To the Editor: There has been much interest in the use of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) as a useful mediastinal staging and diagnostic technique; however, the cost has limited its widespread use.1,2 Therefore, many centers continue to use conventional transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA), achieving a sensitivity of 78% for bulky proximal mediastinal disease in 1 series3 to good effect. Wherever available, cytopathologists have come into the endoscopy suite to provide a rapid on-site evaluation for cytopathology (ROSE) service, which has been shown to improve yield,4 but is not in widespread use because of the costs and the limited availability of cytopathologist expertise. We, therefore, evaluated the potential of a cytotechnician-delivered ROSE service to evaluate when an adequate sample was obtained (rather than making a specific diagnosis on site as in a cytopathologist-delivered ROSE service). We hypothesized that a trained cytotechnician would achieve a strongly positive correlation with an adequate TBNA sample as assessed by an independent cytopathologist. An adequate TBNA sample was defined as containing lymphocytes from a lymph node to the satisfaction of a blinded cytopathologist and also the cytotechnician. Twenty-two consecutive patients with suspected lung cancer with significant mediastinal adenopathy underwent conventional TBNA as part of their diagnostic workup as previously described3 under conscious sedation. This study was approved by the Institutional Board; moreover, it involved no change to existing clinical care or workup of the patients. All of them underwent computed tomography of the thorax and TBNA as part of flexible bronchoscopy. The cytotechnician came into the endoscopy suite and informed us when an adequate specimen had been obtained. Both the cytotechnician and cytopathologists were blinded to the suspected diagnosis. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism version 5 software (San Diego, CA) to calculate k statistic, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy for diagnosis of mediastinal metastases on TBNA. A true-negative TBNA was only confirmed on at least 6 months of clinicoradiologic follow-up to exclude malignancy. The cytotechnician agreed with the cytopathologists in 21 of 22 cases (20 samples deemed adequate by both, 1 deemed inadequate by both). There was disagreement in 1 case, where the cytopathologist could not see evidence of an adequate sample but the cytopathologist deemed the subcarinal TBNA to show reactive lymph node features only (in patient followed up with no evidence of mitosis subsequently). The k statistic for agreement was "very good" at 0.91 (0.79 to 1.03, 95% confidence intervals). In terms of TBNA performance, 13 of the 22 patients (8 non– small cell lung cancer—N2 nodes in 7 cases, N1 nodes in 1 case; 5 small cell lung cancer) had a diagnosis of malignancy confirmed on TBNA, whereas 3 had granulomatous disease consistent with sarcoidosis (patients were followed for at least 6mo with serial imaging before classifying as definite benign disease). Further 4 patients had reactive nodes which remained stable or regressed on follow-up (attributed as true negative) and 2 patients had suspected false-negative TBNA with enlarged nodes which persisted (stations 3 and 10R, where surgical corroboration was not possible). Sensitivity of TBNA for mediastinal metastases was 87% with a specificity of 100% (positive results were not corroborated with mediastinoscopy). Positive predictive value was 100%, negative predictive value 78%, and accuracy 91% with a prevalence of malignancy of 68%. The distribution of nodal stations sampled was as follows: station 3 (n=2), 4R (n=1), 7 (n=17), 10R (n=4). This pilot study demonstrates that good agreement of TBNA sample adequacy can be achieved through a trained cytotechnician-delivered ROSE service. This study needs to be validated in a larger study assessing the number of samples. However, it provides a possible means of delivering ROSE TBNA without the need for cytopathologists to be in the endoscopy suite, a resource (like EBUS-TBNA) which is not available to many centers in our resource rationed health care system. Regarding the use of ROSE itself, these results Disclosure: There is no conflict of interest or other disclosures. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


The 2020 academic year had schools throughout Japan and the world pivot to online education because of the Covid-19 pandemic. As our research site is a technology-friendly university, having started universal iPad use in 2012, we knew our students had the tools and necessary skills to get online. We wanted to know how our students received online classes and what impact the 2020 online courses had on their confidence in ICT (Information and Communication Technology) skills and motivation to learn both for online courses and out-of-class learning. The interviews showed increased confidence in ICT skills. The motivation to learn was generally positive, although demotivating factors were also observed. For the most part, interviewees got used to the new learning style and carried out tasks successfully.
2020年度は、 Covid-19 パンデミックのために世界中の学校でオンライン教育が行われた。 本研究が行われた大学ではICT(情報通信技術)を多用しており、2012年からiPadによる英語教育を行っている。そのためすべての学生がオンライン授業に対応するツールとそれに必要なスキルを持っていた。その学生達が、2020年春学期のオンラインクラスをどのように受講したのか、オンラインコースがICTスキルへの自信や英語学習動機などにどのような影響を与えたかを調査した。インタビューを通して、ICTスキルに対する自信が高まっていることが示された。動機づけは全体的にみて向上しているものの、やる気を失わせる要素も散見された。全体的にみて、学生達は新しい授業形態に慣れ、課題をこなすことができたと考える。


Aiming at the problems of current English teaching d higher vocational education such as"pay great attention to reading and teaching,neglect practice dlistening and speaking",we should lay stress on promoting students'communicative competence in English and reform the mode of English teaching d higher vocational education.


Stroke volume augmentation during exercise is limited in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients because of decreased preload from dynamic hyperinflation (DH). We hypothesised that oxygen pulse and pulse pressure (PP) improve following lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS), and the magnitude of improvement correlates with reduction in DH. We compared 16 emphysema patients undergoing LVRS with six emphysema patients not undergoing LVRS. Oxygen pulse and PP were calculated from maximal cardiopulmonary exercise tests at baseline and 6 months. End-expiratory lung volume (EELV)/total lung capacity (TLC) represented DH. Comparisons were made between baseline and 6 months at metabolic isotimes (per cent maximal carbon dioxide production (V′CO2,max)). At baseline, the LVRS group was older with higher forced expiratory volume in 1 s, but had similar hyperinflation to the non-LVRS group. At 6 months, oxygen pulse (50%, 75%, and 100% V′CO2,max) and PP (50% and 75% V′CO2,max) increased in the LVRS, but not in the non-LVRS group. Baseline functional residual capacity/TLC inversely correlated with resting oxygen pulse (r= -0.449, p=0.04). Decreased EELV/TLC correlated with increased oxygen pulse at 75% (r= -0.487, p=0.02) and 100% V′CO2,max (r= -0.548, p=0.008). LVRS led to increased oxygen pulse and PP during exercise at metabolic isotimes 6 months following surgery. Reductions in DH correlated with increases in oxygen pulse during exercise. Reducing lung volume may improve stroke volume response to exercise by decreasing DH.


ferences in the risk of haematuria or mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Transperineal biopsies have a lower risk of sepsis but a higher risk for urinary retention than transrectal biopsy. Biopsies via the transperineal route would prevent one readmission for sepsis in 278 men at the cost of three additional men readmitted for urinary retention. These results reflect complications during a period when clinical practice is moving towards performing more transperineal biopsies under local anaesthetic while using fewer, but more targeted needle insertions.


Broken files restoration has been applied widely in the judicial evidence recovery,historical file repair,as well as military intelligence. Traditional broken files restoration work is finished manually,which is inefficient,Matlab software was applied to read the numerical matrix of pixels about collected document fragment,use the eigenvalues of picture fragments to finish fast feature classification of the mixed text fragment,then put the same type of text fragments in order,combining the intervention operations can finish mosaic restoration about a large amount of text pictures more rapidly,acquire the precious information of the text,save time and effort spent on traditional methods of stitching.


The aim of the current thesis was to investigate the role of task conflict in the non-colour word Stroop task using the study-test procedure that was first introduced by MacLeod (1996) and then developed by Sharma (2018). Task conflict was suggested by two findings: (a) Studied words can slow down the colour-responding to unstudied words in a block with studied words compared to those in a block without studied words; (b) Within the studied block comprising of studied and unstudied words, the slowdown can also occur on a trial-by-trial basis when responses are made to two successively presented studied words - a reversed pattern of sequential modulation effect.
 The thesis reports on three sets of manipulations and their effects on task conflict: the effect of using different (10 or 30) numbers of studied items (Chapter 4), the effect of varying the number of non-word rectangle stimuli (Chapter 5), and the effect of using emotionally salient words: anxiety-related and addiction-related words (Chapter 6).
 Chapter 4 provided further evidence of colour naming interference from studied words and a reversed sequential modulation effect. There was a tendency that using 30 words produced less task conflict than using 10 words. Chapter 5 provided some evidence that task conflict increased with an increase in the proportion of rectangle stimuli. Chapter 6 again found evidence for task conflict indicated by interference from salient and/or studied words as well as a reversed sequential modulation effect.
 The thesis explores how these findings can be explained by connectionist models of the Stroop task with particular emphasis on the proactive-control/task-conflict model by Kalanthroff et al. (2015). I also explore the role of individual differences and its role in top-down and bottom-up processes.


This study will analyze how the Strategy of Social Service, Manpower and Transmigration in Reducing Unemployment in Siak. Given the number of unemployed either from within or from the outside of the area to look for jobs in Siak government attempted to reduce unemployment by holding job fairs exhibitions in order to facilitate job seekers procure the job. Steps Strategy of Social Service, Manpower and Transmigration in Reducing Unemployment in Siak become very important in providing counseling or dissemination to the public or the unemployed to fill job vacancies that exist both within and outside the region. Then, Social Services, Manpower and Transmigration in Siak also perform or carry out training of workers according to labor market demand according to the expertise or skills possessed by job seekers. The purpose of this study is to determine the strategy of Social Service, Manpower and Transmigration in in Siak and to determine the factors that influence the strategy of Social Service, Manpower and Transmigration in Reducing Unemployment in Siak. For this problem analyze author uses the theory Tripomo, Tejo, and Udan which an analysis of strategies focus on factors that SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. This research was conducted in the Department of Social Welfare, Labour and Transmigration in Siak, using qualitative research methods using snowball sampling method in the analyze of research with key informants (keyinforman). In collecting the data, research using interview techniques, observation and communication studies. By using key informants and informant as a supplementary source of information reducing Unemployment in Siak not running with a maximum in carrying out efforts to reduce unemployment. The factors that influence among other factors of infrastructure, human resources, and communications. Keywords: Strategy, Unemployment, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threat.


Economics is not only a technical subject; it also reflects a strong set of values. The values embedded in the economic way of thinking are often at odds with the way of thinking of biologists, ecologists, and other physical scientists. Economists value nature in terms of its benefits for human consumption and its usefulness in promoting economic growth. Growth is so critical because it can alleviate material scarcity in the world, and poverty is the true source of evil behavior. A recent dissident group of "ecological economists" argues that, rather than growth, a more appropriate goal is sustainability. The conflicting values implicit in mainstream economics and in ecological economics partly reflect deep underlying theological differences. These differences can be traced back to old messages of the Judeo-Christian tradition, now being manifested


Using a multi-country data set strong correlation are found between average growth rates of monetary aggregates and average inflation. The correlation remains strong when countries with higher average inflation rates are removed from the sample. These results confirm the strong correlation found in the traditional literature but contradict those in De Grauwe and Polan (2001) who, in a recent analysis, find that the strong link vanishes when higher inflation countries are excluded. Further analysis confirms the unit response and bears out the value of monetary aggregates as an input to the making of monetary policy.


Recently, the DOH (Department of Health, Executive Yuan, R.O.C. (Taiwan)) motivated the implementation and promotion on the "HL7 V3 standard", and so the various levels of hospitals do. There are several benefits on using the electronic-medical record system: is convenient to store the medical record, reduces the paper consuming, and is easy to read. Moreover, it can be designed to fulfill various purposes, which will reduce the time and effort to access medical record. Therefore, the electronic-medical record system will be beneficial for hospitals. However, the version 3 is not widely adapted by hospitals, which will cause problems on the electronic-medical record sharing. As the medical environment changes, the bigger gets bigger; it is common to have different sections for bigger hospitals. Each of them has separate health information system, which might cause problems of medical treatments and/or might cause the side effect among various medicines. This situation can waste the medical resources seriously. Thus, this study attends to integrate the version 3 with the currently medical information system. It stores the medical information of various systems to the data warehouse and implements the personal medical system. This personal medical system will present personal medical information against the timeframe, which enable doctors look through the medical history of patients. As a result, this system can solve the electronic-medical record sharing problems effectively.


Being collected in Palace Museum of Taiwan,"Pictures of Heilongjiang River Basin" won a General lot of attention from academia after being revealed.Based on the Manchu files of the Heilongjiang General Government and according to its time recorded and region described,we hold the opinion that this picture was actually drafted for primary revising of Qing Dynasty National Chorography,which contains abundant information about geography and history of the frontier region and have significant historical value for researching.


Individuals with a more secure attachment style report having larger and more satisfying social support networks Individuals with a more anxious or a more avoidant attachment style, by contrast, report having smaller and less satisfying support networks The present study examined the role of interpersonal communication competence (ICC) as a possible mediator of the association between attachment and social support in a sample of college undergraduates Strong support was found for the described model. Mediational analyses revealed that global deficits in ICC could account for the smaller social support network sizes and lower levels of satisfaction among both more anxiously attached and more avoidantly attached individuals. In addition, subsequent analyses examining specific dimensions of ICC revealed that the lower support satisfaction among more anxious individuals could be uniquely accounted for by a lack of assertiveness in social interactions For more avoidantly attached individuals, smaller network sizes could be uniquely accounted for by lower levels of self-disclosure, and less support satisfaction could be uniquely accounted for by a lack of assertiveness in addition to lower levels of self-disclosure. The implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.


Schizophrenia is mental disorders are characterized by distinctive and fundamental distortions in mind and perception accompanied by the presence of dull or unnatural affects. In the world there are about 21 million people are exposed to schizophrenia and in general, chronic schizophrenia is disrupted in daily activities, so in the treatment of patients carried out various therapies, including rehabilitation. Rehabilitations in patient schizophrenia aims to improve the ability of the patient to be able to live independently in the community. This research is to know relation of rehabilitation therapy with level of independence activity of daily living in patient of schizophrenia in Surakarta Mental Hospital. This research method used analytical survey with Cross Sectional approach. The sample consisted of 42 schizophrenic patients in the inpatient room of Surakarta Mental Hospital in April 2018 and taken by using simple random sampling technique. The questionnaire used is the Katz index and the results of the research data are analyzed using Chi-Square. This study shows that there is a significant relationship between rehabilitation therapy with the level of independence activity of daily living in schizophrenic patients value (pvalue 0. 000). The results of the study stated that the routine implementation of rehabilitation therapy was needed in increasing daily activities in schizophrenic patients.
Keyword: activity of daily living, independence, rehabilitation, schizophrenia


Genetic algorithms are easy and efficient methods of optimization and combination by simulating the natural evolution course.This paper puts forward an idea of using genetic algorithms to solve the problem of low power factor at no load and light load with asynchronous motor and the possibility of power factor optimization is testified in theory.Result of experiments and simulations shows that the control of self-optimization of asynchronous motor power-factor based on genetic algorithms is an efficient method and has extremely high application values.


ABSTRACT The chemical composition of the essential oil of the leaves of Cistus creticus L., (Fam. Cistaceae), was investigated by GC/MS. Among the 49 components identified, (representing 76.56% of the oil composition) diterpenes (59.59%) predominated. The major components were manoyl oxide (19.61%) and 13-epi-manoyl oxide (13.44%). The oil of C. creticus was found to exhibit a strong antibacterial activity against Gram + bacteria.


A dibenzo[g,p]chrysene (DBC)-based hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF) was constructed by shape-fitted docking of the twisted π-conjugated core. The activated HOF, possessing exactly eclipsed stacking of the DBC cores, (CPDBC-1a) had a BET surface area of 1548 m2 g-1 and possessed photoconductivity.


Preliminary results of the first successful operation of pnp AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors grown by molecular beam epitaxy are reported. A common emitter current gain of 50 was obtained for a base width of 0.1 μm. For collector currents larger than a certain value, a negative output differential resistance (NDR) was seen at temperatures between 360 and 83 K. The onset of collector current for NDR was found to increase with decreasing temperature from 40 mA at 360 K to 200 mA at 83 K for emitter‐base junction area of 10 μm×50 μm. The NDR was seen for both common base and common emitter characteristics and for both constant input currents and voltages. Increased surface recombination current at the edges of the emitter‐base junction at large electric fields, large currents, and high temperatures appears to be the cause for NDR.


The illusion of a single pulse of light seen as two flashes has been known for nearly a century (Dunlop, 1915). Bowen (1989) extended this earlier work for multiple bright pulses of light—two flashes seen as three, etc. He attempted to explain these illusions in terms of putative multiphasic responses in the visual system. The sound induced flash illusion (SIFI) is another example of extra flashes being reported beyond what is presented. Following Bowen, we modelled the biphasic temporal responses of actual fast ON- and OFF- midget parasol M cells to visual stimuli we had previously used in our SIFI research. Could the auditory stimuli (beeps) be directing attention to short duration peaks in stimulation, thus biasing the response of the observer in reporting the number of transient events? We show that for square wave temporal profile such response bias could easily be the case, especially given that three or four clicks rarely yield an illusion of more than two flashes. On the other hand, we experimentally produced more numerous and reliable fission SIFIs in sawtooth profiles that did not generate such peaks of excitation. This strongly suggests that a decisional-level explanation of the SIFI is not adequate.


SummaryCHO cells were exposed to heat at temperatures ranging from 41°C to 46°C followed by irradiation on ice with graded doses of X-rays. The dose–response curves obtained were analysed in terms of D10%, D0 and Dq and thermal enhancement was expressed by the corresponding values TER10%, TEF and TEQ, respectively. TER10% and TEF were shown to increase linearly with heating time, the increase being steeper at higher temperatures. The dose–response curves were also analysed using the equation − ln(S/S0) = αD + βD2; the values of α and β obtained from curve-fitting were found to increase with heating time. For temperatures below 43°C the relative increase in α was greater than that in β; the Arrhenius activation energies were Ea = 890 kJ mol−1 for α and Ea = 1830 kJ mol−1 for β. At temperatures exceeding 43°C the relative increase of α and β was similar and the corresponding activation energies were about the same (Ea ≈ 700 kJ mol−1). The increase in the α-term was attributed to a depressed repair of double...


In the paper, novel sessionless approach to test-schedulling is presented. It utilizes so-called STEPs during special random-search based scheduling algorithm. The algorithm explores the state-space of so-called i-schedules whereas an i-schedule is an integer-vector encoded test-schedule represented by n-touple of STEPs. Proposed algorithm tries to link tests to STEPs in such a way there are no resource sharing conflicts in the best-found test schedule and hopefully, test schedule constraints are met maximally at minimal time and TAM values


Informed by Critical Genre Analysis (CGA), an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) lesson on classroom language is designed for prospective English teachers in Hong Kong to assist them in demystifying their discursive performance in the professional context of English language classrooms in local schools and achieving pragmatic success in their professional practice of conducting English lessons. Needs of target learners are analyzed with respect to the professional culture, professional practice, and genres relevant to English teachers in Hong Kong. On the basis of the needs analysis, a recorded English lesson language is selected as an input material for the lesson and analyzed at textual, socio-cognitive, and socio-critical levels. Pedagogical procedures of the lesson embody genre analysis, generic transfer, and free genre production. After completion of the lesson, students' genre ownership, discursive performance, and competent specialist behaviour are expected to be assessed by means of a weblog recording prospective English teachers' discursive performance during their teaching practice in a local school.


Abstract Although Gal 4:1-2 has historically been interpreted as an analogy taken from Greco-Roman practices of guardianship and inheritance, an increasing number of scholars, following the initial proposal of James M. Scott, have interpreted the passage as an allusion to the exodus. Seeking to defend the conventional interpretation, this study identifies a number of significant verbal and conceptual parallels between Gal 4:1-2 and P.Ryl. 2.153, the mid-second-century C.E. will of a Hermopolite gentleman, thereby showing that Paul's rhetoric of inheritance in Gal 4:1-2 resonates best within the metaphorical field of Roman guardianship and succession.


1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh . 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, USA Corresponding Author: Mohammad Motalab _________________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract The modern trend is to decrease the size of microprocessor components, at the same time, the number of I/O of the silicon chip microprocessors have been greatly increased over the last few years, which means high BUS speed, high amount of heat generation and much more elevated temperature operation. Plastic ball grid array (PBGA) is one of the most widely used microprocessor components in electronic packaging industries. Due to the complex nature of the configuration of the package, when subjected to temperature fluctuation, thermal stresses are developed inside the package. Severe stresses may develop when the packages are exposed to harsh environments e.g. spaceship, automobile etc. where extreme fluctuation of temperature may occur. So the PBGA packages are often subjected to thermal cycling which ultimately causes fatigue failure in solder balls of the package. The thermal cycling life of a PBGA package may depend on the properties of its constituent materials. Particularly this study aims at investigating the effects of substrate mechanical properties on the prediction of thermal cycling life of the critical solder joint in a PBGA package. In experiments, it has been found that from package to package there is significant variation in elastic modulus of the BismaleimideTriazine (BT) substrate material. Finite element analysis results show that there is large degradation in thermal cycling life of the solder ball for a package with low elastic modulus BT material when it is compared with the results that obtained for higher value of elastic modulus. __________________________________________________________________________________________


PURPOSE: A microfluidic device, a light radiating device, a microfluidic system including the same, and a method for driving the same are provided to minimize the difference of the valve driving characteristics between microfluidic systems using identical light source. CONSTITUTION: A substrate(22) is prepared. A microfluidic structure(30) includes a chamber(32), a channel(34), and a valve(36). Fluidic samples are arranged in the chamber. The fluidic samples move through the channel. The valve controls the flow of the fluidic samples. A light radiating unit(50) radiates light energy to the microfluidic structure. A diffuser(60) diffuses light from the light radiating unit in order to uniformly distribute the light to the radiation reaction of the microfluidic structure.


Frequency fluctuations of 5-MHz, 5th-overtone, piano-convex AT- and IT-cut quartz oscillators were measured with reference to a Cs oscillator (HP 5061A) while the oscillators were kept in a temperature-stabilized oven at Fourier frequencies from 10-2 Hz down to 10-6Hz. A power spectral density of the frequency fluctuation consists of three parts due to dependence on the Fourier frequency f, which are proportional to 1/f2, 1/f and to f0. The parts in proportion to 1/f2 and f0 are found to be related to the temperature fluctuation through static and dynamic temperature coefficients of the oscillation frequency. However, the 1/f part is found to be uncorrelated to the temperature fluctuation.


A simple systems model is constructed based on the assumption that semelparous organisms can afford to invest more in a single reproductive phase than iteroparous ones. The semelparous system is represented without, and the iteroparous is represented with, negative feedback from parental growth requirements on fecundity. At the theoretical level, systems control analysis indicates that the system without feedback reacted less accurately and more sluggishly to a test (parental desired-growth rate) input and was more sensitive to environmental perturbation. Indirect experimental and more circumstantial evidence suggest that this behavior is typical of real semelparous species and provides some confidence in the systems representation adopted. These conclusions lead to the hypothesis that reproduction in semelparity is an element of senescence and that lengthening life cycles requires an increase in intensity of feedback on reproduction. Types of feedback involved are listed. Finally the merits of a systems-theory approach are discussed.


Objective:To investigate the effects of Tanyu Tongzhi(TYTZ)recipe on blood lipid and metabolic profiles of hyperlipidemia and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.Method:30 SD male rats were divided into 3 groups randomly,sham-operated group,model group and the TYTZ group.All rats were fed with high—fat diet expect the sham-operated group.The model of MI/RI myocardium was reproduced by ligation of left descending artery for 30 min followed by releasing the ligation for 2 hours in rats.The changes in blood lipid and metabolic profiles of the model rats were then observed using biochemical methods and NMR-based metabonomic techniques.Results:Compared with sham-operated group,the levels of CHO,TG,LDL-L,were significantly higher,however,HDL-L were lower in model group(P0.01 or P0.05).CHO and TG were obviously lower in TYTZ group than the model group(P0.05).The metabolic profiles of the model rats were different from the sham-operated group and TYTZ group,and the metabolites of different groups were clearly distinguished.TYTZ recipe could intervene the metabolites or the metabolic path to cause changes in final metabolites.Conclusion: The metabonomics chianges in rats of stagnation of hyperlipidemia and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.and TYTZ recipe can regulate the disturbance and make it incline to the normal state.


This volume showcases over 20 of Richard Meier's built houses and apartments in the United States, and includes interior and exterior photography, drawings and plans, and his client's personal reflections, as well as Meier's own commentary on each house.


Aims Children and young people with Type 1 diabetes on insulin pump therapy are expected to perform 4–8 capillary blood glucose (BG) tests per day for better glycaemic control. Our objective was to find out whether our patients adhered to the expected BG monitoring. Methods Data was collected from 78 patients during a clinic visit over a period of one year. All children have glucometers which wirelessly transmits the data to their insulin pump. Average numbers of BG tests per day and mean BG levels were downloaded through the pump software for two weeks prior to their clinic visit. Results 48 children (61.5%) did 4–8 BG tests per day while 18 (23.1%) did more than 8 tests. 12 (15.4%) who did less than 4 per day had a mean age of 14.8 years. We found moderately significant negative correlation between age and frequency of BG testing (Pearson's correlation coefficient (R) = –0.57) and also number of BG tests and mean BG levels (R=–0.52). There was a weak negative correlation between number of BG tests and HbA1c levels (R = –0.31). 5 patients (6.4%) entered fictitious BG levels manually into their pump and details are given in the table. No Age (Years) HbA1c (mmol/mol) Average number of BG tests per day (Actually done) Average number of BG tests per day (manual entries) Mean BG (mmol/L) Mean BG after removal of manual entries (mmol/L) 1 13.4 66 2.4 1.2 11.3 12.3 2 14.9 72 0.4 4.5 7.2 12.3 3 15.1 65 4.7 3.1 8.8 10.6 4 15.2 56 0.5 5.3 8.6 13.4 5 16.2 69 3.1 1.6 10 11.6


In this paper, we identify the most crucial factors of the potential world market success of alternative car designs: fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and conventional fuel efficient vehicles (FEVs). We assess which vehicle concept is favoured under which regulation regime. We suggest that the global success of a certain technology critically depends on the ability of a regional lead market to leverage and transfer its local success, be it through large cost reductions or the international diffusion of a pioneering environmental regulation, etc. Due to the high cost of FCVs and the lack of strict regulation supporting this radical innovation, incremental innovations, such as new versions of conventional combustion engines and hybrid cars, have the best chances of becoming globally successful.


The article is rising up from the Gender stereotypes connected to the top positions of the women involved in the labour market internationally. Four factors that have the main impact on the gender differences were analysed (education, employment, poverty, pay gap and representation in leading positions) through the quantitative analysis for the selected countries of EU in 2016. Although women have in the EU average higher education levels than men, the average gender pay gap is up to 16.1% and more females than males are at risk of poverty or social exclusion in all of the examined countries.


Abstract : A low-head-rise axial-flow pump was operated in liquid sodium at temperatures to 1500 degrees F (1089 K) for 558 hr to investigate pump performance and blade cavitation damage in alkali metals. The research rotor had nine insertable blades of three different materials, a blade-tip diffusion factor of 0.40, and a hub-tip-radius ratio of 0. 77. Overall performance was obtained, and a 200-hr cavitation endurance test was conducted in 1500 degrees F (1089 K) sodium at 3450 rpm. Post-test blade inspection indicated that there was slight cavitation damage and that the Ni-Cr-base superalloy (Rene' 41) was more cavitation-damage resistant to high-temperature sodium than either 316 or 318 stainless steel.


OBJECTIVE To explore the risk factors,pathogenic distribution,treatment and nursing strategies of ventilator-associated pneumonia(VAP).METHODS The clinical data,pathogenic bacteria of 168 VAP patients were investigated and analyzed.RESULTS The important risk factors of VAP included mechanical ventilation,primary disease and inappropriate usage of antibiotics were investigated.The pathogenic bacteria of VAP were all multi-drug resistant strains of which the top three were Pseudomonas aeruginosa(29.2%),Klebsiella pneumoniae(22.6%),Acinetobacter baumannii(17.9%).CONCLUSIONS The comprehensive measures such as decurtation of the duration of ventilation,attaching an importance to sterilization and isolation,strengthening the caregiving of the patients are important to lower the infection rate and elevate the recovery rate.


In comics as multimodal narratives visual and verbal modes interact to create meaning. Colours play an important role in comics, the choice of warm or cold colour palette, as well as bright or muted, influences a reader's perception and attitude to the described events. Comics have a number of narratological, stylistic, structural and other characteristics. Events in comics can be presented both with the help of a narrator (extradiegetic or intradiegetic) or nonnarratorially by means of images. Strategies of verbal representation, characteristic for comics, include narration boxes, speech balloons and thought bubbles. The temporal structure of the narrative in the analysed comics is linear with some flashbacks. Spatial indicators are incorporated into both verbal and visual components. Mediated focalisation is signaled by such cinematic devices as the over-the-shoulder shot and eyeline match. The analysed comics, which are transformed variants of classic fairy tales, contain modified initial and final fairy-tale formulas and well-known dialogues. Stylistic peculiarities of comics include onomatopoeia and ideograms, i.e. certain symbols with fixed meaning. Quantitative analysis of panel transition types in the analysed comics has demonstrated that in comics with a dynamic plot the action-to-action transition prevails, while in comics containing a detailed description of only several actions the moment-to-moment transition is the most widespread.


The article presents results of examination of blood serum ++amine oxidase++ in 78 patients with obliterating diseases of the extremity arteries. It was found that enzyme activity was dependent on the form and stage of the disease. The data obtained were used for the examination and medicamentous correction of the enzyme activity.


The invention belongs to the technical field of wind power, and discloses an impact type wind-driven generating device. The impact type wind-driven generating device provided by the invention comprises a vertical shaft impact type wind-driven generating device and a horizontal shaft impact type wind-driven generating device, wherein the two types of the impact type wind-driven generating devices adopt a dynamic rotor mechanism of a multi-grade impulse blade to utilize the energy of wind to the maximum extent, thereby enhancing the utilization rate of the wind energy; the energy of the wind can be increased by utilizing the height difference and the lateral exhaust of high-altitude exhaust ducts, so that a dynamic rotor can generate electricity at low load even in a sunny windless day; the wind-driven generating device provided by the invention can be manufactured into a generating machine set with the advantages of large power and small volume so as to be convenient to transport, install and maintain, thereby greatly reducing the investment cost of unit generating amount of the wind-driven generating device; the vertical shaft type device can receive the wind from any direction thereby omitting a complicated variable paddle pitch system; a transmission system and a generator can be arranged on the ground, which is convenient to operate and maintain; and the wind-driven generating device provided by the invention overcomes the defects of low utilization rate of the wind energy and difficult starting of the dynamic rotor.


The research describes the issues of geoinformation systems effectiveness for solving practical problems in finding hydrocarbon deposits. The research offers the ways to improve the efficiency of geoinformation technologies in the oil and gas industry through integration of geospatial data and using service-oriented architecture of geographic information systems


This research was conducted to find out how the influence of inventory turnover and accounts receivable turnover on liquidity in pharmaceutical sub sector companies listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange for the period 2015-2019. The population in the study were all in pharmaceutical sub sector companies listed on the indonesian stock exchange for the period 2015-2019, which numbered 10 companies. Based on the criteria for sampling techniques, the samples studied were 10 companies in pharmaceutical sub sector companies listed on the indonesian stock exchange for the period 2015-2019. Data processing techniques used are multiple regression analysis techniques with a significance level of 0,05. Data processing is done using the SPSS 22 computer program for window.  Based on the results of data processing shows that silmutaneously inventory turnover and accounts receivable turnover of the company have a significant effect on firm value with a calculated F value of 12,621 with and a significance value of 0,000.  Partially inventory turnover has no significant effect on firm value with a calculated T value of 1,479 and a significance value of 0,146. Partially the accounts receivable turnover has a significant effect on firm value with a calculated T value of 2,696 and a significance value of 0,010. The constribution of inventory turnover and receivable as a whole to liquidity is 34,9% while the remaining 65,1% is  influenced by other factors not discused in this study.


This report provides methods to collect data and evaluates impacts concerning ground-water elements of production-scale leach mining of uranium. Two overlapping networks of monitor wells are designed to collect premining hydrogeologic and baseline water-quality data and to detect excursions of leaching fluids. The pre-mining data collection network consists of 24 wells completed into the ore-zone aquifer and the water-bearing units above and below it. The excursion-monitor network utilizes two rings of wells encircling the ore body and other wells strategically placed into other water-bearing units. The lateral excursion detection system is keyed to changes in water levels whereas the vertical excursion detection system is keyed to changes in water quality. Several ground-water restoration methods are evaluated. Mechanical and chemical restoration methods can significantly remove most introduced and mobilized chemicals. Natural geochemical mechanisms should be capable of causing water-quality improvement. Several water-quality constituents, i.e., ammonia, chloride, sulfate, may not be greatly affected by restoration efforts. Most mining and restoration activities should not greatly affect the availability or usefulness of ground water unless uncontrolled withdrawals from many sources occur. Disposal of leach mining wastes may prove a greater threat to the environment than the mining. Natural conditions and/or current state and Federalmore » regulations limit the types of disposal methods that may be used.« less


at Houston; The University of Texas Cancer System, M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute, Houston, Texas; and the Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. Correspondence to: Thomas G. Cleary, M.D., Program in Infectious Diseases & Clinical Microbiology, Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6400 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030. Received for publication June, 1981; revised August, 1981; and accepted September, 1981. AV'%~ CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS) noU cardia infection usually results from hematogenous dissemination of a primary pulmonary focus. Less commonly, the disease occurs as a consequence of direct introduction of the organism into the brain or subarachnoid space.1.2 We present the cases of two children with primary CNS nocardia to illustrate the signs, symptoms, difficulty in diagnosis, and requirement for long-term therapy.


Five structurally related compounds, TlMgAsO4, TlMgPO4, TlZnAsO4, TlZnPO4, TlZnVO4, have been synthesized by solid-state reaction. Single crystals have been grown by various methods. Space group and unit-cell parameters were determined. Powder diffraction data for each phase are reported.


This paper aims to reflect about the medicalization of the body and the criminalization of abortion in the range of population management of biopolitical character. The criminalization of abortion in Brazil will allow poor women to undergo the precarious forms of discontinuation of pregnancy and are brutally victims of this option. The "killable life" of these women is not only devoid of rights but of the quality itself of the human. Decriminalization must break with moral medical addresses to promote the public service for women who wish to opt for abortion, without discrimination of race, belief, ethnics and social status.


A basis‐set time‐independent method to calculate tunneling rates in bound systems through a potential barrier is presented. The tunneling decay rates are associated with the imaginary parts of the complex eigenvalues of the Schrodinger equation where the reaction coordinate r' is complex scaled such that, dr = dr'[1/cos θ(r')]exp (iθ(r')), where tan θ(r') = tan θ∞g(r'). The function g(r') fulfills 0 ≤ g(r') ≤ 1 and shows a smooth transition from 0 to 1 near r' = r0 which is the location of the top of the barrier. The value of θ∞ should be larger than a critical value for which a sharp transition from a real eigenvalue spectrum to a complex one is obtained. Illustrative numerical applications to two isomerization reaction models are given.


Community health workers (CHWs) can help prevent the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in various ways. They can educate community members about TB symptoms and how TB is transmitted. They can encourage people with active TB to seek and complete treatment. They can check household contacts of infectious patients to identify and manage young children at special risk. Many people believe that TB cannot be cured, that God, magic, or witchcraft causes TB, or that only cursed or bad people acquire TB. These beliefs explain why many people seek treatment from traditional healers rather from medical personnel. CHWs need to be aware of these beliefs and to consider them when developing appropriate advice and relevant community health education. Some important public health advice to prevent the spread of TB includes covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, disposing of sputum carefully, and prohibiting children from sleeping in the same room as an infectious adult. CHWs should screen the whole family for TB, especially the young children, and evaluate the nutritional status of the children, if someone in the household has TB. Malnourished children are especially at risk of TB. CHWs need to ask the parents about and examine the child for the presence or absence of TB symptoms in their child. They need to perform a tuberculin test. They should immediately refer children with symptoms (vomiting, fever, persistent cough, weight loss) to a physician.


It is a great disadvantage for beer production that the aqueous solution of β-glucose is gluey.The main purpose of this experiment was monitoring the variation of content of β-glucose during the process of malt production,detecting and analyzing the characteristic of variation,summarizing the reason which may cause these verities.


Once a theory has been developed to the point where predictions are possible, there is a rush to experiments to falsify or to confirm the theory. Such was the case with Feigenbaum's scaling predictions. Experiments were carried out on fluids, chemical reactions, electrical circuits, and lasers. The experiments differed in the physics involved and the time scales involved, ranging from months (fluid experiments) to days (chemical reactions) to minutes (electrical circuits) to


Abstract We report on the first successful, spatially resolved spectroscopic observations of Io's SO2 atmosphere. Observations made with the Hubble Space Telescope Faint Object Spectrograph on 1 August 1996 using the 0.26′′ aperture have provided detections of SO2 gas in absorption in three locations on the Io disk: the Pele volcano, the Ra volcano, and T3 (a control region at latitude 45°S, longitude 300°W). The column densities of SO2 at these three locations have been determined by best-fit models of the geometric albedo and vary by a factor of five, with N SO2=3.25× 1016, 1.5× 1016, and 7×1015 cm−2 for Pele, Ra, and T3, respectively. Thus, SO2 gas is found to be present, and collisionally "thick" ( N ≳6×1014 cm−2), in all three locations. The factor of five difference in column densities among the three targets provides the first direct evidence that the Io atmosphere is spatially inhomogeneous. Models of the SO2 gas band absorption at different temperatures give best-fit models with temperatures of T=280 (Pele), 150 (Ra), and 200 K (T3). Addition of SO to the models in the amounts N SO ∼2.5×1015 (Pele), 5×1014 (Ra), and 1.5×1015 cm−2 (T3) provides improved (χ2) fits to the data for all three locations and gives reasonably good agreement with the previous detection of SO in the Io atmosphere at an abundance ∼0.1 times that of SO2. We set an upper limit of 2×1014 cm−2 on the abundance of CS2. Observations with the HST WFPC2 obtained on 24 July 1996, 7 days earlier than our FOS spectra, showed an active plume over the Pele volcano. If Pele was still active on 1 August, our results imply that the regions of highest SO2 gas density on Io may be associated with active volcanic plumes and not sublimation from the visibly bright SO2 frost patches common on the surface of the satellite. As a result of the positive detection of atomic sulfur emission from the S I ] 1900 A multiplet from two of our three targets (∼3.6 kR, Pele; ∼1.6 kR, T3;


Executive Functioning (EF) deficits may be the most catastrophic form of brain injury, as they alter one's personality and sense of self while impeding the ability to make use of rehabilitation, compensatory strategies, psychotherapy and social support. The injury itself can produce a loss of appreciation for the deficits, as well as depression, apathy and a lack of empathy. Although EF deficits can be nuanced, individuals with EF deficits are often presumed incapable of benefiting from higher order interventions. Ward and Hogan's (2015) case study of Judith effectively contradicts this assumption. While this case does not offer traditional neuropsychological assessment results, it highlights how the value of such measures rests in their ecological validity. The years of psychotherapy and intervention that Judith underwent offer ample ecological data and an opportunity to comment on the neurobiological aspects of Judith's injury and recovery beyond the assessment setting.


The availability of feed is the main requirement in supporting the success of livestock development. One of the feed alternatives that is being discussed worldwide is insects because they have a high protein source. Insects are currently being discussed in the animal husbandry sector because insects include an alternative source of animal protein with high nutritional quality, efficiency and can be provided continuously and have nearly the same nutritional content as fish meal and soybean meal. Problems globally, the search for alternative protein sources to substitute a fish meal and soybean meal has become a major topic in research in the field of animal feed and nutrition. The fluctuating price of feed will affect business in the field of animal husbandry, where we know that the cost of feed contributes nearly 60-70% of the total business operating costs. Based on literature studies show that insects can replace fish meal and soybean meal 25-100%, one type of insect that has the potential as a feed ingredient is a mealworm which contains 32-52% crude protein and low crude fat 7%. Reported that the use of mealworms in the broiler feed to give effect to the performance of broilers from feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and final weight. It was concluded that mealworms were an alternative source of high protein and fat.


The goal of our research is to develop a collaborative virtual reality software system to interconnect geographically distributed scientists and data. We show a simple architecture and analyze the design decisions and some key modules that we have developed to achieve this goal.


This paper describes the solution-phase synthesis of Octreotide using Boc/MBzl protecting system,in which stepwise and fragment condensations are involved.The structures of the key intermediates and target molecular were confirmed by ESI-MS.


Silver and poly(L-cysteine) composite film modified glassy carbon electrode (PLC/Ag/GCE) has been fabricated via cyclic voltammetry and used for investigation of the electrochemical behavior of sunset yellow (SY) and tartrazine (TT). A pair of anodic peak at 0.760 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and cathodic peak at 0.701 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for SY and an anodic peak at 1.013 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) of TT are observed in pH 4.5 phosphate buffer solution. Based on the two well-resolved anodic peaks of SY and TT, a novel electrochemical method has been successfully developed for simultaneous determination of SY and TT using differential pulse voltammetry. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the linear range for the determination of SY and TT are 5.00×10 –3.00×10 mol L and 7.50×10–7.50×10 mol L, respectively with detection limits of 7.50×10 mol L and 2.50×10 mol L, respectively. The proposed method has been applied for simultaneous determination SY and TT in beverage with satisfactory results.


We perform a joint analysis of short-period (up to several hours) variability in parameters of the ionosphere, the mesosphere, and the stratosphere at mid-latitude, subauroral, and high-latitude points for a long time interval. The study is based on the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) measurements and data on the OH rotational temperature at the mesopause height. We reveal similar seasonal variations in the dynamics of the short-term variability level, both in the ionosphere and the mesosphere. Maximum variability is observed during winter months and it exceeds the values in summer period up to 5–6 times. The revealed dynamics has no explicit relation to the levels of geomagnetic and solar activities. We suggest that the instabilities in the high-velocity stratospheric subauroral winter jet stream may be a source of the recorded variability seasonal variations in the ionosphere and the mesosphere. We propose a new index to estimate a short-term variability in the stratosphere. The index is shown to experience similar regular seasonal variations with a maximum during winter months. We show a clear correlation between the mesosphere/ionosphere variability indices values and the stratosphere disturbance index. The correlation is shown to be higher for the mesosphere variability index as compared with that in the ionosphere, and at the high-latitude point located closer to the jet stream. The obtained results indicate a strong interrelation between the short-period variability in the ionosphere, in the upper mesosphere, and in the subauroral stratosphere. The results contribute to elucidating the basic mechanisms for a vertical coupling between different atmospheric layers.


The author has studied the goals and contents of the course of "Academic Writing", and explored the innovative practice by adopting such approaches as "encouraging method","comparing method", "situational method" and "reading method" in her teaching. This paper reports the results of such practice, saying that the students have grasped the knowledge and skills of academic writing and are able to express their science conceptions precisely.


Continuous innovation is very important to stay competitive in today's world. Automotive manufacturers are an excellent example of this evolution when looking to new vehicle concepts. But also behind the scene, they have to be innovative in order to be able to keep up this progression. Aerodynamics has a large influence on the total performance of the car, and therefore fulfils a very important role in this innovation story. Aerodynamics is absolutely not straightforward which makes it on the one hand difficult to deal with and to estimate it influences, but on the other hand, this creates an improvement potential. Today's passenger cars are already aerodynamically optimised to a fairly large extent, meaning improvements become rather marginal. To be able to keep this tendency of improving in the future, the aerodynamic design process has to be adapted. The focus of this work will be on the reduction of the air resistance of cars, which has a large influence on its top speed and fuel consumption. Especially the latter is very important today and will even gain more importance for future cars. Earlier research has shown that 70% of the reduction of the air resistance and the corresponding Cx value is done during the preliminary aerodynamic design phase. This phase is characterised by a high design freedom and a low level of detail of the corresponding design. Due to this, this early phase invites for shape optimisation of the basic aerodynamic shape having much more potential to achieve a lower Cx value. At the end of this phase, all fundamental parameters, dimensions etc. that define the final car will be fixed in order to begin the further detailed design during which detail optimisation is only possible anymore. This fundamental difference between the early phase and subsequent detailed design is responsible for their difference in influence on the final achieved Cx value and reduction. In order to achieve a successful aerodynamic design in terms of air resistance, the importance of that early design phase cannot be underestimated. To prevent aerodynamic improvements from stagnating, this preliminary design phase has to be fully exploited. Those preliminary phase can be split into three specific sub phases, namely the initial phase, preliminary studies and concept phase. In the first, the high level targets of the car design will be determined, which the final design should comply with. After this, as much as possible information and knowledge about the design has to be gathered during the so called preliminary studies. This knowledge will be used to formulate thoughtful concepts for the subsequent concept phase where they will be assessed and developed further until one final design concept remains which should comply with all the earlier defined high level targets. The quality of the information and knowledge gathered during those preliminary studies is therefore critical for a comprehensive final design. This is valid for the whole aerodynamic design and by extension also the total car design. But as already said, this work focuses on the design of the car exterior in terms of Cx value. It was observed in this work that the current situation has potential for improvement. More specifically, it was noticed that the aerodynamic department is occupied mainly with detail optimisation instead of the more favourable shape optimisation during those preliminary studies. The reason for this is due to a combination of their minor influence on the car exterior design compared to the aesthetics department and the current process flow during those studies. This current process flow is very inefficient and contains too much time-consuming and repetitive manual work. This combined with the short timespan of those preliminary studies lead to a limitation of the gathered knowledge of the car exterior design that is investigated. This is the main reason why the aerodynamicists are currently doing mainly detail instead of shape optimisation. For the latter, more investigations of higher quality (higher order) are required, which the current inefficient process flow does not allow for. Therefore, the aerodynamicists are limited to detail optimisation because of this, which is explained more into detail in this work. Thus, adapting the current process flow to allow the aerodynamic department to do shape instead of detail optimisation was found to be the main solution to improve and further reduce the Cx value and prevent it from stagnating in the future. The current process flow of those preliminary studies was analysed in this work and a suggested methodology that could accomplish those improvements was formulated based on this. The main difference of this methodology compared to the current situation is the implemented closed-loop instead of the open-loop modelling of the aerodynamic behaviour during those preliminary studies. This requires a fully automated process flow, which is missing in the current situation. In order to be able to also work out this suggested methodology to a fully working process flow, an automated generation of the geometric variants have to provided. This was achieved by developing a parametric geometry model capable of instantly delivering the required geometric variant without human interaction. The parametric model is an approximation of the real car exterior geometry, but its accuracy was proved with relevant CFD simulations. The closed-loop surrogate modelling is realised by using a MATLAB-based toolbox, called SuMo-toolbox, which is implemented in the software framework of the developed methodology. A secure shell connection between this software framework in MATLAB and the Linux machine, on which the simulations are done, assures a stable and fully automated process flow. After this working out of the presented methodology, a reality-based use-case was done to estimate its potential for improvements compared to the current situation. Promising results were already obtained which also confirm the promised theoretical improvements in praxis. Also conclusions and recommendations for future work or alternative implementations and extensions of this methodology are formulated in this work. This work was meant as an initial step and incentive to apply this methodology in the current industry. Before this could be possible, further research and work has to be done to make it practically implementable. This new process flow means a drastic change of the current one. It is typical for large companies to be unwilling to take this step. But if this methodology could be further developed so that it could fulfil its supposed role, namely improving and further reducing the Cx value of cars, it will become an important tool in the (near) future for manufacturers to become or stay ahead of their competitors. Certainly in today's world of increasingly strict economics, its role cannot be underestimated.


1F. W. Gilchrist: "The Discount House," THE JOURNAL OF MARKETING, January, 1953. 2Agnew, Connor & Doremus, Outlines of Marketing, 3rd edition; Alexander, Surface & Alderson, Marketing, revised edition; Converse, Huegy & Mitchell, The Elements of Marketing, 5th edition; Converse & Jones, Introduction to Marketing; Duddy & Revzan, Marketing; Maynard & Beckman, Principles of Marketing, 5th edition; Phillips & Duncan, Marketing, Principles and Methods, revised edition; Vaile, Grether & Cox; Marketing in the American Economy. The last named is the only one of these texts indexing this term. Certainly many manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers seem to feel that the


This thesis solves the problem of regional differences of the countries of Visegrad group. It analyses each region with the help of economic development indicators and it investigates the economic differences of the regions and the size of these differences. The thesis looks into the fact whether these differences are increasing or decreasing. It identifies highly developed regions which contribute to development of the country the most, and undeveloped regions which need some support necessarily. The thesis also describes which tools could be used to support the undeveloped regions and to decrease differences among regions.


MINNEAPOLIS (AdAge.com) -While it may seem the "D" in DTV stands for delay, of course it signifies digital, which is how signals will be sent out once the analog spectrum switches Friday night. The delay, derided by some as yet another "nanny state" hand-holding for procrastinators, was put to good use, however, as the number of homes Nielsen considers "completely unready" shrank from 5.8 million to 2.8 million. And because those most vulnerable to losing broadcast were among the most vulnerable in society -including non-English-speaking households and some poor and elderly viewers waiting was wise.


In the February issue of National Accountant, I presented an article that offered an introduction to a specific aspect of financial risk management, namely, the management of foreign exchange (FX) exposure. In that article I identified the three specific types of FX exposure; translation, operating and transaction.


The multiple projects resource-constrained project scheduling problem is considered in this paper. Several projects which share several kinds of common resources are to be scheduled simultaneously in this problem. Each project contains Non-pre-emptive activities with deterministic durations compete limited resources under resources and precedence constraints. Moreover, there are the due date and the tardy cost per day that cause the penalty when the project cannot be accomplished before its due date. The objective is to minimize the total tardy cost subject to the resource and precedence constraints. The metaheuristic method called ANGEL is applied to this problem. ANGEL combines ant colony optimization (ACO), genetic algorithm (GA) and local search strategy (LS). In ANGEL, ACO and GA run alternately and cooperatively. ANGEL performs very well in the multiple projects resource-constrained project scheduling problem as revealed by the experimental results.


This is a summary of th e research: (eight verses of the tasks of NISA) This research consists of an introduction, preface, six Detectives, and a conclusion. Provided and the importance of the subject and the reason for his choice, and text effectsfrom Ibn Abbas and Ibn Mas'ud - may God be pleased with them - and attributed to the outpSunni scholars and judged،  The first topic: talk about the vers es of the first three: in which th e will of God is our stathis religion, and to guide him, a nd repentance of sins and the sins, a nd reduce costs, and the wfollowers of desires us to tilt the Great to haraam de sires. And the second topic: the security othose who avoid the major sins that expiate for minor  sins with him, and enters the holy entrathird topic: the promenade God for th e injustice in all its forms is not  a shortage of good deincrease in evil deeds, good deeds, But doubling th e delivery of good deeds with a great reward. The fourth section: that the polytheist and a forger to God, and that does not forgive Shirepent, and what else the sins of will is opened.  And Section V: the guarantee of forgiveness afor those who follow the evil of injustice for forgiveness. And Section VI: the evidence of wabelievers in Allah and His messengers, and Th e Annunciation of forgiveness and compassion.


vaneck.com | 800.826.2333 Market Review Reports of the USD's death are greatly exaggerated, in our opinion, and even if there is a case, EM debt is not the obvious beneficiary. In fact, we find the argument almost too vague to address. The argument is essentially that low interest rates, quantitative easings (QEs), credit easings (purchases of corporate bonds), the prospect of MMT (modern monetary theory), political and social unrest and even "empire decline" are going to lead to a sharp drop in the U.S. dollar. Our basic problem with this theory as a basis for investing is as follows. First, what is going to go up against the U.S. dollar? One needs to be specific and name the specific U.S. dollar cross one is predicting will collapse (which we review below). Second, in the decade-plus since the Fed's first QE, this dollar collapse has absolutely not happened. EM local currency debt hasn't even returned its carry in the post-QE era (it's returned a tiny fraction of it, in fact). Keep in mind that these money experiments are not unique to the U.S. and even EM economies (some with justification, some with little) are engaging in them.


Most current models of speech production predict interference from related context words in picture-naming tasks. However, Glaser and Düngelhoff (1984) reported semantic facilitation when the task was changed from basic-level naming to category-level naming. The authors explore two proposals to account for this change in polarity of the semantic context effect: the semantic selection account by Costa, Mahon, Savova, and Caramazza (2003) and a response-congruency account. Experiments 1a and 1b show that category names induce semantic interference in basic-level naming, a finding that disproves the semantic selection account and is in line with the response-congruency account. Experiment 2 reveals that response congruency is probably a major contributor to the overall facilitation effect in categorisation tasks. Finally, Experiment 3 tests and confirms a prediction of the response-congruency account in basic-level naming with subordinate-level distractors. The authors conclude that the available evidence support the response-congruency account and suggest that this congruency effect is localised at the stage of constructing a preverbal message.


The article considers the problem of professional communication of future physicians. The necessity of forming dialogue-based professional communication is future doctors is proved. The research identifies what underlies the system of individual views of doctors about themselves and others (patients), their personal constructs. Diagnosis is explained as follows: the physician as a person and a professional can establish a dialogue in case, if the private system semantic constructs can reproduce the system of constructs of another person; it is, as if you have to look at the world through the eyes of another person. The work presents some data on the insufficient level of the development of dialogue-related communication in future physicians. The author also identifies low ability to establish contacts with patients. The necessity of the development of special educational programs for the development of professional communication with dialogical type of future physicians are proved and explained.


The adiabatic theory allows for perturbation of the atom by treating the colliding electron as a fixed point charge. The form of the wave functions obtained may be shown to be correct in the limit of large separations. Numerical results are discussed for the s- and p-phases in electron-hydrogen collisions. It is considered that the adiabatic theory over-estimates the effect of perturbations of the atom for separations of order 1 atomic unit. The error introduced for the s-wave may be particularly large.


Fractures of the navicular bone are the most common carpal injuries (O'Donoghue, 1976; Thomaidis, 1973). Young males are especially prone to this fracture when falling on the outstretched hand. Various sporting activities are associated with this type of injury, these include football, basketball, rugby, skating, skate-boarding, hang-gliding, etc. (Dobyns, 1978). The vast majority of fractured scaphoids unite without complications. However, some unite slowly; in others, pseudoarthrosis occurs and in some, aseptic necrosis of the proximal fragment (Alho, 1975). Failure to recognise this fracture with resultant delayed immobilisation of the wrist is partially blamed for these complications.


Recent results from the CLEO III experiment are presented. We report on a new study of exclusive radiative decays of the Υ(1S) resonance, di‐pion transitions of the χb(2P) and the new precise measurements of the Υ(nS) (n=1, 2, 3) resonance parameters: di‐electron widths and branching fractions to ττ and μμ final states.


In this paper a robot-control algorithm for tracking a curve on a surface is presented. During the tracking the robot maintains contact with the surface at a predefined force. The method is based on visual information provided by a camera mounted on the robot's end effector, and the measured force acquired from a force sensor. The obtained data are analyzed and the required information is employed in the control algorithm to ensure satisfactory operation. The proposed solution gives new enhancement opportunities for industrial robot-based applications.


Spreading of aqueous maltodextrin polymer solutions on a hydrophobic surface of liquid anhydrous milkfat (AMF) was investigated. The effect on spreading rate of droplet size, concentration of polymer, and presence or absence of two types of surfactant was determined. All the experiments were carried out at constant temperature and high relative humidity. All droplets exhibited dynamic behaviour of expansion and contraction, which was not expected. After some initial expansion, droplets without surfactant shrank with the 10% maltodextrin solutions shrinking faster than the 5% or 30% solutions. The cause of both these observations is unknown. When the droplets contained surfactant, the droplets spread. Increasing the concentration of maltodextrin decreased the rate and extent of spreading, possibly due to mass transfer and viscous dissipation effects. Increasing the volume of the droplet from 0.5 ul to 1 ul also decreased the rate of spreading, but this was due to the larger droplet sinking into the liquid AMF surface. The type of surfactant also affected the rate of spreading which supports the theory of limited mass transfer to the expanding interfaces of the droplet.


Traffic metering and data aggregating of high speed network are one of the difficult problems for network measurement. For the needs of network management and IP accounting of CERNET, this paper designs and implements a highly scalable performance measurement system, Linuxflow.


The flammability of magnetic tape assemblies used at the National Fusion Energy Computer Center was investigated. Experimental and large-scale tests showed that the magnetic computer tape, reels and cases decompose at fairly low temperatures; do not release detectable amounts of corrosive products at low heating rates; release small amounts of detectable corrosive products at high heating rates; form a wide variety of chemicals upon thermal degradation; ignite readily, produce copious amount of smoke, and are extremely hard to extinguish with water once the assemblies are fully involved. Reignition is probably due to the high heat capacity of the metal oxide in the magnetic tapes. This finding suggests that a re-examination of the NFPA sprinkler standard for computer tapes storage facilities would be in order. 7 figures, 5 tables. (RWR)


The interface of fibers and fibrids is a key factor for the insulation strength of meta-aramid paper. In this article, a co-modification method of plasma discharge and coupling agent treatment for chopped fibers is proposed. By optimizing the plasma treating time, the surface hydroxyl groups are introduced to facilitate the grafting of coupling agents. Among three kinds of coupling agents, including amino-propyl-triethoxy-silane (AP), glycidyletheroxy-propyl-triethoxy-silane (GP), and mercapto-propyl-triethoxy-silane (MP), AP shows the best effect on improving the article breakdown strength, which reaches 28.3 kV/mm, 25% higher than the unmodified one. The modified papers showed compact paper structures, reductions of electrical conductivity, and deepening of carrier trap curve. Through the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, we found that the coupling agent containing hydrogen bond (H-bond) donors rather than acceptors, namely AP, is easier to form new interface H-bonds with precipitated fibrids and does not consume intrinsic H-bonds with chopped fibers, and thus performs better on the fiber–fibrids interface interaction.


 e purpose of this study is to develop a methodological framework for examining brand identity construction. In the fi rst part of the study, the theoretical background and conceptualization of brand identity is introduced.  is section contains a comparative analysis of the most used conceptual brand identity models, which highlight key elements of the composition of brand identity in an identity-based branding approach.  e second part of the study proposes the operationalization of brand identity.  e third part of the study presents the operationalization schemes developed to analyze the construction of the serviceand employer brand identities of so ware and IT companies from Cluj-Napoca.  e operationalization examples are based on the content analysis of the websites of 110 so ware and IT companies from Cluj-Napoca.  e examination was conducted in September 2018.


Thanks to teams at two laboratories, that textbook abstraction of quantum mechanics, the one‐dimensional square well, has become realized in a physical object. Known as a "heterostructure," this object consists of accurately deposited thin layers of two different semiconductors of matching lattice constants. When these man‐made square wells are built up into stacks of 10–100 periods, they constitute essentially an infinite configuration (because of the finite mean free path of the carriers) known as a "superlattice" (PHYSICS TODAY, August 1973, page 20). These structures open the possibility of creating quantum states with predetermined energy levels and bandwidths.


The intention of this thesis is to investigate the fatigue behavior of the Ti-6Al-4V alloymanufactured by the relatively new additive manufacturing process called Selective Laser Melting(SLM). SLMh ...


The result of conducting a fundamental tuberculosis control program is a reduction in the incidence of this disease. In the past six months, in this "fair-sized community" of students, there have been found only about 20 new cases. The majority of these are at a very early stage and, for the most part, are now under treatment. Certainly, until there is a method developed that will insure true immunity to this disease, the use of the Mantoux test should be continued as it is the one diagnostic procedure which will tell those individuals who have been infected with tuberculosis and therefore need careful supervision.


Summary "Barbering" is an abnormal behavior in mice. Barbering mice pluck fur and/or whiskers from cage-mates and/or themselves, leaving idiosyncratic patches of hair loss. The behavior is a paradox: barbering is common in laboratory mice, but it is not seen in wild mice, it does not benefit the plucker, and it is costly to the recipient. This chapter will attempt to resolve the barbering paradox by asking how and why barbering behavior occurs. Using Tinbergen's (1963) framework for an ethological analysis, we assess barbering in terms of adaptive function, phylogeny, development, and mechanism. The first section discusses hypotheses of adaptive function. The dominance hypothesis is refuted by several studies; the coping hypothesis remains untested; and the pathology hypothesis is supported by multiple lines of evidence. The pathology hypothesis therefore provides the best resolution to the barbering paradox. Accordingly, throughout, we compare and contrast barbering to trichotillomania (TTM) and other human disorders characterized by repetitive behavior. The second section assesses the phylogenetic underpinnings of barbering by comparing and contrasting hair-plucking behavior across species and between mouse strains. The third section reviews the developmental processes that underlie barbering behavior, particularly developmental risk factors, learning, the laboratory environment, and transgenic effects. The final section reviews the behavioral mechanisms, eliciting stimuli, and physiological mechanisms that might mediate barbering. Here, we outline the role of cortico–striatal circuitry in abnormal repetitive behavior in general, how it can be used to delineate disorders, and insights it provides into barbering.


Two separate incidents are described, each involving the destruction of a river barge on its first ocean voyage. The article takes a close look at the lessons to be learned from the casualties. It also explains some basic principles (longitudinal strength, compression, buckling, etc.) that make it clear why, for a river barge, the pounding pressures of an ocean voyage can easily lead to disaster.


In this research paper, chemically activated Thuja Occidentalis leaves carbon (CATLC) is used as an adsorbent for the expulsion of Mn(II) from aqueous solution. CATLC is characterized by FTIR, SEM and EDX. The effect of pH, initial Mn(II) concentration, CATLC dosage and contact time on the adsorption performance of CATLC for Mn(II) ions are examined by batch studies. The results reveal that CATLC has a high potential to adsorb Mn(II) ions (96.1% removal) at pH 7.00 at room temperature. To know the equilibrium behaviour of Mn(II) adsorption, Frendlich and Langmuier models are examined, and the data reveal that Freundlich model (R2= 0.9900) fits better than Langmuir isotherm (R2=0.8499) for adsorption of Mn(II). The maximum adsorption capacity of the CATLC obtained by Langmuir model (Qm) is of 5.13. The R2 value of 0.995 in kinetic adsorption studies, with strongly favours pseudo-second-order model rather than pseudo-first order, intraparticle diffusion and Elovich models. Regeneration studies indicate that CATLC can be regenerated easily and reused for several adsorption-desorption cycles, with brine solution as a regenerating agent. Hence, CATLC adsorbent is the best alternative for Mn(II) rich water samples.


A report by the Institute of Medicine recommends that the FDA develop a new regulatory framework for moderate-risk medical devices, currently approved on the basis of their substantial equivalence to previously cleared devices — not assurance of safety or effectiveness.


In conventional processing, handle, thickness, lustre, dimensional stability, etc., are largely determined by the three final finishing processes known as pressing (hydraulic or rotary), blowing and high-temperature decatising (the last being essentially a 'setting' process). The significant changes in fabric properties which are brought about in these three industrial procedures are briefly mentioned, and emphasis is given to the results that can be achieved in respect of fabric compression and subsequent recovery. There are serious limitations to the extent to which a high degree of compression can be permanently 'set' into fabric when it is in roll form, and also to the permanence of finish that can be achieved by continuous blowing or pressing.

The principles underlying the proposed new process are then described. Data are given for the compression and recovery characteristics obtained with this process, and these are compared with the results of conventional methods.

The paper consists of an account of the development of a machine for industrial production, indicating some of the problems that have had to be solved, and ends with an assessment of its anticipated commercial advantages.


Carried interest is a form of deferred compensation payable to managers of hedge funds organized as investment partnerships. There are two tax components of this compensation that are favorable to the manager. First, income taxes are due only when amounts are received rather than when this interest is granted, and second, this income is eligible for the lower tax rates of capital gains and dividends. Special tax treatment has been criticized by some as being an unfair benefit for income that is essentially compensation for services, while proponents of continuing this special treatment point out policy reasons for continuing it, emphasizing characteristics of carried interest that warrant treatment such special treatment. Legislative changes have been proposed but not enacted into law, and there are different alternatives that warrant consideration for the future.


One of the novelties associated with the expansion of audiovisual streaming platforms are recommendation systems, which provide users with suggestions about which content they should consume. These suggestions are done considering multiple variables, which include the consumption history of that specific user, among others. In many cases, these recommendations are made by machine learning algorithms, and result in a sort of automated curation of the contents, which largely determine the daily consumption of audiovisual productions. This work seeks to characterize some of the logics that guide the activity of these algorithms from a semiotic perspective. Towards the end of the work, it is discussed which are the spaces for novelty, in these systems that always seem to propose consumptions similar to those already carried out.


In text categorization, feature extraction is one of the major strategies that aim at making text classifiers more efficient and accurate. Selecting quickly a suitable strategy for feature extraction out of many strategies proposed by previous studies is difficult. In this paper, we propose an efficient entity extraction approach for feature extraction which contributes towards accurate text categorization. In the proposed approach the entities identified are person name, organization name, location and date. We have used the GATE tool for extraction of these entities. After the entities are identified we have annotated each of these entities in the original text with parameters. There are three measures used for feature selection, term frequency (TF), information gain (IG) and chi-square (χ2). The effectiveness and accuracy of the entity annotated features is judged by using these features for classification and comparing the results against the non-annotated features. The experimentation is performed on standard benchmarking datasets such as NFS Abstract datasets and Reuters-21578. The experimental results predict that the accuracy of text categorization using the annotated features is better for NFS Abstract-Title dataset as compared to non-annotated features. For Reuters-21578, however, there wasn't a significant improvement in accuracy of classification.


Reagents used for examination must be considered for stability. Reagents made beforehand must be used immediately because the reagent that has been opened has a shorter stability period than the reagent that has not been opened. This study aims to determine the difference in creatinine levels using a mono reagent that is immediately used and which is left in for 5 hours at room temperature. This research is a pre-experimental study with a one-group pretest-posttest research design. The research sample was the remaining serum of the patients who were examined in the laboratory of Medika Sangatta Hospital as many as 40 samples. The test results were analyzed descriptively and statistically using paired sample t-test. The results of the descriptive test showed that the difference between the mean creatinine levels using immediate reagent and those experiencing indentation for 5 hours was 0.1 with the maximum value of creatinine levels using immediate reagent and those experiencing indwelling were 1.7 mg/dl and 1.6 mg/dl. While the minimum values ??are 0.9 mg / dl and 0.8 mg / dl (p=0.003). There was a difference in creatinine levels using a mono reagent which is immediately used and which has been left standing for 5 hours at room temperature so the mono reagent that has been made should be used immediately.


Abstract : The final report summarizes the research results obtained, covering five areas in protocol engineering and distributed systems. The five areas are (1) protocol conversion, (2) conformance testing, (3) multimedia protocols, (4) high-speed packet switches, and (5) distributed control. For each area of research, the problems under investigation are first described, and then the major results obtained are summarized. A total of 28 publications, including 4 Ph.D. dissertations, 6 journal publications and 18 publications in international conference proceedings, have been credited to the contract. In the appendix, six reprints that were not included in two previous progress reports, are included in the final report.


The toxicity of eight conventional insecticides viz., acephate, chlorpyriphos, dichlorvos, dimethoate, profenophos, triazophos, cypermethrin and neem oil at half of the recommended dose was tested on Apis mellifera using the dry film method. Foragers were released into treated jars at different intervals i.e., 0, 12 and 24 hours after dry film formation. Acephate, cypermethrin and dimethoate were found to be highly toxic to honeybees, while dichlorvos and neem oil were least toxic.


A grid adaptive finite difference technique is instigated to valuate butterfly spread call option for one asset using Black-Scholes equation. The grid is refined near three exercise prices and a coarse grid is generated otherwise. The non unoform finite difference scheme is used in this computation. The numerical experiments show that the adaptive finite difference method is much more efficient than the method with uniform spacing. The grid adaptation technique reduces the points drastically which in turn decreases the computational cost and makes the algorithm highly efficient. A fully implicit and explicit scheme is also compared in this computation. [N. A. Mir, S. Ahmad and M. Ashraf. Space Adaptive Technique to Simulate Butterfly Option Using BlackScholes Equation. Life Sci J 2013;10(5s):76-79] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 13


This study addresses the nature of the networks which researchers use to access resources focusing on the nature of network‐mediated resource exchanges and the relationship to those network connection strengths. Innovation literature tends to assume that for research collaboration weak ties – allowing loose coupling – are optimal, and it is precisely that notion that we seek to test here. This paper addresses the manner in which relational and institutional traits interact in R&D relationships, and specifically the institutional context and functional characteristics of a tie between two researchers. We use Granovetter's network theory to conceptualise scientific network functioning in R&D collaborative relationships, classifying ties into strong and weak ties. We then analyse how actors' institutional contexts (and their similarity or difference) affect how researchers conduct resources exchanges. We argue ' tie characteristics' can predict different patterns of exchange behaviours depending on partners' institutional affiliations. Our findings stress that institutional affiliation determines which tie characteristics are in the best interest for the access to resources to take place.


Objective To describe the development features of carpus's bone age,key markers and bone cortex among girls with early menstruation,and to provide scientific evidence for both practical and theoretical research in the field of medicine.Methods On the basis of investigation into puberty condition,62 girls whose menstruation came before 11 years old were chosen.They were given carpus's X-ray for judging bone age,discerning the key markers of bone development and measuring the thickness of the second metacarpus cortex.Results For those sampled girls,their average age was 10.6 years old when menarche occurred while their average bone age reached 13.26 years old,among them there were 52 girls(83.9%)whose bone age was estimated from 13.0 to 14.0 years old.Therefore,it was calculated that their average bone age was 2.66 years older than their actual menarche age.Among those girls,there were 59 girls whose seed sesamoid of thumbs already grew up at menarche.Further more,the cortex thickness of the second metacarpus in the girls reached the thickness of the local girls at 12.3 years old.Conclusion Average bone age of girls can be used to predict their menarche,which means a lot both for normal girls and for girls with early menarche.


The invention provides a nozzle device which comprises a nozzle inlet part and a nozzle outlet part, and the nozzle outlet part is provided with an injection surface with an injection orifice, wherein, the nozzle outlet part is integrated with the nozzle inlet part and comprises a cavity connected with a the nozzle inlet for accommodating the fluid coming from the nozzle inlet part and leading the fluid to the injection nozzle, thereby enabling the injection hole to inject the fluid to the outside. Furthermore, the invention provides a semiconductor treatment device adopting the nozzle device. The nozzle device and the semiconductor treatment device which are provided by the invention have the advantages of facilitating assembly, disassembly and sealing, and low dependency on exterior parts. At the same time, the nozzle device and the semiconductor device can enable the gas to enter a reaction chamber and evenly reach devices to be processed/treated, such as a wafer and the like, so that the processing/treatment rate of the device surfaces to be processed/treated is uniform, and excellent processing/treating results can be further obtained.


When the transketolase‐deficient and D‐ribose‐producing Bacillussubtilis strain ATCC 21951 was grown in a glucose (200 g l−1)‐based medium (Kintaka et al. 1986), only 11 g l−1D‐ribose was synthesized, in addition to acetic acid (12 g l−1) and acetoin plus 2,3‐butanediol (24 g l−1), within 1 week of fermentation. After optimizing the process conditions at 2 l fermentor scale (simplified medium composition, pH 5·0 or 6·0, highly oxidative (1000 rev min−1, 3 vvm)), 40 g l−1D‐ribose was obtained from 200 g l−1D‐glucose, in addition to 14·5 g l−1 acetoin, during 1 week of fermentation. By partially substituting D‐glucose with D‐gluconic acid (100 g l−1D‐glucose plus 50 g l−1D‐gluconic acid) under highly oxidative (1000 rev min−1, 3 vvm) and pH‐controlled (pH 6·5) conditions, D‐ribose productivity increased (45 g l−1) and acetoin formation (7·5 g l−1) dropped, as did the fermentation time (3·5 d). The mixed carbon substrate procedure here developed provides an excellent alternative to the less efficient glucose‐based processes described so far.


Calcitonin-immunoreactive cells were found in the intestine of goldfish. These cells were distributed mainly in the anterior part of the intestine, dispersed in the intestinal epithelium. The nucleus was located in the basal portion of the serosal side, and the cytoplasm was elongated to the luminal side. From the anterior part of the intestine, cDNA fragments with the same nucleotide sequence as that of the goldfish calcitonin gene were amplified by RT-PCR method. After administration of one of three kinds of solutions (saline, consommé soup, or high Ca consommé soup) into the digestive tract of the goldfish, the number of those cells was the largest in the consommé group at 6 h after ingestion, although blood Ca levels were the highest in the high Ca consommé group. The function of calcitonin cells in the intestine may be to restrain the acute absorption of nutrients and not to control blood Ca levels.


During the last ten years, TiO2 has been intensively investigated as a potential photocatalyst for degradation of water pollutants. Such interest is due to high stability, nontoxicity and optical properties, making it suitable for applications such "as self-cleaning windows, anti-bacterial coating and waste water purification [1,2]". In water treatment, a key issue is the synthesis of photocatalysts with good efficiency both in the UV and the visible range. In this context "doping" titania with metallic ions (for example Au) leads to photocatalyst with improved efficiency compared to pure TiO2, this effect was attributed to better charge transfer. Moreover, gold supported titania nanoparticles present an absorption under visible light irradiation attributed to the surface plasmon resonance [3]..
In this context, the Laser pyrolysis [4] method appears as a convenient way to prepare various nanoparticles (NPs) or "doped" NPs in a one step process.This versatile method is used for efficient production of nanoparticles with precise chemical composition, size, cristallinity,... It is based on the interaction of a high power infrared laser beam with precursors. For TiO2 synthesis, titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) is used as precursor. It is decomposed in an incandescent flame observed in the laser-precursor interaction zone where NPs nucleate and grow. Their characteristics are controlled by the choice of experimental parameters; in particular the size of the nanoparticles depends on the residence time in the laser beam controlled by the gas flow rate of reactants in the reaction zone. The cristallinity is controlled by the reaction temperature in the reaction zone, i.e. the laser power. The chemical composition also depends on the nature of the different reagents in the precursor mixture: TiO2 is obtained from pure TTIP, nitrogen doped TiO2 is obtained from TTIP by adding a slight flow of NH3, Au-TiO2 is obtained from a mixture of TTIP+HAuCl4.3H2O. All the nanoparticles were characterized by XDR, HRTEM (see picture below), UV-Vis measurements,…Both N-TiO2 and Au-TiO2 present light absorption in the visible range.
The photocatalytic activity of the different samples was investigated by following the degradation of formic acid as an organic model pollutant under UV and visible irradiation using UV-A lamp with maximum radiation at λ=365 nm and LEDs (400>λ<800 nm). The results prove that both TiO2 and Au-TiO2 synthesized from laser pyrolysis are more active than the reference Degussa P25 under irradiation with UV light. An enhancement of photocatalytic activity is observed by increasing gold content. However, the Au-TiO2 samples do not exhibit activity under visible light. By contrast, N-TiO2 and Au- N-TiO2, present a significant photocatalytic activity under visible light. However, the N-TiO2 is not very active under UV while the Au-N-TiO2 exhibit good efficiency under such illumination compared to pure TiO2 and gold modified TiO2. These results indicate an efficient activity under visible correlated to the presence of N together with a good activity under UV correlated to the presence of Au. These results will be discussed by comparison with the literature.
References
[1] X. Chen, SS. Mao, Nature, 238 (1972) 37
[2] J-M. Hermann, C. Duchamp, C. Guillard, Journal of hazardous Materials, 146 (2007) 624.
[3] J. Fang, S. Cao, Z. Wang, Journal of Hydrigen Energy, 37 (2012) 17853.
[4] H. Maskrot, Y. Leconte, N. Herlin-Boime, Catalysis today, 116 (2006) 6.


Bladder leiomyomas are benign mesenchymal neoplasms and very rare urinary tumours that represent <0.5% of all bladder tumours, with only 250 cases reported worldwide to date [1,2]. Patients with bladder leiomyomas can be asymptomatic, but the majority present with obstructive symptoms (49%), irritative symptoms (38%) and hematuria (11%) [3,4]. The importance of recognizing their characteristic features, leading to their correct treatment, is fundamental.