Qi'; as a particular category in traditional Chinese culture,has its original meaning in ancient Chinese Literary art.It is a world of experience and a nature of life.It is not onlg an element of human's life,but also the original pattern of human's spirit,the source of mental feelings to gain their natural powers.These features make "Qi" become the main for literary creation .Furthermore,"Qi" determines man's personality and temperament,while a writer's personality and temperament oletermine his works style,which causes his works to have an indepent existing value.


My love affair with PC SAS began on May 13, 1996, my first day of work as Data Analyst at a new job. After years of learning "just enough" JCL to run mainframe SAS programs, PC SAS was a delight. A Program Editor, Output Window, Log Window, File Explorer and command line all available at a glance! With Version 8 we gained an Enhanced Editor with color-coding and collapsible code! Life was good. %INCLUDE became my standard method of indicating the flow of SAS code throughout a project. Proc EXPORT and DDE bridged the gap to Excel. ODS meant I could share SAS output with non-SAS users. Then along came SAS Enterprise Guide. No need to use %INCLUDE now that we have process flows. DDE won't work. Why give up PC SAS? This paper outlines the Top Ten Reasons why SAS Enterprise Guide is the number 1 tool in my SAS toolkit. CAVEAT This paper references several techniques which use SAS Enterprise Guide in conjunction with other products from the SAS 9 Enterprise Intelligence Platform including the SAS Add-In for Microsoft Office. Reason # 10: Projects – A California Closet System for your SAS stuff!!


The decision in 1988 by the Rangitikei-Wanganui Catchment Board to allocate flows away from use for electricity generation into recreation use brought into focus the conflict between market and non-market valuation of river uses. The travel cost method (TCM) of non-market valuation is used to estimate the in-stream recreation values of the Upper Wanganui and Whakapapa rivers.


It is now 9 years since the first description of Kuru as a subacute degenerative disease of the central nervous system afflicting the Fore and neighboring peoples of the eastern New Guinea Highlands was published by Zigas and Gajdusek (1957) (12, 29). The etiology and pathogenesis of this disease (1–3, 6–18, 21, 24, 28) remains obscure (8, 9), but the recently reported successful transmission of a kuru-like syndrome to chimpanzees (11) suggests that a microbial, possibly a viral, agent may be involved. The histopathology of the disorder was studied by Klatzo, Gajdusek and Zigas (17, 18) and by other workers (2, G, 21, 22, 26) in some 40 cases, and the principal anatomic lesions were described as a degeneration and a loss of neurons, microglial proliferation and fibrous nstrocytosis, status spongiosus in the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia, variable white matter lesions (loss of myelinated fibers), and cortical cerebellar degeneration. Characteristic plaques were described as an outstanding feature in half of the cases, and moderate perivascular cuffing by mononuclear cells was noted. In the present study, based on the examination of 2 specimens in gapless serial section, we can corroborate most of the previous histopathological findings and, in addition, report several features not previously emphasized, such as the very wide distribution of the typical plaques observed in the white matter, as well as in the cerebral and cerebellar cortex and basal ganglia, and note for the first time excessive vulnerability of the Iimbie and para-limbic system.


This paper reports an investigation of the hypothesis that the meaning of love is different for different people. Six distinct concepts of love were isolated by using Smallest Space Analysis procedure. Ideal types of the six different styles of loving were constructed, following the work of Lee. The clinical implications of the findings were discussed, and a procedure for the management of cases involving incongruous concepts of love was proposed.


Lansium domesticum Corr. (Meliaceae) is an economic plant and widely grown in the Southern, Eastern and Northern parts of Thailand. The fruits of the L domesticum (LD) are very popular in Thailand and commonly called "LongKong". This study was performed to investigate the biological activity of the L. domesticum fruits including antioxidant, anti-mutagenic and cytotoxic properties, in particular the skins and seeds which are considered as waste. The air-dried samples of skin (SK) and seed (SD) were extracted with 50% and 95% ethanol. The ethanolic extracts were partitioned between dichloromethane (DCM) and 50% aqueous ethanol. The aqueous phase was further extracted with ethyl acetate (EA) where twelve fractions named LDSK50-DCM, LDSK50-EA, LDSK50-H2O, LDSK95-DCM, LDSK95-EA, LDSK95-H2O, LDSD50-DCM, LDSD50-EA, LDSD50-H2O, LDSD95-DCM, LDSD95-EA and LDSD95-H2O were obtained. Their anti-oxidant capacity was firstly determined on superoxide anion (O2) by photochemiluminescence (PCL) assay both lipid (ACL) and water (ACW) soluble substance systems. The deoxyribose assay was subsequently performed to assess their hydroxyl radical (OH) scavenging activity. Our results suggested the LDSD50-EA fraction possesses a high antioxidant potential in both hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant systems. Then, the anti-mutagenic effect of LDSD50-EA fraction was investigated against mitomycin C (MMC) in TK6 human lymphoblasts using cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus (CBMN) assay for 4 and 24 h. The results of CBMN were analyzed on micronucleus (MN) frequencies in binucleated cells (BNC). We found that both treatment schedules (4 and 24 h) did not produce a significant increase in the MN frequency and also nearly to the spontaneous background MN frequency suggesting that LDSD50-EA was non-genotoxic to TK6 cells. The MMCtreated cells clearly exhibited a remarkably increase in MN frequency by 75% indicating its mutagenic activity. Interestingly, a significant reduction in MN frequency was obviously seen when TK6 cells were simultaneously treated with LDSK50-EA (25, 50, 100, and 150 μg/ml) and MMC (0.8μg/ml) for 24 h. Regarding the PCL, deoxyribose assay and CBMN results obtained in this study, we can summarize that LDSK50-EA fraction of L. domesticum fruits possesses potent antioxidant property and anti-mutagenic activity.


AIM: To obtain large amount of HCV E2 protein, and to understand the function of the protein and to prepare the antibody against this protein. METHODS: A 831bp of E2 gene fragment was amplified by PCR method from HCV genome and cloned into pET32a (+) vector, an E.coli expression vector, to construct a recombinant plasmid pET32a-HCVE2.The plasmid was transformed into E.coli BL-21 (DE3) to express E2 protein with IPTG induced. The protein E2 fused with HIS tag was purification by Ni-NTA resin column. The protein E2 fused with His tag was detected by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and Western blot. RESULTS: A novel protein with molecular weight of M r 55 000 was expressed upon induction with IPTG in E.coli. The expressed product showed good reactivity to anti-His tag antibody and the HCV positive serum. CONCLUSION: Cloning of HCV E2 gene and the expression and purification of envelope glycoprotein E2 lay a foundation of further study on HCV E2 protein and the receptors of hepatitis virus C. Du DW, Jia ZS, Qin HY, Liu QP, Zhou YX, Han H. Cloning of HCV E2 gene and expression and purification of HCV envelope glycoprotein E2. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2004;12(2):315-318


Money from pension accounts is an integral source of retirement income. Furthermore, as peoples' confidence in the Social Security System waivers, private pensions are increasing in importance. This paper will discuss the history of pensions and the shift from traditional Defined Benefit (DB) plans to Defined Contribution (DC) plans. Specifically, who remains most unharmed by this shift, and how the United States is making sure that workers' privately run pension funds are protected.


Young children possess a unique way of knowing and learning that is best accommodated by developmentally appropriate practices that create a holistic, integrated, active learning environment. In the first part of a two-phase study, a survey of all elementary school principals in the largely rural state of Idaho revealed a somewhat tepid, moderate agreement with the use of developmentally appropriate practices in the primary grades, with principals from smaller rural districts showing even less support for certain components of best practice. In the second phase of the study, 55 principals from the smallest, more isolated rural schools were surveyed to investigate problematic components of developmentally appropriate practices. Principals believed that the factors influencing the implementation of a developmental approach to teaching young children were, in descending order, teacher beliefs, parent expectations, teacher dispositions, principal beliefs, teacher satisfaction, supervisor expectations, and school board and on-going training. On-site interviews with 16 principals revealed that virtually all of them desired a developmental approach to teaching in kindergarten, while 50 percent expressed the same desire for grade 2. Problems in implementing developmentally appropriate practices included lack of large blocks of time for in-depth work, community perceptions that some methods do not include enough skill development, and the need to support standardized testing. Two of the 16 schools visited exhibited an especially high level of teaching principles and strategies that matched definitions of developmentally appropriate practices. Contains 20 references. (TD) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** o Principals' Ability to Implement "Best Practices" In Early Childhood Judy French Boise State University Boise, Idaho Sally Pella Idaho State University Pocatello, Idaho 'PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY J Newlin U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL. RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) o-5,17document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 1:1 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or onions stated in this TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES document do not necessarily represent INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." official OERI position or policy. (rt. A research forum session conducted at the National Rural Education Association cNg annual meeting September 24-27 in Tucson, Arizona. Address correspondence to Dr. Judy French, College of Education, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 Principals' Ability to Implement Best Practices in Early Childhood In recent years a number of public policy positions and statements have been issued (NAEYC, 1997; NAESP, 1990; NAEYC & NAECSSSDE, 1990, NECP, 1995) focusing attention on the education of young children from birth through age eight. These documents share a recognition of the efficacy of quality early childhood programs to not only have a positive effect on young children's schooling, but to have an impact on their lives well into adulthood. Although schools and the general public have reaped the benefits from such programs as Head Start, they have only sporadically instituted congruent and continuous early childhood programming through the primary grades. Research on Developmentally Appropriate Practices Basic to the field of early childhood education is the recognition that young children through age eight possess a unique way of knowing and learning that must be responded to with teaching strategies different from those employed with older elementary children. Early childhood educators are committed to interactionist and constructivist theories which incorporate an active learning environment in which the child engages in learning with concrete materials and meaningful experiences. In contrast to a behaviorist approach, the approach of early childhood educators is holistic and integrated. Among the strategies indicated by an integrated approach to learning are a learning center approach, large time blocks for project work, self-initiated learning and discovery, and play. In this approach, the arts, children's friendships, and leaning appropriate classroom behavior are as much a part of the curriculum as are mathematics and learning to read. Further, standardized itv test are regarded as inadequate measures of children's learning. There appear to be numerous benefits related to the implementation of developmentally appropriate practices, including increased creativity (Hirsh-Pasek, 1991), less test anxiety and fewer stress behaviors (Bent ly & Wilson, 1989; Burts, et al., 1992; Buds, Hart, Charlesworth & Kirk, 1990), and higher competencies in language and social development (Whitebook, Howes, Phillips & Pemberton, 1989). In addition, young children in developmentally appropriate classrooms appear better able to take responsibility for their own learning than children in academically directed classrooms (Marcon, 1992). Rural Schools' Problems and Opportunities Administrators play a key role in assuring quality early childhood education. They serve as instructional leaders and facilitators for change (Dwyer, 1985). They are largely responsible for hiring qualified personnel for teaching positions. Through their professional memberships and interpretations of research, they have a direct effect on the quality of instruction that teachers are able to provide (Chance, 1991). Rutherford (1985) asserts that effective principals have clear, informed visions of what they want their schools to become and can translate those visions into goals and experiences. Small, isolated school have unique leadership advantages and problems (Hill, 1993; Schmuck, R. & Schmuck, P., 1992; Williams, 1990). Some of the advantages include more latitude in shaping programs with fewer to convince, more fluent and informal communication networks both within schools and community, and less formal structure, making change smoother and quicker (Hill, 1993). However, some of the same advantages may lead to problems. Small community networking can lead to "gossip" and second-guessing leadership decisions with easier "community uprising" at change (Hill, 1993). Other problems associated with rural school leadership include identical national and state expectancies regardless of school size, fewer monetary, materials and training resources, multiple roles and school sites resulting in separation and travel, little direct feedback from supervisors, high turnover of administrators, and isolation from peers (Spiropulos, 1996; Hill, 1993; Mc Robbie, 1990). In a study of 80 small schools in 21 states, Schmuck and Schmuck (1992), concluded the biggest problems were social and emotional. Teachers and administrators in isolated, rural schools were overworked and frustrated. School structure was authoritarian with little joint planning, sharing of ideas or peer coaching. Although classroom sizes were small, there was little interactive instruction. Indeed, they found 80% of instruction to be unidirectional lecturing. The one grade level in which teaching was interactive was kindergarten. Williams (1990) found teacher attitudes and tradition to be the biggest impediments of change. She suggests that success in moving a rural school toward more appropriate practices calls for a broad range of support that include retraining of teachers with courses, workshops, conferences and site observations,the purchase of new materials, peer coaching, and support from district personnel and the community. Purpose of the Study This paper reviews the results of a two-part investigation of Idaho's elementary school principals' beliefs regarding developmentally appropriate early childhood practices in kindergarten through grade three. In the first phase of the study (French, Pena, Lambert, & Jensen, 1995) all elementary school principals in the largely rural state of Idaho were surveyed to determine their level of agreement with developmentally appropriate practices related to assessment, teacher qualifications, and developmentally appropriate teaching strategies. Results of phase one indicated that principals generally expressed a somewhat tepid, moderate agreement with developmentally appropriate practices. In addition, results suggested that principals from smaller rural districts showed even less support for certain components of best practice. In the second phase of the study, which is the primary focus of this report, the smallest, more isolated rural schools were surveyed to further investigate issues related to effective implementation of best practices in early childhood classrooms. The smaller schools included in the second study were limited to those school districts located 35 miles or more away from a college or university, with fewer than 2,500 students. The study was designed to investigate components of developmentally appropriate practices that pose problems, reasons why they are problematic, and resources needed to implement a developmental approach to teaching young childr4ili in pre-kindergarten classes through grade three. Method Sixty-nine percent (55) of the 76 principals in small isolated school districts responded to a survey that addressed problematic areas of developmentally appropriate practices. In addition, sixteen schools that represented all geographic regions of the state were selected for on-site visits. The interviews with principals further explored findings of the initial survey and focused on leadership style, teacher dispositions and beliefs, and community character. Classroom observations and talks with teachers completed


Antagonism at the serotonin receptor 2A by the atypical antipsychotics clozapine and olanzapine has been suggested to be linked to these drugs' adverse effects on glucose‐insulin homeostasis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of haplotypes based on the main functionally characterized polymorphisms of the serotonin receptor 2A (HTR2A) gene on parameters related to the glucose metabolism in clozapine‐ and olanzapine‐treated patients.


What Explains Real Interest Rate Differentials across European Countries? (by Michele Limosani) - ABSTRACT: We decompose European real interest rate differentials into three components, the covered interest parity condition, the risk premium and the ex-ante relative purchasing power parity condition, and analyse why real interest rates in Europe do not converge to a single rate. The empirical evidence suggests that the risk premium is the most important factor accounting for deviations from the real interest parity condition and that deviations from the purchasing power parity condition play only a marginal role. JEL Classification: E58


The effects of visual deprivation upon dorsal lateral geniculate (DLG) cell size were compared for seven kittens reared with monocular lid‐suture (MD), seven with binocular lid‐suture (BD), and six with one eye lid‐sutured and the other eye enucleated soon after birth (MD‐E). Six additional kittens were reared normally for comparison. For each kitten the cross‐sectional areas of 300 cells were measured in one or both nuclei. Measurements were taken from the binocular segment of laminae A and A1 and th monocular segment of lamina A.


Composite resin is presently used primarily as a direct esthetic restorative material. The esthetics of these tooth-coloured restorations is heavily dependent on surface finish Polishing of composite resin can produce potentially injurious temperature rise within the pulp chamber. This study was conducted to compare and evaluate the pulp chamber temperature rise associated with the polishing of light cured composite veneer restorations using 2 different polishing systems (Astropol, Shofu- Snap kit). 40 extracted maxillary central incisors were used in this study. They were randomly divided into 4 groups-Groups 1, II (Dry Continuous, Intermittent respectively) and Groups III, IV (Wet, Continuous, Intermittent respectively). Groups I, II were polished with the Shofu System and Groups Ill, IV were polished using Astropo System. The temperature rise was recorded within each group and the remaining dentin thickness (RDT) was measured after sectioning of the teeth. The results indicated: There were significant differences in the temperature rise between the dry and the wet systems. The correlation of the temperature rise and the remaining dentin thickness was significant for the dry, intermittent group and was dependent on application time of the disks. Remaining dentin thickness is an important factor in regulating the magnitude of temperature rise during polishing of restorations.


THE first recorded case of surgical emphysema occurring under general anasthesia was published in 1912, when Woolseyl reported a death under anaesthesia, characterised by rapidly increasing cyanosis and emphysema of the tissues in the anterior part of the neck. This was thought to be due to an abrasion of the tissues in the region of the glottis with resultant interstitial emphysema of an obstructive n a k e . The endotracheal insufflation technique was employed, using 'an intrapulmonary pressure of 15-2


Medical tourism service quality has received increasing attention in recent years. Medical tourists' perceptions of medical service quality are critical to a medical service provider's long-term success. The purpose of this study is to examine between Russian's medical tourism service quality and medical tourists' satisfaction, behavioral intention. The main findings are as follows: Firstly, medical tourism service quality positively influences both satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Secondly medical tourists satisfaction positively influences behavioral intentions. Among the dimensions of medical tourism service quality, human service quality and service process quality, are positively associated with both satisfaction and behavioral intentions respectively. Besides, this study shows that satisfaction plays the role of a mediator in the effects of medical tourism service quality on behavioral intention. These findings suggest that medical service managers should consider both medical service quality and medical tourist satisfaction as important strategic objectives because these constructs provide a way for managers to ensure positive behavioral intentions. This study reveal that if medical service providers enhance their medical service procedure, they will be able to attract more Russian medical tourists.


We sought to determine if online continuing medical education (CME) activities could improve the clinical knowledge/competence of primary care physicians (PCPs), diabetologists/endocrinologists (D/Es), and nurses/nurse practitioners (N/NPs) regarding the management type 2 diabetes (T2D) in older patients with hypoglycemia risk. The effect of two online, video-based CME activities were evaluated using knowledge/competence linked pre-/post-assessment questions. McNemar's chi-squared test (P Disclosure A. Larkin: None. M. LaCouture: None. A. Le: None. Funding Sanofi


Abstract Native copper was used by several different indigenous ethno-linguistic groups in Alaska and Yukon starting in the Late Prehistoric period and continuing into the early twentieth century. This paper applies a relational biography approach to an analysis of the possible roles of native copper in northern Athabascan and northern Tlingit society. Native copper was used in a variety of contexts, both as practical and prestige technology, and also possessed animacy and agency, two important and closely intertwined concepts in the ontology of northern hunter-gatherers.


maladjusted was a participatory play produced by Theatre for Living and directed by David Diamond, with 18 theatre showings in Vancouver, Canada. The play explored the mechanization of mental health services and the possibility of "human-centred care." Patients and caregivers developed and acted in the play. Using the interactive strategies of Forum Theatre, 2020 audience members had opportunities to role-play and suggest policy, resulting in a condensed 32-point policy report. Both subject pertinence and insistence on high quality theatre led to success. Engaged audiences resulted in a form of innovative problem solving that was then linked to policy makers and health care organizations.


In developed countries, mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV has been reduced to <2%. The use of potent combination antiretroviral therapy has


Abstract A field study was conducted with Acacia karroo plants to determine changes in relative photosynthetic rates, the extent of carbohydrate reserve depletion and the rate reserves take to recover, following defoliation by goats at different intensities and phenophases, at a "wet" and a "dry" site. The rate of photosynthesis of fully expanded leaves increased markedly following defoliation. Light defoliation increased photosynthetic rate the most. Total non‐structural carbohydrate levels dropped significantly after defoliation. The magnitude of decrease was directly related to the intensity of defoliation. Following the heavy defoliations, recovery of carbohydrate levels was much faster than after the light defoliations. Rates of recovery were also faster following defoliation in the second half of the growing season, than in the first half. However, the plants that had been heavily defoliated in the second half of the growing season had not fully recovered carbohydrate levels before leaf fall in late...


Sexual satisfaction is an important contributor to relationship functioning that is not well understood among first-time parents, at a time when relationship functioning is important for the well-being of parents as well as the child. The current study examined how several dimensions of individual and relationship functioning among first-time parents (coparenting, division of household and paid labor, parenting stress, and role overload) at 6 months postbirth predicted multiple domains of sexual satisfaction at 12 months postbirth, in a sample of heterosexual first-time parents. Role overload, work hours, and division of household labor each predicted at least one domain of sexual satisfaction for both mothers and fathers, whereas parenting stress was a unique predictor for mothers only. The implications of these results for first-time parents are discussed.


The bumpless transfer control problem for linear switched systems under unknown switching sequences is first proposed and studied in the framework of generated reference-tracking. Motived by this case, we propose an approach consisting of a mode-estimator and controller state re-initialisation. The proposed approach aims at improving the tracking performance of a suitable candidate controller that has been determined for the current plant mode. The mode estimator selects the active mode from the measured data of the switched system. The controller state initialisation is proposed for complementing a simple bumpless transfer method by minimizing a quadratic cost function that combines two different error signals: tracking error and steady-state control output error. The result is that the supervised switching mechanism ensures both the stability of switched systems and the performance of bumpless transfer.


Though the impact of international expansion on enterprise performance has situations and boundary conditions, theprevious researches focused on the main effect relationship between the two and ignored the study of boundary conditions. Fromthe perspective of two different types of network ties,through the empirical research on 115 enterprises in Jiangsu Province,the paper explores how business tie and political tie moderate the relationship between international expansion and enterpriseperformance. The results show that political tie has a positive moderating effect on the relationship between international expan-sion and enterprise performance, and is stronger than that of business tie. The study enhances further scholars' understand-ing on the mechanism of international expansion on enterprise performance, and lays the foundation for the future research.


Abstract Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) is a method that has shown many promising results in the development of complex engineered products. To this date, research on MDO has been extensive, but at the same time, very few publications have addressed the aspect of how it can be taught to students and young professionals. In this light, this paper aims to present the experiences of the authors in respect to the development and management of an MDO course at Linköping University. First, this work will describe the authors' teaching approaches, and in particular, it will present the various educational activities that have been considered over the years as well as the lessons learnt. Secondly, this work will attempt to investigate how students perceive a set of common MDO concepts, and more specifically, it will present an analysis based on the results of two surveys that took place in 2016 and 2020, respectively. Given the above foundation, this paper will try to establish guidelines regarding the activities which are suitable for teaching each concept, while finally, it will also touch upon the challenges as well as the solutions for adjusting an MDO course to a distance learning mode.


The nature of gravity and its strength compared with other forces are fundamental challenges faced by the actual science. A path to understand the hierarchy problem of gravity consists in adding an extra dimension to Einstein–Hilbert's general relativity. Therefore, gravity would be the only force leaking through this region of space–time also known as brane. Despite the success of the mathematical description for the hierarchy issue through simple thin branes, it is also possible to derive a consistent theory of gravity using thick branes. This work unveils a new procedure to determine analytic hybrid thick braneworld models. The discussions were based on the so-called Bloch branes, which are constructed via a two-field model coupled with gravity in five-dimensional space–time. Both fields used to build the Bloch branes depend only on the extra dimension, and the hybrid branes present internal structure, characterizing them as thick. In this work, we were able to derive new analytic thick brane models by using the extension method. Some of these new branes present a Minkowski space–time immersed inside of the fifth dimension. We showed how the symmetry of the emergent branes can be controlled via specific parameters. We also analyzed the stability conditions for each braneworld family, showing possible stable states for gravitons.


This paper is the introductory presentation of the topic: Sustainability and Development of Human Settlements and Housing in Chile, at the II National Habitat Meeting, held in October 1995. Given the strong economic growth experienced by Chile, several parts of the Chilean society have shown concern as regards the insufficient achievements in the areas of social equity and environmental preservation when considering the conditions for a sustainable development. Alter an introduction to the topic of quality, the implications of the concepts of life quality and environment are stated and their connections to the problems of human settlements are stablished together with the meaning of a sustainable city, the great contradictions existing in our country are illustrated through the example of Santiago.


Up per Mio cene sand stones in the Sava De pres sion (North ern Croatia) are po ten tial tar gets for car bon di ox ide (CO2)-based en hanced oil re cov ery (EOR) pro cesses or min eral car bon ation with res er voir brine. In gen eral, sand stone li thol ogy, even rich with alu mi no sili cate min er als, is not the most fa vour able rock me dium for ef fi cient se ques tra tion of CO2 in min er als. How ever, CO2 is nat u rally se ques tered in min er als when CO2 is in jected into sand stone res er voirs and sub dued to car bon ation. The timescale of such se ques tra tion is on the or der of 10–10 years. Up per Mio cene sand stones in the Sava De pres sion could in cor po rate up to 25% of alu mi no sili cate min er als (10% K-feld spars) and up to 20% dolomites and of ten lat er ally tran si tion be tween pelitic and psam mit ic lithofacies, rich in clay min er als (15% micas). To tal vol umes are ap prox i mately 107 and 62 mil lion m (ap prox i mately 268 and 155 mil lion t of rocks), re spec tively for the po ten tial in jec tion res er voirs in the Ivaniæ Field. Oil sat u ra tion in the in jec tion in ter vals is es ti mated to be ap prox i mately 14.8 and 4.1 mil lion m re spec tively. Geo chem i cal anal o gies and min er al ogy can be used to sup port pre dic tions for the low per cent ages of in jected CO2 that may be stored dur ing car bon ation and form sec ond ary min er als.


The Henry's law solubility of nitrous acid (HONO) has been studied in ammonium sulfate solutions as a function of salt concentration in the range 5–39.2 wt.% and temperature between 263 and 298 K by measuring the distribution of HONO between the gas and liquid phases using a bubbler-type gas–liquid reactor. Gas phase concentrations have been measured by tuneable diode laser spectrometry, whereas the liquid phase has been analysed by ion chromatography.An exponential dependence of the Henry's law constant (KH) on c(NH4)2SO4 has been observed with increasing ammonium sulfate concentration caused by the salt effect which is described by the Setschenow equation. The values of ΔHsol and ΔSsol for the dissolution of HONO have been determined as a function of ammonium sulfate concentration from the temperature dependence of KH. The results were fitted to a two-parameter equation that allows the calculation of the solubility of HONO in the temperature and concentration ranges studied. The Henry's law constant of HONO in ammonium sulfate solutions is well described by: KH = A(T) exp(B(T)c(NH4)2SO4) mol kg−1 bar−1 with A(T) = 3.06 × 10−6 exp(4932T−1) mol kg−1 bar−1B(T) = 17.6T−1 − 0.083 wt.%−1 and c(NH4)2SO4 in wt.% and T in K. From the calculated values it can be concluded, that for a tropospheric ammonium sulfate aerosol scenario most HONO will be found in the gas phase.


A smart wellfield is capable of integrating supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) with a geographic information system (GIS), local hydrogeology, groundwater quality, energy consumption, and wellfield hydraulics information to perform analytics that will result in the optimization of wellfield operations. The optimized operations increase the useful life of the wells and ancillary infrastructure, and provide cost savings from increased energy efficiency and treatment of a consistent groundwater quality. The smart wellfield concept is intended to provide "actionable intelligence" and is not designed to control the wells or associated water treatment plants (WTPs). This responsibility continues to be performed by utilities operations staff. As part of a strategic project undertaken by Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department (WUD), Black & Veatch was tasked with the identification and development of smart wellfield capabilities relevant to all wells at the four WUD wellfields that supply water to the WTPs (WTP-2, WTP-3, WTP-8, and WTP-9). The WUD already utilizes SCADA to provide some level of visualization of the WTPs and their associated wellfields. To convert the wellfields into smart wellfields, the project was designed to go beyond current capabilities and utilize analytics and reporting to improve the level of understanding of the operations and to allow optimization scenarios to be run and acted upon. The ability to visualize the aquifer in the context of the wells contained within a wellfield provides the unique ability to integrate the SCADA data, as well as the information about the well itself. When used in conjunction with wellfield optimization, this enables the user to determine the best wells within a wellfield (or an entire wellfield) for peak operational efficiency, adequate water demand, and a reduction in unexpected downtime. For WUD, it's anticipated that the implementation of the smart wellfield project will extend the life of the assets (pumps and wells), facilitate decision making for the operators, maximize water quality, and reduce energy usage. Key features of WUD's smart wellfield include: S Data capture and display of key performance indicators (KPIs) S Well and wellfield optimization models S Well/wellfield aquifer visualizer display


We present 2D hydrodynamic simulations of circumstellar disks around protostars using a `Piecewise Parabolic Method' (PPM) code. We include a point mass embedded within the disk and follow the migration of that point mass through the disk. Companions with masses $M_c\ga 0.5M_J$ can open a gap in the disk sufficient to halt rapid migration through the disk. Lower mass companions open gaps, but migration continues because sufficient disk mass remains close to the disk to exert large tidal torques. We find that the torques which dominate the migration of low mass planets originate within a radial region within 1-2 Hill radii of the planet's orbit radius, a distance smaller than the thickness of the disk. We conclude that a very high resolution 3D treatment will be required to adequately describe the planet's migration.


Conventional process flow and main work mechanism of alkaline cleaning process of Continual Annealing Line are generally reviewed in the paper,and the work flow of design is analysed including the lye,rinse water circuit,conductivity detection circuit,utility media supply circuit and other main working circuits.Meanwhile,the heat demand of the alkaline cleaning system,rinse water system and dryer device are also analysed.Lumped parameter method in the heat-transfer theory is adopted to calculate the heating time of unsteady heat transfer for strips in the on-line tank.And the reasons why brush roller is of inverse brush and rinsing nozzles are equipped at the inlet side are found.Types and working principles of iron removal and degreasing devices for alkaline cleaning system,which adopt new magnetic filtration and ultra filtration processes,are described.Besides,the bypass filtering method is used to calculate the processing capacity of magnetic filtration and ultra filtration devices.Finally,the related features of 3-Dimension software "PlantSpace" for designing a CAL in Baosteel are totally introduced,such as specification for piping,co-designing,pipe code and 3-Dimension design process.


A method to determine selenium in edible mushroom was developed using ultrasonic assisted water bath digestion followed by atomic fluorescence spectrometry(AFS).The optimum instrumental parameters were established using an orthogonal array design.Besides,the effects of digestion methods and digestion in the presence or absence of potassium ferricyanide on the results of AFS were investigated.AFS was used to determine the selenium contents of different edible mushrooms and the causes of selenium enrichment and the food safety were analyzed based on the results obtained.The limit of detection of the AFS method was 0.20 ng/mL.The sample pretreatment was more efficient and the results of AFS obtained using ultrasonic assisted water bath digestion showed no significant differences compared with wet digestion.AFS can provide a rapid and accurate to analyze selenium in edible mushroom.


This study examines whether Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees with more chronic conditions were more likely to disenroll when MA enrollment grew rapidly from 2009 to 2019.


Many efforts have been made in understanding the underlying origin of variability in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), but at present they could give still no conclusive answers. Since a deeper knowledge of variability will enable to understand better the accretion process onto supermassive black holes, here we present preliminary results of the first ensemble structure function analysis of the X-ray variability of samples of quasars with data from Swift and XMM-Newton archives. Moreover, it is known that UV and X-ray luminosities of quasars are correlated and recent studies quantified this relation across 5 orders of magnitude. In this context, we present here some preliminary results on the X-ray/UV ratio from simultaneous observations in UV and X-ray bands of a sample of quasars with data from XMM-Newton archive.


Optically active alcohols are important building blocks as versatile chiral synthons for asymmetric syntheses of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. The aim of this paper is to efficiently prepare chiral 2‐pentanol by means of microorganisms. The gene of dihydroxyacetone reductase (EC 188.8.131.52) from a methylotrophic yeast, Hansenula ofunaensis, was cloned and chiral 2‐pentanol was produced by the recombinant Escherichia coli harboring the gene. The gene encoding the enzyme was cloned from an H. ofunaensis genomic library. In the deduced amino acid sequence of 364 residues, the NAD(H) binding motif and the cysteine residues that correspond to the cysteine ligands in the zinc atom were conserved, as they are in alcohol dehydrogenases from other origins. Dihydroxyacetone reductase was similar to alcohol dehydrogenases of prokaryotes. For the production of chiral compounds, an E. coli HB101 strain was transformed. The H. ofunaensis gene product, dihydroxyacetone reductase, catalyzed the NAD+‐dependent oxidation of 2‐pentanol to 2‐pentanone as well as the corresponding reverse reactions, showing specificity towards the secondary alcohol in (R)‐configuration. From 100 mM 2‐pentanone, (R)‐2‐pentanol (98 mM, > 99.9 % enantiometric excess, e.e.) was obtained in a 30‐min reaction with resting cells of the E. coli HB101 strain harboring the expression plasmid, pSG‐HOD1, which possesses the genes of both dihydroxyacetone reductase and glucose dehydrogenase as an NADH reproducing system. The stereospecificity changed during the reduction, depending on the pH. E. coli HB101 was also transformed by the expression plasmid, pSE‐HOD4, in which the gene of glucose dehydrogenase was removed from pSG‐HOD1, and designated as E. coli HB101 (pSE‐HOD4). E. coli HB101 (pSE‐HOD4) oxidized only (R)‐2‐pentanol in 100 mM of the racemate (R:S = 52:48), and the reaction medium was enriched with (S)‐2‐pentanol (48 mM, 98 % e.e.) after 30 min of incubation. The reaction was sufficiently promoted without the other additives. E. coli transformants expressing the gene of this enzyme could be particularly advantageous to the production of optically active 2‐pentanol.


Drawing on a new database, this article presents the first systematic description and assessment of inward FDI into Denmark before World War II. A total of 168 cases were identified, with British, American and German firms dominating the overall picture as might be expected. The composition varies, however, over time and industries. The material shows that FDIs arrived in five distinct 'waves' each characterised by a lead nation and industry. The period under observation saw the transformation of an agricultural Denmark into an industrialised nation, which is reflected in the five waves, which were primarily directed towards 'new' industries. The article thus offers a link to Danish economic history in general. The material also enables a comparison with FDI into Norway and Sweden over the same period. For the purposes of allowing a discussion of the comparative aspect, FDI-related attitudes, legislation and policies are outlined. While Norway was an anti-FDI hardliner, Sweden took a softer stand and Denmark never abandoned its liberal attitudes. This new material allows us to conclude that, from an FDI perspective, the three nations were not one unit: Denmark broke the 'Scandinavian pattern'.


Abstract Phytochemical investigation of Croton crassifolius roots afforded five sesquiterpenes (1–5), including two new sesquiterpenes 6S-hydroxy-cyperenoic acid (1) and crassifterpenoid A (5), together with three known compounds (2–4). The structures of the new compounds were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic methods, and their absolute configurations were determined by quantum chemical ECD calculation. Crassifterpenoid A (5) is the first germacrane-type sesquiterpene isolated from C. crassifolius, which enriched the diversity of chemical constituents in Croton crassifolius. In addition, the cytotoxicities of all compounds against human liver cancer lines HepG2 and Hep3B were determined, but none showed significant activity.


The quantity and quality of lowbush cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) were studied on the Kenai National Moose Range, Alaska. Its frequency of occurrence and canopy coverage were highest in matu...


We develop a new dynamic scheme which continuously redistributes a fixed power budget among the wireless nodes participating in a multi-hop wireless connection, with the objective of minimizing the end-to-end wireless connection bit error rate (BER). We compare the efficacy of our scheme with two static schemes: one that distributes power uniformly, and one that distributes it proportionally to the square of inter-hop distances. In our experiments we observed that the dynamic allocation scheme achieved superior performance, reducing BER by using its ability to distribute the power budget. We quantified the sensitivity of this performance improvement to various environmental parameters, including power budget size, geographic distance, and the number of hops.


At present, Guangzhou homestay industry is facing a bottleneck. Therefore, it is particularly important to analyze the factors that influence the competitiveness of rural homestays in Guangzhou, determine the evaluation system of competitiveness, and determine the weight of each factor. Based on Porter's diamond theory, this paper analyzes and summarizes the influencing factors of homestay competitiveness, and divides the influencing factors into 5 primary factors and 34 secondary factors. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to determine the judgment matrix to form the weight results of each factor, and the results show that product characteristics account for the largest proportion among first level factors. Secondary factors such as theme creativity, personalized brand and the overall score account for a large proportion. The research results can act as a reference for the construction of competitiveness evaluation mechanism and model of local rural quality homestays.


Background: Surgical site infection is the commonest complication after gynecological surgeries. Limited studies have been done in India to know the magnitude of the problem. This study aims to know the incidence of surgical site infection, analyze the risk factors and identify the causative organisms.Methods: A prospective observational study .All women who underwent abdominal surgeries for benign pathologies in department of obstetrics and gynecology, Government medical college, Thrissur from April 2016 to March 2017, were included in the study women more than 80 years old, evidence of infection preoperative or within 48 hours of surgery, laparoscopy procedures unless combined with open surgeries and emergency surgeries were excluded.Results: The incidence of SSI was found to be 7.9%. Re suturing had to be done in 24 patients. The risk factors found to be significant were age more than 50 years ,patients with education <7th std, diabetes, BMI>30,pre hospital stay >10 days, ASA score >3, duration of surgery >2 hours and peri-operative blood transfusion. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common causative organism and was sensitive to amikacin, vancomycin, cloxacillin and its combinations.Conclusions: SSI pose a significant problem in the post operative period that can affect recovery. It was associated with multiple predisposing factors which could be prevented if these risk factors are identified early and appropriate measures are adopted to support host defense system in the peri operative time.


The temperature and pressure response within control volume of a pneumatic system with thermal consideration is presented in this paper. The non-linear modeling equations of temperature and pressure are derived in a systematic way based on realistic estimation of heat transfer to the system, energy equation, ideal gas law and compressibility of fluid. The pressure and temperature response is compared analytically with the adiabatic condition and found that the system responds differently with thermal consideration.


Interaction of CD40 and its ligand CD40L is essential for the activation of dendritic cells (DC) followed by the induction of antigen-specific T-cell responses. Recent studies have also indicated that ligation of CD40 on tumor cells directly modulate tumor cell growth. In this study we examined whether gene transfer of CD40L to DC could exhibit direct anti-tumor effect on CD40-expressing tumors. First, we constructed a modified adenoviral vector driving human CD40L gene with CA promoter/enhancer and incorporating the integrin-binding motif, RGD, in the H1 loop of the fiber knob (AxCAhCD40L-F/RGD). At the same multiplicity of infection, cell surface expression of human CD40L on DC after infection with AxCAhCD40L-F/RGD (CD40L-DC) was induced to express superior higher levels of T-cell costimulatory molecules (CD80, CD86, and CD54), DC maturation markers (CD25 and CD83), MHC molecules and the production of IL-12 than soluble CD40L or TNF-a treated DC. In addition to the phenotypic alternation of CD40L-DC, we found that cultivation of tumor cells (including lymphoma, leukemia, glioma, head and neck carcinoma) with CD40L-DC significantly inhibited the expression of phospho-AKT and tumor cell growth in vitro. Importantly, these tumor cells in transwell cocultured with CD40L-DC, but not with TNF-a-treated DC or immature DC, were significantly induced to express apoptosis-inducing death receptors such as TRAIL-R1, TRAIL-R2 and Fas. The ability of CD40L-DC to inhibit tumor-cell growth and TRAIL receptor induction could not be abrogated by neutralizing antibodies specific for CD40L, IFN-b, IFN-g, and IL-12, indicating that these factors were not involved. Additionally, natural killer cells cocultured with CD40L-DC displayed marked up-regulation of TRAIL on their cell surface. To confirm the biological function of TRAIL and its receptors, we assessed the cytotoxic activity of NK cells to various tumors that were stimulated with CD40L-DC. Tumor cells stimulated with CD40L-DC were susceptible to apoptosis by recombinant TRAIL protein and natural killer cells expressing TRAIL. Overall, these results reveal that CD40L-transfected DC could induce direct tumor cell growth arrest mediated by AKT pathway and susceptibility of apoptosis by TRAIL, indicating that CD40L-DC have potential therapeutic implications which we were currently exploring.


The voltage breakdown behavior of a number of different MESFET structures has been investigated using a two-dimensional numerical model. The site of the avalanche is found to be under the drain edge of the gate in recessed devices under all bias conditions, but moves towards the drain contact in planar structures when the channel is not pinched off. The dependence of the breakdown voltage on a variety of geometrical and physical variables has been studied. In particular the surface is shown to play an important part in determining the breakdown voltage.


A simple method of generating pseudo Fizeau fringes on large objects with deformations of the order of a few centimeters is described and demonstrated. A stereo pair of photographs of the object are placed one in each arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and are then imaged onto a common image plane. A knife edge placed in the back focal plane of the imaging lens deforms the straight line fringes of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer to provide relief information of the object. The functional form of the deformed fringes is shown to be equivalent to Fizeau fringes.


Background ; The gain-of-function JAK2 mutation, JAK2V617F, is the most common molecular abnormality in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and appears in patients with polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF). Ezh2 is a component of PRC2, catalyzing methylation of H3K27, and frequently mutated in MPN patients. Loss-of-function mutation of Ezh2 was reported as a poor prognostic marker in myelofibrosis patients. Many JAK2V617F-positive MPN patients harbor other mutations, but combination effects of JAK2V617F and Ezh2 mutation have not been analyzed.

Methods & Results ; To investigate the interaction between the two kinds of mutation in hematopoiesis, we studied transgenic mice with conditional expression of JAK2V617F, and inducible loss-of-function of Ezh2, both singly and in combination. Conditional expression of Cre was achieved using the SclCreER system with four weeks of tamoxifen injection, leading to excision of loxP-flanked alleles of Ezh2, and simultaneously induced expression of JAK2V617F, via the Flip-Flop recombination system (FF1). Mice with heterozygous deletion of Ezh2 showed no changes in peripheral blood, but homozygous deleted mice displayed slightly increased platelet counts compared to control mice. JAK2V617F-expressing (FF1) mice showed a typical PV phenotype, including erythrocytosis, thrombocytosis and neutrophilia. Mice expressing JAK2V617F with heterozygous deletion of Ezh2 (FF1;Ezh2+/-) also showed typical PV, but with more profound thrombocytosis and neutrophilia, and faster progression to fibrosis, than FF1 mice. Mice expressing JAK2V617F with homozygous deletion of Ezh2 (FF1;Ezh2-/-) had even shorter survival and showed more profound thrombocytosis and myelofibrosis than FF1;Ezh2+/- mice, but without erythrocytosis. These mice had dacryocytes and mobilized c-kit positive progenitor cells in peripheral blood. Bone marrow histology revealed mild fibrosis (grade: 1) in FF1 mice; more excessive fibrosis (grade: 1-2) in FF1;Ezh2+/- mice; and obvious fibrosis associated with collagen fiber formation and osteosclerosis (grade: 2) in FF1;Ezh2-/- mice. Cell compartment analysis in FF1 mice revealed expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and megakaryocyte progenitors (MegP) in bone marrow and spleen, while common myeloid progenitor (CMP), granulocyte monocyte progenitor (GMP) and megakaryocyte erythrocyte progenitor (MEP) were expanded principally in spleen. The expansion of HSCs and all progenitors were accelerated in FF1;Ezh2+/- mice and FF1;Ezh2-/- mice. Especially MegP and mature megakaryocytes were further expanded in FF1;Ezh2-/- mice compared to FF1;Ezh2+/-. To clearly estimate disease progression, transgenic bone marrow cells were transplanted to lethally irradiated recipient mice with WT competitor bone marrow cells and tamoxifen was administrated after transplantation. FF1 bone marrow cells clearly showed outcompeting potential to WT bone marrow cells. FF1;Ezh2+/- and FF1;Ezh2-/- bone marrow cells showed more stronger outcompeting potential than FF1 bone marrow cells. Finally, disease initiative potential was evaluated by limiting dilution transplantation. Total bone marrow cells, with heterozygous deletion of Ezh2 (Ezh2+/-), or expressing JAK2V617F (FF1), or the combination of the two mutations were transplanted (following Cre induction and recombination) to lethally irradiated recipient mice, mixed with competitor cells (control or Ezh2+/- bone marrow cells were transplanted by 1:100 dilution and FF1 or FF1;Ezh2+/- bone marrow cells were transplanted by 1:250 dilution against WT competitor cells). Bone marrow cells with Ezh2+/- showed higher reconstitution capacity than control (35% vs 10%; Ezh2+/- vs control) without MPN phenotype. Bone marrow cells with FF1;Ezh2+/- showed stronger reconstitution capacity (39% vs 15%; FF1;Ezh2+/- vs FF1), and greater disease initiative potential (50% vs 33%; FF1;Ezh2+/-vs FF1) than FF1.

Summary ; We clarified that loss-of-function of Ezh2 accelerated JAK2V617F-induced MPNs. Especially JAK2V617F with Ezh2 homozygous loss-of-function induced excessive megakaryopoiesis and resulted in PMF. JAK2V617F with heterozygous deletion of Ezh2 synergistically enhanced bone marrow reconstitution and disease initiative potential.

Disclosures Skoda: Novartis: Consultancy; Sanofi: Consultancy.


An experimental method to produce an intense fast beam of H(3s) atoms is described. H(3s) atoms are formed in a two-step process, first laser excitation of a beam of H(2s) atoms is achieved in an electric field where transitions occur between Stark states; in the second step, the atoms travel to a zero-field region and the Stark states formed evolve adiabatically to non-perturbed atomic states. By adjusting the laser frequency, 2s-3s excitation can be achieved. A neutral hydrogen beam with 2.7% of the atoms in the 3s state has been produced at an energy of 3 keV with 400 mW laser power.


A 48-year-old man with a history of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia presented to the emergency department with nausea and diffuse abdominal pain. He had ingested a large number of stones in a suicide attempt. Radiographic findings at admission revealed innumerable foreign bodies throughout the stomach and right colon, without evidence of obstruction or perforation (Figure 1). The patient was hospitalized for serial abdominal examinations, and x-rays were performed. Repeat imaging 2 days after admission revealed innumerous stones throughout the colon with only few remaining in the stomach (Figure 2). His abdominal examination remained benign, and he denied pain. On day 8, x-ray showed 3 retained stones in the stomach; the rest had passed spontaneously. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed revealing 2 round stones each measuring 3 cm in diameter within the antrum (Figure 3). Initial attempts to extract the stones using a retrieval net were unsuccessful because of significant resistance at the lower esophageal sphincter. A 50-cm gastric overtube was then inserted into the stomach allowing for scope reinsertion and grasping of the stone by the retrieval net. The scopewaswithdrawn to the lumenof the overtube, and the retrieval net–held stonewas pulled tightly to the tip of the overtube (Figure 4). Finally, the scope, overtube, and retrieval net were withdrawn through the mouth as 1 unit. This process was repeated for the second stone. The third stone passed spontaneously, and no surgical intervention was required.


Objective To investigate the status of independent living ability of the community-dwelling elderly aged 65years or older, and to clarify its risk factors with the purpose to provide evidence for coping with the aging problems. Methods Random cluster sampling was performed. 1,969 people aged 65 years or older and without cognitive defect in Shenyang City were interviewed. Results The prevalence of independent living ability was 51.7% among the elderly. Logistic analysis showed that the ability to go out alone to distant places, chronic disease, watching TV, having a walk, nutrition balance, sleeping quality, marital status and smoking had significant influence on the independent living ability of the elderly. Conclusions The independent living ability of the elderly aged 65 years or olderin Shenyang City is low. Its main risk factors are the mobility,health status, social participation and behavioral factors.


In this brief Essay, I respond to Professor Jonathan Masur's Yale Law Journal article "Patent Inflation." Professor Masur's argument rests on the assumption that U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("PTO") behavior is determined almost entirely by a desire to avoid reversal by the Federal Circuit. Although the PTO is certainly a weak agency over which the Federal Circuit has considerable power, Masur overestimates the extent to which high-level PTO administrators are concerned about Federal Circuit reversals and underestimates institutional influences that are likely to operate in a deflationary direction. The PTO is influenced not only by the Federal Circuit but also by executive branch actors, industry players, and workload concerns that can push in a deflationary direction.


The present invention relates to a communication device transport block transmitted in the multi-antenna MIMO mode, receiving method and communication device. The method comprising: obtaining a process intended transport block transmitted in parallel, thereby constituting a combination of the process; the process according to the composition, progress indicator set; wherein a binding relation between the process number given transport block transmitted in parallel ; the progress indicator to the communication device receives. Embodiments of the invention use a limited information bits in a transport block transmission to refer to compositions and process ID, for indicating the effective control of each process number signaling load.


The field of bilingual first language acquisition has focused on several important and interrelated issues: whether or not the young child acquiring two languages simultaneously differentiates his or her two languages from the onset of acquisition, what role the input plays in the acquisition of two languages, and whether the path of acquisition is similar to that of monolingual peers (see De Houwer, 1990). As a member of the DUFDE team, Natascha Müller has in previous work argued forcefully and convincingly for the bilingual child's separate development of his or her two languages, and hence how language-acquiring bilinguals behave like monolinguals. In her keynote article, Müller invokes the notion of transfer, a well-known term from research into second language acquisition, and proposes to consider transfer from the perspective of the input to which the young bilingual child is exposed. When this input is ambiguous, so that is there is variation in the input regarding one of the languages, the child will resort to transfer from the other language as a so-called relief strategy. In the following, I address the issue of cross-linguistic influence in language development and highlight the implications Müller's proposals may have for the field of bilingual first language acquisition. In conclusion I will relate these issues to the complexity of the notion of input in early bilingualism.


This thesis considers the idea of freedom in education. It attempts to show how prevalent conceptions of education – for example, in progressive child-centred education and in the idea of a liberal education – take on the question of freedom as something that the human being has, a property that human beings have in varying degrees. Freedom is then understood as something that is realised (or frustrated) in one way or another through their education – whether, for example, by allowing children freedom from the start or by restricting their freedom so that they can be initiated into worthwhile pursuits and forms of knowledge. To consider freedom at this level is not only legitimate but desirable up to a point. Freedom is an issue for education. But to confine thinking to these matters is to miss something more fundamental and ultimately more important about freedom. This has to do with the ways that freedom is a precondition for human being: it is freedom that allows human beings to be. This is so because things, for human beings, are understood not just as meaningless objects but in terms of their possibilities. To think of possibility involves a freeing of thought or, otherwise put, a thought that frees. Martin Heidegger provides a uniquely powerful way to this insight, and this thesis is therefore concerned to explore his thought in this respect. As has been seen, this is not just to do with human beings, for on this line of thought, freedom is also a condition for the world to be as world: the idea of world is inseparable from an idea of possibility. Freedom allows human beings to be and things to come into their own nature. Hence, there is a reciprocal relation between human beings and world, and it is the freedom inherent though sometimes latent in thought that allows things to come into presence. This thesis suggests ways of stepping forward from the current discussion of freedom. Within mainstream exploration and analysis of freedom, especially in Anglophone contexts, discussion is typically framed in terms of the contrasting ideas of freedom-from and freedom-to, in the light of which we can then speak of the freedom 'of' a person. Freedom in the sense explored in this thesis, however, is not to best understood in these ways. I am concerned instead with freedom as a phenomenon, which appears in education 'as' something. In a critical reading of Martin Heidegger and Jean-Luc Nancy, the idea of freedom in educational practice and theory is discussed in terms of five themes: as movement, as possibility, as a leap, as language, and as thinking. In the light of such a phenomenology, education comes to be seen as a practice (or set of practices) in which the play of freedom reveals and conceals. In this way, the nature of education is considered as freedom in action, through which the human being is defined, refined, and renewed. It follows that any understanding of education that is blind to this freeing of thought is likely to fall short: for such a freeing of thought should be crucial to teaching and understanding in a subject and to the way the newcomer comes into the world.


A diagram showing the ratios of circuit constants for the five possible modes of operation of a series tunnel diode circuit is given. A tunnel diode crystal calibrator with a relatively flat output in the h.f. band is described, and circuit details of a 100 kc/s or 1000 kc/s calibrator are given.


Letter from Jos F. Kempner to Mrs. Harris Kempner discussing resolutions, condolences, and sympathy from the Island City Savings Bank of her husband passing away, which the Island City Savings Bank her husband was president for many years.


A young group of Milky stork Mycteria cinerea, a threatened species listed on CITES Appendix I, was acquired by chance by Zoo Negara in 1987 and a captive-breeding and reintroduction project attempted. Two pairs nested and laid eggs in their third year, earlier than expected, and one pair hatched two clutches, both of two chicks. The colony nested successfully in 1990 when some of the earlier clutches were taken for artificial incubation. Among the problems which have been overcome were loss of chicks through incorrect feeding, the collapse of the nest tree, weakening of pair bonds, possibly because of egg manipulation to encourage double clutching, and severe storm damage to the aviary with the total loss of eight storks. Six birds joined the Zoo's free-flying colony of Painted storks Myrteria leucocephala. confirming the Zoo's expectation that released birds would remain near to their release site. and 21 storks were recovered. The Zoo is confident that the original reintroduction plan is feasible if the proposed release site can be secured and sufficient finance found to construct breeding/release cages on site.


Along with the developing of telecommunication technology and prevailing of the Internet,multicast routing with excellent performance becomes more and more important nowadays.The notable multicast routing problem named Steiner tree problem is an NP-complete problem and should be solved by heuristic methods.In this paper,a parallel evolution model is introduced into general quantum genetic algorithm,and a new algorithm is proposed to solve multicast routing optimization problem with multiple QoS constraints.This new algorithm can search out minimum cost multicast tree satisfying bandwidth,delay-constraints while correctly arranging nodes' loads and decreasing communication spending.The simulation results show that this new algorithm has fast search speed and finer global search capacity.Its performance and efficiency is better than general quantum genetic algorithm.


Obective To explore the ways of activating and increasing the production of skeletal muscle satellite cells.Methods Heart toxin was injected into rat gastrocnemius muscle.The skeletal muscle were processed and the number of satellite cells counted the same day,and 1,2,3,4,and 5 days after the injection.Immunofluorescence technique was used to detect the purity of the cells.Results By incontinuous density Percol gradient centrifugation technique,the purity of processed cells reached 80%.The cells were activated gradually after injection.The numbers of the cells 3 or 4 days after injection were significantly higher than the other time-point groups(F=5.540,q=4.576-5.829,P0.05).Conclusion A certain degree of injury to skeletal muscle can stimulate proliferation of skeletal muscle satellite cells.


Interferons protect from virus infections by inducing hundreds of interferon-stimulated genes (ISG) which orchestrate anti-viral adaptive and innate immunity. Upon viral infection or type I interferon (IFN) stimulation of cell lines, a histone modification, monoubiquitinated histone 2B (H2Bub1), increases at ISG loci, raising the possibility that a specific chromatin state can broadly stimulate IFN immunity in vivo. Here we show that, in the absence of virus infection or elevated interferon levels, mice lacking the relevant deubiquitinase, Usp22, in immune cells have elevated H2Bub1 levels. Hypermonoubiquitinated H2B is physically associated with dozens of ISG loci, and expression of large numbers of ISG is upregulated. This epigenetic state promotes intracellular and systemic immune phenotypes akin to adaptive and innate interferon immunity, and thereby identifies Usp22 as a negative regulator of interferon immunity.


BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis is an inflammatory disease with worldwide prevalence of 10-40%. Clinically, the condition manifests as nasal itching (pruritus), sneezing, rhinorrhea, congestion and itchy eyes. The second generation antihistamines are commonly used either as nasal sprays (azelastine) or orally (levocetirizine). Studies have demonstrated equal efficacy of azelastine and levocetirizine, but the data on Indian population is lacking. Hence, we designed this study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of azelastine in comparison to levocetirizine in patients with allergic rhinitis.


The purpose of this study was to design and implementation of database for school health activity. This database system was designed stand-alone application for college school health center without a hospital affiliation and the database system was made of relational database management system, Microsoft access 2000 to be made GUI (Graphic user interface) type design and made up 7 tables: patients. symptoms. departments, income and outgo. medical cures. and medicine. The construction of this database system was patient management. code management. medicine management. and statistics management. The results of the database system were as follows; 1) This database system could be used for college school health center. 2) This database system could be made correct statistic data. 3) This database system could be managed income and outgo. 4) This database system could be changed for the better activity of community health service. 5) This database system could be simply attired administrative system. This database system will be used for students and employees to protect and promote health to measure for health level and quality of health service. In conclusion. this database system can be applied for unit health center to manage the college school health activity and advanced data management can be applied for health profession to do quality improvement. cost containment. management information system. and decision support system.


Abstract Water-distilled essential oil from the aerial parts of Senecio farfarifolius Boiss. et Kotschy, endemic in Turkey, was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Eighty-seven components were characterized representing 95% of the compounds with α-pinene (48.3%) and 1,8-cineole (10.3%) as major constituents.


A study investigated to what extent average middle school students were able to perceive the social issues embedded in literature by Dr. Seuss. Seventy-four seventh-grade students responded to five Dr. Seuss stories in free-writing exercises, response worksheets, and question worksheets. Results showed that the majority of students (approximately 85%) discovered the major issues in the five stories: "The $neetches "; "The Lorax"; "The Butter Battle Book"; "Horton Hears a Who"; and "The Cat in the Hat." Some students were able to delve more deeply into the social aspects depicted, but most at least recognized the social implications of each story, and related both personal and general ideas, showing that response was not only of a self-centered nature. (One figure of data is included; and three appendixes, containing the worksheet on reader-response and the worksheet on story questions, are attached.) (Contains 53 references.,) (SR) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.


»Wer ist im Winter verantwortlich? Verkehrsunfälle, der Kampf gegen gefährliches Wetter und die Rolle des Rechts in der Risikogeschichte«. This paper analyses the role of law in modern risk debates. Inspired by concepts of historical anthropology, it proposes to put more effort into the historical analysis of law and legal debates in order to understand long-term change in the history of everyday life. The paper takes the discussions on the establishment of a winter service in Germany in the first decades of the twentieth century as an example for this, and demonstrates how legal experts reflected changed perceptions of both nature and related everyday risks and gave them a practical legal meaning by integrating them into existing and widely accepted legal concepts. By doing so, the legal discourse on hazardous weather conditions added significantly to the paradigm shift towards a greater role of the state in the mitigation of everyday risks. As in other debates on everyday risks, law functioned as a hinge between risk perception and risk management.


Scenarios of human-computer interaction help us to understand and to create computer systems and applications as artifacts of human activity of human activity as things to learn from, as tools to use in ones work, as media for interacting with other people. Scenario-based design offers significant and unique leverage on some of the most characteristic and vexing challenges of design work:
Scenarios evoke reflection in the content of design work, helping developers coordinate design action and reflection. Scenarios are at once concrete and flexible, helping developers manage the fluidity of design situations. Scenarios afford multiple views of an interaction, diverse kinds and amounts of detailing, helping developers manage the many consequences entailed by any given design move. Scenarios can also be abstracted and categorized, helping designers to recognize, capture, and reuse generalizations, and to address the challenge that technical knowledge often lags the needs of technical design. Finally, scenarios promote work-oriented communication among stakeholders, helping to make design activities more accessible to the great variety of expertise that can contribute to design, and addressing the challenge that external constraints, designers, and clients often distract attention from the needs and concerns of the people who will use the technology.
John M. Carroll is Professor of Computer Science, Education, and Psychology, and Director of the Center for Human-Computer Interaction all at Virginia Tech. He has written more than 250 technical papers, more than 20 conference plenary addresses, and 12 books, including Scenario-based design: Envisioning work and technology in system development (Wiley, 1995), Design rationale: Concepts, methods and techniques (Erlbaum, 1996, with T.P. Moran), Minimalism beyond The Nurnberg Funnel (MIT Press, 1998), and Making use: Scenario-based design of human-computer interactions (MIT Press, 2000).
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Computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed to predict the interference drag produced by two streamlined struts intersecting at various angles in transonic flow because no relevant experimental data are available for use in design studies. The one-equation Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model was employed in a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes formulation assuming fully turbulent flow. Selected cases were run using the two-equation k-ω shear stress transport turbulence model for comparison. NACA 64A series airfoils with thickness ratios of 5 and 7.5% were studied at Mach 0.8 and 0.85 for intersection angles between 45 and 90 deg at an altitude of 12.2 km (chord-based Reynolds numbers of approximately 5 million). The commercial computational fluid dynamics code FLUENT was used for the analysis. To better understand the flow behavior, contours of surface pressure and velocity near the interaction region were examined. It is observed that the flowfield is disturbed due to shock-induced separation only near the interaction region. There is little effect on viscous drag due to the strut-strut interaction, but changes in the pressure drag result in net interference drag. It is noted that there is an unexpected rise in the interference drag when the struts intersects at 90 deg due to significant shock-induced flow separation on both sides of the intersecting strut, whereas smaller intersection angles show flow separation only on the side with the acute angle. A response surface for the interference drag coefficient as a function of Mach number, thickness ratio, and intersection angle was generated using the numerical simulations for use in the Multidisciplinary Design Optimization studies where efficient means of estimating the interference drag are needed.


Concentric tube robots (CTR) and notched wrists are two technologies that have been investigated for medical applications. CTRs consist of pre-curved super-elastic tubes that are nested concentrically, and are linearly translated and axially rotated with respect to one another for movement. Separately, notched wrists are tubular instruments that can achieve large bending angles via notches that are cut into the tube and shortening actua- tion cables that run along their length. These two robotic tools have been investigated independently, but very few studies have explored combining them [1], [2]. This paper compares the workspace and dexterity of a three-tube CTR with two hybrid CTR and notch-cut wrist systems in simulation. These metrics are key in measuring the performance of robots, and particularly so for surgical robots. To perform complicated surgical tasks, it is critical to increase the number of spatial points that the robot can reach, and the number of obtainable orientations at these points.


In November 2017, the Victorian Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Act was passed enabling people with a progressive terminal illness to end their life voluntarily. Heated debate abounded including, to some extent within palliative care, which was also challenged with developing processes around the legislation enactment.


Construction of tunnels in soft sedimentary rocks and colluvium derived from them can pose problems that are not normally encountered in hard rocks or soils (Prebble, 1977). This was illustrated recently during investigations for the construction of a new 1.3 km, 6 m diameter tunnel at Poro-o-tarao for the North Island Main Trunk Railway. The tunnel replaces an adjacent existing bricklined structure built in the late 19th century which had become increasingly unreliable due to deterioration of the lining (Webley, 1970). The various investigations undertaken are reviewed, and the effects on construction of the geomechanical characteristics of the materials encountered are described.


Wildlife Society Bulletin 2004, 32(2):588–593 Peer edited Self-filling wildlife watering devices, originally named "gallinaceous guzzlers," were developed in California during the early 1940s to promote desert populations of quail (Glading 1943). A guzzler functions by collecting seasonal precipitation into a water storage tank equipped with an access point that allows wildlife to drink stored water during dry periods. Many types of guzzlers now exist, and guzzler installation to provide water for birds and mammals has become a prominent wildlife management action throughout the arid American West (Rosenstock et al. 1999). Given the substantial human and material investment in guzzler installation, it is important to ask, how do target species use guzzlers? Little published research has addressed use of guzzlers by New World quail (Odontophoridae) or other wildlife,and we have a poor understanding of how guzzlers influence wildlife populations (Campbell 1960, Broyles 1995, Rosenstock et al. 1999, Broyles and Cutler 2001a). Data addressing how wildlife use guzzlers would be helpful at several levels. It is desirable to know the results of the substantial investment in guzzlers to judge whether continued investment is merited (Campbell 1960, Rosenstock et al. 1999, Broyles and Cutler 2001b). Also, some have questioned the benefit of guzzlers to the species they are intended to aid (Campbell 1960, Connelly and Doughty 1988, Burkett and Thompson 1994, Broyles 1995) or conjectured that guzzler installation may be detrimental by aiding expansion of undesired species such as competitors or predators of the species intended to be helped (Broyles 1995). These are important management issues. Measuring how target species use guzzlers is a valuable first step in addressing these issues objectively. Additionally, by measuring how individual animals use guzzlers, we can begin to understand behavioral mechanisms underlying population responses to the presence of guzzlers. We measured guzzler use by mountain quail (Oreortyx pictus) in the Mojave Desert. Our objective was to assess how individual mountain quail use individual guzzlers over time rather than simply to survey presence or absence of mountain quail at guzzlers. Specifically, we tested whether individual mountain quail persistently used a single guzzler within an array of guzzlers or individuals moved among multiple guzzlers. Serial use of multiple guzzlers would indicate that individual quail have knowledge of >1 water source and that a single guzzler likely is not an essential source of water. Persistent use of a single guzzler,on the other hand, would suggest the potential for dependence on that water source and magnify the importance of a single guzzler to the local population, particularly if individuals restrict their movements to remain close to the water source.


The crayfish claw opener (abductor) muscle was used to investigate the dynamics of calcium entry into excitor nerve terminal boutons during presynaptic inhibition and its effects on the kinetics of muscle contraction. I measured the force of contraction of the whole muscle in conjudction with intracellular recording from individual muscle fibers while stimulating the excitor axon either alone or in conjunction with the inhibitor axon. The amplitudes of postsynaptic excitatory junction potentials were greatly reduced during inhibition to a point below the threshold to initiate contraction. Upon cessation of inhibition their amplitude increased, initiating contraction more quickly. This can be explained by a buildup and maintenance of presynaptic facilitation in excitor motor terminals during inhibition. Co-activation of the inhibitor axon caused reductions in calcium entry into presynaptic excitor terminal boutons (range 0 to 50 %, mean * SEM = 20 * 1 %, n = 122 terminals), and reductions in the amplitude of postsynaptic excitatory junction potentials (range 30 to 70 %, mean * SEM = 5 1 * 2 %, n = 27 cells). Neurotransmitter release was related to calcium entry by the third power. Presynaptic inhibition likely reduces the number of calcium channels that are activated by an action potential rather than the flux of calcium per channel. Thus, my data suggests significant co-operativity between calcium channel micro-domains to initiate vesicle fusion and release. Analysis of the anatomical relationship between excitor and inhibitor terminal boutons revealed 6 % greater inhibition to excitor boutons on branches off the main varicose structure. Excitor and inhibitor axons travel approximately in parallel with each other. However, the amount of inhibition at a bouton was not correlated with the distance of an excitor bouton from either an inhibitor bouton or the main branch. Bath application of GABA increased the level of inhibition from proximal to distal terminal boutons on a branch. This was not observed for inhibition delivered with electrical stimulation of the inhibitor axon. I propose a model where presynaptic inhibition causes local shunting of an actively propagated action potential, which then recovers outside the shunted region.


Goal models help stakeholders understand project scenarios and make decisions. In prior work, we used Tropos evaluation semantics to allow for automated analysis over time; however, formal evaluation labels (e.g., (F,⊥)) are difficult for users to interpret across a large model. In this paper, we present our work towards understanding the extent to which using colors in goal modeling affects users' ability to make decisions. Specifically, we are interested in studying if coloring intentions with evaluation information allows for better comparisons of initial states and simulations of future paths. To address this question, we developed a color visualization extension to BloomingLeaf, a goal model analysis tool, where the color of each node is changed based on either the initial evaluations or the resulting analysis over time. This then allows us to explore if and how color visualization assists the user with decision making. We present our implementation and initial evaluation of this extension.


The hydropneumatic tensioner used for the connection of deepwater platform and top tension risers(TTRs) was studied based on the hull/mooring/riser coupled analysis program developed in ABAQUS.The present study focused on the challenges for the tensioner numerical simulation,and proposed a nonlinear tensioner model considering the nonlinear stiffness,friction and the connection of platform,tensioner and TTR.The tensioner is simplified as a linear model,and the predicted responses are compared with that of nonlinear model,from which the effect of nonlinearity on the risers and platform is obtained,which would contribute to more accurate predicted ultimate strength and fatigue life.


The necessity about the creativity training has been elucidated the systematic method about the creativity training has been introduced too.


Self-evaluation is defined as learners judging the quality of their work, based on evidence and certain criteria, for the purpose of improvement. Self-evaluation consists of reassessment, and ensuring follow through of all required duties. The goal of selfevaluation is adaptation of learning techniques to foster improvement, accomplished through self-monitoring. Self-evaluation involves reflecting on an action. Self-assessment is the process of introspection focused on assessing aspects that comprise one's identity. Self-assessment profoundly impacts resident and student performance through enhanced self-efficacy and self-motivation. The following analysis focuses on research and practice related to medical student and resident self-evaluation. Although self-assessment and selfevaluation are mainstays of the medical profession, there is evidence suggesting that physicians have a limited ability to self-assess and self-evaluate. Professional development and competency evaluations focus on external assessment. Improving techniques for selfassessment and self-evaluation will improve performance when assessed externally. Therefore, medical students and medical residents need to learn to self-assess and selfevaluate in order to perform well when assessed externally. The aspects of self-rating, selfaudit and self-administered examination of knowledge or clinical performance need to be better studied and explored. Review Article British Journal of Education, Society & Behavioural Science, 4(1): 1-9, 2014 2


The invention relates to a fermentation reactor, particularly an anaerobic fermentation reactor for combined use. The invention aims to solve the problems of low gas generation rate, incapability of satisfying high-efficiency recovery of heat energy, incomplete digestion, and demands for adding later processing in the existing reactor which is used independently. The inner cavity of an inner layer cylindrical barrel is a primary anaerobic cavity; the cavity between the inner layer cylindrical barrel and an outer layer cylindrical barrel is a secondary anaerobic cavity; a first heating tube is built in the wall of the inner layer cylindrical barrel; a second heating tube is built in the wall of the outer layer cylindrical barrel; a baffle, a plurality of first deflector plates and a plurality of second deflector plates are evenly distributed along the circumference of the secondary anaerobic cavity; both ends of the baffle are respectively connected with the inner layer cylindrical barrel and the outer layer cylindrical barrel; a slit is left between each first deflector plate and the inner wall of the outer layer cylindrical barrel; a slit is left between each second deflector plate and the outer wall of the inner layer cylindrical barrel; two overflow valves are respectively positioned on both sides of the baffle; and one end of an acid adjustment tube is arranged in the primary anaerobic cavity, and the other end is communicated to the outside of the outer layer cylindrical barrel. The invention is used for anaerobic fermentation in large-size marsh gas engineering.


On January 23, 1976, UC Santa Cruz's second chancellor, Mark N. Christensen, resigned from office. He had served the campus from July 1974 to January 1976. This second of two oral history volumes devoted to the Christensen era, is comprised of two interviews with Professor George Von der Muhll. The first was conducted by former Regional History Project director Randall Jarrell in 1976; the second by current Project director Irene Reti in 2014. Both set Christensen's resignation within the broader context of a tumultuous and transitional moment in the campus's history and Von der Muhll's incisive reflections on UC Santa Cruz as a "noble experiment" in public higher education. George Von der Muhll is now an emeritus professor of politics at UCSC. He arrived at UC Santa Cruz in 1969, affiliated with College Five (Porter College), where he was acting provost at the time of the interview conducted by Randall Jarrell in 1976. Von der Muhll earned a BA from Oberlin College; MSc from the London School of Economics, and a PhD from Harvard University. He retired in 1994. Von der Muhll shares his thoughts, not only on the Christensen administration, but also on the reaggregation and reorganization programs of the late 1970s, in which he played a central role. He also contemplates UC Santa Cruz as an experiment in public higher education, from the perspective of fifty years after the campus was founded.


Ways of practical implementation of matrix radiometric systems (multibeam antennas and multichannel radiometric receivers), located onboard of various purpose aircrafts, intended for creation of images of ground-based objects have been substantiated. It is shown that formation of two-dimensional images for a short exposure time is possible both owing to application of the matrix radiometric information sensors, as well as on the basis of multi-channel radiometric sensors with the channels multiplexing according to the form of signals using the Walsh function.


Measurements of characteristic masses for Ag, Cd, Cr, Ga, Ge and In have been made over broad temperature intervals. The experimental results show that the values of m0 have appeared to be better than 10% -15% when the analytes are atomized in temperature intervals studied. Influences of atomization temperatures on the ratio m0[cmlc.]/m0[exp.] were studied when the analytes were e-vaporated from the wall, using the platform and the V-shaped boat techniques. For Ag and Cd the ratio m0[calc.]m0[exp.] does not change significantly in the temperature intervals studied. However, for the remaining four elements (Cr, Ga, Ge, In) the ratio m0[calc]/m0[exp] varies with temperature. The ratio m0[calc]m0[exp] of In or Ge was increased obviously in the presence of matrix modifier.


CoCr-layers have been DC-magnetron sputtered onto Polyimide web in a 2 side sputter roll coater for 1.2 m web width. Magnetic as well as crystallographic properties have been investigated as function of the deposition parameters: layer thickness, coating drum temperature, background pressure and angle of incidence. First measurements of electro-magnetic properties also have been made. The influence of different protective layers on the lifetime of a CoCr floppy disk has been checked in first experiments.


The spread of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has substantial social, health, and economic impacts. High viral load in the air in hospitals poses a risk to medical personnel. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a new technology based on the emission in the air of reactive species, neutral particles, UV radiation, and electromagnetic field. CAP has the potential as an antiviral agent. In this study, an 80-day clinical trial took place at Nicosia General Hospital to evaluate the application of CAP devices for lowering the viral load in the COVID rooms. A total of 284 indoor environment samples were tested by RT-PCR, for which 9 were positive (~3% Positive Rate). After analyzing the initial results, an ion emitter was paired with each patient, and the results showed that the method could eliminate the virus from the COVID wards up to 100%. The number of patients discharged from the hospital in the ionizer group was 4.8% higher than in the non-ionizer group, and 45% fewer patients in the ionizer group who remained in the rooms required oxygen support. The clinical trial shows evidence that composite CAP can decrease coronavirus spread in hospital environments and potentially prevent virus transmission.


Irradiated nuclear graphite waste may account for up to 30% of any future UK geological ILW disposal facility (NDA, 2002). In order to make informed decisions of how best to dispose of large volumes of irradiated graphite waste within the UK nuclear programme, it is necessary to understand the nature and migration of isotopes present within the graphite and ultimately how these short and long term isotopes may behave prior to and during disposal. Various proposed decontamination and immobilisation treatments, within the EU Euroatom FP7 CARBOWASTE programme have been explored (von Lensa, 2008; von Lensa et al., 2011). Experiments have been carried out on UK irradiated graphite waste to investigate the removal of isotopic content prior to long term storage and to assess the long term leachability of isotopes. Several leaching conditions have been developed in order to remove 3H and 14C from the irradiated graphite. Leach results obtained from this analysis and differences observed under varying leaching conditions are discussed. Thermal analysis of the samples pre- and post-leaching has been performed to quantify the 14C and 3H inventory. Finally, the suitability of the developed chemical treatments before disposal is discussed.


Maltitol stearic acid ester was synthesized by condensation of maltitol with stearoyl chloride in the presence of the catalyst and with acetic acid as solvent. Effects of catalyst and solvent amounts, reaction temperature and time, and molar ratio of stearoyl chloride to maltitol were assayed. The optimum conditions of the synthesis are determined.


The paper aims at discussing the growing importance of dignity discourse in human rights case law, in particular in recent constitutional and supreme courts cases on controversial rights. Starting from same-sex marriage rulings (as illustrative of a more general trend) the paper argues that dignity cannot be considered a mere "rhetorical tool" of courts, useful to tilt the balance in favour of one of the conflicting rights.  On the contrary, dignity - with its wide and flexible meaning - marks the transition of new (or newly recognized) groups to social inclusion and provides a convenient language to mediate among conflicting claims of recognition without relying on more traditional equality arguments.


All living organisms, including humans, show rhythmic changes in physiological, biochemical, and behavioral parameters. These changes can help optimize energy use, prioritizing certain body functions at certain times of the day and saving energy at other times. Circadian rhythm with about 24-hour cycle controls various functions of human beings. The central and peripheral circadian clocks regulate the circadian rhythm in response to environmental signals such as sunlight, food, and body activity. Circadian variations have also been observed in many various diseases such as hypertension, coronary arterial diseases, bronchial asthma, epilepsy, mood disorders, and cancer [1]. Chronotherapeutic strategies to optimize the timing of therapeutic intervention is being developed in medical field and have been implemented in various circadian diseases. However, high cost of clinical trials incorporating chronopharmacological approaches and the absence of a reliable circadian biomarker to guide chronotherapeutics are important limitations in this area. Serum/salivary levels of melatonin and cortisol and core body temperature (CBT) rhythms have been considered as circadian biomarkers controlled by the master circadian clock located in hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei [2,3]. Circadian rhythm in human being is commonly assessed by repeatedly measuring the CBT, the circadian profile in serum/salivary cortisol concentration during the day, or by measuring the dim-light melatonin-onset (DLMO). However, these can be invasive or impractical due to the complexity of the process and because they cannot be easily measured in everyday life. Therefore, development of a simple and reliable method for measuring circadian rhythm is needed. PERSPECTIVE eISSN 2635-9162 / https://chronobiologyinmedicine.org Chronobiol Med 2020;2(4):135-136 / https://doi.org/10.33069/cim.2020.0029 CIM