or deny accomplishment of the original aim of the National Health Service Act "to secure improvement in the physical and mental health of the people." It is obvious,


A survey of 394 parents and second- through sixth-grade children was conducted to understand why parents mediate violent television and how children interpret mediation messages. The study found that parents with negative attitudes toward violent television used active and restrictive mediation and parents with positive attitudes used coviewing. According to children, restrictive mediation signaled parental disapproval of the content but active mediation and coviewing served as endorsements.


Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a condition in which the entire brain is almost completely deprived of its oxygen supply because of inadequate blood flow or oxygenation. Brain damage that is observed following resuscitation from cardiac arrest is considered to be the most representative pattern of HIE. Although complex, the pathophysiology of HIE is well understood. Cerebral ischemia triggers a complex cascade of pathways that will result in the peroxidation of lipids with cell membrane layers, protein oxidation, and DNA fragmentation, all contributing to brain cell death. Following this initial insult, brain injury continues even after restoration of cerebral perfusion and oxygenation, in a process known as "reperfusion injury." Particularly, the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and the early depletion of antioxidant reserves, such as glutathione, will lead to an oxidative stress that will promote damage to membrane, cytoskeletal proteins, and nucleic acids, thereby causing diffuse neuronal necrosis. Finally, even after the restoration of adequate blood supply and cellular energy stores, there can be a global hypoperfusion state that may further lead to secondary brain injury and aggravate neurological impairment after initial ischemia.


A 62 year old man saw his general practitioner with worsening shoulder pain after a minor fall. The GP requested a radiograph. On the basis of the radiograph alone (fig 1⇓), what imaging would you request next?

Fig 1  Anteroposterior plain radiograph of the right shoulder

Computed tomography (CT) of the chest and upper abdomen. The shoulder radiograph shows a cavitating lung nodule measuring approximately 2 cm (fig 2⇓). This is most likely a primary lung carcinoma and should be investigated with referral …


The invention relates to a magnetically driven rotatable device comprising a first device for producing a magnetic field for increased decoupling of a rotating or pivoting movement with respect to conventional systems. A first rotatable carrier is provided, whereby the magnetic forces produced by the magnetic field can be exerted thereon, resulting in a rotating movement of said carrier.


The present invention provides a flow balancing test, the field of mechanics. It solves the shortcomings of the existing lack of balance valve can limit the maximum opening size of the valve function, and after the completion of balancing valve regulating the issue of the lack of locking function. This test flow balancing valve comprising a valve stem, valve body and a water inlet opening and water outlet valve, the valve body disposed in the valve body, the valve body and the inner end of the stem is fixedly connected to the outer end of the valve stem projecting and rotatably fixedly connected with a hand wheel, a pressure measuring instrument connected to the valve body portion are provided on both sides of the valve body, the valve element fixedly connected with a display opening degree of the spool valve opening indicating means, the hand wheel a limiting means to control the maximum opening between the valve body and the valve body size. After completion of the adjustment of the balancing valve, the handwheel and the valve body can be locked position, the spool is rotated in the closing direction only. After adjusting the position of the spool at which a maximum opening position, effective protection of the water system.


A Lagrangian reference frame is used to solve the convection-dispersion equation and interpret water-quality data obtained from the Chattahoochee River. The model was calibrated using unsteady concentrations of organic nitrogen, ammonia, and nitrite plus nitrate obtained during June 1977 and verified using data obtained during August 1976. Reaction kinetics of the cascade type are shown to provide a reasonable description of the nitrogen-species processes in the Chattahoochee River. The conceptual model is easy to visualize in the physical sense and the output includes information that is not easily determined from an Eulerian approach, but which is very helpful in model calibration and data interpretation. For example, the model output allows one to determine which data are of most value in model calibration or verification.


Aiming at fraudulent annals of the list company to which is paid attention by the scholars and capital market, basing on the iceberg theory, confirming that the managers' factor is principal factor about the fraud leaching the impersonal factors, regarding to the swatch, namely, the listed company that is punished by the Securities Regulatory Commission or the Ministry of Finance and applying the analytical method of Logistic, this paper finds that when president and manager are identical, the false accounting information presents subtractive relativity with the education degree of the managers, at the same time, this paper draws a conclusion that the higher manager's educational level is, the lower the possibility of making the fake is, the higher the accounting information quality is. This paper puts forward to the assuming of controlling the fraud financial statement according to people that might be achieved by four ways, which will provide a new point of view to controlling the fraudulent annals of the list company.


Omics for understanding microbial functional dynamics Janet K. Jansson 1 *, Josh D. Neufeld 2 , Mary Ann Moran 3 , Jack A. Gilbert 4,5 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Earth Sciences Division Berkeley, CA, USA. Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada. Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA. Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. As a discipline, the field of microbial ecology has generally been limited by access to tools that have sufficient depth of resolution to enable exploration of complex microbial communities to determine 'who is there?' and 'what they are doing?'. Until the mid 1980s most of our knowledge was based on the study of cultured microbial isolates or net enzymatic activities measured from laboratory enrich- ment experiments or environmental samples, without knowledge of the particular members of the community that were contributing to those functions. Since then, microbiologists have added a variety of molecular tools to our toolbox, allowing us to directly assess the identities and functions of microbial communities in a variety of environments without the necessity of prior cultivation. Most of the advances in molecular tools for assessing microbial community function have focused on the sequencing of nucleic acids. Sequencing of genomic or metagenomic DNA provides phylogenetic and functional gene information about specific organisms or communi- E-mail firstname.lastname@example.com; Tel. (+1) 510 486 7487; Fax (+1) 510 486 7152. The submitted manuscript has been created in part by U. Chicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory ('Argonne'). Argonne, a US Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory, is operated under Contract No. DE-AC02- 06CH11357. The US Government retains for itself, and others acting on its behalf, a paid-up nonexclusive, irrevocable worldwide license in said article to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, and perform publicly and display publicly, by or on behalf of the Government. ties respectively. These types of data have proven to be highly valuable for characterizing microbes that inhabit the various habitats on Earth, and importantly, their pos- sible roles in the function of that ecosystem. However, one should keep in mind that DNA sequence data only repre- sents the potential metabolic capacity of a system. In many environments, DNA that is sequenced may origi- nate from dead or dormant cells. Further, even actively growing microbes express only a fraction of their genes at any given time. For example, Escherichia coli genes are tightly regulated depending on, for example, the concen- tration of nutrients in their media (Tao et al., 1999). Only a third to a half of the genes in a given organism are expressed at any given time (Passalacqua et al., 2009). Methodology to address the longstanding dilemma of 'which organisms are active?' include the use of viability stains to first sort (e.g. with fluorescently activated cell sorting; FACS) and then sequence genomes from active populations, using stable isotopes to detect community members that are metabolically active (e.g. stable-isotope probing; SIP; Neufeld et al., 2007) and the use of bro- modeoxyuridine (BrdU), a thymidine analogue, to specifi- cally label DNA from growing cells that can then be isolated and sequenced (Edlund and Jansson, 2008; Mou et al., 2008). Alternatively, one can directly extract and sequence RNA to determine which microbes are active and which genes are transcribed. When applied to an entire microbial community, this analysis is referred to as 'metatranscriptomics'. The metatranscriptomic approach has proven to be more challenging than metagenomics because RNA is less stable than DNA and because most of the RNA that is extracted is ribosomal RNA, usually representing over 90% of the total RNA (Urich et al., 2008). Ribosomal RNA sequences can inform about active community members due to a correlation between metabolic activity and ribosome abundance (Rehman et al., 2010), but do not reveal the genes and pathways expressed under a given set of conditions. In order to specifically focus on mRNA transcripts, several methods have been developed to enrich the mRNA fraction of the total RNA pool, usually by subtraction of the ribosomal RNA prior to sequencing (Fig. 1). The problem with loss of mRNA during the multiple processing steps is particularly


The Langmuir adsorption isother has been tested for application to the carbon-oxygen reaction at atmospheric pressure against unique experimental data reported by Davis and Hottel in 1934; and values of activation energy and frequency factor have been obtained for both the adsorption and the desorption steps with E values of 10.04 and 32.95 kcal/mol, respectively. These values are within the expected ranges for the two steps. The evaluation required the solution of the four one-dimensional simultaneous diffusion equations for O 2 , N 2 , CO 2 with Stefan flow, to test the accuracy of the diffusion theory by comparision with experiment. Neglect of the Stefan flow is shown to result in a systematic 12% error in calculation. For the solutions to be tractable in conjunction with the reactivity equations they required linearization. The linearized equations were used to calculate the oxygen concentration at the surface of the reacting carbon samples, and the data obtained were used to validate the functional form of the Langmuir rate equation. The results confirmed in an unambiguous way that the reaction was two step, with one step, identified as adsorption, being first order with respect to oxygen concentration, and the other step, for desorption, being zero order


Technical professionals responsible for the handling of hazardous materials must be aware of a seemingly overwhelming mountain of federal, state and local laws, regulations and court decisions. They must determine how to properly conduct activities without running afoul of the law. Unfortunately, many operators are unclear as to which laws and regulations apply to various activities. Chapter 51 of the US Code is the principal federal law regulating the safe transportation of hazardous materials. The US Department of Transportation implements the statute through the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), found in 49 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 171-180. While many in industry are generally aware of HMR, they assume that if hazardous material is involved in any situation, HMR applies. This is simply not the case. In reality, much confusion exists over what activities are actually governed by Chapter 51 and HMR. This paper describes under what conditions Chapter 51 and HMR apply using a series of scenarios.


The efficacy of seasonal influenza vaccines varies from about 55% to 70% when the vaccines' influenza A components are well matched to the circulating