A new class of X-ray sources was clearly established with the discovery of highly relativistic radio jets from the two galactic sources GRS 1915+105 and GRO Jl655-40. Both of these objects have given us a broader view of black holes and the formation of jets, yet they also show the complexity of the accretion environment near relativistic objects. The fast apparent motion of the jets, their luminosity and variability, their high energy spectrum, and approximately scaling to the behavior of active galactic nuclei, certainly warrant the description "microquasar". A review of the observational data on these sources is presented, and where we stand on a physical picture of GRS 1915+105 and GRO J165540 as taken from multi-wavelength studies is also discussed. Other galactic sources which share some of the properties of the microquasars, and what to look for as a high energy "signature" in future observations is also discussed.


Xanthium strumarium L. is an exotic plant responsible for several agricultural, environmental and health problems in India. Due to non-acceptability of conventional methods of control, the possibilities of its management through an indigenous strain of Curvularia lunata had been explored. In the present study, the organism was recovered in pure culture from the infected/infested parts of the weed, seedling and detached leaf bioassays were employed to evaluate the effect of different epidemiological factors on efficacy of mycoherbicidal agent. Significant effect on herbicidal potential of C. lunata was recorded when subjected to different conditions. Maximum efficacy of the pathogen was observed at 30°C, 80% RH, 2-3 leaves stage when sprayed @ of 4.5 x 105 Sp. /ml. The present study experimentally emphasizes on the development of Curvularia lunata as a mycoherbicide in the management of the weed, Xanthium strumarium L.


There are several problems occurred in terms of urban environment management in Japan because they settled easing regulation and zoning in Japanese land use law unconcerned with local situation in many cities so far. The zoning system at low-rise residential area was relatively effective method for urban environment"s control. However, the quality of urban environment has taken a sudden turn for the worse due to lack of regulation about land segmentation and mini development in low-rise residential area. To resolve this issue, various region sign resident agreement as complementary measures for zoning regulations and those districts are increasing to focus on commercial street, residential and built-up area. Therefore, main purpose of this research is concentrating a case study 23 district in Tokyo, Japan and analyzing their current condition, management status and features. Diverse type of residential agreement scheme already established in the region and it is more stable in a way of urban environment management. Finally it suggests many implications for introduction and utilization of resident agreement system and it will be useful basic study to conserve residential environment in low-rise housing area where will be essential base for further stable cities.


Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure herein, a small discrete surface areas of the skin cooling or frozen, by causing the region of the local low pigmentation, to 及 influence the appearance of the skin (e.g. provides lightening to) a method and apparatus for. The width of the region, for example, less than about 1mm or 0.5 mm, the distance between these frozen regions can be greater than three times the width of the frozen regions. It may be attached or connected to the base, an exemplary device can be provided comprising a plurality of spatially separated thermally conductive structure. For example, construction of the conductivity can be a region of thermally conductive protrusions attached to the conductive material or the base, it is provided in close proximity in the heat insulating material or its. Configuration of the conductivity, can be cooled and then, in order to produce a small area of low pigmentation, may contact the skin surface. .FIELD 1


An experiment was conducted in Haramaya University to find out the effect of replacing Soybean meal (SBM) by processed kidney bean (PKB) on egg production, feed intake and economic benefit for white leghorn layers. Hundred eighty white leghorn layers of similar initial body weight of 1121.17 g ± 24.92 and age of 6.5 months and 30 cocks were randomly distributed into five treatments using complete randomized design (CRD). PKB replaced SBM at a rate of 0 (control), 25, 50, 75 and 100% for T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively. The recommended level of SBM (26%) in the ration was used as a base of replacement. Feed intake (FI), Hen Day Egg Production (HDEP), egg weight and egg mass were recorded daily. Economic replacement was assessed at the end of the experiment. The result of chemical analysis showed that Crude Protein (CP) and Metabolizable Energy (ME) content of PKB was 28% and 32182.2 Kcal respectively, which was lower than SBM but higher than noug seed cake (NSC). This indicates that the substitution capacity of PKB for SBM was better than NSC. There was no significant (P>0.05) effect on final body weight and body weight change. Average daily feed intake (FI) was showed significant difference (P T2>T1>T4>T5 and Mmarginal Rate of Rreturn (MRR) indicated profitability of PKB replacement upto 75% and beyond this replacement a decrease in economy of production by 1.83 units.


Nourishment problems of different groups of the population have been considered in the article. On the basis of market analysis of emulsion products the need to develop new types of products has been shown. Namely, such products as the low-calorie mayonnaise, enriched with the complex of synbiotics of high nutritional and biological value. Fatty acid composition of vegetable oils has been presented. The feasibility of using the blend in the development of new types of low-calorie mayonnaise has been proved. The substitution of skimmed milk powder, which is widely used in traditional recipes of low-calorie mayonnaise in the form of whey protein concentrate obtained by ultra filtration, has been substantiated. The amino acid composition and biological value of skimmed milk powder and whey protein concentrate obtained by ultra filtration, egg powder and the «Noteo» Jerusalem artichoke concentrate have been presented. Comparison of the biological value and organoleptic characteristics of the experimental samples prepared by using skim milk powder or whey protein concentrate was omitted.


The performance of the power system on the Solar Mesosphere Explorer (SME) satellite for the life of the mission and the techniques used to ensure power system health are summarized. Early in the mission high cell imbalances in one of the batteries resulted in a loading scheme which attempted to minimize the cell imbalances without causing an undervoltage condition. A short term model of the power system allowed planners to predict depth of discharge using the latest available data. Due to expected orbital shifts the solar arrays experience extended periods of no eclipse. This has required special conditioning schemes to keep the batteries healthy when the eclipses return. Analysis of the SME data indicates long term health of the SME power system as long as the conditioning scheme is continued.


Heat transfer enhancement is currently allocated the most part of investigations to improve the thermal performance of shell and tube heat exchangers. In this article, an algorithm for cost comparison of an optimized enhanced tube heat exchanger to an optimized plain tubes has been developed. The results are shown in plots which allow the engineers to compare directly the capital cost of heat exchangers and to select the better options among the various tube inserts for a given duty.


The teaching task of software practical class in higher vocational education is to strengthen students' basic skills in operations,enhance students' practical ability and innovation ability training,and improve students' comprehensive quality and sense of innovation.This article focuses on the practical teaching model from reconstructing the practice teaching system,practicing base construction inside and outside school,practical teaching arrangements,top post internship.


We present a bidirectional facial reconstruction method for estimating the skull given a scan of the skin surface and vice versa estimating the skin surface given the skull. Our approach is based on a multilinear model that describes the correlation between the skull and the facial soft tissue thickness (FSTT) on the one hand and the head/face surface geometry on the other hand. Training this model requires to densely sample the Cartesian product space of skull shape times FSTT variation, which cannot be obtained by measurements alone. We generate this data by enriching measured data---volumetric computed tomography scans and 3D surface scans of the head---by simulating statistically plausible FSTT variations. We demonstrate the versatility of our novel multilinear model by estimating faces from given skulls as well as skulls from given faces within just a couple of seconds. To foster further research in this direction, we will make our multilinear model publicly available.


The index of the manipulative difficulty for a mobile robot towing and pushing multiple trailers to follow a straight line is proposed. It will be useful to design such a tractor-trailers system. Some examples of the manipulative difficulty index was calculated by changing the number of trailers when the mobile robot pushes and tows the trailers.


This thesis discusses about the execution of the decision of Industrial Relations Court which the value of his lawsuit under Rp. 150,000,000, - in the Pontianak District Court. In addition it also has a purpose that is to disclose and analyze the factors that impede the execution of the decision of the Industrial Relations Court which the value of his lawsuit under Rp. 150.000.000, - and efforts to overcome the factors that hinder the execution of the decision of the Industrial Relations Court which the value of his lawsuit under Rp. 150,000,000, - in the Pontianak District Court. Through literature study using empirical legal approach method obtained the conclusion, that the execution of the decision of Industrial Relations Court which the value of his lawsuit under Rp. 150.000.000, - in the Pontianak District Court in reality can not be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Law Number 2 Year 2004 on Industrial Relations Dispute Settlement. The factors that hinder the execution of the decision of the Industrial Relations Court which the value of his lawsuit is below Rp. 150,000,000 as the budget from the government has not yet come down to finance the execution and there is uncertainty over the period when the execution fee will be disbursed. Efforts to overcome the factors that hinder the execution of the decision of the Industrial Relations Court which the value of his lawsuit is below Rp. 150.000.000, - in the Pontianak District Court is proposing a reappraisal to the Supreme Court in order to immediately realize the disbursement of execution fees that had been proposed. Indeed, the proposal by the Pontianak District Court to the Supreme Court has not been able to guarantee when the execution period will be executed, but at least there is good intention from the Pontianak District Court to assist the execution applicants.


These days, information that is on the web resides in structures useful for people, but not convenient for handling it using computers. The so -called Semantic Web or Web 3.0 is based on the use of ontologies to represent areas of knowledge,and it is considered by experts as the next step in the evolution of how we
store and manage information. The present work aims to improve navigation on large graphs that represent ontologies, within a tool that uses web technologies called WebVOWL. The
elements, relationships between them, and the labels, cause that
navigation on a big graph becomes little manageable for users.
The use of a miniature zoomed out
view (called minimap or minimap view) is the main contribution of this work, and is presented as a way to help the user analyze a specific part of the graph in greater detail. The two most important
concepts to understand the theory on which the WebVOWL editor is built on are OWL and VOWL. Information about three ontology visual
izers based on web technologies is shown as way to help better
understand this type of tools; TopBraid, Protege and WebVOWL itself.
Details of important concepts to understand WebVOWL
are listed, trying to explain to the user why this editor in much more than a pretty animation of a graph in which the components can be dragged. The steps that were necessary to add a minima pto the WebVOWL code for a better navigation over the ontologiesare described. It is mentioned how to configure a pair of development tools, the strategy followed for coding and the reason and intention of the algorithms developed. Finally, results and
conclusions obtained are shown, as well as some possible future improvements.


Vaccines marketed in Abeokuta the Ogun state capital, were analyzed for bacteriological contaminations. The samples were obtained from the State Nlinistry of Health, Okelewo, Kugba maternity center, Ibarapa Kugba and Leotopharm Nigeria Limited, Sapon, Abeokuta. The samples were inoculated in nutrientf thioglycollate broth and nutrientfmaCconkey agar media, and then observed for the growth of any bacterial contamination. Although some samples showed initial turbidity in liquid media but upon inoculation on solid media no growth of any kind was observed


1. Swain SM, Schneeweiss A, Gianni L, Gao JJ, Stein A, Waldron-Lynch M, Heeson S, Beattie MS, Yoo B, Cortes J, Baselga J. Incidence and management of diarrhea in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with pertuzumab. Ann Oncol 2017; 28(4): 761–768. 2. Shi W, Jiang T, Nuciforo P, Hatzis C, Holmes E, Harbeck N, Sotiriou C, Pe~ na L, Loi S, Rosa DD, Chia S, Wardley A, Ueno T, Rossari J, Eidtmann H, Armour A, Piccart-Gebhart M, Rimm DL, Baselga J, Pusztai L. Pathway level alterations rather than mutations in single genes predict response to HER2targeted therapies in the neo-ALTTO trial. Ann Oncol 2017; 28(1): 128–135. 3. Loibl S, Majewski I, Guarneri V, Nekljudova V, Holmes E, Bria E, Denkert C, Schem C, Sotiriou C, Loi S, Untch M, Conte P, Bernards R, Piccart M, von Minckwitz G, Baselga J. PIK3CA mutations are associated with reduced pathological complete response rates in primary HER2-positive breast cancer: pooled analysis of 967 patients from five prospective trials investigating lapatinib and trastuzumab. Ann Oncol 2016; 27(8): 1519–1525.


This article includes a review of the application of microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) in meat products prepared with reduced-sodium. The MTGase has shown to be very efficient in promoting protein cross-bridges, favoring the cohesion restructured products and improving the strength of gels inemulsified meat products, contributing to preserve and improve their texture and flavor. Traditionally sodium chloride (NaCl) is added to pasta carneas to play a key role in the solubilization of the myofibrillar proteins. However, the excess of this mineral has been linked to high rates of health problems as hypertension. In response to this scenario, scientific society and industries connected to the meat industry has sought alternatives that can acte to reduce the sodium in these foods. In this review, recent studies are reported on the application of MTGase in various products of meat mixture, elucidating the importance of supporting technology for scientific research and industrial application in the production of convenience healthier foods


The metal/oxide hetero-structure has attracted much attention in recent decades because of its potential in various applications such as heterogeneous catalysis and electric-field controlled magnetism. In particular, the combination of magnetic metal with an oxide thin film (e.g., a magneto-tunneling junction) has been widely studied and applied in data storage and spintronics. ZnO is one of the important semiconducting materials, not only for photoluminescence but also more importantly for its promising applications in spintronics. Transition metal-doped ZnO is predicted to be useful as a magnetic semiconductor for room-temperature application. Furthermore, ZnO exhibits the largest electromechanical response, among the known tetrahedral semiconductors, which makes it suitable for devices in microelectromechanical and communication systems.


Objective Conduct sampling detection and investigation analysis on 25 cooling water towers before and after cleanout in Guangzhou,discuss the reason of positive identification on Legionella pneumophila of water after cooling tower being cleanout,provide basis for prevention and control. Methods 25 cooling towers in Guangzhou before and after cleanout were sampled and Legionella pneumophila was detected; the towers with positive Legionella pneumophila were surveyed and analyzed. Results Unclean cooling towers were detected positive Legionella pneumophila rate of 76%,the positive rate was 68. 0% after cleanout,there were no statistical difference between before and after cleanout( χ2= 0. 40,P 0. 05). Conclusions Cooling towers not cleaned regularly,no standard cleaning process,and no professional quality of cleaning companies are the main reasons of positive identification of Legionella pneumophila,comprehensive measures should be used to reduce the danger of Legionella pneumophila.


Objective To explore the therapeutic effect of DRFS and Cage on the treatment of lumbar vertebral stability loss(LVSL).Methods Since March 1999,internal fixations were performed for 14 cases of LVSL;the fixating appliances used include DRFS and Cage.Results The therapeutic effects were excellent in 12 cases and good in 2,and the excellent good rate reached 98%.The symptoms of the fourteen cases were singnificantly abated within 6 months.The disease conditions were stable and no recurrence of the symptoms was found during the follow up;the postoperative intervertebral space height was increased by one time and 50% of the increase was maintained during the follow up.Conclusions The treatment of LVSL by intervertebral fusion with DRFS and Cage could obtain a good clinical curative rate but have few complications.


Frequently, the agro-industrial wastes are used as animal feed, however many times these wastes have a poor nutritional quality, mainly they have a low protein content and their digestibility is hard. These disadvantages can be avoided by solid-state fermentation (SSF) of the wastes by filamentous fungi. Winery, brewery and olive mill wastes were used as solid substrates for the production of lignocellulolytic enzymes and to increase the crude protein content of agro-industrial wastes. After selection of the fungus in previously study, it was performed an experimental design to evaluate the benefits of using mixtures of wastes in different proportions as solid substrate in SSF by A. ibericus. The optimum substrate was a mixture of brewery spent grain and vine-shoot trimmings which achieved and increase the protein content (16.3 %), xylanase (89.33 U/g), cellulose (3.46 U/g) and β -glucosidase (21.91 U/g) activities. Through this study, it was possible to conclude that the SSF by A. ibericus is a suitable biotechnology process to increase the nutritional quality of agro-industrial wastes and to produce value-added products as enzymes in the same low-cost process.


ellow fever, a potentially fatal flavivirus, is endemic in over 40 countries of South Amer-ica and Africa, and approximately 120 countries require proof of vaccination for entry by travel-ers. According to the World Health Organiza-tion ' s (WHO) International Health Regulations, yellow fever vaccines produced by different man-ufacturers worldwide must be approved by WHO and administered at a certified yellow fe-ver vaccination center. 1 In 1977, US state and territorial health departments were granted the authority to designate nonfederal vaccination centers and are responsible for tracking autho-rized centers and registering them with the Divi-sion of Global Migration and Quarantine at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Centers are authorized if a licensed med-ical provider at the facility has been issued an of-ficial uniform stamp number by the appropriate health authority. Although yellow fever vaccine has historically been considered to be one of the safest live-virus vaccines, reports have increased of serious adverse events, including several deaths, following vaccina-tion. While yellow fever vaccine continues to pro-vide essential protection to people traveling to or living in areas where yellow fever is endemic or epi-demic, new risk factors for rare but serious adverse events continue to be identifi ed through enhanced surveillance.


Corrina and Friends Community Cafe will become a venue purely for homeless and vulnerable people from 1 January 2016. The committee of volunteers ...


Basing on the research of seven external prestressed beams,in this paper we analyzed the external tendons of extermal prestressed beam and studied the whole of the beam deformation,and we deduced a formula with members deflection and end rotation of beam as parameters of external tendons stress under the ultimate state,the calculation formula is relatively simple,combine with this text experiment result combination domestic and international relevant experiment research proceeds the contrast with the calculation value of the deduced theoretical formula,result enunciation;Calculation result agree with the experiment result very well,for this reason this kind of calculation method is simple and viable.


Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of "Shengqing Jiangzhuo Decoction" in the treatment of vertebrobasilar insufficiency.Methods Eighty subjects were randomized into two groups: treatment group in which 40 cases were treated with "Shengqing Jiangzhuo Decoction" and control group in which 40 cases were treated with Flunarizine,with a course of one month.Results The total effective rate was 90.0% in treatment group and 75.0% in control group(P0.01);after treatment,the velocity of vertebrobasilar artery was increased in both groups(P0.01),with more significant increase in treatment group than in control group(P0.05).Conclusion "Shengqing Jiangzhuo Decoction" has positive effects on vertebrobasilar insufficiency.


This research is conducted at Revenue and Financial Management Offices of Surabaya city (DPPK). This research is meant to find out how much the contribution of local tax and local retribution (UU PDRD), to the Local Own-Source Revenue (PAD) of Surabaya city before and after the implementation of Regulations No.28 of 2009 related to the Local Tax and Local Retribution to the Local Own-Source Revenue (PAD) of Surabaya city, and also to find out the efforts of local government to optimize the PAD revenue. The result of this research shows that contribution of local tax and local retribution (UU PDRD), to the Local Own-Source Revenue (PAD) during the budget from 2009 to 2013 has experienced the changes before and after the implementation of Regulations No.28 of 2009. Before the implementation of Regulations No.28 of 2009, local tax has given very well contribution which is 56.25% to the revenue of the Local Own-Source Revenue (PAD) meanwhile local retribution has given its contribution less than 14.91%. And after the implementation of local tax and local retribution (UU PDRD) during the budget years from 2011 to 2013 there are changes in both components of Local Own-Source Revenue (PAD), the local tax has experienced the enhancement of contribution very well which is 79.12% to the receipt of Local Own-Source Revenue (PAD), meanwhile the local retribution has faced decrease of contribution less than 8.23%. One of the problems which are often come is from the side of lack of public awareness to pay the tax even though there is intense socialization to the public as the tax payers and to the future tax payers. Keywords: Local Tax, Local Retribution, Local Own-Source Revenue (PAD), Regulations No.28 of 2009.


Dilatation of the cervix and curettage of the endometrial cavity is commonly undertaken in women with postmenopausal bleeding to exclude endometrial carcinoma. Outpatient endometrial sampling using the pipelle endometrial biopsy device provides adequate tissue for histopathological diagnosis (Stovall 1991) and the procedure is acceptable to patients (Eddowes 1990). The purpose of this prospective trial was to compare the reliability of the pipelle endometrial biopsy device with dilatation and curettage in women with postmenopausal bleeding.


Subway is working in the construction of station and wayside equipment which was controlled by central and local control operating system for more efficient management. Traffic controlled by functional integration to be interlocked but each part is constructed and operated individually that is not efficient. Therefore, this paper offer to plan of integrating central and local system in one place of each feild. Functional integration plan will help central and local system to link strengthening. This is also offering to integrating central of an officer in command and integrating local of control station and office.


Background Unsupervised and unscientific practices of traditional surgeons is very common in most African countries; such practices can be life-threatening complication(s) Aim: to describe the indications, complications, and outcome following traditional surgeon's procedures Materials and Methods A retrospective study of patients admitted to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria, following traditional surgeon's procedures from October 2005 to September 2016. Results A total of 29 patients were seen, all of which were of low socioeconomic status (16 males and 13 females). The majority of the patients 20 (69%) were below the age of 10 years (75% of these were below the age of 3 weeks).  The age ranged from 1 day to 60 years with the mean age of 10.7 ± 16.8 years. Throat conditions 18(62.1%) and neck swellings 6(20.7%) were the main indications for traditional surgeons' procedures. Traditional uvulectomy 18 (62.1%); especially for neonates 16(88.9%) and incision and drainage of any neck swellings 6(20.7%): 4 of these were malignant neck masses, were the main procedures carried out by the traditional surgeons. Twenty-five patients (86.2%) had various complications: anaemia from haemorrhage 13 (52%), septicemia 4(16%), cervical necrotizing fasciitis 3(12%) and acute renal failure 1(4%) from hemorrhagic shock were some of the complications noted. Six (24%) of these patients died from the complications especially from the septicemia 3(12%). Conclusion Traditional surgeons' indications for treatment in misdiagnosed head and neck conditions and the procedures carried can lead to life-threatening complications(s) with an unfavourable outcome.


We would like to draw your readers' attention to our observations of an unexpectedly high prevalence of azotaemia in Birman cats. Over several years we have observed that many young Birman cats referred to us for a variety of reasons had unexpectedly elevated urea and/or creatinine concentrations. In addition, several young Birman cats have been referred to us with renal failure. Some of the most severely affected cats have been under two years of age, with clinical signs developing shortly after routine neutering. Unfortunately, because of the low numbers involved and the lack of a specific diagnosis in many cases, it has not been possible to draw any firm conclusions as to the likely cause of the renal disease. As a result of these observations, a small prospective survey of healthy Birman cats was undertaken to evaluate serum creatinine concentrations in a representative sample of these cats in the UK. The cats were recruited with the assistance of The Southern and South Western Birman Cat Club, and all were considered healthy on the basis of routine clinical examination. Where possible, a follow-up blood sample was collected eighteen months after the first.


In order to provide an evidence of using different ways for qualitative analysis of citrinin,a phenyl column for HPLC separation was estab-lished,Reasonable pre-treatment and the optimum chromatographic separation condition was determined.Qualitative detection of citrinin was carried out with using fluorescence detector and retention time of standard citrinin.Quantitative analysis was carried out with external standard of citrinin and comparison fluorescence intensity response of samples.Accuracy and precision of the method were evaluated and content of citrinin in Monascus was used for practical measurement.The results showed that: under the experimental conditions,the citrinin in red yeast can be well separated from ther impurities.The linear relationship accuracy,precision and detection limitation fit the basic requirements of HPLC with C18 column.The test re-sults can be provided an evidence for the C18 column test results.


. Let ( A , B ) be a nonempty pair of disjoint subsets of a Banach space X . It is well-known that if ( A , B ) be a bounded, closed and convex pair in a uniformly convex Banach space X , then every cyclic contraction mapping has a unique best proximity point. The main purpose of this paper is to study the convergence of best proximity points for cyclic contraction mappings in the setting of uniformly convex Banach spaces. Hence, we consider the Mann and Ishikawa iteration schemes and obtain many of strong convergence results of the best proximity point for the cyclic contraction mapping in the uniformly convex Banach spaces. To this end, we consider a numerical example is presented to support the main result and we compare the convergence behavior of iterations.


The molecular mechanisms of targeted antitumor agents action requires a new approach for the design of their clinical trials and a reevaluation of the traditional recommendations for phase I, II and III trials. During the early stages of clinical development, the identification of a biomarker with a predictive value which can be used as potential responders is of crucial importance. The possibility of early (before phase I) evaluation of biological activity of new investigational drugs in humans (phase 0) is discussed.


Many Muslims in the Netherlands want to live according to the prescriptions of their religion, but are trying at the same time to accommodate themselves to Dutch society in everyday life. Accommodation also seems to occur in the area of Muslim ritual practices, even though most orthodox and orthoprax Muslims are convinced of the 'unchangeability' of Islamic rituals. The study of Islamic rituals and changes in them in a non-Muslim Western environment have therefore become very popular among Western researchers. Most studies have focused on the relation between ritual, social cohesion and group identity. By focusing on certain Muslim ritual practices in the mon-Muslim environment of the Netherlands, this article draws attention to the role of ritual as an expression of faith on part of the individual beliver, thus stressing the multilayered messages conveyed by ritual practices.


In this paper, using two typical cases we point out that in China there exist F/sub 2/ layer infra-acoustic wave disturbance, which due to severe weather. In their spectrums, we find three remarkable peaks.


The aim of the present study is to investigate the concordance between in-service teachers' and pre-service teachers' understandings of contemporary assessment and evaluation and their levels of using contemporary assessment and evaluation methods. The concordance between the understanding created among students through the training curriculum and that of in-service teachers is an indicator of the output capacity of the curriculum. In-service primary school teachers and pre-service teachers studying in their third and fourth years at a faculty of education and taking the "Assessment and Evaluation in Education" course took part in the study. The study group consisted of 200 teachers teaching at primary schools in the central district of the Kirsehir province and 200 pre-service teachers taking the "Assessment and Evaluation in Education" course in their third and fourth years at a faculty of education. The data were collected from the in-service and pre-service teachers using the "Scale for Pre-service Teachers' Understanding of Assessment and Evaluation in Education", the "Scale for the Assessment and Evaluation Competency Perception in Education" and a survey form developed by the researchers. In addition, two different Likert-type scales consisting of 40 and 12 questions respectively were administered to the in-service teachers actively teaching at primary schools and the pre-service teachers still continuing their education. The scales were developed by the researchers. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the scales were carried out. The alpha reliability coefficient of the "Scale for Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding of Assessment and Evaluation in Education" was r=0.84, while the correlation coefficient for the sub-scales varied from 0.54 to 0.72. The reliability coefficient of the "Scale for the Assessment and Evaluation Competency Perception in Education" was r=0.76 while the correlation coefficient for the sub-scales varied from 0.47 to 0.75. In the analysis of the data, descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and parametric and non-parametric techniques including chi square and multiple comparisons were employed. As a result of the analyses, the assessment and evaluation understandings of the in-service and pre-service teachers and their assessment and evaluation competency perception levels were compared. The elements causing discordance were determined. The obtained findings were discussed within the frame of the literature, and the deficiencies in practice and in the curriculum were indicated. In the end, some recommendations were made regarding the process of training pre-service teachers and for eliminating the discordances. Keywords : Theory, practice, cognitive capability, understanding, assessment and evaluation, principle " This study was supported within the framework of Ahi Evran University Scientific Research Projects, No. EGT.A4.17.06"


To be competitive in a global market with violent compete and uncertain change by enhance the agility of enterprise is the main theory of agile manufacturing. Dynamic collaboration is recommended to be enterprise's organizational and applying mode of agile manufacturing. Based on the agility measure of Rick Dove, an analysis of how the agility of enterprise is affected by dynamic collaboration is done. The effect of organizational structure to the agility of dynamic collaboration is researched in both aspects of technology and management. The rationality of the adoption of star structure in dynamic collaboration as technology organizational mode is argued. The enlightenment and effect of agile manufacturing to national enterprises is consulted.


Bacterial respiratory infections are most commonly causes of illness for all age group patients in ICU. Most of the patients suffer from urosepsis, postoperative disease and lower respiratory infection when admitted in ICU's. The main purpose of this study is control in ICU's infection & determine their antibiotic sensitivity pattern for better treatment of patients. Bacteriological profile and their antibiogram from endotracheal aspirate and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples from intensive care unit patients.We performed manual culture of Endotracheal aspirate & BAL fluid specimens collected from ICU's patients. Samples were cultured on Blood agar and Mac-Conkey agar then incubated at 37C for 24 hours. Any growth were further confirmed by Gram stain and appropriate biochemical tests, and then Antibiotic sensitivity test was done. Among the 123 mechanically ventilated patients and 68 of them developed positive samples. In this study 55.3% (68) pathogenic isolates, 4.1% (5) were non pathogenic isolates and 40.6 (50) were no growth isolates in BAL and endotracheal aspirate samples. In which 67.6% (46) male and 32.4% (22) female patients. Older population falling in the 40-50 years of age group contributes the majority (27.64%) of the infection undergoing treatment for LRT infection in ICU's patients in TMMC & RC, Moradabad, and in 70-80 years of age group (4.06%) was less contributes of this infection. Among the causative agents, were most common among gram negatives and was common among the gram positive isolates. In our study more resistance gram positive antibiotics were CIP, E, LE, and most sensitive antibiotics were VA, LZ, GEN and TEI. And gram negative bacteria most resistant antibiotics were OF, CPM, CAZ, CIP, CTR, MRP, LE, IPM, PIT and most sensitive antibiotics were AK, GEN, CL, TGC. In this study we conclude that Gram-negative bacilli were predominant in BAL fluid and endotracheal aspirates of ICU patients. Out of 68 multidrug resistance isolates, 1.47% were MRSA, 41.17% were ESBL and 57.36% were MBL isolates higher rate of ESBL production seen in spp., and higher rate of MBL production in spp.High incidence of VAP and the potential MDR pathogens are a real threat in our ICU's. Combined approach of judicious antibiotic usage and training programs to health care personnel might be of help in combatting high incidence of antibiotic resistance in our institute.


This paper combines elements of the agency theory with the practice of the public procurement system in Poland. It defines the concept of the agency relationship, shows its connection with the adverse selection and the moral hazard issue and investigates the nature of the agency generated by the existence of hidden information and hidden action. The main objective of the paper is to build and present a framework for analysing the mechanism of the agency theory in the public procurement system. Keywords: agency theory, public procurement


As part of urbanization, waste causes a significant challenge in Indonesia. As part of the solution to this challenge is applying the landfill gas (LFG) powerplant. Various efforts are being conducted to implement the LFG powerplant in Indonesia. The literature review was conducted to focusing on the performance sustainability of the LFG powerplant. The explaining power capacity, expected energy supply, actual energy supply, problems, and their cause and impact data are presented. All LFG power plants show technical problems, such as leakage gas pipe, defected gas capture, absence of gas storage and purification equipment, and limited monitoring system. Financial and social challenges exacerbate the technical issues that risk the system's sustainability, such as unclear funding mechanism, lack of capacity from stakeholders, and conflict with the local community. All of the issues hindered achieving performance targets in the powerplant development, operation, and maintenance phase.


Three kinds of PFPE lubricants (Z-tetraol, TA-30, D-4OH) with different molecular structures were coated on the magnetic disks, then we confirmed the film conformation of these lubricants on the disks by the AFM with the fluoride coated probe. The film conformations of these lubricant films were different. Z-tetraol showed highest film thickness and lower coverage in these lubricants. TA-30 showed double layers structure and highest coverage. D-4OH showed monolayer and higher coverage than Z-tetraol. These observed results agreed with the molecular dynamics simulation results. In this simulation, TA-30 showed highest coverage and lowest thickness, because TA-30 molecule did not form the random coil shape, and it adsorbed rigidly on the disk surface. Z-tetraol adsorbed as the random coil shape. D-4OH adsorbed as the spiral shape.


The present article analyzes the juridical nature of the Solution Differences Organ (DSO) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism in the international commercial litigation. The paper also examines the importance of this instance of the WTO, as a mechanism for the resolution of the conflicts that can arise between States in its international relationships in the commercial context. Accordingly, the article emphasizes the benefits that this body can provide to the developing countries, by granting an effective mechanism for the solution of their differences with nations economically more powerful.


Critical current densities calculated from magnetization measurements are investigated in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3{minus}{ital x}}Fe{sub {ital x}}O{sub 7} single crystals with {ital x}=0 to 0.24. The measurements are done over a wide temperature range, 5 K to {ital T}{sub {ital c}}, and in magnetic fields up to 5.5 T. The results indicate that the critical current density in low-iron-composition samples has a small field dependence but a strong temperature dependence. The critical current density decreases as the Fe content increases. The model of twin boundaries acting as effective pinning centers in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3{minus}{ital x}}Fe{sub {ital x}}O{sub 7} systems is not supported by these results, at least for {ital T}{gt}10 K.


This thesis proposes a theory of literature's human relevance in literary terms, developing hints in the critical practice of twentieth century literary critic F.R. Leavis. It examines how literary texts can be humanly relevant in a manner that depends on their literary merit, and does so in three stages, interrogating: the way literary texts operate; the role literary language plays in thinking; and the interaction of literature and morality. The thesis has two, related, aims: to reconceptualise literature's relation to human living, and to offer a recharacterisation of Leavis's literary criticism, with the investigation of aspects of Leavis's practice forming part of the more fundamental enquiry regarding the nature of literature's human significance. In the first stage, the thesis argues that Leavis's critical practice in his works of the 1930s (his first major decade of critical output) provides fruitful ways for conceptualising the interaction between form and meaning in literature, with important consequences for present-day understandings of how literature functions and how it matters. It focuses on an untheorised (by him or others) achievement in Leavis's criticism, the introduction of the term 'attitude' into literary analysis and judgement, and argues that the term enables a different mode of attention to the question of how literature relates to the human world. The second stage first interrogates the role that language in general plays in understanding, constructing a hypothesis from arguments by philosophers R.G. Collingwood and Charles Taylor, and then turns to literary language, arguing that it enables a mode of relating to experience not otherwise possible, and forms a process of thinking, for reader and writer alike. The final stage focuses on arguments in aesthetics against literature's cognitive value, and in moral philosophy for its empathic and moral value. Building on earlier arguments about the operation of literary language and language's relation to thought, the thesis claims that literary language is humanly meaningful in a way that is both cognitively and morally significant. Throughout, the thesis argues for the inescapable link between well-written literature and the morally resonant, such that good literature forms what Taylor calls 'moral sources'. The crucial query is how literature functions, which will help us better to answer why it is humanly important. This thesis engages with literary criticism, philosophical aesthetics and moral philosophy, as well as offering close readings of literature itself.


The invention discloses an alkali-free liquid accelerator for sprayed concrete, which relates to a liquid accelerator. The invention solves the technical problem that the existing powdered accelerator is large in dust, and the long-term strength of the existing powdered accelerator is reduced because the existing powdered accelerator has alkalinity. The alkali-free liquid accelerator for sprayed concrete is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: aluminum sulfate, organic amine, attapulgite, bentonite and water. The accelerator disclosed by the invention has an alkali-free advantage and has no excitant odor, not only can greatly reduce the possibility of producing alkali-aggregate reaction, but also has no physical harm to constructors; the accelerator disclosed by the invention has a great strength effect, the 28-day strength of concrete is reduced less even not reduced, and a higher one-day strength and a higher 4-hour strength can be obtained; and the accelerator disclosed by the invention is good in low temperature resistance and not crystallized and solidified, and still has good liquidity at a temperature of -15 DEG C, so that a nozzle is not plugged, and the normal running of sprayed construction under low temperature conditions is ensured.


The most remarkable demographic features in Islamic societies are the high level of fertility and high unmet demand of contraception. Reproductive health is a matter of discussion among the Islamic countries for the last 40-50 years. Family planning (FP) is a subject of controversy over the Muslim world. Contraceptive prevalence rate among Muslim countries are relatively low compared to rest of the world. Muslims fear that the FP methods are Western intended programme to control the Muslim population .They also fear that the contraceptive methods could be a form of infanticide. This article critically analyse the truth and myths about family planning methods in the Islamic perspective. There is not a single text in the Quran to prohibit the use of contraceptive methods. In fact Islam endorses and encourages the practice of spacing.


Objective To understand the characteristics of senior hypertension, analyze its correlation with cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, and thus provided some the basis for formulating the coping nursing strategies. Methods A retrospective analysis was made of 24-hour dynamic blood pressure of 80 senior hypertension cases. And the patients were divided according to their age and pulse pressure. Then a comparison was made of the characteristics of the dynamic blood pressure of the various age groups, and the incidence rate of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases of the pulse pressure groups. Results The long-life age group's 24-hour average twenty-four hours arterial pressure recorded (135.62±8.21)mmHg against (110.46±6.98)mmHg of the senior-age group, and the former's average systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure recorded (159.89±9.76)mmHg and (75.78±5.14) respectively, against the latter's (140.56±6.32)mmHg and (60.45±4.76)mmHg, respectively (P0.05). However, the average diastolic blood pressure of the former (65.56±4.78)mmHg was distinctly lower than that of the senior-age group (74.33±6.56)mmHg (P0.05). The group whose 24-hour average pulse pressure reached 60 mmHg or above had a higher incidence rate of coronary heart disease, heart failure, myocardial infarction and stroke than the group whose pulse pressure was lower than 60 mmHg (P0.05). Conclusion The systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure of long-life hypertension patients was higher than those of the senior-age group, while the diastolic blood pressure, lower. This suggests that in case of over-high pulse pressure among senior hypertension patients, a good job should be done of provisionary treatment and nursing, to minimized the incidence of cardiocerebrovascular diseases.


Quite proud of my young poet Ben who added these #smallpoems to his blog to bring in for poem in a pocket day tomorrow: http://dogzone.jgregorymcverry.com/content/all/


In the UK, day surgery is defined as a patient being admitted to hospital for a planned procedure and discharged home the same calendar day. This typically incorporates a stay of 4–6 h, but with more complex surgical procedures, longer stays may be required. The procedure must have been planned and booked as a day case before the patient's admission to hospital. Patients who are planned as inpatients but discharged home on the day of surgery count as inpatients with zero length of stay rather than day cases. This emphasizes the importance of a patient being on a day surgery pathway from the point of surgical booking. Day surgery is not to be confused with 23 h stay surgery which is inpatient surgery with a 1 day length of stay. In the USA, this is commonly referred to as day surgery, but this definition is not valid in the UK.


Practice classes are divided into such types as skill-training,method-discussing and researching.To improve the teaching quality in normal schools,we should carry out the reform of practice classes.Moreover,we should offer different kinds of effective practice classes and enhance organization as well as scientific management to make them effective.


Some sources of systematic errors, specific to polarized CMB measurements using bolometers, are examined. Although the evaluations we show have been made in the context of the Planck mission (and more specifically the Planck HFI), many of our conclusions are valid for other experiments as well.


Guyana's construction industry is used extensively in the country's national development strategy and therefore its performance is critical to national prosperity. Indications are that the industry is not performing to its capabilities, thereby presenting an opportunity to research the influences on performance and develop solutions to effect positive changes. One approach to improving construction industry performance is the adaptation and use of benchmarking. An innovative approach to improving construction industry performance is through the use of maturity modeling, first developed and used by the computer software manufacturing industry. Both benchmarking and maturity modeling have relative strengths and weaknesses, but when used together, are likely to provide a comprehensive assessment of the industry's performance and foster holistic plans for performance improvement. This paper reports on issues associated with the proposed use of benchmarking and industry maturity modeling as a means of assessing and improving the performance of Guyana's construction industry. It has been found that there are issues associated with the use of benchmarking as the sole method of assessing the industry's performance and the use of industry maturity modeling will provide an appreciation of the industry's capabilities as it regards innovations and sustainability, which at the moment, is lacking.


Of the sixteen chapters into which this book is divided, the first four are analysis, in modest accord with modern behavioral concepts, of the politic heritage and political behavior of the Japanese people and of the dynamics of their political life. The remaining twelve chapters, the bulk of the book, are concerned with the Constitution, the Emperor, the Diet, the nature and functioning of political parties, elections, the electorate, policy making, the government and general welfare, the citizen and the law, and Japan's relations with the outside world. Each chapter can stand by itself and yet is carefully joined to the body of the work, for this book is beautifully organized. Now while there is no break between parts of the book, one has the distinct impression of a division between the initial four chapters and the remainder, in that this first part is like a colored map, boldly done, in which one may place the country, but not the dimensions and distances, and the latter part is like the chart of a careful cartographer, neatly and somberly colored, wherein one may easily follow the terrain by the accurate, clear, and compendious markings. In other words, we have here a sketch of the state of Japanese society, followed by a detailed map of the state of Japanese politics. In the last twelve chapters the modern political mechanism and its housing is carefully taken apart, and each part is thoroughly and lucidly explained in terms of itself and of its relationship to the other parts, but it is done so often in terms of the Japanese past that it becomes evident to the reader that someone will have to do as masterful a job on this so intrusive past as Professor Yanaga has done for the present. A concomitant of a first-rate piece of work is that it demands that other books be written. Here the evident need is for a comparable study of that feudal past to which Yanaga refers—something on seventeenth and eighteenth century Japan along the lines of what Yanaga does for the twentieth, and what Professors J. W. Hall and T. C. Smith are doing for the Bakumatsu period. The author himself implies this, for he is nowhere dogmatic, and one has the feeling that these early generalities were due to his realization that, if the book were to be kept within bounds, then general statements were the only solution. However, since this is a serious study of the contrasts between Japanese assumptions about themselves handed down over the years and the realities today, and since every brand of reality produces its own brand of fakery, the author might have elaborated more in his prefatory chapters on both the reality and the fakery of that central period—the Meiji Restoration.


Let K be a field of characteristic p>0, G a finite p-solvable group, P a p-Sylow subgroup of G of order pa, KG the group algebra of G over K, and J(KG) the Jacobson radical of KG. In the present paper we study the nilpotency index t(G) of J(KG), which is the least positive integer t with J(KG)t= 0. Since J(EG) = E⊗KJ(KG) for any extension field E of K (cf. [7, Proposition 12.11]), we may assume that K is algebraically closed.


Ultrasonic color Doppler image is a map of Doppler velocity in an observation plane in three-dimensional flow. Doppler velocity is the velocity component of flow in the direction of ultrasonic beam. Flow function method estimates the velocity components on the observation plane of the flow as a flow function using the information of the ultrasonic color Doppler image. The folw function with point sources is introduced. It is displayed by streamlines.


Disclosed are a flexible screen extension structure, a flexible screen assembly, and a terminal. The flexible screen extension structure comprises: a first panel (10), comprising a first guide mechanism (10a); a first slide member (20), which is slidably connected to the first guide mechanism (10a) along a first direction and can slide to a first position at which the first slide member (20) is overlapped with the first panel (10) and a second position at which the first slide member (20) is at least partially staggered with the first panel (10); a second panel (30), comprising a second guide mechanism (20a); a second slide member (40), which is slidably connected to the second guide mechanism (20a) along a second direction, and can slide to a third position close to the first panel (10) and a fourth position far away from the first panel (10) under the guide of the second guide mechanism (20a), and the second direction is parallel to the first direction; and an elastic member (50), disposed between the first slide member (20) and the second slide member (40).


Western Marxits' critique of many phenomena of alienation in advanced industrial civilizations is sharp and severe. For example,Marcuse, Fromm and Ben Agger practiced severe critiques concerning the phenomena of 'false needs' and 'alien consumption' in advanced industrial civilizations. In modem China, their critique has model significance to the present situation of Chinese consumerism and the understanding and reflection of ecological crisis which is heavily threatening human being's existence day by day.


Stealth technology and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are expected to dominate current and future aerial warfare. The radar systems at their maximum operating ranges, however, are not always able to detect stealth and small UAVs mainly due to their small radar cross sections and/or low altitudes. In this paper, a novel technique as an alternative to radar technology is proposed. The proposed approach is based on creating a mesh structure of laser beams initiated from aerial platforms towards the ground. The laser mesh acts as a virtual net in the sky. Any aerial vehicle disrupting the path of the laser beams are detected and subsequently localized and tracked. As an additional feature, steering of the beams can be used for increased coverage and improved localization and classification performance. A database of different types of aerial vehicles is created artificially based on Gaussian distributions. The database is used to develop several Machine Learning (ML) models using different algorithms to classify a target. Overall, we demonstrated through simulations that our proposed model achieves simultaneous detection, classification, localization, and tracking of a target.


Formulas for calculation of aperture efficiency of a primarily-focused parabolic reflector with a rotationally symmetric feed, or so-called Body-of-Revolution (BOR) feed, can be found in literature and many textbooks. Recently, many ultra-wideband (UWB) feeds have been developed for reflectors in radio telescopes, such as the square kilometer array (SKA) project. It has been noticed that all developed UWB feeds are of the non-BOR type. Therefore, it needs to clarify how to calculate the aperture efficiency of a parabolic reflector with the measured far-field function of its feed when the feed is a non-BOR antenna. The purpose of this paper is to derive and document the formulas for calculating aperture efficiency when the far-field function of the non-BOR feed is available by measurements under the Ludwig's third definition. One example of aperture efficiency calculation using the derived formulas based on measurement is presented in this paper.


Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) are benign osteolytic lesion representing 15% of all primary spine tumors. We report a case of a 9-year-old girl who had an ABCs localized in D2.
Symptoms involved back pain and paraplegia. Radiology investigations showed osteolysis of D2 and anterolisthesis of C7 and D1.
The patient had a posterior decompression and laminectomy of D2, D3 and D4 without neurological improvement. Surgical biopsy confirmed the diagnosis.
Computed tomography scan showed tumor remnants. An embolization of the tumor and an anterior liberation associated with bone graft were performed.
The result was a spectacular neurological improvement with disappearing of all neurological symptoms. Radiology investigations follow up showed only spine instability but no residual tumor.
Key words: Tumor; Cyst; Bone; Spine.


The article examines trends in the development, transformation, spread/destruction of such an artistic movement in Ukraine as graffiti or street art on the walls "before" and "after", which, according to the author, opens a new understanding for the viewer through the implementation of visual via national identity. The protest against graffiti or street art is over, today it has brought new reflections — to the war: the urban space is filled with inscriptions, drawings with deep patriotic and philosophical connotations, nation-building and the idea of a world without evil. On the surviving walls of the Ukrainian urban space, one can sometimes distinguish the hand of a certain master — a recently classified writer. Today, graffiti can be interpreted as an independent communication channel of public space, a kind of "subconscious" of the city. The paintings/murals have a special meaning and an unusual philosophy: the surviving wall is saved lives. The cultural heritage of each nation is, first of all, its intellectual component, the human factor, so now there is a need to explore the reflection of this topic in the works of writers, muralists in modern, war-torn urban space. In our opinion, images on the walls of Ukrainian cities subjected to barbaric destruction, preserved/destroyed, as well as new creations "under the bullets" stand out from the general work of the street art gallery. It is this art that reflects the spirit and indomitability of the nation.


In this report, researchers document the results of a laptop-based human factors study of alternative formats of presenting advance notice work zone information on portable changeable message signs (PCMSs) and a Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) driving simulator study of the ability of motorists to capture and process information on two PCMSs used in sequence to convey information about upcoming traffic situations. Based on the studies, researchers recommend that messages that require the display of calendar dates for future roadwork and other traffic control activities should utilize a message format consisting of the three-character abbreviation of the month (e.g., APR for April) in conjunction with the date. When future work activities span several days all in the same month, the month needs be noted only once in the message (i.e., APR 21-23) rather than repeating the month (i.e., APR 21-APR 23). The TTI driver simulator study results indicate the need to keep overall messages at or below the four-unit maximum recommended in existing guidelines. Researchers found that presenting five units of information on sequential PCMSs resulted in low comprehension rates, below what would be acceptable for highway applications. However, by keeping the message length to four units, it does appear that the use of sequential PCMSs will result in comprehension rates comparable to those obtained by presenting the same information at a single location on a large dynamic message sign, and is recommended as an acceptable formatting approach for the Texas Department of Transportation. Comprehension may be enhanced by repeating one of the units of information on both PCMSs.


The Primorye territory ranks first by the population size in the Far Eastern Federal District (further FEFD) (specific weight in the total population of the FEFD accounts to 31,1%, in the total population of the Russian Federation – to 1,4%). The article considers the current state of the migration processes in the Far East region of Russia. The data have been calculated basing on the All-Russia population census of 2010. In comparison with the census of 2002 the population of the region has reduced by 114.8 ths. The causes of such reduction are both natural and migratory character.


The article provides an overview of current research examines the phenomenon of extremism within sociology, an analysis of modern concepts, shows the author's position, justifying the need to counter extremism at the institutional level.


Abstract Teaching with film is a powerful and meaningful instructional strategy. This article discusses five classroom-tested methods for teaching with film: (1) film as a visual textbook, (2) film as a depicter of atmosphere, (3) film as an analogy, (4) film as a historiography, and (5) film as a springboard. Each of the methods discussed includes examples of a variety of films that could be used, along with suggested focus questions and conversation topics. Furthermore, this article discusses relevant legal issues surrounding the use of film in the classroom.


Student engagement allows educational institutions to make better decisions regarding teaching methodologies, methods for evaluating the quality of education, and ways to provide timely feedback. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying cognitive student engagement in distance learning has been a challenge in higher education institutions. In this study, we implemented a non-self-report method assessing students' heart rate data to identify the cognitive engagement during active learning activities. Additionally, as a supplementary tool, we applied a previously validated self-report method. This study was performed in distance learning lessons on a group of university students in Bogota, Colombia. After data analysis, we validated five hypotheses and compared the results from both methods. The results confirmed that the heart rate assessment had a statistically significant difference with respect to the baseline during active learning activities, and this variance could be positive or negative. In addition, the results show that if students are previously advised that they will have to develop an a new task after a passive learning activity (such as a video projection), their heart rate will tend to increase and consequently, their cognitive engagement will also increase. We expect this study to provide input for future research assessing student cognitive engagement using physiological parameters as a tool.


In two previous studies, we explored how users perform multi-session web tasks using the currently available tools. We also proposed three guidelines to help developers design browser support for these types of tasks. In this paper, we describe three prototypes that we designed using these guidelines and present the results of a preliminary evaluation.


A beam of 500 to 1200 eV argon and oxygen ions, neutralized with an equal number of electrons, strikes a target, and the sputtered particles form a deposited layer of SiO2, Ta205, or TiO2. A second beam at lower energy is aimed at the substrate and used for stress modification and predeposition sputter cleaning. Deposited films are mechanically stable and extremely adherent; internal stress is compressive. The primary contaminant is carbon, which is less than one percent. Refractive indices near 1 µm are 1.47 for SiO2, 2.03 for Ta205, and 2.27 for Ti02. Optical absorptance of half-wavelength films at 1.06 Am is near 10-4 for SiO2 and Ta205 and near 4 X 10-4 for TiO2. Damage tests with a 114 um radius, 5 ns pulse length, 1.06 um wavelength laser show an onset energy flux for visible damage in the 12 to 30 J/cm2 range for single-layer films, and slightly less for a three-layer structure.


Flexion contracture ofthe hip and ofthe knee represents a major cause of disability in patients with juvenile chronic arthritis; moreover, the knee is involved in 65% of cases within a year of onset of the disease (Arden and Ansell 1978), and about 33% of patients will have persistent symptoms and signs at five years (Fiszman, Ansell and Renton 1981). Changes within thejoint range from early synovial proliferation with effusion to fibrous ankylosis : these result not only from the destruction caused by pannus but also from the secondary effects produced by loss of weight-bearing, deformity, lack of congruity of joint surfaces, loss of movement and (possibly) a rise of pressure within the joint. A soft-tissue release may be considered as long as some joint space can be demonstrated and valgus deformity does not exceed I 5#{176}. The operation, considerably more difficult than soft-tissue release at the hip (Swann and Ansell 1986) aims to release hamstring spasm, to correct flexion deformity, to increase the range of movement, to relieve pain and to improve the functional capabilities of the joint, all of which contribute to the patient's mobility. Although disease activity after operation may affect the final outcome, the immediate results of the procedure are worthwhile and, in most patients, maintained for a long period.


Therapeutic methods of Chinese herbs to fifth-watch diarrhea mainly included syndrome differentiation and treatment,single herb,compound preparation,Chinese patent medicine,and umbilical compression with traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture and massage for treatment on fifth-watch diarrhea contained acupuncture,moxibustion,acupuncture in combination with moxibustion,manipulation,and acupuncture combined with Chinese herbs. We also pointed out existing problems and solution in this article. We thought that a broad prospect of treatment and prophylaxis on fifth-watch diarrhea with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)emerging.


MALIGNANT HYPERTHERMIA, a condition characterized by fever and often skeletal muscle rigidity during general anaesthesia, has been reported many times in recent publications. 1-64 The first recorded case occurred in 1922 ~4 and the syndrome was first described in the literature in 1951 by Guedel. 19 To date we are aware of over 170 such patients. Because of the 64 per cent mortality associated with this rare disease (Table I), a review of the known cases appears to be worthwhile. Sufficient information was available to us, either from the literature 1-42 or from personal communication, 4a-64 to permit summarization of the cases of 89 patients to whom 94 anaesthetics had


Producing complex real-time distributed computing systems with design-time guarantees of timely service capabilities is still considered by a predominant part of the research community to be a distant goal. Yet the recognition of the importance of facilitating such system engineering is steadily growing in the current century. This is because timeliness guaranteeing is a fundamental way of achieving a high degree of dependability. The TMO (Time-triggered Message-triggered Object) programming and specification scheme has been established in recent years to support such timeliness-guaranteed design. It is a high-level high-precision real-time distributed object programming scheme. The TMO scheme accompanies an execution scheme involving disciplined control of resources and services offered by typical commercial operating system platforms. Current versions of these schemes contain design and execution rules that prevent most important potential obstacles on the paths to timeliness-guaranteed design. However, there remain a number of challenging research issues which must be resolved satisfactorily before one can say whether the TMO scheme enables maximum exploitation of concurrency by programmers or not. Issues encountered in pursuing both goals together, i.e., enabling timeliness-guaranteed design and enabling maximum exploitation of concurrency, as well as solution approaches identified are discussed here.


Patient D has mild CTS symptoms at night and during the day. The symptom score totals, means, medians and modes are shown. Our conclusion is that grouped totals are the best way of representing the symptom and function score data. Medians do not accurately represent the clinical picture, tending to underestimate the patient's severity: infrequently occurring high or low 'stem scores' are important to take into account when calculating the symptom and function scores. Calculation of the mean symptom score and function score is best avoided, as excessive skewing by extreme values close to one or five may occur, and the resultant value makes no meaningful comment on the severity of the CTS. We suggest that the symptom score totals be used, and categorized into Asymptomatic (11), Mild (12–22), Moderate (23–33), Severe (34–44) and Very Severe (45–55). The function scores could be grouped into Asymptomatic (8), Mild (9–16), Moderate (17–24), Severe (25–32) and Very Severe (33–40). The importance of not relying on a questionnaire to assess Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is illustrated by Patient C, who is likely to have severe wasting of the intrinsic muscles and loss of median nerve protective sensation, despite a 'Moderate' symptom score.


Public–Private Partnership (PPP) has emerged as an effective procurement in delivering infrastructure and public service in many countries over the world since last few decades. It brought more benefits for sustainable development compared to traditional procurement in many developing countries. However, in order to determine whether a project is successful or not has still remained an ambiguous perception. Therefore, this study will rank the successful level for PPP transportation infrastructure projects in Vietnam via case studies. Fifteen success criteria were identified by the comprehensive review. The fuzzy TOPSIS method was then applied to evaluate and rank the success level for case studies. The result showed that project 2 is considered as the most successful until this recent time with a satisfactory degree of 0.489. Project 1 and project 3 are ranked second and third with a satisfactory degree of 0.482 and 0.435, respectively. Although the projects were judged as effective. Nevertheless, the success index of these expressway project still lower than 0.5. Therefore, project managers need to propose effective solutions to improve the success of these projects in the future. This result can help participants to be a good insight into the PPP project success in developing countries in general and Vietnam in particular.


This paper reports an exploratory study of the grounding functions of instrument plays in dialogue. Grounding theories of dialogue (Clark & Schaefer 1989, Clark 1996, Traum 1994) have been mainly modeled on exchanges in spoken language, and the contributions of non-verbal media to the grounding process are a largely untouched area. We used the Clark-Schaefer contribution model as a core theory, and analyzed six dialogues conducted in joint practice session of a piano duo play. We found that the two general functions of external representations, namely, a cognitive function for personal manipulation of information and a communicative function for interpersonal presentation of information, were co-present and integrated in piano plays in our data. A series of studies by Clark and others (Clark & Schaefer 1989, Clark 1996, Traum 1994) has persuasively shown that many features of human dialogue can be understood as measures and endeavors for grounding, the process to increase a set of beliefs that are agreed upon by all participants of dialogue. The set of beliefs thus established at a given stage of dialogue are called the common ground of that stage, and any beliefs in the common ground can be presupposed in subsequent stages. Participants are engaged in grounding as a joint project, and they ensure effective grounding by taking various measures, including efficient presentation of information and compact exchanges of understanding signals. Although grounding can involve both verbal and nonverbal presentation of information in principle, theories of grounding has been mainly modeled on face-to-face dialogue conducted by spoken language. The grounding process involving a substantive use of non-verbal representations such as gestures, drawings, and instrument plays, is largely an open question. How do people establish a common ground when a non-verbal representation system is available in addition to spoken language? Is the grounding process significantly different from the one involving only spoken language? If so, what exactly are the impacts of the presence of a non-verbal system on the grounding process? In addition to a long tradition of semiotic research, there has been a renewed interest in the cognitive function of external non-verbal representations, especially of drawings (e.g., Zhang & Norman 1994, Shimojima 1995, Stenning & Oberlander 1995, Suwa &Tversky 1997). The focus of research, however, has been on the way external non-verbal representations facilitate a personal process of designing and problem-solving, rather than on their functions in communicative settings such as dialogue. Some recent research has focused on the impacts of non-verbal representations on spoken dialogue. For example, McNeil (1995) was concerned with gestures in face-to-face conversation; Neilson & Lee (1994) with drawings in collaborative design, and Umata et al. (2000) with drawings in collaborative problem solving. These studies, however, have been rather sporadic, examining different aspects of dialogue on which non-verbal representations extend their impacts. None have studied their impacts on the grounding process particularly. Clark & Brennan (1991) offers a conceptual comparison of different communicative settings (e.g., face-toface dialogue, telephone dialogue, letter correspondence, video conferencing) in terms of their impacts on the grounding process. Communicative settings generally restrict the available types of representations. For example, telephone conversation allows only spoken language but an addition of a shared whiteboard introduces written text and various types of drawings. Thus, Clark & Brennan's research should have some direct implications on the impacts of certain non-verbal media on the grounding process. The exact implications are yet to be explored however. In this paper, we are interested in the impacts of instrumental plays on grounding processes. Instrumental plays are non-verbal representations, just as drawings and gestures are. They are however non-persist representations that occur and diminish in a limited time span. In this respect, they differ from drawings whose traces usually remain on drawing surfaces until somebody erases them. Instrument plays differ from written text in the same sense. They also differ from gestures in being auditory media as opposed to visual media. Instrument plays are actually closer to spoken language in these respects. Their distance from more typical non-verbal representations and their closeness to spoken language make instrument plays a particularly interesting subject of study. By comparing the use of instrument plays with that of gestures and drawings, we can abstract away special features of particular non-verbal media and extract more general functional differences between non-verbal repre-


T. Henry Green, H. V., IiOND., &c. .London : Jlenry Renshaw, 356 Strand. De. Greex in this little volume does for pathology what Professor Huxley did for physiology in his admirable " Lessons in Elementary Physiology," published by Messrs. Maemillan and Co. in 18GG; both books are a digest of what i3 most essential and best established in each science. The professed object of the book under notice is " to give a brief account of the more important morbid processes which take place in the human body in accordance with the present, position of pathological knowledge," and right well does the author realize it. His general arrangement and particular disquisitions have a physiological basis, and his aim throughout is to impress the physiology of pathology?if we may use the phrase?to show the relation between normal or physiological actions and products and abnormal or pathological. After


With the large amount of information shared on the Internet, customers are more likely to be influenced by other customers today. This research examines the impact of shared incidental similarity with an online reviewer on the focal customers' attitudes and purchase intentions. In addition, the present study argues that such a positive relationship between incidental similarity and customers' responses can be moderated by individuals' psychological states of power. The results of the current study show that participants in the powerful condition exhibited similar level of responses toward a restaurant after reading a set of online reviews regardless of the presence or absence of incidental similarity cues (e.g., same name initials). However, under the condition of powerlessness, participants' responses are positively driven by shared incidental similarity with the reviewer.


We propose advances on the generation of deformation time series in areas affected by large deformation dynamics, where the exploitation of the differential SAR phase can be strongly limited by severe misregistration errors or by very high fringe rates. First, to overcome the former issue, we present an extension of the amplitude-based Pixel-Offset (PO) analyses by applying the Small BAseline Subset (SBAS) strategy, in order to move from the investigation of single (large) deformation events to that of dynamic phenomena. Secondly, to handle the high fringe rate interferograms, we subtract from them properly generated synthetic deformation models allowing us to reduce the fringe rate, thus helping the phase unwrapping step. The proposed approaches have been tested on ASAR-ENVISAT data acquired on Galápagos Islands and validated via continuous GPS measurements.


There seems to be common agreement among practitioners and researchers in Criminal Justice that youth who are abused often become participants in the juvenile justice system. The current literature finds considerable evidence to suppbrt this position. However, some questions concerning the relationship between child abuse and juvenile delinquency remain. Specifically, how direct, or causal, is the link between the two? Are girls affected by the events differently from boys? Are different groups of youth, such as Hispanic females, uniquely affected? There is a smaller body of work focusing on girls' experiences, and this research seems to indicate there may be some existent gender variations. Further, Latina girls may exhibit specifically cultural responses to abuse and its consequences. However, the paucity of current literature does not allow for definitive generalizations, but instead begs further exploration.


Submitted for the MAR16 Meeting of The American Physical Society Interfacial Stresses and Strains Effect on Band-Gap Emission from Silicon SUFIAN ABEDRABBO, The Petroleum Institute and The University of Jordan, ANTHONY FIORY, New Jersey Institute of Technology — Czochralski silicon wafer materials were interfaced with silica films formed by sol-gel deposition and thermal annealing. Under optimal annealing conditions (∼700 ◦C), stresses in the silica films induce variations in elastic strains on the order of 1% in the silicon. Concomitantly, emission of band-gap photons at 1.1 eV observed by photoluminescence is increased by two orders of magnitude relative to unperturbed silicon. The enhancement in photon emission is produced by band-gap modulations estimated as ∼0.1 eV. Elastic reversibility of the strains is inferred from recovery of relatively weak photon emission for annealing above the glass reflow temperature of deposited silica films (∼950 ◦C). Films with largest stress variations exhibit enhanced absorption signatures in the infrared and broadening of Si-O-Si stretching vibrations. Examples of Si-based photonics based on the observed effect will be presented. Sufian Abedrabbo The Petroleum Institute and The University of Jordan Date submitted: 05 Nov 2015 Electronic form version 1.4


Until now the equilibrium structure and properties of a monatomic step on a crystal surface have been described by statistical theories excluding overhanging ledge configurations and kink correlation. At higher temperatures the validity of these approximations is questionable. For these temperatures we have studied the (01) step of a (001) vicinal surface of a Kossel crystal using the Monte Carlo simulation technique for a one− and two−dimensional computer model. In our temperature region the ledge overhang density varies exponentially with ω according to h=29 exp(−5.8ω). The jump density distribution and the ledge roughness are in good agreement with statistical theories. There is no apparent kink correlation except a trivial one due to ledge overhangs. The ledge width originating from clustering at the ledge increases strongly with step length and temperature. For ω=1.0 it reaches a mean and maximal value of 7 and 40 units, respectively, for a step length of 960 units. With the help of modern techniques...


[Objective]To explore the influence of different nursing models on doctor-patient relationship in the department of radiology,improve the quality of medical service.[Methods]The effect of nursing model reformation in the department of radiology in a hospital was evaluated retrospectively.Before reformation,the patients were given the traditional nursing service at the window of the department of radiology.After reformation,patients received the nursing service outside the window on the basis of traditional nursing service,which included the nursing services before radiographic examination and health consulting.The incidence rates of contrast agent extravasation,iodine allergy and other adverse events,as well as patient satisfaction in two groups were evaluated.[Results]There was no significant difference in total incidence rate of iodine allergy(χ2=0.58,P0.05) and incidence rate of contrast agent extravasation(χ2=0.33,P0.05) between two groups.The difference in incidence rate of adverse events between two groups was significant(χ2=310.8,P0.01).The patient satisfaction increased from 81.74% before reformation to 91.81% after reformation,and the difference was significant(χ2=52.7,P0.01).[Conclusion]The additional nursing service outside the window in the department of radiology will not bring significant improvement on the control of contrast agent extravasation and iodine allergy,but it can help hospital to reduce the incidence of radiology adverse events and enhance the patient satisfaction,which has great significance on improving doctor-patient relationship.


This study examined the relationship between selected demographic and situational variables and the completion of the education administration doctorate from the West Virginia University—Marshall University Cooperative Doctoral Program. Surveys were sent to the 226 students who were admitted to the program between 1980 and the fall of 1993. Responses were received from 62 percent of those surveyed, and analysis revealed that a positive relationship existed between six of the twelve variables and the completion of the doctorate. Factors found to be positively related to the completion of the doctorate were the level of financial support available to the student, familial support, peer support, faculty support, chairperson support, and the motivation of the student.


MEDICAL PROBLEMS FACING CHILDREN ARE DIStinct in many ways from those of adults, and for this reason, their evaluation, management, and outcome assessment must be given special consideration. Decades ago, pediatric care focused on morbidities associated with acute infection or chronic illness lacking specific treatment, whereas, today, care of children must increasingly address the biological and social causes of chronic disease. Childhood obesity has become a clear example of this new type of challenge, requiring that the full biopsychosocial context of a disease be considered in daily care of the patient. Although pediatrics is distinct from its adult counterpart, potential management strategies for pediatric diseases can sometimes be adapted from the adult setting, and few medications find their way directly to children without some history in adult medicine. However, in the case of obesity, weight loss interventions in adults have generally yielded poor long-term outcomes, providing an unimpressive platform on which to develop pediatric-specific programs. Moreover, children face additional challenges above and beyond those encountered by adults consistent with the variable, and often limited, success observed with many multifaceted interventions for childhood obesity. Excessively rapid weight gain early in life may be more refractory to intervention as it suggests the presence of especially adverse biological causes, psychosocial causes, or both. Although obesity is usually polygenic in origin, monogenic forms of obesity, such as defects in the receptor for melanocortin-4, are increasingly being recognized as causes for extreme obesity in young children. Increasing disparities in the prevalence of obesity in youth from racial or ethnic minorities continue to emerge, and food insecurity and poverty are clear risk factors for obesity in children. Other environmental influences beyond a child's control may make dietary and physical activity habits especially resistant to change. For example, branding of food and beverages has been shown to influence young children's taste perceptions, and exposure to food advertising promotes overconsumption. In addition, school lunches may be of substandard quality and the safety of the physical environment impacts levels of physical activity. For older children and adolescents, lifestyle habits are strongly influenced by peers, with varying effects in boys and girls. Given the array of issues that must be considered in the management of childhood obesity, strategies for successful behavior change recognize the importance of family support. Indeed, some obesity treatment strategies for younger children that target the parents as the exclusive agent of change have demonstrated better outcomes compared with conventional programs. Just as clinical pediatrics has unique features distinguishing it from adult medicine, pediatric research, and obesity research in particular, similarly requires special considerations. In adults, absolute measures of body mass index can be used to define obesity, whereas in children, changes in weight may be confounded by linear growth and pubertyrelated changes in body composition that differ between boys and girls. Therefore, body mass index relative to age and sex, in the form of percentiles or standardized z scores, are needed to define overweight and obesity in children. Assessing dietary adherence is also problematic in young children, limiting ability to correlate the outcomes of study interventions with behavioral changes. In addition to these methodological issues, research involving children presents ethical considerations that may affect study design, recruitment, and assessment of clinical end points. The study by Wilfley and colleagues in this issue of JAMA contributes to the current understanding of childhood obesity management by tackling the important question of weight loss maintenance. Although the immediate effect of a maintenance intervention for childhood obesity has been previously evaluated, the longer-term residual effect of such an intervention has not been examined in a rigorous fashion. In this study, 150 overweight 7to 12-year-old children with at least 1 overweight parent received a 5-month weight loss treatment program and were then randomized to a control group, a 4-month behavior skills maintenance group, or a


Considerable evidence now indicates that poignant self-threats cause compensatory zeal about opinions, values, goals, groups, and self-worth. Evidence for the self-threat→zeal link is reviewed from research on zealous reactions to epistemic, self-worth, relationship, and mortality salience threats. Two new studies demonstrate that zealous pride and conviction insulate individuals from concern with uncertainty threats. The new studies further demonstrate that this insulation effect does not result from distraction, mood, or state self-esteem. It is proposed that the appeal of zeal arises from its ability to activate the approach-motivation system and to down-regulate the avoidance motivation system's vigilant concern with threats.


https://doi.org/10.4068/cmj.2021.57.3.219 C Chonnam Medical Journal, 2021 Chonnam Med J 2021;57:219-220 Corresponding Author: In-Seok Jeong Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, 42 Jebong-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61469, Korea Tel: +82-62-220-6546, Fax: +82-62-227-1636, E-mail: email@example.com Article History: Received February 25, 2021 Revised March 28, 2021 Accepted March 29, 2021 FIG. 1. Avalon catheter has dual lumen for both drainage (blue arrow) and perfusion (red arrow) in one tube (A). Transesophageal echocardiography during cannulation showed that the perfusion hole was located at mid right atrium right above tricuspid valve (TV, arrow head). Perfusion flow went from the perfusion hole to the TV direction (B). After establishment of good catheter position, the catheter was clamped (C) and connected to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (D). Bi-Caval Dual Lumen Catheter for Pediatric Patients Undergoing Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Min Chul Kim, In-Seok Jeong*, Joon Ho Ahn, Dae Young Hyun, Dowan Kim, Kyoseon Lee, Youngkeun Ahn, and Myung Ho Jeong Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea


On the basis of the producing technics for the fruit bagged paper, applied high wax rosin dispersion agent for fruit bagged paper sizing, discussed the sizability of that .Moreover ,analysed the SEM pictures of the paper.


Section headings and selected papers: Plenary Papers. Knowledge based control: selecting the right tool for the job (R. Leitch). The Methodology of Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Control Systems. Neural Net Control. Neural networks applied to optimal flight control (T. McKelvey). The influence of training data selection on performance of neural networks for control of non-linear systems (A.B. Bendtsen, N. Jensen). Knowledge-Based Control. Induction of control rules from human skill (K.J. Hunt, Y.M. Han). Dimensions of learning in a real-time knowledge-based control system (N.V. Findler). Fuzzy Control. Fuzzy inference in rule-based real-time control (R. Jager et al. ). Monitoring and Fault Diagnosis. Supervisory control of mode-switch processes: application to a flexible beam (R.A. Hilhorst et al. ). Supervision and control of an exothermic batch process (R. Perne). Genetic Algorithms and Learning. An adaptive system for process control using genetic algorithms (C.L. Karr). Qualitative Reasoning. On representations for continuous dynamic systems (E.A. Woods). The Application of Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Different Areas of Control. Process Control. Real-time supervisory control for industrial processes (D.A. Linkens, M.F. Abbod). Biotechnology. Pattern recognition for bioprocess control (B. Sonnleitner, G. Locher). Hardware and Software Requirements. Temporal Reasoning. A temporal blackboard structure for process control (F. Barber et al. ). New Paradigms for Real-Time Control. Reinforcement learning and recruitment mechanism for adaptive distributed control (H. Bersini). Real-Time Environments for Intelligent Control. DICE: a real-time toolbox (A.J. Krijgsman, R. Jager). Development of Real-Time AI Systems. An execution environment for real-time model-based supervisory control and diagnostic systems (Z. Papp et al. ). Author index. Keyword index. Numerous illus., 4 half-tones.


A carrier system for transporting functional chemicals into substrates, such as fiber and plastic materials, comprises a carrier compound and at least one functional chemical, wherein the carrier compound is composed of micelles, liposomes, lyotropic liquid crystals or intercalation compounds. The functional chemical transported by the carrier compound migrates into the substrate and has anisotropic distribution therein. The invention further relates to a method for modification, activation and deactivation for subsequent application onto substrates.


A dramatic traffic volume reduction has been observed worldwide and across the United States since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This event provides us with a unique opportunity to investigate the changes in ride-hailing travel prior and during the pandemic and the resulting significant drop in economic activities associated with the pandemic. In this paper, we collected and analyzed trip-by-trip ride-hailing data from the City of Chicago over 6 months (January to June) in 2019 and 2020. The results from Chicago show a significantly greater decrease in the number of ride-hailing trips compared to those using personal vehicles during the pandemic. In most cases, the average travel distances lengthened while the average travel times shortened. Pooled trips decreased significantly (71%) in early March and disappeared completely on March 17 when Uber and Lyft suspended trip pooling. Short trips that used to occur within the same census tracts decreased remarkably. To our knowledge this is the first effort to analyze ride-hailing data as related to COVID-19. We hope that this effort serves as a first step towards conducting other studies in other cities.


Reports of hymenopterans associated with ants involve more than 500 species, but only a fraction unambiguously pertain to actual parasitoids. In this paper, we attempt to provide an overview of both the diversity of these parasitoid wasps and the diversity of the types of interactions they have formed with their ant hosts. The reliable list of parasitoid wasps using ants as primary hosts includes at least 138 species, reported between 1852 and 2011, distributed among 9 families from 3 superfamilies. These parasitoids exhibit a wide array of biologies and developmental strategies: ecto- or endoparasitism, solitary or gregarious, and idio- or koinobiosis. All castes of ants and all developmental stages, excepting eggs, are possible targets. Some species parasitize adult worker ants while foraging or performing other activities outside the nest; however, in most cases, parasitoids attack ant larvae either inside or outside their nests. Based on their abundance and success in attacking ants, some parasitoid wasps like diapriids and eucharitids seem excellent potential models to explore how parasitoids impact ant colony demography, population biology, and ant community structure. Despite a significant increase in our knowledge of hymenopteran parasitoids of ants, most of them remain to be discovered.


We prove that Buchholz's system of fundamental sequences for the $\vartheta$ function enjoys various regularity conditions, including the Bachmann property. We partially extend these results to variants of the $\vartheta$ function, including a version without addition for countable ordinals. We conclude that the Hardy functions based on these notation systems enjoy natural monotonicity properties and majorize all functions defined by primitive recursion along $\vartheta(\varepsilon_{\Omega+1})$.


SYNOPSIS Significant experimental dynamic tests by vibrodyne were conducted on single piers of a motorway near Livomo (Italy). Tests were conducted on stmctures similar to each other but founded on two different type of ~oils (undercons~lidated silts below the water table and overconsolidated clays) and very different dynamic responses were found m tenns of dampmg and natural frequencies. This effect was particularly evident for single piles proving the importance of soil characteristics upon the dynamic response of the structure. It is refere also a numerical investigation about the behavior of identical stmctures founded on different soils and subjected to the same seismic input.