This article studies cement-free heat insulating alkaline silicate compositions based on technogenic raw stuff. The influence of technogenic factors on aeration of compositions made of liquid glass and technogenic filler has been detected. Metallurgical slag and waste glass have been used as technogenic fillers. Aeration of the compositions has been evaluated by the bulk and stability of foam, structure and density of foamed concrete. The influence of type and concentration of foaming agent, filler content, agitation mode of raw stuff on formation of cellular structure has been studied. Possibility of complex aeration of liquid glass compositions has also been studied. The structure of aerated materials has been analyzed. It has been established that synthetic foaming agents in amount of 3-4% in molding blend are more preferable. Reasonable ratios of solid to liquid components in molding blend have been determined. Additional aeration of cellular structure by means of addition of aerated technogenic filler and gas forming agent, hydrogen peroxide, has been


1 Introduction -- 2 Background -- Logos Model Beginnings -- Advent of Statistical MT -- Overview of Logos Model Translation Process -- Psycholinguistic and Neurolinguistic Assumptions -- On Language and Grammar -- Conclusion -- 3 – Language and Ambiguity: Psycholinguistic Perspectives -- Levels of Ambiguity -- Language Acquisition and Translation -- Psycholinguistic Bases of Language Skills -- Practical Implications for Machine Translation -- Psycholinguistics in a Machine -- Conclusion -- 4– Language and Complexity: Neurolinguistic Perspectives -- Cognitive Complexity -- A Role for Semantic Abstraction -- Connectionism and Brain Simulation -- Logos Model as a Neural Network -- Language Processing in the Brain -- MT Performance and Underlying Competence -- Conclusion -- 5 – Syntax and Semantics: Dichotomy or Integration? -- Syntax versus Semantics: Is There a Third, Semantico- Syntactic Perspective? -- Recent Views of the Cerebral Process -- Syntax and Semantics: How Do They Relate? -- Conclusion -- 6 –Logos Model: Design and Performance -- The Translation Problem -- How Do You Represent Natural Language? -- How Do You Store Linguistic Knowledge? -- How Do You Apply Stored Knowledge To The Input Stream? -- How do you Effect Target Transfer and Generation? -- How Do You Deal with Complexity Issues? -- Conclusion -- 7 – Some limits on Translation Quality -- First Example -- Second Example -- Other Translation Examples -- Balancing the Picture -- Conclusion -- 8 – Deep Learning MT and Logos Model -- Points of Similarity and Differences -- Deep Learning, Logos Model and the Brain -- On Learning -- The Hippocampus Again -- Conclusion -- Part II -- The SAL Representation Language -- SAL Nouns -- SAL Verbs -- SAL Adjectives -- SAL Adverbs.


Genomic structural inversion is a class of structural variations, and has been widely associated to a series of complex traits and diseases. It has great significance in accurately identifying the inversions from the high-throughput sequencing data for both research and clinical practice. However, detecting inversion is a challenging computational problem. Existing approaches either limit to detect the inversions with specific length intervals or require a significant distribution of the coverage across the candidate interval. In this paper, we propose a novel detection algorithm to accurately identify the inversions with wide-spectrum of length. The proposed algorithm consists of two components: a clustering step and a segmentation and extension step. It first clusters the pair–ended reads to squeeze the candidate intervals. Then, it utilizes the contig assembly strategy to reconstruct the candidate intervals. Meanwhile, a segmentation and extension strategy is implemented. For each candidate interval, a feature vector is calculated, based on the characteristic values. Finally, the algorithm combines the comparison verification results to filter out some potential false positives, and then returns the inversion breakpoints on base-pair resolution. We conduct a series of simulation experiments to verify the performance of proposed algorithm and compare to two very popular approaches, DELLY and Pindel. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach provides better results on handling the inversions with wide-spectrum of length, especially when the inversions with short-to-medium length exist.


After surgery, adjuvant therapy with trastuzumab alone works just as well as trastuzumab combined with lapatinib for women with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer.


1. Single neurohypophyses from male rats were maintained in an in vitro perifusion chamber. Ion‐sensitive microelectrodes were introduced into the tissue to measure changes in [K+]o and [Ca2+]o during electrical stimulation. 2. Electrical stimulation at 6 Hz for 1 min and 30 Hz for 12 s raised [K+]o by 5.4 +/‐ 0.4 and 13.5 +/‐ 0.5 mM (mean +/‐ S.E.M., n = 8) respectively. To investigate the effects of raised [K+]o on the excitability of the neurosecretory terminals, stimulations were repeated in media of altered K+ concentration. The increase in [K+]o evoked by 6 Hz stimulation was elevated in 10 mM‐K+ medium (133% of that in 5 mM‐K+ medium) and reduced in 0 mM‐K+ medium and in 25 mM‐K+ medium. Thus it appeared that stimulus‐induced changes in [K+]o might enhance the excitability of the tissue during electrical activation. 3. To test this hypothesis, we measured the field potential responses evoked by 0.5 Hz stimulation in media of different K+ concentrations. The size of the field potential was enhanced in 10 mM‐K+ medium and depressed in 0 mM‐K+ medium and in 25 mM‐K+ medium. 4. Electrical stimulation (6 Hz, 1 min) decreased [Ca2+]o by 10.9 +/‐ 1.8% (n = 6). This decrease was absent in the presence of 1 microM‐tetrodotoxin or 1 mM‐cadmium. Again, the [Ca2+] response to stimulation was enhanced in 10 mM‐K+ medium and depressed in 0 mM‐K+ medium or 25 mM‐K+ medium. 5. The release of vasopressin and oxytocin evoked by stimulation at 6 or 30 Hz from isolated neurohypophyses was measured by radioimmunoassay in a separate series of experiments. Stimulation at 30 Hz for 1 min released 5‐ to 6‐fold more hormone than stimulation at 6 Hz for 5 min. Release evoked by 6 Hz stimulation was enhanced in 15 mM‐K+ medium and depressed in 25 mM‐K+ medium. 6. We conclude that the rise in [K+]o that accompanies high‐frequency activation of axons and terminals in the neurohypophysis contributes to the facilitation of hormone release with increasing frequencies of stimulation, and in particular to the efficiency of the milk‐ejection burst discharge of oxytocin neurones for evoking oxytocin release.


A broadband radio frequency phase shifter has been designed which provides a continuous 360° variation of the phase angle. This phase shifter is suitable for use with the broadband receiver amplifier and phase‐sensitive detector combination frequently found in pulsed NMR spectrometers. A phase shifter operating between 3.5 to 76 MHz, which has an almost linear variation of the electrical phase angle with the manually adjusted phase control setting, is described in detail. While this particular phase shifter is useful for resistive magnet spectrometer applications it would be possible to cover higher frequency ranges if necessary.


Rancho Dominguez 2050 E. Vista Bella Way, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90220 (310) 609-1811 (800) 326-0006 FAX: (310) 609-1862 E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Phoenix 3120 West Thomas Road, Bldg. #801, Phoenix, AZ 85017 (602) 269-2501 (800) 325-6478 FAX: (602) 278-7134 E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com 1 Web Page: www.std-wire.com Transmission of electrical signals over wire lines requires the use of two conductors to complete the circuit. One we call the "go" wire; the other is the "return" wire.


This abstract introduces the 14.2 issue of the Journal of Screenwriting. It recognizes the wide-ranging approaches to screenwriting research and the range of topics that are covered. It also refers to the large number of non-screenwriting peer reviewers who are now assessing articles for the journal. It then goes on to outline the issue's contents.


Analysis of data to inform decision making in dairy animal practice is a cornerstone of modern dairy herd health work and is routinely carried out in areas such as fertility management and mastitis control. Mastitis in dairy herds continues to be important and relevant to veterinary advisors for many reasons, such as cow welfare, the cost of disease, the use of antimicrobials and the sustainability of farming and food supply, including environmental impact and waste milk. When implementing control measures to reduce mastitis infection rates on farm, herd level analysis of infection 'patterns' to inform decision making has been shown to be an important first step. Feedback from participants using the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Dairy Mastitis Control Plan previously indicated that the first stage of the Plan, analysing patterns and making a herd 'diagnosis', was often a difficult stage for Plan deliverers. The new AHDB Dairy QuarterPRO scheme offers an 'entry-level' method of routinely monitoring mastitis on farm and builds in a rapid method of assessing the predominant mastitis infection patterns present on farm, using somatic cell count and clinical mastitis records. A new fully automated mastitis pattern analysis report is now available to all milk recording dairy herds in the UK through their milk recording organisation, allowing routine assessment of the predominant pattern of infection, and enabling farmers and veterinary surgeons to highlight the most important area on their farm for mastitis control.


Ever since the implementation of CET4 and 6, the English language learning has been increasingly taking the priority of China's college student. But owing to various fallacious ideas in the epistemology and methodology concerning English language learning, some negative effects, such as low efficiency and deaf and dumb in using English, to many, have been caused in both teaching and learning of the language under discussion. What should be overcome, in this case, are first of all college students' epistemological and methodological barriers so that the reform program in English teaching model be effectively carried out and the students' competence in using English be greatly developed.


Shaw and Weiss "Canopy light and the distribution of hemlock dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium tsugense (Rosendahl) G.N. Jones subsp. tsugense) aerial shoots in an old-growth Douglas-fir/western hemlock forest." Northwest Science. 2000; 74(4): 306-315


On the basis of analysis of documentation, the author has studied sex and age characteristics of completed suicides in their relationships to other autodestructive behaviors and main parameters of the quality of life in the Kabardin-Balkar Republic (KBR). The data obtained show no correlation between the dynamics of suicides in general population and negative socioeconomic influences in the development of this republic. Much lower figures of suicides in KBR, in comparison with average ones in the RF, are associated with the influence of the dominant ethnic groups. Lower level of suicides in the Russian population residing in the area could be explained as a result of their cultural interaction with local dominant ethnic groups. Unemployment happens to be the leading social suicide factor among men.


The Invisible Hand The patient's wife had insisted that he get an angiogram, but by the time it came due, the country was in the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic. Suddenly, the benefits of continuin...


an alternative when in fact the words should be Care and Control. She talks of the change in the Juvenile Court since the 1969 Act pointing out the fact that Benches are receiving information and opinions of social workers, psychiatrists, school teachers as though this were all new and different. I can assure her that the Probation Service was making recommendations for many years, so I doubt if Benches feel more restricted or channelled because of the reports they now receive. Surely if there are differences of opinion between the Benches and the


'Service user' advisory representation is required by law and/or regulation in British social, health and educational programmes. This is similar to client counsels or consumer groups in the USA, which are required in some, but not all, US social service sectors. Often users of welfare services are excluded from citizenship – both formally and in terms of actual restraints on their citizenship rights. There remains uncertainty, however, about how best to identify and enable such individuals to participate in service user involvement without continued marginalisation. This study seeks to contribute to our emerging understanding of service user initiatives by exploring preferred terms of reference and service user involvement from the point of view of persons often categorised as service users by social policy, health and social care providers and academics, but who do not necessarily take part in self-organised service user groups.


ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of egg yolk concentration and washing on sperm quality in cryopreserved Barbari buck semen at higher dilution (100 × 106 cells/ml). Five healthy Barbari bucks of similar age and weight were selected as semen donor. Six ejaculates were collected from each buck during the experiment. Collected semen samples were pooled and diluted with Tris-based semen extender containing 6% glycerol and egg yolk according to the treatments – T-1, that is, 3% egg yolk, T-2, that is, 20% egg yolk and T-3, that is, 20% egg yolk after washing and cryopreserved using the slow freezing technique. Semen was evaluated at three different steps, namely, after dilution, after equilibration and after freeze–thawing. Significantly (p ≤ .01) higher values for motility and viability were observed in T-3 just after dilution while significantly (p ≤ .01) higher values for acrosomal integrity and pattern F (uncapacitated sperm) was observed in T-2. Significantly (p ≤ .01) higher values were observed in T-2 after equilibration and thawing. It may be concluded that incorporation of 20% egg yolk compared to 3% egg yolk or 20% egg yolk after washing in extender confer better cryoprotection to Barbari buck spermatozoa as reflected in semen quality parameters studied.


Abstract Background and Aims Our Nephrology Department during spring period on the first wave of COVID-19 was the referral Dialysis Unit for Covid-19 positive hemodialysis (HD) patients in the district area of Athens, Greece. We used hemoperfusion (HP) as a therapeutic option in our patients. The aims of this study are to report characteristics, rates and outcomes of all patients affected by infection with SARS-CoV-2 undergoing HD and were treated under our care focusing on the impact of HP on them. Method This is an observational study. Our Dialysis Unit has been assigned as a referral unit for Covid-19 positive HD patients. Patients divided to 2 groups: first group of patients underwent HD sessions with Hemoperfusion (A) and the second one received HD sessions without any other extracorporeal blood purification method (B). We used resin-directed hemoadsorption cartridges (HA-330 and HA-130) manufactured by the Jafron Biomedical Company, China. We registered all the data regarding the clinical course of our patients population. Age, primary cause of end stage renal disease, weight, clinical presentation, HD history, outcome, days of hospitalization. Results Group A 13 patients (4 males) have been enrolled in this group with mean age of 74 years old. 5 of them were presented asymptomatic at admission and 7 of them admitted with or developed during their stay pleural effusions. 4 of them were asymptomatic without effusions during the whole hospital stay. 12 patients received HP for 3 hours in our Dialysis Unit during the planned HD session and one patient received Hemoperfusion in ICU during CRRT. 6 patients had one session of Hemoperfusion (with HA130, 4 patients and with HA 330, 2 patients). 6 patients had 2 sessions (7 days interval) either with HA 130 both sessions (3 patients) or with HA 330 followed 7 days after with HA 130 (3 patients). The patients that admitted in ICU started HP the third day of her admission. The pattern was as follows: We used HA330 in 3 consecutive days during CRRT. In Day 10 we used HA130 and in Day 13 HA330. HP was performed for 3 hours. 24 days was the average hospitalization stay before starting HP for the 12 patients in boards. 9 patients discharged from the hospital after 43 days of hospitalization (range: 35-56 days). 30 days were the mean hospitalization stay for the diceased ones. We did not observe any side effects with HP cartridges (hypotension, reduction of platelets, bleeding). Group B 9 patients (7 males) with mean age of 75 years old did not receive HP during their hospitalization. All of them were presented symptomatic. 8 out of 9 patients died after 6 days of hospitalization (range: 1-14 days), 2 of them in ICU. Conclusion To sum up, HP seems to be a helpful, safe an quite efficient tool in the battle against Covid-19 in HD patients. Despite the method is unspecific, our lack of strong evidence, our views are with the opinion that is an reliable alternative therapy. However, the real impact of HP on the patient's clinical course (time of initiation, therapeutic protocols, tools to evaluate response) has yet to be determined. The above notice does not minimize the great interest for the method that renal community should give.


Shadow volumes are a popular technique to compute pixel-accurate hard shadows in 3D scenes. Many variants exist that trade off accuracy and efficiency. In this work, we present an artifact-free, efficient, and easy-to-implement stencil shadow volume method. We compare our method to established stencil shadow volume techniques and show that it outperforms the alternatives.


The earliest theories of the scattering of electromagnetic waves from randomly rough surfaces were single-scattering theories, such as small-amplitude perturbation theory and the Kirchhoff approximation. The incorporation of multiple scattering into theories of rough surface scattering has led to the prediction of several new effects, which have now been verified experimentally. The new multiple-scattering effects to be discussed in this paper include enhanced backscattering, which is the presence of a well-defined peak in the retroreflection, direction in the angular dependence of the intensity of the diffuse component of the light scattered from a random surface; enhanced transmission, which is the presence of a peak in the antispecular direction in the angular dependence of the intensity of the diffuse component of the light transmitted through a thin metal film with a random surface; satellite peaks that accompany the enhanced backscattering and transmission peaks when light is scattered from, and transmitted through, roug h dielectric or metallic films that support two or more surface or guided waves; changes in the spectrum of light scattered from random surfaces (the Wolf shift); and the scattering of light uniformly within a specified angular range and the absence of scattering outside this range. This paper concludes with some suggestions for directions that research in the area of rough surface scattering could take in the next few years.


control of food intake is complex, involving multiple interconnected pathways and signal elements. A paper by Wang and Kotz ([11][1]) in this issue of the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology illustrates some of the complexity and carries implications for


Brian Houle and colleagues examine the temporal relationship between mother and child death by using 15 years of data (1994–2008) from household surveys conducted in the Agincourt sub-district of South Africa.


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of structural social capital, relational social capital and cognitive social on relationship satisfaction, and also to investigate how relationship satisfaction is associated with negative word-of-mouth and re-patronage intentions, in service recovery.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 478 Pakistani banking industry clients, who registered a complaint to their bank recently, answered the survey. Variance-based partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis.

Findings

Results demonstrate that all three facets of social capital have a significant positive impact on relationship satisfaction. However, relationship satisfaction enhances customer re-patronage intentions and restrains negative word-of-mouth intentions.

Practical implications

Findings are important for service firms, particularly for banks to adjust their service recovery strategies.

Originality/value

The paper verified the influence of structural social capital, cognitive social capital and relational social capital on relationship satisfaction and tested the influence of relationship satisfaction on negative word-of-mouth and re-patronage intentions.


One kind of reinforced concrete hollow lightweight carcass, a carcass comprising a light (2), characterized in that the light of the carcass (2) only the middle with a cast concrete pouring hole (3) through a light carcass (2) both surfaces, a light carcass (2) a solid matrix, the surface of two exposed holes (3) is a planar top surface, the holes (3) light carcass (1) at least one end of the at least one groove (6) with holes (3) are connected, the groove (6) of one or more step-shaped recess sudden expansion or widening gradually shaped groove. Hollow floor for a variety of in-situ reinforced concrete or prestressed reinforced concrete, roof, foundation slabs, walls, hollow bridges.


Ferroelectric Pb(Zr, Ti)O_3 (PZT) thin films were grown on Pt/Ti/SiO_2/Si, RuO_2/Pt/Ti/SiO_2/Si, and Pt/MgO substrates at the substrate temperature of 600 °C by the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) method. Pb(C_11H_19O_2)_2(Pb(DPM)_2), Ti(O^ i C_3H_7)_4, and Zr(O^ t C_4H_9)_4 as source material and Ar and O_2 as a carrier gas and oxidizing agent were selected, respectively. In order to investigate the effect of Zr and Ti component changes on the growth aspect of PZT thin films, Zr and Ti source materials were varied by controlling Zr and Ti flow rate. From the Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) measurement, it was confirmed that the composition of the films, particularly Pb content, changed with the increasing Zr flow rate. In addition, the x-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra analysis showed the existence of a Pb-deficient pyrochlore phase as well as ZrO_2 as a secondary phase. From these results, it is believed that the higher Zr partial pressure in the gas phase reduces the sticking of the Pb precursor to the substrate. The film with Pb:Zr:Ti = 1:0.42:0.58 showed a dielectric constant of 816 at 1 MHz. The spontaneous polarization, remanent polarization, and coercive field measured from the RT66A by applying 3.5 V were 44.1 μC/cm^2, 24.4 μC/cm^2, and 59.6 kV/cm, respectively. The fatigue analysis of PZT thin films with Pb:Zr:Ti = 1:0.42:0.58 at an applied voltage of V _p-p = 5.4 V showed 40% degradation on the basis of initial polarization value after 10^9 cycles.


Aim: Statin decreases low density lipoprotein cholesterol level and prevents atherosclerosis. Although statin may be beneficial for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) due to its direct anti-atherosclerotic effect, statin is not usually prescribed to all patients with AMI. This study was performed to identify different determinants of statin treatment and its prognostic impacts in patients with AMI according to their baseline LV systolic function. Methods: 12,988 patients with AMI were enrolled into nationwide registry database study. Patients were stratified into 2 groups according to their LV ejection fraction (LVEF): LVEF < 40% vs ≥ 40%, and determinant factors for statin treatment and MACE were identified in each group. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) within 12 months of AMI including death, nonfatal MI and revascularization were assessed. Results: 1,962 patients (15.1%) with LVEF < 40% were older and had more un¬favorable cardiovascular risk factors than those with LVEF ≥ 40%. ...


The study was carried out on floristic composition and natural regeneration status of chir pine forests in Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh. The maximum density (690 individuals ha-1), abundance (6.9), basal area of 44.65 m2 ha-1 and IVI of 269.95 for chir pine tree species. There were 7 species of shrubs recorded with a total density of 2,160 ind. ha-1, abundance of 20.00, basal area of 1,314.51 cm2 ha-1 and total IVI of 300. Where, maximum density (1040 individuals ha1), abundance (8.7), basal area (575.48 cm2 ha-1) and IVI (104.69) were observed for Cassia floribunda and per cent frequency (60) for Berberis aristata. Herbaceous vegetation comprised of 11 species of herbs, out of which 7 species are grasses species, one species each of sedge and fern were recorded from the study area. Among herbs, Salvia glutinosa showed maximum density (29,000 individuals ha-1) and IVI (24.18) while per cent frequency was maximum for Lespedeza gerardiana (60). In grasses, Dicanthium annulatum showed maximum density (98,000.00 individuals ha-1), basal area (125290 cm2 ha-1) and IVI (86.87) and maximum abundance (24.00) was observed for Heteropogon contortus, while minimum density (14,000.00 cm2 ha-1) was recorded for Chrysopogon montanus and minimum IVI (9.17) for Setaria glauca. Assessment of natural regeneration status in different periodic blocks of chir pine stands revealed that maximum recruits (6333.33 ha-1), un-established (1444.44 ha-1) and established (1083 ha-1) were found in PB I (Periodic Block I) there was not much difference in weighted average height and establishment index of chir pine in all the PBs. Maximum stocking index (0.58) Percent Regeneration (57.78) and Established stocking Percent 32.29) were found in PB I as compared to Others PB's.


An efficient method based on transfer parameter approach is proposed to obtain the scattering parameters in z- domain of planar microstrip stub-line structures. A wave digital network (WDN) represents a digital model of the structure. WDN is composed of cascaded uniform segments and three-port adaptors with open stubs connected to their dependent ports. Uniform segments (transmission lines and stubs) are represented by several cascaded unit elements. Also, a simple modeling approach of the T-junction discontinuity which involves changing line lengths is given here. A simulation validation of the proposed modeling and analysis approach is provided by means of an open T-resonator circuit realized in microstrip technique.


A recent family of techniques, dubbed lightweight fine-tuning methods, facilitates parameter-efficient transfer learning by updating only a small set of additional parameters while keeping the parameters of the pretrained language model frozen. While proven to be an effective method, there are no existing studies on if and how such knowledge of the downstream fine-tuning approach should affect the pretraining stage. In this work, we show that taking the ultimate choice of fine-tuning method into consideration boosts the performance of parameter-efficient fine-tuning. By relying on optimization-based meta-learning using MAML with certain modifications for our distinct purpose, we prime the pretrained model specifically for parameter-efficient fine-tuning, resulting in gains of up to 1.7 points on cross-lingual NER fine-tuning. Our ablation settings and analyses further reveal that the tweaks we introduce in MAML are crucial for the attained gains.


Covers all aspects of telecommunication and multimedia applications, including personal computing and Windows terms. The dictionary includes a total of 30,000 headwords and 11 tables covering ISDN, radio telephony, net and Internet technology, and net management concepts and standards. Numerous abbreviations are also listed with explanatory comments and cross-references to norms and standards, and tables of all CCITT norms are given in an appendix. The dictionary should be of interest to telecommunications and information technology professionals.


In this paper, I review recent progress in lattice-QCD calculations of hadron structure with an emphasis on nucleon structure. A wide range of nucleon observables are being studied in modern lattic...


In
   this
   thesis
   the
   experience
   of
   fishing
   licence
   outfitters
   in
   Iceland
   on
   marketing strategies
   is
   examined.
   It
   provides
   new
   knowledge
   of
   ways
   of
   marketing
   for
   angling destination
  and
  what
  directions
  to
  take
  to
  get
  ahead
  of
  other
  destinations.
  The
  thesis
  is based
  on
  qualitative
  methods
  that
  were
  judged
  effective
  means
  to
  gather
  data
  from
  the small
  and
  tight
  community
  of
  the
  Icelandic
  angling
  industry.
  For
  this
  thesis
  there
  were conducted
  six
  individual
  in
  depth
  interviews
  with
  experienced
  outfitters.
  The
  goal
  is
  to explore
   and
   use
   their
   experience
   to
   figure
   out
   how
   Icelandic
   salmon
   rivers
   are marketed.
   It
   investigates
  which
  factors
   impact
  the
  marketing
  environment
  and
  implies positive
  ways
  of
  improvement. The
  main
  findings
  shows
  bright
  points
  in
  the
  current
  marketing
  situation
  of
  Icelandic rivers
  but
  the
  environment
  appears
  to
  be
  fragmented.
  There
  are
  clear
  ways
  to
  improve the
   marketing
   with
   better
   coordinated
   messages
   and
   friendlier
   framework.
   The infrastructure
  in
  Iceland
  is
  good
  according
  to
  participants
  but
  the
  united
  opinion
  is
  that there
   is
   a
  demand
   for
  better
   structure
  with
   the
   service
  of
   guides.
  Participants
  agreed that
  Iceland
  has
  a
  positive
  image
  that
  helps
  them
  attracting
  customers.
  Pricing
  effects
  is an
   interesting
   subject
   and
  most
  participants
   talked
   about
   the
  prices
   simply
  being
   too high.


P2P file-sharing poses a number of serious problems for business network administrators including: unpredictable network usage, increased vulnerability to security threats and the danger of legal action. Due to these problems, most businesses attempt to restrict the use of P2P. This paper and the associated demonstration explore the nature of business participation in P2P and particularly highlight the effect of viral media on the participation of large businesses in P2P networks.


We have been developing high intensity vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) laser system for advanced applications such as micro and precise processing and photochemical reactions. We propose and construct a new VUV laser system to generate an output energy of sub mJ with a pulse width of subpicosecond at the wavelength of 126nm. A seed pulse was generated in Xe as the 7th harmonics of a 882 nm Ti:sapphire laser, and the Ar2* amplifier media were generated in an optical-field-induced ionization Ar plasma produced by another 785 nm Ti:sapphire laser. The VUV radiation should be further amplified in a discharge-pumped Ar2* amplifier, which is under construction.We have been developing high intensity vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) laser system for advanced applications such as micro and precise processing and photochemical reactions. We propose and construct a new VUV laser system to generate an output energy of sub mJ with a pulse width of subpicosecond at the wavelength of 126nm. A seed pulse was generated in Xe as the 7th harmonics of a 882 nm Ti:sapphire laser, and the Ar2* amplifier media were generated in an optical-field-induced ionization Ar plasma produced by another 785 nm Ti:sapphire laser. The VUV radiation should be further amplified in a discharge-pumped Ar2* amplifier, which is under construction.


In this experiment, sixteen Turkmen horses with average weights of 430±46 kg and age 7±3 years were used. Four feeding frequencies of 2, 4, 6, and 8 meals per day were used for a period of 28 days. Data were statistically analyzed based on a completely randomized design, and the results showed that increased feeding frequency led to more stable serum glucose levels throughout the day and an increase in the digestibility of nutrients (P< 0.05). However, ether extract digestibility was not influenced by feeding frequency. Means of chewing and swallowing (per kg DM) of alfalfa were not influenced by feeding frequency. Also, the chewing and swallowing rates of concentrate for the treatment of 2 meals per day increased (P< 0.05). By increasing the feeding frequency, alfalfa intake decreased, but duration of forage intake increased in the treatment of 8 meals per day (P< 0.05). In contrast, by increasing the feeding frequency, concentrate intake was increased, but duration of concentrate intake was decreased in the treatment of 8 meals per day (P< 0.05). In conclusion, feeding 2 times per day more often resulted in lower digestibility of different nutrients and less steady-state level of serum glucose than other feeding frequencies.


This article analyses lessons from a range of initiatives aimed at increasing public and sentencers' confidence in community sentences over the last five years. In particular it addresses the question of what more could be done to boost confidence in a way which contributes more directly to the replacement of short terms of imprisonment by community sentences.


In high frequency (HF) ocean radar, part of the energy undesirably propagates upwards and is reflected back to the antenna from the ionosphere. Such ionospheric clutters are not completely understood while their mechanism has been investigated both theoretically and experimentally. In this study, an electromagnetic simulation tool which is based on a full wave method was developed to reveal the effect of the ionosphere on HF waves. A problem of computational time is solved by compensation of intensity of evanescent waves in post-processing.


Using the general formalism presented in Refs. [1,2], we study the finite-volume effects for the $\mathbf{2}+\mathcal{J}\to\mathbf{2}$ matrix element of an external current coupled to a two-particle state of identical scalars with perturbative interactions. Working in a finite cubic volume with periodicity $L$, we derive a $1/L$ expansion of the matrix element through $\mathcal O(1/L^5)$ and find that it is governed by two universal current-dependent parameters, the scalar charge and the threshold two-particle form factor. We confirm the result through a numerical study of the general formalism and additionally through an independent perturbative calculation. We further demonstrate a consistency with the Feynman-Hellmann theorem, which can be used to relate the $1/L$ expansions of the ground-state energy and matrix element. The latter gives a simple insight into why the leading volume corrections to the matrix element have the same scaling as those in the energy, $1/L^3$, in contradiction to earlier work, which found a $1/L^2$ contribution to the matrix element. We show here that such a term arises at intermediate stages in the perturbative calculation, but cancels in the final result.


A brief introduction to reactor core configuration and important systems related to physics tests of Daya Bay NPP is given. These systems involve the reactor core system (COR), the full length rod control system (RGL), the in-core instrumentation system (RIO, the out-of-core nuclear instrumentation system (RPN), and the LOCA surveillance system (LSS) , the centralized data processing system (KIT) and the test data acquisition system (KDO). In addition, it is also described that the adjustment and evaluation of boron concentration related to other systems for example the reactor coolant system (RCP), the chemical and volume control system (RCV), the reactor boron and water makeup system (REA), the nuclear sampling system (REN) and the reactor control system (RRC), etc. Analysis of these systems helps not only to familiarize thier functions and acquires a deepen understanding for the principle procedure, points for attention and technical key of the core physics tests, but also to further analyze the test results.


Single neuron dynamics is derived in a coherent interacting mean field with all other neuron dynamics coupled through the Hebbian learning of synaptic weight updates. This exact one-body equation is derived because of the product nature of Hebbian learning rule. It provides the diagnoses needed for the collective interaction of artificial neural networks (ANN). In case of a chaotic neurodynamics generated with the N-shaped sigmoidal function, we can use the meanfield equation to demonstrate any single neuron behavior in the network, e.g. contrast reversal, limited cycles, chaos etc., due to a changing habituation threshold value. In case of negative threshold values, which might be viewed as an external reward to encourage neurons firing with higher rates, an image block quantization compression artifact has been quickly overcome with such a chaotic ANN and the result is quantified with a fractal dimensionality analysis of the image quality.


Bleeding is a major source of morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgical procedures. Patients who return to the operating room for bleeding have a 4-fold increase in mortality and a similar increase in the rate of sternal infection. The significance of this issue is underscored by the fact that patients undergoing cardiac surgery consume up to 30% of the nation's blood supply. During massive hemorrhage resulting from trauma, the life-saving benefits of blood transfusion are well documented. However, in the more common setting of elective blood and blood component transfusions in intensive care units using arbitrary transfusion triggers, the benefits of transfusion are not well established and may have a net negative influence on outcomes. Indeed, the overt dangers of transfusion are unequivocal (hepatitis C, HIV, fever, infection, increased costs, transfusion reaction), and evidence of the covert dangers of blood transfusion (prolonged intensive care unit stay, increased mortality, increased morbidity) after cardiac surgery is persuasive.1 Because both bleeding itself and the transfusions administered to compensate for blood loss have an untoward impact on outcomes, there is strong motivation to decrease the occurrence of bleeding associated with cardiac surgical procedures in the first place. In this regard, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Workforce on Evidence Based Surgery, in conjunction with the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, recently published a comprehensive guideline outlining appropriate methods for blood conservation in cardiac surgery.2

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Recently, Mangano et al published the short-term3 and longer-term4 results of the same observational study comparing the 3 antifibrinolytic agents available for use in cardiac surgical patients (aprotinin, e-aminocaproic acid [EACA], and tranexamic acid [TXA]) with control patients who received neither of these agents. These studies caused considerable concern among cardiac surgeons and regulatory agencies because the authors concluded that aprotinin was associated with a …


The aim of this paper is to give several characterizations for nonuniform exponential trichotomy properties of linear difference equations in Banach spaces. Well-known results for exponential stability and exponential dichotomy are extended to the case of nonuniform exponential trichotomy.


Alternative heat transfer technology and design concepts for an improved vapor generator design for application in the closed Rankine cycle heat engines are identified. The major heat transfer limitation in a vapor generator is the gas side heat transfer coefficient which in present designs is one or two orders of magnitude smaller than the thermal conduction and working side fluid coefficients. This limits the maximum heat flux which can be transferred to the working fluid. Monotube vapor generators are inherently slow in their transient response characteristics, having equivalent linear time constants of the order of 20 sec and larger. A cylindrical boiler design was analyzed for heat transfer and stress on a preliminary design basis. A limiting constraint is the gas-side combustion surface area required for heat transfer. Mathematical modeling is defining the transient response characteristics.


Two DNA conjugates modified with ferrocene and β-cyclodextrin were prepared as a pair of probes that work cooperatively for DNA sensing, in which the electrochemical signal of ferrocene on one probe was significantly "quenched" by the formation of an inclusion complex with β-cyclodextrin of the other probe on the DNA templates.


Selection among alternative log analysis models is based on the accuracy with which each can predict specific properties. The assessment of predictive accuracy involves core data not used for log calibration. Model selection is made using set of accuracy and vertical resolution criteria, based on both data quality and the requirements of the planned application (e.g., mapping, simulation). The log and core data used in this study are from deep marine reservoirs containing finely laminated sand/shale sequences in which the sand fraction exceeds 70%. Combined effects of thin laminations, variable sand properties, and high shale conductivity, complicate log analysis efforts. Several conventional log analysis models we evaluated provided satisfactory estimates of hydrocarbon pore volume, but none achieved the accuracy required for reservoir flow simulation. A new model was developed based on lithofacies relationships derived from integration of core, log, and geologic data. This model was subjected to the same calibration and testing as the conventional models, and achieved the desired level of predictive accuracy. The test results allowed the model to be applied with confidence to over 2000 feet of uncored pay.


A common finding in many of the recent empirical studies with the ARCH class of models applied to high frequency financial data concerns the apparent persistence of shocks for forecast of the future conditional variances. It is likely that several different variables share this same implied long-run component, however. In that situation, the variables are defined to be copersistent in variance. Conditions for copersistence to occur in the linear multivariate GARCH model are presented. These conditions parallel the conditions for linear cointegration in the mean. A simple empirical example with foreign exchange rate data illustrates the ideas. Copyright 1993 by The Econometric Society.


?Discriminate compatibility measures are introduced. The character discriminate compatibility and the average character discriminate compatibility measures are used in weighted parsimony analysis in an iterative procedure, the reduction routine, to build trees. The data set discriminate compatibility measure is used to order and polarize characters. The average data set discriminate compatibility measure is used to measure the fit of different data sets and different user trees. Three inadequacies in the Le Quesne compatibility tests (Le Quesne, 1969, Syst. Zool. 18:201-205; 1979, Syst. Zool. 28:92-94) as applied by Penny and Hendy (1985, Cladistics 1:266272; 1986, Mol. Biol. Evol. 3:403-417) and Sharkey (1989, Cladistics 5:63-86) are discussed. [Char? acter weighting; cladistics; compatibility; congruence; consistency index; phylogeny.] The importance, for classification, of trifling char? acters, mainly depends on their being correlated with many other characters. ?Charles Darwin, 1859:417 The more correlated a character state is with respect to other character states, the more one may be convinced that it is a synapomorphy. As indicated by the quo? tation from Darwin, the criterion of cor? relation has been an intuitive method of character evaluation for almost 150 years. In the present paper, I attempt to quantify this thinking to obtain an objective, ra? tional, and repeatable method of phylo? genetic reconstruction. There are two basic types of character correlation. When characters are correlated with respect to a phylogenetic hypothesis, they are termed congruent with the hy? pothesis. When characters are correlated with each other in the data set, they are termed compatible. Farris (1971) made these distinctions clear. Compatibility (a form of which is used here) is an a priori concept of correlation, whereas congruence is an a posteriori notion. The two most fundamental questions to be addressed in this paper are how does one measure compatibility, and how is this 1 E-mail: email@example.com. measure employed to obtain hypotheses of phylogenetic relationship? A priori assumptions of the method de? scribed here are that there are two reasons for character compatibility, i.e., phylogeny and chance. At least in part, homoplastic characters may be compatible with synapomorphies and with other homoplastic characters by chance. When choosing be? tween two incompatible characters (one of which must be homoplastic), the character with a distribution most likely to be the product of chance should be rejected in favor of that with a distribution that is un? likely to be the result of chance. Le Quesne (1979) presented a method for measuring the reliability of polarized data that was derived from a method for un? polarized data from an earlier paper (Le Quesne, 1969). In these papers, Le Quesne treat d each occurrence of a character in? dependently such that each character was hypothesized to be a collection of random events. The method proposed here also uses this model of randomness. As pointed out by Farris (1977:79-80), this model of ran? domness does not accurately reflect the properties of homoplastic characters. If the assumptions of randomness and indepen? dence made by Le Quesne were fully justified for all characters, there would be little point in at? tempting phylogenetic analysis, for these assump? tions effectively exclude the possibility of any tax-


In this paper, we demonstrated methods for determining the recombination zone in a mixed-host (MH) organic light-emitting device (OLED). The host of the emitting layer material in this device consists of a hole transport layer and an electron transport layer fabricated by co-evaporation. By comparing the spectra shift between bilayer and MH OLEDs, the recombination position with different mixing concentration can be determined. It showed the recombination zone shifts from the anode to the cathode side with increasing NPB mixing ratio.


This paper investigates lateral pressure on formwork indirectly by measuring lateral deflection using an innovative device. This device is fabricated from Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) cylindrical mold in a fashion allowing occurrence and measurement of lateral movement at different depths using dial gauges. The lateral deflections for different systems of filling materials including water, sand, self-compacting concrete (SCC), and flowing concrete. The flowing concrete is tested under two conditions, vibrated (NVC), and non-vibrated (NCno.V). The results show that the NVC produced the largest lateral deflection which attributed to the vibration pressure. The measured lateral deflection are ranked descending in the following order: NVC, Water, SCC, NCno.V and Sand.


the purpose of this research is to identify and clarify factors which have positive effect among user satisfaction and their social networking through websites. The examined factors in this research are; innovation, ease of use, trustworthy and customer support which are defined as satisfaction factors. To obtain reliable research approaches and to have better result in this research four hypothesizes used to test. This hypothesis testing has been done by correlation, regression and test of normality by using "SPSS16" also the data which was analyzed by this software. this data was gathered from prepaid questionnaire. Keywords— Customer Satisfaction, Social Network Website


Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of hyperbaric oxygen for infants with cerebral palsy.Methods 84 cases with cerebral palsy were randomly divided into two groups: control group treated with usual regime such as Vojta,Bobath and Chinese traditional manipulation,while treatment group with added hyperbaric oxygen on the basis of usual regime.The period of treatment was 3 months in the both groups.The therapeutic effect was assessed by GESELL measuring scale.Results The effective rate was 90.48% in the treatment group and 69.05% in the control group (P0.05).The effective rate was 95.24% in cases of 4~7 month and 64.29% in cases of 8~12 month (P0.05). Conclusions Hyperbaric oxygen can availably improve the curative effect of infantile cerebral palsy.The earlier the treatment,the better the effect.


Objectvie To evaluate the histopathological accuracy and clinical value of three-dimensional localizing aspiration biopsy by X-guide in diagnosing unpalpated breast diseases. Methods Manifestations of breast X-ray displayed abnormal in 81 patients and palpating were negative. X-ray manifestations of breast diseases and the locations were observed then three-dimensional localizing puncture by X-guide were done. According to the histopathology, the succeeding, positive, pathological types were accounted. The relation of number of tissue piece captured with pathological positive rate were analysed. The pathological results of aspiration biopsy were collated with finally pathological results(surgery and countercheck). Results Eighty-four focuses were detected in 81 patients by X-ray including 61 micro-calcific focuses, 16 glandulose incrassation, 7 glandulose distorting. Fourty-seven focuses located in outer-up quadrants. Operations were succeeding in all patients,The succeeding rate of puncture was 100%. Positive rate of aspiration biopsy accounted for 79.76%(67/84) including breast carcinoma accounted for 0.75%(6/84), benign disease was 71.42%(60/81), negative rate was 20%(17/84).In 22 operated cases, aspiration biopsy pathological results in 6 breast carcinomas was according to pathological results of surgery. Surgerical operation were performed in 14 cases of 58 benign focuses that both pathological results were consistent. Surgerical operation were performed in 2 cases of 17 negative that pathological results were breast hyperplasia with cyst. X2 test were done between cases of histopathological types from aspiration biopsy and ones from operation that had not statistical significance(X2=3.2,p=0.740.05).X-rays were performed again in the rest patiens of benign focuses and negative by puncture after more 6 months which manifestations of X-rays had no changed. Conclusion Threedimensional localizing aspiration biopsy by X-guide could correctly localized, positive rate was high and negative rate was low to breast diseases which palpating were negative. It was a valuable means for qualitation of breast disease, specially breast carcinaoma with unconspicuous symptom.


Grating interferometers overcome the diffraction limit of optical waves. They can provide nano-scale displacement resolution, and will have great potential for nano-metrology applications. The optical configurations of used grating interferometers are Michelson's type with different paths between the measurement beam and reference beam. Environmental disturbance can directly enter the measured signals and cannot be essentially slashed. Thus the accuracy of the used grating interferometers becomes dramatically worse. In this paper, a homodyne common-path grating interferometer is proposed, that can reduce the environmental disturbance at its lowest level. It has promising potential for nanotechnology applications. The measurement principle and experimental verifications are done in the work.


AbstractThe following sections are included:IntroductionResearch ProblemScenario MethodologyAnalysis and DiscussionHealth care system infrastructures: Evolutionary trendsScenariosControl structures and processesMarket dynamics and ideologiesConclusions and RecommendationsReferences


Simple Summary Biochanin A is an isoflavone, a small molecule produced by red clover (Trifolium pratense) and other legumes. Biochanin A promoted weight gain in growing steers in a manner similar to feed antibiotics. In laboratory experiments, biochanin A prevented bacteria from pumping out antibiotics and other inhibitory compounds, which increased their sensitivity to those inhibitors. It seemed logical that biochanin A might reduce the number of bacteria that were insensitive to an inhibitor, for example, the antibiotic tetracycline. The number of tetracycline-insensitive bacteria in the bovine rumen increases when the animals are fed high-starch diets. We fed steers (Bos taurus) diets with increasing concentrations of cracked corn (Zea mays) and enumerated the tetracycline-insensitive bacteria. Experimental groups received (1) biochanin A, (2) a well-studied feed antimicrobial, (3) no intervention, or (4) they were left on a forage-only diet. Biochanin A mitigated the increase in tetracycline-insensitive bacteria during the high-starch periods. These results support the idea that biochanin A can make some bacteria more sensitive to antibiotics and other inhibitors in animals, just as it does in the laboratory. More research is needed to determine the roles of forage legumes as alternatives to growth-promoting antibiotics and in combating the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Abstract The isoflavone biochanin A was previously shown to promote weight gain in growing steers by selectively inhibiting rumen bacteria-like growth-promoting feed antibiotics. The hypothesis that biochanin A inhibited the action of drug efflux pumps was tested by enumerating tetracycline-insensitive bacteria from steers in a subacute rumen acidosis (SARA) challenge. Steers (n = 3/group) treatment groups were forage only, SARA control, SARA with monensin (0.2 g d−1), and SARA with biochanin A (6.0 g d−1). As the steers were stepped up from the forage-only basal diet to 70% cracked corn, the number of rumen bacteria enumerated on two tetracycline-containing media types (nutrient glucose agar and tetracycline, and bile esculin azide and tetracycline) increased (p < 0.05) from as little as 1.7(105) to as great as 6.7(106) cfu mL−1 on the nutrient glucose agar in the SARA and monensin control groups. The biochanin A group maintained the same number of tetracycline-insensitive bacteria as the forage-only controls (p > 0.05). The effects were similar to the more selective media type, but the differences were smaller. These results support the hypothesis that biochanin A inhibits the activity of drug efflux pumps in vivo.


The present invention relates to an electrode for a lithium-ion cell comprising a current collector of metal foil and an active layer applied thereto, wherein the lithium-added active layer has a maximum volume expansion ΔV of 33% or more or a maximum change in length ΔL parallel to the metal foil of 10% or has more. The metal foil has an extensibility which is greater than the change in length ΔL of the active layer.


Circadian rhythms are so widespread under the inhabitants of the earth that it is no wonder that circadian clocks are focus of investigation for a very long time. The many genetic and molecular possibilities of the model organism Drosophila melanogaster make the fruit fly the perfect organism for the investigation of the circadian clock on the molecular level. For this reason the current thesis deals with the investigation of the circadian clock of Drosophila with the focus on the circadian photoreception.
In the first part of this work we investigated the gene lethal (2) 05510 or quasimodo (qsm). Our investigations revealed, that the qsm mRNA is rhythmically expressed under the control of the circadian clock. When this gene is down-regulated via RNAi technique in the crucial clock neurons of adult flies those animals still behave rhythmic under constant illumination. Constant light normally renders flies arrhythmic, because of a light dependent degradation of the important clock protein Timeless (TIM). Furthermore some neuronal groups still exhibited a rhythmic fluctuation of the Period (PER) protein under constant illumination � this was never detected in wild-type animals. We could show that QSM is expressed �at least partly- in clock neurons and in neurons in close proximity to those neurons. Whereas the localization and intensity of the protein changes with the time, surprisingly the troughs and peaks do not correlate with the mRNA troughs and peaks.
Another interesting observation was the restored rhythmicity of per01animals when qsm was down regulated in constant light conditions in per01 background. Until now it was believed, that period is mandatory for circadian rhythm. The fact that per01;;qsmRNAi(16) animals are rhythmic under constant light condition or anticipate the evening under LD conditions brought us to rethink. What really renders those animals rhythmic in LL is still subject of investigation. We discussed in this context a separation of the circadian clock into several oscillators � one important for the control of the circadian clock in the darkness, one important for the control of the circadian clock in the light. In the �Light-clock� PER does not play the important role it holds in the �Dark-clock�.
Furthermore we could reveal that the over-expression of the EP2586 insertion � a P-element insertion close to the qsm start - does not approach quasimodo but the miRNA cluster 310-313. This cluster is located in the promoter region of qsm. When those miRNAs are overexpressed in the clock neurons we could detect a different behavior under Light/Dark cycles. In those animals the release of the circadian neuropeptide PDF seems to be impaired. Because similar phenotypes are reported for animals where ion channels are over-expressed or down regulated we focused our search for the targets of the miRNAs to channel and channel like proteins. A good candidate for a target channel protein is Cg31547. First preliminary results still do not allow us to make a clear assertion.
The second part of this work deals with a mutant fly that behaves rhythmic under LL conditions as well. We could show that in this mutant fly � called Veela - not one but two different factors are causing the abnormal behavior: Veela animals carry a mutation in the F-Box protein Jetlag (JET). jet is important for the light dependent degradation of TIM. Furthermore Veela animals carry a less light sensitive natural allelic variant of the Timeless protein � encoded by the so called ls-tim gene. Each factor alone impairs the circadian photoreception only to a minor extend. Hence only the combination of both leads to the observed phenotype under constant light conditions.
We could reveal that the Jetlag protein has an additional function in the circadian clock. Jetlag also interacts with Cry in yeast and in Drosophila S2 cells in a light-dependent manner. After illumination Jetlag induces massive degradation of Cry which can be prevented in vitro and in vivo by adding Tim as an antagonist. We show that Jetlag causes light-dependant and sequential degradation of Tim and Cry. With this sophisticated mechanism the degradation of TIM and CRY and thus the resetting of the circadian clock in the light is regulated.
Another protein that is intimately involved in the degradation of TIM and CRY is Shaggy. Recent observations demonstrate that Shaggy stabilizes Cryptochrome in the light. Our preliminary results could not affirm a stabilization effect of Shaggy on Cry. Here we discussed the possibility that the function of Shaggy is not located in the stabilization of Cry by binding to its C-terminus and thus acting as a repressor. We rather speculated that Shaggy phosphorylates Cry and facilitates thus the degradation of this protein.


In this paper we investigated thermo-rheological effect of weakly nonlinear thermal convection in a rotating fluid layer subjected to thermal modulation. The temperature field consists of a steady and a time-dependent periodic oscillatory part. Using power series expansion in terms of the amplitude of thermal modulation, which is assumed to be small, the problem has been reduced to the nonautonomous Ginzburg-Landau amplitude equation. The effect of thermal modulation on heat transport has been investigated in terms of Nusselt number. Further, the effects of various parameters on heat transport have been analyzed and depicted graphically. The thermal modulation can be used effectively to control the convection in the system. It is found that the effect of thermo-rheological parameter is to destabilize the system, thus enhancing the heat transport. Further, the rotating fluid layer has more stabilizing effect than non-rotating fluid layer.


«Metrosexuals» or «ubersexuals» are lately all the rage in mass media and among young people. This model is not new; it is the result of a process of transformation initiated some time ago in Western Societies. The new man who worries about so-called female topics is on the one hand a social reality and on the other one, an advertising construction. «Metrosexuals» and «ubersexuals» as a social reality are one of the results of the revolution carried out by women, however they are an advertising artefact as well, because they are the product of companies which through observation and due to advertising have turned a minor trend into a mass phenomenon.


Fuzzy querying involves more complex processing than ordinary querying does. In addition, a larger number of tuples will possibly be selected by fuzzy conditions compared to the crisp ones. The current index structures are inefficient in representing and dealing with uncertain and fuzzy data. In this paper we extend one of the multi-dimensional data structures, namely Multi Lever Grid File (Whang and Krishnamurty, 1991) for an efficient access to both crisp and fuzzy data. In order to take advantage of the indexing data structure proposed here, we first partition uncertain data in a way that accessing such data in a database is reasonably efficient. Therefore, we also focus on the issue of preparation of uncertain data before building the access structure. Then we compare the one proposed here with sequential access along with experimental results.


Where one sits in relation to an ethical issue matters. It changes the way things look, it changes the nature of the problem one faces, and it may require different tools of analysis than the same ethical issue faced by someone sitting in a different place with regard to that issue. Why is this important? Quite simply because the ethics consultant involved in a clinical case or the academic ethicist writing a paper or assisting in developing policy will almost always confront an issue differently and ask different questions than a person who is more personally immersed in the problem. It should thus come as no surprise that family decision making in the medical context sometimes fails to correspond to our notions of surrogate decision making, autonomy, or informed consent. The ethics consultant in a clinical case must remain mindful that the ethical question faced by a patient or family The Armchair Ethicist: It's All about Location


One of the most important aspects of wireless sensor networks applications is the network lifetime. A possibility of prolonging lifetime is to turn off some sensors, especially in dense deployed networks with high redundancy. However, to keep the application effectiveness a certain amount of coverage is needed. The coverage is usually quantized by various metrics. In this paper we propose a scalable metric to evaluate in a distributive manner the coverage in dense deployed video-based wireless sensor networks. It allows qualifying the coverage efficiency especially in case of surveillance applications. Metric definition is based on video-sensors field-of-view and it relays on network clustering infrastructure. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate this approach.


An arch casing bead having a mounting flange and a ground flange extending therefrom. The mounting flange includes a free edge and an edge proximate to a junction of the ground flange and the mounting flange. A notch is formed in the mounting flange extending from the free edge towards the ground flange. The notch defines an arcuate portion which is positioned proximate to the ground flange. A pair of spaced apart edges extend from the arcuate portion to the free edge defining a mouth of the notch. The notch facilitates arcuate deformation of the elongated casing bead without angularly deforming the ground flange.


The sputter target 10 includes a tantalum body 12 having tantalum grains and the sputter face (16) formed from a tantalum powder compaction. Sputtering surface 16 has an atom transfer direction (D) passing the spaced apart tantalum atoms from the sputter surface 16 to coat the substrate 20. Tantalum grains having at least 40% of the (222) direction orientation ratio and less than 14% of the (110) direction orientation ratio in atom transfer direction away from the sputter surface 16 to increase the uniformity of sputtering.


The major component of Lewy bodies in Parkinson's disease(PD) isα-synuclein,which is considered as a substrate of the ubiquitine-proteasome system(UPS),although autophagy-losomasome pathway (ALP) seemed to be equally involved.Under such circumstance as mutations,ageing,by intracellular or extracellular toxin,both UPS and ALP are induced,if toxic stimuli are prolonged,these pathways will be overwhelmed and cell death will occur.According to the domestic and overseas reports,including our own research,a protective role of autophagy in PD was indicated and considered as a therapeutic target to slow down the progression of the disease.


ABSTRACT We report on a study of the influence of aging pathways on the evolution of solute-rich features in peak-aged Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloys. The concentration and partitioning ratios of Mg, Si and Cu and Mg/Si ratios in the heterogeneous solute-rich features all increase with increasing size, with Si exhibiting the highest partitioning ratio, but notably these ratios change dramatically depending on the aging pathway selected. Accordingly, the short-time age hardening response can be enhanced by promoting both homogeneous and heterogeneous precipitate nucleation, while simultaneous improvements in peak-aged strength and elongation can be attained by a vacancy-assisted aging pathway.


The utility model discloses a high-power high-speed direct-current brushless motor controller which comprises a microcomputer control unit and a power conversion unit. The microcomputer control unit comprises a motor control chip and an isolating type DC/DC (Direct Current) converter. The motor control chip comprises a multi-path 10-bit A/D (Analog to Digital) converter; the multi-path 10-bit A/D (Analog to Digital) converter receives a motor rotating speed control signal and outputs an overvoltage-undervoltage to control output signal; the motor control chip is externally connected with an upper computer through a series communicating interface; the isolating type DC/DC (Direct Current) converter provides a power source to the motor control chip; the power conversion unit comprises a power module; the output end of the power module is respectively connected with the three-phase connecting terminals of a motor; and the microcomputer control unit and the power conversion unit are isolated by high-speed optical coupling. The high-power high-speed direct-current brushless motor controller has the advantages of low switching loss, low electromagnetic radiation, high frequency, and high bus voltage utilization rate, etc. Moreover, the high-power high-speed direct-current brushless motor controller has good stability and low noise when driving the motor to run at a low speed and also has low stray loss and high efficiency when the motor runs at a high speed.


The objective for database replication is the development of scalable, high performance and high available systems. However, replication introduces the issue of consistency among replicas: higher availability and performance results in lower consistency levels. In this paper, we present a technique for managing replicated database involving numerical data such as quantity of items in stock control or reservation system. We classify such numerical data into two classes, indistinguishable and distinguishable object quantity. The main idea of our approach is to apply concept of quota assignment on replica usage to improve availability and performance while still maintaining acceptable consistency. With the concept of quota calculated by statistical analysis of replica usage and transactions in the system, our experiment shown that we can tradeoff between performance, availability and consistency. Key-Words: Lazy Replication, Database Quota, Consistency, Availability, Distributed Database


The paper is face recognition and facial expression recognition based on the face geometrical characteristics. In face recognition stages, this paper has analyzed face characteristics and designed the face features, then it extracts the features and constructed the feature values, and at last, it realizes face recognition through matching of similarity of the feature values, for the selection of feature components, we have comprehensively considered the overall features and partial features of face, the face recognition experiment shows that these features can reflect the individual features of human face, which can be treated as an effective basis for face recognition, thus to realize face recognition; in facial expression recognition stages, mouth plays a key role in expressing emotions, in this paper the features is mainly based on the shapes of mouth, followed by eyes and eyebrows. This paper makes its efforts to disperse every feature values via the weighting function and proposes method of expression classification with excellent classification effects; the final recognition model has been constructed.


Abstract : This report summarizes the results for contract N00014-05-M-0010. In summary, the objectives of this work were: * Define sample collection scenarios that are suited for the screening of personnel who are likely to be involved in the production of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) or who may be suicide bombers, to include at least one swab approach and one vapor sampling of hands or clothing. * Optimize the Fido technology to provide sample analysis in support of the defined scenarios. * Demonstrate successful detection within the scenarios. * Characterize samples of explosives with Fido and demonstrate the ability to determine probable matches to other samples. * Demonstrate Fido as a detection tool for other forensics applications, such as the detection of explosives in hair samples. Methods for collection of forensics evidence from humans and surfaces of objects that may have been exposed to explosives in the course of storage, construction, transport, and deployment of IEDs have been developed. These methods were been demonstrated with very encouraging results during laboratory and field trials. During field trials conducted at the Countermine Facility (CM) and the Joint Experimental Research Complex (JERC) site at Yuma Proving Grounds (YPG) from December 13-17, 2004, detection of explosives on explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians who had recently assembled similated IEDs was demonstrated with a high degree of probability. In addition, detection of explosives on vehicles used to transport the IEDs was demonstrated. Persons (mainly administrators at YPG) were also included in the study as persons who do not handle explosives (i.e., as blank' controls). With the exception of one individual, no sensor response to blank' individuals was noted. Contamination of facilities routinely utilized by EOD technicians at the CM site was also demonstrated.


We address the problem of the estimation and identification of real sinusoids in white Gaussian noise using a correlation-based method. We estimate a partial covariance sequence from the data and seek a representation of these new observations as a super-position of a small number of cosines chosen from a redundant basis and the white noise contribution. We propose to minimize a quadratic program in order to choose a parsimonious decomposition among the many that allow the reconstruction. We develop optimality conditions for the criterion that can be geometrically interpreted and present a dual criterion that has an appealing physical interpretation. Some simulated examples are also presented to show the excellent performance in resolution of the approach.


One of the most familiar musical instrument is Piano, which uses the basic principles of sound, string, damping and vibration to produce sounds. Pianos were, and are, extremely popular instruments for private household ownership, especially among the middle and upper-class. When a key of a piano is hit, series of mechanism converts mechanical energy to sound energy. The beauty of this instrument is that is produces a particular sound when a specific key is pressed for a specific amount of time. The aim of this project is to build a robot which can play piano. It uses a simple DC motor which pulls the finger down and thus presses a key on the keyboard. The finger is then pulled up again with a help of an elastic string. The motors are controlled by a microcontroller which acts as the brain of the system, thus enabling the robot to play various tunes.


The invention relates to a low dielectric constant coating comprises inorganic and organic components, precursors for these components are activated in at least two plasma sources for chemical vapor phase plasma activation deposition and disclosure plurality of activated precursors, where they are together prior to forming the coating is deposited from a chemical vapor phase on the substrate, a method for producing low dielectric constant coating and, wherein the inorganic component comprises a porous nanoparticles. The present invention also discloses an apparatus for the production of a low dielectric constant coating. .FIELD 1


ABSTRACT Tree pruning is integral to sawtimber production in South Africa, the main purpose being the production of knot-free wood and access for fire protection. Although handheld pruning tools have been used for decades, motor-manual tools have recently been introduced. However, knowledge of possible ergonomic risks and possible productivity associated with either pruning method is limited in the literature. Hence the objective of this study was to assess human workload associated with, and possible productivity gains of, motor-manual pruning against manual operations in 2.0 m and 3.5 m pruning lifts in Pinus patula stands. The study was completed in two stands in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands of South Africa. Information collected included time study and heart rate data. Time study results showed that motor-manual operations were more productive than manual operations in both the 2.0 m and 3.5 m pruning lifts. Pruning operations fall under the "medium to heavy" workload classification. These results show promise as the first steps in investigating the effect of manual and motor-manual operations on productivity and workload of pruning operations in South Africa. However, it is recommended for this study to be repeated with gender, terrain conditions, temperature, and musculoskeletal efforts as additional factors to workload and productivity.


Maui's coastal lands, along with many others worldwide, are under tremendous pressure from expanding development and accelerating coastal erosion. While it may be perceived by the public that the lands most at risk from sea-level rise are those immediately bordering the coastline, the threat to low-lying areas from a rising water table inland of the coast may also be great. Maui planning officials have begun to recognize that regardless of the uncertainty over projected rates of sealevel rise, threats associated with rising sea level should be identified and mitigated through a combination of modeling, mapping, and direct observation. This paper provides a review of current sea-level rise science and describes the scientific and management approaches being undertaken by Maui County to better understand potential risks associated with rising seas and account for these projections in long-range planning. INTRODUCTION In 2003, Maui County became the first county in the state of Hawaii to adopt a science-based approach to determining construction setbacks on coastal properties (Norcross-Nu'u and Abbott 2005). High-resolution annual erosion rate data spaced at


We present the results of a research whose aim is to evaluate the level of comprehensibility of online texts through a survey on the reading experience. The comprehensibility of the information represents a new aspect of information behavior, conditioned by subjective components and characteristics of the reading experience of those who read. We study the effect of the interactivity of the digital text by comparing the reading experience of two texts, both on the subject of physical exercise and differentiated by the level of interactivity, being higher in one case. Thirty-nine people participated in the survey and data were collected on the reading experience, the understanding of the text and its influence on attitudes and opinions, as well as on the global assessment of the two pages. Comprehension of the text was measured based on 14 true and false questions. The data obtained were analyzed through descriptive statistics and, where appropriate, inferential statistics tests were carried out. The only significant difference that was found between the two pages concerns a better comprehensibility of the more interactive page, although the comprehensibility is not related to a greater use of the interactive functionalities in the two pages. Finally, the results show that the consumption of digital text is conditioned by the expectations that readers bring to it and that interactivity is not only a property of the medium but also co-constructed in the interaction between the medium and the readers.


Figure I The retinal venous pattern is shown with the superior hemiretinal vein appearing to enter into the choroid adjacent to the optic nerve (arrow). The inferior hemiretinal vein enters into the central optic disc with the arteries. vein followed the usual path and entered into the central optic disc with the artery. Colour Doppler imaging'2 was used to detect the blood velocity signals from the continuation of the inferior hemiretinal vein within the optic nerve adjacent to the central retinal artery. Spectral analysis of these signals provided a pulsatile velocity waveform which was in synchrony with the pulsations in the central retinal artery, and which was similar to the waveforms from the central retinal vein of normal controls, with a maximum velocity of 8 cm/s and a minimum velocity of 5 cm/s. The Doppler signal attributable to the superior hemiretinal vein was detected in the perineural area at the level of lamina cribrosa and continued down the side of the optic nerve to join the inferior hemiretinal vein as it exited the nerve approximately 10 mm posterior to the globe (Fig 2). The waveform in this vessel exhibited a constant peak velocity of 7 cm/s and did not manifest the normal central retinal venous pulsatile waveform.


The objective of this work is to develop an optimal management strategy to improve the energetic efficiency of a hybrid electric vehicle. The strategy is built based on an extensive experimental study of mobility in order to allow trips recognition and prediction. For this experimental study, a dedicated autonomous acquisition system was developed. On working days, most trips are constrained and can be predicted with a high level of confidence. The database was built to assess the energy and power needed based on a static model for three types of cars. It was found that most trips could be covered by a 10 kWh battery. Regarding the optimization strategy, a novel real time capable energy management approach based on dynamic vehicle model was created using Energetic Macroscopic Representation. This real time capable energy management strategy is done by a combination of cycle prediction based on results obtained during the experimental study. The optimal control strategy for common cycles based on dynamic programming is available in the database. When a common cycle is detected, the pre-determined optimum strategy is applied to the similar upcoming cycle. If the real cycle differs from the reference cycle, the control strategy is adapted using quadratic programming. To assess the performance of the strategy, its resulting fuel consumption is compared to the global optimum calculated using dynamic programming and used as a reference; its optimality factor is above 98%.


During studies over genetic parameters of the local red onion bulbs, certain progenies of maternal half sib families segregated a few white bulbs. Some of these bulbs bred true to the white colour and though they were sexually normal and fertile, a few exhibited seed sterility. These steriles when cultured separately were found to be either translocation heterozygotes or desynaptic strains. In plants a single meiotic ring involving either a few or the entire zygotic chromosome complement is known. But the formation of regular independent rings, each composed of 4 chromosomes, and involving the whole zygotic complement is unknown so far. This has been found in some of these white Allium cepa strains and represents a new type of translocation system existent in the plant kingdom. Predominance of either rings or chains or their equal proportion was observed in the various clones, each configuration being specific and constant for each clone. The predominant occurrence of rings in certain clones could be because the sites of chromosomal breakages are closer to centromere and interchange pieces are more or less equal in length. But where the interstitial segment is short, exchanged pieces are relatively small thus resulting in chain configuration formations.Though pollen fertility ranged from 9-22 per cent, seed sterility was complete in these translocation heterozygotes. When the clones were selfed or intercrossed among each other or crossed as seed or pollen parent with normal fertile Allium cepa, no seeds were set, indicating thereby the existence of male and female sterility in these clones. Genetic control of these regular and specific translocations has been postulated. Since such a type of translocations involving regularly 2 heterozygotes, each of the entire genome, are extremely rare and occur in a very low frequency, their control seems under recessive genes.


The semi-Markov approach to a non-homogenous manpower system is considered. The mean duration of stay in a grade and the total duration of stay in the system are obtained. A renewal type equation is developed and used in deriving the limiting distribution of the semi – Markov process. Empirical estimators of the semi-Markov parameters which are uniformly consistent and asymptotically normally distributed are used to obtain the average length of stay for the academic manpower of the University of Nigeria.


High spectral resolution infrared radiances from the Hyperspectral Environmental Suite (HES) on Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R and beyond) will allow for monitoring the evolution of atmospheric temperature and moisture vertical distributions. HES, together with the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), will operationally provide enhanced spatial, temporal and vertical information for radiances and atmospheric soundings that are desired by numerical weather forecast models. An algorithm has been developed to analyze the retrieval error and the vertical resolution of soundings from HES radiances. Trade-off studies have been done to balance the spectral coverage, spectral resolution, and signal-to-noise ratio in order to achieve the GOES users' requirement of 1 K accuracy with 1km vertical resolution for temperature and 10% accuracy with 2km vertical resolution for relative humidity. The vertical resolution capability of HES is also compared with that of the current GOES Sounder which has 18 infrared spectral channels and the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) on the NOAA polar orbiting satellites that has good temperature sensitivity in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere. The advantage of combination of GOES sounder and AMSU is also investigated.


Publius Papinius Statius'  Silva  2,1 is an epicedio with a funeral theme that represents the  mors inmatura  of a freedman, Glaucias, and the pain of his tutor, Melior. While this poem is not the only one that represents the death of a slave, we can observe it has certain characteristics that differences it from the other silvae that make up this collection.  The most notable fact is that this epicedio could be read as an explanation for the filiation and strange relationship that Melior keeps with his adoptive son. Likewise, through different sections of the poem (the  lamentatio , the  laudatio , the  descriptio  of the child's death, and the consolatio ) the author compares the main characters of the scene with heroes and mythical characters so that parallelisms join, exemplify and illustrate the narrated facts. It is clear that such assimilations (or  exempla ) with mythology are used by the poet through different contexts to support each one of his arguments. Thus, throughout this lecture we will analyze the mythological vignettes that best represent each section, we will discuss with the specialized authors and we will propose a new look about the use of mythology in this poem that may appear to be more than just to join the narrated facts about the death of young Glaucias.


Photosystem I (PSI) is one of the largest and most complex macromolecular assemblies known in nature. However, the molecular mechanisms of the assembly process of PSI remain largely unknown. This study reports that PSBP-DOMAIN PROTEIN1, a nuclear-encoded chloroplast protein found in the thylakoid lumen, plays an important role in the assembly of the PSI reaction center heterodimer. To gain insights into the molecular details of photosystem I (PSI) biogenesis, we characterized the PsbP-domain protein1 (ppd1) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana that specifically lacks PSI activity. Deletion of PPD1 results in an inability of the mutant to grow photoautotrophically and a specific loss of the stable PSI complex. Unaltered transcription and translation of plastid-encoded PSI genes indicate that PPD1 acts at the posttranslational level. In vivo protein labeling experiments reveal that the rate of synthesis of PSI reaction center proteins PsaA/B in ppd1 is comparable to that of wild-type plants, whereas the rate of turnover of PsaA/B proteins is higher in ppd1 than in wild-type plants. With increasing leaf age, PPD1 content decreases considerably, while PSI content remains constant. PPD1 is a nuclear-encoded thylakoid lumenal protein and is associated with PSI but is not an integral subunit of PSI. Biochemical and molecular analyses reveal that PPD1 interacts directly and specifically with PsaB and PsaA. Yeast two-hybrid experiments show that PPD1 interacts with some lumenal loops of PsaB and PsaA. Our results suggest that PPD1 is a PSI assembly factor that assists the proper folding and integration of PsaB and PsaA into the thylakoid membrane.


Aim: the final goal of the present study is to analyse the impact of a 4-week High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) programme in the reduction of body fat. Sample: four women resident in Catalonia, physically active (category II IPAQ) aged 30.08 ± 2.10 with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 25.15 ± 0.45. Methodology: a quasi-experimental research method is used (Thomas [et al.], 2007). An initial evaluation of variables is followed by Jose Manuel López Suárez Treball de Final de Grau 3 an observation of the subjects' routine physical activity (4 weeks); a second evaluation prior to the HIIT programme and a final evaluation of variables after the HIIT session. Variables: the main variables analysed are body weight (kg), BMI, body composition (fat, bone, muscular and residual mass). Instruments: an anthropometric study is used to measure the variables. This anthropometric study follows a double indirect method; which is the method of choice by the Spanish Group of Cineanthropometry (GREC) and the Spanish Medical Sport Federation (FEMEDE) for the selected population group. HIIT: the HIIT programme consists in two interval series of 30"x3 at 85% VO2max with active pauses of 120" at 50% VO2max for the first week, with an increasingly progression reaching two series of 60"x5 at 85% VO2max with active pauses of 120" at 50% VO2max at the end of the programme. Results: after the HIIT programme, the sample has lost 1.65 ± 0.75 kg of body weight, has a BMI of 24.45 ± 0.55, has decreased body fat percentage in 7.24 % (1.55kg) and has increased muscular mass percentage in 4.85% (1.0kg). Conclusions: a HIIT programme is effective in reducing body fat percentage in slightly overweight women up to 32 years old who practise sport regularly.


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In a variety of observational studies from the population level to various clinical situations, it is well known that, a lower heart rate is considered to be better.1) However, in Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial study, a vice versa was demonstrated showing an inferior protection for stroke by atenolol and bendroflumethiazide to amlodipine and perindopril.2) Despite of several explanations on those contradictory findings, findings such as the pharmacodynamics actions, an explanation solely provided by the slow heart rate seems to be, at least from a statistical viewpoint, the most powerful.3)

In the study by Komukai et al.4) efonidifine, a dihydropiridine calcium antagonist on the actions of L-type as well as T-type calcium channels, showed a significant reduction in the heart rate as well as in the blood pressure. It is characterized by rapid onset and durable action which is independent of the administration time. In the previous study by Oh et al.5) efonidipine also showed similar efficacy, in regards to, slowing down the heart rate by approximately 11% in the mild to moderate hypertension patients. Komukai et al.4) postulated that heart rate reduction could be partially explained by slowly fading antihypertensive action, which was demonstrated by a non-linear fitting model, based periodic function.

In essential hypertension, slowing down the heart rate by atenolol is rather closely related to the worsening of central hemodynamics. Moreover, there is no evidence supporting the hypothesis that the slower heart rate is better, in any direct comparison study. Recently, a 12 month follow up study for the patient with diabetic nephropathy done by Sasake et al.6) showed that efonidipine was better in reducing arterial stiffness than amlodipine, through the actions on aldosterone, renal function, and oxidative stress. Unfortunately, the blood pressure and the heart rate data were not demonstrated well enough to detect the difference between the groups.

Putting those altogether, there seems to be a possibility that intrinsic pharmakodynamic properties of efonidipine could compensate or overcome the potential or relative disadvantage caused by a deceased heart rate on the arterial stiffness.

Due to ethical issues, a study replacing heart rate slowing drugs for beta-blocker in the coronary artery disease is currently not allowed. Therefore, the beta-blocker therapy for coronary artery disease is not to be replaced by other rate slowing drugs, according to the current evidences. Even with a significant reduction in the secondary composite end points in the MorBidity-mortality EvAIUaTion of the /f inhibitor ivabradine in patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricULar dysfunction (BEAUTIFUL) study subgroup of heart rate of 70 beat per minute or greater, it is needless to say that the efficacy of ivabradine is not to be extrapolated to the essential hypertension patients.7) But at the same time, at least, ivabradine data did suggest that the harmful effects, demonstrated by atenolol, might not be universal to all the beta-blockers.7)

Mechanism of action of efonidipine on the sinus node is quite similar to that of ivabradine.8) Considering potential efficacy on the arterial stiffness, the "BEAUTIFUL-like action" in addition to modest antihypertensive efficacy, provided by efonidipine, is something "throbbing". Especially studies for central hemodynamics and a direct comparison study would be very interesting.

Another interesting hypothesis, regarding efonidipine, is that the dissociation of the durability on blood pressure and the heart rate could be an alternative to the trade-off between potent blood pressure lowering and the reflex tachycardia common in other dihydrophyridine calcium antagonists. Since the 24 hours blood pressure reduction is partly contributed by nocturnal blood pressure reduction, modest efonidipine efficacy on nocturnal blood pressure needs to be considered for individualized patient care.


The authors Vanesa Santas-Miguel et al investigate the microbial antibiotic tolerance under heavy metal pollution from soils with and without prior heavy metal pollution. In a very complex microcosms experiment of repeated incubations the authors demonstrate that antibiotic and heavy metal tolerance is linked to heavy metal pollution heredity. This combined effect of antibiotics and heavy metals on soil microbial growth is attributed by the authors as co-tolerance. This work depicts interesting relationships among heavy metals and antibiotics on microbial growth, and those relationships are quantified as toxicity index, PICT and IC50.


Modulation of the electron donating and accepting properties of organic semiconductors is an important topic in the field of organic photovoltaics. Although the small-molecule semiconductors (SMs) with an A-D-A structure can act as either electron donor or acceptor in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices, the reason why molecules with similar conjugated structures play different roles remains unclear. In this work, we designed and synthesized two A-D-A SMs named BTCN-O and BTCN-M, which have an identical backbone and differ in the alkyl substitution position. BTCN-O and BTCN-M demonstrate similar optical absorption spectra in solution and molecular energy levels in a solid film. BTCN-O forms an ordered lamellar packed structure with compact π–π stacking, whereas BTCN-M demonstrates only a weak π–π stacking effect in solid film. We also investigated their photovoltaic properties by blending each with a polymer donor, PBDB-T, and a fullerene acceptor, PC71BM, and found that the electron donating and accepting...


The invention discloses an elevator capable of running in parallel. The elevator comprises at least two elevator cars arranged in one shaft. First car doors capable of being communicated are arranged on the opposite sides of every two adjacent elevator cars respectively. A second car door corresponding to a hall door is further arranged on at least one elevator car adjacent to the hall door. A car frame locking mechanism for locking every two adjacent elevator cars to achieve synchronous running is arranged between the two adjacent elevator cars. According to the elevator, when no large-transportation requirement exists, the elevator cars are independently used, and the high use ratio is achieved; and when the super-large piece transporting requirement occasionally exists, the elevator cars can be combined into the elevator, and the elevator cars are combined into a whole to achieve synchronous running through the car frame locking mechanisms.


COPYRIGHT © 2023 Kim, Maggiore, Knight, Rana Magar, Pengel and Dor. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. Pre-emptive living donor kidney transplantation: A public health justification to change the default


People today exchange a great variety of information over the Internet. Much like the world at large, people bring a wide range of values to their interaction with each other as they communicate over the Internet. While the Internet has certainly facilitated social interaction, security measures have become absolutely essential to ensure private information is not compromised or tampering with. These security-related problems are also related to human values, but it is not easy to represent complex human values by conventional agent-based simulation. In this paper, we propose a model of information propagation in social networks using particle swarm optimization (PSO), a type of swarm intelligence algorithm, to simulate how different values affect human interaction. Simulations based on the model reveal that effects on propagation of information are quite different between environments where information is exchanged among agents with the same values and environments where information is exchanged among agents with different values.


A multifunctional agar puncher comprises puncher bodies. Each puncher body is composed of punching pipes. A connecting clamp is arranged on each puncher body and clamps another puncher body to enable the puncher bodies to be connected. The puncher bodies rotate relatively to adjust connecting direction, and amount and punching graphs are arranged randomly. Punching heads in inserted connection are arranged at the front end of the puncher, and holes different in size can be punched by replacing the punching head. An elastic airbag or a suction head of a piston cap is arranged on each punching body, so that agar blocks can be sucked; the agar blocks can be taken out by arranging a stabbing piece on the inner wall of the punching head of each punching pipe. The multifunctional agar puncher is simple in structure, high in punching efficiency and convenient to use.