To investigate whether Myriophyllum spicatum can substitute Sargassum thunbergii in sea cucumber culture industry,five diets containing 0(A0),15%(A1),30%(A2),45%(A3) and 60%(A4) Myriophyllum spicatum meal were formulated to identify the effect of substituting M.spicatum L.in growth performance,body composition and digestive enzymes activities.The results showed that the growth rate(GR) of sea cucumbers in group A4 was significantly higher than other groups,and that sea cucumbers in group A4 showed the best survival rate(SR)(97.78%).Significantly higher crude protein content was observed in group A4(50.92%) compared with other groups(P0.05).The amylase activity of group A3(0.83 U/g prot) was significantly higher than other groups(P0.05).The protease activity in group A4(1.62 U/g prot) was significantly higher than all other groups(P0.05).The results of this study provide strong evidence to replace S.thunbergii with M.spicatum L.in the sea cucumber culture industry.


In this paper, we suggest an Iris recognition system with an excellent recognition rate and confidence as an alternative biometric recognition technique that solves the limit in an existing individual discrimination. For its implementation, we extracted coefficients feature values with the wavelet transformation mainly used in the signal processing, and we used neural network to see a recognition rate. However, Scale Conjugate Gradient of nonlinear optimum method mainly used in neural network is not suitable to solve the optimum problem for its slow velocity of convergence. So we intended to enhance the recognition rate by using Levenberg-Marquardt Back-propagation which supplements existing Scale Conjugate Gradient for an implementation of the iris recognition system. We improved convergence velocity, efficiency, and stability by changing properly the size according to both convergence rate of solution and variation rate of variable vector with the implementation of an applied algorithm.


Part I presented work leading up to and including a pilot study for remediation of laboratory fume hood systems contaminated with residues from processes that used fuming perchloric acid. Since publication of Part I, three incidents involving explosions and fires related to perchlorates have come to the attention of the authors. Experience has been gained through decontamination/remediation of 41 additional systems. This article expands on previous one and includes (1) administrative details that need to be addressed before and during the execution of the decontamination itself, (2) a seven-step procedure for decontamination-remediation/disposal, (3) some precautions associated with the use of methylene blue as a diagnostic tool for perchlorates, and-specific electrode to augment or replace the methylene blue test.


This paper presents an ant colony optimization algorithm for balancing mixed-model assembly line,which is a typical NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem.The proposed algorithm aims to minimize the number of workstations for a given cycle time,and heuristic information is used by the ants to select the tasks,local pheromone update is considered at the same time.A combined precedence diagram is used here to transform the mixed-model assembly line balancing problem to single-model assembly line balancing problem.The purpose of these steps is to improve the line balancing rate.Finally,computational experience is carried out to verify the validity of the proposed algorithm.After balancing,the line is still flexible enough;besides,productivity of the facilities and employees has been improved.


AIM: To study the significance of platelet count in various fevers and also identify the common causes of fever with thrombocytopenia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 69 patients who were admitted with fever over 2 months of period from 15th October to15th December 2014 in King George Hospital AMC Visakhapatnam studied retrospectively. RESULTS: INCIDENCE: More than half of the cases (52.2%) admitted with fever have thrombocytopenia. SEX: The study reveals that irrespective of sex and size of the sample the presentation of fever with/ without thrombocytopenia could not found any significant difference. Degree of thrombocytopenia in various etiologies: in the present study it is found that out of 15 cases of falciparum malaria 10 cases had thrombocytopenia. Out of 12 undiagnosed cases 8 cases had thrombocytopenia. Out of 4 cases of gastro intestinal system 3 cases had thrombocytopenia. In the present study it is significantly found that the highest difference is noticed in the presentation of dengue cases. Out of total sample (69) cases it is found that 5cases (7.2%) of thrombocytopenia with dengue fever were found against 1case (1.4%) of dengue fever with normal plate let count. The present study reveals that there is significant difference among various diseases such as malaria 14 (16.6%), dengue fever 5 (13.9%), Urinary tract infection 2 (5.6%), undiagnosed cases 8 (22.2%). However severe thrombocytopenia (platelets less than 50,000) is seen in14 cases (38.8%)out of 36 cases of fever with thrombocytopenia. Further this study reveals that in the cases of malaria 50% of cases reported as severe thrombocytopenia 7cases (19.4%) followed by dengue fever3 cases (8.3%). CONCLUSION: Not only malaria, dengue fever and urinary tract infection can also cause severe thrombocytopenia. Fever cases especially with thrombocytopenia show seasonal variations, they are seen commonly in early winter. Febrile thrombocytopenia still presents as atypical and occult forms making diagnosis difficult. This highlights the importance of thrombocytopenia in various febrile disorders. Hence, there is a need for study to know the importance of platelet count estimation in all types of fever as a basic investigation to establish correct diagnosis and prevent fatal outcome.


Fusarium wilt of banana popularly known as Panama disease, is a lethal fungal disease caused by the soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) and is one of the most widespread and destructive banana diseases. Present study was taken up to evaluate efficiency of biocontrol agents against banana fusarium wilt to include in integrate disease management strategy as it is eco-friendly technique. The causal organism of panama wilt was tested along with various fungal and bacterial bioagents in dual culture method for testing the efficacy. Results revealed that Trichoderma viride reduced 84.1% radial growth of the causal pathogen followed by Trichoderma harzianum(82.2%) and Trichoderma hamatum(80.1%) while Pseudomonas fluorescens inhibited lowest radial growth (63.08%).


One fundamental and significant issue for large-scale radio frequency identification (RFID) systems is to promptly identify the missing events of passive tags. To this end, this letter proposes two novel protocols, Tag Retardation-based Compact Protocol (TRCP) and Probabilistic Prediction-based Protocol (P3), which address the missing-tag identification problem in a more time-efficient way than existing work. TRCP conducts tag retardation to alleviate tag collisions and achieve compact tag transmissions. Due to the fact that it is unnecessary to individually identify the tags that are likely to be missing simultaneously, we design P3, which leverages tag missing probability to avert needless tag retardation to further ameliorate TRCP. Simulation results validate the superiority of both TRCP and P3 to state-of-the-art studies in terms of time efficiency.


In this paper experimental results of cryogenic tankage mass measurements and descriptions of level sensors using optical and millimeter wave signal beams are presented. The discussed results are based on a 100 GHz frequency modulated radar mass sensor. Test results are compared with a similar system which makes use of a laser beam and a frequency modulated microwave subcarrier. In addition the performance of a laser triangulation level sensor is presented which is suitable for normal gravity applications. Performance prediction in terms of the resolution and measurement accuracy are discussed with emphasis on the measurement difficulties encountered while using liquid hydrogen under normal gravity conditions. For a mass sensor the small 11% refractive index change between an empty and a filled tank of hydrogen causes a loss of measurement accuracy by a factor of ten, as compared to a level sensor. This loss is common to all mass propellant sensing systems, including the conventional capacitance probe sensor. Special processing techniques are indicated. Extensions of the presented millimeter wave mass sensor concept for micro and zero gravity cryogenic systems and for other special space related propellant conditions such as slush hydrogen are discussed.


AbstractIn this essay I explore the beginning lines of the most relevant cosmogonies from the eastern Mediterranean, focusing on the Enuma Elish, Genesis 1 and Hesiod's Theogony. These opening lines reveal some of the challenges faced by the authors of these texts when committing to the written word their version of the beginning of the universe. Hesiod's Theogony will be treated in more length as it presents an expanded introduction to the creation account. This close reading is followed by a few reflections on the question of authorship of these and other Greek and Near Eastern cosmogonies.


The invention provides a sensor for acquiring sensing data in a disconnected state and an intelligent device and method. The sensor comprises a sensing module, a sensing data packaging module and a Bluetooth transmission module, wherein the sensing module detects the sensing data, the sensing data packaging module packages the sensing data into a connectable non-directional Bluetooth broadcasting data package conforming to Bluetooth protocol 4.0 or effective load data segments of a non-connectable non-directional Bluetooth broadcasting data package, and the Bluetooth transmission module is used for broadcasting the connectable non-directional Bluetooth broadcasting data package or the non-connectable non-directional Bluetooth broadcasting data package. The sensor solves the technical problems of low transmission efficiency and poor user experience due to one-by-one connection and transmission of data in the prior art.


BACKGROUND There is minimal objective data regarding adverse events related to endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) in patients with cirrhosis compared to those without cirrhosis and even fewer data comparing complications among cirrhosis patients based on severity of cirrhosis. AIM To determine if patients with cirrhosis are at increased risk of adverse events related to ERCP: mainly pancreatitis, bleeding, perforation, cholangitis, and mortality; And to see if higher Child-Pugh (CP) score and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score are associated with higher post-ERCP complications. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of 692 patients who underwent ERCP and analyzed the impact of cirrhosis etiology, gender, type of sedation used during procedure, interventions performed, and co-morbidities on the rate of complications in cirrhosis patients as compared to non-cirrhosis patients. RESULTS Overall complications were higher in those with cirrhosis as compared to those without cirrhosis (P = 0.015 at significance level of 0.05). CP class, especially CP class C, was shown to be associated with a significantly higher rate of ERCP complications as compared to CP class A and CP class B (P = 0.010 at significance level of 0.05). CONCLUSION The results of our study reaffirm that liver cirrhosis has an impact on the occurrence of complications during ERCP. Our study shows that CP class seems to be more reliable as compared to MELD score in predicting complications of ERCP in cirrhosis patients.


Mid-infrared images from the Spitzer Space Telescope Galactic Legacy Infrared MidPlane Survey Extraordinaire program reveal that the infrared source IRAS 03063+5735 is a bowshock nebula produced by an early B star, 2MASS 03101044+5747035. We present new optical spectra of this star, classify it as a B1.5 V, and determine a probable association with a molecular cloud complex at VLSR = −38 to −42 km s−1 in the outer Galaxy near ℓ = 140.°59, b = −0.°250. On the basis of spectroscopic parallax, we estimate a distance of 4.0 ± 1 kpc to both the bowshock nebula and the molecular complex. One plausible scenario is that this is a high-velocity runaway star impinging upon a molecular cloud. We identify the H ii region and stellar cluster associated with IRAS 03064+5638 at a projected distance of 64 pc as one plausible birth site. The spectrophotometric distance and linkage to a molecular feature provides another piece of data helping to secure the ill-determined rotation curve in the outer Galaxy. As a by-product of spectral typing this star, we present empirical spectral diagnostic diagrams suitable for approximate spectral classification of O and B stars using He lines in the little-used yellow–red portion of the optical spectrum.


Recommendations on bisphosphonates focus on 10-year risk of osteoporotic fracture. Evidence in frail older adults is limited. The HORIZON Pivotal Fracture trial1 included patients aged ≥80 years and showed a relative risk reduction of 60% for vertebral fractures at 1 year. Patients admitted with a fall should undergo bone health assessment, and if at moderate/high risk should be considered for treatment or referral to metabolic bone clinic (MBC). Oral bisphosphonates are poorly tolerated in older adults due to side effects and compliance2. Anecdotal evidence suggests high rates of non-attendance at MBC. We reviewed outcomes in patients admitted following a fall to review whether inpatient zoledronate during acute admission should be considered.

 100 patients admitted to Sheffield Frailty Unit between 1/10/19–12/11/19 presenting with a fall were identified. Data was collected from electronic records and physical notes. Basic statistical analysis was performed.

 There was a female preponderance (60%), a mean age of 86.7 years and a median clinical frailty score (CFS) of 6. 26% of patients had no recorded bone health assessment. 32% required no further action, either scoring low-risk or already on treatment. 12% of cases had active decisions against therapy. 30% scored moderate or high risk. Of these, 11 patients started bisphosphonates and 4 had plans for GP review on discharge. 15 patients were referred to MBC but only one-third attended, due to a combination of missed referrals, cancelled appointments, or 'did not attend'. 59% were readmitted with further falls over the next 18 months. 39% of patients died within 12 months.

 Patients with a CFS of 6 or chronic cognitive impairment could be considered as candidates for inpatient intravenous bisphosphonate therapy. Factors to consider include ability and desire to attend outpatient appointments, compliance and tolerance of oral therapy and the overall functional status and prognosis.


This paper presents a monitoring and automatic correction system for an aquaponics set-up in a temperature-controlled greenhouse using an Android device through Internet of Things (IoT). The system involves the acquiring of real time data detected by the light intensity sensor, and air temperature and humidity sensor. It also includes the monitoring of the pH level and temperature of the recirculating water of the system and the canopy area of the plant. If the acquired data is not within the threshold range, the correcting devices, namely grow lights, exhaust and inlet fans, evaporative cooler, aerator, and peristaltic buffer device were automatically triggered by the system to correct and achieve its normal status. The Internet remote access includes the effective wireless transmission and reception of data report between the system and an Android unit with the Android application in real-time.


The performance of a phase-locked loop (PLL) having phase detector transfer function as a combination of sinusoidal and sawtooth types has been described in this paper. The improved noise handling capacities and larger acquisition range of the PLL compared to those of conventional ones have been established analytically.


We propose a language based on relational algebra extended by intervals for detecting high-level surveillance events from a video stream. The operators we introduce for describing temporal constraints are based on the well-known Allen's interval relationships. The semantics of our language are clearly defined and we illustrate its usefulness by expressing typical events in it and showing the promising results of an experimental evaluation.


PATIENT, female, aged 56, was shown at the November meeting with large swelling of left tonsil, which exhibitor considered to be sarcoma, but the pathologist reports after the growth was examined that it is .a rapidly growing tumour of the class sarcoma and the variety endothelioma. On Tuesday, November 5, laryngotomy was performed and the .ancesthetic administered by Dr. Kingsford through the tube. The pharynx was plugged with two sponges and the growth removed in two large pieces and several smaller ones, chiefly with a snare. It shelled out fairly easily. The pillars of the fauces were drawn together with sutures which controlled the haemorrhage. The laryngotomy tube was removed at the finish of the operation, and the patient discharged ~cured in ten days. The result is satisfactory, and the patient has increased in weight. Dr. Wyatt Wingrave reports:Macroscopical.-Tumour consisting of one chief mass and several small ragged portions, the whole weighing 50 grm. In consistence it was somewhat soft and friable, resembling tonsil tissue. Microscopical.-A true endothelioma originating in the cells, lining -the blood-vessels and capillaries. The earlier groups are arranged as hollow cylinders supported by an abundant stroma of fibroid or cellular elements. In parts the stroma shows true embryonic cartilage somewhat resembling the mixed tumours of the parotid. There is an illdefined boundary of fibroid tissue, but scarcely worthy of being termed a capsule.


Sustainability is an issue of escalating importance as a result of structural changes of organizations which are consolidating, downsizing, merging and outsourcing as well as due to the increasing complexity and unpredictability of the external environment. Understanding, assessing and managing organizational culture can help create both stability and adaptability for organizations, thus helping supportive integration of the sustainability strategy into appropriate organizational behavior. This paper draws from review of literature on the concepts of sustainability and organizational culture in the present context of economic turmoil. The findings suggest that organizational culture moderated by leadership and trust play an important role in sustainability of organizations. A model is thereby proposed depicting the role of organizational culture, leadership and trust towards sustainability of a firm. It is also suggested that organizations can be visualized as manifestations of cultures and future organizations need to integrate sustainability with their organizational culture in order to be prepared for the uncertain socio-economic times


We present a new technique for content based image retrieval where feature vector to be matched is very much specific to the query image. A particular Peano scan which is optimal in encoding the query image is used to convert the scanning pattern of all database images. Features are derived from these scan converted images to calculate the similarity measure. As the features being query specific, a much improved performance is achieved for retrieval purpose.


[1] Three-dimensional electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulations are used to investigate the stability properties of a plasma sheet equilibrium with a minimum in the magnetic normal (Bz) component. Such a configuration is found to be unstable to a ballooning/interchange type mode that is localized tailward of the Bz minimum. The mode has a relatively short dawn-dusk wavelength of the order of the ion Larmor radius in the Bz field (∼2000 km) and a phase velocity in the direction of the ion diamagnetic drift with a magnitude about one-fifth of the drift speed. The real frequency is about 60% of the midplane ion cyclotron frequency. The dominant mode polarization is δϕ and δB∥. A linear kinetic analysis including bounce and drift resonance interactions for the electrons and an orbit average over the flux tube volume for the Boltzmann term in the ion density perturbation produces agreement with the simulation mode properties and permits identification of the mode as the low-frequency extension of the lower hybrid drift instability in straight magnetic geometry. In its nonlinear evolution, the mode develops Rayleigh-Taylor fingers that extend across the Bz minimum and into the near-Earth dipole region. These fingers transport magnetic flux earthward, and the flux is redistributed by electron Hall currents that flow around the fingers. This mode is likely to contribute to the nearly continuous presence of turbulence in the center of the plasma sheet.


Synthetic biology currently operates under a framework dominated by trial-and-error approaches, which hinders the effective engineering of organisms and the expansion of large-scale biomanufacturing. Motivated by the success of computational designs in areas like architecture and aeronautics, we aspire to transition to a more efficient and predictive methodology in synthetic biology. In this study, we report a DNA Design Platform that relies on the predictive power of Transformer-based deep learning architectures. The platform transforms the conventional paradigms in synthetic biology by enabling the context-sensitive and host-specific engineering of 5′ regulatory elements—promoters and 5′ untranslated regions (UTRs) along with an array of codon-optimised coding sequence (CDS) variants. This allows us to generate context-sensitive 5′ regulatory sequences and CDSs, achieving an unparalleled level of specificity and adaptability in different target hosts. With context-aware design, we significantly broaden the range of possible gene expression profiles and phenotypic outcomes, substantially reducing the need for laborious high-throughput screening efforts. Our context-aware, AI-driven design strategy marks a significant advancement in synthetic biology, offering a scalable and refined approach for gene expression optimisation across a diverse range of expression hosts. In summary, this study represents a substantial leap forward in the field, utilising deep learning models to transform the conventional design, build, test, learn-cycle into a more efficient and predictive framework.


A magnetic-monopole solution of a non-Abelian gauge theory as proposed by 't Hooft and Polyakov is studied in the Vaidya space-time. We find that the solutions of Einstein equations generates a geometry of the Bonnor-Vaidya space-time corresponding to magnetically charged null fluid with Higgs field contributing a cosmological term. In the absence of the scalar fields the corresponding Wu-Yang solution of the gauge theory still generates the Bonnor-Vaidya geometry, but with no cosmological term.


This paper deals with an expert system for the recognition and counting of an animal cell for "interferon β type" by image processing and the neural network. These cells are cultured on microcarrier (micro bead) which is 150-200 micrometers in diameter and is floating in culture solution. The image processing technique provides a method of measuring the location of microcarriers and the shape of a cell. The neural network based on the expert system recognizes the overlapping cells and dust from image data. This method is an improved one as compared with the former one in the point that the former one can't recognize overlapping cells. This system provides correct answers at the rate of 83 percent. According to the experimental results, this system will be able to substitute human experts in the counting of cells on the micro bead.


The new rules recently introduced in the Italian University organization force the academic community to face the issue of quality assessment and certification of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The autonomy that has been granted to each University in the specification of the curricula allow the faculties to design their products both with respect to the requirements of the work market, and with respect to the cultural expectations of their potential students. Unfortunately, the quality of Computer Science curricula is at risk, as Computer Science is often confused with the use of computer technologies, while disregarding the complexity of methodologies and scientific tools that are behind them. The Italian Association of Computer Science University Professors (GRIN) promoted a common effort involving almost all of the Italian Universities towards the elicitation of the "product qualities" of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Computer Science, and characterized the constraints to be fulfilled in order to obtain the GRIN quality certification. There is no other similar initiatives in the Italian academic context. In order to manage this certification process, a web site is maintained by the NESTOR Laboratory at Universita di Roma "Tor Vergata". About 40 university degree programs in Computer Science obtained the 2004 GRIN quality certification mark. This project has been supported by the Italian Council of University Deans (CRUI).


As a major source of information and a medium for us to perceive the world, images are everywhere in our lives. Image processing technology is used in various fields, such as security monitoring, remote sensing imaging, medical imaging and so on. Due to insufficient device resolution, complex environmental factors, and loss in the image transmission process, the problem of image resolution degradation will all be caused. In order to reconstruct image details and obtain higher-quality clear images, super-resolution reconstruction technology emerged. This paper designs a depth generator structure with recursive attention network for the characteristics of low resolution, insufficient detail information, blurred boundaries, and poor perception quality. The recursive attention module is used to extract high-frequency information from the feature map, suppress useless information, and improve the expression ability of feature extraction, which is conducive to the reconstruction of infrared image texture details. In addition, we have carefully designed a discriminator, which consists of a deep convolutional neural network, which can better reconstruct the image. The experimental results on the infrared image data set show that the proposed method is higher than several typical methods and achieves higher image visual quality.


Digital media, particularly websites, have become a critical component of wildlife tourism experiences, especially during the pre-tour information-seeking stage. With a focus on whale watching, this study used a grounded theory approach to identify, categorize, and investigate the common themes, text, and images used on 178 whale watching operator websites across six geographic regions in the United States. The results of a content analysis suggest that operators, who are predominantly small business owners, focus their marketing strategies on elements of their tour offerings and operator characteristics to distinguish themselves from competitors rather than emphasizing the whales themselves, conservation actions, or educational opportunities, catering to a segment of entertainment-oriented rather than sustainability-oriented guests. Ecolabel certified operators in the sample mentioned conservation and educational topics more, though the information provided could still use improvement. We discuss implications and opportunities for the continued study of media related to whale watching and other marine wildlife tourism activities.


Iterative decoding of parallel concatenated codes provides excellent protection from noise over digital communication channels. The block size of these codes significantly determines their characteristics. Codes with larger block sizes have better performance , but they require more time and resources to decode. This thesis presents a new type of parallel concatenated code whose constituent encoders do not all have the same block length. The freedom to choose different block sizes for different constituent codes gives system designers additional flexibility when making tradeoffs among error performance, code latency, and code complexity. In this thesis, we describe methods for encoding and decoding bit streams using this new code. We explore how changing the different parameters of the proposed code affect its characteristics, and we demonstrate the code's performance using simulations. Acknowledgments First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisors, Dr. Wayne Phoel and Professor Leonard McMillan. Without their wisdom and guidance, this thesis would not have been possible. Leonard, thank you for giving me the flexibility and support I needed to follow my interests to Lincoln Laboratory. Wayne, thank you for your advice and encouragement throughout this project. I would also like to thank my family and friends for always having faith in me and for sending me electronic greeting cards whenever I started to feel too stressed out. Thanks also to Dean for helping me in the initial stages of my research; Tom, Shane, Lori, Scott, and Kit for helping me with both the organization and the details of my thesis; Jen for proofreading it; and Rob, Bob, Jason, and Matt for the "249 Grammar Hotline." Finally, I would like to thank the Computer Graphics Group and the Advanced Satellite Systems and Operations Group for their support and friendship.


The thesis is focused on the period of the Reformation in England and Scotland in 16th century. It describes different beginnings and the course of the movements as well as it deals with the consequences in both countries. Besides political and social impact it pays attention mainly to changes in the Church. Last but not lest is the part of the time after the Reformation when both countries were ruled by the same king who had to cope with big differences in new reformed Churches in England and Scotland and also face the uneasy political situation.


Since 1994 Southern Africa in particular has witnessed an expansion of South African corporate activity. Although the key role of the private sector in the Southern African Development Community's sustained development is recognised, this expansion has also generated unintended consequences in the region around 'neo-imperialism' and the crowding out of local businesses, among others. Both the South African government and the corporate sector have an interest in a stable and prosperous region; yet more work can be done in developing synergies on how this objective is executed. The paper reflects on the difficult relationship between the South African government and business since 1994 – partly a function of the domestic legacy of apartheid but also attributed to ideological differences between the two. Renewed energy on pursuing economic diplomacy under the Zuma administration can be an important pillar of a more synchronised and co-ordinated approach between the two actors, but much still needs to be done in that area. Parliament, organised labour and the African National Congress (ANC) are also key actors in the debate around how South Africa should advance both its national economic interests in the region, as well as promote regional development. Since the ANC's Polokwane conference in 2007, the party has articulated the need to develop a code of conduct for South African businesses operating in Africa to address some of the negative perceptions (and sometimes actions) of South African business. Work on the code has already begun. The paper explores various options in this regard and ends with a number of recommendations to business, government and parliament. A b o u t t h e A u t h o r Tim Hughes is a research fellow with SAIIA's Governance of Africa's Resources Programme. After completing postgraduate studies, he lectured at the University of Cape Town and was a researcher at the university's Institute for Policy Studies. He has also worked for the South African trade union movement, as well as in the South African corporate sector. His SAIIA research has specialised in the areas of parliaments, foreign policy and natural resource governance, with a special focus on the mining and oil sectors.


Extensive theoretical and empirical work has yielded abundant knowledge regarding teacher self-efficacy (TSE). Recent research has found significant correlations between TSE and students' ratings, as an indicator for teaching effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to test the relationship between TSE and students' ratings of their school teacher (SRST) in the context of school level and teacher role.,Data were collected from 111 teachers and their 2,490 students attending junior- and senior-high schools. Teachers reported on their personal efficacy beliefs at the beginning of the school year, whereas students rated their teachers at the end of the year.,Teacher role and school level moderated the relationship between STE and SRST: the relationship between TSE and SRST is higher among homeroom classes than subject matter classes, and among junior high classes as compared to senior high classes.,The research is based on small number of classes, which precluded more sophisticated analyses. Future research should consider additional personal and/or contextual variables to better understand the association between teacher and students perceptions.,This study is a first exploration of the ways teachers perceive their ability to enhance student performance vis-a-vis their students' views of their teaching functioning.


It is possible to increase the packing density, which can improve the output characteristic, also for the purpose of the voltage drop at the time of holding hot-fill provides a small lithium battery positive electrode active material represented by the general formula


The adhesive contact between a nano-scale rigid sphere and an elastic half-space is investigated. By integrating the Lennard–Jones potential, the force by the rigid sphere can be obtained. Then, using the arc-length continuation algorithm, the load–displacement relationship and pressure distribution are obtained. The results are compared with those computed with Derjaguin's approximation. It is found that those computed with Derjaguin's approximation do not predict the adhesive contact precisely for large Tabor's parameter or small spheres. In such circumstances, the method proposed should be used.


The growing importance of the product quality of the manufacturing industry is becoming more and more apparent as we enter the end of faster and deeper globalization trend. At the same time, among the various factors affecting the quality of the product, the importance of the production equipment is ever increasing. As a result, the TPM activity in Korean industries is getting increasing recognition and is being implemented with faster phase than ever. The companies with superior product quality are heavily involved with TPM activities and the product qualities of these companies are definitely better than the others. When we distinguish the product quality process into 3 steps, i.e. quality secure-quality confirm-quality guarantee, of course the 1st step of secure is the most important, but also the 2nd step of onfirm is one of the most important step. As well in mass production environment, sampling inspection is more desirable than the 100 % inspection procedure. As a part of globalization trend, KS system is also being revised and reestablished based on ISO, IEC, etc. *which are based on international standard. Conventional KS sampling inspection standards were in many areas quite different from ISO sampling inspection standards, only KS A 3102, 3104, 3151 are left and the rest be-come obsolete, and even the ones that are still around are planned to the gone step by step. It has been already 3 years since the new KS A ISO 2859-0--3 sampling inspection process has been established which the abolition of the popular KS A 3101, KS A 3105, KS A 3109, yet the implementation rate is very slow. This study will attempt to compare the old KS A 3109 with new KS A ISO 2859-0~3, and try to understand the difference as that the new standard can be easily understood and used widely among companies, by using examples. Our attempt is to help implement with the companies with active TPM involvement but the final result can be spread among other companies as well in the near future.


Objective To explore the correlation between c-reactive protein and unstable plaques of carotid atherosclerosis in ischemic cerebrovascular patients.Methods 112 cases are divided into 3 groups according to their carotid ultrasonic examination:normal,stable plaque,unstable plaque;compare their plasma CRP concentrations and compare their infarction countings by CT.Results There is significant difference in their plasma CRP concentration between the three groups.Conclusion There's a positive relationship between inflammation and unstable plaques of carotid atherosclerosis in ischemic cerebrovascular diseases.CRP can be prediction to the instability of carotid atherosclerosis.


In teaching a course of mathematical modeling, it is useful to pay attention to problems in which the specificity of distributed or neighborhood systems is manifested in one way or another. One of these tasks is the task of managing a complex distributed process or object, consisting of a certain number of production nodes and connections, and having several nominal modes of operation. In this case, it is desirable that the corresponding mathematical model be polymodal, i.e., describe all nominal modes and switchings as local modes of the neighborhood system with transitions between them. Each local mode of the system as a whole corresponds to a certain set of microlocal modes of the nodes of the neighborhood structure that models the distributed object. As a rule, not all sets of microlocal modes are realized as some local mode. In this article, we describe two schemes for constructing a polymodal neighborhood system: based on local modes of the system as a whole and based on microlocal modes of nodes, without identifying the local modes of the entire system. The second scheme can be used to synthesize a polymodal neighborhood system from existing polymodal subsystems for nodes.


The present invention discloses an anti-corrosion architectural coating, including 70-85% of a base material, 10-15% of additives and 10-15% of a filler. The additives are a pigment and a defoaming agent, and the filler is talcum powder. Further, the base material is a mixture of bisphenol A epoxy resin and phenolic resin with a mass ratio of 2:3. Further, the pigment is titanium dioxide. Further, the filler can be replaced by calcium carbonate. The coating of the invention has a relatively good effect of inhibiting and killing bacteria, fungi, and mold, contains no formaldehyde and benzene so the coating is harmless to human body, and is low cost; and also has characteristics of good waterproofness, no peeling powder, no crack, and good adhesion.


Introduction: Pakistan has high prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases, especially bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objectives: The main objective of the study is to find the impact of COVID-19 on chronic respiratory disease in Pakistan. Material and methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in King Edward Medical University, Mayo Hospital Lahore during January 2021 to July 2021. Before and after the COVID-19 period were defined by a predetermined set of criteria in the form of a questionnaire. Results: The data was collected from 314 respondents. According to the respondents, the survey also queried about the presence of respiratory comorbidities in patients who had tested positive for COVID 19. COPD was mentioned as a comorbidity by more than a third of those who responded, and several others, including bronchial asthma, ILD, and tuberculosis (TB), were also mentioned by many respondents. Conclusion: It is concluded that because of the lockout's efficacy and the widespread use of masks outside the facility, the air was probably rather clean. As a result, both the number of people visiting an asthma outpatient clinic and the number of people being admitted to the hospital with acute severe asthma dropped. Keywords: COVID-19, Respiration, Patients, COPD


Results of our femtosecond-picosecond laser photolysis studies on photoinduced electron transfer phenomena in solutions including exciplex dynamics and its solvent dependences, energy gap dependences of photoinduced charge separation and charge recombination of various geminate ion pairs, mechanisms of chemical reactions via exciplexes and ion pairs, dynamics of photoinduced election transfer in hydrogen bonding complexes, dynamics and mechanisms of photoinduced electron transfer in fixed distance donor acceptor dyads and photosynthetic reaction center models, and mechanisms of electron ejection from solute fluorescent state in polar solutions are summarized and discussed.


The invention relates PROTEIN KINASE TRIGGERS AND INHIBITORS OF PROTEIN KINASE RAC-PK RAC-PK AND FRAGMENTS OF IT, AND FOR USE AS DRUGS, ESPECIALLY IN THE TREATMENT OF DISEASES RELATED TO ALTERATIONS PROCESSES MODULADOS by insulin, AS CELLULAR PROLIFERATION, iNSULIN DEFICIENCY AND / OR EXCESSIVE LEVELS OF BLOOD sUGAR. IN ADDITION, THE PROTEIN KINASE invention provides RAC-PK FOR USE IN SCREENING MODULATORS imitators OR HER. The invention provides also an KIT SCREENING comprising RAC-PK as an active ingredient, and a method for screening compounds which are candidates for modulators or impersonators ACTIVITY RAC-PK comprising detecting specific interactions between compounds CANDIDATES AND RACPK.


A number of backlighting issues face developers of vehicular LCD's. User comfort, safety and backlight life can be addressed through the design of automatic luminance control circuits. Additionally, extended temperature performance must be assured. Design issues and solutions for backlights in vehicular display applications are discussed.


Browsing in Clinical Evidence , I noticed six updated reviews and stumbled upon a couple of head scratchers for me. One of them, literally made my head itch.

1. Bronchiolitis review. The holy grail has not been found. I thought we had a moderately good treatment in hypertonic saline when I read a …


Nanothermite composites containing metal oxide and metal fuel are attracting attention due to their outstanding combustion characteristics. The morphology of metal oxide is important for the performance of nanothermite composites. In this paper, branch-, plate-, sphere-, and hollow sphere-like CuO nano/microstructures were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process. The CuO/Al based nanothermites were prepared via ultrasonic mixing of the asobtained CuO products and nano-Al. The combustion behaviour of CuO/Al based nanothermites was analyzed by DSC and laser ignition. This study shows that this nanoscale mixing resulted in a large interfacial contact area and low diffusional resistance between the fuel and the oxidizer, and the reaction reflects large energy and laser ignition sensitivity.


Feature extraction and tracking are widely applied in the industrial world of today. It is still an important topic in Machine Vision. In this paper, we present a new feature extraction and tracking method which is robust against illumination change such as shading and highlighting, scaling and rotation of objects. The method is composed mainly of two algorithms: Entropy Filter and Orientation Code Matching (OCM). The Entropy Filter points up areas of images being messy distribution of orientation codes. The orientation code is determined by detecting the orientation of maximum intensity change around neighboring 8 pixels. It is defined as simply integral values. We can extract good features to track from the images by using the Entropy Filter. And then, the OCM, a template matching method using the orientation code, is applied to track the features each frame. We can track the features robustly against the illumination change by using the OCM. Moreover, updating these features (templates) each frame allows complicated motions of tracked objects such as scaling, rotation and so on. In this paper, we report the details of our algorithms and the evaluations of comparison with other well-known feature extraction and tracking methods. As an application example, planer landmarks and face tracking is tried. The results of them are also reported in context.


OBJECTIVE To study the risk factors of cesarean section incision infection.METHODS From Jan 2008 to Jun 2010,782 cases of maternal after cesarean section in hospital were included,select one of compliance,and indications of cesarean section wound infection occurred in 38 cases of maternal as the observation group,and not randomly selected year wound infection occurred in 38 cases cesarean section as the control group were compared cesarean section wound infection related factors.RESULTS The indications of cesarean section and found 38 cases of wound infection occurred combined basis of maternal diseases such as diabetes,high blood pressure ratio(28.95%) was significantly higher(10.53%),in which premature rupture of membranes occurred before surgery and scar again,the incidence of uterine cesarean section(21.05%) was significantly higher(5.26%),and the number of times through the vaginal examination(3.4±0.3) was redundant control group(1.5±0.4),and surgery all the time(1.9±0.3)h and hospital stay(9.7±2.6)d were also longer than the control group(1.7±0.2 h,7.3±3.2 d),the two groups after statistical analysis of the above factors,the differences were statistically significant(P0.05).CONCLUSION Cesarean section wound infection has risk factors,toward which we take appropriate preventive measures which can reduce the incidence of wound infection.


The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) accelerator systems will provide a 1 GeV, 1.44 MW proton beam to a liquid mercury target for neutron production. In order to ensure adequate lifetime of the target system components, requirements on several beam parameters must be maintained. A series of error studies was performed to explore credible fault scenarios which can potentially violate the various beam-on-target parameters. The response of the beam-on-target parameters to errors associated with the phase-space painting process in the ring and field setpoint errors in all the ring-to-target beam transport line elements were explored and will be presented. The plan for ensuring beam-on-target parameters will also be described.


ROWLEY, ALISHEA SONTE'. The Role of Stereotypic Images in the Racial and Feminist Identity Development of Single African American Mothers. (Under the Direction of Marc Grimmett, Ph.D). Generational, economic and social class are a few of the many factors that impact the lives of single African American mothers. Single African American mothers are unique according to their lived experiences and these experiences impact them in various ways over time. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of single African American mothers. The intent was also to examine stereotypic images that depict their population and the role these images have in the racial and feminist identity development of this sample. The sample consisted of 10 single African American mothers. Data were collected through demographic surveys and open ended interviews and were analyzed through a phenomenological qualitative approach to allow the participants to fully describe the phenomenon. Interviews were transcribed and the data were coded, categorized and themes were created. The data produced the following themes: Lived Experiences, Stereotypes, Racial and Feminist Identity. Data analysis provided evidence that the single African American mothers in this study are aware of stereotypes. It was determined that these stereotypes were derived from historical and societal images that were inaccurate for the participants in this study. Further, while hardships, racial and gender inequities were reported, single African American mothers gain strength and resilience and feel empowered by their experiences. © Copyright 2011 by Alishea Sonte' Rowley All Rights Reserved The Role of Stereotypic Images in the Racial and Feminist Identity Development of Single African American Mothers by Alishea Sonte' Rowley A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Curriculum, Instruction and Counselor Education Raleigh, North Carolina 2011


BACKGROUND: We have compared the Injury Severity Score (ISS) at admission to Emergency Surgery and Trauma Center (EST the majority of victims were males 78,1% (n=125). In four autopsies (3%) ISS were rated as "preventable death" (ISS </=14). The severely injured (ISS: 16-66) patients with lower survival rates were 96% (n=155). In addition, one case (1%) had an ISS score of 75. In clinical evaluations, ISS scores were found to be between 16-66 (68%), 75 (20%, n=32), and </=14 (12%; n=19). CONCLUSION: Although it is widely used, difficulties in the applications of ISS still exist. Alcohol, drug, pregnancy and the presence of underlying diseases are the factors contributing to death but not being reflected by ISS. Moreover a difficulty exists in the evaluation of anatomical injuries which are not accompanied by physiological changes. ISS should be improved according to updates. In this way, evaluation of clinics care quality and standardization of trauma centers can be done more accurrately.</=14). The severely injured (ISS: 16-66) patients with lower survival rates 96% (n="155)." addition, one case (1%) had an score 75. clinical evaluations, scores were found between 16-66 (68%), 75 (20%, < (12%;="14" n="32)," CONCLUSION: Although it is widely used, difficulties applications still exist. Alcohol, drug, pregnancy presence underlying diseases factors contributing death but being reflected ISS. Moreover a difficulty exists in the anatomical injuries which are not accompanied by physiological changes. ISS should improved according to updates. In this way, evaluation clinics care quality and standardization of trauma centers can be done more accurrately. Language: tr


New pervasive computing technologies for sensing and communication open up novel possibilities for enhancing traffic safety. We are currently designing and implementing the Ex Hoc infrastructure framework for communication among mobile and stationary units including vehicles. The infrastructure will connect sensing devices on vehicles with sensing devices on other vehicles and with stationary communication units placed alongside roads. The current application of Ex Hoc is to enable the collection and dissemination of information on road condition through LIfe Warning Systems (LIWAS) units.


In 2008 all ECB publications feature a motif taken from the 10 banknote. and at a seminar at the University of Exeter. Comments from participants are gratefully acknowledged, particularly those from the discussant at the Surrey Conference, Martin Ellison. Views expressed in this paper do not necessarily refl ect those of the ECB. Fax +49 69 1344 6000 All rights reserved. Any reproduction, publication and reprint in the form of a different publication, whether printed or produced electronically, in whole or in part, is permitted only with the explicit written authorisation of the ECB or the author(s). The views expressed in this paper do not necessarily refl ect those of the European Central Bank. Abstract 4 Non-technical summary 5


The IEEE Std 80-1976, "IEEE Guide for Safety m Substation Grounding," is presently bemg reviewed and revised by Working Group 78 1 of the Distribution Substation Subcommittee of the Sub¬ station Committee The material presented in this paper is a pre¬ liminary version of the material that will essentially replace Sections 7 through 12 of the existing IEEE Std 80-1976 A previously pub¬ lished paper No 80SM652-8 presented Sections 1 through 6 A substation grounding system should be designed and installed in a manner that will limit the effect of earth potential gradients to voltage and current levels which under normal or fault conditions will not endanger the safety of persons or equipment, or adversely affect continuity of service Some of the design considerations are common to the grounding systems of all types of substations and others relate specifically to gas insulated substations The general concept of a substation grounding system involves a grid of horizontal buried conductors supplemented by vertical ground rods connected to the grid This interconnected system of horizontal grid of conductors and vertical rods can provide


Preface First of all thanks to my inspiring supervisor Jan Martin Nordbotten for many a good cup of coffee at Knøderen, sometimes even accompanied by scientific discussions. To all my friends and fellow students at the institute, thank you for these two years. I hope to see you all again. Please give me a call if you end up in Jaeren milking cows.


Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar region at the north east of Libya has considerable potential for agricultural activities since the natural resources are promising. Out of the diverse flora of AlJabal Al-Akhdar ecosystem, the species that are used economically and therapeutically cover about 500,000 ha, of which about one-third has been converted to growing crops. The actual area of Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar forests which is used productively is about 320,000 ha (Al-Idrissi et al., 1996).


Objective To study the changes of peripheral dendritic cell (DC) in acute attack and catabasis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) and the correlation with severity. Methods 41 patients with COPD entered the study. Venous blood samples were respectively obtained in attack and catabasis, then separated and stained with immunohistochemistry. DC were counted and CD4, CD8 were detected, blood gas analysis and the pressure of pulmonary artery were adopted. Results The number of DC in catabasis was significantly higher than in acute attack (P0.01), and the severity is negative correlative with the number of peripheral DC. Conclusions The peripheral DC in actue stage is decreased differently. Early inspecting peripheral DC helped to observe the case and Immune function, estimate prognosis and direct threapy.


This paper discusses a gamification framework for architectural education within the Design Studio. It firstly defines and explains how gamification and rule based design methodologies enables knowledge generation and deep learning in architectural design. Then the paper presents details and demonstrates how the learning objectives leading to learning outcomes by employing a gamification methodology. Hereby we draw parallels to conventional design studios and explore the students learning. The paper presents a gamified design platform that lies in the context of urban mass housing involving multiple stake holders from developers, architects, landlords, to residents. The 'players' generate jointly design proposals in a gamified online platform. The final design is a novel design outcome that is bottom-up driven rather than current design methodologies of buildings that are exclusively designed in a top-down manner. The paper presents the findings and results of this learning methodology and how it compares to conventional students' learning.


This paper presents a Bayesian algorithm for linear spectral unmixing that accounts for outliers present in the data. The proposed model assumes that the pixel reflectances are linear mixtures of unknown endmembers, corrupted by an additional term modelling outliers and additive Gaussian noise. A Markov random field is considered for outlier detection based on the spatial and spectral structures of the anomalies. This allows outliers to be identified in particular regions and wavelengths of the data cube. A Bayesian algorithm is proposed to estimate the parameters involved in the model yielding a joint linear unmixing and outlier detection algorithm. Simulations conducted with synthetic data demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed unmixing and outlier detection strategy for the analysis of hyperspectral images.


We have developed a self-powered wireless anemometer in which a cm-scale horizontal axis microturbine acts as both power source and wind speed transducer. Wind speed is measured by temporarily removing any electrical load from the turbine and then recording its rotation rate and acceleration. With these data, and a model of the turbine dynamics, an estimate of wind speed is obtained. Wind speed and temperature data are sent to a data collection node via a Bluetooth Low Energy link. The overall envelope of the sensor is cylindrical with diameter 3.2 cm and length 5.5 cm, making it considerably smaller than other devices with similar functionality.


variability of species is one of the most important factors in the theory of natural selection. Both of the naturalists who discovered the theory—Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace—were uncertain about how best to represent variation within a species. In an earlier article I argued that Darwin used at least two different methods to describe the small individual variations which he saw as the starting point for evolution. Sometimes he spoke as though there were a range of variation for a particular characteristic, with individuals distributed between the favored and unfavored ends of the range; at other times he pictured groups of individuals varying in a number of different directions from the norm. Darwin's exposition of his theory was complicated by the fact that when using the second concept he sometimes implied that the number of individuals varying in a favorable direction was very small. The same two ways of describing variation can also be found in the writings of Wallace, and one purpose of the present article is to illustrate this point. Wallace was far more careful than Darwin in handling the problem of variation since he never underestimated the amount of variation among individuals, whichever mode of representation he used. But Wallace's first paper on natural selection, published in 1858, is difficult to analyze in these terms because the phenomenon of individual variation is mentioned only very briefly—the main description of natural selection is based on a totally different level of variation. Permanent varieties within a species had already been established and were maintaining their differences through successive generations. Wallace may have realized that the struggle for existence among individuals actually produced the permanent varieties (the essence of Darwin's theory), but he described natural selection only in terms of a struggle among the varieties themselves. The very clear recognition of the importance of individual differences in his later writings thus marked a significant development in his thought.


This study was conducted to determine the effect of NPF, FDR, deposits, and DER to Islamic banking financing in Indonesia. This study used the annual financial statements population of the entire Islamic Banks (BUS) in Indonesia in 2010-2014. The samples in this study used purposive sampling, that the sampling method using specific criteria. The amount of data used by 30 the annual financial statements of six Islamic banks which fulfilled the criteria as a sample. The results showed that the NPF, FDR, deposits, and DER simultaneously affected the murabaha financing. The magnitude of the effect of the four independent variables against murabaha financing amounted to 95.9% and the remaining 4.1% was influenced by other variables outside of this study. For partial results, variable DPK and DER positive effect were occurred on murabaha financing. As for the variable FDR and NPF, there was no significant effect on the murabaha financing.


Survival for head and neck cancer patients with locally recurrent or metastatic disease is 6 to 9 months with currently available treatments. These


With increasing level of interconnections between software users due to the ubiquity of the web, software systems are forced to include and support emergent interaction patterns to enable effective and efficient collaboration between participants, that are humans and software agents. Numerous tools exist today to simplify collaborative undertakings and integrating them into software systems imposes a challenge to software architects and developers. Further more, collaborative tools are subject to fast changes thus human-intensive software systems have to be highly adaptable. To this end, the human architecture implementation framework is proposed. It offers structural architectural documentation via hADL and can be combined with behavioural meta-models such as process description languages to provide composite means to prescribe and describe software architectures. The framework includes a runtime which offers process engine integration based on a resource model and manages architectural elements prescribed via hADL using surrogates (proxies). Additionally an architecture-driven software development approach is inherently enforced. The evaluation of the framework includes a prototype implementation of an interest-based bargaining process. A prosaic assessment of the framework is conducted and experiences during development are shared.


Aiming to assess the quality of diet and its associated factors in female nutritionists from the
State of Pernambuco, we conducted an observational study with a sample of 135 nutritionists
with mean age of 33.2±10.0 years. By means of an online questionnaire, demographic,
lifestyle, anthropometric and self-perception of body weight data were collected. Overweight
was determined by the body mass index (BMI) ≥25kg/m2 and abdominal obesity was
determined by abdominal circumference (WC) ≥80cm and by the waist-to-height ratio (WHR)
> 0,5. Data on food consumption were collected using two 24-hour dietary recalls. The caloric
consumption was dichotomized into above and below the Estimated Energy Requirement
(EER), and it was observed the proportion of individuals in each case. The quality of diet was
assessed using the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index Revised (BHEI-R). Subjects who presented
a BHEI-R above the third tercil (>78.3 points) were categorized into proper diet. To identify
the variables associated with inadequate diet was performed Poisson regression analysis. The
BHEI-R average found was 71.6±12.6 points, and, of all women involved in this study, 66.7%
showed inadequate diet. Regarding nutritional status, overweight and abdominal obesity were
found in 23.0% and 50.4% of women, respectively. After adjustment, self-perception of
thinness (adjusted PR=0.31 95%CI 0.12-0.63), number of children ≥2 (adjusted PR = 0.53
95%CI 0.25-0.78), and physical inactivity (adjusted PR=1.26 95%CI 1.06-1.43) remained
independently associated with inadequate diet. Of the BHEI-R components, whole grain
cereals and oils were among the most inadequate intakes. In addition, seven components (total
fruits; whole fruits; total vegetables; dark green and orange vegetables; total cereals; meat,
eggs and legumes; and sodium) presented maximum score, demonstrating that women
achieved the recommendations for these dietary components. We found that the percentage of
inadequate diet is high for this public, who has knowledge of nutrition, and that physical
inactivity is a risk factor for poor diet. On the other hand, finding themselves thin and having
more than two children is a protective factor against this problem.


RICHARD W. SEATON and DAVID R. PERYAM (Hunger, Food Preference, and Consump tion) RICHARD W. SEATON received his B.A. from Columbia University in 1947, and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1962. He is a social psychologist serving as associate professor of architecture at the University of British Columbia. He is presently initiating a series of studies on architectural behavior research methodology for the Office of Academic Planning there as well as teaching a group of courses at the graduate level in the general area of behavioral factors in architecture and urban design. He has also been active professionally on a national level to stimulate the budding a rea of behavioral science applications in environmental design. He has previously held teaching positions at the University of California, Berkeley, and at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. Before becoming a teacher, he worked as a research social psychologist with the US . Army Quartermaster Corps between 1955 and 1961 and with Stanford Research Institute between 1962 and 1965. He is a fellow of the American Sociological Association and a member of the New York Academy of Sciences, the American Psycho1 ogical Association, and other professional organizations. DAVID R. PERYAM received his B.A. from the University of Wyoming in 1939, his M.A. from the Ohio State University in 1940, and his Ph.D. from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1961. He was employed from 1940 to 1948 by Jos. E. Seagram and Sons in a research capacity, where pioneering work was done on the application of psychological methods to problems of flavor testing and consumer preference. From 1944-46, he served with the U S . Navy. From 1949 to 1963 he was chief of food acceptance, at the Quartermaster Food and Container Institute for the Armed Forces, where he developed and directed a broad program of basic and applied research which included laboratory and field evaluation of new military foods, development of sensory testing methods, mechanisms of the taste and odor senses, surveys of soldiers' food preferences, methods of changing attitudes, and studies of factors affecting food behavior such as stress, monotony, and food deprivation. Since 1963, he has been technical director of Peryam and Kroll Research Corporation, a private consulting and research firm which specializes in food acceptance problems. He is a Fellow in the division of consumer psychology of the American Psychological Association and is currently its secretary-treasurer. M. A. AYOUB, M. M. AYOUB, and J. D. RAMSEY (A Stereometric System for Measuring Human Motion) M. A. AYOUB is a research associate in the Industrial Engineering Department at Texas Tech University. He received his B.S.C.E. from the University of Cairo in 1964, and his M.S.I.E. from Texas Tech University in 1969. He is currently working toward his Ph.D. degree at Texas Tech University. He taught courses in highways, photogrammetry, statistics, and computer programming. M. M. AYOUB, received his B.S.C. from the University of Cairo in 1953 and his M.S. and Ph.D. (1955 and 1964, respectively) from the University of Iowa. He is currently a professor of industrial engineering and statistics and has taught short courses in biomechanics and human performance as well as in statistics and quality control. In addition to his work as an industrial and planning engineer for the Maytag Company, he has served as a consultant for several companies, including Eastman Kodak, Western Electric, Time Motor Freight, and Mobil Oil Company. His interest lies primarily in the area of biomechanics and human performance and he has done extensive research in these areas. J. D. RAMSEY is an associate professor of industrial engineering at Texas Tech University. He received his B.S. in industrial engineering at


One of the fundamental roles of higher education is to provide not only a scholarly environment in which to learn, but one which will nurture graduates who are honest, have high standards of ethical responsibility in both their personal and professional lives, and who are committed to bettering their community, society and the world (Brimble & Stevenson-Clarke 2005, p.19). The educational institution itself should reflect and uphold these values in its governance and management practices, and in an accountability framework that binds individual behavior, whether staff or students. Whilst some, especially in the West, might argue that universities and schools should be 'value free zones, most would hold that they should be unambiguous in advocating a set of values which are encompassed in the term' academic integrity'(Paul Johnson, Vice Chancellor UWA).


This study was carried out to dissect the mechanism by which β1 integrins promote resistance to radiation. For this purpose, we conditionally ablated β1 integrins in the prostatic epithelium of transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate (TRAMP) mice. The ability of β1 to promote resistance to radiation was also analyzed by using an inhibitory antibody to β1, AIIB2, in a xenograft model. The role of β1 integrins and of a β1 downstream target, c‐Jun amino‐terminal kinase 1 (JNK1), in regulating radiation‐induced apoptosis in vivo and in vitro was studied. We show that β1 integrins promote prostate cancer (PrCa) progression and resistance to radiation in vivo. Mechanistically, β1 integrins are shown here to suppress activation of JNK1 and, consequently apoptosis, in response to irradiation. Downregulation of JNK1 is necessary to preserve the effect of β1 on resistance to radiation in vitro and in vivo. Finally, given the established crosstalk between β1 integrins and type1 insulin‐like growth factor receptor (IGF‐IR), we analyzed the ability of IGF‐IR to modulate β1 integrin levels. We report that IGF‐IR regulates the expression of β1 integrins, which in turn confer resistance to radiation in PrCa cells. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that β1 integrins mediate resistance to ionizing radiation through inhibition of JNK1 activation. J. Cell. Physiol. 228: 1601–1609, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


The article presents the monitoring data of the three most dangerous invasive insect species in the territory of Abkhazia: palm borer Paysandisia archon (Burmeister), boxwood moth Cydalima perspectalis (Walker), red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier). All of them penetrated into Abkhazia in the period from 2014 to 2016 from the Russian Federation. The penetration of invasive species is accompanied by serious ecological and economic consequences. Pest populations show resilience and expansion of forage plant infestation zones. To control pest populations, regular pesticide treatments are required for Buxus colchica boxwood stands, as well as for all types of trees used in the green architecture of Abkhazian cities.


Introduction Part 1: Religious pluralism in context 1. Shifting perspectives on other religions 2. Contours of the present: the culture of modernity 3. Discovering religious others 4. Religion and spirituality in the culture of modernity 5. Jon Hick's journey to pluralism Part 2: Engaging religious pluralism 6. Religions and truth 7. The problem of pluralism 8. Apologetics and religious pluralism 9. Evaluating alternative worldviews: the question of criteria 10. Toward an evangelical theology of religions


Abstract : The evaporation of sulfur mustard (HD) from glass was studied as a function of temperature, drop size, and airflow rate. The evaporation rate was measured by collecting the HD vapor using thermal desorption tubes that were connected to the wind tunnel. The evaporation rate increased with higher temperature, drop size, and wind speed. Five different wind tunnels were used, and it was possible to fit all of the data generated to one regression function.


"Wisdom" has been at the heart of practical, philosophical, and spiritual disciplines since antiquity and is now increasingly receiving organizational as well as academic attention in scholarly areas that include psychology and organizational studies among others. However, practical wisdom has not received adequate focus in the information systems (IS) discipline. In this commentary, we make the case for a systemic focus on the role of wisdom in IS research, teaching, and practice. We introduce underlying theoretical concepts of wisdom; review relevant key research linking wisdom and IS; propose a framework to link wisdom with IS research, practice, and education; and discuss the implications of the framework and illustrate how it can be used to generate research opportunities for IS. We conclude that wisdom, whose goal is the common good, can provide a foundation to discover, view, understand, and resolve myriad issues that lie at the nexus of wisdom and information technologies.


Some well-engineered reinforced concrete buildings collapsed due to the tsunami in the Tohoku-Pacific Coast Earthquake on March 11, 2011. Understanding the tsunami forces and damage mechanisms of these buildings has become an urgent issue that demands prompt action from the tsunami resistant building design. In this study, a tsunami simulation using VOF method has been conducted to reproduce the tsunami in Onagawa city, Miyagi prefecture. Calculated tsunami elevations and inundation on shore showed good agreement with the recorded results. Tsunami loads acting on a collapsed building in the Onagawa port area were also discussed under considering the damaged situations of the building foundation and its piles in order to clarify the falling mechanism of the building.


Abstract : The back-gate generator is a small circuit element which allow for the compensation of the threshold voltage shift generated in silicon-on-insulator MOS transistors by ionizing radiations. This device is integrated on a regular SOI chip. It senses the threshold shifts and applies a back-gate voltage designed to nullfy this shift induced by the external harsh environment. Silicon-on-insulator devices and circuits.


In order to cover new industrial needs in the mastering of quality and a dependability of complex integrated systems, an original European Post-graduate Programme specialised in the Management of Quality in Complex Integrated Systems has been created in 1991, with the collaboration of the Consortium Linking Universities of Science and Technology for Education and Research (CLUSTER) and the European Program COMETT II, by several major Technical Universities and Industrial Groups.


To speed up the convergence of the hybrid algorithm of the fast multipole method (FMM) and the discrete complex image method (DCIM) for analyzi ng large-scale microstrip arrays, an efficient preconditioner——the incomplete LU (ILU) preconditioner is presented in this paper. Several often iterative solvers in conjunction with this preconditioner are tested to study their effect on the convergence rate. Moreover, how to select the parameters in ILU is also studied. A few typical numerical examples are given to demonstrate the efficiency of the method of FMM with the incomplete LU preconditioner.


Lipase is a hydrolase enzyme that is widely used in industry. The waters in Mahakam river port become a conducive place for the growth of bacteria that are able to hydrolyze lipids, so that bacteria are thought to be able to produce lipases. This research was conducted to screen bacteria that produced extracellular lipase and characterize the lipase. Screening of lipase-producing bacteria has been done with solid media containing Rodhamin B and the activity of lipase was conducted by titrimetricly. The characterization of isolated bacteria indicated that this bacteria belongs to Gram positive cocci shaped bacteria. Lipase-producing bacteria was successfully selected from the water taken in Mahakam river port Samarinda. The lipase was produced for 36 h. The optimum working conditions of lipase at 40°C and substrate concentration of 6%. Specific activity of bacterial lipase in Mahakam river water at Samarinda Port is 0.7212 U / mg.


In recent years bibliotherapy has become a popular approach and it has been commonly utilized in psychological counseling as a supplemental method to the traditional counseling techniques. Therefore, the purpose of this literature review was to introduce the bibliotherapy methods to the reader working in adults counseling settings. Bibliotherapy is aimed at changing the client's faulty assumptions and cognitions and encouraging them by giving a task as reading articles, brochures or books. In order to do that, brochures, articles, and reading assignments are used to accentuate this therapeutic process. Bibliotherapy has been successfully used in counseling children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly for a variety of reasons and the effectiveness has been documented evidence based. Bibliotherapy provides some advantages including: accentuating the therapy, decreasing the time required for healing, cost effectiveness, and shortening the waiting period; in addition, clients do not have to go to the therapist's office. Since it matches the client's pace, it enhances the client's sense of self esteem and autonomy. In this paper, the definition, historical development, the prevalence of this method and clients' characteristics were evaluated, and the role of counselors' was discussed.


Partners identified the following strengths and challenges of New York's tobacco control program: • The experience and leadership of the DOH TCP Director was a major strength of the program. • Clean indoor air efforts throughout the state were also a strength. • Partners were concerned about the security of funding due to the large state and city budget deficits. • The highly politicized DOH environment and slow grant process were viewed as barriers to the program. • Little support from state policymakers and the influence of the tobacco industry made implementing a comprehensive program challenging.


We investigate the properties of large--scale structure predicted in a class of mixed dark matter models in which the volatile component (made of particles with high rms velocity) derives from the decay of a heavier particle. Such models based on cold+volatile dark matter (CVDM) differ from the standard mixture of CDM and massive neutrinos, usually known as CHDM, in that they involve a component which has a non--thermal phase space distribution function. As a consequence, and differently from CHDM models, the value of the redshift at which volatile particles become non relativistic, $z_{nr}$, can be varied almost independently of the volatile fraction, $\Omega_X$. We compute transfer functions for a selection of such models, having $0.1\le \Omega_X\le 0.5$ and different values of $z_{nr}$. Using linear theory and assuming a scale--free primordial spectrum, we compare such models with observational constraints on large--scale galaxy clustering and bulk flows, as well as on the abundance of galaxy clusters and high--redshift damped Ly$\alpha$ systems. We find that these constraints enable us to discriminate between different $\Omega_X$ and $z_{nr}$; within the range of the models inspected, those which can be most easily accommodated by the data correspond to the parameter choice $\Omega_X\simeq 0.2$ and $z_{nr} \simeq 2\times 10^4\Omega_X$.


The F‐F coupling constants JFF between the fluorine atom at the 2 position and the fluorines in the CFCl2 and CF2Cl groups were measured and found to have an appreciable temperature dependence in 2‐fluoro‐α,α‐dichloro‐α‐fluorotoluene and 2‐fluoro‐α‐chloro‐α,α‐difluorotoluene. The effect of temperature on the fluorine chemical shift of the CFCl2 and CF2Cl groups was also studied in these compounds. The observed temperature dependences of JFF are consistent with the existence of several conformers differing in the rotational angle of the CFCl2 and CF2Cl groups. The relative stabilities of the rotamers depend upon the repulsive nonbonded interactions of the atoms in the CFCl2 and CF2Cl groups with the 2‐F and 6‐H atoms. The potential functions for rotation of the CFCl2 and CF2Cl groups were estimated by means of both the simple van der Waals repulsive potential and the modified Buckingham potential. The approximate dependence of JFF upon the dihedral angle between the C‐F bond in the CFX2 group and that of t...


ABSTRACT Water accounts for about 70% of the earth's surface and is one of the most important sources of life. The degradation of the Salton Sea's water quality due to excessive usage of fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture has posed serious risks to biodiversity, human health, and the local economy. As a result, it is necessary to establish effective and reliable methodologies for assessing water quality and predicting future trends. This work investigates regression and machine learning models such as linear regression, random forest, support vector machine (SVM) and long short-term memory (LSTM) to predict the salinity level of Salton Sea and forecast future trend. The proposed work studies the Salton Sea water quality and predict certain chemical or physical characteristics such as salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen. It also finds the correlation between water indexes and environmental indexes surrounding the Salton Sea. The findings of this study can assist policymakers in determining the salinity of water and devising policies to minimise salt levels in order to manage freshwater for long-term development. While evaluating experiments, it has been found that the machine learning methodology is more flexible and accurate than traditional statistical methods, and that it aids in achieving better results.


The limitations of post mortem detection of early myocardial infarction by hematoxylin and eosin staining stimulated a search for the development of improved diagnostic methods based on biochemical and morphologic changes. Methods used and/or investigated included electron microscopic examination, gross and microscopic histochemical stains (tetrazolium salts, phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin, trichrome, periodic acid-Schiff, hematoxylin-basic fuchsin-picric acid), fluorescence, immunohistochemical techniques, and chemical analysis of pericardial fluid. This practical review, designed for both forensic and hospital-based autopsy pathologists, examines the methods available for post mortem diagnosis of myocardial infarction for cases in which death might have occurred before the evolution of changes detectable by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The status and potential usefulness of each adjunct to classical morphologic examination is summarized. Recent developments are highlighted, including the possibility of using apoptosis as a marker for acute ischemic injury.


The evolution of portable refrigeration units and the refrigerants used with them has facilitated enormous advances in autonomous refrigerated maritime shipping containers and temperature control. This has permitted the shipping of products with very strict temperature requirements. It is very important to have a correctly designed system in which the amount of fluid is calculated for a specific construction. A mass above design requirements increases the cost of the finished product. If the mass of refrigerant is below design requirements, more energy is required to maintain the target temperature and, therefore, maintenance costs increase. This paper describes a process to test for leaks in refrigeration equipment. This process can assure the tightness of refrigeration circuits against small leaks over their working lives.


Biographical research is increasingly used for understanding current historical and cultural changes and for purposes of education, training, and policy development. This "biographizing" movement is part of a broader picture of shifting configurations of concerns, concepts, and methodologies. In 2000, the introduction to the authors' The Turn to Biographical Methods in Social Science attempted such a picture. The authors wanted to promote greater mutual awareness and partnership between a "German" approach, seen as having a more explicit conceptual and methodological apparatus, and a "British" approach that had a greater concern for power relations around the interview relationship and in processing, interpreting, and reporting. In that text, cultural studies was relatively neglected and treated rather dismissively. The authors welcome the opportunity in this shortened, revised version to include a more extended and reflective treatment of cultural studies. They invite others to tell different stories, to supplement or correct their own


Correspondence Hongkun Zhang, Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES. Am Luneort 100, 27572 Bremerhaven, Germany. Email: email@example.com Abstract The mechanical torque input into the wind turbine drive train is a very useful measurement for tests performed on a test bench. To ensure the accuracy and the reliability, an accurate calibration of the torque measurement must be carried out and repeated within a certain period of time. However, owing to the high torque level and large structure size, such a calibration is both expensive and time consuming. To overcome this challenge, a new calibration method is proposed here. The method is based on the electrical power measurement, where a high level of accuracy is much easier to achieve. With the help of a special test process, a relationship between the torque-measuring signal and the electrical power can be established. The process comprises two tests with the drive train running in different operating modes. The calibration is possible by carrying out the same test process on several different torque levels. Detailed uncertainty analysis of the method is presented, whereby the uncertainty can be calculated by means of matrix operation and also numerically. As a demonstration, the implementation of the method on a test bench drive train that contains two 5-MW motors in tandem with the motors operating in a back-to-back configuration is also presented. Finally, some variations on the method and possible ways of achieving better accuracy are discussed.


Providing a medical device attached to the distal end of the lead portion of the transfer vessel engaging member. The vessel engaging member comprises a plurality of rows, and each row having a plurality of struts arranged in an alternating pattern, so that for each row, a first set of vertex positioned on a proximal portion and a second set positioned on a distal portion vertices on. The vessel engaging member further comprises a plurality of single bridge positioned between adjacent rows, each of the bridge vertexes corresponding to the second row adjacent the first row is connected. The vessel engaging member can further comprise positioned between adjacent rows of the plurality of double bridge, two adjacent vertices of the vertex of the second row in the double bridge of each of the first row is connected to adjacent.


Recently many stations install PSD (Platform Screen Door) for preventing passenger from raildrop accident. However, YILRT (Yong-In Light Rail Transit) installs the GIDS (Guideway Intrusion Detection System) instead of the PSD. Therefore, the passengers run a risk of a drop accident. If they intrude the railway, trains would be emergency stopped due to GIDS. It raises the risk of injuries for boarding passengers. This paper suggests video inspection algorism for monitoring passengers. The proposed algorithm can be complementary operated with GIDS and guarantee passengers' life & safety through easy accident recognition and immediate response in case of any accidents.


This study is the comparison of the anthropometric and physical fitness of schoolboys. Data was collected from government (n = 125) and private (n = 125), ten -to- years old. An independent t-test was applied to compare stature, body mass, girths, lengths, push-ups, standing broad jump, agility and 30-meter dash. Results showed the private schoolboys were significantly superior to the government schoolboys in body mass, girths and inferior in 30-meter dash and agility. It is concluded the private school boys have a better option of food intake and transportation to reach school than the government schoolboys. Therefore, private school boys were higher in body mass and girths than the government schoolboys. It also concluded physical activity like walking play a vital role in the growth and fitness of schoolboys. Thus, it is suggested parents should focus on the growth and fitness of schoolboys by giving proper exercise time and a balanced diet.


Crystallization ages of volcanic rocks, dredged or drilled from the Walvis Ridge (ten sites) and the Rio Grande Rise (one site), have been determined by the 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating technique. The fundamentally age-progressive distribution of these basement ages suggests a common hot spot source for volcanism on the island of Tristan da Cunha, along the Walvis Ridge and Rio Grande Rise, and for the formation of the continental flood basalts located in Namibia (Africa) and Brazil (South America). The Walvis Ridge-Rio Grande Rise volcanic system evolved along a section of the South Atlantic spreading-axis, as the African and South American plates migrated apart, astride, or in close proximity to, an upwelling plume. Reconstructions of the spatial relationship between the spreading-axis, the Tristan hot spot, and the evolving Walvis Ridge-Rio Grande Rise volcanic feature show that, at about 70 Ma, the spreading-axis began to migrate westward, away from the hot spot. The resulting transition to intraplate hot spot volcanism along the Walvis Ridge (and associated termination of Rio Grande Rise formation) also involved a northward migration of previously formed African seafloor over the hot spot. Rotation parameters for African motion over fixed hot spots (i.e., absolute motion) have been recalculated such that the predicted trail of the Tristan hot spot agrees with the distribution of radiometric and fossil basement ages along the Walvis Ridge. African absolute motion has been extended to the South and North American plates, by the addition of relative motion reconstruction poles.


This research is framed within the context of a naturalistic decision-making approach. Specifically, our objectives were: first, to evaluate how people generate a decision-action process in a task; second, to identify if some characteristics related with naturalistic decisionmaking are present in the study participants; and third, to examine the influence of verbal and spatial aptitudes. For these objectives, a patient temperature regulation system was selected as the simulated task that measured body temperature, blood pressure and red blood cell count. We took into account the characteristics of complex environments. Performance in the simulated task was evaluated in seventy-seven participants selected from scores obtained


Tax Office Primary Bangkinang is a government institution that has a fundamental duty and taxation affairs organized as tax dues can be used for the development and prosperity of the nation of Indonesia. Taxes collected by the Government used to maintain the viability of the state and sources of financing expenditures incurred by the government to run the government. The tax itself is a mandatory contribution to the state owed by the individual or entity coercive. Of understanding shows that society shall contribute to the country, and the public should get a quality service. But the fact remains a bottleneck services, such as the Society is still waiting for a long time in the process of printing proofs tax reporting, due to the network system in the office is often problematic. The purpose of this study was to determine how the quality of service at the Tax Office Primary Bangkinang. The concept of the theory that researchers use is according toZeithhaml-Berry-Parasuraman there are several dimensions of service quality are: Realibility, Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy and Tangibles. This research is a qualitative descriptive study, which used data collection techniques by observation, interviews and data collection with documents obtained from informants research that has been determined based on snowball sampling technique. From the results of this study indicate that the quality of service at the Tax Office Primary Bangkinang not running optimally. Factors that influence is a means of tax services, the quality of the knowledge and experience of employees and employee ethics. Keywords: Quality, Service, STO Bangkinang