Childhood overweight and obesity represent an alarming problem worldwide. In Italy, approximately 21% of children are overweight or obese, with strong consequences both at health and social levels. The importance of the problem rises the need for policies aimed at preventing pediatric overweight and obesity. Game-based nutritional learning is an effective approach to enhance children's knowledge, behavior, and healthy dietary habits. Therefore, playful, and creative methodologies should be included in nutritional education programs for children. Among novel technologies, humanoid robots have a special appeal for educational purposes. In this paper, we present our first prototype in which the social robot Alpha Mini is used as a personal persuasive technology in the context of nutrition. In particular, in the context of the HERO project, we are developing an application with the main aim of using a combination of social robotics and serious games to support nutrition education and self-awareness trying to change wrong attitudes in children. To investigate the appropriateness of the approach a Wizard of Oz study was performed, showing interesting results in terms of engagement, motivational strength, trust, and recall of relevant information.


Maritime transport of goods is incredibly important in in today's economy. It is one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to transport large quantities of goods over long distances, particularly for international trade. Shipping accounts for approximately 90% of global trade by volume and 60% by value, making it a critical component of the global economy. Maritime cargo transportation is especially important for the transportation of bulk commodities, such as oil, gas, coal, and iron ore, necessary for industrial production. It is also crucial for the transportation of consumer goods such as electronics, clothing, and food, which are produced in one part of the world and consumed in another. The efficiency and cost-effectiveness of maritime freight transportation have been enhanced by advances in technology, including the development of larger and more efficient vessels, as well as improvements in port infrastructure and logistics management. These advancements have enabled sea freight transportation to become increasingly competitive with other modes of transport, such as air and road, especially for long-distance and large-volume shipments. Overall, maritime freight transport plays a vital role in today's global economy, supporting international trade, economic growth and the movement of goods between countries and continents. In recent years, maritime cargo logistics in Ukraine has undergone significant changes driven by a combination of government initiatives, private investment, technological advances, and macroeconomic factors. This article discusses current trends, problems and prospects for the development of Ukrainian and global maritime transport sectors, and provides recommendations for improving the efficiency of maritime transport and ports to accelerate economic development. One of the key drivers of this development was the modernization and expansion of Ukraine's seaport infrastructure. These improvements have enabled Ukrainian ports to handle larger volumes of cargo and manage the flow of goods more efficiently. In general, the development of maritime logistics in Ukraine continues, and there is potential for further growth and improvement even in wartime.


This paper is concerned with understanding the behaviour of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) in the injection stretch blow moulding (ISBM) process where it is typically bi-axially stretched to form bottles for the packaging industry. Preforms which have been pre sprayed with a pattern and heated in an oil bath have been stretched and blown in free air using a lab scale ISBM machine whilst being monitored via high speed video. The images have subsequently been analysed using a digital image correlation system (VIC 3D). The results have been used to validate appropriate simulations of the free-blow process using ABAQUS®/Explicit FEA with a suitable viscoelastic material model, along with experimental process data obtained using an instrumented stretch rod.


Epilepsy surgery is a potentially curative option for children with intractable epilepsy. In order to avoid postsurgical deficits in language and cognitive functioning, the mapping of these brain functions must be performed. Neurophysiological techniques, such as Electroencephalography (EEG) and Magnetoencephalography (MEG) are non-invasive procedures that can be used to attain this goal. However, they often fail when used to perform functional mapping in uncooperative patients who are unwilling, or unable to communicate or follow the commands. Therefore, there is a need for cognitive function mapping procedures that can be performed without active patient's participation. The aim of this paper is to integrate and organize currently existing body of knowledge regarding passive testing of information processing and cognitive functioning in pediatric epilepsy patients. It is the first attempt to present a cohesive summary of literature regarding this topic. We will summarize results from currently available passive paradigms for neurophysiological assessment. There are a number of paradigms that could be used for passive evaluation of cognitive function in children with epilepsy. Examples include odd-ball paradigms eliciting Mismatch Negativity (MMN) and P3a responses, continuous word recognition paradigm, and story listening paradigms. In addition, resting state connectivity analysis with correlation to the cognitive testing/behavioral data can be used. Importantly, the majority of these paradigms can be performed during sedation.


Using a sample of 37 finance companies listed under the finance segment of Bursa Malaysia, we examined the impact of the revision to Malaysian code on corporate governance on audit committee attributes and firm performance. Our result suggests that audit committee attributes significantly improved after the Code was revised. In addition, the coefficient for audit committee and risk committee interlock has a significant negative relationship with Tobin's Q in the period before the revision to the Code and before the global financial crisis. The negative direction of the result is contrary to agency theory which suggests that separating directors on subcommittees will create information asymmetry between the directors and lead to poor coordination in the decisions of the committees thereby negatively affecting firm performance.


The test bed for investigating a UHF plasma technology for igniting and combustion of coal dust is described. The results of experiments carried out on the test bed are presented. The prospects of introducing such a technology for the burners of boilers at thermal power stations are discussed.


Our country's economic structural reforms have already stepped into the most important stage of the system innovation.The achievements of the government,especially the center government,is very important,but what degree the achievements can reach is related to the costs of the system innovation closely.So the government must try to reduce the system innovation costs and promote the changes of the function as well as system innovation in reasonable costs.


We study the efficacy of sterilized foreign exchange intervention in a model where exchange rates are pushed away from their fundamental level by a rational bubble. The bubble is sustained by uncertainty about the post-crash price and about the market absorption capacity. We show that the bubble will be sustained in equilibrium if there is a reasonable probability that the bubble might burst in the first period. We then examine how sterilized interventions can change the equilibrium. In particular, we compare announced with secret interventions, when the central bank intervenes only once in the life of the bubble. We find that the degree of central bank commitment in bringing the exchange rate back to its fundamental level is crucial to determine whether the central bank will prefer to announce the intervention or keep it secret. We also study the conditions under which it is optimal to follow a state-dependent strategy where intervention takes place whenever the spot rate diverges from fundamentals by a set amount. Finally, we show that the central bank must gradually increase the size of interventions under a continuous intervention strategy.


review of the Dictionary of the Bible and Ellcyclop~edia Biblica. It is pleasant to read this able reviewer's estimate of Nestle's work : 'This article [it is the article on the TEXT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT], it is needless to say, is admirable. The author is as genial as he is fine a scholar, and he sets out the principles of textual criticism in the clearest and most readable manner.' This also is worth noting : ' In the article on SIMON MAGUS it seems to be conclusively shown that the identification of Simon Magus with St. Paul in early Christian literature, on which so much of the depreciation of Acts depends, is a mere modern fancy.' A new quarterly has appeared in America-the Cumberland Presbyterian Quarterly. It is described as 'a Magazine of Religion, Philosophy, Science, and Literature.' The first article in the first number is written by Professor R. V. Foster. It consists of 'Thoughts' on God and Human Nature. The second number is opened by Pro-


This paper describes the psychology of future consciousness and its evolution and historical development from prehistoric to contemporary times. Visions of the future are described pertaining to ancient religion and myth; the rise of Western science, rationalism, and the secular theory of progress; the Romantic counter-reaction; science fiction and future studies; modern Eastern and Western thinking; and contemporary paradigms highlighting evolution, technology, psychology, society, religion, and integrative perspectives, culminating in a discussion of wisdom and the Second Enlightenment.


We develop the theory of acoustic wave propagation in a waveguide containing an array of time modulated digital meta-atoms, showing the equivalence between this array and a homogeneous, time varying, dispersive material. In the limit of an adiabatic time variation we find some choices of meta-atom coupling strength lead to exceptional points, where one mode is exponentially amplified and the adiabatic approximation breaks down. In the highly non--adiabatic limit we derive the analogue of reflection coefficients for an abrupt change in the meta-atom coupling. Due to dispersion we have both conversion between different types of modes, and different directions of propagation, which can be tuned through modifying the programmed response of the digital meta--atoms.


Background: gabapentin was originally discovered over 40 years ago by the Japanese, who initially were looking for an antispasmodic or muscle relaxant, but, later it was used as an antiepileptic and multimodal perioperative drug. Objective of this randomized study is to assess the some cardiovascular effects of gabapentin as well as its effect on the neuromuscular blockade induced by Cisatracurium. The interactions between both of them was also done in cats and rats & in patients undergoing elective spinal surgeries. Materials & Methods: The pharmacological study was carried out at the pharmacological lab of Al-Azhar University. The effect of different doses of cisatracurium (0.25 -4 µg/ml) and Gabapentin (6-96 µg/ml) & interactions between gabapentin (24µg/mL) and cisatracurium (0.25-4 µg/mL) were also done to test the effect on the amplitude of contraction of isolated Rat phrenic nerve -diaphragm preparation. Effect of intravenous (IV) injection of cisatracurium (1-16 mg/kg) and Gabapentin (15-240 mg/kg) and interactions between gabapentin (60mg/kg) and cisatracurium (1-16 mg/kg) on mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and electrocardiogram (ECG) were also studied on anesthetized cats. Each experiment was done on six preparations. The clinical Study was carried out at Al-Zahraa University Hospital on 90 patients (ASA I or II) of both sexes undergoing spinal operations were randomized into three equal groups (30 patients) for each; one hour preoperatively they received oral capsules, group I; gabapentin (1200mg), group II gabapentin (800mg) and group III; placebo capsules. After induction of anesthesia with (IV) fentanyl, thiopental and cisatracurium & tracheal intubation, anesthesia was maintained by isoflurane (0.5-2%), Patients were assessed for heart rate (HR), MAP, neuromuscular blockade. Isoflurane concentration, fentanyl needed and cisatracurium consumption were recorded. Results: Experimentally: In-vitro study: Cisatracurium besylate (0.25-4µg/ml) produced dose-dependent significant reductions on the amplitude of muscle contractions. Gabapentin (6-96µg/ml) produced dose-dependent significant reductions on the amplitude of muscle contractions at 24-96 µg/mL while the first two doses 6-12 µg/mL have no effect. On interactions Gabapentin (24 µg/ml) produced synergistic effect on neuromuscular blocker effect of cisatracurium (0.25-4 µg/mL). In-vivo study cisatracurium, IV, (1-16 mg/kg) produced no effect on both mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) of anesthetized cats. Gabapentin (15- 240 mg/kg) caused dose-dependent significant reductions on the MAP and the HR of the anesthetized cats except the first two doses (15-30 mg/kg). On interactions Gabapentin (60 mg/kg) potantiated the effect of cisatracurium (1-16mg/kg) and caused significant reduction on mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate. Clinically: Gabapentin 1200mg produced highly significant reduction in MAP&HR at pre-induction and immediately after intubation which extended for 120min. It also prolonged the duration of neuromuscular blockade of cisatracurium 0.15 mg/kg for 100min. While Gabapentin 800mg produced significant reduction in MAP &HR at pre-induction, immediately after intubation which extended for 45min. It also prolonged the duration of neuromuscular blockade of cisatracurium 0.15mg/kg up to for70min.
Conclusion: Gabapentin has a neuromuscular blocking effect  on interactions Gabapentin produced synergeistic effect on the neuromuscular blocker effect of cisatracurium. It also has considerable hypotensive as well as negative chronotropic effect. On interactions, gabapentin potantiated the effect cisatracurium on MAP&HR and caused significant decrease in MAP & HR on experimental animals and on patients undergoing elective spinal surgeries.


Block mode teaching (BMT) is a model that students focus on one subject at a time over a four-week period. The benefits of block mode include the self-determined study pace and improved success rate. This paper presents the design of two block mode Problem Based Learning (PBL) engineering units, in which first-year engineering students have the opportunities to learn engineering knowledge while experiencing using the knowledge in real-world practices. Two different PBL unit delivery structures are demonstrated, namely a "Learning Ahead of Practice (LAP) mode" and "Learning in Practice (LIP) mode" in which the teaching formats have been designed and implemented to effectively deliver the contents in a four-week block period. Students are able to consistently work on their design, practice, and participate in teamwork while focusing only on one unit at a time. This in turn increases engagement and performance and raises the quality of learning.


With his characteristic incisive intellectual vigor, Arnold Goldberg alerts us to problems not only in what we think, but, more important, in how we think. While I shall address the common tendency to place theoretical points of view in competition rather than allowing them to sit side by side, I have no doubt about the value of his clarion call concerning our problem in theorizing. We are but human—a transitory high point in biological evolution, a species whose major advance (the capacity to symbolize and thus interrupt rigid instinctual patterns with the ability to play with ideas and make behavioral choices) falls short of a full competence to contain the universe in its mind. The world is entire, whole cloth, not a patchwork quilt. It contains intrinsic contradictions and subtleties beyond the grasp of human logic with its characteristic categorical thinking. To bring aspects of the world into view, we focus attention, teasing aspects out of context. Having minds that work by dichotomizing, we continuously subdivide our categories until we forget that science— our notion of knowledge—creates an artificial map with boundaries that do not exist in nature. Dangers ensue. It is no coincidence that Goldberg turns to boundaries themselves as a prototypical instance of the problem.


Exercise tests carried out on treadmills may be performed by running or gait; however, there is no agreement concerning the comparison of the VO2max results obtained in these tests. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the VO2max prediction between both a running and a gait maximum scaled protocol, elaborated to cause identical metabolic demands in each stage. Twenty three subjects volunteered for this study - (15 men and eight women) aged 27.7 ± 7.6 years, 73.0 ± 14.9 kg of body mass, 170.0 ± 1.0 cm of height, 19.3 ± 8.6 % of body fat, 24.7 ± 3.3 kg×m-2 of body mass index and 44.1 ± 6.0 mL×kg-1×min-1 of maximum aerobic power. A paired t-test did not show significant differences (p = 0.364; RI 95 % = - 2.2 to 0.85) between the gait and the running protocols; however, the mean value for VO2max at running was 2.4 % higher (42.4 vs. 43.4 mL×kg-1×min-1). Based on these results, we conclude that the administration of different protocols on treadmill (gait or running) did not significantly influence the VO2max estimation, and hence did not interfere in the subsequent decision for the prescription of the cardiorespiratory training.


The paper presents an open economic version of Lucas growth model,where the agent can freely allocate his labor time to produce the final goods or accumulate human capital in the education sector.The government may collect taxes to subsidize the accumulation of human capital at every instant.With dynamic optimization method and equilibrium analysis,we have shown that there exists the phenomenon of multi-equilibrium between human capital development and economic growth.Further,an econometric model is provided to make empirical research,applying the data from 1978 to 2002 in China.The econometric results illustrate our analytical findings.


The photo-electrochemical etching of n-type silicon enables the fabrication of large areas full of well defined and ordered sharp tips. [2] Our silicon nano tip arrays can be used for gas ionization in ion mobility micro spectrometers. The strong field enhancement at the tips coated with platinum is responsible for the strong ionization mechanism compared to flat structures. Fig. 2: photo-electrochemical etched sharp tips of n-type silicon


Public key cryptography is based on two keys, in which decryption key is private key. Among the different cryptanalytic attacks, timing attack is one of the possible attacks on RSA that determines bits of private key. This is done by determining time for each iteration in computing modular exponentiation. There are different mechanisms to counter such attack. Among them, blinding method and random delay are considered as proper mechanisms against timing attack. Kocher has also suggested masking method as a mechanism against timing attack. In this paper, we have shown modification of modular exponentiation algorithm as a proposed way to insert random delay. This paper compares blinding method and masking method with proposed method with respect to decryption time. Keywords— Security, Cryptanalysis, RSA algorithm, Timing Attack


The invention relates to a sanitary hose having an antimicrobial finish on the inner wall of the hose in the form of at least one metallic layer, from which biocidal metal ions are released. The sanitary hose is connecting hoses for sinks, Ausziehschlauche for sinks or shower hoses.


Quasi-dynamic calibration accuracy of the plastic sensitive element depends on the accuracy of the fitting model between pressure and deformation. By using the excellent nonlinear mapping ability of RBF (Radial Basis Function) neural network, a calibration model is established which use the peak pressure as the input and use the deformation of the plastic sensitive element as the output in this paper. The calibration experiments of a batch of copper cylinders are carried out on the quasi-dynamic pressure calibration device, which pressure range is within the range of 200MPa to 700MPa. The experiment data are acquired according to the standard pressure monitoring system. The network train and study are done to quasi dynamic calibration model based on neural network by using MATLAB neural network toolbox. Taking the testing samples as the research object, the prediction accuracy of neural network model is compared with the exponential fitting model and the second-order polynomial fitting model. The results show that prediction of the neural network model is most close to the testing samples, and the accuracy of prediction model based on neural network is better than 0.5%, respectively one order higher than the second-order polynomial fitting model and two orders higher than the exponential fitting model. The quasi-dynamic calibration model between pressure peak and deformation of plastic sensitive element, which is based on neural network, provides important basis for creating higher accuracy quasi-dynamic calibration table.


Background:  It has been shown repeatedly that laparoscopic cholecystectomy using pneumoperitoneum (CO2 insufflation) may be associated with increased cardiac filling pressures and an increase in blood pressure and systemic vascular resistance. In the present study, the effects on the central circulation during abdominal wall lift (a gasless method of laparoscopic cholecystectomy) were compared with those during pneumoperitoneum. The study was also aimed at elucidating the relationships between the central filling pressures and the intrathoracic pressure.


B4C–TiB2 composite powders were synthesized by a carbide boronizing process, i.e. the solid state reaction between TiC and amorphous boron powders. The particle size of the raw TiC powders was found to greatly affect the phase composition of the composite powders. Nano-TiC powders could be totally consumed and turned into TiB2 phase with heat treatment at 1100 1C for 1 h whereas micro-TiC powders was still present even at 1400 1C for 1 h. The synthesized B4C–TiB2 composite powders have a small particle size and a homogenous phase distribution, indicating high sintering activity. & 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.


Glass house white fly catch in sticky trap was more in main season (April-August). The pest was found to tide over the cooler months in number of alternate hosts. Monocrotophos 0.04% spray registered lesser population buildup.


Abstract: This paper gives an integrated view of implementing automated diagnostic systems for clinical decision‐making. Because of the importance of making the right decision, better classification procedures are necessary for clinical decisions. The major objective of the paper is to be a guide for readers who want to develop an automated decision support system for clinical practice. The purpose was to determine an optimum classification scheme with high diagnostic accuracy for this problem. Several different classification algorithms were tested and benchmarked for their performance. The performance of the classification algorithms is illustrated on two data sets: the Pima Indians diabetes and the Wisconsin breast cancer. The present research demonstrates that the support vector machines achieved diagnostic accuracies which were higher than those of other automated diagnostic systems.


One-dimensional photonic crystals (PCs) consisting of alternating homogeneous dielectric layers are considered as a promising platform for integrated photonic systems, since they can support Bloch surface waves (BSWs; surface electromagnetic waves propagating along an interface of a PC), which can be used as information carriers in such integrated systems. Here, we study the parasitic scattering losses arising upon diffraction of BSWs on a dielectric ridge located on the surface of the PC. We demonstrate that under certain conditions imposed on the BSW angle of incidence and the PC parameters (thicknesses and refractive indices of the PC layers), the parasitic scattering losses can be completely eliminated.


Tritium labelled amitriptyline (1) of high specific activity was prepared. The tritium was incorporated by catalysed isotope exchange into the precursor dibenzosuberone, which had been previously converted into a cyclic ketal, in order to protect the oxo-group against reduction. It was demonstrated by degradation that isotope exchange occurred exclusively in specified position.


Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins modulate heterotrimeric G protein signaling negatively. To broaden an understanding of the roles of RGS proteins in fungal pathogens, we functionally characterized the three RGS protein‐encoding genes (rgs1, rgs2 and rgs3) in the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis. It was found that RGS proteins played distinct roles in the regulation of development and virulence. rgs1 had a minor role in virulence when deleted in a solopathogenic strain. In crosses, rgs1 was dispensable for mating and filamentation, but was required for teliospore production. Haploid rgs2 mutants were affected in cell morphology, growth, mating and were unable to cause disease symptoms in crosses. However, virulence was unaffected when rgs2 was deleted in a solopathogenic strain, suggesting an exclusive involvement in pre‐fusion events. These rgs2 phenotypes are likely connected to elevated intracellular cAMP levels. rgs3 mutants were severely attenuated in mating, in their response to pheromone, virulence and formation of mature teliospores. The mating defect could be traced back to reduced expression of the transcription factor rop1. It was speculated that the distinct roles of the three U. maydis RGS proteins were achieved by direct modulation of the Gα subunit‐activated signaling pathways as well as through Gα‐independent functions.


Scholars frequently support Herod's image as a wicked tyrant. Recently a few discordant voices have suggested that Herod was a capable ruler and one of Rome's successful client kings. This chapter follows the lead of those scholars who assume that Josephus and Matthew have portrayed Herod the Great much more negatively than he would deserve according to ancient standards of rulership. It discusses all Herod references in Matthew 2 and concentrates on Matt. 2:16, which is part that constructs Herod the Great as a tyrant in increasingly negative terms. It then considers Matthew's passage unhistorical. The chapter deals with selective passages from Josephus' different portrayals of Herod in Jewish War and the Jewish Antiquities . It combines the analysis of Josephus' portraits of Herod with Matthew's depiction of him, which enables the location of Matthew's passage in the ongoing chain of traditions that construct Herod as a wicked and murderous ruler. Keywords: Herod the Great; Jewish Antiquities ; Jewish War ; Josephus; Matthew; Portrayal; rulership


The one-pot synthesis and characterization of a series of silicate-siloxane composites derived from vermiculite by reaction with hydroxy-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane)s is described. Cone calorimetry has been used to obtain heat release rate measurements. The results show that even at the highest irradiance levels the samples had very long ignition times. Ignition resistance decreased as the hydrocarbon content of the composite increased. The results from the cone calorimeter are compared with those obtained by pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry which showed that small volatile silicon-containing molecules are formed during pyrolysis.


Conceptualizing abstract concepts in physics has been a challenge that has impeded the learning and performance of the students in the schools in Bhutan. The advent of science and technology has led to development of numerous Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) that are apt to use in physics education but are hardly explored and used in the Bhutanese education system. Thus, there is a compelling need to revamp the conventional instructional approach to accommodate the modern physics education system. A quantitative quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design study was used to enhance students' performance in physics by integrating ICT in the teaching-learning process at Chundu Armed Force Public School, Haa. Two rounds of data (baseline and post-intervention) were collected from both experimental classes (IX C and IX D) and control class (IX E) having 30 students in each section. The data were gathered through valid survey questionnaires, physics achievement tests, and classroom observation techniques between July and August 2021. The collected data sets were analyzed and triangulated using SPSS-22 and Microsoft excel 2011.
The study revealed 100% of participants' preferences over ICT based approach to the conventional "chalk and talk" method in learning physics. The use of ICT facilities in the teaching and learning process has put the abstractness of physics concepts out of question and has enabled more entertaining, engaging, effective, and meaningful learning. It was evident with the significant increase in the mean score of students' performance in the physics achievement test from 38.26 to 56.19, which account for 46.9 % for the experimental class. The opposite trend was also found for the controlled class with a mean-score difference of -0.12. Thus, the study suggests integrating ICT in teaching learning of physics to encourage two-way interactive delivery methods and enhance students' performance in physics.


This paper presents a technical review of our understanding of the mechanism of sound generation by premixed flames. Examples from direct numerical simulation (DNS) studies undertaken at the University of Melbourne are provided. Furthermore, the implications of the findings for developing accurate models that can predict combustion-generated sound are discussed. This paper demonstrates that flame-flame interactions referred to as 'flame annihilation' are significant sources of sound in premixed flames. These localised events feature several unique characteristics that cannot be explained with existing turbulent flame theories. It is shown that flame acceleration during annihilation has a significant contribution to the radiated sound. Therefore, in the context of modelling, it is essential to predict the flame displacement speed during annihilation as accurately as possible. Analysis of the DNS data shows promising avenues to meet this requirement.


The higher education system around the world is being rapidly developed towards digitalization – from computers to laptops, from laptops to tablets and smartphones. Accordingly, traditional delivery of instruction is being shifted towards blended learning that is being gradually replaced with distance learning, i.e. higher education is moving forward with mobile learning (m-learning) technologies. The introduction of mobile learning became the most topical event in 2020 in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to which many countries had to completely move to distance learning in higher education. The purpose of the study is to analyze the prospects for the widespread use of mobile applications in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in Russia to Russian and Arab learners. In the course of the study, an online survey based on a questionnaire consisting of four open and closed questions was conducted. An empirical method was applied to collect the research data.  The survey was conducted at the Department of Foreign Languages of the Engineering Academy of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (EA PFUR). The total research sample included 200 participants and consisted of: 50 potential employers, 50 Russian and Arab students of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia studying Linguistics (training program code 035700), 50 faculty members, namely teachers of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, the Institute of Foreign Languages of the Moscow State Pedagogical University and the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, as well as 50 administrative staff of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia. The purpose of the survey was to collect information about the use of mobile applications (Smartphone Apps) and the introduction of mobile learning technology (m-learning) in the process of teaching EFL to students. According to the results of the survey, instructors are actively using mobile technologies in their professional activities and all participants in the learning process are receptive to their introduction in education. At the same time, respondents believe that technical challenges are the major obstacle to the adoption of mobile applications; these problems must be overcome in order to enable more productive use of mobile applications. In this regard, the study of mobile applications that are suitable for specific aspects of learning a foreign language, such as spoken language, reading comprehension, listening or writing, can be considered a promising research area.


In this paper,the status quo and its measuring principle of X-fluorescence components analytical instrumentation in the process of running is introduced.Combined with the control requirements of modern large-scale production line to product quality,the necessity of X-fluorescence components analytical instrumentation for the application of cement production process.


According to the actual operation status of a hotel in Dalian in 9 years, aiming at different seasons, the rule of influence of hotel occupancy ratio on energy consumption was educed by using hotel occupancy ratio as objective parameter to reflect utilizing level; furthermore, "hotel mean daily energy consumption of unit utilizing room" which was closely interconnected with occupancy ratio was put forward to reflect the concept index of energy consumption of unit utilizing level, by which the difference of mean daily consumptions of various energies and mean daily total energy consumptions of hotel in different seasons and in different occupancy ratios could be analyzed and compared. The analyzing results showed that: (1) mean daily consumptions of hotel various energies and mean daily total energy consumptions of unit utilizing room were linearly decreased with the increase of occupancy ratio in any seasons, which demonstrated that the energy utilizing efficiency would be higher with a higher hotel utilizing level; (2) in same occupancy ratio in north hotel, averagely, total energy consumptions of unit utilizing room in winter was 1.5 times of that in summer, 1.64 times of that in spring and autumn, thus there was a large energy-saving potential in winter.


The article reveals the problem of the development of competencies among students in the organization of extracurricular employment programs. The content of extracurricular activities is determined on the basis of the requirements of the federal state educational standard. The goal and objectives of education are outlined. Directions of personality development (spiritual, moral, social, general cultural). Particular attention is paid to the implementation of the competence-based approach in education. Particular attention is paid to the development of social competence of students outside the classroom. The groups of social competences are designated. Technological steps are presented that solve the problem of the formation of social competencies. A technology has been developed on the basis of the teacher's functions. Stages of the technological process(diagnostic, theoretical, evaluative, practical). The program is based on classes with training elements. Criteria and indicators of competencies have been determined. Age-related tasks of students have been determined. Practical exercises aimed a


The upper-ocean processes controlling the near-surface layer temperature in the western Gulf of Mexico (GOM) are examined by estimating the contributing terms in the heat equation based on a 54-year simulation of an eddy-resolving HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). An eddy-active region defined by large surface eddy kinetic energy, representing the Loop Current eddies (LCEs) primary trajectory region, is selected for analysis. Both observations and the simulation reveal that the mean net surface heat flux cools the northern GOM and warms the southern GOM. Mean horizontal heat advection contributes to an overall cooling in the eddy-active region. Mean vertical heat advection has a strong seasonal variability associated with the strong seasonal cycle of the mixed layer process: winters tend to have a strong downward heat advection in the eddy-active region and a strong upward heat advection in the rest of the western GOM, while summers tend to have a weak advective heat flux. The downwelling (upwelling) is primarily due to the dominant anticyclonic (cyclonic) wind stress curl. Mean eddy heat flux convergence contributes to the overall warming in the upper ocean of the western GOM. Diffusive flux is not small across the thermocline, and it is expected to have an insignificant influence on the near-surface temperature.


This study examines the dynamic nature of voting in modern elections with wide voting windows. Our stylized two-period model predicts that, if voters are not myopic, turnout in the current period tends to increase as the costs in the other period increase. The model also produces a surprising prediction that overall turnout can increase even when the costs increase. We test these predictions using novel data from Japan's General Election in 2017 with a weather disruption caused by a powerful typhoon. Our analyses show that the tremendous costs on Election Day shifted the timing of voting and did not decrease overall turnout in 2017, as compared to 2014. Our model and findings build a new benchmark to understand how voters decide their timing of voting. This study also has implications for the unprecedented popularity of early voting in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.


The efficacy of drug therapy for cervical spine manipulation is poor, whereas microneedle interventional therapy appears to be effective. The study aimed to further examine the clinical application of microneedle interventional therapy for cervicogenic dizziness. This was a study of patients (18-70 years; cervicogenic dizziness for ≥ 2 months) at the General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command of PLA, China (June 2014 to June 2016). Patients were allocated to a Manipulation-Alone group (Long's bone-setting manipulation 5 times/week for 2 weeks) or Microneedle+Manipulation group (5 manipulations; then 2 sessions of microneedle interventional therapy 2 weeks apart). Primary outcomes were vertigo symptom score and its components (dizziness severity, frequency and duration). Secondary outcomes included neck/shoulder pain severity, headache severity, daily life and work capability, mental and social adaptation score, and vertebral artery color Doppler ultrasound indexes. Adverse events were recorded. Of 102 patients screened, 18 met exclusion criteria and 4 were lost to follow-up. In the Microneedle+Manipulation group (n=40; 18 males; 48.13±10.12 years; disease course, 11.06±8.12 months) 40 had vertigo, 36 cervicodynia, 32 nausea and 18 tinnitus; lesion site was C1/C2 in 22, C2/C3 in 14 and C3/C4 in 8. In the Manipulation-Alone group (n=40; 20 males; 47.80±9.33 years; disease course, 10.34±9.58 months), 40 had vertigo, 37 cervicodynia, 30 nausea and 16 tinnitus; lesion site was C1/C2 in 24, C2/C3 in 14 and C3/C4 in 7. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. In both groups, vertigo symptom score and scores for dizziness severity, frequency and duration had all improved at 2 weeks and 6 months after therapy (all P<0.001), but efficacy was superior in the Microneedle+Manipulation group (P<0.001). Scores for secondary outcome measures were also higher in both groups at 2 weeks and 6 months after therapy (all P<0.001), with superior increases in the Microneedle+Manipulation group (P<0.001). Improvements in vertebral artery diameter, blood velocity and blood flow at 2 weeks and 6 months after therapy were greater in the Microneedle+Manipulation group (all P<0.05). Adverse events were similar between groups. Microneedle interventional therapy combined with cervical spine manipulation is a safe and effective treatment for cervicogenic dizziness.


The invention discloses a sign language recognition method based on deep learning. The sign language recognition method based on deep learning comprises the steps that (1) database sample sets are divided; (2) image blocks are acquired; (3) data are whitened; (4) a sparse self-coding network is trained; (5) a convolution characteristic graph is obtained; (6) a pooling characteristic graph is obtained; (7) a classifier is trained; and (8) classification results are tested. The sparse self-coding network is trained by using a back propagation algorithm so that recognition rate is enhanced in processing of complex background data. The weight of the sparse self-coding network is selected to act as the convolution kernel, the convolution characteristic graph is obtained through convolution, and supervised learning and unsupervised learning are combined so that manpower and material resources of manual tag marking can be reduced. The pooling characteristic graph is obtained by adopting the maximum pooling method so that characteristic dimension can be reduced and complexity the sign language recognition task can be reduced.


Boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) were first time successfully exfoliated from hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) in an ethanol-sodium hydroxide media using a microwave irradiation method. This simple and low-cost exfoliation method enabled the fast produce of high quality BNNS within 2 min. The average sheet thickness and lateral size of BNNS were 4.34 nm and 1.13 μm, respectively. The exfoliated BNNS bear a strong negative charge and was demonstrated to be an excellent platform for depositing high density nanoparticles after proper surface modification. As an example, unique core-shell nanostructure of BNNS/dense palladium nanoparticles was synthesized and its electrochemical catalytic behaviour towards the oxidation of paracetamol was studied in detail.


The Basque language (euskera) is an isolate language spoken by about one million people in northeast Spain and southwest France. According to the most common version about its origin the Basque language is of Aquitanian origin. The aim of this article - to study the modern Basque toponymy, to outline its space and boundaries, to consider its current state in Spain in the light of contacts with the Spanish language applying the methods of onomastic and linguocultural research. An important feature of modern Basque toponymy in Spain is the existence of double names (Basque and Spanish), reflecting the centuries-old contacts of the Basque and Spanish languages. Double names are in the process of standardization in the framework of state policy, and the unification of the literary standard Basque language (euskara batua). Language consciousness of modern Basque population preserves the original Basque toponymy as an essential part of national heritage, although in some cases the Spanish toponyms are preferred to the Basque ones (Bilbao, not Bilbo, for example).


This study examines the impacts of exposure to a universal health coverage policy at early age on utilization of health services at later age. Our empirical strategy identifies the effects of the program by exploiting cross-cohort variation in exposure, generated by the age eligibility of the policy, and cross-province variation in the policy's intensity, generated by differences in provincial geographic characteristics. We find that exposure to the program at early age reduces probability of visit for treatment, mainly hospitalization, but does not affect preventive care and outpatient treatment at later age. Our results are robust to various controls for cohort-varying factors and ongoing poverty-reduction policies.

We document larger impacts among individuals from low-income and low-education households, and those living in areas with higher risks from natural disasters. These results imply that the program benefited the most vulnerable population. Exploring potential mechanisms, we find no substantial change in household's financial well-being and household's labor market decisions associated with exposure at early age. Combining with results from previous studies, these findings suggest that the main mechanism is through increases in utilization at early age.


Received: 16/4/2021 This research aims to investigate the mediation role of consumers' trust in brand in the relationship between marketing mix and brand strategy effectiveness in the International Hospital in Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam. The research sample consists of 188 employees and patients from hospital and they were requested to complete the biographical questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis was used in this research and Pearson correlations were computed to investigate the relationship between the variables with the help of Statistical Package for Social Science. Results show that patients' trust fully mediated the relationship between marketing mix and effectiveness of brand strategy. Finally, findings show that there was a great significant and positive effect between marketing mix and patients' trust, especially the high service quality and facilities of hospital led patients to have a trust on its brand and moreover, all components of marketing mix strategy highly impacted the effectiveness of brand strategy. However, the hospital should apply highly-qualified medicine and treatment with reasonable price for increasing the effectiveness of brand strategy. Revised: 20/5/2021


Archaeological investigations of public spectacle as mediated architecturally can provide an effective means to interpret culturally specific power asymmetries in prehistoric societies and the essential role of ritual performance in the creation of diverse forms of political subjectivity. A diachronic study of Late Formative (300–100 BC) and Moche (AD 550–800) ceremonial architecture from the Jequetepeque Valley in northern Peru demonstrates that archaeologists can approximate how power relations were materialized, conceptualized and contested in the Andes through their theatrical performance. Ultimately, a comparison of the performative construction of power with traditional archaeological indices of class-based inequalities reveals intriguing contradictions that both complicate and enrich our understanding of changing political structures in ancient Jequetepeque.


This study assessed the effects of RYR1 mutation on the health, welfare, and carcass and meat quality in slaughter pigs. Any signs of pneumonia, pleurisy, pericarditis, and liver milk spots were recorded as present or absent. At exsanguination, blood samples were collected and RYR1 genotype, blood lactate and glucose concentrations were determined. The following carcass quality traits were measured: live, hot and cold carcass weights, backfat thickness, loin muscle thickness, lean meat content and skin lesion score. pH and temperature of M. longissimus dorsi and M. semimembranosus were measured 45 minutes postmortem. Nn pigs were more affected by pneumonia, had higher blood lactate and glucose concentrations and more developed rigor mortis than NN pigs. NN pigs had lower daily weight gain, produced lighter carcasses, more fat and less meat than Nn pigs. Meat obtained from Nn pigs was of a lower quality class than meat obtained from NN pigs, as shown by the lower pH and higher temperatures measured 45 minutes post mortem in both muscles and higher prevalence of pale, soft and exudative meat. In conclusion, the presence of a mutant n allele in pigs positively affected carcass quality traits, but had a deleterious effect on health, welfare and meat quality.


In this study, we present a new and fast algorithm for lung segmentation using CTA images. This process is quite important especially at lung vessel segmentation, detection of pulmonary emboly, finding nodules or segmentation of airways. Applied method has been carried out at four steps. At first step, images have been applied optimal threshold. At the second one, the subsegment vessels, which have a place in lung region and which are in small dimension, have been removed. At the third one, identifying and segmentation of lungs and airway edges have been carried out. Lastly, by throwing away the airway, lung segmentation has been presented. Keywords—Lung segmentation, computed tomography angiography, computer-aided diagnostic system I.INTRODUCTION OMPUTER-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) schemes for thoracic computed tomography (CT) are widely used to characterize, quantify, and detect numerous lung abnormalities, such as pulmonary emboli [1-3], emphysema [4,5], lung nodules [6,7], and interstitial lung disease (ILD) [8–10]. Therefore, segmentation of the lung regions in pulmonary CT images is a challinghing research area for several research groups. Sluimer's et al. summarizes the methods of analyzing thoracic scans using computer in their survey paper [11], including segmentation of various pulmonary structures, registration of chest scans and applications of CAD.In [12], Haider et al. developed a region growing-based segmentation method followed by a manual revision for lungs with ILD. In [13], Sluimer et al. employed a fully automated atlas-driven method for lung segmentation, in which a normal lung scan was elastically registered to, and utilized to guide the segmentation of a scan with severe ILD. They achieved a mean overlap rate of 82% with their approach which was evaluated on 10 CT scans with severe ILD. H. Ozkan is with the University of Istanbul Kultur, Vocational Schools of Technical Sciences, in Istanbul, Turkey (firstname.lastname@example.com) O. Osman is with the University of Istanbul AREL University, Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, in Istanbul, Turkey (email@example.com) S. ahin, M.M. Atasoy, H. Barutca and A. Olsun is with the Dr. Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, department of Radiology and cardiothoracic Surgery, in Istanbul, Turkey (firstname.lastname@example.com) A.F.Boz, is with the University of Sakarya, Faculty of Technical Education, in Sakarya, Turkey (email@example.com) In [14], Prasad et al. use an adaptive thresholding technique guided by the curvature of ribs to segment lungs. Their segmentation method obtained a mean overlap rate of 87% for 44 CT scans with different disease patterns of scleroderma, asthma, and emphysema. In [9], Uchiyama et al. use combination of the gray-level thresholding technique and morphological operation in segmentation of lungs with ILD. They applied manual correction to the cases with consolidation patterns to obtain accurate lung segmentation results. II. MATERIALS AND METHODS A. Data Retrieval In this study, data was collected from Dr. Siyami Ersek thoracic and cardiovascular surgery training and research hospital. All pulmonary computed tomographic angiography exams performed with 16 detectors CT (Somatom Sensation 16, Siemens, AG, Erlanger, Germany) equipment. Patients were informed about the examination and also for breath holding. Imaging performed with Bolus tracking program. After scenogram, single slice is taken at the level of pulmonary truncus. A bolus tracking is placed at pulmonary truncus and trigger is adjusted to 100 HU (Hounsfield Unit). 70ml nonionic contrast agent at the rate of 4mL/sec with an automated syringe (Optistat Contrast Delivery System, Liebel-Flarsheim, USA) is used. When opacification is reached at the pre-adjusted level exam performed from the supraclavicular region to the diaphragms. Contrast injection performed via 18-20G intra venous cannula that was placed at antecubital vein. Scaning parameters were 120 kV, 80120 mA, slice thickness 1 mm, pitch 1.0-1.2. Images reconstructed with 1mm and 5mm thickness, and evaluated at mediastinal window (WW 300, WL 50) with advanced workstation (Wizard, Siemens, AG, Erlanger, Germany) in coronal sagittal and axial planes. Oblique plans used if needed. Each exam consists of 400-500 images with 512x512 resolution. B. Method The stages, which have been followed while doing lung segmentation from CTA images at this work, are shown in figure 1. Fig. 1 The diagram of lung segmentation method C World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Medical, Health, Biomedical, Bioengineering and Pharmaceutical Engineering Vol:5, No:5, 2011 190 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 5(5) 2011 scholar.waset.org/1999.9/15507 In te rn at io na l S ci en ce I nd ex , B io m ed ic al a nd B io lo gi ca l E ng in ee ri ng V ol :5 , N o: 5, 2 01 1 w as et .o rg /P ub lic at io n/ 15 50 7 CTA images, which are in hands, are 250 as being 2D. The first step is thresholding the image. A thoracic CT contains two main groups of pixels: 1) high–intensity pixels located in the body (body pixels), and 2) low–intensity pixels that are in the lung and the surrounding air (non–body pixels). Due to the large difference in intensity between these two groups, thresholding leads to a good separation. In this study, thresholding has been tried out for the first time in a way that contains bigger parts than 700 HU. At the end of thresholding the new images are going to be in logical value. Thresh=image>700; Fig. 2 Thresholded image In each of these new images, subsegment vessels exist in lung region. At the second step, this method has been used to get rid of these vessels: firstly each of 2D images has been considered one by one and each of components in the image have labeled with "connected component labeling algorithm". Then, looking at the size of each labeled piece, items, whose pixel numbers are under 1000, were removed from the image. Figure 3. Fig.3 Image that subsegment vessels are removed Next, the image in Figure 3 has been labeled with "connected component labeling algorithm". The biggest size which is logical 1 is the patient's body. This biggest size has been taken and the other parts have been removed from the image. And then the opposite of it has been gotten. So all of "0" turn into "1" and all of "1" turn into "0" Figure 4. Fig. 4 Identifying lungs as logically As the 1. or 512. pixels of the parts out of the body in the image which shown in Figure 4 is going to be logical 1, the parts that achieve this condition have been removed and lung and airway are appeared like in Figure 5 Fig.5 segmentation of lung and airway Due to the fact that airway in Figure 5 is going to be very small compared to the lung size, each of images have been labeled with "connected component labeling algorithm" and the component whose number of pixels are below 1000 have been determined as airways and then removed from the image. The last image in hand is the segmented form of target lung. Before airways removed, finding the edges of the image with sobel algoritm, it has been gathered to original image and the edges of lung and airway region have been shown in the original image Figure 6 (b). Also, by multiplying defined lung region with the original CTA lung image, original segmented lung image has been carried out. Figure 6 (c).


The photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are getting bigger applications in the practice. Their efficiency isbetter at lower temperatures. Normally the panels are cooled with the ambient air (in this case the gainedheat is dissipated to the surrounding without any application). A successful combination of photovoltaicsolar panel and solar collector is the so called photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) solar panel. There are somesignificant advantages of the PV/T panels – aesthetic advantage over the PV panels, usage in placeswhere the area is limited, reduction of the installation costs and architectural unity between roof and PV/Tpanels. The article analyses two solar panels – the PV solar panel of the type polycrystalline silicon (pc-Si) and the PV/T Solar Module CPVT60P250 (both solar panels are produced by the Crane Companyusing silicone cells from EKS – Solaris GmbH). Some tests are implemented and a comparison betweenthe efficiencies of both panels is done.


Architectural design is a sophisticated process that advances from abstract thought to concrete design. In this process, the designed product is shaped and impacted by the unique experiences, observations, perceptions and characteristics of the designer, while the design work of the architects develops through the utilization of various design tools and the designer's own architectural knowledge, one that is fed from a variety of disciplines and fields. It is this scientific knowledge that directs the innate intuitions of the designer. This 'evidence-based design'' approach is thus an attempt to bring science based knowledge into design. This study focuses on the contribution of scientific knowledge in the architectural design process and explores the potentials and advantages provided by using space syntax as a tool in this complex design process. The aim of this work is intended to serve as a decoding of the invisible characteristics of space by focusing on the configurational theory of space. To undertake this work, we established a three-staged design workshop as a means \ to evaluate the potentials of space syntax in the design process. Workshop participants (five architects and one interior designer) were given a design problem and this problem was examined during oneto-one meetings with the participants. Workshop participants were asked to design a living space for a specific site and with predetermined proportions. The workshop was divided into three stages. In the first stage the designer was asked to consider some issues related to life in a residence and the design of living spaces. In the second stage, the designer was asked to specify a set of home design relationships within a concept/action set, which includes residence-based activities (living, cooking, etc.), spaces (garden, balcony, etc.), measurable parameters (sound, light, etc.), and concepts (visibility, privacy, etc.). The third stage of the workshop focused on the space-making process. During this stage, the designers were expected to create a living space that reflected his/her design concepts. At the completion of these three stages, syntactic analyses were carried out on the designed spaces. In these analyses, the spatiality of the designer's preferences was explored and the potentials of designed spaces were discussed. The findings of the study showed that space syntax succeeds in creating a link between science and design by transferring science-based knowledge into design process and produces graphical and mathematical data that the designer can use in testing his/her design proposals.


Very likely no part of the world is a more appropriate locale in which to survey foreign-language education than Europe. Not only does each country there share a border with another where a different language is spoken by the populace, but also foreign-language education has a long history and foreign languages are both studied seriously and utilized by many Europeans. The postwar era with the expanding efforts at European cooperation has contributed to these phenomena by means of the European Union (EU) and the Council of Europe and lately the inclusion therein of Eastern Europe.


Athelia rolfsii is a devastating soil-borne pathogen that causes stem rot of peanut and severely constrains the peanut production. The new generation of succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicide benzovindiflupyr has been registered in United States and Brazil for managing multiple plant diseases. However, it is not registered in China to control peanut stem rot. In this study, 246 isolates obtained from major peanut production areas in Shandong, Henan and Hebei Province of China were used to determine the baseline sensitivity of A. rolfsii to benzovindiflupyr. The frequency of EC50 values of benzovindiflupyr was unimodally distributed with an average EC50 of 0.12 mg/L and a range of 0.01-0.57 mg/L. Benzovindiflupyr can also strongly inhibit the germination of sclerotia, with an average EC50 of 2.38 mg/L (N= 23). In addition, benzovindiflupyr exhibited great in vivo efficacy against A. rolfsii, that the protective or curative efficacy (89.87%, 20.39%) of benzovindiflupyr at a concentration of 50 mg/L was equivalent to that of the control fungicide thifluzamide at 100 mg/L (86.39%, 16.21%). At the same concentration (e.g., 100 mg/L), the protective efficacy (93.99%) of benzovindiflupyr was more than twice as high as the curative efficacy (45.07%). A positive correlation was existed between benzovindiflupyr and isopyrazam or mefentrifluconazole, which was possibly resulted from similar chemical structures or the damage of cell membrane. Our findings provided valuable information for the application of benzovindiflupyr, and the established baseline sensitivity could facilitate the monitoring and assessment of benzovindiflupyr resistance risk.


Generally speaking, conceptual models are used to identify the relationships between key-factors of a system (economic, social, environmental, etc.) and they represent the methodological basis for the development of some programs and strategies. The DPSIR Model (Drivers–Pressures–State–Impact-Responses Model), designed in the late 1990s, is considered one of the most useful tools for reporting and analysing environmental issues and its appliance varies from global systems to specific areas of interest (river basins, protected areas, etc.). Frequently, international organizations apply it in the framework of the evaluation of sustainable development initiatives, in order to identify the existing relationships between different processes and phenomena. After 1999s, the DPSIR Model was taken over by the Environmental European Agency (EEA) and was widely used in environmental studies and reviews in EU regions and Member States. This article aims to synthesize the constituent elements of the DPSIR Model. Also, it presents an application of the model in the South-Muntenia region.


Ion transmittance measurements with Al foils were carried out in the divergent gas-puff z-pinch experiments. The highest energy values in the positive and negative discharges were almost equal. This result supports that a part of ions can be accelerated by the current-independent mechanism. Hard X-ray pinhole imaging was carried out, as the additional measurements for identifying the acceleration mechanism. It was shown that electrons, as well as a large-number low-energy part of ions, underwent the current-dependent acceleration.


"While it is true that worthy couples will obtain exaltation in the celestial kingdom, each man and woman sealed in an eternal relationship must be


Direct Numerical Simulation was carried out to predict mass transfer in turbulent flow around a rotating stepped cylinder. This investigation is a follow-up study of DNS of turbulent flow in Nesic et al. [Corrosion, Vol. 56, No. 10, pp. 1005 - 1014] The original motivation of this work stemmed from the efforts to design a simple device which can generate flows of high turbulence intensity at low cost for corrosion researchers. Two cases were considered; Sc=1 and 10 both at Re=335. Here, Sc and Re stand for Schmidt number and Reynolds number, respectively, based on the step height and the surface speed of the cylinder upstream of the step. Main focus was placed on the correlation between turbulence and mass transfer. The spatio-temporal evolution of concentration field is discussed. The numerical results are qualitatively compared with those of the experiment conducted with a similar flow configuration.


This paper reviews the Peruvian experience in using FX intervention and reserve requirements for macroprudential purposes, with the aim of limiting the financial risks associated with dollarisation. Peru is a successful market-driven case of dedollarisation, which reflects both macroeconomic stability and prudential policies. Since the adoption of inflation targeting in 2002, core inflation has been on average 2.1%. During the same period, financial dollarisation has declined steadily, from levels close to 80% to less than 30%. Besides delivering low and stable inflation, the current monetary policy framework has also contributed to providing an effective response to the global financial crisis, by limiting its spillover effects on the domestic financial system.

Full Publication: Reserve Management and FX Intervention


We present optical and microphysical particle properties of aerosol retrieved by multi-wavelength Raman lidar at Anmyun island (36.32°N, 126.19°E), Korea. The results present aerosol properties in various height layers of the atmospheric pollution layers observed over the Korean peninsula on eight consecutive days (27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 May, 4, 5 and 7 June) in 2005 at Anmyun island. We found anthropogenic pollution on 27, 28, and 29 May and local haze on other measurement days. The origin of the particle plumes was determined by simulations of FLEXPART. The source regions of the particles resulted in rather clear differences between the optical and microphysical properties of the pollution layers. The single-scattering albedo of anthropogenic aerosols from China (0.91±0.01 at 532 ㎚) were lower than the single-scattering albedo of local haze aerosols (0.95±0.01 at 532 ㎚). Local haze aerosols show larger effective radii of 0.24±0.02 ㎛ at relative humidity of 55~75%. The effective radii of anthropogenic aerosols are 0.20±0.2 ㎛ and 0.27 ㎛ at relative humidity of 25~50%.


The radioisotope renogram, which has now been used for a decade as a means of testing kidney function, is enjoying world-wide acceptance. Great demands have been made on it as a diagnostic tool, even though its design does not provide for visualization of the kidneys and renal arteries. Essentially, it was developed as a means for estimating and comparing blood flow and function of individual kidneys, and the ability of the upper urinary tract to evacuate urine. Repeated attempts have been made to introduce quantitative interpretations of the test results; unfortunately these only complicate the use of the test. Numerous formulas have been devised to this end, most of which depend on the time intervals to the points of maximal amplitude and descent halfway to the baseline of the tracing from its beginning. The application of such formulas to the interpretation of results assumes, as in the case of computers,


The process of decontaminating technics in the xylose production units was briefly introduced before and after being modified.It was pointed out that such problems as little changing for capacity of simplex columniation, more consuming liquid sodium hydroxide and pure water, high unit cost, etc., existed in the conventional process. By adopting series operation of changing for technics, reclaiming liquid sodium hydroxide of colour, water of colour and rinsing water, changing the power plant from pump into air of compressing in the operating of replacement and second birth, the new process overcame disadvantages existing in the former process. And changing for capacity of simplex columniation heightened by 46.7%, liquid sodium hydroxide consuming by 34%, pure water consuming by 44%, disposing cycle of simplex columniation from eight into five every day. At the same time, production cost and the work intensity of worker were evidently reduced. Disposing liquid of xylose could economize cost 21.46 yuan·t~(-1), economic benefit could increase (3 219 000) yuan·a~(-1).


[1] A case study with simultaneous European Incoherent Scatter and optical auroral observations was conducted in order to determine characteristics of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling from the viewpoint of the electrodynamics in the ionosphere. Particularly focused on were the relationships between ionospheric electron density depletion, perpendicular electric fields, and proton auroras. Intense electron density depletion was observed in the E and F regions poleward and in the vicinity of a thin equatorward moving arc. This depletion was associated with an intense, equatorward perpendicular electric field close to ∼80 mV/m and most likely with a downward field-aligned current (FAC), but it did not accompany detectable proton aurora. Hence the downward FA electric field in the lower magnetosphere associated with this depletion was weak or absent. The motion of the FAC system with the depletion and the arc presumably enabled the downward FAC to obtain enough current carriers as ionospheric electrons were lost by the evacuation process. The evacuation process associated with the downward FAC was, however, efficient enough to establish the depletion. On the other hand, a widely distributed proton aurora observed immediately after the depletion was associated with an intense, equatorward perpendicular electric field close to 90 mV/m, enhanced electron density, and most likely a downward FAC. No electron precipitation was associated with this proton aurora. Thus the electron density enhancement, providing the downward current carriers, had to be caused by the ionization of precipitating protons presumably accelerated by downward field-aligned electric fields in the lower magnetosphere.


The invention discloses an air filtering device which comprises a respiratory tract extending type nose-shaped cover (1), an extending guide pipe (2) and an air filter (3), wherein the respiratory tract extending type nose-shaped cover (1) comprises an inner layer (5) and an outer layer (6) covering the outer side of the inner layer (5); a first air way (11) is formed between the inner layer (5) and the outer layer (6); and the first air way (11) is communicated with the air filter (3) through the extending guide pipe (2). The air filtering device disclosed by the invention is light in appearance, easy to wear and meanwhile, has good sealing and filtering effects.


(57) Disclosed herein is a synthetic clay for ceramics which comprises 30-65 wt% of amorphous silica, 3065 wt% of alumina trihydrate, and 2-20 wt% of any one or more species of sepiolite, palygorskite, and bentonite. It may be in the form of slurry, water-containing clay (obtained after dehydration of slurry), or mass or dry powder (obtained after drying of water-containing clay). Disclosed also herein is a process for producing said synthetic clay. The synthetic clay is comparable or even superior to natural clay in plasticity, water retentivity, and capability of forming water film. As one of the major raw materials for pottery, it will contribute to the ceramic industry in view of the fact that good natural clay with high plasticity and low impurity content is running out. F I G.


In underdeveloped countries, microorganisms are frequently a cause of prevailing diseases, presenting a serious public health problem in a significant segment of the population as revealed by either private or officially granted health care systems. With the rise in-at risk patients, the number of invasive fungal infection has dramatically increased in both developed and developing countries. An antifungal drug is a medication used to cure fungal infections such as candidiasis (thrush), athlete's foot, ringworm, serious systemic infections such as cryptococcal meningitis, and others. Such drugs are usually adviced by a medicinal practioner or purchased over-the–counter. But use of this types of drugs used in large way makes the unusable due to resistance to antibiotics and with the toxicity during prolonged treatment. There are large number drawback in synthetic drugs so people move towards herbal drugs which is safer. The presented review summarizes the information about introduction, treatment, herb and medicine for fungal infection and concerning the new profile of antifungal drugs obtaining from medicinal plants.


: Antimicrobial resistance is still a serious global threat. Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of severe infections in health facilities and the community. People with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are estimated to be 64% more likely to die than people with a non-resistant form of the infection. For that reason, the research and development of new active compounds is really needed. Salicylamides are anti-infectious agents with a wide range of pharmacological effects, such us antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and anthelminthic. Thus, derivatives of this group are very promising compounds. A series of newly synthesized complex salicylamide derivatives was tested for their antimicrobial effect against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 as a control and three isolates of MRSA were used. The activity was assessed by the evaluation of minimum inhibitory concentration. Using the microdilution method with subcultivation of aliquots, the minimum bactericidal concentration was determined too. Ciprofloxacin and ampicillin were used as standard antibacterial drugs. Four most promising compounds from the series were chosen and are demonstrated in this contribution.


This paper examines the dual e ffects of informed trading on expected returns: information transmission and information risk. We show that the relationship between informed trading and expected returns can be non-linear in theory and is indeed non-linear empirically. Specifically, the relationship turns out to be U-shaped. Further, we demonstrate that these information eff ects are more apparent under high information uncertainty i.e. young, volatile, or no analyst coverage stocks.


This article shows the design stages of an exoskeleton prototype for the rehabilitation of the glenohumeral joint after a dislocation, capable of generating four degrees of freedom divided into two parts: two for the shoulder (flexion-extension and abduction-adduction) and two for the elbow (internal-external rotation and flexion-extension). The objective is to be able to adapt to the human form and be adjustable for patients between 20 and 59 years of age, seeking to comply with passive rehabilitation and strengthening of the muscles, in order to regain normal movement of the joint. The prototype design based on simulations and CAD views is exposed to understand the operation, since the project has not been physically elaborated.


It has been known that streptomycin resistance in bacteria can occur as a results of chromosomal mutation or through gene acquisition or both. Chromosomal mutations for resistances are point mutations in the rpsL gene, which alter ribosomal protein S12. Acquired resistance has occurred when an SmR plasmid carrying transposon Tn5393 with tandem strA-strB gene is transferred by conjugation. A total of 686 isolates of Xanthomonas smithii subsp. citri causal agent of citrus canker disease were collected from 26 citrus orchards in Jeju Island in 2003 and 2004 seasons. Forty-nine of 111 isolates from streptomycin non-sprayed orchards in 2003 season were resistant to streptomycin. Of 107 isolates from orchards sprayed one time with streptomycin, 58 isolates were resistant, and 166 of 221 isolates from orchards sprayed two times with streptomycin were resistant. In 12 orchards sprayed three or more times with streptomycin, 219 of 247 isolates were resistant to streptomycin. Twenty-five isolates of X. smithii subsp. citri were surveyed to identify the mechanisms of streptomycin resistance in this study. Twenty-one of these 25 isolates were resistant to streptomycin, and it was proven by PCR assay that 18 of the 21 streptomycin resistant isolates have the strB gene. In sixteen of the 21 streptomycin resistant isolates, it was occurred a point mutation altered codon lysine (AAG)-41 of rpsL gene to arginine (AGG). The streptomycin-sensitive isolates easily acquired the resistance by mixed culture with resistant isolates. The strB gene was amplified from the isolates that acquired the resistance by mixed culture, and one isolate of them was also point-mutated in codon 41 of rpsL gene to be resistant. In this study, most of the streptomycin-resistant isolates of X. smithii sub sp. citri in Jeju island expressed the resistance by both chromosomal point mutation and gene acquisition, and the resistance was easily acquired through conjugation by culture mixed with streptomycin resistant and sensitive strains.


Reservoir computers are a fast training variant of recurrent neural networks, excelling at approximation of nonlinear dynamical systems and time series prediction. These machine learning models act as self-organizing nonlinear fading memory filters. While these models benefit from low overall complexity, the matrix computations are a complexity bottleneck. This work applies the controllability matrix of control theory to quickly identify a reduced size replacement reservoir. Given a large, task-effective reservoir matrix, we calculate the rank of the associated controllability matrix. This simple calculation identifies the required rank for a reduced size replacement, resulting in time speed-ups to an already fast deep learning model. Additionally, this rank calculation speaks to the state space reachable set required to model the input data.


Objective To study the alexithymia and the coping style of patients with persistent somatoform pain disorder(PSPD).Methods 26inpatients with PSPD and 26normal controls were assessed.Results The total alexithymia score was(73.27 ±8.21)in the research group was higher than that(67.59 ±7.89)in the contrast group.The coping style score of(0.65± 0.16)was less in the research group than that(0.89±0.57)in the contrast group.The scores of self-reproach,illusion,escaping and rationalization were was higher in the research group than those in the contrast group(P 0.05).There was negative correlation between Factor I and Factor II of TAS and the scores of rationalization from questionnaires.Factor II was positively related to the avoiding scores from the coping style questionnaires(P 0.05).Conclusion Patients with PSPD show obvious alexithymia and PSPD is related to coping styles.


Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection that affects the lung parenchyma, which is still the leading cause of children under-five mortality throughout the world. Age 1-24 months, low birth weight, and undernourished are the risk factors for pneumonia. The purpose of this study was to determine the description of the characteristics of children under-five patients with pneumonia in Abdul Wahab Sjahranie Hospital Samarinda, based on the risk factors. This research is a descriptive observational study. The samples of this study were all the pneumonia children under-five patients who were hospitalized at Abdul Wahab Sjahranie Hospital in January-December 2018, according to the characteristics of the sample set by the researchers, which were taken by purposive sampling technique. The data used were secondary data obtained from patient medical records, taken in June 2019 at the Medical Record Installation, Abdul Wahab Sjahranie Hospital. The number of samples obtained was 42 pneumonia patients. More children suffering from pneumonia were found in age 1-24 months  (78.6%), normal birth weight (61.9%), and undernourished (57.1%).


Rhythmic frequency oscillations that characterize vocal vibrato are produced by either of two mechanisms. One involves driving the system with respiratory pulses and the other by intrinsic laryngeal muscle activity. In this latter mode, vibrato is most readily produced when several laryngeal aspects are in order: (1) the singer's neuromuscular system has matured beyond a childhood level; (2) a critical balance of adductory‐to‐abductory force is applied to the vocal fold margins; and (3) the larynx is positioned vertically in the airway so that excessive vertical stiffening of the mucosal lining is avoided. When these conditions are met, the intrinsic laryngeal muscle activity to produce a given pitch changes from a relatively stable interference pattern to quasiperiodic modulated muscle activity oscillating at about 5.5 to 6.0 Hz. The average value of the modulated EMG pattern equals the steady‐state EMG signal used to produce that frequency without vocal vibrato. Whether only the cricothyroid muscle or o...


Dr. D. MCALPINE pointed out that in an epidemic only 1 to 2% of those infected with poliomyelitis virus became paralysed. Known factors determining the occurrence and the site of paralysis in an infected person included tonsillectomy, muscular fatigue, inoculation, and local infection, in particular of the tonsils and the intestines. Abortive cases of poliomyelitis showed a clinical nonspecific illness resembling influenza, lasting fr*n two to seven days, with malaise, inconstant headache, shivering, mild fever, and a normal C.S.F. The non-paralytic form of the disease showed an extension of the infection to the central nervous system, characterized by muscular pains, stiffness of the back, and paraesthesiae, and accompanied by nystagmus, transitory muscular weakness, alteration in the deep reflexes, and changes in the C.S.F. The onset of paralysis, at times after a symptom-free interval, was accompanied by pain and hyperaesthesia. Variants of the paralytic form included ascending paralysis and the development of an acute myelitis. Polio-encephalitis was occasionally accompanied by mental symptoms, such as confusion or hypomania, and by drowsiness or more rarely coma. Involvement of the medulla might lead to defects in articulation, deglutition, respiration, and to circulatory failure. Dr. McAlpine concluded with a plea that for the control of epidemics of poliomyelitis emphasis should be shifted to the group of patients not showing paralysis.


Modelica provides intuitive constructs to create and group model definitions. However, models themselves do not compose. In other words, the connection of type-compatible and locally balanced submodels does not generally yield a valid (e.g., balanced, structurally non-singular) model. Starting from simple examples of such invalid models (resulting from commonly encountered situations when using Modelica), this paper explains how those problems could be avoided by introducing a safer notion of physical connector, similar in some aspects to the VHDL-AMS notion of terminal. An extension of the notion of connection is also presented, providing new opportunities to make efficient use of ideal models in Modelica.


Shell-and-tube heat exchangers are the most commonly used design in process and petrochemical industries. Over the last four years, a three-dimensional numerical model has been developed at Texas A and M University to model flow and heat transfer within shell-and-tube heat exchangers. This model is based on the distributed resistance concept of Patankar and Spalding (1974). Sub-models used for pressure drop, heat transfer and turbulence generation are briefly described. Leakage flow through the baffle-tube and baffle-shell clearances are modeled using a Bernoulli type approach. The discretized governing equations are solved using a SIMPLE type finite volume method on a colocated grid. The numerical model was previously used to perform E shell simulations. Here the 3D model is used to analyze flow through an F shell heat exchanger. Velocity vector plots for the shellside fluid and temperature contours for the shellside and tubeside fluids are used to study the flow structure. The performance of the 3D model is compared with the Bell Method (1981) for the prediction of overall pressure drop. Good agreement is obtained between the computed overall pressure drop and the pressure drop predicted by the Bell method.


Cancer is definitely one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Failure in the efficacy of the standard treatments (chemo-, radiotherapy and surgery), and the severe side effects, resistance of tumor cells to chemotherapeutics have necessitated alternative therapeutic strategies. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been assessed as potential cancer therapy materials. Their intrinsic magnetic properties provide a cancer detection, monitoring, and therapy platform based on multimodal theranostics. MNPs can be functionalized by binding them to a wide variety of substances, including chemotherapeutic drugs, radionuclides, nucleic acids, and antibodies. They can be used for drug delivery, magnetic or photothermal induced local hyperthermia and photodynamic therapy aimed at killing cancer cells at the tumor site. MNPs may also be useful to challenge drug resistance. The combination of different options of these treatment modalities offers a synergistic effect and significantly reduces the side effects. The functionalized MNPs may be used to remove the unwanted cells from blood, including leukemia cells and circulating tumor cells that key factors in the metastatic process. Despite numerous successful studies, there are still some unpredictable obstacles relevant to the use of MNPs in cancer therapy. This review mainly focuses on the application of MNPs in cancer treatment, covering future perspectives and challenges aspects.


This paper deals with design and analysis of a proximity fuse antenna. The main requirement of a proximity fuse is that it should send a signal when the device is close to the target. A log-Periodic antenna is tested for various parameters like gain, directivity, VSWR and the radiation pattern is found which is most suitable for the operation. Simulation software CADFEKO is used to get the optimization design of LPDA.The software is used as it takes much less time and is cheaper compared to traditional antenna design methods


Gan outlines mitochondrial functions in driving ferroptosis and discusses mitochondria-localized defense systems that quench mitochondrial lipid peroxides and suppress ferroptosis.


We present a comparison between calculated densities of states of the Laves phase MgZn2 and hexagonal Mg28Zn65Y7 and experimental results obtained using both X-ray emission and photoabsorption spectroscopy techniques. We show that there is general agreement between both sets of data for both alloys. We also point out that the two samples retain a metallic character, yet the hexagonal approximant of the Mg–Zn–Y quasicrystal family is less metallic than the Laves phase.


The odontodes of some of the palatal dermal bones in Boreosomus piveteaui Nielsen tend to form odontocomplexes, e.g. symmetrical areal ones where some degree of superimposition may occur between ganoin layers belonging to the component odontodes, and asymmetrical areal ones where this is quite insignificant. In the areal odontocomplexes of the dermal bones in Plegmolepis sp., the degree of overlap between the corresponding layers is somewhat more pronounced. Finally, in the areal odontocomplexes of the dermal bones in Gyrolepis cf. albertii Agassiz, we have a more advanced stage of phyletic specialization where each of the ganoin layers of the component odontodes lies directly superimposed on the preceding one throughout the extent of the latter. At the same time, the effect of phyletic dentine reduction is clearly noticeable here by the development of "extra" ganoin layers no more retaining their original connections with that hard tissue (also developed in the scales of Plegmolepis sp.). Remarks are i.a. given on the characters by which Acropholis and Plegmolepis are said to be distinguishable from each other.


We interviewed researchers and volunteers about their experiences of creativity in citizen cyber-science (CCS). Our preliminary results reveal two types of creativity – imaginative self-expression and solving project problems. We conclude that a good project community is important for encouraging creativity in CCS.


"Depression: let's talk" is the theme of this year's World Health Day. This is a timely call, as mental health is generally still under-recognised. Blindness continues to be one of the major public health problems in developing countries. As per census India 2011, about 2.2% of the total population are disabled and of which 18.8% are visually disabled the second highest form of disability. According to the publically-funded National Program for Control of Blindness (NPCB), cataract and refractive errors account for over 82% of visual impairment (VI) in India [1].


The article analyzes the doctrinal approaches to the concept of the "subject of international law" and the criteria for their separation from other legal entities involved in the financial relations with a foreign element. The basic international documents and legal acts of foreign countries that regulate at the national level the legal status of communities of administrative-territorial units as the subjects of local self-government and give the right to enter into cross-border contractual relations are investigated. Exploring the forms of cooperation of subnational individuals at the regional and universal levels, they distinguish between such forms of network cooperation as infrastructure, which are factors of international legal regulation (aimed at economic solidarity) and political, in which cities are often agents of international intergovernmental organizations. Based on the analysis of international documents and national legal acts regulating the legal status of subnational persons and their relations with subjects of international law, as well as domestic and foreign doctrine of international legal personality, a scientific approach to the status of subnational persons in financial relations with a foreign element is formulated. Administrative-territorial units as complementary subjects of international legal relations with a special international legal personality are defined: on the formal legal plane, they are endowed with rights in foreign economic activity with legal norms of national law, which govern these relations; similarly, city states (like other subnationals) are representatives of the public interest of urban communities; in the economically practical plane, they act as independent subjects of economic relations of an international character.


Dispersive clays experience deflocculation in the presence of somewhat clean still water and are extremely vulnerable to erosion. Lime or Portland cement usage is one of the most applied methods to amend such adverse characteristics and enhance mechanical properties. Present research is aimed at a single power function quantifying the effect of amounts of binder, porosity, and curing period in the assessment of unconfined compressive strength (qu) of dispersive clay–binder mixtures. Analysing qu results, it was found that a ratio between porosity and binder volumetric content controls the strength of blends. The qu values of the specimens moulded for each binder type were also normalized (i.e., divided by the qu attained at a specific porosity/binder ratio) reaching a single power function quantifying the influence of the binder's amount, porosity, and curing time. From a pragmatic standpoint, this denotes that carrying out only one unconfined compression test with a specimen moulded with a specific binde...


[Objective]To analyze the knowledge, attitude and practice of nursing staff about breast self-examination. [Methods] Before and after the intervention, the knowledge, attitude and practice of nursing staff about breast self-examination were investigated by questionnaire. [Results] The knowledge score was 5.04±1.88, the attitude score was 4.17±1.49 points, and the practice score was 2.77±0.81. After the intervention, the knowledge score was 9.10±2.42, the attitude scores 7.61±0.84, and the practice score was 5.33±0.84. [Conclusion] The knowledge, attitude and practice of nursing staff about breast self-examination are not good. After the intervention, all of them are improved.


PURPOSE: To reduce the contents of nitrogen oxide in fuel gas produced from a burner, by providing passages for a secondary gas fuel and air, the passages having an outlet opening in a tip end of the burner along a burner body into which a primary gas fuel and primary air are introduced. CONSTITUTION: A gas fluid from an inlet tube 23 is guided to a burner body tube 14 after passage through an orifice 25 of a spud 24. Hereupon, primary air is entrained and mixed therewith and flows in a premix chamber 28 and further exits for combustion from a premix outlet 27. The air passing between a secondary air opening/closing portion 13 and a casing 17 enters a furnace through a passage located between a burner block 11 and a burner 12, and further enters the spud 24 through a secondary gas combustion tube 30, and communicates with a chamber 33 in a tip end 16 in a front end portion 32, and is injected into the furnace after passage through a passage 34. Thus, a premix combustion product from a premix outlet 27 forms a screen to moderate a reaction between the secondary air fuel and the secondary air, whereby nitrogen oxide in the fuel gas is reduced. COPYRIGHT: (C)1992,JPO


The field of research related to video data has difficulty in extracting not only spatial but also temporal features and human action recognition (HAR) is a representative field of research that applies convolutional neural network (CNN) to video data. The performance for action recognition has improved, but owing to the complexity of the model, some still limitations to operation in real-time persist. Therefore, a lightweight CNN-based single-stream HAR model that can operate in real-time is proposed. The proposed model extracts spatial feature maps by applying CNN to the images that develop the video and uses the frame change rate of sequential images as time information. Spatial feature maps are weighted-averaged by frame change, transformed into spatiotemporal features, and input into multilayer perceptrons, which have a relatively lower complexity than other HAR models; thus, our method has high utility in a single embedded system connected to CCTV. The results of evaluating action recognition accuracy and data processing speed through challenging action recognition benchmark UCF-101 showed higher action recognition accuracy than the HAR model using long short-term memory with a small amount of video frames and confirmed the real-time operational possibility through fast data processing speed. In addition, the performance of the proposed weighted mean-based HAR model was verified by testing it in Jetson NANO to confirm the possibility of using it in low-cost GPU-based embedded systems.


In qualitative Iieldstudtes, analysis is conceived as an emergent product 01 a process of gradual induction. Guided by the data being gathered (as covered in Part One) and the topics, questions, anc! evaluative criteria that provide focus (as described in Part Two), analysis is the fieldworker's derivative ordering of the data. Because analysis is the product of an inductive and emergent process in which the analyst is the central agent, achieving this order is not simply a mechanical process of assembly-line steps. Even though there are several concrete and even routine activities involved in analysis (described below), the process remains, and is intended to be, significantly open-ended in character. In this way, analysis is also very much a creative act. Because of these open-ended and creative dimensions of the analytic process, a description of the concrete operations composing it does not entirely capture what goes on. Indeed, while we do understand something of the concrete operations that facilitate analysis, [he operation of the creative and open-ended dimensions is not well understood. Referring to these open-ended and inductive features as "making it all come together," Paul Atkinson has reflected that Making it all corne together ... is one of (he most difficul( things of all. ... Quite apart from actually achieving it, it is hard to mject the right mix of (a) faith that it can and will be achieved; (b) recognItton that It has to be worked at, and isn't based on romantic inspiration; (c) that It isn't like the solution to a puzzle or math problem, but has to be created; (d) that you can't pack everything into one version, and that anyone project. could yield several different ways of bringing it together. (Arkinson quoted in Strauss and Corbin 1990, p. 117; emphasis in the orlgmal)


Abstract On 1 August 2000, a house wren (Troglodytes aedon) was observed exhibiting intra-specific helping behavior. An unbanded individual was observed carrying a spider into and separately carrying a fecal sac from a nest box occupied by 2 color-banded adults. The feeding individual appeared to be a hatch-year bird using the aging criteria of tail-length, breast coloration, and rictus characteristics. There were no additional observations of feeding by any unbanded individuals during the 1-h sample or in 3 hourly samples over the next 3 days. It is not known if there was any genetic relationship between the house wrens occupying the nest box and the unbanded juvenile helper.


That experimental animals which have been deprived of vitamin A are highly susceptible to respiratory infections has been demonstrated by scores of research workers. The lack of this vitamin in the dietary of man has also been observed to result in similar types of infections, including the common cold. 1 The recent studies of Green, Pindar, Davis and Mellanby 2 indicated that concentrates of vitamin A have a therapeutic value in the treatment of certain infections, for example, puerperal sepsis. Their reports as to the value of the vitamin as a prophylactic agent against infections are also convincing. McCarrison attributed the comparative freedom from respiratory infections among certain Indian tribes to the adequacy of their dietary in vitamin A. In marked contrast to these Indians, the tribes whose diets showed a definite lack of vitamin A generally suffered from respiratory infections. Recent experimental work has shown the relation between vitamin