This article discusses the medicalization of education and its principal characteristics, arguing that medicalization can no longer be understood as being strictly connected to medical imperialism. Other "drivers" of medicalization have become increasingly influential: consumers, economic forces, biotechnology and managed care. The article investigates the close connection between medicalization human enhancement, where human enhancement is understood as the use of biomedical technology to improve performance on a human being who are not in need of a cure. The article focuses on these themes within the context of education. In particular in relation to the increase instances of ADHD amongst students. The epidemic of ADHD in the US school is a dramatic phenomenon: millions of kids are treated with pharmaceuticals that can have dangerous sideeffects In competitive US universities strategic use of ADHD diagnosis can be witnessed: students use psychostimulants in order to improve their academic performance. The article argues that ADHD should be understood as a sign that a student is having trouble integrating in the classroom rather than a symptom of a brain disease.


Aim at the phenomenon of instantaneous pile sinking of powder mix pile,from the aspects of too big moisture content,mud disturbance liquidation,specifically analyze the reason who generate this phenomenon,and give a simple introduction of intrinsic factor which cause the pile sinking,in the end,enumerate the correlate suggestion on management,to avoid the pile sinking.


Abstract:In postrevolutionary Tunisia, local politics have played an important role in the reconstruction of political authority in the wake of regime change. Continuities of governance between the old and new regimes, the local emergence of new social and political actors, and the competition between new and old local actors, as well as between them and the central state, have challenged the authority of national institutions and elected officials. As national actors attempted to rein in local experiments with "direct democracy," local politics generated resistance toward the Islamist-led Ennahda coalition.


This article contains a study of how spatial errors and receiver imperfections affect the angle of arrival estimation accuracy for virtual antenna arrays. A virtual antenna array consists of one receiver element whose location is tracked as the element is moved and in this work, linear arrays are studied. If the location of the receiver is tracked using an inertial measurement unit, an interesting trade-off emerges. The array should extend as far as possible but since the position estimates from the unaided inertial measurement unit become increasingly uncertain over time, the angle of arrival estimation will deteriorate. Several algorithms are available for estimating the angle of arrival in such a scenario but the one used for evaluation here is a sparse enforcing least squares method.


In this paper, we propose an efficient gray-based block-matching algorithm (GBMA) and its VLSI architecture. Based on the gray system theory, the GBMA can determine the better motion vectors of image blocks quickly. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm performs better than other search algorithms, such as TSS, CS, PHODS, FSS, and SES, in terms of four different measures: 1) average MSE per pixel, 2) average PSNR, 3) average prediction errors per pixel, and 4) average search points per frame. The VLSI architecture of the algorithm has been designed and implemented, and it can yield a search rate of 680 K blocks/sec with a clock rate of 66 MHz.


........................................................................................................................................... iii Contents
  .......................................................................................................................................... iv List
  of
  figures
  .................................................................................................................................. viii Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 2 2. Background to the study ............................................................................................................. 2 2.1.Urban planning in the global South ............................................................................ 2 2.2. Local development in post-apartheid South Africa ................................................... 3 3. Brief description of the case ....................................................................................................... 5 4. My philosophical position in relation to planning .................................................................... 8 5. Structure of the dissertation ....................................................................................................... 9 6. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 2: Literature Review .................................................................................................... 11 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 12 2. Technocratic planning ................................................................................................................ 13 2.1. Critiques of technocratic planning ............................................................................ 13 3. Communicative and collaborative planning .............................................................................. 14 3.1. Critiques of communicative and collaborative planning ..........................................15 4. Re-framing
  planning
  theory
  in
  a
  'post-collaborative
  era' .........................................................20 4.1. Conflicting rationalities and deep difference ............................................................ 21 4.2. Stubborn realities ....................................................................................................... 22


In this note, we study the superspecial loci of orthogonal type Shimura varieties of signature (n-2, 2) with n>3. We prove a conjecture of Gross on the parametrizations of the superspecial locus in the special fiber of an orthogonal type Shimura variety and its lift in the integral model by certain homogeneous spaces. As applications, we provide a mass formula for the superspecial locus.


Echinochrome is not the agent in A. punctulata egg-water which stimulates sperm. The echinochrome-protein complex precipitated from the extract of crushed eggs by (NH4)2SO4 is an effective sperm stimulator. From egg-water dialysate and from the echinochrome-protein complex a distillate can be obtained which has sperm-activating properties. It is tentatively suggested that a higher alcohol freed by a hydrolytic agent in the egg-water is the stimulating substance acting directly upon the sperm.


Characteristics of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser spot-welding procedure applied to electronic connector structures are investigated in the current study. A volumetric heat source equation coded in a user subroutine DFLUX is implemented into a finite element commercial package ABAQUS. Bead shapes including both the pool diameter and the penetration depth of SUS304 stainless steel sheets under various laser intensities are predicted and compared with the associated observations Plastic behaviors of the fusion zone are estimated based on the micro-indentation test. The Gurson-type damage model is incorporated into the numerical analysis using a user subroutine VUMAT to describe the damage evolution of spot-welded structures. Designed spot-welded specimens subjected to the tensile-dominated and shear-dominated loading conditions were conducted. Experimental measurements were then used to evaluate parameters required in the damage model. Structure strength of a stainless steel sheet assembled with a metallic shell of an electronic connector utilizing laser spot-welding is further examined, and results based on the simulation agree well with those based on the experiments. A possibility of the usage of numerical simulations to achieve the efficient welding spot layout is finally demonstrated.


In this paper, we re-visit the problem of unconditionally secure message transmission (USMT) from a sender S to a receiver R, who are part of a distributed synchronous network, modeled as an arbitrary directed graph. Some of the intermediate nodes between S and R can be under the control of an adversary having unbounded computing power. Desmedt and Wang [4] have given the characterization of USMT in directed networks. However, in their model, the underlying network is abstracted as directed node disjoint paths (also called as wires/channels) between S and R, where the intermediate nodes are oblivious, message passing nodes and perform no other computation. In this work, we first show that the characterization of USMT given by Desmedt et.al [4] does not hold good for arbitrary directed networks, where the intermediate nodes can perform some computation, beside acting as message forwarding nodes. We then give the characterization of USMT in arbitrary directed networks, considering the entire network as a whole. As far our knowledge is concerned, this is the first ever characterization of USMT in arbitrary directed networks.


AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMSAND FUNGI Fungi are evolutionarily diverse, adaptable and ubiquitous in global ecological niches similar to flora and fauna (NaranjoOrtiz and Gabaldón, 2019). Structure, diversity and combination of mycobiome vary greatly across the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Despite nearly two-third earth surface covered with aquatic bodies (rivers, streams, reservoirs and oceans), only about 3050-4150 species of fungi have been reported (Shearer ., 2007; Jones ., 2014). Aquatic fungi are those which depend on aquatic bodies for entire or partial completion of their life cycle. Owing to occurrence of several freshwater/terrestrial fungi in saline habitats, definition proposed by Johnson and Sparrow (1961) has been broadened by Pang . (2016). Aquatic fungi have been recognized as indwellers, versatile and periodic immigrants depending on the degree of adaptation (Park, 1972). They are highly diverse owing to their ecological, phylogenetic and morphological characteristics (Shearer ., 2007; Jones ., 2009). Fungal diversity, role in food web and ecological services are overlooked in aquatic biology as well as biogeochemical processes (Grossart and Rojas-Jimenez, 2016; Grossart ., 2019). However, eukaryotic fungal molecular sequences which occur considerably in aquatic habitats gives a clue of their major function (Debroas ., 2017). Grossart and Rojas-Jimenez (2016) pointed out that aquatic fungi are forgotten in microbial ecology in spite of their valuable ecosystem services.


Abstract Consistent vapor-liquid equilibrium has been determined for the binary systems 1-hexene + ethyl 1,1-dimethylethyl ether (ETBE) and ethyl 1,1-dimethylethyl ether + cyclohexene at 94.00 kPa. The two systems present slight positive deviations from ideal behavior, can be considered to behave like regular solutions and do not present azeotropic behavior. Pure component vapor pressures are also reported for 1-hexene and cyclohexene. The phase equilibrium of the systems was correlated well by the Wilson, UNIQUAC, and NRTL models and reasonably predicted by the UNIFAC group contribution method. The boiling points of the binary systems were correlated with the Wisniak-Tamir equation.


Concerns, contempt and indifference, forms of social interaction objectifying, among other things, the difficulties that societies face, are exported today through social media. Digital consubstantial with social life also becomes a fertilizer for the expression of social phenomena such as worry, contempt, indifference and violence of all kinds. Faced with the difficulties they create, the victims develop many adaptation strategies in the city of Cotonou. This research aims to analyze the adaptation strategies of actors to the "worries, contempt and indifference" linked to new media in the city of Cotonou. To achieve this objective, a qualitative methodological approach based on the ethnomethodological approach is adopted. 75 resource persons were contacted by reasoned choice and snowball techniques. New forms of worry, contempt and indifference are produced through social media in the city of Cotonou. Their changes are linked to the individualization of socio-digital trajectories and the poorly regulated hyper-accessibility of new media. However, several adaptation strategies are developed by the actors according to their representations. With the persistence of deviance, the challenge of responsible digital education deserves to be taken up more.


Nutritional status of three ethnic groups living at Gavien, a rubber resettlement project in lowland Papua New Guinea, was compared with that of people living in the home areas: Grass Country (hunter‐gatherers); Wosera (agriculturalists); Middle Sepik (hunter‐gatherers with limited agriculture). Anthropometry of mothers (n=115) and children (n=115) was completed during wet and dry seasons. Blood samples were collected to identify anemia and malarial infection. Grass Country children in Gavien were higher in weight‐for‐age and weight‐for‐height than their home area counterparts. Wosera children at Gavien were taller than their counterparts. In contrast, Middle Sepik children showed no improvement in Gavien. Hemoglobin and hematocrit were generally lower among mothers and children in the home areas and malarial parasite rates were higher. The group that benefited most from resettlement was agriculturalists, who were crowded at home and had cultivation skills necessary for growing food and cash crops. Resett...


A crystal-plasticity finite-element analysis of the loading-unloading process under uniaxial tension of a rolled magnesium alloy sheet was carried out, and the mechanism of the inelastic response during unloading was examined, focusing on the effects of basal and nonbasal slip systems. The prismatic and basal slip systems were mainly activated during loading, but the activation of the prismatic slip systems was more dominant. Thus the overall stress level during loading was determined primarily by the prismatic slip systems. The prismatic slip systems were hardly activated during unloading because the stress level was of course lower than that during loading. On the other hand, because the strength of the basal slip systems was much lower than that of the prismatic slip systems, the basal slip systems would be easily activated under the stress level during unloading in the opposite direction when their Schmid's resolved shear stresses changed signs because of the inhomogeneity of the material. These results indicated that one explanation for the inelastic behavior during unloading was that the basal slip systems were primarily activated owing to their low strengths compared to that of the prismatic slip systems. Numerical tests using the sheets with random orientations and with the more pronounced texture were conducted to further examine the mechanism.


The program contains two single track plenary sessions and two group sessions. All paper presenters will be allowed a timeslot of maximum 15 minutes. During each presentation , each workshop participant notes up to three questions or comments on post-IT notes. The notes will be used for structured discussions in the following group sessions. 1415-1515 Second plenary session C: Representing and involving users through models Florence Pontico/Marco Winckler: Citizens, stakeholders and designers: Modeling for user diversity. John Krogstie: Citizens, from consumers to prosumers: e-Government service typologies revisited. D: How to provide the end-user perspective Josef Conning: Setting the course and keeping it: Reflections on user-orientation and systems acquisition in IT systems in Swedish health care. Margita Lundman: Involving disabled users in the development of e-services. 1515-1530 Coffee 1530-1640 Second group session Group C: Discussion based on plenary session "Representing and involving users through models". Group leader: John Krogstie. Group D: Discussion based on plenary session "How to provide the end-user perspective". Group leader: Josef Conning. 1640-1650 Plenary summary of second group session 1650-1700 Wrap-up 4 Introduction Introduction These are the proceedings from the full day workshop on user involvement and representation in e-Government projects, arranged as part of NordiCHI 2006, an international conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). The current workshop is the second workshop on user involvement in e-Government projects, providing an opportunity to continue the discussions of the first workshop [5] arranged September 12, 2005, as part of Interact 2005. e-Government may be understood as "the use of information and communication technology in public administrations combined with organizational change and new skills in order to improve public services and democratic processes and strengthen support to public policies" [3, p.7]. Development of e-Government services continues to be highly prioritized. At the European level, one of the three so called " pillars " of the European Commission (EC) communication i2010 – A European Information Society for growth and employment is to making sure that " ICT benefit all citizens; making public services better, more cost effective and more accessible; and improving quality of life " [1, p.9]. In the EC communication i2010 eGovernment Action Plan: Accelerating eGovernment in Europe for the Benefit of All [2] five main goals are proposed for European e-Government development by 2010, including (a) that all citizens should benefit from e-Government services, and (b) that e-Government shall contribute to high user satisfaction with public services and significantly …


FIELD: mechanical engineering. SUBSTANCE: multiple-cyclone dust caching apparatus has first cyclone with air inlet opening, and set of second cyclones 140 arranged around lower part of first cyclone. Each of second cyclones has air outlet opening 182 through which opening purified air is discharged. Air inlet window is positioned in lower part of first cyclone, and air outlet windows are arranged in lower ends of second cyclones. Sealing cover 170 is fixed to upper end of multiple-cyclone casing. Cyclones are communicated with one another through inlet/outlet guiding cover. Outlet cover 190 is connected to lower end of guiding cover. EFFECT: reduced losses of suction force and decreased sizes of apparatus. 11 cl, 6 dwg


Marxism has always rejected visionary blueprints of ideal socialist societies of the future, pejoratively deeming such endeavors "utopian." Insisting that the problem must be posed instead in terms of the potentialities of the here and now, Marxism has thus been able to lay claim to a certain "realism." This is all very well, but too often the status of being an immanent critique has come to serve as an excuse not to bother in the least with the vast question of how on earth a reasonable and democratic socialist system might look in practice. Given the ever-deepening fragmentation and increasing complexity of the present, how in fact is one to organise a well-functioning socialism? Unless this problem is considered more seriously, the clamour for a workable political strategy will remain nothing but clamour; for these are two aspects of the same task. The following, then, is an attempt to put the matter on the agenda in concrete form.


Bakhtin's tendency to continually recommence his research is what Todorov calls "repetition": "un ressassement eternellement recommencé" (1981: 25). Bakhtin's work, says Todorov, does not know development in the true sense of the word: the centre of interest and formulation changes, but despite certain changes and shifts (even if they are hardly perceptible), Bakhtin's discourse continually returns on itself. It is as though each part contains the whole, the open totality of which it is a part. For this reason,


After the 1999 election of a Labour-led coalition government in Aotearoa New Zealand, a raft of policy reforms adopted characteristics of the 'Third Way' ideology promoted by Anthony Giddens. We argue, however, that Third Way characteristics were not implemented in Aotearoa New Zealand without attracting criticism. This article reviews academic analysis and wider commentary on the Third Way in Aotearoa New Zealand, much of which particularly focused on social policy reforms made by the Labour-led coalition government (1999-2008). We have used this literature to identify the varied ways in which the Third Way was defined and the extent to which Third Way ideology was considered to have influenced policy and practice the Aotearoa New Zealand context. Our semi-systematic literature review shows that many commentators argued that New Zealand did indeed implement a policy platform consistent with Third Way ideological characteristics but these were also adapted to the unique context of Aotearoa New Zealand. We explore in detail two key examples of adaptation discussed in the literature: the Labour-led government's early focus on reducing inequalities between Māori and non-Māori and on renewing civil society through subsidiarity and a partnership approach.


Aim of this paper is to protect a transmission line section/feeder from internal faults by means of differential protection through a microprocessor. The conventional differential relay operates on the circulating current principle, which involves a direct comparison of the magnitude and phase of the currents entering and leaving the protected equipment or line section. The present scheme is based on the difference in wave pattern of the secondary currents of the two CTs which will be 180o or more than that during internal faults and less than 180o during external faults or no fault.


Accuracy in positioning services of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is majorly affected due to ionospheric signal delays. The forecasting of ionospheric delays is tough and challenging low-latitude regions due to rapid temporal variations in ionospheric electron density irregularities. Hence, in this paper a non-stationary signal decomposition technique based on Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD), combined with Auto Regressive Moving Average (ARMA) called VMD-ARMA (VARMA) model is presented to forecast the ionospheric delay values 1 hour ahead. The performance of the proposed VARMA ionospheric TEC forecasting algorithm is tested during geomagnetic storms that occurred in June 2013. Three months GNSS data i.e., from 1 April 2013- 30 June 2013 is logged using GNSS Ionospheric Scintillation and TEC Monitor (GISTM) receiver located at Koneru Lakshamaiah Education Fondation, (K L E F), Guntur station (geographic: 16.37°N, 80.44°E), India. It is found that the VARMA model is 2-3% more efficient than the ARMA model in providing good forecasting accuracy during storm conditions. The forecasting results demonstrate that the VARMA version can be useful to forecast the ionospheric TEC variations at low-latitude regions during disturbed ionospheric space weather conditions also.


Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic, debilitating, and degenerative joint disease. However, it is difficult for patients with knee OA to access conventional rehabilitation when discharging from the hospital. Internet-based rehabilitation is one of the promising telemedicine strategies to provide a means combining monitoring, guidance, and treatment for patients with knee OA. Objective The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis for assessing the effect of internet-based rehabilitation programs on pain and physical function in patients with knee OA. Methods Keywords related to knee OA and internet-based rehabilitation were systematically searched in the Web of Science, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Scopus, PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database), CNKI, SinoMed, and WANFANG databases from January 2000 to April 2020. Only randomized controlled trials were included. The authors independently screened the literature. The main outcome measures were focused on pain and physical function. A meta-analysis was performed on the collected data. Review Manager (RevMan, version 5.3) was used for all analyses. Results The systematic review identified 6 randomized controlled trials, 4 of which were included in the meta-analysis, comprising a total of 791 patients with knee OA. The meta-analysis with the fixed-effects model showed that the internet-based rehabilitation programs could significantly alleviate the osteoarthritic pain for patients compared with conventional rehabilitation (standardized mean difference [SMD] –0.21, 95% CI  −0.4 to –0.01, P=.04). No significant difference was found in the improvement of physical function in patients with knee OA compared with conventional rehabilitation within 2 to 12 months (SMD –0.08, 95% CI −0.27 to 0.12, P=.43). Conclusions This systematic review shows that internet-based rehabilitation programs could improve the pain but not physical function for patients with knee OA. However, there was a very small number of studies that could be included in the review and meta-analysis. Thus, further studies with large sample sizes are warranted to promote the effectiveness of internet-based rehabilitation and to develop its personalized design.


This book challenges the view that party politics and elections in India are far removed from ideas. It claims that a dominant intellectual paradigm of what constitutes an ideology is not entirely applicable to many multiethnic countries in the twentieth century. In these more diverse states, the most important ideological debates center on statism—the extent to which the state should dominate society, regulate social norms, and redistribute private property, and on recognition—whether and how the state should accommodate the needs of various marginalized groups and protect minority rights from assertive majoritarian tendencies. Using survey data from the Indian National Election Studies (NES) and survey experiments from smaller but more focused studies, and evidence drawn from the Constituent Assembly debates, it shows that Indian electoral politics, as represented by political parties, their members, and their voters, is in fact marked by deep ideological cleavages, with parties, party members, and voters taking distinct positions on statism and recognition. This ideological divide can account for the replacement of the one-party-dominant system by a party system in which regional parties have become far more important and a right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had spectacular success in the 2014 national elections. The focus on ideology also explains why leadership is so important in contemporary Indian politics as well as the limited influence of patronage politics. The book shows how education, the media, and religious practice transmit the competing ideas that lie at the heart of the ideological debates in India.


The paper presents the phenology of flowering and pomological characteristics of seven almond Prunus dulcis cultivars; ('Exinograd', 'Icar', 'Mari de Stepa', 'Nessebar', 'Miagkoskorlupniy', 'Prianiy' and Retsou') in the region of Belgrade. The characteristics of the flowering phenophase (the beginning, the full flowering, the end of flowering, duration and abundance) as well as nut characteristics (nut weight and dimensions, shell thickness, weight of kernel, kernel/nut ratio, oil and total mineral contents) were examined. The average flowering time of the examined cultivars was the second half of March and early April. The flowering began first in the 'Exinograd' and D. Milatović i sur.: Fenologija cvatnje i pomološka svojstva sorti badema na području Beograda 182 'Nessebar' cultivars (March 14), and the last in 'Mari de Stepa' cultivar (April 1). The average duration of flowering ranged from 11 to 22 days and it was longer in the cultivars with earlier flowering. Cultivars 'Icar' and 'Exinograd' had a large nut (weighing above 5 g), but also the lowest kernel/nut ratio (below 30%). On the other hand, small nut (under 2.5 g) was found in cultivars 'Retsou', 'Miagkoskorlupniy', 'Nessebar' and 'Prianiy', which also had the highest kernel/nut ratio (47-52%). The oil content in the kernel varied from 49.06% ('Miagkoskorlupniy') to 60.35% ('Mari de Stepa'). The total mineral content (ash) ranged from 3.03% to 3.31%.


The place of research is in the office of the Regency/City Government of West Sumatra Province. The research sample is LKPD time series data in the form of district and city APBD and LRA in West Sumatra Province from 2016-2019. The approach uses moderated regression analysis (MRA). The study concluded that the ratcheting effect occurred on the PAD budget. Ratcheting effect occurs in capital expenditures, PAD does not affect Regional Expenditures. Budget ratcheting weakens the relationship between Regional Original Revenue and Regional Expenditure.


The invention discloses an air flow penetrating type regulating valve which comprises a valve sleeve and a partition plate. The partition plate is arranged in the valve sleeve, an inner cavity of the valve sleeve is divided into a main controlling cavity and a regulating cavity by the partition plate, an air inlet groove is formed in the middle of the outer wall of the valve sleeve, a left air groove and a right air groove which are symmetrical with each other are formed in the two sides of the air inlet groove, the left air groove and the right air groove are respectively communicated with air chambers of corresponding lateral edges, and a left air exhausting groove and a right air exhausting groove which are symmetrical with each other are respectively formed in the outmost side. Air holes communicated with the main control cavity are respectively formed in the bottoms of the air inlet grooves, the left air groove, the right air groove, the left air exhausting groove and the right air exhausting groove; a central venting hole communicated with the main control cavity and the regulating cavity is formed in the middle of the partition plate; and a third venting hole and a fourth venting hole which are symmetric with each other are respectively formed in the two sides of the central venting hole.


In this study,octenylsuccinate starch HI-CAP100 was used as the wall materials to microencapsulate orange oil by spray drying method,the products were observed by scanning electron microscope and differential scanning calorimetry,The results showed when the technological parameters were as follows:starch octenylsuccinate and malt dextrin was in proportion of 2:1 as the wall material,the oil loading was 30%,the dry solid of the emulsion was 40%,the temperature of inlet was200 ℃,the microencapsulation efficiency is 99.4%,the glass transition temperature is 116.63 ℃.Microcapsule particles is spherical,with smooth surface and no cracks.


Self-medication is common among health care professionals due to their professional exposure to drugs and knowledge of treatment of their disease. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence and pattern of self-medication practice among healthcare workers in a tertiary health facility in Northeast Nigeria. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Stratified sampling technique was employed to select eligible participants from the groups of various healthcare professionals. Thereafter simple probability sampling by balloting was used to select the required number of from for each stratum of healthcare workers. A self-administered semi-structured pretested questionnaire was used to gather the necessary information. Data was analysed using SPSS version 20. The mean age of the respondents was 33.1 ± 2.3 years. The prevalence of self-medication was found to be high at 84.6%. The largest group of the healthcare workers practising self-medication were the allied health workers 37.5% comprising Pharmacists, Laboratory Scientists, and Health Record Personnel. The commonest reason given for self-medicating was being familiar with treatment options for their medical conditions 45.5%. Analgesics were the most common medications taken as self-medication, 68.2%. Among the respondents who engage in self-medication, 6.3% had experienced side effects, of which the commonest side effect was acute exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease 46.1%. Conclusion: There was high prevalence of self-medication among the healthcare workers. Familiarization with treatment options for medical conditions accounted for most reason why the respondents self-medicate.


This paper,in the light of the problems existing in the management and utilization of CD attached with books of university library,expounds the types,description,management and service of CD attached with books,and connecting with the practice of the library of Jiangsu Polytechnic University,probes into the management of CD attached with books in network era.


Observations in trials over a decade are now showing that birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculafusl has the particular characteristics of high persistency and continued production under moderate soil fertility conditions on drier hill and high country sites. Hence it may have a role in the agriculture of such areas, probably as late summer or autumn feed. The species is seen as a 'poorer land grazing lucerne' rather than as a hay species as it is overseas. One particular disadvantage is likely to be its slow establishment from seed. In evaluations of introductions and overseas cultivars, some of the unselected


A new composite adsorbent was obtained by hydrolytic polycondensation of N,N'-bis (3-triethoxysilyl propyl) thiocarbamide in the presence of poly-2-methyl-5-vinylpyridine. The sorption activity of the composite toward platinum (IV) ions was studied in hydrochloric acid solutions. The maximum extraction efficiency of Pt (IV) and the maximum values of sorptive capacity (218 mg g–1), and a coefficient of interphase distribution (7090 cm3 g–1) of the studied adsorbent in 1 М solution of HCl were found at 338 K. The Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin–Radushkevich models were used to describe adsorption nature.


A new type of submarine cable named as "Composite Cable" has been developed and put into practical use in order to increase reliability of mooring and seabed cables. "Composite Cable" unified the signal transmission part and surrounding protection part consisted of many bands of steel wires , which proves the strength against the tension out-force without loosing flexibility. This paper describes results of field applications of the Composite Mooring Cable and of real time coastal wave monitoring system using the cable . It also describes prototype Composite Seabed Cable design and installation at one of the NOWPHAS stations .


This paper describes our scholarly experience as coordinators of an engineering capstone design course at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)'s Engineering Campus. The description centers on how we employ sociomaterial approaches in education to sustain students" learning. We underpinned our coordination approach with the "Actor-Network Theory" (ANT) as a theoretical foundation that conceptualizes learning in terms of interactions between the social and material constituents of the course. We also employed the ANT-analytical framework as an analytical lens for identifying interactions that had affected progress in learning. Our analysis and engagement were guided by two scholarly questions of "how are the socio-material constituents of the course composed and related to each other?" and "how could these compositions and relations be usefully intervened for sustaining students" learning using sociomaterial approaches in education?. "The findings suggest that sociomaterial approaches could improve our understanding of students" learning and the difficulties they face during the course. Such an understanding facilitates the deployment of interventions that help sustain learning in the face of difficulties. In addition., the deployment of the approach has also affected our engagement in a way that required us to reflect on our own coordination practices. These findings implicates the importance of undertaking continuous quality improvement for the course by recomposing the social and material entities of the course and by reconfiguringthe various sociomaterial interactions.


The article presents a method for evaluating the technical condition of selected structural elements of the reciprocating internal combustion engine driving a synchronous generator. Th results of measurements of the electric generator parameters are the diagnostic information source. On this basis it is possible to determine the instantaneous angular speed marine engine crankshaft which, in turn, is the basis for reasoning about the correctness of the process of fuel combustion in the engine cylinders, and efficiency of the speed controller. By that means one can define the technical condition of the fuel equipment, sealing the piston-rings-cylinder system, and the correctness of the process of the working medium exchange in the engine cylinders.


Abstract. Four different aspects related to the evolution of Algols are discussed: the occurrence of a contact phase during die mass transfer, the evolution of short period systems evolving through case A mass transfer, the influence of the mass transfer on the surface abundances of both components, and the problem of the initial parameters of Algol systems. For the latter, a search is made for conservative case B systems. UZ Cyg seems to be a good candidate for such evolution. Finally, some remarks are given on the initial values of the low mass Algol S Cancri.


of overlapping tuning curves, is widely used for neural representations of various visual parameters (color, stereo depth, motion, etc.). As there were no synaptic interactions between neurons in the model (as is typical for models of population coding), the model did not form a neural network. We were primarily interested in the representation of space in visually responsive areas in occipital, parietal, inferotemporal, and prefrontal cortices, but some aspects of the approach developed here might transfer to other topics such as the construction of spatial maps for navigation in the hippocampus. The model was restricted to consideration of 2D stimuli, as neural mechanisms for the extraction of depth information include additional mechanisms than those for the other two dimensions (although the final representation of space might not differ for the three dimensions). A frontoparallel plane (similar to a computer screen) defined the universe of all possible stimulus locations serving as inputs to the model. Given this stimulus set, the model did not include consideration of any depth cues, whether binocular (stereo, disparity, or vergence angle) or monocular (texture gradients, for example), and all stimulus representations were monocular. To a limited extent, neural representation of space in the depth domain has been considered previously (Lehky and Sejnowski, 1990). In addition, we were concerned solely with modeling retinotopic space and did not examine coordinate transforms to other frames of reference. IntroductIon Space serves as a framework for organizing our visual experience. An object is always perceived as having some extent and as existing at some location. The object itself will also generally have different parts in some sort of spatial relation to each other in a manner that defines object shape. Kant theorized that the spatial organization we experience of the world is imposed by the characteristics of our perceptual apparatus, which he argued produced a Euclidean visual space (Kant, 1781/1999). Helmholtz was among the first to empirically examine the spatial aspect of vision (Helmholtz, 1910/1962). His psychophysical investigations demonstrated that the geometry of visual space differed markedly from a Euclidean one. A vast body of psychophysical data since then corroborates Helmholtz, indicating that visual space is affected by both stimulus and task conditions in a manner difficult to describe by any fixed geometry (Wagner, 2006). In this report we present a simple neural model for the representation of space. We explore how various known neural characteristics (such as increasing receptive field (RF) size with eccentricity) influence the spatial representation. In the model, location is represented by the collective activity of a population of neurons with different but overlapping tuning curves for space. These spatial tuning curves correspond to the RFs of visual neurons. The basic structure of this model, a population code constructed out of a set Population coding of visual space: modeling


[1] The wave number 4 (wave 4) and wave number 3 (wave 3) longitudinal structures in the thermospheric neutral mass density are understood as tidal structures driven by diurnal eastward propagating zonal wave number 3 (DE3) and wave number 2 (DE2) tides, respectively. However, those structures have been identified using data from limited time periods, and the consistency and recurrence of those structures have not yet been examined using long-term observation data. We examine the persistence of those structures by analyzing the neutral mass density data for the years 2001–2008 taken by the Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) satellite. During years of low solar activity the amplitude of the wave 4 structure is pronounced during August and September, and the wave 4 phase shows a consistent eastward phase progression of 90° within 24 h local time in different months and years. During years of high solar activity the wave 4 amplitude is small and does not show a distinctive annual pattern, but the tendency of the eastward phase shift at a rate of 90°/24 h exists. Thus the DE3 signature in the wave 4 structure is considered as a persistent feature. The wave 3 structure is a weak feature in most months and years. The amplitude and phase of the wave 3 structure do not show a notable solar cycle dependence. Among the contributing tidal modes to the wave 3 structure, the DE2 amplitude is most pronounced. This result may suggest that the DE2 signature, although it is a weak signature, is a perceivable persistent feature in the thermosphere.


The application of ray theory to the three‐dimensional problem of the reflection of curved wavefronts from curved surfaces (arbitrary curvature) is investigated. To assess the accuracy of the short wave approximations, the scattering of time‐harmonic longitudinal plane waves by a circular cylindrical cavity and a spherical cavity are considered as special cases. Both the direct ray theory results and the Kirchhoff approximations are examined, but it is found that for reasonable wavelengths the diffracted waves must be taken into account. For the case of a circular cylindrical cavity the creeping waves are evaluated from exact expressions and from asymptotic formulae. A hybrid approach, in which the creeping rays are used to compute the field on the scatterer in the shadow zone, and in which this field is then used in the representation integral, is developed and shown to give good results. The generalizations necessary to deal with scatterers of variable radii of curvature are discussed. The results in th...


We have studied the isothermal magnetization M ( H ) of CeCo( In 1 − x Cdx)5 with x = 0.0075 and 0.01 down to 50 mK. Pronounced field-history dependent phenomena occur in the coexistence regime of the superconducting and antiferromagnetic phases. At low-fields, a phenomenological model of magnetic-flux entry well explains M ( H ) implying the dominance of bulk pinning effect. However, unless crystallographic quenched disorder is hysteretic, the asymmetric peak effect (ASPE) which appears at higher fields cannot be explained by the pinning of vortices due to material defects. Also, the temperature dependence of the ASPE deviates from the conventional scenario for the peak effect. Comparison of our thermodynamic phase diagrams with those from previous neutron scattering and magnetoresistance experiments indicates that the pinning of vortices takes place at the field-history dependent antiferromagnetic domain boundaries.


Abstract According to SAS No. 59 (AICPA, 1988), auditors must modify their audit reports for uncertainties that may affect a company's ability to continue in existence. Using both auditor and company characteristics in a logistic regression model, we examine whether Big Six (now Big Five) (industry specialist) auditors are more likely to issue a going concern opinion on the financial statements immediately preceding bankruptcy than non-Big Six (non-specialist) auditors. We further partition the sample of bankrupt firms into groups based on probability of bankruptcy, default status, and events occurring after the date of the audit report. These partitions allow us to examine whether Big Six (industry specialist) auditors systematically outperform non-Big Six (non-specialist) auditors in issuing a going concern opinion in situations in which going concern assessment is more difficult. Our findings provide no evidence that Big Six (industry specialist) auditors outperform non-Big Six (non-specialist) auditors in the overall sample or in the sample partitions. © City University of Hong Kong.


The dynamics of gain‐switched, low‐pressure photolytic iodine lasers were investigated experimentally and theoretically as a function of pressure and buffer gas. The behavior of the pulse shape, build‐up, and duration can be explained by relaxation from a nonthermalized to a thermalized velocity distribution of the gas.


In most countries including Mexico the prevalence of external congenital malformations is estimated at 2%. As countries develop and bring under control infant mortality due to infectious diseases and malnutrition higher proportions of infant deaths are attributable to congenital malformations. Little progress has been made in recent decades in uncovering the causes of congenital malformations. In 1977 Mexico began a program of Registration and Epidemiologic Surveillance of External Congenital Malformations (RYVEMCE). The registry in Mexico has collaborated since 1980 with 25 other countries belonging to the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Monitoring Systems. RYVEMCE is a collaborative multicenter case control study based on systematic clinical examination of all births for detection of congenital malformations and obtaining of information on malformed infants. The principal objectives are to study the prevalence of different birth defects through a sample of the population in different parts of Mexico to utilize the information to investigate risk factors and to maintain a permanent system of monitoring of environmental teratogens through analysis of prevalence of congenital malformations. The study population consists of all live and still births in the collaborating hospitals. Cases are infants with malformations while controls are defined as the next consecutive birth of the same sex in the same hospital without malformations. 25 hospitals have participated in the study since 1978 with a current coverage of approximately 50000 births annually. 320933 births have been examined including 5291 stillbirths. A total of 5959 malformations in live births were detected for an incidence of 18.88/1000. 14.78/1000 corresponded to single malformations and 4.10 to multiple malformations. 680 malformations were detected in the stillbirths for an incidence of 128.52/1000.


During a recent visit to my parents' 1800s Victorian-style house, I went up to the attic in search of some childhood memories. In one of the high-gabled rooms was an old storage crate--because of its dimension, obviously custom-made and assembled there. Though largely empty, except for a few old 78 RPM records and books, by far the best "find" was a Webster's Dictionary published in 1895. As I opened the Concise Webster's Dictionary (Webster, 1895), the leather cover and dry pages began to provide an immediate insight and perspective into the technology of the time. The "concise" meant that it was not a detailed dictionary, and as stated in the Preface, this book was "designed to meet the wants of that large class of people who desire a comprehensive and reliable dictionary in a cheap and convenient form." The dictionary contained 32,000 words, which is comparable to a newer Webster's Compact Dictionary, which contains over 38,000 words (Webster, 1987). There have been many editions and variations of Webster's dictionaries. Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language, published in 1828, was unique in that it abandoned many British spellings for simpler American variations (Bryson, 1990; Green, 1996). Webster's interpretation of the meanings of words also reflected somewhat conservative and moralistic overtones. By the time Webster died in 1843, his name and reputation had become synonymous with being authoritative, with many publishers capitalizing on this. In fact, as archived in the Cordell Collection at Indiana State University, hundreds of dictionaries bore the name "Webster" from 1828 to 1900 (O'Neill, 1988). Today, Merriam-Webster, Inc. is the major publisher of "Webster Dictionaries," with more comprehensive definitions and listings than contained in their Compact Dictionary conveniently available through their Web site, Merriam-Webster OnLine (www.m-w.com). Pictures of the Past An interesting characteristic of this old dictionary was the engravings scattered throughout. This was probably included as a selling feature and/or because the "concise" format required illustrations to visually convey the meaning of a word. After an initial review, I quickly noticed that over half of the more than 200 illustrations were related to "technology" (see Figure 2). Tools such as air pump, crank, drill, gabion, harrow, microscope, nippers, plane, and siphon were shown. Pictures of road transportation included those of a coach, omnibus, and sedan--all variations of wagons. It was also revealing to see the number of illustrations relating to military armament and equipment, with cannon, chain shot, embrasure, falchion, halberd, helmet, knapsack, pistol, and others being richly detailed. [FIGURE 2 OMITTED] Relevant Technology Terms for the Time Definitions about technology also presented evidence as to their occupational or utilitarian relevance at the time. Early in the Concise Webster's Dictionary, the obscure word adipocere caught my eye, as it meant "a substance like spermaceti." Curious, I quickly discovered that spermaceti was defined as "a fatty matter from the head of a whale." The connection to the then-common domestic use of whale oil for lamps and other products quickly became evident! Suggesting the transience of the maritime and domestic industries, some definitions for other terms were no longer found in the more-recent Compact Dictionary and in some cases, in the comprehensive Merriam-Webster online version. Table 1 illustrates the importance of maritime and domestic technology terminology of the time. Communication technology was obviously important, although much different than today. Duodecimo (a book having twelve leaves to a sheet), glyptics (art of engraving on precious stone), mezzontinto (an engraving on copper, effected by scraping and burnishing), pantograph (an instrument to copy any drawings), and scenographic (drawn in perspective) were included in the 1895 Webster's Dictionary. …


Understanding the role of chromatin structure in specifying the pattern of β-like globin gene expression during development would be important in the design of future pharmacologic therapies to increase fetal hemoglobin in patients with sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia. The baboon is an important experimental animal model to study the regulation of globin gene expression because the structure of the β-globin gene complex and developmental pattern of globin gene expression are similar to man, and HbF levels are greatly increased in baboons treated with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor decitabine (5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine). To investigate the relationship between chromatin structure, DNA methylation, and globin gene regulation, the distribution of acetyl histone H3 (ac-H3), acetyl histone H4 (ac-H4), histone H3 (K4) dimethyl and trimethyl, and histone H3 (K27) dimethyl throughout the β-globin gene locus was determined in purified primary erythroblasts from baboon fetal liver (FL), and adult bone marrow (BM) pre- and post-decitabine treatment. Analysis was performed by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) of formaldehyde-fixed chromatin followed by real time PCR using 18 primer sets spanning the baboon β-globin gene locus from the 5′ region of the e-globin gene to the β-globin gene. Comparison of the pattern of ac-H3 and ac-H4 suggested the presence of three subdomains of chromatin within the β-globin locus characterized by different levels of histone acetylation that exhibited a differential response to decitabine treatment. Histone H3 (K4) dimethyl was relatively enriched in the region containing the e- and γ-globin genes and in the γ-β intergenic region 5′ to the duplicated Alu sequence in FL. Levels associated with the e-, γ-, and γ-globin genes in adult BM were similar and relatively unaffected by decitabine treatment. In contrast, high levels of histone H3 (K4) trimethylation and pol II distribution were associated with the promoters and transcribed regions of active genes. Differences in the levels of H3 (K4) trimethylation and pol II associated with individual genes were well correlated with differences in their relative levels of expression in FL and adult BM pre- and post-decitabine treatment. The level of histone H3 (K4) trimethyl associated with the promoter of the developmentally inactive e-globin gene was very low and not enriched compared to inactive necdin gene or the γ-β intergenic regon in adult BM suggesting that the e-globin gene is not maintained in a "poised" transcriptional state by the presence of the histone H3 (K4) trimethyl mark near the e-globin promoter. The pattern of histone H3 (K27) dimethyl differed in FL and adult BM. Levels of H3 (K27) dimethyl associated with the e- and γ-globin genes in FL were 2–4 fold less than near the duplicated Alu sequence in the γ-β intergenic region, while levels were 4–10 fold higher near the e- and γ-globin genes and γ-β intergenic region compared to the promoter and transcribed region of the β-globin gene in adult BM. Reactivation of γ-globin expression following decitabine treatment was associated with a relative decrease in the level of H3 (K27) dimethyl near the γ-globin gene. Increased H3 (K27) methylation in regions surrounding the silenced e- and γ-globin genes suggests that the polycomb group (PcG) protein EZH2, a histone H3 (K27) methyltransferase, may be involved in globin gene silencing.


Communities who live far from the reach of the source of electrical energy require a system of electricity that is easy to use and applied. One easy-to-use power plant is the electrical system on a motorcycle. The purpose of this research is to utilize the generator output voltage generated into generator set and backup power system when there is no electricity supply from PLN. The AC voltage in the alternator requires the AC regulator to DC to be connected to the inverter for the obtained voltage of 220 volts 50 Hz. Modification of the design of the utilization of alternator is done by adding windings of each coil 50 winding with 0.7 mm wire diameter. Voltage generated 31 Volts at speed 1362 rpm. For voltage and charging current at alternator source is 13 Volt 1.6 Ampere and 12 Volt 0.5 Ampere for source of regulator . Genset system on this design has a capacity of 120 Watt. 81 watt load test with 12 Volt 10 Ah battery source can last 1 hour. Installed charging system takes 6 hour with fuel consumption 1,000 ml with battery condition 20% from 10


In order to achieve the load balance of network access traffic, the invention discloses a method for providing domain name resolution services, belonging to the field of communication. The method comprises the following steps: receiving a DNS (domain name system) request message with a specified domain name, which is sent by a client, and forwarding the DNS request message to at least two DNS servers for domain name resolution, wherein the DNS servers belong to different ISPs (Internet service provider); receiving the response message of the IP (Internet protocol) addresses of each web server, which is acquired after the operation of the domain name resolution is conducted and returned by each DNS server; selecting on the principle that the load of each outlet is balanced from the acquired IP addresses of each web server according to the current free bandwidth of each outlet corresponding to each web server; and sending the selection results to the client. Accordingly, the invention can prevent the traffic from leaned to one side and achieve the load balance in the network system. The invention discloses an outlet gateway device, a DNS relay device and a communication system.


The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance of hollow reinforced concrete (RC) bridge column sections with reinforcement details for material quantity reduction. Hollow column sections are based on economic considerations of the cost savings associated with reduced material and design moments compared with increased construction complexity and hence increased labour costs. The proposed reinforcement details demonstrate economic feasibility and rationality, and facilitate shorter construction periods. Models of hollow column sections with reinforcement details for material quantity reduction were tested under quasi-static monotonic loading. The proposed reinforcement details for material quantity reduction were equal to the existing reinforcement details in terms of required performance. The computer program RCAHEST (Reinforced concrete analysis in higher evaluation system technology) was used for the analysis of RC structures. A modified lateral confining effect model was adopted for holl...


Robotics education at M. Sc. courses is quite challenging, especially in the organization of intriguing laboratory activities about industrial manipulators, to accompany and complete traditional material and lessons on kinematics, dynamics, motion planning and control issues. Time and space constraints, the number of students attending the labs, and the available software and equipments (and their cost) can seriously limit the lab practices that can be actually offered in a Robotics course. On the basis of the experience matured at Politecnico di Torino, this paper describes how lab practices about manipulators can be organized by using low-cost structures, built up from the standard LEGO Mindstorms Kit, so to let the students become familiar with manipulators in different ways. Such practices are then well completed by activities with an industrial robot, available at Politecnico.


We describe a proof method for cryptographic protocols, based on a strong secrecy invariant that catalogues conditions under which messages can be published. For typical protocols, a suitable first-order invariant can be generated automatically from the program text, independent of the properties being verified, allowing safety properties to be proved by ordinary first-order reasoning. We have implemented the method in an automatic verifier, TAPS, that proves safety properties roughly equivalent to those in published Isabelle verifications, but does so much faster (usually within a few seconds) and with little or no guidance from the user. We have used TAPS to analyze about 60 protocols, including all but three protocols from the Clark and Jacob survey; on average, these verifications each require less than 4 seconds of CPU time and less than 4 bytes of hints from the user.


The utility model provides a close testing device for an irradiation transmission container door body, which is suitable for different door bodies and is capable of accurately testing the close state of the container door body so as to avoid error tests and omission tests and keep an irradiation transmission system safe in operation. The close testing device for the irradiation transmission container door body comprises a locating support system for locating an irradiation container device and a support testing device, an approach switch for testing whether the irradiation container door body is closed, a switch driving system for driving the approach switch or a container driving system for driving the irradiation container, a control system and an alarming system which are respectively connected with the approach switch, and a stopper which is positioned on the irradiation transmission system, connected with the control system and used for controlling the irradiation transmission container to move and stop.


Betang house is a traditional house of Dayak ethnicity which has various values that behavein life. Betang house values are part of the character of the Indonesian people so that theycan be implemented in sociology subjects based on ethnopedagogy.This research uses aliterature study method based on various relevant documents. The results of this studyindicate that in implementing the values of betang houses in class X, XI and XI materials canmake students have character that is sourced from the values of local wisdom in their area,especially in West Kalimantan Province.Furthermore, the use of learning models in sociologysubjects is the use of learning models that are tailored to each material taught to studentssuch as the material in class X and XII used models of lecture and discussion learning.Whilethe class XI material uses the role playing learning model in material about community andmulticultural groups as an effort to provide students with an understanding of local wisdomand efforts to revitalize the values of the Betang house towards social life.


Objective To study the effect of Pien Tze Huang (PTH) on tumor proliferation in vitro and chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) angiogenesis.Methods The effect of PTH on the proliferation of cancer cells (SMMC-7721,SGC-7901,and HeLa) were evaluated by MTT assay.The CAM angiogenesis model was established to determine the inhibitive effect of PTH against angiogenesis.Results PTH had significant inhibitive effect on tumor cells proliferation at doses of 0.2—1.0 mg/mL.With the dose of 1.0 mg/mL,the inhibition ratio of PTH was 81.55% on hepatoma carcinoma cell SMMC-7721;PTH significantly affected chick embryonic angiogenesis in doses range of 0.1—1 000 μg/mL and induced a reduction in the capillary plexus of the CAM.The central and secondary capillaries were reduced by 61.1% and 59.1% respectively,at the dose of 10 μg/mL.Conclusion PTH showed significant inhibition effect on tumor proliferation and chorioallantoic membrane angiogenesis in the doses of this study.


Angiopathy in optic fundi was observed in all of SHRSP at the age of 13 months after birth. And their death of stroke occurred rather shortly after retinoparhy were complicated in addition to angiopathy. Experimental and clinical studies as of today have not been clearly substantiated corelationship between retinal angiopathy and the development of stroke. In this study, changes in optic fundi were observed in the advanced age, i.e., from 13-18 months. Therefore, in the convience of male and female comparative investigation, an antihypertensive agent was administrated at the age of 13 months. Although vascular affect of such an antihypertensive treatment should be considered, these results suggest that retinopathy should be more focused to in the development of stroke, as well as or in different to angiopathy.


The floral anatomy of 24 species of Scrophulariaceae was studied. The results show that although, clear anatomical bases to differentiate taxa are absent, the Pennell classification of subfamilies is strongly supported.


Summary. In this report we have examined the effects of the protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor phenylarsine oxide (PAO) on receptor‐mediated platelet shape change, secretion and aggregation. PAO was found to inhibit platelet aggregation induced by collagen, thrombin, ADP and epinephrine at IC50 values of 0.35 μmol/l, 2.5 μmol/l, 0.2 μmol/l and 0.3 μmol/l, respectively. Agonist‐induced secretion of ATP was inhibited at similar or lower concentrations of PAO. The specificity of the interaction of PAO with platelet proteins was demonstrated by the ability of the disulfhydryl compound 2,3‐dimercaptopropanol, which abstracts PAO from proteins to form a stable cyclic adduct, to reverse PAO inhibition of both agonist‐induced platelet secretion and aggregation. Dimercaptopropanesulphonic acid, a membrane‐impermeable analogue of dimercaptopropanol, did not reverse inhibition of collagen‐induced shape change or aggregation by PAO, thereby demonstrating that PAO acted intracellularly. PAO inhibited collagen‐induced shape change and internal Ca2+ mobilization but had no effect on these two phenomena when induced by thrombin or ADP. PAO was also unable to prevent arachidonic acid‐induced shape change, indicating that PAO acts at a site prior to the phospholipase A2‐mediated release of arachidonic acid to inhibit collagen‐induced shape change. PAO induced the accumulation of a number of phosphotyrosine‐containing proteins and inhibited the collagen‐induced phosphorylation of a 40 kD protein. The potency and agonist‐specific effects of PAO on platelet activation suggest that this inhibitor will be of value in elucidation of signal transduction pathways involved in receptor‐mediated platelet function.


Bouncing solutions are obtained from a generally covariant action characterized by a potential which is a nonlocal functional of the dilaton field at two separated space-time points. Gradient instabilities are shown to arise in this context but they are argued to be nongeneric. After performing a gauge-invariant and frame-invariant derivation of the evolution equations of the fluctuations, a heuristic criterium for the avoidance of pathological instabilities is proposed and corroborated by a number of explicit examples that turn out to be compatible with a quasi-flat spectrum of curvature inhomogeneities for typical wavelengths larger than the Hubble radius.


The reason for the reverence for nature is that nature is an independent system of orderly whole,which is not what we are able to create,that nature is infinite that we are unable to fully master the law of nature,thus we cannot forecast the results of our interference of the nature.The final purpose for the reverence for nature is for man himself to exist better and longer.Since man considers himself the master of the nature,he should take the responsibility as a master,instead of doing as he wishes without considering the consequences. The reverence for nature will show the nobility and dignity of man.


Steady state visual evoked potential (SSVEP)-based brain computer interface (BCI) systems has attracted paramount amount of attention due to their higher signal to noise ratio and high information transfer rate. In this paper a SSVEP-BCI-based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier is presented. The visual stimulation is provided to the participants with with LED matrices blinking at 6, 7, 8 and 9 Hz respectively. A wireless EEG amplifier, the g.Nautilus was used to acquire the electroencephalogram (EEG) signals from eight parietal and occipital electrodes. The features were derived using Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) of the 8 channels using a 2s moving window in the form of 8 × 8 grey scale images. The proposed CNN architecture has provided superior average accuracy of 94.7% for four subjects, compared to the average accuracy of 87.4% of the state of the art canonical correlation analysis (CCA) performance.


The Nramp (natural resistance associated macrophage protein) family of transition metal ion transporters is an important class of secondary active transporters involved in metal homeostasis used by all branches of life. Two Nramp paralogs in mammals are required for the dietary uptake and endosomal recycling of non-heme iron, as well as in the innate immune response to intracellular bacterial infections. Mutations in or mis-regulation of Nramps are associated with iron disorders and immune pathologies causing disease in mammals, and Nramps have been implicated in heavy metal poisoning. The molecular explanations underlying disease phenotypes and metal selectivity by Nramps were poorly understood. Here I present the second X-ray crystal structure of a bacterial Nramp homolog, a mechanism for two disease-causing missense mutations in mammalian Nramps, and detail the role of Nramp's metal-binding site methionine residue in metal selectivity. Using Deinococcus radiodurans Nramp (DraNramp) as a model system, I determined its crystal structure and successfully resolved the N-terminal half of TM1, which was absent from the previously determined Staphylococcus capitis Nramp structure. By using the DraNramp structure, in vitro proteoliposome reconstitutions, in vivo cell-based cobalt transport assays, and cysteine accessibility experiments, I explain that that a glycine-to-arginine disease-mutation in the Nterminal half of TM1 acts as a steric wedge locking the transporter in the inward state inhibiting


Seven parental lines of Lablab purpureus (L.) viz., K-6802,JD-79, Chakdah Local, JDL-17, HD-18, JDL-53 & JDL-73 and one variety of Dolichos biflorus L., Hebbal were used for this study. The genetic analysis of the said characters was done from 8 x 8 diallel set (without reciprocal). The genotypic co-efficient of variation (GCV) as well as phenotypic co-efficient of variation (PCV) were high for all the characters and the meager differences between GCV and PCV indicated the importance of heritable component for their expression. High value GCV coupled with high heritability and high genetic gain indicated the scope of improvement in these characters through direct selection.


The stochastic fractional (2 + 1)-dimensional Heisenberg ferromagnetic spin chain equation (SFHFSCE), which is driven in the Stratonovich sense by a multiplicative Wiener process, is considered here. The analytical solutions of the SFHFSCE are attained by utilizing the Jacobi elliptic function method. Various kinds of analytical fractional stochastic solutions, for instance, the elliptic functions, are obtained. Physicists can utilize these solutions to understand a variety of important physical phenomena because magnetic solitons have been categorized as one of the interesting groups of non-linear excitations representing spin dynamics in semi-classical continuum Heisenberg systems. To study the impact of the Wiener process on these solutions, the 3D and 2D surfaces of some achieved exact fractional stochastic solutions are plotted.


The discovery in recent years of the Astrakhan, Karachaganak, Zhanazhol, Kenkiyak, Urikhtau, and Tengiz fields in the sub-salt Paleozoics has made this region a primary area of the country for development of the petroleum industry. See Fig. 1. All the fields are in carbonates of Carboniferous-Early Permian age. The Karachaganak oil-gas-condensate field and the Tengiz oil field have high oil-gas columns, 1600 and 1000 m, respectively, and are on high-amplitude reefs. Astrakhan field is on a carbonate platform; and Zhanazhol, Urikhtau, and Kenkiyak are associated with organic buildups on a carbonate shelf. There is already limited production of oil in the Zhanazhol field and gas and condensate at Karachaganak. Exploration during the 12th Five Year Plan will be concentrated in the established zones of oil-gas accumulation. This is because only the very upper parts of these zones have been drilled. The deeper parts must be studied now. In the north part of the North Caspian depression emphasis will be on the Karachaganak-Koblandin zone where the structure is not yet worked out. A well to 6000 m in the Karachaganak field is targeted on the Devonian, which has not yet been penetrated. In the east work will be concentrated in the Zhanazhol-Kenkiyak zone. Three plays are recognized here: an upper Lower Permian clastic, a middle Moskovian-Gzelian carbonate, and lower Oksk-Bashkirian carbonate. Pools may be found also in the Lower Carboniferous and Devonian.


Commercially available hydroxyapatite (HA) has been subjected to different temperatures and sintering-time schedules, to examine the effects of these two variables on crystal structure. Small but significant decreases in unit-cell volume and hydroxy-ion channel size are seen on sintering for 1 h at temperatures in excess of 1000 °C. This has been ascribed to the loss of small amounts of carbonate from the channels within the structure. The stability of the HA phase was seen up to a sintering temperature of 1400 °C, with decomposition only seen in the 1450 °C sinter. Extended sintering times at 1300 °C failed to cause decomposition; however, small increases in c-axis length and unit-cell volume were observed.


Here we evaluate undergraduate student attitudes about science after each of three authentic research experiences in a semester of an introductory biology laboratory course at Utah State University. The three course-based research experiences (CUREs) vary in length and student freedom, and they cover different areas of biology. Students responded to the science attitude items of the CURE Survey. When compared to national data, our students faired similarly, and all students struggled with certain epistemic assumptions about science knowledge. As also seen in the national database, change in science attitude was slight and nonlinear. Student self confidence in what a career scientist is and in scientific process skills was the best predictor of scientific maturity, not the three CUREs or other aspects of students' background. We discuss the slight positive and negative change in attitude we did influence, and we note that most students would choose to have another research experience.


...................................................................................... III DEDICATION...................................................................................... V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.......................................................................... VI PART ONE: TELLING STORIES ..................................................................1 CHAPTER ONE: STORIED BEGINNINGS AN INVITATION TO QUESTION AND CONNECT ............................................2 "Bums on Seats" Working With/In Conversations and Connections................................................ 3 Introductions and Disruptions ................................................................................................................21 CHAPTER TWO: SETTING OUT MAKING AND MAPPING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS IN AN ALWAYS IN PROCESS WORLD ........................................................ 22 Dialogical Selves: Researching and Living the Underlined 'in' ... .....................................................23 Aims and Aspirations................................................................................................................................24 Attitudes and Assumptions.....................................................................................................................25 Becoming ... Always Becoming .................................................................................................................30 Becoming With/in Stories ......................................................................................................................30 Author and Audience(s):'Voices' In Conversation ..............................................................................34 Me, Myself, I ... A Life 'Passing Through' ............................................................................................38 While Doing this PhD................................................................................................................................42 'Once Upon a Time' ... Backgrounds, Border Crossings and Tensions: Working With/in the Flux and Flow of Becoming...............................................................................................................43 Flash Back: Life and Work Conundrums and Connections ................................................................46 Proposals, Predicaments and Possibilities............................................................................................49 Call Centres: On Networks, Connections and Serendipity................................................................51 Mapping the 'Adventure' Ahead .............................................................................................................54 CHAPTER THREE – FIRST STANZA ON COMING TO KNOW WHAT IS KNOWN 'UNPACKING' THE RESEARCH CONTEXT AND EXPLORING A VALUE CHAIN. ........... 57 "Welcome to Frontline" Potential, Values, Movement.......................................................................59 The Social Policy 'Business': Legacies and Landscapes......................................................................62 "Welcome to Frontline" the Call Centre as Strategic Organisational Interface ....................66 CHAPTER THREE SECOND STANZA ON COMING TO KNOW WHAT IS KNOWN, RESEARCH PROCESSES AND A CAST OF CHARACTERS .................................... 73 "Welcome to Frontline" – 'Coming to Know' in the Call Centre Milieu ............................................74


Background: The BPTB graft and quadruple graft of semitendinosus and gracilis are the two most popular options for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Objective: To assess the efficacy of arthroscopic ACL reconstruction with semitendinosus and gracilis tendon grafts and biodegradable screw fixation in ACL injury. Methodology: This prospective interventional study was carried out at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and a private hospital in Dhaka from July 2014 to May 2016. Thirty-one (31) patients with ACL injuries were treated with arthroscopic reconstruction of the ACL using a quadrupled hamstring autograft of semitendinosus and gracilis tendon, as well as a rehabilitation protocol. Patients were routinely followed up on and an outcome evaluation was performed at 24 weeks. Subjective and objective evaluations were performed using the IKDC and Lysholm knee scoring scales to compare preoperative and postoperative outcomes. Results: All patients had either a grade II or a grade III positive Lachman test before surgery. There was a statistically significant improvement after surgery, with 87 percent (27 patients) having a negative Lachman test and only 13 percent (4 patients) having a positive Lachman test. The pre-operative Lysholm knee score was 53, and the postoperative Lysholm knee score was 90, indicating a significant improvement (p0.05). Excellent results (>94–100 points) were obtained in 12 (38.7 percent) patients, good results (>84–94 points) in 15 (48.4 percent) patients, fair results (>64–84 points) in 2 (6.5 percent) patients, and poor results (64 points) in 2 (6.5 percent) patients, according to the Lysholm knee scoring scale. Conclusion: Quadrupled Arthroscopic ACL Reconstruction ACL injury patients can benefit from a hamstring graft of semitendinosus and gracilis tendon and fixation with a biodegradable.


Pulsed photothermal radiometry (PPTR) is a contact free nondestructive method of material inspection. It also is a promising tool for in vivo tissue spectroscopy and on-line dosimetry. For this approach, one has to consider light scattering and thus a complicated signal interpretation. Different models of light propagation in scattering media are compared, such as Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and various approaches of diffusion theory. Simulated PPTR signals with these calculations are compared. The validity of the different models in order to describe PPTR measurements correctly is discussed.


Poster: "ECR 2013 / C-1336 / The correlations between the parameters of three-dimensional quantitative CT and pulmonary function impairment in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease" by: "X. Sui, W. Song, Z. Jin; Beijing/CN"


Natural factors and artificial factors result in the sandification of the land in west Jilin Province. The resources types are divided into 3 main kinds, 11 types and 9 varieties of soil. Three kinds of harnessing models are gained from the comprehensive harnessing in many years and the suggestions on the sustainable utilization of the sandification land are put forward.


This work aims to assess the efficacy of current x-ray quality assurance (QA) testing regimes on tube and generator systems for general radiographic usage in the UK. 1393 sets of QA results data from nine UK medical physics departments were collected and analysed. Test failure rates ranged from 0% to 39% and were used to assess the likelihood of the test finding a fault. The magnitude of the recorded faults were used to assess the severity of the failure with due consideration to its impact on image quality and patient dose. The severity and likelihood of the faults were used along with a risk matrix to assess the efficacy of each test. Eleven tests were graded 'orange' (indicating an effective test that should be continued), four tests were graded 'yellow' (indicating a less effective test that may be continued with a lower frequency considered) and four tests were graded green (indicating a low efficacy test that could be removed from test regimes).


ABSTRACT Complete mineralization of the N-methylcarbamate insecticide carbofuran, including mineralization of the aromatic moiety, appears to be confined to sphingomonad isolates. Here, we report the first draft genome sequence of such a sphingomonad strain, i.e., Novosphingobium sp. KN65.2, isolated from carbofuran-exposed agricultural soil in Vietnam.


Inthefollowing pagesthere appearsa new clinical classification forretrolental fibroplasia whichhas beenprepared by a committeeofinternational authorities underthechairmanship ofProfessor AlecGarner, ofLondon. Thecommitteerecommends thedisuse ofthe original neologism, retrolental fibroplasia, coined by Messenger in1944andfirst applied byTerry in1945, since itdescribes onlythefinal stages ofthedisease which, beingmerely a non-specific scarringbehind thelens, doesnotdistinguish thecondition, except byestablished usage,fromother typesofleucocoria. Asthedisease initsclassified formoriginates after birth through injury togrowingretinal vessels, the alternative name first introduced in 195(-1by Parker Heath-retinopathy ofprematurity-is more apt.Theuniversal adoption ofthisnomenclature may taketimefortheacronym RLFispossibly more exclusive in medical literature thanROP andis firmly ingrained intheworldliterature. Thecommittee's classification isespecially timely because oftherecent resurgenceofROP inparallel withadvances inthequality ofneonatal carewhich hasresulted inthesurvival ofprematureinfants of verylowbirth weight whoareatthegreatest risk of developing thedisease, particularly atbirth weights ofless than 1 kg.This reappearanceofROP isbeing widely reported inpublished andunpublished communications, butparticularly intheUnited States of America, whereithasbeenestimated thatthe annual numberofinfants blinded in1979 was 546, a figure comparable tothatrecorded during thepeak yearsoftheoriginal epidemic of1943-53. Indeed this 'second epidemic' asithasbeencalled hasbeguntocastdoubt on therole ofoxygen asthe important aetiological factor, since many cases of ROP are now occurringdespite meticulous control ofoxygen administration andeven whereno supplemental oxygen hasbeenadministered. Some clinicians areturning tore-examinethepossible role ofthemany otherabnormal factors directly, indirectly, oreven remotely associated withprematurity, seeming toretreat tothedespairing daysofthe first epidemic whenlittle or nothing was known abouttheselective andinjurious actionofoxygen upon growing retinal vessels. Muchclinical, pathological, andexperimental research wascarried out toprovethatfact, andthesubsequent control of oxygentherapy, albeit withthehighprice paidin morbidity andmortality, ledtoadramatic fall inthe incidence ofROPandestablished without question thecausative role oftheoveruse ofoxygen. Isitnow tobesupposed thatoxygen isinjurious inonlythe later stages ofprematurity andnotintheearlier stages, despite experimental evidence that theseverityoftheoxygen effect isdirectly proportional tothe degree ofimmaturity oftheretinal vessels? Itwould seemmorereasonable toconceive thatoxygenis injurious throughout thewholeperiod ofretinal vascular growth, thenormal percentage inairbeing a sufficiently foreign environment inthemost vulnerable infants. Inutero theoxygen saturation in thearterial blood isapproximately 50%;after birth itrises toapproximately 90%saturation without the addition ofoxygen toroomair. Ontheother handtheexactbiochemical events whichleadtooxygen vasoobliteration areunknown andmaywell besetintrain bysomething other than oxygen. Experimentally ithasbeenshownthat growing retinal vessels may beclosed byother agents, while thevasoproliferative phasemayalso


To modify the rheological properties of certain commercial polymers, a set of block copolymers were synthe- sized through oxyanionic polymerization of 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate to the chain ends of commercial pre- polymers, namely poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(propylene oxide)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO), and poly(propylene oxide) (PPO). The formed block copolymers were analysed with size exclu- sion chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in order to confirm block formation. Thermal charac- terization of the resulting polymers was done with differential scanning calorimetry. Thermal transition points were also confirmed with rotational rheometry, which was primarily used to measure melt strength properties of the resulting block co-polymers. It was observed that the synthesised poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-block (PDM) affected slightly the thermal transition points of crystalline PEO-block but the influence was stronger on amorphous PPO-blocks. Frequency sweeps measured above the melting temperatures for the materials confirmed that the pre-polymers (PEO and PEO-PPO-PEO) behave as Newtonian fluids whereas polymers with a PDM block structure exhibit clear shear thinning behaviour. In addition, the PDM block increased the melt viscosity when compared with that one of the pre-polymer. As a final result, it became obvious that pre-polymers modified with PDM were in entangled form, in the melted state as well in the solidified form.


As attractive materials system for high-performance optoelectronics, colloidal nanoplatelets (NPLs) benefit from atomic-level precision in thickness, minimizing emission inhomogeneous broadening. Much progress has been made to enhance their photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and photostability. However, layer-by-layer growth of shells at room temperature has to date resulted in defects that limit PLQY and thus curtail the performance of NPLs as an optical gain medium. Here we introduce a hot-injection method growing giant alloyed shells using an approach that reduces core/shell lattice mismatch and suppresses Auger recombination. Near-unity PLQY is achieved with a narrow full-width-at-half-maximum (20 nm), accompanied by emission tunability (from 610 to 650 nm). The biexciton lifetime exceeds one nanosecond, an order of magnitude longer than in conventional colloidal quantum dots (CQDs). Reduced Auger recombination enables record-low amplified spontaneous emission threshold of 2.4 µJ cm-2 under one-photon pumping. This is lower, by a factor of 2.5× than the best previously reported value in nanocrystals (6 µJ cm-2 for CdSe/CdS NPLs). Here we also report single-mode lasing operation with 0.55 mJ cm-2 threshold under two-photoexcitation, which is also the best among nanocrystals (compared to 0.76 mJ cm-2 from CdSe/CdS CQDs in Fabry-Pérot cavity). These findings indicate that hot-injection growth of thick alloyed shells makes ultra-high performance NPLs.


The co-assembly of lipids and other compounds has gained increasing interest in the field of functional nanomaterials. Here, we report the formation of ordered and stimuli-responsive lipid-DNA origami fibers through...


Danger of spontaneous combustion and dust explosion at coal handling and utilizing facilities is outlined.Spontaneous combustion is a resultant phenomenon of competition of the rates of heat generation and heat loss. Influence of factors on the initiation is described on the basis of the thermal explosion theory.Explosion characteristics of dust clouds are described in relation to the assessment and protection-suppression measures.It is emphasized that decreasing particle size increases the hazard of spontaneous combustion and dust explosion but there are little data for the assessment for finely pulverized coals.


Experiments are described in which low-alloy, medium-carbon steel (AISI 4340) pins were slid against discs of the same material under various loads, at a speed of 625 cm/s. The bulk temperatures of the pins and discs were measured continuously, as also were the frictional forces and the volumes of wear. Similar experiments were also carried out, at a much lower speed (about 5 cm/s), in which the bulk temperatures of the specimens were due almost entirely to externally supplied heat. As far as possible, the bulk temperatures, and the corresponding loads, were maintained at the same values as for the initial, frictionally heated, experiments. The wear debris produced during both sets of experiments was examined by X-ray diffraction in order to identify the various components and to analyse their relative proportions. The variation of the proportions of α-iron, rhombohedral oxide, and spinel oxide with measured bulk pin temperature was used to give an estimate of the temperatures occurring in the regions of ...


Reliability analyses of offshore structures such as steel jacket platforms are usually pe rformed using stochastic models for the wave loads based on the omnidirectional wave height. However, reliability analyses with respect to structural failure modes such as total collapse of a structure generally require that the directional dependence of the env ironmental loads (e.g. wave and wind actions) be taken into account. In the present paper a stochastic model for directional wave heights is presented. Stochastic d ependence between extreme wave heights from different directions is taken into account. It is shown how the parameters in the stochastic model can be determined using a gene ralized Maximum Likelihood method such that the stochastic model becomes consistent with a stochastic model for the omnidirectional wave height. The calibration is illu strated by an example with hindcast wave heights from the central part of the North Sea. It is described how the stochastic model for the directional wave heights can be used in a reliability analysis where total collapse of offshore steel jacket platforms is considered.


This guide focuses on: adult graphic novels, ways to consume this content (in person, and digitally), and highlights local comic shops in the Twin Cities metro region.


High-Q spiral inductors, either realized as discrete elements in thin-film technologies, or as integrated components in IC processes, are essential to realize key RF circuitry like VCO's and LNA's. We have demonstrated for the first time that by dividing a spiral inductor into four parallel current paths of equal resistance and inductance current crowding can be suppressed, allowing a record Q of 15 for a 2 GHz 5 nH inductor in standard CMOS, representing a 40 % improvement over previous art. The proposed division into parallel current paths can be realized without process modifications, reduces CMP dishing, and is expected to provide even larger performance gains in terms of quality factor Q and inductor area for IC and thin-film processes employing thicker metal layers and low-K materials.


The nutritional, phytochemical and antimicrobial properties of two underutilized leafy vegetables from Esanland in Edo State, Nigeria: Peperomia pellucida (L.) H.B.K; Piper umbellatum L. were investigated. Fresh leaves were shredded, sundried before milling into fine powder and subjected to qualitative and quantitative analysis. The proximate and mineral analysis revealed moderate quantities of protein, carbohydrate ascorbic acid and different mineral salts. The phytochemical screening recorded the presence of pharmacologically important substances such as tannins, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides in both plants. However, steroids, terpenoids and phlobatannins were present only in P. umbellatum. The powdered samples were extracted in three different solvents (water, ethanol and ether) and tested against five pathogenic organisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escheriachia coli, Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans) isolated from patients admitted to the specialist Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, for various ailments. The extracts recorded appreciable zones of inhibitions (1-7mm), suggesting susceptibilities of the organisms. This indicates the potential usefulness of these plants in the treatment of various pathogenic diseases in this locality and hence can be developed as antimicrobial drugs/agents.


This paper introduces the principle, the mew development and application of nuclei computed tornography, looks forward to the future of nuclei imaging technique.


In recent years, scientists are becoming increasingly interested in the creation of nanosatellites. This interest is evident for a number of reasons, including safe development, extremely cheap cost, and small design, which reduces launch costs. Nanosatellites are made to carry out specific functions for researchers, such as satellite data, collection of data from space, etc. Nanosatellites are simpler to construct than conventional large-scale satellites. During various design phases, satellite developers face numerous difficulties. There are certain challenges in making nanosatellites. The creation of a communication link between the satellite and the ground station is another essential component; without it, spacecraft in Earth's orbit are useless objects. Designing uplink and downlink for nanosatellites is therefore one of the biggest problems. The most important phase in creating a connection between ground stations and nanosatellites is this one. An analytical assessment for the link budget computation with regard to the nanosatellite is provided in this publication.


A DYADIC UPWARD INFLUENCE PROCESS: A LABORATORY INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF A SUBORDINATE'S INGRATIATION (PRAISE AND PERFORMANCE) ON THE SUPERVISOR-SUBORDINATE EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP Peter Owoko K'Obonyo The process of upward influence in organizational work units is poorly understood. Although the vertical dyad linkage (VDL) model of leadership was developed, in part, to address this problem, it does not specify the processes underlying dyadic role-making behaviors, i.e. behaviors that determine the status of the subordinates in terms of their relationships with their leader. The present study sought to address this problem by providing a basis for understanding crucial and typical processes underlying dyadic upward influence behaviors. To do this, it was necessary to isolate or to identify these processes by developing an appropriate conceptual framework. Drawing from the relevant literature, a conceptual faodel of organizational upward influence which attempts to integrate the existing research findings, specifically the various personal and situational variables, was developed. The model attempts to capture, from a


In this paper, we study techniques of correction codes for systems based on the Residue Number System (RNS). Self-correcting and error detection are important properties of RNS that allow the development of distributed data storage systems. However, the complexity of several approaches have a significant influence on system performance, it mostly depends on two methods: expanding the number base in the residual class and converting numbers from the residual system to the positional system. In this work, we review the state-of-the-art methods in the field and show that the most efficient error correction method combines the syndrome method and our method to expand the number base.


Programming is an increasingly important skill in the 21st century. Therefore, many education systems internationally offer non-compulsory programming (NCP) courses during high school years. Aim. Our goal is to study the effect of NCP on first-semester student performance in CS1. Because interest in computing is more often associated with men than women, we also want to study gender differences. Method. A total of 232 students from a Norwegian university were involved in the study. High school grades from the public student registry were analysed together with questionnaire data and the CS1 grade. Results. The students with NCP performed significantly better in CS1 than those without (average grade 4.4 vs. 3.6, where A, B, … , F is coded as 5, 4, … , 0). For women the difference in performance with and without NCP was 4.4 vs. 3.2, for men it was 4.4 vs. 3.8. Conclusion. This study shows that for students with NCP, the notorious gender difference in CS1 performance was absent. The other results merit further considerations regarding mathematics and science backgrounds, grades, prior experience, and self-efficacy.