A thermodynamic analysis of a thermoelectric cooler is proposed. The coefficient of performance of the cooler is expressed in terms of two dimensionless parameters which are to be optimized. The thermoelectric cooler is considered as an irreversible Camot-like reversed heat engine. The effect of the external irreversibilities on the coefficient ofperformance and cooling rate is investigated by the use offinite-time thermodynamic analysis. The coefficient of performance and cooling rate increase with an increase in the temperature ratio defined in the analysis.


Understanding of the UNESCO version of the science textbooks revised and elementary school science simulation class global thinking on the basis of summed up the seven-step instructional methods for simulation experiments: the understanding of the phenomenon-reasoning causes-select material-observed phenomenon-the formation of the concept-the evaluation process.


Various educationalists through the ages have expressed concern over, and supported belief in the ineffectiveness of punishment as a disciplinary strategy. Despite the paucity of appropriate research support for its effectiveness and desirability, our society still legalizes the educational use of punishment. This study addresses itself to exploring the preferences for, and attitudes towards the use of punishment and corporal punishment as disciplinary strategies, of a sample of teachers in the Johannesburg area. The sample consisted of 110 teachers from both primary and high schools; girls only, boys only, and co-educational schools. Responses to an anonymous questionnaire were analysed and recorded. Findings demonstrated that previous experience of corporal punishment was a significant factor in relation to preference for corporal punishment as a disciplinary strategy, and was more likely to result in a positive attitude towards corporal punishment as a disciplinary strategy. Thus, males showed a tendency to prefer corporal punishment to a greater extent than females« Among the group who had not experienced corporal punishment, there was no evidence of impact on attitudes towards the use of corporal punishment as a disciplinary strategy, Furthermore, there was no evidence to show that teachers preferred or valued self-disciplinary strategies as important educational goals. Non-significant differences resulted between age and attitude towards corporal punishment as a disciplinary strategy; between teaching experience and preference for corporal punishment as a disciplinary strategy; and between subjects taught and attitudes towards corporal punishment as a disciplinary strategy.


Synthetic vascular grafts are an integral tool in vascular surgery. However, the consistent failure of small diameter grafts is one of the main limitations of these devices. For this reason electrospun polyurethane has been investigated for its suitability as a vascular substitute material in this present study. Aligned and random mesh electrospun polyurethane materials were produced and analysed in vitro by investigating the effect of using both materials as a substrate for the culture of human aortic smooth muscle cells. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that cells cultured on electrospun polyurethane maintained a contractile phenotype to a much greater extent than those cultured on cast polyurethane membranes. This contractile phenotype is associated with the state in which a cell would normally reside in a healthy vessel, suggesting that electrospun polyurethane may provide a suitable vascular substitute material.Copyright © 2010 by ASME


Brassinolide plays a major role in plant growth and development. Progress on BRbiosynthetic mutants and insensitive mutants, the early C6 oxidation and late C6 oxidation pathway of BR biosynthesis, enzymes involving in BR biosynthesis, BR signal perception and transduction are reviewed. Some perspections are given as well. 


The optimisation of structures and materials is a justifiably popular engineering topic. Contemporary research is concentrated, among others, into cost minimisation, structural efficiency and intelligence, in compliance with environmental and social preservation. As a counterpart this paper puts the accent on the time dependent aspect of constructions, such as the life cycle cost, the possibility to make (non-) structural changes and recycling or reuse of building material. In search of an optimisation of this 'dynamic' efficiency of constructions, a design strategy has been developed at the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (Departments of MeMC and ARCH). This strategy is presented here. It considers the temporal character of constructions from the first sketches onwards.


THE oesophagus has been termed, not inaptly, the step-child of practical medicine and, like its prototype, it has suffered unduly from neglect. Looking upon it as clinically unimportant, the average practitioner still finds it hard to take active interest in it. This perhaps applies more particularly to its upper opening where it is joined by the hypopharynx. Textbooks and periodical literature give it little notice and mainly focus attention on the lower segments, and much has been written upon so-called cardio-spasm. A well-known continental authority, in an address two or three years ago upon what a progressive practitioner ought to know of cesophageal affections, passed over the upper orifice merely with a reference to cancer and pressure pouch. This attitude can no longer be justified ; increasing knowledge has removed much of the mystery that shrouded the organ. New methods of examination have enlarged our horizon and it might not be inappropriate to attempt a short synthesis of the stages leading up to this beneficial advance and discuss briefly some of the results achieved. It may stimulate students of the problems involved, to whom the wider issues have perhaps grown dim, to consider afresh some points of contact that have been linked up with more than one branch of medicine. My early training has impressed me with its value. There is much to be said for the historical approach in medicine, so let me recall some of the steps of our enlightenment.


The technology of radiation imaging plays an important role in the area of no-bug diagnosis. The principle is that the absorbed dose is different when the rays go through objects with different material or thickness. According to the through ray intensity, we can get the characteristic picture of diagnostic objects. For this subject, the ray is from a ^60Co point irradiation source.


Abstract Media opinion pieces, as persuasive rhetorical devices, have recourse to the use of social science research in support of their editorial positions. This study examines the extent to which newspaper and magazine opinion pieces employed scientific research findings in making their arguments in support of or opposition to bilingual education. A content analysis was conducted on bilingual education articles published in educational research journals as well as opinion pieces--staff editorials, signed opinion pieces, and letters to the editor--on bilingual education from five national newspapers and three national news magazines over an eleven year period, 1984–1994. Major findings of the analyses were that (a) 82% of empirical studies and research reviews reported favorable findings on the effectiveness of bilingual programs; (b) only 45% of persuasive newspaper articles took a similar position favorable to bilingual education; (c) less than half of all persuasive newspaper articles made any mention...


Net Promoter Score (NPS) is considered to be an important metric for measuring customer loyalty. The concept is widely popular and adopted in several established and emerging industries. This maste ...


Nowadays, concrete degradation is a major problem in the civil engineering field. Concrete carbonation, one of the main sources of structures' degradation, causes concrete's pH to decrease; hence, enabling the necessary conditions for corrosion reinforcement. An accurate, non-destructive sensor able to monitor the pH decrease resistant to concrete conditions is envisaged by many researchers. Optical fibre sensors (OFS) are generally used for concrete applications due to their high sensitivity and resistance to external interferences. Organic-inorganic hybrid (OIH) films, for potential functionalization of OFS to be applied in concrete structures, were developed. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based sol-gel materials were synthesized by the formation of an amino alcohol precursor followed by hydrolysis and condensation. Different ratios between PDMS and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (3-APTES) were studied. The synthesized OIH films were characterized by Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–Vis spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The OIH films were doped with phenolphthalein (Phph), a pH indicator, and were characterized by UV–Vis and EIS. FTIR characterization showed that the reaction between both precursors, the hydrolysis and the condensation reactions occurred successfully. UV–Vis characterization confirmed the presence of Phph embedded in the OIH matrices. Dielectric and thermal properties of the materials showed promising properties for application in contact with a high alkaline environment.


and almost always at Jess than 500 feet above sea-level, and it was suggested that they had been derived from formerly overlying Triassic rocks. For the Trias as laid down, it was considered that a content of 2 J per cent of iron could not be regarded as an excessive estimate, which would be equivalent to 50,000 tons of hematite to a square mile of rock, 1 ft. thick, an amount quite adequate to account for the iron-ore deposits of the localities described.


This study aims to describe the self compassion amog first year boarding school students. This study used a quantitative approach with descriptive research methods involved 130 students in Bukittinggi, West Sumatera by using the random sampling technique. A questionnaire was used to collect data were self-compassion scale (SCS) adapted from Neff (2003) consisting of 26 question items to measure 3 dimensions of self compassion. The results of this study show that self compassion among first year boarding school students in the moderate category (64.6%) so it can be concluded that students are quite capable of showing openness and self-acceptance in facing various problems in their first year of education at the dormitory environment.


Corresponding to the Hyperion hyperspectral remote sensing image obtained in the Three Lakes region in the eastern part of Qaidam basin in which gas reservoirs located, 25 samples of soil were collected throughout the area covered by the image and the spectra of all samples were measured. A geochemical analysis was conducted in the lab for the content of acidolysis hydrocarbon in soil samples. Univariate correlative analysis was carried through between spectral variables in two types and total acidolysis hydrocarbon (TAH) content, and the linear and non-linear correlations between 7 characteristic parameters with higher correlation coefficient and TAH content were investigated using 6 univariate regressive models. Further, stepwise regressive analysis techniques were used to study the relationship between original and first-order derivative reflectance data and TAH content, the results show that estimation accuracy was significantly improved with first-order derivative spectra but with larger relative error, the regressive equation of reflectance spectra is the best estimating model for TAH content. Finally, the derived optimal estimation equation was applied to the Hyperion hyperspectral image for a distribution map of surface TAH content which was tested using measuring values.


A finite volume, semi‐implicit scheme, is proposed and discussed, which solves the two‐dimensional Euler equations for the hypersonic flow of a mixture of chemically reactive specie. The present scheme can be applied on a general, unstructured grid. The first order version guarantees non negativity of the densities and of the vibrational energies for arbitrarily large time steps. The semi‐implicit time discretization of advective terms and the fully implicit discretization of the highly nonlinear terms yield a simple and efficient computer algorithm. Numerical tests show that shocks are well captured and the correct profiles for the chemical specie are reproduced at low computational cost.


Murraya Koenigii(L) Spreng (Rutaceae), is a medicinally important herb of Indian origin native to Asia and is found throughout the Indian subcontinent has been used for centuries in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. Murraya Koenigii(Curry leaf tree) has been used in several ancient systems of medicine including Siddha and Unani as a multipotential medicinal plant. The whole plant is a rich source of carbazole alkaloids and these alkaloids have been reported for their various pharmacological activities such as antiemetic, antidiarrhoeal, blood purifier and febrifuge. It is also been reported as antidiabetic, antioxidant, antihypertensive, antibacterial, cytotoxic and also in the treatment of various respiratory tract disorders. The whole plant is used as a tonic and stomachic. The leaves are also been used externally to treat burns, bruises and skin eruption. It is also been used in preventing premature graying of hair. Apart from these medicinal properties the curry leaves are also been used from centuries as a species as natural flavoring agent. The extracted oil from the leaves is used in soap industry. Apart from all these activities, the plant is also reported to possess a wide spectrum of biological activities and has a potential as a valuable herb for the treatment of various disease as well as for the management of human health. The present review incorporates the description of Murraya Koenigii, and its phytochemical constituents, pharmacognostic evaluation and also throws light on its therapeutic potential for the treatment of various diseases.


ABSTRACT The nucleic acid stain SYBR Green I was evaluated for use with solid-phase laser cytometry to obtain total bacterial cell counts from several water sources with small bacterial numbers. Results were obtained within 30 min and exceeded or equaled counts on R2A agar plates incubated for 14 days at room temperature.


The Leishman-Beddoes method of determining airloads for an airfoil undergoing dynamic stall is studied over a wide range of Mach numbers. To validate the method for higher Mach numbers where there is less available experimental data, a Computational Fluid Dynamics solver is utilized to provide airload predictions for comparison to the Leishman-Beddoes results. It is found that even for high Mach numbers the Leishman-Beddoes method provides reliable predictions for lift coefficient. However, at the higher Mach numbers pitching moment is sometimes overpredicted at high angle of attack. This is seemingly due to an inability to accurately determine the center of pressure in the high speed unsteady flow environment.


ities of seven trace metals at five sites in central Taiwan. They reported that seasonal variations in deposition fluxes are mostly determined by those of air concentrations and to a less extent by those of deposition velocities. Moreover, it was found that the measured dry deposition fluxes can be reproduced reasonably well using the sizesegregated particle dry deposition model if the mass fractions of trace metals in PM2.5, PM2.5-10 and PM10+ were known. I think that this is an important contribution to the dry deposition of trace metals, because such data is scarce.


Grindr is a location-based online dating application for men who have sex with men (MSM) that has recently been used as a participant recruitment tool in quantitative and qualitative research. This article reviews research studies that used Grindr to recruit participants and focuses on the mode of contact, the nature of research, its benefits and limitations, and recommendations on how to use Grindr for research based on my recruitment experience from a qualitative study conducted in Turkey. Overall, Grindr provides access to participants of diverse characteristics and backgrounds compared to more traditional recruitment strategies like community centers, and it promises to be a useful novel tool to recruit MSM research participants.


The new concept of taxonomy and phylogeny of some extinct Devonian and Carboniferous Anthozoa is supported by an increase in septa distinct from other Anthozoa and common for all members of the Dividocorallia n. subclass. Presence or absence of calices permits to divide the subclass into the orders Calyxcorallia and Heterocorallia respectively. Presence of absence of the dissepimentarium is a family Ievel feature in the Calyxcorallia, whereas the microstructure of an external wall plays that role in the Heterocorallia. Primitive, calyculate Lower Devonian Rugosa were most probably ancestral to the Dividoco¬ rallia. This idea is supported by insertion of a single septum at the beginning of septogenesis in both subclasses. Déviation towards the Heterocorallia took place already during the Lower Devonian time, perhaps through neoteny. Key-words: Devonian, Carboniferous Dividocorallia n. subclass (An¬ thozoa) Phylogeny Taxonomy.


The Kubelka-Munk model relates the colours of mixtures to the absorption and scattering coefficients (K and S) of the constituent colorants. A 1987 least squares algorithm by Walowit, McCarthy, and Berns estimates K and S for a set of constituent colorants, from the reflectance spectra of mixtures of those colorants. Their algorithm implicitly weights all the least squares residuals equally. As a result of analyzing residuals and perceptual factors, the current paper recommends a new weighting, called perceptual reflectance weighting. The residuals are shown to follow a probability distribution that depends on S, reflectance level, and reflectance measurement errors. These errors are modeled as an unbiased normal distribution, with the same variance at all reflectance levels. In addition, CIE L* describes how perceptual response depends on reflectance level. Perceptual reflectance weighting combines both these dependencies into one weight. The 1987 algorithm is easily modified, by multiplying each row (except the last) of its coefficients matrix by the appropriate weight, and by using the original estimates of S. An example, taken from practice, illustrates that the new weights can significantly change and improve the 1987 algorithm.


On the assumption that intermediate bosons couple with neutrino in the "super-weak" coupling and with other particles in the " mesostrong" coupling, a theory of the leptonic weak interaction is formulated. Both the Yukawa type (without the baryon number) and the Tanikawa type (with the baryon number) are included in this scheme. The consequences of the theory to low and high energy weak processes are discussed.


The present invention relates to perylene pigment compositions comprising an active co-precipitated mixture of the co-precipitated mixture comprising: (1) relative to the pigment composition, from about 75 to about 99.9mol% having the general formula (I) the compound: wherein R is hydrogen, C


In the field of assembly systems, precedence graphs are preferred in design, tasks-to-workstations assignment algorithms and resource planning. In the literature there are very efficient and well-known methods to generate assembly sequences and a precedence graph can be obtained by "merging" assembly sequences. Despite that, no systematic obtaining method for these graphs was proposed. In a previous work we have defined our problem, that is to find a precedence graph «equivalent» (in a sense that has been well stated) to a given set of assembly sequences for a certain product. We consider that a symbol represents a part that will be assembled with other parts to make the product. An assembly sequence is a total order over the set of parts. Hence, an assembly sequence may be represented by a sequence of symbols. The precedence graph corresponding to a given set of assembly sequences is simply deduced as the graph of the partial order relation between symbols. Previous papers present the mathematical aspects for proving the existence of a property that has been called «the property Π» of a given set of assembly sequences, that guarantees the existence of an equivalent precedence graph. This result is used for the general case, when the property Π is not met, for conceiving an algorithm to find an equivalent set of precedence graphs. A meta-language description of the algorithm is given in the paper. Working on the algorithm's complexity, it can be proved that the problem of generating the precedence graphs is intrinsically NP-hard. Some examples, of small complexity, are also provided. Key-Words: assembly systems, assembly sequences, precedence graphs, algorithm complexity


A major problem among visually impaired people is the lack of competence in travel and functional mobility skills intertwined with passivity and dependence on others. This paper describes how focussing on participation in ecologically valid activities can provide a frame for involvement in cultural practices for visually impaired persons. Participation in activities is partly a function of mobility and mobility skills. The study focussed attention on mobility route learning related to desirable activities, which in the present study were co-ordinated through agreed-upon tasks defined in a working method adapted to an African environment. The results show that participation in activities varied among the spheres of activity and age groups and that dependence on others was mainly observed for activities that required a travelling effort in order to reach them. Furthermore, the results show that mobility route training, when associated with reaching desired goals, seemed to influence other domains of activit...


Between May 1992 and November 1995, 94 patients (92 men) with 100 recurrent inguinal or femoral hernias had surgery in this department (Table I ) . Thirty of the recurrent hernias had been repaired more than once previously. Median (range) age was 64 (21-86) years and follow-up 20 (2-41) months. No patient was excluded from the series. The patients were followed up by questionnaire, which was answered by 90 patients. Recurrence was defined as 'a weakness in the operated area exacerbated by a Valsalva manoeuvre necessitating further operation or the provision of a truss'3. All patients who described a recurrence were examined in clinic. Type of hernia Direct Indirect Direct and indirect Femoral No. of previous repairs One Two Three Four Five Major complications Hernia at port site Recurrence Minor complications Seroma Temporary urinary retention Transient neuralgia Temporary bowel obstruction Pubic tendonitis 59 35 4 2


Connection assembly for fixing the fan drive gear system module in a gas turbine engine includes a first member and a second member which is removably secured to each other by fasteners extending in the radial direction.


Objective To study the situation of community health service station irrational drug use in patients with hypertension.Methods Collected three community health service stations hypertensive patients with prescriptions for prescription gender,age,complications,the joint drug use and other basic indicators.On prescriptions before and after,compared the intervention of high resistance blood pressure medication,dosage,treatment unreasonable,repeated drug use,compatibility unreasonable,unnecessary combination therapy,drug selection and unreasonable conditions.Results Collected a total of 543 cases patients with hypertension prescriptions,of which 333 cases in 2009 and unreasonable prescriptions 64 cases(19.22%);210 cases in 2011 and unreasonable prescriptions 26 cases(12.38%).Women more than men,as the older the incidence gradually increased.Irrational reasons:complications of drug selection based on unreasonable,does not consider adverse drug reactions,dosage unreasonable,irrational combination.Conclusion Mobilizing community participation in self-management of hypertensive patient,the physician prescribing habits for targeted behavioral interventions,guiding patients correctly understanding and use of antihypertensive drugs,is to raise the level of patients with hypertension an effective means of rational use of medicine.


Abstract Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (AT/RT) have a single recurring genetic mutation in SMARCB1. This deletion leads to an abnormal SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex and the constitutive activation of EZH2. S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) donates a methyl group to EZH2 which then methylates DNA and histones leading to the abnormal gene expression responsible for AT/RT's aggressive phenotype. We have previously shown that glutamine metabolic inhibition with 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON) confers a survival advantage in AT/RT. In this study, we identified with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry that DON treatment lowered the methylation potential in AT/RT (Decreased SAM:SAH ratio, t-test in 5 AT/RT human-derived cell models comparing DON treatment to DMSO control, p<0.05). AT/RT cell lines grown in glutamine deplete media compared to normal growth conditions also had a reduced methylation potential (decreased SAM:SAH, t-test, p<0.05). DON treatment over 5 days decreased histone methylation (as determined by western blot for H3K27me3). Tazemetostat is a small molecule inhibitor that blocks the SAM methyl donor site on EZH2. We find that DON combines synergistically with Tazemetostat to slow AT/RT cell growth (MTS assay, p<0.01 t-test; MUSE viability assay, p<0.01 ANOVA) and enhances cytotoxicity (MUSE Annexin-V, p<0.01 by ANOVA). Synergies were especially pronounced at low concentrations of Tazemetostat which is significant given that Tazemetostat's efficacy in AT/RT has been limited by poor CNS penetration. These studies identify a novel treatment strategy that has potential to improve survival in AT/RT.


The invention relates to a method for reproducing images with a three-dimensional appearance, using, for each eye (2), a lens (3) with a variable focal distance and a screen (4) whereon a sequence of images is reproduced at high speed, such that each image splits into sections, associating a focal distance (d1, d2, d3) of the lens (3) with each image section, successively reproducing the image sections on the screen (4) and adjusting the focal distance (d1, d2, d3) of each one, in order to stimulate the accommodation of the eye (2) in the focusing related to each reproduced image section.


For the unsatisfactory of the traditional linear control methods, on the basis of the mathematical model of PMSM, a combination of backstepping control method based on the Lyapunov function and adaptive control method is used in the speed control system of PMSM. A method of estimating the rotor position and speed based in extended Kalman filter (EKF) for PMSM is proposed. A simulation model of PMSM using the designed adaptive backstepping controller with EKF is built. The results of simulation using the control method show the preferably dynamic and stable-static performance of the system, and prove its effectiveness.


(57) Abstract: a housing that provides at least part of the simulation member body (17), a plurality of training apparatus comprising an internal body tissue simulation member accommodated in the housing, wherein the simulation member is a simulation member set which imitates a specific part of the human anatomy, anatomical complexity and / or clinical or apparatus of a type that incrementally presented surgical difficulty.


SENSOR ELECTROCHEMICAL GAS SENSITIVE ELEMENT IN A SOLID ELECTROLYTE. DETECTOR WHICH IS SENSITIVE ELEMENT SHAPED CUP AND WILL END WITH A CLOSED AND OPEN END AND POSSESSING FACES AND INTERNAL EXTERNAL SIDE OUTER BEING TO BE EXPOSED TO GAS DETECTION WHILE THE DOMESTIC FRONT IS TO BE EXPOSED GAS REFERENCE IN WHICH IS PROVIDED: SLEEVE FORMING CAVITE COMMUNICATION WITH OPEN END AND FACE INTERNAL SLEEVE HAVING THIS IN THE wALL OF HOLES FOR GAS REFERENCE TO eNTER IN CAVITE; MASK AND A PLACE AROUND THE BUSH IN ORDER TO HIDE, AT LEAST PARTIALLY, PORTS TO PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION OF CONTAMINANTS IN CAVITE FOR THESE PORTS. APPLICABLE TO SENSOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES FOR VEHICLES AUTOMOBILES.


This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: The primary objective is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of fiber and bulking agents for the treatment of chronic constipation.


We present a study of the spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain with alternating ferro- and antiferromagnetic exchange, focusing on the role of the exchange couplings to cover both, dimer and Haldane limit. Employing a complementary combination of perturbation theory and quantum Monte Carlo simulation, we report results for the magnetic susceptibility as well as the dynamic structure factor over a wide range of coupling constants and for different temperatures to extract the spin gap. For a small ferromagnetic coupling, we find good agreement between perturbation theory and quantum Monte Carlo. For arbitrary exchange couplings we show that the dynamic structure factor, obtained from quantum Monte Carlo, scales between triplons and a Haldane chain spectrum. Finally, we contrast our findings for the spin gap versus the exchange couplings against existing literature.


The genetic diversity among 48 Indian bean (Lablab purpureus L. Sweet) genotypes, collected from various parts of India, was analyzed based on morphological traits and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. All the genotypes, grown in randomized block design with three replications over two consecutive years, were used to record the 15 morphological traits. Twentyfive RAPD primers amplified 6–12 banding patterns for a total of 215 scorable and 178 polymorphic bands. In cluster analysis based on morphological traits and molecular markers, the genotypes were grouped in three and two clusters, respectively. Result of cluster analysis based on RAPD data showed positive correlation with morphological characters based on Mantel's test (r = 0.1417). The wide genetic variation observed for L. purpureus in India indicates that India has a rich genetic diversity for this species and that there is an ample scope for its genetic improvement.


An uneven dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor of 21 electrode pairs that can improve the energy efficiency for the removal of particulate matter (PM) from a diesel engine is characterized. Ninety percent of PM (about 0.48 g/h) is removed by plasma discharges at an energy injection of 90 W into an exhaust gas (40 Nm3/h with PM emission rate 0.53 g/h). The discharge properties and relations of PM removal and energy efficiency with energy injection are given. The fuel penalty due to the use of the uneven DBD reactor is estimated. Comparison with other types of DBD reactors is carried out. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


This article is a brief analysis of the innovation of the table tennis technique and the trend of it after the International Table Tennis Federation new competition rules of "big ball"?"11-score system"?"serve without screen" came on.


Background: Many studies have documented a link between overweight and asthma in children with contradictory results regarding the best way to measure overweight. Moreover, often, the dynamic development of atopy, overweight, and asthma is controlled for age dependency insufficiently. Objective: This study assesses and compares the associations of overweight measured as waist circumference, waist to height ratio (WHtR), neck circumference, and body mass index with the occurrence of asthma – best possibly controlling for age-dependencies of these parameters. Methods: From a sample of 2,511 children aged 6–17 years, we matched 157 children with asthma with 2 controls (n = 471) according to age and atopy status and performed conditional logistic regression analyses. We further investigated the role of known influencing factors of asthma occurrence. Results: In children with atopy, all overweight proxies were consistently positively associated with asthma. Statistical significance was reached for WHtR-SD score (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.03–1.54, p = 0.025) and persisted when further covariates, such as birth weight or social status, were added to the model. Groups of atopic versus nonatopic participants do not differ in levels of interleukin-6 or high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Conclusion: In our cohort, overweight seems to carry a risk for asthma only if accompanied with atopy. We call for more strict age matching in pediatric cohort studies and longitudinal studies for a better understanding for causal links of overweight, atopy, and asthma.


ALMA, the Atacama Large Millimeter / Sub-millimeter Array will be the first instrument allowing very high angular resolution (down to 0.01") with sufficient sensitivity to image thermal emission from dust and molecules in proto-planetary disks at wavelengths where these disks are optically thin. Its unsurpassed characteristics will make it a premier instrument to study the formation of binary and multiple systems. I present here the projected characteristics of ALMA, in particular the expected sensitivities and frequency coverage, and illustrates some possible applications relevant to the study of binary star formation.


Many clients assume that, if they become disabled, benefits from employer-provided group disability insurance and Social Security will give them sufficient income until they are able to return to work. But benefits from these sources are often inadequate, particularly in the case of long-term disability. Almost everyone understands the need to maintain sufficient life insurance to protect his or her family. But the likelihood of an individual between the ages of 25 and 50 being disabled for 90 days or longer is about three times that of dying. And 30% of all disabilities are permanent. Despite these statistics, clients rarely plan for long-term disability. Fewer than one in six clients has adequate disability coverage. Those who fail to do the proper planning don't understand the potentially disasterous financial implications of becoming permanently disabled. The role of the CPA is to inform clients of the need for disability insurance coverage and to help them cloose from among the many different policies offered today. DISABILITY INCOME INSURANCE Disability income insurance is a form of health insurance that provides periodic payments to the insured when he or she is unable to work because of illness or injury. Typically, ongoing family living expenses and new medical expenses exceed the income available from personal investments, spouse's earnings and employer-provided disability protection. Disability income insurance policies can be classified broadly as either short or long term. Short-term coverage, often provided as an employer-sponsored group benefit, is designed to protect against temporary disability, which can last from six months to two years. Long-term policies more typically are maintained by the individual (although some employers do offer this coverage) and can provide benefits for 5, 10 or 20 years, to age 65 or for life. INCOME TAX IMPLICATIONS The CPA should be certain clients understand the income tax consequences of disability insurance benefits. Benefits are taxable if the employer pays the premium. Benefits from personally maintained coverage are tax free. CPAs frequently recommend the employee pay the premium or reimburse the employer for any premium cost, so the benefits will be free of federal income tax when they are received. DEFINITION OF DISABILITY The most important factor to consider in purchasing disability insurance is the policy's definition of "disability." The more liberal the definition, the better--and more expensive--the coverage is for the client. A policy that defines disability as the inability to perform one's own occupation means the insured is considered disabled and eligible for benefits if he is unable to engage in any and all duties of his own occupation. For example, a surgeon who can no longer perform surgery will receive benefits even if he can still teach. Such a policy is preferable to one that provides benefits only if the insured is unable to perform any occupation for which he is reasonably qualified or even to perform any occupation. With the former, a surgeon who still could teach would not be eligible for benefits by reason of being able to perform an occupation for which he was reasonably qualified. In the latter case, a surgeon who could perform any occupation (such as stuffing envelopes) would not be eligible for benefits. Policies of either of these types are less expensive than those that will pay benefits when the insured is unable to perform his own occupation. HOW MUCH INSURANCE? As a rule of thumb, a client should have disability insurance benefits equal to 60% of his monthly income. In fact, insurance companies rarely will insure an individual for more than that amount because they do not want to damage the insured's incentive to return to work. It also usually is recommended that clients not depend on benefits from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) because over 70% of people who apply for such benefits are rejected. …


This issue of the Journal opens with a re-examination of power relations in the light of a changing politics, in particular the rise of populism and the emergence of new forms of Internet-based communication. In the opening article, Catherine Frost argues that detecting the voice of the populus is a critical justificatory criterion of democracy. However, as already identified by Thomas Hobbes in the 17th c., the problem of political ventriloquism can make it hard to know whose voice is coming from whom. Charismatic leaders can act as false prophets who disturb the voices of the political realm by manipulating the more gullible members of the polis into identifying with a viewpoint that is not genuinely their own or in their interest. As explained by Frost, currently, the advent of Internet bots, which appear as actual individuals but are pre-programmed computer interventions, exacerbates the problem of ventriloquism. Carl Schmitt and Rousseau both saw politics as having a sacred element, whereby the leader's pronouncements are analogous to the voice of a God. However, to most democrats of liberal and plural orientations this form of charismatic authority poses a threat to the democratic system. Currently, populism builds upon the idea of a pure 'voice of the people', which is given a sacred status. Populists conceptualize a singular voice, the voice of the (authentic) people (sacred), which is contrasted with the profane voice of the 'elites' (profane), resulting in a binary view of politics. As observed by pluralist critics of populism (for instance, Muller 2016), it is this belief in a singular people's voice that places populists at odd with democrats who argue that the diversity of individuals (and their interests) means that the people always have a plurality of voices. While accepting liberal pluralist concerns over populist politics, Frost adds a new dimension to this concern. If we take a constructivist reading of the concept of 'the voice of the people', Internet technologies have a greater potential than the print media to create a fictive voice of the people. Internet bots impersonate human voices. They create the impression of widespread consensus on a topic, which constitutes a ventriloquized voice of the people. Because this act of ventriloquism is linked to the sacred authority of the (supposed) 'voice of the people', this leads to the destruction of plural democracy. The idea of manipulation suggests downward power-over that is virtually invisible – a characteristic of three-dimensional power (Lukes 2005). However, as argued by Ralph Schroeder, populism is also an upward movement, caused by previously apolitical people making new demands. Building upon the work of T.H. Marshall and Michael Mann, Schroeder explores how the gradual expansion and evolution of citizenship rights (from political rights, to civil or social rights) contributes to populism. Many social rights are still not fully realized in modern democracies, therefore are subject to contestation. As 'the people' look for more rights, this creates upward pressures and conflicts with elites. As resources are scarce, simultaneously there is an outward or sideways conflict that JOURNAL OF POLITICAL POWER 2020, VOL. 13, NO. 1, 1–5 https://doi.org/10.1080/2158379X.2020.1723954


Thls paper reports the experimental and theoretical vibrational spectra of phenylalanine in the frequency range 0.2-2.2 THz. The absorption peaks are found at 1.23 THz and 1.99 THz by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). The vibrational modes of phenylalanine molecule are performed using the Hartree Fock method (HF) at the 6-31G level. The experimental results show significantly agreement with the theoretical results simulated by Gaussian 03 in THz range. This study presents the torsional vibrational modes of the sample.


The ethyl 1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-3-quinolinecarboxylate ring structure, important in several drug compounds, has been prepared in two steps from ethyl 2-(2-fluorobenzoyl)acetate. Treatment of this β-ketoester with N,N-dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal gives a 97% yield of the 2-dimethylaminomethylene derivative. Reaction of this β-enaminone with primary amines in N,N-dimethylformamide at 140°C for 48 h then affords the 1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-3-quinolinecarboxylate esters in 60–74% yields by a tandem addition-elimination-SNAr reaction. The synthesis of the starting material as well as procedural details and a mechanistic scenario are presented. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2011).


Niobium nitrides and carbonitrides are materials with desirable properties such as hardness, thermal stability, and particularly, in the case of cubic forms, superconductivity. The ammonolysis of niobium halides provides a synthetic route to the nitride. This has been previously examined by Fowles and Pollard, who found, through tensimetric determinations, that the initial ammonolytic reaction leads to the ammonia-soluble derivative NbCl/sub 3/(NH/sub 2/)/sub 2/. Evaporation of the ammonia left a solid residue that, upon thermal treatment, produced NbN. Additional work by Allbutt and Fowles showed that long-term ammonolysis leads to an insoluble residue having a formula corresponding to NbBr(NH/sub 2/)/sub 2/NH. (The structure of a similar tantalum analogue has been recently established.) More recent developments in this area include the work of Sinitsyna, who performed dry ammonolysis reactions between the niobium halides and an excess of the corresponding ammonium halide to produce niobium halide nitrides, NbNX/sub 2/. Finally, Grebtsova et al. studied the thermal conversion of the ammonolysis residue of NbCl/sub 5/ into NbN by a variety of techniques. The present work was undertaken to better characterize the ammonolytic intermediates as well as the thermal decomposition products and also to explore the use of these intermediates in the preparation of derivativesmore » that could be converted into carbonitrides similar to previous work in the titanium system.« less


Borehole instability problems are commonly encountered while drilling highly deviated and horizontal shale gas wells within the shale formations associated with high-dip bedding planes. An integrated rock mechanical study is described in this paper to evaluate the risk of the borehole instability problems in this area. First, a set of uniaxial compressive tests are carried out to measure the strength of the bedding shales on cores with different angles between the load direction and the bedding planes. A critical strength criterion is then proposed based on the test results. Next, the stress state of the borehole with arbitrary inclination and azimuth is determined through coordinate transformations. Finally, through combining the strength criterion and the stress state of the borehole, the risk of borehole instability is investigated for deviated and horizontal wells in shale formations with different bedding dips (0–90°) and dip directions (45° and 90° to the direction of minimum horizontal stress σh). The results show the dependence of borehole instability on the orientation of bedding planes of the formation as well as inclination and azimuth of the well. The most desirable borehole trajectory from the viewpoint of borehole stability is at the direction normal to the bedding planes. For a horizontal well specifically, if the bedding direction is perpendicular to the direction of σh, the risk of instability is relatively high for most drilling directions except drilling along the dip direction of the bedding planes. However, if there is a moderate acute angle (e.g., 45°) between the dip direction and the direction of σh, the risk of instability is relatively low for most drilling directions unless drilling along the direction of σh.


Examines what avenues are open to establish a legal procedure to ensure compensation for parties injured as the result of accidents caused by offshore drilling rigs. Concludes that there is a need to impose strict liability standard on those parties engaged in offshore drilling for damages caused by such activities. THE CAMPECHE BAY BLOW-OUT: A STRICT LIABILITY APPROACH TO DAMAGES RESULTING FROM OFFSHORE DRILLING ACCIDENTS


Women are more likely to be living organ donors than men, and one explanation is that they may be more vulnerable to subtle pressures.

Fathers, sons, brothers, or other male family members are all less likely to donate than their female counterparts, and a new report has called for the predominance of women donors to be investigated urgently.

"Instead of simply congratulating …


Abstract Electromagnetic cold crucibles (EMCC) are now standard equipment in material science laboratories and are gradually coming into use in two types of industrial applications, i.e. as batch crucibles for melt preparation and as bottomless cylindrical ingot moulds for continuous casting. The principal advantage is the absence of contamination. For this reason, they are at present mainly used in the preparation of strictly controlled refractory alloys, typically titanium based alloys. However, in light of increasingly stringent quality requirements, their use may soon be extended to a wider range of alloys. In melt preparation, the advantage of EMCCs with respect to other cold hearth furnaces is a much more uniform heating of the charge, resulting in a more uniform alloy composition and lower evaporation losses. With respect to coreless induction hot crucibles, another advantage is faster tap to tap cycles. EMCCs also offer a number of benefits for alloy remelting and shaping in continuous casting processes. In addition to the absence of contamination, EMCCs offer advantages related to the electromagnetic forces that can be used to reduce friction effects in the moulding system, improve surface structure and create liquid flow conditions that can control the grain structure and accelerate online chemical treatment. EMCCs can therefore raise quality and production rates in mass production processes.


In this article, a statistical method of estimating the microsite component (a nonrandom error) in a fixed-effect model is presented and discussed. The approach uses generalized least squares to partition the model variance into two components: one part due to microsite and the other one due to random errors. An iterative procedure is then used to solve for the maximum likelihood estimate of the microsite component. Application of the technique to a slash pine (Pinuselliottii Engelm. var. elliottii) spacing trial indicates that 30% of the variability in total tree height at age 6 years was due to microsite, whereas the remaining 70% was due to random errors.


A new algorithm is derived for identification with the aid of additional information on the field polarization. The efficiency of the new algorithm is compared with the original one and it is shown that, other conditions being equal, the probability of identification with the aid of polarization is always higher and its advantage over the scalar case increases on increase in the number of resolution elements of the image.


An estimated 375 million people worldwide suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Diet and exercise are considered key prevention strategies for this disorder. Few longitudinal studies have examined the separate effects of animal and plant proteins although those that have often found an adverse effect of animal as well as total protein on diabetes risk. Other studies of the macronutrient composition of the diet have found that lower carbohydrate/higher protein diets are variably associated with T2DM risk. Given that higher protein diets are associated with greater maintenance of skeletal muscle mass in older adults, it is logical that protein might have beneficial effects on glucose metabolism. We used data from 1,423 subjects enrolled in the longitudinal Framingham Offspring Study with approximately 20 years of follow‐up to estimate the effects of animal and plant proteins on risk of T2DM in middle‐aged men and women. Diet was assessed using three‐day dietary records from exam visits 3 and 5 and protein intake was estimated after adjusting for body weight using residuals from a linear regression model. Glucose was measured after an overnight fast and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) was defined as a FG level >100; diabetes was diagnosed using a standardized and validated protocol. To estimate the relative risk (hazards ratio, HR) of IFG or T2DM, we used Cox proportional hazards modeling. After adjusting for age, sex, education level, physical activity, cigarette smoking, height, and energy intake, we found that subjects with the highest total protein intakes (≥100 g for men, ≥90 g for women) had a 31% reduced risk of IFG/T2DM (HR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.54, 0.89). The highest (vs. lowest) intakes of animal protein (≥65 g for men; ≥55 g for women) led to a 27% reduced risk of IFG/T2DM (95% CI: 0.60, 0.89) while the highest intakes of plant protein (≥25 g vs. <20 g) led to a borderline statistically significant 19% lower risk. We then cross‐classified subjects according to the combined intakes of animal or plant protein and whole grains. Here we found that the combined effects of higher animal protein and higher intakes of whole grains led to a 25% lower risk (95% CI: 0.60, 0.93) of IFG/T2DM. The effects of plant proteins were similar in that higher intakes of plant proteins and whole grains led to a 19% lower risk of IFG/T2DM (95% CI: 0.66, 1.00). Finally, we examined the long‐term risk of IFG/T2DM associated with the combined exposures to higher intakes of animal or plant proteins and higher levels of physical activity. In this analysis, there was effect modification of protein intake by physical activity with respect to the IFG/T2DM outcome. Higher intakes of animal protein alone (with low physical activity) led to a 27% lower risk; higher activity alone (without higher intakes of animal protein) led to an 18% reduction in risk. Together higher animal protein and higher activity levels led to a statistically significant 40% reduction in risk of IFG/T2DM. There was evidence for positive synergism as well between plant protein intake and physical activity but these effects were slightly weaker. This prospective study of middle‐aged men and women provides important evidence to suggest that both animal and plant protein consumption, especially when combined with an active lifestyle, may be a strategy for lowering long‐term risk of diabetes.


The invention discloses a control structure for large-displacement synchronous jacking of large-scale deck pieces. The control structure comprises a first oil cylinder, a second oil cylinder, a third oil cylinder and a fourth oil cylinder. A synchronous function of the oil cylinders can be achieved through the adoption of flow distributing and collecting valves, and leveling requirements can be achieved in a pressure jacking mode before synchronous jacking. According to the control structure, a small-scale experimental platform in a slippage shipment process can be simulated, and shipment quality and shipment efficiency in the site construction process can be improved and safety risks of the construction can be reduced through simulation on the experimental platform, innovation on shipment structures and optimization on weight adjustment process.


Code is modularized, for many reasons, including making it easier to understand, change, and verify. Aspect-oriented programming approaches extend the kind of code that can be modularized, enabling the modularization of crosscutting code. We conducted an inquisitive study to better understand the kinds of crosscutting code that software developers encounter and to better understand how the developers manage this code. We tracked eight participants: four from industry and four from academia. Each participant was currently evolving a non-trivial software system. We interviewed these participants three times about crosscutting concerns they had encountered and the strategies they used to deal with the concerns. We found that crosscutting concerns tended to emerge as obstacles that the developer had to consider to make the desired change. The strategy used by the developer to manage the concern depended on the form of the obstacle code. The results of this study provide empirical evidence to support the problems identified by the aspect-oriented programming community, and provide a basis on which to further assess aspect-oriented programming.


The speed difference between the two axles of the mixer leads to the complexity of the force on the workplace of the axles and the changes of the mixer space position. The dynamic simulation of the mixer based on 3DS MAX software was investigated to provide 3D solid data for further design and production.


Simple Summary Both in human medicine and in the veterinary field, lipidomic techniques have been applied extensively in order to evaluate health status. In equine species where the subject of focus is the fertility and sperm quality of the equids, lipidomic assessment can be a useful tool to better understand the metabolic transformation of the fatty acids of the spermatozoa as well as the erythrocyte membrane and their role on spermiogenesis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the composition of the spermatozoa's membranes of 26 healthy male Martina Franca donkeys and the possible correlation with the sperm parameters and the erythrocytes' membrane. The results demonstrate that the membrane of erythrocytes and spermatozoa are different, which provides a deeper understanding of the distribution and the role of these fatty acids in sperm parameters that are highly associated with fertility. Abstract Fatty acid-based lipidomic analysis has been widely used to evaluate health status in human medicine as well as in the veterinary field. In equine species, there has been a developing interest in fertility and sperm quality. Fatty acids, being the principal components of the membranes, play an active role in the regulation of the metabolic activities, and their role on spermiogenesis seems to be of great importance for the resulting quality of the sperm and, thus, fertility. With the application of widely used lipidomic techniques, the aim of this study was to evaluate: (a) the fatty acid content of the spermatozoa's membranes of 26 healthy male Martina Franca donkeys and its possible correlation with sperm parameters, and (b) the evaluation of the composition of the red blood cells' membrane. PUFA omega-6 are the principal components (40.38%) of the total PUFA content (47.79%) in both types of cells; however, DPA is the predominant one on the spermatozoa's membrane (27.57%) but is not present in the erythrocyte's membrane. Spermatozoa's motility (%) is positively correlated with stearic acid and EPA, and progressive motility (%), with oleic acid. These findings offer information on the composition of both types of cells' membranes in healthy male MF donkeys and reflect the metabolic transformations of the spermatozoa's membrane during the maturation period, providing a better perception of the role of fatty acids in sperm parameters and fertility.


In the article description of phased arrays element control prototype with use of technology of radiosignals transfer through optic fibers is given. This prototype has been made and researched in laboratory of "Nanophotonics and optoelectronics" of Southern federal university. Currency of fiberoptic communication lines use for multielement antenna systems control is explainedwith large amount of information transfer necessity at big distances when control places are quite remote from emitting elements. As a result SHF transfer lines are worse than radiooptic ones by many parameters between witch are: informational capacity, attenuation, noise protection, mass, weight and cost. Developed prototype consists of two modules, connected with two single mode fiberoptic cables with communication between them in frequency range 1400..2400 MHz of both harmonic synchronous continuous signals, and modulated with antenna modules control signals ones. The control of working modes and of two emitting modules managing system functionality is provided with personal computers (PC). One PC was connected to transmitter, another one to receiver. At receiver PC the phase detector quadrature channels amplitude codes are transferred and on the base of them phase shift calculation was carried out. As a result, error of through channel phase shift setting in whole frequency range did not exceed ±5 degrees. And as analysis showed, basic phase error sources are pari passu both phase shifters and control systems, so this error may be counted somewhat overrated.


Preface - PART 1 THE INTERNATIONAL MONEY SYSTEM: POLITICS AND ECONOMICS - The Name of the Game is Money - A System is How the Pieces Fit - 'The Greatest Monetary Agreement in History' - 'The Gnomes of Zurich': A London Euphemism for Speculation Against Sterling - Gold: How Much is a Barbarous Relic Worth? - They Invented Money so they could have Inflation - Disinflation, Deflation and Depression - Oil and the OPEC Roller Coaster - The Dollar and Coca-Cola are both Brand Names - Radio Luxembourg and the Eurodollar Market are both Offshore Stations - Central Bankers read Election Returns, not Balance Sheets - Monetary Reform: Where do the Problems go when they are Assumed Away? - PART 2 LIVING WITH THE SYSTEM - Bargains and the Money Game - The Underground Economies and the Bureaucratic Imperative - International Tax Avoidance: A Game for the Rich - Banking on the Wire - The Rise of the House of Cornfeld: And the Fall - Why are Multinational Firms Mostly American? - Japan: The First Superstate? - Optimal Bankrupts: Deadbeats on an International Treadmill - Zlotys, Rubles, and Leks - Fitting the Pieces Once Again - Index


The relationship between human and environmental systems at the urban鄄rural interface faces many challenges from urbanization. Since the 1980s, the environmental effects caused by urbanization at the urban鄄rural interface have been studied intensively. In recent years research has focused on the detection of changes in land鄄cover and land鄄use, projections and driving force analysis, natural and agricultural ecosystem evolution and conservation, as well as environmental pollution at the urban鄄rural interface. Many researchers have proved that the environmental system at the urban鄄rural interface is vulnerable to disturbance by human activities and urbanization, and usually shows serious degradation and pollution. The feedback effects of the changes in the environmental systems on human, social and economic systems have also been the subject of research. Some research has proved that the loss of natural and agricultural ecosystems at the urban鄄rural interface not only affects the local residents忆 livelihoods, but also affects the local social capital, and can even cause social conflict. At present, researchers of the human鄄environment relationship at the urban鄄rural interface often take single鄄disciplinary approaches, which are inadequate to meet the demands of a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interaction between the human system and the environmental system at the urban鄄rural interface. A great deal of attention has been


This case study of four well-regarded managed care organizations found that they made numerous innovations to improve care delivery for elderly Medicare beneficiaries with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Using the flexibility provided by capitation, they added new services in 1) screening to identify high-risk seniors, 2) care management and disease management, 3) network credentialing, 4) occasional provision of off-policy benefits, and 5) better coordination in the delivery of inpatient, subacute, and home health services. Yet these innovations were constrained by Medicare+Choice contracts and lack of clear evidence on the cost-saving potential of many services. At the same time, the case study organizations produced satisfaction levels among high-risk seniors that were substantially higher than those previously reported for Medicare beneficiaries facing high risks for adverse health outcomes. The study raises important issues about the potential of Medicare+Choice to enhance care for frail elders, at a time when the program is in jeopardy.


A serious problem with the Schwinger-Dyson approach to dynamical mass generation in QED 3 at finite temperature is that the contribution from the transverse part of the photon propagator, in the landau gauge, leads to infrared divergences in both the mass function Σ and the wavefunction renormalization A. We show how, by using a simple choice of vertex ansatz and a choice of non-local gauge (the 'D-gauge'), both A and Σ can be made i-r finite. We formulate an equation for the physical mass M = Σ/A, and show that it reduces to the corresponding equation obtained in the Landau gauge in the constant physical mass approximation M = M(0, πT) (which is finite). Therefore at finite temperature, we are able to justify a 'constant' mass approximation for M, and show that the value of r = 2M(T =0) k B Tc remains close to the value obtained in previous calculations which included retardation.


Environmental pollution and economic growth have great impacts on public health,but the dynamic relationship analysis among them based on different areas' panel data is missing in existing literatures.Based on Grossman's health production function,environmental pollution factors are added to study the effects of environmental pollution,economic growth and healthcare service on public health.Using the panel data of 30 provinces in China from year 1997 to 2010,the entity fixed effects model is established and the difference among east area,middle area and west area in China is analyzed.The results show that there is a long equilibrium cointegration relationship between environmental pollution,economic growth,healthcare services and public health,and an inverted U curve is presented between economic growth and public health in the east,middle and overall China significantly.Specifically the curve has met its knee point in the east,and will meet its knee point if per GDP is 3311 Yuan in the middle.Industrial soot emissions has significant positive effect on human mortality in each areas of China,but industrial so2 emissions only has significant effect on human mortality in the middle area.At the same time,correlation between the doctor per person and human mortality is significantly negative,while it does not occur in the west area.And healthcare services spending per capita is significantly negative on human mortality in the middle area.The medical services can effectively reduce health threats to the public.Therefore,formulating differential policies of environmental pollution,economic growth and healthcare services and so on are beneficial to improve the level of public health of overall China,eastern region and midwest.


Depressive disorders are common in people with intellectual disability (ID), and may sometimes pose difficulties in identification and appropriate treatment, mainly due to associated comorbid conditions and significant impairment in communication. This chapter describes both typical and atypical presentations of depression in people with intellectual disability, along with associated aetiopathological factors that might influence the presentation. Depressive disorders are common in people with intellectual disability, causing individual suffering, additional impairments in adaptive behaviour and functioning, disruption of interpersonal relationships, social exclusion, poor physical health outcomes, and sometimes death. The issue of overshadowing and influence of comorbid conditions leading to lack of identification has also been considered. Management approaches, including that of pharmacological and psychological therapies and their applicability to persons with intellectual disability have been highlighted, with case examples. Special consideration, including drug interactions and the effect of treatment on comorbid conditions have been discussed.


A full diallel analysis involving nine rice genotypes was used to study the combining ability and heterosis for grain yield and its component characters. The study revealed that ADT 44 was good general combiner for all the six traits studied. The parent CR1009 was also observed to be good combiner for all the traits except harvest index. The cross ADT 44 x CR 1009 exhibited highly significant positive sea effects coupled with highly significant positive heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis for number of filled grains per panicle, biomass per plant and grain yield per plant.


In this paper we introduce a new architecture for dynamic spectrum sharing called the distributed dynamic spectrum leasing (D-DSL) and a game theoretic framework for its implementation on a cognitive radio network. In D-DSL, it is assumed that each channel is assigned to a primary user who may lease the channel to secondary users. The spectrum owners can thus dynamically adjust the amount of interference they are willing to tolerate from the secondary users. The secondary users compete with each other in order to achieve maximum possible Quality of Service without violating the interference cap imposed by the primary users on each channel. The secondary users are allowed to transmit in more than one channel simultaneously. The utility of each primary user is in general an increasing function of the amount of allowed secondary interference. Under these conditions in addition to the competition among secondary users, the primary users also compete with each other to let more secondary users to access their channels. We establish conditions for the system to reach an equilibrium and analyze the performance. It is shown that the performance of the secondary system improves by increasing the availability of primary channels.


Suggested techniques for quantum adjustment in a round-robin scheduler in response to changing loads may not perform correctly in certain situations. These situations are identified and a method is proposed to handle them. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared to known strategies through simulation.


Betaine demonstrations antioxidative activity, enhances organic osmolytic activity and is an important cofactor in methylation. However, the main mechanisms betaine-induced autophagy in human dermal skin cells are not yet completely understood. Therefore, we hypothesized that betaine induces of autophagy. Thus, the autophagic effects exerted by betaine through activation of LKB1-AMPK signaling in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKs) were assessed. Betaine enhanced LKB1 and AMPK phosphorylation in HEKs, and LKB1, AMPK induced autophagy through mTOR downregulation. Beatine-induced autophagy was inhibited in cells transiently transfected with AMPK siRNA. Increased autophagosome activity was confirmed by LC3B-II formation and by increased perinuclear LC3B-II puncta in betaine-treated HEKs. according to our in vitro findings, and in vivo studies in HR-1 hairless mice demonstrated that betaine treatment significantly reduced the activity of the senescence-associated marker β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) and increased p-LKB1 and p-AMPK levels compared with UVB-irradiated skin tissues. Collectively, our findings suggest that betaine-dependent autophagy diminishes mouse skin senescence and betaine may reduce HEK senescence through an LKB1-AMPK-dependent mechanism.


Sleep-disordered Breathing (41) Epidemiology (5) Risk Factors (1) Pathophysiology (17) Cardiovascular Mechanisms (4) Upper Airway Mechanisms (7) Control of Breathing (6) Clinical Aspects (5) In Critically Ill Patients (1) In Children (4) Diagnostic Techniques (1) Treatment (12) Airway Pressure and Flow (5) Pharmacotherapy (4) Mandibular Devices (1) Surgery (1) Obesity Management (1) Control of Breathing (8) Studies in Animals (3) Pathophysiological Studies in Volunteers (3) Control of Breathing in Clinical Disorders (2) Respiratory Muscles (18) Studies in Animals (1) Mechanical Ventilation (1) Pathophysiological Studies in Patients and Volunteers (17) Exercise and Peripheral Muscles (8) Chest Wall Motion (2) Diagnostic Studies (1) Respiratory Muscle Involvement in Clinical Disorders (6) Pulmonary Function Testing and Bronchoscopy (14) Equipment and Techniques (1) Epidemiologic and Genetic Studies (2) Preoperative (1) In Diabetes Mellitus (1) In Thalassemia (1) Physical Fitness (1) Bronchoscopy (7)


The skin is constantly exposed to various endogenous and exogenous factors that may impact its barrier function at the physical, mechanical, immunological, and microbial levels. These factors have the potential to initiate or exacerbate a variety of inflammatory skin conditions, especially those associated with barrier dysfunction. The barrier function of the skin depends upon a symbiotic relationship between resident microbial communities and host tissue. This symbiosis results from complex signals involved in both the innate and adaptive immune responses. Recent research indicates that both bacterial diversity and the relative abundance of different microbes present on and in the skin, may contribute to skin barrier stability or dysfunction. The objectives of this review are to discuss the relationship between the skin microbiota and skin barrier function and to consider mechanisms that may help its preservation. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(1):12-18..


By way of introduction Herr Wiegel summarised the paper presented by Professor J C Eicher (Institut de Recherche sur l'Economie de l'Education, Dijon) at the 1975 UNESCO symposium on 'General Problems of the Application of Costbenefit Studies to Modern Teaching Methods'. This paper outlined a general framework of analysis and was largely concerned with methodologies for dealing with problems involving the measurement of effectiveness. It began by making the point that any 'measurement' depended on the objectives chosen and the available means ofachieving them. If the objective of new teaching techniques was to bring about a marginal improvemen in the status quo (— and this was usually the case —) well and good: on the other hand, if the objective was a radical wholesale reform of the educational system it became necessary to take a fresh look at educational aims and methods and to reformulate them.


/p/, I can only say that 'perception' in this case had come after 150 years of contact (albeit sporadic) with Spanish; in early loans from which language confusion had prevailed also for this pair of phonemes, as in Breton's bourbre gunpowder, bouirocou pig and pantir flag, from Sp. polvora, puerco and bandera, and which have become modern Central American buroburo, buiruhu and fanidira. Contact with English, hitherto slight and sporadic, must have increased after 1763, when, by the Treaty of Paris, England annexed both Dominica and St. Vincent; and it probably became preponderant in the latter island subsequent to the Carib war of 1795-96. In their new home, the deportees of 1797 were at first exposed mainly to Spanish; but Thomas Young, who became acquainted with them on the Mosquito Coast in the years 1839-41, tells us that they acquired languages easily and that many of them could then speak Spanish, French Creole and English besides their own tongue.15 It seems impossible to attribute any particular change that took place to the direct interference of this or that language; but most of them were probably hastened by the combined influence of all the contacts acting as a ferment upon a latent or not-so-latent internal tendency. DOMINICA, BRITISH WEST INDIES


The invention provides a broad potential window negative electrode material. The material has a chemical formula: aLi4Ti5O12-bLi3xLa(2/3)-xTiO3 (3%<=b:a<=15%, 0.05<=x<=0.15). The negative electrode material has the advantages of uniform particles, good dispersibility, and high crystallization degree. Materials in different morphologies and particle sizes can be obtained through adjusting the organic solvent species, reaction temperature, and reaction time.


The coming year will be crucial for laser fusion research in the US, and for the military lab at the centre of the programme – the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California – in particular. US researchers want to spend $900m on the National Ignition Facility (NIF), a giant neodymium–glass laser that would burn deuterium and tritium to generate 10 MJ pulses of fusion energy – five times more than the energy input by the laser. But first they have to convince Department of Energy supremo, Hazel O'Leary, to add a separate "budget line" for NIF in her budget request for fiscal year 1996 (which begins October 1995). Approval by the Office of Management and Budget, the Clinton administration and Congress will also be needed before any money can be spent. A decision is expected this month and Livermore officials are optimistic, but approval is not assured.


Meta-analysis is a data aggregation method that establishes an overall and objective level of evidence based on the results of several studies. It is necessary to maintain a high level of homogeneity in the aggregation of data collected from a systematic literature review. However, the current tools do not allow a cross-referencing of the experimental conditions that could explain the heterogeneity observed between studies. This article aims at proposing a Python programming code containing several functions allowing the analysis and rapid visualization of data from many studies, while allowing the possibility of cross-checking the results by experimental condition.


Abstract Fused oligonucleotides(21mer) consisting of RNA(18mer) and DNA(3mer) were synthesized by combined use of the phosphotriester and phosphoramidite methods. The RNA(18mer) corresponds to the leader sequence of phage fl coat protein mRNA containing initiation codon. The RNA was stabilized against 3′-exonucleases by joining with trideoxy-ribonucleotides containing phosphorothioate linkages and it would be applied to the studies on the initiation complex formation in prokaryotic translation.


An improved algorithm based on cross Wigner-Ville distribution,which is derived for the special case where the frequency is zero in Wigner-Ville distribution (WVD) of time-frequency analysis is used to detect LFM signal, in this case the WVD includes all the information of original signals, such as frequency and phase. This method is efficient for reducing noise, for single LFM signal or small target embedded in some large targets they can be detected in low SNR by the algorithm. The simulation results prove its effectivity.


The success of any organization depends on its employees and HR Managers. If employees are taken good care by HR manager, the performance & efficiency & productivity level increase. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the motivational tools and its level of the executives in the organization & elicit information regarding the various methods used by the personal managers to motivate the employees; used secondary data provided for the basis of the study. The major finding for the paper was that the employees were highly motivated due to good working environment & highly supported by supervisors to perform the task. This paper in Toto has six sections, including this introductory section. The review of literature is presented in the second section and the Research gap followed is given in the third section. A brief note on motivation & tools and the motivational factors are presented in the fourth section. Finally conclusion is presented in the last


In South China, there are several small to medium sized basins which are characterized by the abundance of such features as multi-layering, lateral heterogeneity, thick sedimentary covers, variable rock facies, repeated erosions and varieties of faul-ting, etc .. These adverse geological conditions entail corresponding complications in. the application of seismic methods. Examples are disturbances from multiple reflec-tions and lateral waves, variable wave velocities, distortions from deep seated structures and others. All these give rise to difficulties in extracting informations concerning palaeozoic strata. The present paper discusses some of the views and methods to counter these difficulties.


Background: Following Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) patients experience lower extremity muscle weakness and commonly require physical rehabilitation to enhance functional outcomes and overall recovery.1 In Australia, there are recognised variations in rehabilitative care following TKA, however rehabilitation most commonly provided is in an outpatient setting, on a one-to-one treatment basis.2 Outpatient physiotherapy is beneficial as the physiotherapist can monitor progress and modify therapy, however such methods are resource- intensive and impose a significant cost burden.1 The number of TKA procedures is rising, bringing concern of the sustainability and economic impact of one-to-one rehabilitation. Further research is needed to determine whether outpatient physiotherapy yields superior outcomes compared to less-costly alternatives such as group or home-based rehabilitation. The Maxm skate is a portable, lower limb post-operative and post-injury rehabilitation exercise device for individual use in a hospital or home-based setting. The Skate intends to facilitate rehabilitation and conditioning through graded therapeutic exercises and minimal joint loading. Study investigators aim to conduct a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to compare the safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the Maxm Skate rehabilitation device to standard rehabilitative care. The primary outcome is to assess the range of motion (ROM) achieved by patients whom received the Maxm Skate device compared with standard care, 3 months postoperatively. Methods: This is a study protocol for an open-label RCT, in which 116 participants will be randomly allocated to an interventional or control group. A total of 58 participants per group will provide 90.0% power (α=0.05) to detect 10 degrees of difference (SD=16) in ROM, at 3 months post TKA. Participants assigned to the interventional group will receive the Maxm Skate in addition to standard care in the in-patient setting. Following discharge, participants will be asked to limit physiotherapy to Skate use only, and compliance will be documented. Outcomes will be compared to those receiving standard rehabilitative care. A blinded physiotherapist will evaluate functional outcomes preoperatively and at 2, 4, 6, 12, 26 and 52 weeks post TKA. The functional assessment will include measures of knee ROM, pain, isometric knee strength, balance, and knee/thigh circumference. Limited measures will also be assessed at Day 2 postoperatively by an alternate, un-blinded physiotherapist. Clinical and patient-reported outcome measures will be administered preoperatively, and at 6, 12 and 52 weeks postoperatively. An economic evaluation assessing the relative cost-effectiveness of the Maxm Skate rehabilitation device, compared to standard care, will be conducted. Patients will also be screened for adverse event occurrences and complications from the time of consent to 1 year postoperatively. Discussion: This clinical trial is the first developed to assess the efficacy of the Maxm Skate on patient's rehabilitation following TKA. Trial Registration: ACTRN: ACTRN12616001081404p References: 1 Pozzi F, Snyder-Mackler L, Zeni J. Physical exercise after knee arthroplasty: a systematic review of controlled trials. Euro J Phys Rehabil Med. 2013;49(6):877-92. 2 Naylor J, Harmer A, Fransen M, Crosbie J, Innes L. Status of physiotherapy rehabilitation after total knee replacement in Australia. Physiother Res Int. 2006;11(1):35-47.


The invention relates to a method of forming a patterned elastomer. The method is characterized in that the elastomer is applied directly to a patterned SiO In this way, high formability, microstructured elastomers can be made for force sensors, which are used in the characterization of therapeutic agents.


The lack of large amounts of training data diminishes the power of deep learning to train models with a high accuracy. Few shot learning (i.e. learning using few data samples) is implemented by Meta-learning, a learn to learn approach. Most gradient based metalearning approaches are hierarchical in nature and computationally expensive. Metalearning approaches generalize well across new tasks by training on very few tasks; but require multiple training iterations which lead to large training times. In this paper, we propose a generic approach to accelerate the training process of metalearning algorithms by leveraging a distributed training setup. Training is conducted on multiple worker nodes, with each node processing a subset of the tasks, in a distributed training paradigm. We propose QMAML (Quick MAML), which is a distributed variant of the MAML (Model Agnostic Metalearning) algorithm, to illustrate the efficacy of our approach. MAML is one of the most popular meta-learning algorithms that estimates initialization parameters for a meta model to be used by similar newer tasks for faster adaptation. However, MAML being hierarchical in nature is computationally expensive. The learning-tasks in QMAML are run on multiple workers in order to accelerate the training process. Similar to the distributed training paradigm, gradients for learning-tasks are consolidated to update the meta-model. We leverage a lightweight distributed training library, Horovod, to implement QMAML. Our experiments illustrate that QMAML reduces the training time of MAML by 50% over an open source library, learn2learn, for image recognition tasks, which are quasi-benchmark tasks in the field of metalearning.


ABSTRACT The purposes of this article were to examine the existing 2005 Clinical Practice Guidelines for preservation of the upper extremities in spinal cord injury and explore the literature to determine what might need to be included in an update. This is a consensus position article based on a literature review and the expertise of the authors. The findings support the original recommendations of the Clinical Practice Guidelines and provide evidence that suggests that information regarding equipment and skills training as well as impact to caregivers is needed.


We appreciate the comments from Tan and colleagues regarding our recent publication that examined the impact of tumor size and nodal status on postoperative recurrence of nonfunctional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NF‐pNETs) ≤2 cm. In our study, only one in ten patients (39 of 392, 9.9%) underwent an enucleation, which was considerably lower than the 33.3% (70 of 210) of patients reported in the study by Sallinen et al. The reason for this difference was likely multifactorial and may have related to variations in tumor size, location, as well as surgeon preference. We agree that enucleation is an acceptable choice for select patients with pNETs such as small tumors located away from the main pancreatic duct, superior mesenteric vein or splenic vessels. Of note, patients undergoing enucleation are still at risk for complications and need to be monitored for pancreatic fistula, as well as associated pancreatic duct injuries. In fact, one meta‐analysis demonstrated that enucleation was associated with a higher incidence of pancreatic fistula versus standard pancreatectomy. In general, the performance of an atypical pancreatectomy, such as enucleation, is often associated with inadequate lymphadenectomy. For example, in our study, lymphadenectomy was commonly performed among the whole cohort (83.7%, 328 of 392), yet was only performed in 38.5% (15 of 39) of patients who underwent an enucleation. Importantly, 4 out of 15 (26.7%) patients who underwent tumor enucleation and nodal dissection had lymph node metastasis. In addition, nodal metastasis was strongly associated with tumor recurrence after resection (hazard ratio, 3.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.15‐8.17). In another study from our group, we recommended a minimum of eight lymph nodes to be evaluated for the optimal staging of patients with pNETs. When performing an enucleation, while lymph node sampling is feasible, attainment of this nodal threshold can be more challenging. In our study, the overall morbidity was 58.1% (227 of 392) with 87 (38.5%) patients experiencing a Clavien‐Dindo III‐IV complication. One patient died of cardiovascular disease within 90 days after surgery, and this patient was excluded from the study. In contrast, in the study by Wang et al, the authors included only patients undergoing pancreatic enucleation for pNETs or benign disease processes. As such, direct comparisons of the morbidity in the current study and the report by Wang et al may not be appropriate as the overwhelming majority of patients (90.1%, 353 of 392) in our study underwent more formal pancreatic resection, such as pancreatoduodenectomy, distal pancreatectomy, central pancreatectomy, as well as total pancreatectomy. In summary, we agree that a well‐balanced approach to operative risk, which takes into account the extent of surgery, should be considered for each individual patient with a small pNET. Data from our study did demonstrate, however, that a subset of patients had more aggressive tumor characteristics with NF‐pNETs ranging from 1.5 to 2 cm, such as a higher incidence of nodal metastasis, more advanced tumor grade and higher Ki‐67 levels. Taken together, the data suggest that surgical resection with lymphadenectomy should be strongly considered for patients with NF‐pNETs ≥1.5‐2.0 cm.


Summary

The impact of socialism on work stoppages in 15 industrialized countries for the years 1956–1965 was tested using three measures of socialism: (1) the proportion of tangible wealth owned by the state, (2) the ratio of public welfare expenditures to gross national product, and (3) whether or not the socislist party was in power. Results of the analyses performed show that socialism a p peared to have little impact on work stoppage rates among the countries.


Using micro controller, DAC and Multi-periods syn-thesis, we can buildup a very simple signal source with precisefrequency, amplitude and waveform. Wave parameters can beprogrammed in advance. The circuit can satisfy some special re-quirements.


Our current knowledge of the chemical composition of ocean dissolved organic matter (DOM) is limited, mainly because of its extreme molecular diversity, low concentration of individual compounds and the elevated ionic strength of ocean waters. As a result, many analytical methods require a previous extraction step. The efficiency and selectivity of the extraction method defines the representativeness of the extracted DOM fraction. Nowadays, the most widespread procedure for concentrating DOM is solid phase extraction (SPE) using styrene divinyl benzene polymer cartridges (PPL). Here, we investigate the effect of SPE-PPL on DOM elemental and optical properties to assess the efficiency and selectivity of this extraction method on water samples from the main intermediate and deep water masses of Arctic, Mediterranean and Antarctic origin present in the Cape Vert Frontal Zone (CVFZ, NW Africa). Furthermore, North and South Atlantic Central waters converge in this area and coastal DOM is injected by the giant upwelling filament of Cape Blanc. On one side, the colored fraction of DOM (CDOM) presented extraction efficiencies comparable to that of the bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC), but decreased significantly with increasing wavelength, suggesting an affinity of PPL cartridges for low molecular weight organic compounds. While the protein-like fluorescent fraction of DOM (FDOM) was also extracted with the same efficiency than DOC, the extraction efficiency of the humic-like fraction was comparatively much higher. On the other side, dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) extraction efficiencies were about half that of DOC. These contrasting extraction efficiencies of the different DOM pools indicated that the extracts were enriched in N-poor, low molecular weight and recalcitrant DOM, therefore showing less variability than the corresponding bulk DOM. Furthermore, DOC, DON, CDOM and FDOM extracted were not homogeneous through the water column but displayed certain significant differences among water masses in both efficiency and selectivity.


It is shown that the order of appearance of op-codes in malicious codes is different from normal codes. Based on this observation malicious codes are obfuscated by re-ordering their op-codes and making them close to benign code. Similarity test techniques can be applied to measure the similarity of suspicious code with its de-obfuscated or morphed copies. It is observed that the similarity test will decline if the percentage of the similarity of the suspicious code with benign codes is more than 20%. In this paper a new obfuscation algorithm to increase the similarity measure to above 20% is presented. The algorithm applies a supervised learning technique to determine the obfuscation method and to select the suitable benign code for assimilation. The effectiveness of our algorithm is demonstrated by applying two well known classes of antivirus, advanced and advanced+ [13], to detect the original and our obfuscated versions of four famous viruses known as Screen factor, Barfa,Waber and Aphaty.


The authors combined the small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and mercury intrusion capillary pressure testing (MICP) methods to present integrative investingations on the pore size distribution of the broad sense shale oil reservoir samples of the Permian Lucaogou Formation in the Jimsar Sag, Junggar Basin, China. Basically, any single pore structure probing method cannot provide full pore information due to different reasons. For example, MICP tests can provide broad pore size distribution data, but the samples have to be dried prior to tests, so the microstructure of the samples may be altered due to the building of high capillary pressures on the pore walls in thin pore system during the drying process. This says that the obtained pore size distribution may be different from the original materials. Also, becuase of the high pressures of mercury exterting on the skeletons of materials during MICP tests, serious materials damages may occur (doi:10.3390/ma12142220). For the porous materials with a series of different pore geometries, the 'ink-bottle' effect may also paly a part (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2020.103726.). Therefore, in order to obtain the pore information as accurately as possible, the combination of MICP and other pore structure testing methods can indeed improve the testing accurance. SANS is a non-destructive method to measure the connected pores and closed pores in porous materials with high accurance. In this paper, the combination of MICP and SANS thus can provide more pore information, such as, broader pore size. In this work, the authors directly plotted the MICP and SANS pore size distributions together, which may be questionable. Because in MICP, it assumes that the pores are cylinders, while in SANS, the pores are assumed to comform to a polydisperse spherical pore network. So the simple cylinder+sphere pores may have problems of compatability.


-The various cells and cell pathways involved in the induction of the primary humoral immune response have been discussed from the point of view of the unitary, as opposed to the multiple, pathway concept. The immunocompetent cells made unresponsive in the immunologically tolerant animal and the cells capable of responding with antibody formation were considered. It is concluded that there exist multiple cellular pathways through which the humoral immune response may be expressed. Recent investigations concerned with the types of cells, morphologically and anatomically, which appear to play a role in the initiation and maintenance of the humoral immune response (primary response) have demonstrated the complex nature of the cell systems involved. A number of reasons have contributed to the state of controversy and uncertainty regarding the nature of the "immunologically competent" cells, namely (a) the use of a number of animal species, that is, the rabbit, guinea pig, mouse, rat; (b) the use of different types of antigens, that is, cellular antigens, toxoids, haptens, soluble proteins, viruses, bacteriophage; and (c) the fact that investigators have not confined themselves to the primary response only, but have attempted to utilize the identical terminology in defining the secondary and hyperimmune responses as well. It has been demonstrated that the macrophage,1-3 lymphocyte,4-6 and plasma cell7'9 each have a role to play in mediating the humoral immune response in recipient animals. The demonstrations that the thymus and the bursa Fabricius (or its homolog) exert great influence in the induction of cellular immunity and humoral immunity, respectively,10' 11 although they do not actually possess antibody-forming cells, have tended to further confuse the issues. Alore recently, the primary immune response has been shown to be mediated by the interaction of two cell types, the antigen-reactive (Ag-reactive or ARC) and antibody-forming (Abforming or AFC) cells.121-4 It has been demonstrated that the bone marrow is the main, if not the sole, store of ARC in the rabbit and that the antigen reacts with this cell long before the AFC enters the picture. 12 On the other hand, the source of the ARC in the mouse appears to be the thymus. 13 14 Evidence has been presented in favor of a two-cell (ARC and AFC) 1 2, 12, 15, 16 and a three-cell (ARC, AFC, and macrophage)3' 17, 18 interaction during the inductive phase of the primary immune response. Furthermore, although the initiation of the secondary immune response would appear to involve a lesser number of cellular species, in view of the greater ease


The Portuguese health system is mainly described as a National Health Service (NHS). In parallel with the NHS, there are some Bismarkean features, like those arising from the existence of occupation-based health insurance. On top of these two layers of health insurance coverage, there is a market for private health insurance on a voluntary basis, which older people may not be able to access. The purpose of this work is to estimate the main determinants for older people in Portugal to buy private health insurance since no previous studies have been published. We use data collected by the National Health Survey of 2014 and estimate a multivariate probit. The main results are aligned with previous studies relating to income, education, and age. The role of the health status and behavior explaining the demand for private health insurance, in our results are mixed. People benefiting from parallel occupation-based insurance schemes are less likely to have a private voluntary health insurance policy. The results obtained in this work confirm that there is some inequality in health care access, to the detriment of older people.


Single crystals of A2Cr3As3 (A = K, Rb) were successfully grown using a self-flux method and studied via structural, transport, and thermodynamic measurement techniques. The superconducting state properties between the two species are similar, with critical temperatures of 6.1 and 4.8 K in K2Cr3As3 and Rb2Cr3As3, respectively. However, the emergence of a strong normal state electronic anisotropy in Rb2Cr3As3 suggests a unique electronic tuningparameteriscoupledtotheinterchainspacinginthe A2Cr3As3 structure,whichincreaseswithalkali-metal ionicsizewhiletheone-dimensional[(Cr3As3) 2− ]∞ chainstructureitselfremainsessentiallyunchanged.Together with dramatic enhancements in both conductivity and magnetoresistance (MR), the appearance of a strong anisotropy in the MR of Rb2Cr3As3 is consistent with the proposed quasi-one-dimensional character of band structure and its evolution with alkali-metal species in this new family of superconductors.


The utilization factor (UF) measures the ratio of the total resources' amount required to the availability of resources' amount during the life cycle of a project. In 1982, in the journal of Management Science, Kurtulus and Davis claimed that "If two resource-constrained problems for each type of resource have the same UF's value in each period of time, then each problem is subjected to the same amount of delay provided that the same sequencing rule is used (If different tie-breaking rules are used, a different schedule may be obtained)". In this paper, with a counterexample, we show that the claim of authors cannot be justified.