Abstract A minor isozyme of N-acetylglucosaminidase was isolated from growing cells of Dictyostelium discoideum and purified more than 1000-fold. The minor isozyme could be distinguished from the major, stage-specific isozyme which accumulates shortly after the initiation of development by its thermostability, sensitivity to heavy metals, and pH optimum. The specific activity of the minor isozyme on p-nitrophenyl-β-d-N-acetylglucosaminide is approximately one-tenth that of the stage-specific enzyme in bacterial grown cells and remains constant throughout development. However, the minor isozyme is considerably more active than the major isozyme when either bacterial murein or polymeric N-acetylglucosamine is used as the substrate. The minor isozyme is unaffected by mutations which inactivate or render thermolabile the major isozyme. Because these mutant strains grow well with bacteria as the food source, it appears that vegetative functions are carried out by the minor isozyme rather than by the major isozyme.


The article deals with the phonological aspect of studying the consonant system in the speech of bilingual person. The subordinate bilingualism is analyzed from interlanguage point of view as an independent dynamic substance in speech.


A new device with the ability to measure heat loss from building facades is proposed. Yet to be commercially developed, the U-value Meter can be used as stand-alone apparatus, or in combination with thermographic-equipment. The U-value meter complements thermographs, which only reproduce surface temperature and not the heat loss distribution. There is need for a device that measures the heat loss in a quantitative manner. Convective as well as radiative heat losses are captured and measured with a five-layer thermal system. Heat losses are measured in the SI-unit W/m2K. The aim is to achieve more cost-effective building renovation, and provide a means to check the fulfillment of Building Regulation requirements with respect to stated U-values (heat transmission coefficients). In this way it should be possible to greatly reduce energy consumption of buildings.


25 mg weekly together with folinic acid 5 mg weekly. With regard to the nail abnormalities, the effect of the medication was disappointing, so oral ciclosporin (Neoral ) was added. Because of nausea, complaints of headache and lack of effectivity, the oral Neoral was discontinued after 5 months. Thereafter, we decided to treat the patient locally on the nails with the ciclosporin topical emulsion as has been described by Cannovo et al. [1] . After 3 months of treatment no beneficial effect was observed with respect to the nail abnormalities, and we decided in close collaboration with the patient to discontinue the application of topical ciclosporin. During this time the arthritis was still active. It was decided to start tumour necrosis factor blockade using etanercept (Enbrel ) together with methotrexate. After a few weeks the arthritis activity decreased, and the function of the hands and feet improved. Unfortunately the nail abnormalities did not disappear.


The effect of wind on the performance of dry indirect cooling towers in different arrangements is investigated in the present paper. Thus , there are two cases to solve the problem: At first, solving various arrangements in free conviction state, and then when exposed to wind (forced conviction ).Let consider a wind of 5 m/s velocity in order to compare different results obtained in forced conviction state in various arrangement . For the case of free conviction, towers are considered as two parallel towers, two successive towers, three towers in triangular arrangement and four towers in rectangular arrangement at equal distances. Then, velocity and pressure field are compared in different arrangements and phenomena such as chocking of tower flow due to presence of wind and interactions of various towers on each other's suction capacity in case of wind blow are investigated. Navier-Stokes equations are used in this work.


Much more attention shall be paid on reconstruction and effective utilization of outdoor environment in cities.The author discusses four issues-systemization of outdoor spaces,sequence of views ,ecological measures of paved surfaces and visual appeal of facilities ,to promote psychological function from various levels and orientations


The length weight relationships (LWRs) of ten tropical finfish species from north eastern Arabian Sea, India were studied. Specimens were caught using a wide range of fishing gear mainly trawl nets (20–25 mm), dol nets or bag nets (20–40 mm) and gill nets (80–270 mm) operated in Maharashtra maritime waters during 2012–2016. The specimens were measured for total length, and weight, then dissected and the sex confirmed. Previously unavailable in FishBase, the detailed LWR of Polydactylus mullani is reported for the first time. Maximum total lengths presented for six species in this study are new records. The existence of a differential growth between male and female was confirmed for five species, which was not known earlier. The LWR data will be useful for deriving future sustainable management and conservation strategies.


Nerea Iturmendi, Virginie Moine and Karien O'Kennedy write about a role for patatin in wine fining which opens a new world for vegetarians, those with allergies - and the humble spud.


Konjac glucomannan(KGM)is a water soluble dietetic fiber of high molecular weight, which has many excellent properties.Its health functions have been drawing the attention from medical and food specialists. The composition and utility powder are introduced of Konjac,and its applications in food industry ,medicine and circumstance industry are summarized. The prospect of its progress is also described.


Objective To explore the relation between CTGF and pathologic scar by studying the expression of CTGF in pathologic scar. Methods The expression intensity of CTGF were examined with HE staining ,immunohistochemistry (SABC method) for parts in 15 normal skins,20 shallow scars,20 hypertrophic scars lesions and the adjacent uninvolved skins ,20 keloid lesions and the adjacent uninvolved skins . Then the distribution was analysised quantitatively using image analytical system in various tissue. Results Compared with normal controls,the mean levels of CTGF expression were significantly increased in hypertrophic scars, keloid lesions and adjacent uninvolved skin (P0.05),and were very slender in shallow scars, the adjacent uninvolved skins of hypertrophic scars,but there is no statistically significant between them(P 0.05).The immunohistochemistry study confirms that the expression of CTGF is mainly in fibroblast cytolymph of dermis. Conclusion CTGF has dependability in the clinic biological behavior with pathologic scar and play an important functions on the formation of pathologic scar and may be a new potential target for the therapeutic intervention of scar later.


The invention discloses a partial active power factor correcting circuit, comprising a current detecting circuit, for real-time detecting the output current of a rectifying circuit; a power factor control unit, for obtaining the actual current waveform which reflects the real-time change of the current before the correction according to the current realtime value detected by the current detecting unit before the power factor correcting circuit starts working, and working out the continuous sine waveform as the expected current waveform with the same waveform, the same frequency and the continuous sine waveform according to the waveform; after obtaining the current waveform, the power factor control unit computes the difference between the expected current waveform and the real-time detected current actual measurement waveform, and controls the on/off of the controlled switch always in the ascending stage of the waveform and the moment with the largest difference, and controls the on/off of the controlled switch after delaying some time. The partial active power factor correcting circuit of the invention causes the actual current waveform consistent with the expected current waveform, which realizes the optimum correcting effect.


Active terahertz (THz) waveform synthesis is desirable for a broad range of applications including high speed wireless communications at Tb/s speeds and coherent manipulation of quantum systems driven by engineered light fields. In this work, we demonstrate an all-optical, fully reconfigurable platform for direct and arbitrary temporal shaping of broadband THz light pulses. The technique is based on an array of line photoexcitations of charge carriers within an otherwise homogeneous semiconductor embedded within a parallel plate waveguide. The spatially periodic charge distributions locally modulate the THz dielectric function, mapping each photoexcited line in the array directly to a reflected single-cycle THz pulse. By tuning the spatial distribution of the line excitations, arbitrarily shaped THz pulse sequences can be created from a single THz input pulse with relatively little intrinsic loss. We demonstrate synthesis of multi-cycle THz waveforms, 8-bit digital pulse sequences, and THz frequency combs with control over amplitude, central frequency, and linewidth.


Many scholars considered that ther were some kinds of divining customs in the beginning days of New Year or genesis myths in Jingchusuishiji which was most famous folklore literature in ancient China writen by Zonglin in Liang Dynasty. In terms of some editions of Jingchusuishiji and transformation of other related literature, however, we could conclude that the divining customs of New Year days especially on the Human Day occurred in the cross of Beisong and Nansong Dynasty which there were almost six centuries far away from the age of Jingchusuishiji had been writen.


Objective: To analyze the anesthesia of 1 000 cases of laboratory swine in order to summarize practical method of anesthesia.Methods: During 4 years a total of 1 000 cases of swine underwent induced sedation using intramuscular injection of 0.10.2 mg / kg midazolam and 0.25-0.3 ml / kg sumianxin.Succinylcholine,diazepam injection and lidocaine were added to the equilibrium liquid in order to prepare the anesthesia mixture.Anesthesia of various operations for swine was achieved with slow intravenous infusion of anesthesia mixture.Results: Before or after tracheal intubation,6 cases of swine died during anesthesia due to improper operation.1 case died from lack of oxygen supply,9 cases died because of hemorrhoea during operation,the remaining pigs were successfully anesthetized to the end of operation.Conclusions: Sumianxin combined with diazepam is very economical and practical for the anesthesia of swine with good application value.


In this work the flow and heat transfer of combustion gases inside a tunnel kiln are investigated numerically. This kind of furnace is used for red ceramic fabrication, originally with sawdust as fuel. The main goal of this work is to evaluate the use of natural gas instead of sawdust. The numerical solution was obtained by using a bi-dimensional approach, analyzing the flow in an horizontal plane of the original furnace. The numerical solution of the conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy was obtained using the finite volume method and the commercial software Fluent (Fluent Inc.), with a non-uniform structured mesh. Due to the high levels of temperature, radiation heat transfer was considered, and the DTRM (Discrete Transfer Radiation Model) model was used. The velocity, pressure and temperature fields inside the furnace were obtained and analyzed. The effects of porosity, permeability and gases inlet temperature were investigated and compared with experimental results from the literature. The results obtained show that natural gas can be used as a fuel for this type of furnace.


The present invention relates to a process for the synthesis of 2-ethyl-2-hexenal; and 2-ethyl hexyl alcohol with Ding Quan mass ratio of 0.1 to 10 mixed; at a temperature of 80 ~ 220 ℃, pressure 0.1 ~ 1.0MPa , under the action of the solid base, dehydration condensation reaction, to give 2-ethyl-2-hexenal, 2-ethylhexanol and aqueous single-phase mixture; at 0.1 ~ 0.15MPa, 100 ~ 110 ℃ distillation of the reaction was not Ding Quan condensation reaction is recycled to the reactor, the produced 2-ethyl-2-hexenal and 2-ethylhexanol, an organic phase and an aqueous phase biphasic mixture; mixture of organic and aqueous phase after condensation, chromatography after separation, to give 2-ethyl-2-hexenal, and mixture of 2-ethylhexanol; method 2-ethyl-2-hexenal yield 96%, less loss of catalyst active components, alkali organic waste water, separated and recovered solvent is not required.


Abstract:  Gefitinib (ZD1839), a small‐molecule epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is an anticancer agent for patients with non‐small cell lung carcinoma. Recently, however, as a result of accumulating evidence, it has been recognized that gefitinib can give rise to lethal lung toxicity. The authors report a case of interstitial lung disease (ILD) induced by gefitinib, which improved promptly following cessation of the administration of the agent. Clinical signs suggesting a good prognosis were noted, namely, findings similar to acute eosinophilic pneumonia on CT and a disassociation in the elevation of specific serum markers of ILD. At the time of onset of ILD, serum concentrations of surfactant protein (SP)‐A and SP‐D were significantly increased, whereas that of KL‐6 was not increased. A previous study of three cases of lethal lung toxicity resulting from gefitinib administration revealed a significant and almost equal increase in KL‐6, SP‐A and SP‐D. These results suggest that SP‐A and SP‐D may be indicators of gefitinib‐induced ILD and that KL‐6 is a predictor of outcome. Using a combination of these markers may help to establish a differential prognosis in patients with gefitinib‐induced ILD.


(1991). Systems of articulation, logics of change: Communities and scenes in popular music. Cultural Studies: Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 368-388.


Screw compressors are regularly used in refrigeration and air conditioning. They have advantages over some other types of positive displacement compressors because they can be operated with liquid in their compression chambers, in such forms as dispersed droplets of oil and liquid refrigerant, in a two-phase mixture with the compressed vapour. They can also operate with injection of saturated or superheated vapour. This paper presents an analytical and numerical study and an experimental investigation of various combinations of injection fluids, including oil, liquid refrigerant and liquid-vapour mixtures and how they affect the compressor efficiency, noise and reliability.


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Some aspects of the modernization of technological heat removing systems from the electric generator and exciter to provide safe, reliable and efficient operation of RNPP power units at 104% capacity are reviewed in this article.


The antifungal activity of five different medicinal plants namely Lawsonia inermis L, Mimosa pudica L, Phyllanthus niruri L., Tephrosia purpurea Pens., Vinca rosea L. were tested against plant pathogenic fungi Pythium debaryanum (causing damping off of disease) by agar well diffusion method. The plant leaves were extracted with various solvents like n-butanol, methanol, aqueous. Among the different plant tested, all the three solvents, the methanolic extracts of Lawsonia inermis showed maximum antifungal activity against Pythium debaryanum.


Pinellia ternata is an important medicinal herb in Northeast Asia, but its propagation rate is quite low in nature. This study was performed to develop a simple and rapid micropropagation method for applying to a plant factory system. In the regeneration process for the sustainable production of in vitro leaf explants, callus induction and propagation from leaf explants of P. ternata were excellent in MS medium containing 2.0 mg·L -1 2,4-D and 0.2 mg·L -1 BA. The highest number of shoots (8.8 per callus) was regenerated from calluses cultured on a medium containing 2.0 mg·L -1 NAA and 0.2 mg·L -1 KIN. The callus proliferation with subsequent plant regeneration was achieved at the same time in regeneration medium, and the year-round production of in vitro leaf explants was possible in the regeneration cycle. The direct microtuberization from in vitro whole leaf explants was also achieved through the one-step culture without medium renewal. The highest frequency of microtuber formation (93.0%) as well as the highest number of microtubers per explant (6.1) was observed by one-step culture in MS medium containing 2.0 mg·L -1 NAA and 0.2 mg·L -1 BA. Thus, the direct microtuberization from in vitro leaf explants was successfully achieved by the one-step culture protocol without medium renewal from microtuber induction to harvest. The adequately dried microtubers were well grown like an artificial seed in the pot culture containing a commercial soil. Accordingly, the in vitro microtubers through one-step culture could be commercially used as seed tubers for a plant factory system. Additional key words: callus induction, growth regulators, plant regeneration, seed tubers, soil cultivation


The application of Artificial Intelligence mechanisms allows the development of systems capable to solve very complex engineering problems. Multi-agent systems (MAS) are one paradigm that allows an alternative way to design distributed control systems. While research in this area grew exponentially before 2009, there is a need to understand the status quo of the field from 2009 to June 2017. An extension of the results of a SLR related to Multi-Agent Systems, its applications and research gaps, following Kitchenham and Wholin guidelines are presented in this paper. From the analysis of 279 papers (out of 3522 candidates), our findings suggest that: a) there were 20 gaps related to agent-oriented methodologies; coordination, cooperation and negotiation; modelling, developing, testing and debugging; b) 24 gaps related to specific domains (recycling, dynamic evacuation, hazard management, health-care, industry, logistics and manufacturing, machine learning, ambient assisted living); and 14 gaps related to specific areas within MAS (A-Teams, dynamic MAS and mobile agents, ABMS, evolutionary MAS, and self-organizing MAS). These gaps specify lines of research where the MAS community must work to achieve the unification of the agent-oriented paradigm; as well as strengthen ties with the industry.


Medullary thyroid carcinoma is a rare tumor arising from parafollicular or C cells of thyroid gland. As it is a rare tumor, cytological diagnosis is often difficult due to various patterns of growth and cytological features. Here we report a case of medullary thyroid carcinoma with metastases to cervical lymph node and skull bone. The diagnosis was established by fine needle aspiration cytology of the thyroid, cervical lymph node and scalp swelling. Preoperative serum calcitonin was done and was elevated.


In this paper we report on the one-step fabrication of silver and gold conical microstructures using femtosecond single-pulse nanoablation. The lateral and vertical size of the microcones was found to be fully determined by the pulse energy. Using dark-field confocal microspectroscopy technique we observe and measure the resonant light scattering from the individual nanostructures in visible spectral range with the resonant peak position being dependent on the microcone size. This resonant light scattering was attributed to the excitation of the localized surface plasmon modes in the upper part of the microcones, where the main part of the molten materials accumulates and resolidifies during the formation process. The plasmon-mediated EM field enhancement near the microcones was experimentally probed and revealed by means of photoluminescent (PL) microscopy. The averaged 6-fold enhancement of the PL signal from the layer of alkylated europium complex embedded into the organic matrix was experimentally demonstrated.


The analysis of the functional peculiarities of the known flux gates has shown that the constructive and technological methods used to increase their operational characteristics within the framework of traditional so-lutions have basically exhausted themselves. The paper proposes a method for exciting flux gates based on a new physical principle relying on the effect of magnetoelectric interaction. The possibility of obtaining a magnetoelectric effect in local inhomogeneities of solid-state structures of ferrite elements of flux-gates when exposed to an alternating electric field is analyzed and substantiated. In this case, in the entire volume of the fer-romagnetic core at the same frequencies of electromechanical and magnetic resonances, a modulating physical process is excited in the form of a standing magnetoelectric wave. This creates a corresponding magnetic modu-lation structure in the entire volume of the ferromagnetic system of the flux gate. The considered design of a fluxgate modulator implements a new method of exciting flux gates, containing a ferromagnetic rod system in the form of two ferrite rod half-elements, located coaxially and joined together by a ferrite permanent magnet with magnetization along the axis of the rods. The authors have experimentally studies a new method for exci¬ting flux gates. The proposed method for exciting flux gates opens up wide opportunities for research in a new direction in science – spintronics, in particular, the applied use of magnetoelectric interaction, which can be effectively used to create various options for flux gates based on new physical principles of operation.


Skin biopsy showed coalescing sheets of epithelioid histiocytes associated with neutrophil polymorphs and lymphocytes and a Ziehl–Neelson stain revealed abundant alcoholand acid-fast bacilli (Fig. 2). Culture of a skin biopsy yielded Mycobacterium chelonae. Complete resolution of the nodules was seen after 1 month of treatment with oral clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily and linezolid 600 mg twice daily followed by a further 5 months of clarithromycin (Fig. 1b). Mycobacterium chelonae is a rarely seen complication of immunosuppressive therapy for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Potential oral antibiotics used to treat M. chelonae include ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin and linezolid, an oxazolidinone antibacterial.


The use of Internet Laboratories (iLabs) at Makerere University has gained momentum, enabling students to conduct remote experiments on physical equipment. iLabs are based on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) iLabs Shared Architecture (ISA) which consists of three tiers: labserver onto which the hardware is connected; the client which is an interface that a user interacts with; and the service broker which provides communication between lab server and client. The majority of the iLabs used are based on the Batched Architecture. The current batched client is a java applet that presents a block diagram of a basic circuit at the labserver and dialog boxes for a user to configure hardware components. This usually leaves the user uninformed of the physical connections made on the physical equipment. Presented in this paper is the work undertaken to introduce augmented reality into the communications batched iLab client, thus improving user experience. The lab, which addresses the fundamentals of fiber optic communications, is based on the EMONA Fiber Optics Telecommunications Experimenter (FOTEx) add-on Board for the National Instruments Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite (NI ELVIS II) Platform. A soft interface of the add-on board was incorporated into the lab to enable users to wire the experiment setups virtually before the lab is run, as would be done on the physical board. The processes involved in development of the interface as well as test runs are here-after presented.


A magnetic-sulfonic graphene nanocomposite (G-SO3H/Fe3O4) was synthesized and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. It was used for removal of three cationic dyes: safranine T (ST), neutral red (NR), victoria blue (VB), and three anionic dyes: methyl orange, brilliant yellow, and alizarin red, from environmental water. The experimental conditions were optimized, including pH, amount of adsorbent, adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherms, ionic strength, etc. The results show that G-SO3H/Fe3O4 can adsorb cationic dyes more efficiently and selectively than anionic dyes at pH 6.0. In the first 10 min of adsorption time, more than 93% of the cationic dyes were removed by the sorbent. Adsorption kinetics follow the pseudo-second-order kinetic model well. The adsorption isotherm coincided with Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models. The maximum adsorption capacities of G-SO3H/Fe3O4 for ST, NR, and VB dyes were 199.3, 216.8, and 200.6 mg g−1. The adsorbed cationic dyes were eluted by using different pH values of ethanol as the solvent. The established method was simple, sensitive, and rapid, and was suitable for the adsorption of cationic dyes in environmental water.


This paper presents the design of ultra-high-speed low-voltage differential signal (LVDS) I/O interface circuits. A cascaded receiver with common-mode feedback (CMFB) is proposed to achieve the high speed, including a current-reuse pre-amplifier to increase the power efficiency and provide voltage gain at high frequency. The whole design is implemented in a 28 nm CMOS process. The post-layout simulation results show that the power consumption of the transmitter and receiver at 12.5 Gb/s are 10.29 mW and 0.94 mW, respectively. The energy efficiency of the transmitter and receiver at 12.5 Gb/s are 0.82 pJ/bit and 0.08 pJ/bit, respectively.


This program assessment study has been made on the units covering sets, numbers and relationship among objects in the second grade Primary School Mathematics Curriculum. This analysis has been made using data of two different groups. In the first group the teaching/learning environment is purposely designed.. In the second group the teaching / learning environment is set by the classroom teacher. The unit is analyzed in terms of the accessibility of its target behaviour and the consistency between the target behaviour and the content. The study attempts to separate the evaluation of behaviour and the evaluation of teaching. Once the program is evaluated as viable, teaching can be analyzed. Related studies indicate that although the unit discussed is viable, the teaching practice should not be limited to certain units. Because it is found that in the first group the accessibility


A study to support ozone depletion and climatic change research is briefly summarized. The goal of the study to to develop back-propagation neural network techniques for detection of optically thin polar stratospheric clouds in Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer thermal infrared imagery. The neural networks are being used to analyze hyperspatial and hypertemporal data; these data sets are defined in the paper. Assessments of the neural network are very briefly described; these include verification, accuracy, and robustness over time.


n engl j med 374;23 nejm.org June 9, 2016 2297 firmed response. Assessment of the discrepancies between the initial response data and the updated response data highlights 5 patients who were initially reported as having a partial response and who did not have a confirmed partial response in the updated analysis and 1 patient who was initially reported as having stable disease but who then had a confirmed partial response in the updated analysis (Fig. 1A). In the intentionto-treat population of 18 patients with T790Mnegative disease, 3 (17%; 95% CI, 4 to 41) had a confirmed partial response (Fig. 1B). Given emerging data that suggest that rociletinib has limited central nervous system activity,4 we hypothesized that early brain metastases could underlie the failure to confirm initial responses. Although 22 of the 69 patients included in this updated analysis (32%; 15 patients with T790M-positive disease and 7 with T790M-negative disease) indeed had central nervous system progression before the discontinuation of rociletinib, only one case occurred early enough to alter the designation of a partial response (Fig. 1B). The updated median progression-free survival was 6.1 months (95% CI, 4.2 to 9.6) among patients with T790M-positive disease and 1.8 months (95% CI, 1.2 to 3.0) among those with T790M-negative disease. On behalf of the academic authors of the Journal article published on April 30, 2015, we update our initially reported response rate of 59% to a mature confirmed response rate of 45% among patients with T790M-disease who had enrolled early in TIGER-X. This reduction in activity is less dramatic than that suggested in the Clovis Oncology press release,2 hence future analyses of the larger data set will be critical. The desire to bring helpful therapies to patients with terminal disease quickly creates considerable pressure to disseminate promising results early. However, this case offers a clear lesson regarding the importance of continued follow-up and supports a strong recommendation to publish rates of confirmed response according to RECIST, thus providing the most rigorous and mature data. Ultimately, additional data are needed to clarify the role of rociletinib in treating patients with EGFR mutation–positive lung cancer.


Building ubiquitous applications that exploit location requires integrating underlying infrastructure for linking sensors with high-level representation of the measure space to support human activities. However, the real-world constraints limit the efficiency of location technologies. The inherent spatial uncertainty embedded in mobile and location systems constantly challenges the coexistence of digital and physical spaces. Consequently, the technical mechanisms fail to match the highly flexible, nuanced, and contextual human spatial activities. These discrepancies generate a social-technical gap between what should be socially supported and what can be technically achieved. My research aims at exploring, and hopefully reducing this gap in the context of location-aware computing.


In "What Is Justified Belief?" Alvin I. Goldman argues that a belief is justified if and only if it is produced by a reliable belief-forming process in the absence of an undermining reliable cognitive process. That is, a belief is justified if and only if it is an outcome of a reliable cognitive process such as a standard perceptual process, remembering, and introspection, and there is no undermining reliable cognitive process. In this article, I argue that the reliability of a belief-forming process is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for justification of a belief. What is crucial for justification is the reliability of a belief-checking process and evidence rather than the reliability of a belief-forming process.


Bovine in vitro production is highly relevant for dairy systems in Brazil, and the main breeds used as oocyte donors are Gyr (G) and Holstein (H). This study aimed to evaluate the ovarian follicular dynamics of G and H oocyte donors kept under tropical conditions to detect differences that could guide improvement of follicular wave synchronization protocols for ovum pickup. Fourteen cyclic cows (6 H and 8 G), assessed twice each (after a 14-day interval), had their oestrus cycle synchronized by the use of 1.0 g of progesterone via intravaginal device (Ourofino, Brazil) and administration of 2 mg of oestradiol benzoate (EB; Day 0). Withdrawal of progesterone device was followed by 7.6 mg of cloprostenol administration (Day 7); EB (1 mg) was administered after 24 h (Day 8, 0 h), and the animals were evaluated every 12 h by ultrasound for 6 days (0–132 h). All evaluations are reported regarding EB administration (0 h). Videos from each ovary were stored and processed using the ImageJ software (http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij), by measuring the diameter of each visualised follicle. All procedures were approved by local ethics committee. Ovulation time (G = 42.0 ± 8.3; H = 42.5 ± 6.2), ovulatory follicle (F1) diameter (G = 11.5 ± 1.8; H = 12.4 ± 2.0), and F2 diameter (G = 7.2 ± 1.9; H = 7.4 ± 2.7) did not differ (P > 0.05) between breeds. Growth rate (mm day–1) after ovulation was similar (P > 0.05) between breeds for each follicle (F1 = G: 0.6 ± 0.2, H: 0.8 ± 0.1; F2 = G: 0.5 ± 0.1 H: 0.4 ± 0.1, F3 = G: 0.2 ± 0.1, H: 0.3 ± 0.1). In H group, the F1 growth rate was higher (P   0.05) in G group. Follicle deviation was identified 120 h after EB in the G group (~78 h after ovulation) and 132 h in the H group (~90 h after ovulation), and at that time F1, F2, and F3 follicle diameters were 8.0 ± 0.3, 6.6 ± 0.5, and 5.3 ± 0.3 for G (120 h), respectively; 8.8 ± 0.7, 7.2 ± 0.4, and 6.2 ± 0.3 for H (132 h), respectively. There was no difference between the size of F1, F2, and F3 between breeds at any time, except at 132 h, when H F3 was higher (P < 0.05) than G F3. Regarding the follicular population, follicles smaller than 3 mm were more numerous in G animals at all evaluated moments, and differed at 0 (G = 7.1 ± 1.1; H = 2.5 ± 0.5) and 132 h (G = 5.6 ± 0.8; H = 1.5 ± 0.3). Number of follicles between 3 and 8 mm increased in H compared to G at 24 (14.4 ± 1.0), 36 (15.7 ± 1.3), and 132 h (18.3 ± 1.4). Comparing 3- and 8-mm follicles in G between times, an increase (P < 0.05) in number was detected from 36 h onwards, comparedto 0 h (0 h: 9.2 ± 1.0; 36 h: 13.6 ± 1.4). This increase was not significant in H group (0 h: 13.7 ± 1.1; 132 h: 18.3 ± 1.4). The main findings of this study are that the moment of deviation and the population of follicles smaller than 3 mm and between 3 and 8 mm differs from Gyr and Holstein oocyte donors. Those observations suggest ovum pickup is better performed slightly later in Holstein donors than in Gyr, and can contribute to improvement of follicular wave synchronization protocols for each of the breeds in tropical conditions. Study supported by FAPERJ, Embrapa and CNPq.


We shall consider a class of continuously differentiable mappings. If a mapping T attains the minimum of maximal dilatation in a given class of mappings, then T is called extremal. Let R and R be two rectangles. H. Grotzsch proved that the unique extremal quasiconf ormal mapping of R onto R with vertices corresponding to each other is the affine mapping. This affine mapping is called Grotzsch 's affine mapping and will always be denoted by the capital letter T in the sequel. In the present note we shall establish an extremal property of T, from which Grόtzsch's original extremality can be easily deduced. Our method of proof is the one usually used in the theory of minimal surfaces or in the calculus of variations. Hence there is no new idea in our proof. Though our proof will be performed under very special situations, the method is far general. Hence we may believe that its analogues or applications will give some essential improvements in the global theory of quasiconf ormal mappings in a future.


Effect of avirulent bacteriocin-producing stain (ABPS) MA-7 or nOE-104 on the development of virulent bacteriocin-sensitive stain LE-101 was evaluated. Results showed delayed disease development and reduced severity when roots of tomato were dipped in the suspensions of ABPS prior to transplanting in the potted soil infested with virulent strain LE-101. Strain MA-7 showed better control than nOE-104. Besides, MA-7 also had some control effects to the virulent bacteriocin-insensitive strain LE-S.


potassium ionic sieve membrane was synthesized employing the secondary hydrothermal synthesis using tetrabutyl ammonium bromide as templates on the porous α-Al2O3 support.The zeolite membrane were characterized by XRD and SEM. The results show that the prepared membranes is potassium ionic sieve membrane, dense and continuous membrane could be obtained after crystallization synthesis was carried out at 423K for 12h and for three times.


This paper gives insight into the system design and hardware architecture of Nancy, which is a social robot in humanoid form that is currently being developed in Social Robotics Lab (SRL), Interactive and Digital Media Institute, National University of Singapore. In contrast to industrial robots, the design of Nancy focuses on safety issue, social interaction and attractive appearance. In order to achieve these objectives, Nancy is designed to be user-friendly and approachable. The mechanical structure of Nancy is presented in the beginning. After that, the hardware architecture which includes processor system, vision system, audio system, communication system, power system, and motion system, is described systematically. Finally, the roles of integrated sensors are described and implemented works are summarized.


Spectrum Sensing problem is a major problem in any smart radio transmission system (i.e. Cognitive or Smart Radio). This manuscript deals with this problem by proposing two major contributions: At first, a new contribution, consists on a new developing of setting of the comparison threshold basing on new decision criterion. In second contribution we use the Waveform techniques in order to detect the existing or not of Primary user's signals(The Primary User is the user who holds the license or the right to use spectrum bandwidth)while a secondary user (an opportunistic user, who would like to use the licensed spectrum bandwidth) is transmitting. It is worth noticing that existing methods require a silence period of secondary users in order to sense the activity of the primary user. Our simulation results corroborate the two proposed approaches. Simulation results are presented and discussed.


Our investigations carried out in patients with diabetes mellitus revealed oxidative stress loads. The study presented here was to clarify whether a therapy with antioxidants can contribute to an improvement of prognosis. 80 patients affected with a long term diabetic late syndrome were randomised and arranged to 4 groups of n = 20 each. In contrast to a control group these patients received 600 mg of alpha lipoic acid or 100 micrograms of selenium (sodium selenite) daily or 1200 IE of D-alpha-tocopherol respectively for a time of 3 months. In comparison with the control group all groups treated in an antioxidative way showed significantly diminished serum concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and of urinary albumin excretion rates. The symptoms of distal symmetric neuropathy measured according to the thermo- and vibration sensitivity also improved in a highly significant manner. The results prove that oxidative stress plays a promoting role in developing of long term diabetic late complications and that a therapy with adjuvant antioxidants may lead to a regression of diabetic late complications.


This paper introduces in detail physical characteristics,exhaust features,merits and demerits and problems solved in use of substitute fuel of internl combustion engine,such as CNG,LPG,hydrogen,alcohol fuel,bio-fuel,DME and DMC.


I have studied the chemical components, especially polyphenolic substances and caffeine in the leaves of Camellia sasanqua and C. japonica by paper-chromatographic method.As the results of the study, it was found that paper-chromatogram of C. sasanqua was very resemble to that of C. japonica while it was remarkably different from that of Thea. Only l-epicatechin was a common substance among them. However, the same kinds of flavonoids contained in the tea leaves were detected in C. sasanqua.It seemed to be the first time that the existence of caffeine in C. sasanqua and C. japonica was acknowledged by paper-chromatographic detection.


In recent years there has been a renewed interest in the diets of our human ancestors (Garn and Leonard 1989), especially among those concerned about the prevalence of diseases which are linked with current Western lifestyles. Malnutrition is one of the more common medical conditions affecting Aborigines. This malnutrition has worsened with the urbanisation of Aborigines as they have been forced to adapt to a Western lifestyle (Roberts et al 1986). Lifestyle changes have also extended to the most remote communities over the past twenty years (Gracey 1991), bringing about changes in eating patterns which are recognised as being detrimental to health.


Barr, P.-O., H. Bjurstedt and J. C. G. Coleridge. Blood gas changes in the anesthetized dog during prolonged exposure to positive radial acceleration. Acta physiol. scand. 1959. 47. 16—27. — Anesthetized dogs were exposed to increased gravitational stress in the head-to-tail direction and arterial O2 saturation and acid-base balance changes studied. Simultaneous, direct and continuous recordings were made of arterial O2 saturation and pH as well as respiratory minute volume in centrifuge runs. Application of moderate g forces over several minutes produced severe hypoxemia although 100 % O2 was breathed and hyperventilation was present, indicating a great alveolar-arterial O2 difference, and accordingly, a large intrapulmonary shunt.


Background: Caudal analgesia is a form of caudal epidural block commonly used technique for surgical anaesthesia in children and chronic pain management in adults. It is performed by inserting a needle through the sacral hiatus to gain entrance into the sacral epidural space. Materials & Methods: The present article involves postoperative caudal analgesia study in 80 ASA I- II paediatric patients undergoing infraumbilical surgeries by comparing two drugs, tramadol & dexmeditomidine with ropivacaine in paediatric patients. Here the 80 patients were divided in two groups (group T: Tramadol, group D: Dexmedetomidine). Quality of pain relief and sedation was assessed by FLACC score and Modified Ramsay Sedation score respectively for both the groups. Results: Addition of Dexmedetomidine with Ropivacaine leads to increased duration of analgesia when compared to Tramadol for paediatric infraumbilical surgeries & reduces the postoperative analgesic requirements in 1 st 24 hrs. with, initial better quality of sleep.


Sixteen crossbred (HF x Mariana) cattle, divided into 4 equal groups, were fed on concentrate mixture, green fodder and wheat straw ad lib. Groundnut cake of control ration (T1) was replaced at 25 (T2), 50 (T3) and 75% (T4) levell by deoiled sunflower cake on CP basis. The DM intake per day and DMI per 100 kg body weight did not differ significantly among groups. Digestibilities of proximate nutrients and cell wall constituentes and DCP intake per day were not affected upto 50% replacement of groundnut cake protein with that of deoiled sunflower cake protein. TDN Intake was significantly (P<0.05) lower in T3 and T4 groups shan in group T1 There was net saving of Ms. 0.23 per kg DM by replacing 50% groundnut cake protein with deoiled sunflower cake (DSFC). It was concluded that 50% groundnut cake protein could be replaced by DSFC protein in crossbred cattle.


The author considers such elements of shamanism bearers' subculture as "obo", "ongons" and shamanic groves, called by the author as the markers of the Buryats' ethnic identity. Markers assign the ethnos to the developed territory and are a kind of border signs. Markers are also special emotions, such as a feeling of origin, territory and ethnicity itself. The Buryats-shamanists maintained their identity due to the uniqueness of the markers created in the Middle Ages.


Diet has always been the capital material foundation of humans' survival and reproduction. Compared with the culture of implement, culture of diet has stronger relations with both sociology and psychology. During the processing of breeding, primitive nationalities especially the fathers would follow some food taboo to comfort and encourage the wives by using sympathetic magic, so that the mothers and the newly born babies could be well and the race got to be prospect.


Based on the analysis of primary factors for influencing the continuous development of coal industry in Henan province,and discussed the development of coal comprehensive utilization during the tenth five-year plan.The result is,for improving the continuous development of coal industry,it is necessary to develop coal comprehensive utilization in Henan province.


Nodulus, along with the flocculus, paraflocculus and ventral uvula constitutes the vestibulocerebellum and is irrigated by the medial branch of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Isolated nodular infarction is extremely rare because it is usually associated with infarction of other areas supplied by medial branch of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. We present a case which severe nausea, vomitting, nistagmus and ataxia were the prominent symptoms of nodulus infarction without prominent vertigo. Patients applying with the same symptoms, even with absence of vertigo, vertebrobasiler ischemic stroke should come to mind at differential diagnosis and clinical suspicion should lead us to repeat neuroimaging with high resolution for accurate diagnosis.


Abstract As the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in China has come to the forefront of public health attention, female sex workers (FSWs) and their clients (CFSWs) are becoming increasingly important to HIV/STI prevention efforts. This secondary analysis uses data abstracted from the Chinese Health and Family Life Survey 1999–2000 to report prevalence rates of two STIs as well as sexual risk behaviors for CFSWs – men who paid for sex with FSWs in the past 12 months – in comparison with men who had not patronized FSWs. Among 1879 Chinese CFSWs who completed anonymous interviews and urine testing, 152 (6.3%, weighted) said they had paid for sex in the past 12 months and 18.8% of CFSWs (weighted) tested positive for gonorrhea. CFSWs were 10 times more likely to have an STI (either self-reported or tested) than non-client Chinese men, and they were equally likely to use condoms inconsistently with their spouses. This study highlights the importance of studying CFSWs who use condoms inconsistently and do not practice safe sex with their spouse as a potential bridge population. Prevention and intervention efforts should target this bridge population and include education on HIV/AIDS and STI transmission, condom promotion, marriage counseling, destigmatization of HIV and STIs, and promotion of STI diagnosis and treatment.


In this work, a numerical study is performed to evaluate the feasibility of different geometric changes in single-lap aluminium joints under tension loads bonded with an araldite adhesive. Three dimensional finite element modeling of single lap joint subjected to uniformly distributed forces and investigated the stress distribution over the overlap area. Further, two types of cases are considered having identical and non-identical adherends. The finite element model of the joint is obtained using isoparametric three dimensional elements having eight nodes with three degrees of freedom each. The stress components and their distributions both on adhesive surface and on metallic elements are given in dimensionless form using three dimensional graphics. This paper presents a new model for three-dimensional finite element analysis of adhesive joints. The model considers geometric and material nonlinearities and uses solid brick elements as well as specially developed interface elements.


Strong ratio limit theorems associated with a broad class of spread out random walks on unimodular groups were proved in the preceding paper, where these random walks were assumed to have the convergence parameter $R=1$. In the present paper, we study the case of an arbitrary $R\ge1$ and clarify the role of the condition that the group is unimodular.


Gaps between environmental science and environmental law may undermine sound environmental decision-making. We link perspectives and insights from science and law to highlight opportunities and challenges at the environmental science–law interface. The objectives of this paper are to assist scientists who wish to conduct and communicate science that informs environmental statutes, regulations, and associated operational policies (OPs), and to ensure the environmental lawyers (and others) working to ensure that these statutes, regulations, and OPs are appropriately informed by scientific evidence. We provide a conceptual model of how different kinds of science-based activities can feed into legislative and policy cycles, ranging from actionable science that can inform decision-making windows to retrospective analyses that can inform future regulations. We identify a series of major gaps and barriers that challenge the successful linking of environmental science and law. These include (1) the different time frames for science and law, (2) the different standards of proof for scientific and legal (un)certainty, (3) the need for effective scientific communication, (4) the multijurisdictional (federal, provincial, and Indigenous) nature of environmental law, and (5) the different ethical obligations of law and science. Addressing these challenges calls for bidirectional learning among scientists and lawyers and more intentional collaborations at the law–science interface.


Introduction: One of the most common treatments of head and neck cancer patients is radiotherapy, a treatment method which uses ionizing radiation beam and destroys tumor cells, minimizing damage to neighbor cells. Purpose: To evaluate the bond strength of a conventional adhesive system in irradiated teeth. Method: 24 third human molars, 12 of which were randomly exposed to radiation and prepared from the removal of occlusal enamel, then exposed to a flat dentine surface. The adhesive system Stae was applied according to the manufacturer's instructions. Next, two 2 mm increments of resin were implemented. The samples were hemi sectioned specimens, originating shapped toothpick. To evaluate the bond strength, a micro tensile test was done with 500N load and speed of 0.5 mm/minute. Result: There was no statistically significant difference between the bond strength of teeth which were or were not exposed to radiation and which used a conventional adhesive system. Conclusion: Although the radiation doses applied may cause some alterations in microscopic range in dental tissues, it can be concluded that these alterations do not influence in the bond strength in dentin of irradiated teeth. Descriptors: Adhesiveness; radiotherapy; composite resins; radiation.


Privatization of airports in India has eliminated the monopoly of the state-owned Airport Authority of India (AAI). Originally, privatization was intended to attract private capital and thereby improve airport standards, which in turn would reduce the high airport costs that prevailed in India. Privatization has brought in a sea change in the economic context, especially in terms of airport charges. This paper attempts to analyze a new category of airport levy, the User Development Fee (UDF). Various legal and regulatory issues connected with the UDF are discussed with respect to national laws, as well as international conventions and guidelines. The author is of the opinion that, on many counts, the UDF is not in line with international guidelines, the Indian constitution, or Indian statutes. The goal of privatization - to bring in private capital for developing airport infrastructure - has given way to the levying of a tax from the traveling public to finance the private capital. If not corrected in time, the current model of privatization may result in higher airport charges and, in turn, harm the growth of civil aviation.


Aims: This focused on the effect of social training skill on bullying tendency among secondary school students in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra state, Nigeria.
Study Design: The study employed the quasi-experimental research design (pre-test, post-test, non-randomized control group)
Place and Duration of Study: Secondary school students in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria, between June 2021 and January 2022.
Methodology: The population consists of 329 students in JS2 and SS2 in all the secondary schools from all the co-educational schools in Nnewi-North LGA having high level of bullying tendency. The sample for this study comprised 108 secondary school students that were identified with high bullying tendency. This was drawn from JS2 and SS2 students from the two coeducational schools selected for the study. The instrument for data collection was an already established Students Bullying Tendency Questionnaire developed. The students' tendency to bullying questionnaire (STBQ) which was adopted for this study was structured to ascertain the students' tendency to bullying. The SBTQ total score range from 20-80 with higher level of bullying tendency. Bullying scale reads; strongly agree =(SA) 4points, agree (A)=3 points, disagree(D)= 2 points and strongly disagree (SD)=1. The instrument used the Pearson product moment statistical technique to obtain a co-efficient of reliability of 0.89. The researcher administered copies of the bullying tendency questionnaire through direct delivery method to all JS2 and SS2 students to complete. The administered instrument after collection will be scored in line with the instrument scoring guide and analyze using Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA), The data which relates to the research questions was analyzed using mean, while data relating to the null hypothesis was analyze using ANCOVA. Scores that are above the norm 47.77 for males and 47.77 for female while those scores below show no bullying tendency behaviour.
Results: The results of the study revealed that, social skills training technique is effective in reducing bullying tendency among secondary school students. More so, social skills training technique is more effective in reducing male secondary school students' bullying tendency. The effect of social skills training technique on the bullying tendency of secondary school students is significant. The study further revealed that the effectiveness of social skills training technique on the bullying tendency of male and female secondary school students do not differ significantly.
Conclusion: Based on the analysis, it was concluded that social skills training technique is effective in reducing bullying tendency among secondary school students, social skills training technique is more effective in reducing male secondary school students' bullying tendency. The effect of social skills training technique on the bullying tendency of secondary school students is significant. The effectiveness of social skills training technique on the bullying tendency of male and female secondary school students do not differ significantly.


A complete learning, and pattern-recognition system based on the joint-transform correlator is presented. By employing an iterative process, a complex synthetic-discriminant function (SDF) for pattern classification is generated, which takes into account all the constraints and distortions of the actual system. To effectively implement a complex reference function with a binary mask, the following steps are taken. The input pattern, multiplied by a grating, is introduced into the correlator at some distance from a binary reference function. After an optical Fourier-transform is performed on the input plane, a region around the first diffraction order is recorded by a television camera and is displayed on a spatial light modulator (SLM). The correlation is achieved by a second optical Fourier-transformation. The classification criterion is a high peak for one class of a training set and a uniform distribution for a second class. The elements of the SDF are the variables of a cost function, which is minimized by an iterative method to achieve this recognition criterion. All Fourier transforms are performed optically, but the cost function is calculated on a digital computer. Experimental results demonstrate high quality performance even with a poor SLM.


Introduction: The aim of the study was to evaluate the hearing loss in geriatric hemodialysis patients. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 16 geriatric hemodialysis patients (age minimum: 65, maximum: 86 years) and 16 volunteers (age minimum: 65, maximum: 86 years) as a control group. The patients' pure tone audiometry values between 250 and 8000 Hz frequencies were analyzed. Results: In our study, statistical significance was found between hearing loss and serum urea levels (P = 0.001). Hearing loss values were not statistically significantly different between the study and control groups (P = 0.786). High frequency hearing thresholds were found to be significantly higher in the geriatric hemodialysis patients (P = 0.032). Normal hearing levels at all levels were found in 5 patients in the study group. Mild to moderate hearing loss was found in 11 patients. Conclusions: In our preliminary study, we found statistically significant differences between the increase in hearing thresholds and uremia. Statistically significant changes in hearing thresholds at high frequencies were found between the two groups. Long-term hemodialysis treatment of 10 years or more is a risk factor for hearing loss. Hemodialysis treatment is a risk factor for hearing loss in geriatric patients who are at a risk of presbyacusis.


The situation of university students'employment is more severe in the background of international financial crisis.It makes the psychological problems of university students more prominent.To solve their psychological problems,they must learn to self-adjust actively.


We revisit the Kotliar-Ruckenstein (KR) slave boson saddle point evaluation for a two-site correlated electron model. As the model can be solved analytically, it is possible to compare the KR saddle point results with the exact many-particle levels. The considered two-site cluster mimics an infinite-U single-impurity Anderson model with a nearest-neighbor Coulomb interaction: one site is strongly correlated with an infinite local Coulomb repulsion, which hybridizes with the second site, on which the local Coulomb repulsion vanishes. Making use of the flexibility of the representation, we introduce appropriate weight factors in the KR saddle point scheme. Ground-state and all excitation levels agree with the exact diagonalization results. Thermodynamics and correlation functions may be recovered in a suitably renormalized saddle point evaluation.


The present invention discloses a method of forming a correlation output trajectory based on adaptive Kalman filter formed during the trajectory, the projectile's flight parameter estimation using the output of the correlation function matrix calculated by the correlation function matrix of the Kalman filter gain matrix the optimal steady state solution, such that the steady-state gain is adapted to the actual observed values; recursive method continuously adjusting the correlation function matrix from the observed values, adaptive filter estimation and correction of the trajectory data, to obtain an accurate trajectory . The present invention effectively suppresses a trajectory not exactly correspond to physical properties of the model and the actual model, system noise and observation noise parameter estimation filter divergence caused by inaccuracies and other factors to improve the accuracy and precision of the filtered trajectory.


What violations of Bell inequalities teach us is that the world is quantum mechanical, i.e., nonclassical. Assertions that they imply the world is nonlocal arise from ignoring differences between quantum and classical physics. In a vast and ever growing literature, of which [1–11] is but a selection of relatively recent examples, the claim is made that quantum mechanics is nonlocal because its predictions, confirmed by experiment, violate various Bell inequalities. Entire books [12,13] have been written in support of this thesis, and one is often given the impression that nonlocality is not only part of current quantum mechanics, but will be a part of any future theory that gives the same predictions for certain experimental situations. Here we shall argue that, on the contrary, derivations of Bell inequalities are based on assumptions or intuitions that are appropriate in classical, not quantum physics, and that when a fully consistent quantum mechanical approach is employed to describe the phenomena of interest, evidence for the supposed nonlocality of the quantum world evaporates. Quantum mechanics is consistent with special relativity, and there is not the slightest indication of any superluminal action at a distance. By contrast, derivations of Bell inequalities are based on intuitive ideas more appropriate to the classical than to the quantum world, and it is the failure to recognize this that has led to mistaken claims for nonlocality. In the following discussion we focus on statistical correlations for bipartite quantum systems, as it is in this arena that the main discussion of (supposed) quantum nonlocality has occurred. However, the basic idea can be extended to correlations in multipartite quantum systems, for which there have been similar claims of nonlocality, e.g. [14], in a fairly obvious way.


A certain amount of criminological research has concentrated on this problem of apparent discrimination resulting from the exercise of discretion by legal officers (for example Arnold 1971, Chiricos et al 1972, Dannefer and Schutt 1982, Elion and Megargee 1979, Hepburn 1977, Hindelang 1981, Kleck 1981, Stevens and Willis 1980, Unnever et al 1980, Weiner and Willie 1971). However, to date, studies have concentrated on the major points of discretion such as the decision to arrest, the decision regarding Court processing and sentencing, and the decision to parole.


Owing to the slow circuit board level maintenance and fault location of wireless communications equipment, and technically demanding problems, the multi-state circuit board testing environment was establish to study the circuit board interface type, input and output signals, power supply and others. Based on the diagnostic strategies of multi-signal flow model optimization design, this paper designed multi-state detection system including automatic testing and manual testing, realizing the rapid detection and failure analysis, processing and positioning of general and special circuit boards.


The roots of the equation $J_1^2 ( \zeta ) - J_0 ( \zeta )J_2 ( \zeta ) = 0$ are presented correctly to six decimal places, or better. The first 25 roots in the first quadrant of the zeta plane are tabulated, and an asymptotic formula that describes all subsequent roots correctly to at least six decimal places is derived. The roots are used to plot representative streamlines for the steady motion of a viscous fluid in a long tube, of constant radius, which rotates about its axis (the $\hat z$ axis) with an angular velocity that changes discontinuously at $\hat z = 0$ from one constant value to another of the same sign. The results are discussed with reference to the vortex breakdown phenomenon.


The purpose of this study is to identify several opinions regarding Instagram account of fast food restaurant in Indonesia. By using a system that can provide the information about the popularity ranking of fast food restaurants, researcher conduct an analysis using Naïve Bayes Classifier. To identify the popularity ranking, researcher collected restaurants data from Instagram, preprocessing text, using Naïve Bayes classification, and implementing the programing. The design of this system be able to determine the popularity ranking of fast food restaurants using collected data (number of likes and comments on Instagram's post). All of the predictions obtained exceeds of 90%, indicating a fairly accurate prediction of the popularity ranking, where all results almost touch the maximum score. Data collected from the restaurants' Instagram account, indicating positive results and ratings, based on number of likes and comments per post. The result of this research shows that, Burger King restaurants are the most popular, second is Kentucky Fried Chicken, third is McDonalds, fourth is Hokben, and fifth are Wingstop..


The results of the studies are presented which is an extension of the earlier authors' work of combined bolted-welded joints for building steel structures. Data on the parameters of the stress-strain state of finite-element models of physical specimens of bolted, welded and bolted-welded connections are given. These specimens are manufactured and are being prepared for testing. There are some special features of design of physical specimens and numerical models: the conditions which have been created for realization of limit state, conditioned by crushing of bolt edge of a hole in a thinner piece and its consequent breaking (poking out). Subsequently, it is supposed to compare data on the parameters of the numerical models and physical samples. Considering computer modeling of bolted-welded specimens, it is assumed that welds are made (imposed) after a finite-element model of the bolt connection has been loaded to a certain part of its bearing capacity according to the crushing criterion. Such conditions correspond to the operation of a bolted joint reinforced at partial unloading by welds. Thus, it is assumed that the bolted joint will be deformed largely before it is reinforced with welds. According to the authors' hypothesis, it will create favourable conditions for joint operation of the bolted joint and welds during its loading after reinforcement. The generally obtained numerical simulation data confirm the above hypothesis on the possible joint operation of welds and bolted joint, in which the limiting state in terms of buckling is realized and which is reinforced by partial unloading with welds.


Abstract Early childhood educators have an important role to play in the development of young children's mental health yet rarely has their understanding of mental health and mental health promotion been researched. This study aims to explore childcare educators' and managers' understanding of child and parental mental health and the early signs of mental health problems. Participants (N = 19) were sampled from low socioeconomic status areas. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore their perceptions and experiences of child and parental social and emotional wellbeing. Results suggested that childcare staff were able to explain child wellbeing but were somewhat limited in their knowledge of risk and protective factors for child and parental mental health. They identified a need for additional training. There is a need to match understandings and practice in mental health promotion to existing early childhood frameworks which inform the work of early childhood educators.


A study has been carried out of the free vibrations of a solid-wing structure with a diamond-shaped profile. Vibration frequencies and modes are obtained at different levels of the temperature, which is distributed in a way that is typical for such wings at high speed. It is found that the lowest Vibration modes are of local character for wings with elevated temperature. Large displacements in the local modes include membrane stresses, so flutter in such modes must be of limited amplitude. In addition, a very small imperfection in the midplane of the plate is sufficient to make the lowest frequencies relatively insensitive to thermal buckling. Thermal buckling of the leading edge, then, is not likely to change the aeroelastic properties of the wing severely.


We prove the existence and uniqueness of the solutions of a second order mixed type impulsive differential equation with piecewise constant arguments. Moreover, we study oscillation, non-oscillation and periodicity of the solutions.


In order to determine the effects of sowing date on physiological characteristics, yield and yield components of six sweet maize hybrids, an experiment was arranged in split plot based complete randomized block design with three replications. Sowing date in two levels (15 June and 1 July) and sweet maize hybrids in six variants ('Chase', 'Temptation', 'Challenger', 'Basin', 'Obsession' and 'Ksc403su') were the treatments. Results of ANOVA revealed significant difference of sowing date and sweet maize hybrids on the number of days for tassel emergence, number of days to anthesis, plant height, cob height, stem diameter, plant dry weight, cob dry weight, number of grain rows, length flowers, number of leaf above the cob, raffinose content of grain and grain yield. Mean comparisons showed that the highest grain yield was obtained for 'Basin' variety and it was obtained from the crop established on the 15 th of June as planting date. In temperate regions, maize potential productivity seems to be more limited by the amount of solar radiation available around silking (determinant of grain set) than during grain filling (determinant of grain weight).


The above mentioned questions were just some parts of the issues I shared in 2014 and 2015 Research Week notes in Iran online News Agency. I used the term "quasi-research" for the first time to point to those poorly written articles composed by some writers over a limited period of time under high educational pressure. Hence, I emphasized that the quasi-research which just appears to be research work shouldn"t be counted on, because due to lack of essential qualitative characteristics and features, they are not able to influence the science and knowledge cycle. Plus, they lack the ability to take steps toward tackling societal difficulties and developing science and technology. In those two notes, it was aimed to share the view that many of the research that is referred to as "research"; they are not research in fact. Instead they are "pseudo research" studies, because they have neither high penetration nor good quality. It has been also mentioned that "quasi-research" or "poorresearch" could never be the basis for a country"s scientific development. I also emphasized that there is a relationship between the number of "quasi-research" or "poor research" and the extent of country"s development. In fact, the authors of this research mostly found among faculty, students, or candidates for entry into graduate studies, are seeking for a way to publish their works in a limited period of time. Besides, they are under the extreme pressure of job and educational requirements and the codes and guidelines of the higher education system that pushes them to accept the risk of publishing articles in poor quality journals. Some of these authors become aware of their invalid articles after publishing them and others never become aware of this fact.


This paper presents a literature survey documenting the evolution of continuum robots over the past two decades (1999–present). Attention is paid to bioinspired soft robots with respect to the following three design parameters: structure, materials, and actuation. Using this three-faced prism, we identify the uniqueness and novelty of robots that have hitherto not been publicly disclosed. The motivation for this study comes from the fact that continuum soft robots can make inroads in industrial manufacturing, and their adoption will be accelerated if their key advantages over counterparts with rigid links are clear. Four different taxonomies of continuum robots are included in this study, enabling researchers to quickly identify robots of relevance to their studies. The kinematics and dynamics of these robots are not covered, nor is their application in surgical manipulation.


SUMMARY Although Simes' modification of the Bonferroni procedure tends to perform very well, albeit often being slightly liberal for negatively dependent hypotheses, there are special cases where it fails more dramatically. We prove that these special cases are indeed special, applying only to specific significance levels, and obtain a strong bound on the average deviation of the Simes corrected P-value from the true probability over any interval of P-values. From this, it is argued that Simes' procedure should be expected to perform well except for pathological examples.


The article describes the parallel implementation of the iterative method for nearest points. This method is used to compare the models, which are the result of three-dimensional scanning using the platform Microsoft Kinect. Comparison of models – it is one of the stages combine objects virtual and augmented realities. The practical application of this technology the creation of interactive, realistic training systems. Parallel implementation of the proposed method is different from the existing use as a platform for the implementation – the GPU and parallelizing the calculation of the correlation matrix in order to minimize the amount of data transmitted between computing processes. For the implementation of the proposed experimental test performed on standard test models, and has accelerated about 40 % compared to the sequential implementation.


ABSTRACT Objective: The study was performed in order to evaluate the domestic violence that the nursing students exposed and their perspectives on violence. Methodology: The sample was consisted of 229 students who were selected by simple random sampling method. Percentage, Pearson's chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used in order to perform statistical analysis by the SPSS 17.0. Results: 26.6% of students were exposed to domestic violence, 34.4% of these students were exposed to psychological violence, 26.2% of them were exposed to physical violence, 39.3% of them were exposed to both psychological and physical violence. Among the students who were exposed to domestic violence, the violence application rate was significantly high (p<0.01). Conclusions: Our results has showed, predisposition to violent tendencies of the individuals who are personally exposed to domestic violence or any member of their family is exposed to domestic violence increase in a way that cannot be overlooked. Key Words: Violence, Nursing Education, Nursing


•The cold rolling process is one of the important processes in the Egyptian: :iron and steel industry. For thorough understanding of the process mechan-• ics and the effect of its key operating variables on its performance, it has to be modelled. Furthermore, modelling of the process helps in building • steady state optimization program and achieving high level control strategies aiming at improving its performance.


Silicone Rubber (SiR) insulators are known for their outstanding pollution performance in outdoor applications. However, their vulnerability for multiple stresses and many failure modes limits their applications in the power sector. A study is conducted to analyze the cause of their failure in service. Most of the failures occurred due to tracking in the core material, erosion of housing and damages caused by the discharges to the end fittings. It is realized that most of the failures occur due to inefficient manufacturing processes and lack of knowledge which lead to premature failures of the insulators and underutilization. Addressing these issues are need of the hour to increase the applications of polymeric insulators.


The interaction between bilateral and multilateral action is evolving in the context of "global environmental law" � a concept that is emerging from the promotion of environmental protection as a global public good through a plurality of legal mechanisms relying on a plurality of legal orders. The notion of global public goods can thus help one better to understand recent bilateral initiatives aimed at supporting the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements and the decisions of their compliance mechanisms. Innovative linkages between the compliance system under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and bilateral trade agreements recently concluded by the European Union and the US provide an example. Innovative opportunities for bilateral initiatives supporting the implementation of the 2010 Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing are likely to lead to even more complex inter-relationships between different legal orders. This new approach to bilateralism that aims to support the interests of the international community can be assessed in the context of earlier debates on unilateralism, with a view to emphasizing the role of international law in the identification and delivery of global public goods, and the role of global environmental law in understanding the interactions among a plurality of legal orders.


Entering on the subject of chylous ascites, it appears necessary that we consider both chylous and chyloid effusions into the peritoneal cavity, since these two forms of ascites are dependent on entirely different pathologic processes. True chylous ascites results from the escape of chyle into the peritoneal cavity, this condition resulting from some obstruction to the chyliferous channels. A variety of pathologic conditions may be responsible for the effusion of chyle into the peritoneal cavity; and among these may be mentioned traumatism to the abdomen with rupture of the receptaculum chyli, or of the thoracic duct; obstruction to the flow of chyle through its normal channels, e. g., organic heart disease, as a result of which there is stasis of the innominate vein and venous congestion of the liver; venous thrombosis and peritoneal adhesions surrounding and compressing the thoracic duct, pressure of mediastinal tumors on the thoracic duct; abdominal tumors


The background of this journal is because of the low understanding level of students regarding the Pythagoras theorem. It is visile from the inability of students in deciding the Hypotenuse on right triangle and students often see the Pythagoras theorem formulas as a same. Even though both formulas may not be the same, they must firstly be defined what does it mean a,b,c. Writer is interested in solving those problems by using Spiral Theodorus music box as instructional media. The basic concept that writer use during the making of this media is to connect the Pythagoras concept with Spiral Theodorus. It is because writer think Spiral Theodorus use Pythagoras concept. This musix box can be used everyday by students so that the more often student used and see the Spiral Theodorus music box, the more they will increase their understanding about Pythagoras theorem. Keywords : Pythagoras, Kotak Musik Spiral Theodorus.


1. Over the past thirty years Statistics Canada has developed a number of generalized survey software covering nearly all aspects of the survey process. Edit and imputation (E&I) systems have one of the longest histories of these products, dating back to the 1970s. In the mid 1980s, the Generalized Edit and Imputation System (GEIS) was created in order to meet Statistics Canada's economic survey needs with respect to edit and imputation. Although modifications and improvements had been made to GEIS on a regular basis, the significant change in the overall computing environment necessitated that a new system be built.


This paper presents a 28–38 GHz wideband low-noise amplifier (LNA) with minimum noise figure of 2.8 dB. The amplifier consists of a two-stage cascade design. By using a transformer circuit as its matching network, the LNA achieved a wideband performance. The LNA was designed in 45 nm CMOS SOI technology, achieving a maximum voltage gain of 20 dB and a maximum power gain of 23 dB with a 3dB bandwidth of 28–38 GHz, and a noise figure less than 3.8 dB in the band. At a supply voltage of 1.5V, the DC power consumption was only 20 mW.


Sudden cardiac death,which is mainly associated with the presence of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias(VA),is common among patients with coronary heart disease(CHD).Large randomized trials suggested that statin therapy may result in a reduction of sudden cardiac death in patients with CHD.This favorable result is not entirely explained by lipid modulation.It could be related to potential antiarrhythmic properties of statins against VA.This review discusses the effect of statin treatment on VA and its underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.


The paper presents analysis of light intensity distribution and sensitivity in differential interferometer based on bimodal polymer waveguide. Key part is analysis of optimal waveguide layer thickness in structure SiO2/SU-8/H2O for maximum bulk refractive index sensitivity. The paper presents new approach to detecting phase difference between modes through registrations only part of energy propagating in the waveguide. Additionally in this paper the analysis of changes in light distribution when energy in modes is not equal were performed.


Many water sources in dry Mediterranean forests consist of small isolated ponds, which are replenished naturally. These ponds have been historically maintained by local human populations, which used them for livestock and as sources of drinking water. However, they have fallen into disuse as result of global changes in the pattern of human use in forest landscapes, increasing water canalisation and the over-exploitation of aquifers, so that most of them have become unused and their very presence is threatened (Vidal-Abarca et al., 2003). These habitats support a wide range of animal diversity, both invertebrates (e.g., Gascón et al., 2008; Florencio et al., 2009, 2011; Gómez-Rodríguez et al., 2009; Hassall et al., 2011; Jeffries, 2011; Picazo et al., 2012) and vertebrates (Beja and Alcázar, 2003; Ruiz-Olmo et al., 2007; Razgour et al., 2010; Lisón and Calvo, 2011), and they are particularly important during the dry months of summer. It is this role in biodiversity preservation (Céréghino et al., 2008; Oertli et al., 2009; Zacharias and Zamparas, 2010), that has led to the protection of ponds under the terms of the 'Habitats' Directive (92/43/EEC; habitat code 3170). Many bats species are threatened in the world and are therefore protected by international, national and regional laws (Hutson et al., 2001; Mickleburgh et al., 2002), since they are likely important for ecosystem functioning (Jones et al., 2009) and human activities (Boyles et al., 2011). Habitat loss, modification and fragmentation are one of the major causes of the decline in bat populations, especially in the case of wetlands and small water bodies, many of which are disappearing. In regions where precipitation is scarce, small ponds take on particular importance for bats, precisely because of their scarcity (Razgour et al., 2010, 2011; Lisón and Calvo, 2011). Bat populations depend on water bodies in Mediterranean landscapes and their distribution has been suggested to limit the distribution of species (Russo and Jones, 2003; Rainho and Pal meirim, 2011, 2013; Russo et al., 2012). Acta Chiropterologica, 16(1): 95–101, 2014 PL ISSN 1508-1109 © Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS doi: 10.3161/150811014X683309


The eyes of snakes and most geckos are shielded beneath a layer of transparent skin (the "spectacle"), of which the outermost layer consists of an optically transparent scale. The characteristics of the spectacle scale that contribute to its transparency are not well understood but may conceivably be related to its biochemical composition. The composition of the spectacle scales of numerous snakes and two geckos was analyzed with particular focus on β-keratins, the hard proteins that form the outermost layer of squamate scales, to determine whether spectacle scales differ biochemically from other scales and whether they differ between species. Results indicate that the spectacle scale of snakes differs in the types of β-keratins it contains and that diversity in spectacle β-keratins occurs between species and bears a relationship with taxonomy, suggesting that optical transparency is not restricted to a few isoforms. Other findings include a greater β-keratin to α-keratin ratio in the embryonic spectacle ...


The paper deals with decentralized Bayesian detection with M hypotheses, and N sensors making conditionally correlated measurements regarding these hypotheses. Each sensor sends to a fusion center an integer from {0, 1, ..,D - 1}, and the fusion center makes a decision on the actual hypothesis based on the messages it receives from the sensors so as to minimize the average probability of error. Such conditionally dependent scenarios arise in several applications of decentralized detection such as sensor networks and network security. Conditional dependence leads to a non-standard distributed decision problem where threshold based policies (on likelihood ratios) are no longer optimal, which results in a challenging distributed optimization/decision making problem. We show that, in this case, the minimum average probability of error cannot be expressed as a function of the marginal distributions of the sensor messages. Instead, we characterize this probability based on the joint distributions of these messages. We also provide some numerical results for the case where the sensors¿ measurements follow bivariate normal distributions.


Prototyping has become a key word during the last years, just like s t r u c t u r e d programming in the seventies. It is often assumed that a prototyping-oriented software development strategy may substantially contribute to the solution of problems associated with conventional software development. Based on experience from a research project, concepts of prototypingoriented software development, necessary tools and their integration are described. A toolset for prototyping-oriented software development is presented in detail.


BY use of a cortisone-modified glucose tolerance test Fajans and Conn12 found marked susceptibility to the diabetogenic effect of cortisone far more frequently among nondiabetic relatives of diabetic patients than among subjects with no known family history for diabetes. The mechanism of this cortisone effect has not been established. Long and his co-workers3 demonstrated in 1940 that the partially depancreatized rat was more susceptible to the diabetogenic effect of adrenocortical extracts than intact animals, and nine years later Zucker4 reported similar findings in rabbits given subdiabetogenic amounts of alloxan. These observations, interpreted in conjunction with morphologic evidence of increased islet . . .


Abstract The effect of oxygen (O2) contamination on the inhibition of carbon dioxide (CO2) corrosion was studied using carbon steel rotating cylinder electrodes (RCE). The test conditions were 40°C, 1 bar CO2, pH 5.5, and 1 wt% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution. The uninhibited CO2 corrosion rate was 1.5 mm/y to 2 mm/y under these conditions. Three organic, film-forming corrosion inhibitor formulations were tested in the concentration range from 20 ppm to 50 ppm. With less than 1 ppb of dissolved O2 in the test brine, the inhibitors reduced the corrosion rate by two orders of magnitude, and the inhibited corrosion rates were insensitive to the RCE rotation rate (100 rpm to 5,000 rpm). In the presence of 100 ppb O2 with 20 ppm to 30 ppm inhibitor, the corrosion rates depended on the RCE rotation rate, the corrosion rate being under partial or full O2 diffusion control with some contribution of CO2 corrosion. The O2 corrosion rate was reduced by increasing the inhibitor concentration. The consequences of the ...


The difficulties and constraints of community psychiatry are reviewed from the feeling of omnipotence and false hopes it has engendered, to the problems posed for the psychiatrist (threat to status, unclear identity, conflicting demands and the necessity for increased training). Administrative problems and difficulties in providing effective care in the new system are outlined: isolation of community psychiatry from the mainstream of medicine due to reliance on the social rather than the medical model, necessity for decentralization leading to fragmentation of services, pressures from local interest groups, lack of continuity of service and disruption in the flow of information. The myriad of pressures to which the community psychiatry center is vulnerable are described: local groups seeking to politicize the center, conflict within the center as to most appropriate method of treatment, pressure to solve social problems such as crime and addiction, and the ever-present weight of setting priorities under conditions of limited financial and manpower resources. Means of dealing with many of these difficulties are discussed, and a model of a community psychiatry center is presented which minimizes the problems and maximizes service to the community and the individual.


We investigate topology and temporal evolution of the foreign currency exchange market viewed from a weighted network perspective. Based on exchange rates for a set of 46 currencies (including precious metals), we construct different representations of the FX network depending on a choice of the base currency. Our results show that the network structure is not stable in time, but there are main clusters of currencies, which persist for a long period of time despite the fact that their size and content are variable. We find a long-term trend in the network's evolution which affects the USD and EUR nodes. In all the network representations, the USD node gradually loses its centrality, while, on contrary, the EUR node has become slightly more central than it used to be in its early years. Despite this directional trend, the overall evolution of the network is noisy.


This article takes a critical look at the ideology and functioning of the parenting order, tracing its political and legislative history and reasons for its geographically varied and largely limited use. It questions the need for mandated parental training which is, anyway, unlikely to prevent offending by children aged over ten years.


The knee joint is a main weight-bearing joint of the lower extremity, whose serious lesions can severely affect the patients' daily life[1]. Total knee arthoplasty (TKA) is mainly through placing the artificial joint to alter the joint structure and the axial alignment of the lower extremity to alleviate the joint pain and improve the living qualities[2]. Lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a common complication of TKA; moreover, the secondary pulmonary embolism caused by DVT is a main reason for causing early sudden death in patients after TKA[3]; therefore, how to prevent the occurrence of DVT after TKA is of great significance for the patients' prognosis. Some researches demonstrate that[4] rehabilitation treatment after TKA, especially the exercise therapy is crucial for the recovery of knee joint function, and can also prevent DVT to a certain degree. The study is aimed to explore the effect of exercise therapy in preventing DVT after TKA.


The method being used to measure the suction of unsaturated soil is based on the calibration of the suction of filter paper. This method was studied in China and abroad, but for homemade quantitative filter papers the calibration curves can just be used to lower suction. Based on the previous works we have made the calibration of filter paper suction at the higher suction. The calibration curves for the filter papers made in China or abroad are almost the same, which consists of two sections, one with larger slope and the other with smaller slope. We also found that the equation developed by van Genuchten is better to fit the calibration curve.


A transmission comprises at least one control device having at least two movable control elements, at least one actuator capable of charging at least one of these elements, at least one control device and at least one position.The detector device process aims to increase safety and accuracy of the transmission control (103) and comprises the generation by the control device (107) of at least one output signal for moving a member in a first tolerance band around a target position, and the production by the device (107) of at least one trigger signal to ensure proper positioning of said element.Applicables motor vehicles.


This paper deals with the approximations of Durrmeyer type generalization of Szasz-Mirakjan operators. We establish the direct results, quantitative Voronovskaya type theorem, Gruss type theorem, A-statistical convergence, rate of convergence in terms of the function with derivative of bounded variation. At last, the graphical analysis, comparison study and numerical representations of proposed operators are discussed.


This paper presents results from a pilot study investigating prosodic characteristics of Estonian compound words as compared to phonemically identical noun phrases. Intonation patterns over these two types in three different focus conditions are analysed. There is consid-erable variation as to the realisation of f o but some clear patterns of occurrence emerge depending on the type of word (compound or phrase) and focus (broad or contrastive on the first or second component) as well as speaker preferences.


The favorable factors of the development of the military ared general hospital were analyzed. The following difficulties pointed out included inconsistency between the service ability of hospital and its designated working load, inconsistency between the unstable states of professional staff and the long-term development of the hospital, inconsistency between the supplying mechanism and the medical service provided by the hospital,inconsistency between the medical evacuation and the actual condition, and inconsistency between the market reform and the medical support of the requirement of high technigue war. Establishment of hospital, combined service force.compensation mechanism,human resource and war preparedness of medical service were also studied.


To the editor: Drug-induced agranulocytosis remains a severe condition with a 16% mortality (1). Prompt identification of the causative agent is crucial since, at least in "abrupt onset" agranulocytosis, repeated exposure to this agent induces a sudden disappearance of neutrophils from the blood. However, identifying the causative agent can be made difficult: many patients have used several drugs shortly before developing agranulocytosis; moreover, some patients fail to mention having used potentially toxic drugs which they perceive as innocuous or irrelevant to their condition. During the last 6 years, we observed nine episodes of agranulocytosis in 6 female patients who had been using a phenazone-containing cream with alleged anticellulitis virtues. All were young or middle-aged females (median age: 3 1 yr, range: 1847) and met the criteria of severe agranulocytosis (median neutrophil count: 0.03 x 109/1, range: 0-0.09) with myeloid hypoplasia at bone marrow examination. All presented with fever, 5 complained of sore throat, an anal abscess developed in 1 patient and a dental abscess in another. Median time to recovery (agranulocyte count > 1 x 109/1) was 9 days (range: 5-33 d); the patient with an unusually protracted course (33 d) still used the phenazone cream while being neutropenic. In addition to the anticellulitis cream, potentially harmful drugs (ibuprofen, dipyrone and ampicillin) had been used shortly before the onset of agranulocytosis in three episodes. To the best of our knowledge, agranulocytosis has not been documented after cutaneous contact with phenazone. In "acute onset" agranulocytosis (sometimes named "pyrazole type" or type 1 agranulocytosis) agranulocytosis develops after the patient has been exposed repeatedly to a drug; in the sensitized individual, even minute amounts of the offending drug can induce severe neutropenia. Thus, the small amount of drug delivered through the transdermal route may be enough to induce agranulocytosis in susceptible individuals. None of our patients spontaneously mentioned having used an anticellulitis cream, which led to delay in diagnosis and to recurrence in 3 patients while an unusually long period of neutropenia was observed in an additional patient who still used phenazone while neutropenic. We therefore recommend that more attention should be paid to cutaneous contacts with potentially toxic drugs when investigating the cause of an agranulocytosis.