A follow-up study to the author's original 2017 study on the impact of Latinx student involvement was performed to understand reasons for Latinx community, civic, and artistic involvement.  In the original investigation, Latinx college student organization members were interviewed to reflect on the impact of their college involvement 20 years after college graduation.  Latinx college student organizations were described as providing skills for personal, career and educational advancement, as well as motivation for community advocacy. This follow up study provides findings using participants from the original to explain reasons for community involvement and how Latinx college student organizations instilled motivation for such activity.  Recommendations are provided for further investigations on these groups and their long-term effects.


Copyright © 2018 by Journal of Korean Academy of Oral Health This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate effective predictive factors of the persistence of unmet dental care needs. Methods: Data were obtained from the Korea Health Panel studies of 2011 and 2015, and 4,406 subjects, aged 18 years or older, were included in this study. Of these subjects, those who persistently experienced unmet dental care needs over the three-year period were identified. Panel logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify socio-demographic and health-related factors associated with the persistence of unmet dental care needs in two groups, those aged between 18-64 years and over 65 years. Results: Approximately 12% of subjects showed a persistence in unmet dental care needs. Marital status, education level, household income, type of health insurance, and self-rated health status all significantly correlated with the persistence of unmet dental care needs in both age groups. Conclusions: Efforts should be made to identify factors related to the persistence of unmet dental care needs in order to improve patient accessibility to dental care services.


Introduction: Basal glucose control in diabetes type 2 is commonly maintained by a single, once-daily administration of insulin through subcutaneous injection. Insulin icodec, a novel ultralong-acting lipidated analog validates the concept of a once-weekly basal injection that is less burdensome, yet equally safe and efficacious as conventional once-daily treatment 1.Aim: The aim of the study is to introduce once-weekly injected insulin therapy and compare it with conventional basal insulin therapy in diabetes type 2 patients.Results: The results from phase II trials suggest that switching from an existing basal insulin to icodec, with or without a loading dose, provides effective glycemic control with comparable risk of hypoglycemia.In one of the studies TIR improved from baseline (mean: A 57.0%; B 55.2%; C 51.0%; IGlar U100 55.3%) through weeks 15 and 16 (estimated mean: A 76.6%; B 83.0%; C 80.9%; IGlar U100, 75.9%). No unexpected side effects were observed. It was reassuring that not a single episode of severe hypoglycemia (level 3) was reported for any treatment group throughout the trial duration and that the time spent below range (<3.9 mmol/L [<54 mg/dL]) during weeks 15 and 16 was well below the 4% target recommended by the International Consensus on Time in Range across all treatment groups 2.Conclusion: In conclusion,insulin icodec, a new acylated basal insulin analog, has been developed with optimized modifications to provide a long half-life suitable for weekly insulin dosing. In a patient population with type 2 diabetes receiving daily basal insulin therapy, switching to once-weekly icodec resulted in effective glycemic control without a transient elevation of fasting glucose levels during the switch and without increasing the risk of clinically relevant hypoglycemia compared with IGlar U100 2.Key words: Icodec, insulin, diabetes type 2


Energy-savvy auto-combustion synthesis was used to form the porous BaLi_2Ti_6O_14 titanate anode. It registered the lowest calcination temperature (800 °C) along with the shortest calcination duration (2 h). Rietveld analysis confirmed the purity of the orthorhombic (s.g. Cmca ) product phase. The bond valence site energy analysis indicated a 1D ionic conduction along c axis with low activation energy and 2D pathways along (010) with high activation energy. AC conductivity analysis revealed a bulk conductivity of 2.41 × 10^−4 S/cm (at 300 °C) with a moderate activation energy barrier (0.68 eV). From cyclic voltammetry, the Li^+ diffusion coefficient was calculated to be 10^−11–10^−12 cm^2/s. The as-synthesized BaLi_2Ti_6O_14 reversibly intercalated ∼1.3 Li^+ involving a 1.42 V Ti^4+/Ti^3+ redox activity delivering capacity ∼100 mA h/g with good cyclability over 100 cycles. Furthermore, BaLi_2Ti_6O_14 was found to reversibly intercalate ∼0.89 Na^+. With suitable diffusional and electrochemical performance, BaLi_2Ti_6O_14 form a safe titanate anode for secondary batteries.


Science education for early childhood education has received considerable attention from many researchers. Even though the new Indonesian early childhood curriculum does not provide specific curriculum objectives for science lesson, the science has been integrated in the curriculum through 'pendekatan saintifik' (scientific approach). There are not many journal articles which covered this topic. Several journals mentioned the importance of this approach, some other journals tried to find best model for implementing the approach. However, very few journals discussed deeply about the implementation of that approach. Therefore, this research paper will discuss the findings of scientific approach in three early childhood schools. The descriptive qualitative approach was used in the research.. The results show that the time allocation, the number of objects provided, and teachers' questions are three important factors which affect the quality of scientific approach implementation.


Derek Hanekom, South Africa's minister of tourism since May 2014, is committed to harnessing the potential of tourism to transform the lives of people, and to achieving positive transformation in the sector.


Cross sections for production of electrons and positive ions by proton impact on water vapor have been measured from 7\char21{}4000 keV by the transverse-field method.


Abstract Home education, in particular Confucian home education, has been increasing steadily in China over the past decades. However, research relating to home-schooling families has largely been ignored. In particular, the literature grounded in empirical study and focusing on the development of Confucian home education is negligible in the educational context of China. This study places a focus on the influence of Confucian culture and beliefs on the development of home education in China, which is now attracting scholarly interest and public attention. It provides in-depth information regarding the status of Confucian home education, the motivation to undertake Confucian home education, teaching content, teaching methods and its outcomes. It is found that Confucian values and beliefs fit well with the model of home education in China in terms of the relationship between family, education, moral development and society.


Premature newborns specially with low weight are at a high risk of suffering subglotic stenosis; owing to the small size of the airway, immaturity of the res...


Untreated or inadequately treated pain is one of the greatest medical problem in our society. severe or moderate pain in half of all hospital ized patients and in older people has significantly increased for long period of time. Even though our society has tools to treat most pain effectively, many people continue to suffer severe pain. Failure to treat pain adequately and effectively occurs because pain isa complex, subjective, perceptual pnenomenon or experience with a number of dimensions- intensity, quality, time course, impact, and personal meaning- that are uniquely experienced by each individual. Therefore, there is no way to objectivel y quantify pain so the treatment need to be individualized. in this fi el d, the population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodinamic (pk/pd) modeli ing approach could be an excellent tool. Having taken all this in account, the main objective of this study was to control the severe or moderate pain with an opioid of level II. One of greatest problems due to the multiterapy needed in the treatment of chronic Pain and that must to be faced when working with opioids treatment, is the hepatic dysfunction. Opioids most commonly used in the treatment of pain (for example: morphine and tramadol), share a common characteristic,.the metabolite is the compound responsable of the antinociception effect. in this sense, a model which incorporates a li ver compartment, could be very useful to described drug and metabolite concentrations in cases where a liver dysfunction exist. Thus, dose adjustment could be improved with this model in special populations with alterations of the potential in metabolic hepatic function: (i) patient with hepatic level metastasis and/or (ii) limit age sectors (newborn and elderly people).


Perhaps the most frequent questions about Taiwan asked by non-specialists are those concerning the relationship of "native" Taiwanese to those of recent mainland origin. Are Taiwanese and Mainlanders one "people," or two? How similar or different are their attitudes on a multitude of matters, especially political matters? Do they associate with one another very much socially? And how do Taiwanese fare economically and socially as compared with the Mainlanders on Taiwan?


To improve the electroluminescence (EL) intensity of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) p-i-n thin-film light-emitting diode (TFLED), a barrier-layer (BL) structure had been inserted at its p-i interface and used to enhance the hole injection efficiency of TFLED under forward-bias operation. Two TFLEDs with different BL structures were studied. The device I had a 25 Å i-type single-barrier structure and the device II had an i-type double-barrier structure of barrier(10 Å)/well(10 Å)/barrier(10 Å). The obtainable brightness of device I was 342 cd/m2 at an injection current density of 600 mA/cm2. On the other hand, the device II had a brightness of 256 cd/m2 at 800 mA/cm2. These brightnesses were about 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of a basic a-SiC:H p-i-n TFLED.


In this paper, we achieved excellent variation control, endurance enhancement, and leakage reduction in zirconium (Zr)-doped hafnium oxide (Hf1–xZrxO2) based ferroelectric films by the germination ...


Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a species with high economic importance because of the production of natural sweeteners with a low caloric value. The seed production of this species is irregular and micropropagation techniques raise the cost of seedling production. Thus, this study aimed to optimize the vegetative propagation of a Brazilian accession of this species through stem cuttings. The plant material was collected from one-year-old mature plants. Two experiments were carried out to determine the best indolebutyric acid (IBA) concentration to improve rooting and to evaluate the interaction between the stem cutting position (apical, medium and basal) and substrates (Tropstrato HT®, vermiculite, and vermiculite/Tropstrato HT® mixture). The rooting of the stem cuttings was affected by the IBA concentrations. The application of 710 mg L -1 was recommended for higher rooting percentages. The stem cuttings from the apical branch region had higher rooting percentages than the medium and basal areas (means of 70, 45.8 and 7.5%, respectively). Similar results were observed for the root numbers, root lengths and root fresh and dry mass. The substrate Tropstrato HT® promoted higher rooting percentages and lower mortality than vermiculite.


Several organizations in the government and industry are actively developing IR emitter array nonuniformity correction (NUC) algorithms. While significant effort has been expended and progress has been made, there are no standard and comprehensive metrics for describing post NUC emitter nonuniformity. Subsequently, the nonuniformity data reported by one organization may not be comparable with data from another. Further, the sigma/mean uniformity values typically reported do not shed light on fixed pattern noise such as row and column offsets. As a result, NUC reporting often does not give a customer adequate insight into the value of emitter nonuniformity correction. This paper offers standard metrics for measuring and reporting IR emitter array nonuniformity. The metrics established here allow data from one measuring organization to be directly compared with that of another. Further, more practical aspects of nonuniformity correction are addressed which shed light on issues such as fixed pattern noise (FPN), emission gradients and other undesirable artifacts. Data analysis techniques described in this paper demonstrate the new metrics and their descriptive role in the NUC process. The NUC parameters established here characterize the ability of IR emitter arrays to accurately represent terrestrial scenes as well as hot objects and gases. This paper also explores areas in the emitter dynamic range that provide special challenges for generating a NUC table and their influence in the selection of nonuniformity correction radiance levels.


In order to "improve the overall quality of students,optimize of teaching results,achieve teaching objectives",the method and mode of teaching have been reformed and practiced with the courses of the geology of tourist scenery.The inspiration,guidance,interactive teaching methods have been adopted,and the practice of teaching activities have been enriched,the examination methods have been reformed.Then the students love learning the courses and understand the knowledge.The teaching method is based multimedia technology and supplemented by teaching writing on the blackboard,simultaneity,playing video and teach by network.These teaching modes inspire the students are interested in learning,and train students in the rich imagination and strong aesthetic ability,improve the students with the quality of scientific and humanistic quality.


Indonesia is the 9th largest pineapple producer in the world with a production of 1.39 million tons per year. this makes the pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) waste available abundantly in Indonesia. Palf waste has not been widely used in Indonesia. palf is usually used as fabric for textiles or yarn to be used as clothes and as handicrafts. palf has excellent mechanical properties and is environmentally friendly. in this study palf is used as a material for construction. Adding fiber to the concrete mixture is one way to minimize cracks in the concrete. This study aims to increase the compressive strength, tensile strength of concrete and utilize palf potential as construction material. This study compares the compressive strength and tensile strength of normal concrete against compressive strength and tensile strength of concrete with the addition of pineapple fiber with variations of 0%, 0.5 %, 1%, 1.5% to the weight of cement. The specimen used was a cylinder with a diameter of 15cm and a height of 30cm. The test is carried out on specimens with the age of 28 days. Experimental results show that inclusion of Palf improves the split tensile strength and compressive strenghth of concrete.


We provide the analytic waveform in time domain for the scattering of two Kerr black holes at leading order in the post-Minkowskian expansion and up to fourth order in both spins. The result is obtained by the generalization of the KMOC formalism to radiative observables, combined with the analytic continuation of the five-point scattering amplitude to complex kinematics. We use analyticity arguments to express the waveform directly in terms of the three-point coupling of the graviton to the spinning particles and the gravitational Compton amplitudes, completely bypassing the need to compute and integrate the five-point amplitude. In particular, this allows to easily include higher-order spin contributions for any spinning compact body. Finally, in the spinless case we find a new compact and gauge-invariant representation of the Kovacs-Thorne waveform.


2021 Objectives: The18F-FDG uptake of brain tumors measured by standardized uptake values (SUV) or FDG influx constant (Ki) might be similar to that of normal white or gray matter, and thereby the clinical interpretation for 18F-FDG PET in brain tumors is still challenging. The purpose of this study was to develop time-varying kinetic model parameters (K1-k4) to reflect the initial behavior of tracer transport activity post tracer injection, aiming to obtain a distinctly different quantity associated with FDG metabolism between radiation necrosis and viable tumor in dynamic FDG PET imaging.
Methods: A 27-minute dynamic FDG PET scan of 5 patient's brain was initiated in a list-mode format followed by the administration of ~10 mCi of FDG injection intravenously over a 20 second period, using the Siemens Biograph mCT (PET/CT) scanner. A 10-minute static image was also acquired immediately after the dynamic scan. An MR scan of the same patient was performed a day prior to the dynamic PET scan. The list-mode PET images were reconstructed into 32-time frames using an OSEM iterative algorithm. Referring to the MRI and static PET scan image, time activity curves (TAC) of the carotid arteries and the suspicious brain region were generated respectively by drawing regions of interest (ROI) on the dynamic FDG PET images. Parametric equations of the blood and tumor tissue TACs with SP and PV corrections in a 3-compartment tracer kinetic model were formulated[1]. Instead of being a single value, each of the kinetic rate parameters K1-K3 has been extended as Kx_up, Kx_dwon and Kx_end (x = 1, 2, 3). When performing the Multiply-Accumulate (MAC) operation of the 3-compartmental model parametric equation, the original K1 was replaced by K1_up, K1_down and K1_end in the equation at frame bins when the blood TAC was rising post tracer injection, falling from TAC peak and the following late time respectively, as illustrated in Figure A. Likewise, K2 and K3 were treated in the same manner. As the de-phosphorylation rate of glucose is insignificant, the k4 was not modified. The time-variant kinetic model parameters were estimated by a Matlab software routine using an improved artificial immune algorithm [2]. The computed quantity K1_up, denoting the rate K1 value during the time period prior to the blood TACs peak, was chosen to distinguish treatment necrosis from viable tumors. The standardized uptake value (SUV), as well as FDG influx constant Ki (ml/min/g) computed by a normal 3-compartment kinetic model, were also obtained in order to make a comparison.
 Results: The time-variant kinetic model yielded excellent curve fitting between images derived TACs and model derived TACs, as shown in Figure B. The average K1_up values of radiation necrosis and viable tumor were computed to be 0.039±0.0107 (1/min) and 0.243±0.0437 (1/min) respectively. The mean K1_up of a viable tumor was approximately 6 times bigger than that of necrosis. The mean rates of FDG uptake Ki of radiation necrosis and viable tumor were 0.024±0.0038 (ml/min/g) and 0.039±0.008 (ml/min/g), roughly with 1.6 times difference between the two kinds. The mean SUV values of radiation necrosis and viable tumors were 4.915±0.8132 (g/ml) and 6.982±2.7947 (g/ml). The latter value was roughly 1.4 times of the prior one.
 Conclusions: The time-variant kinetic model parameters of dynamic FDG PET imaging was able to differentiate the radiation necrosis from the viable tumor with significant quantity difference. The time-variant parameters could be used to study the tracer transport rate over time in various brain tumors. Our finding suggested a sensitive metabolic evaluation approach to work with MR for brain tumor management.


In ancient Egypt, annals were more diverse as a genre of royal inscriptions than has mostly been appreciated. Discoveries since 1980 have almost doubled the amount of available material and broadened its range considerably. Two basic types are known: 'central' royal annals with often diverse content; and temple annals that recorded royal donations to particular institutions. 'Commemorative scarabs' of Amenhotep III may also belong with annals. Annal inscriptions related to underlying records, kept on papyrus or leather, in various ways; the source documents were probably not unitary in type or in content. The genre of annals may have been the most ancient and prestigious of royal inscription types. Although not discursive in form, annals display a strong sense of history and ideology. Their content may have been disseminated far beyond the restricted contexts in which surviving examples were set up.


This research analyzes the relationship between pre-仕ade 1 Corresponding au也or: Depa的nent of Finance, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, E-mail:email@example.com. The research is 臼nded by the National Science Council of the R.O.C., Taiwan. (Project Nurnber: NSC 98-24 1O-H-214 -018). 80 The Relationship between Pre-trade Transparency, Order 1mbalance and lnvestors ' Behavioral Biases transparency, order imbalance and investors ' behavioral biases. The impact of increasing pre-甘ade 仕ansparency on the varied order behavior is determined for three different types of investors: indívídual ínvestors, domestíc and foreígn ínstitutíonal ínvestors. The empírical results show that the intraday pattem of order imbalance for individual investors exhibits an inverse U-pattem, while that for institutional investors displays a quasi W -pattem and the several peak poínts of the W-p甜em move forward in a more 仕ansparent market. Additionally, the measure of herding for individual investors increases as market transparency increases and the current order imbalance of individual investors is significant1y negatívely affected by the previous order imbalance of foreígn ínstitutional investors. As foreign traders produce a larger order ímbalance, índividual ínvestors begín to pay attention. Foreign traders also seem to be more vigorous and confident in a more transparent market. However, they also 甘Y to conceal their real motive by using order splitting s仕ategies to avoid information leaks fast according to the in仕aday pa位em of order imbalance and 仕ading activity.


We have studied the linear dispersion relation for Langmuir waves in plasmas of very high density, based on the Dirac–Heisenberg–Wigner formalism. The vacuum contribution to the physical observables leads to ultraviolet divergences, which are removed by a charge renormalization. The remaining vacuum contribution is small and is in agreement with previously derived expressions for the time-dependent vacuum polarization. The main new feature of the theory is a damping mechanism similar to Landau damping, but where the plasmon energy gives rise to creation of electron–positron pairs. The dependence of the damping rate (pair-creation rate) on the wavenumber, temperature, and density is analyzed. Finally, the analytical results of linearized theory are compared with numerical solutions.


OBJECTIVE To prepare doxorubicin(DOX) loaded self-aggregated nanoparticles based on cholesterol-modified glycol chitosan conjugate(CHGC)and study its pharmacokinetics in rats.METHODS DOX was physically entrapped into the CHGC nanoparticles by a dialysis method.The characteristics of DOX-loaded CHGC(DCN) nanoparticles were analyzed using dynamic light scattering(DLS)and atomic force microscope(AFM).The stability of DCN nanoparticles was investigated at 37 ℃ in phosphate buffered(PBS) at pH 7.4.The release of DOX from the DCN nanoparticles was studied in vitro by a dialysis method in PBS(pH 5.5,6.5 and 7.4).The concentration of DOX in rats plasma was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC).RESULTS The DCN nanoparticles were almost spherical in shape.Their size and Zeta potential were increased with the increase of DOX-loading content.The in vitro release behavior of DOX from the DCN nanoparticles was pH-dependent.DOX release from the low drug-loading nanoparticles was also much faster than drug release from higher drug-loading nanoparticales.In rat pharmacokinetic study,the AUC(0-∞)of DCN-10 was 5.84 times as the value of DOX(P 0.01).Moreover,MRT0-∞of DCN-10 was increased by 20.90 times than that of DOX(P 0.01).CONCLUSION CHGC nanoparticles could be used as a drug carrier.The drug release from the DCN nanoparticles was in sustained and pH-dependent manner.Moreover,DCN delayed release compared with free DOX.These results showed that DCN could improve the bioavailability of DOX significantly.Therefore,CHGC has a good prospect of application in drug delivery system for cancer therapy.


Abstract : The focus of this research is on the prediction of inadvertent ignition and detonation of condensed-phase, energetic materials. Specifically, the work focuses on hot spot formation in high-energy propellants and explosives. A viscoplastic pore collapse model is developed to analyze the potential for hot spot formation in porous, condensed-phase, energetic materials. This model treats the dynamics and thermodynamics of a collapsing spherical void that has been subjected to weak shock loading. An volume-averaged energy balance is used to track temporal variations of the pore gas temperature, and a finite-difference method is used to solve the complete condensed-phase energy equation in the vicinity of a material discontinuity. Results from sample calculations focus on the interfacial energy balance in predicting the rate of localized temperature increase during shock compression.


Purpose: Tax is an important stream of revenue for government's development projects. However, tax compliance among SMEs is poor. Therefore, this study was conducted using SMEs in Lusaka, Zambia to evaluate and rank the factors that encourage non-compliance with tax obligation by SMEs. Methodology : The data analysis was done with the help of the statistical package for service solution (SPSS) and this hypothesis was tested with Microsoft Office Excel 2007 using the one sample z-test computed from the figures obtained in the summary statistics table. Findings: It was found that high tax rates and complex filing procedures are the most crucial factors causing non-compliance of SMEs. Other factors like multiple taxation and lack of proper enlightenment affect tax compliance among the SMEs interviewed only to a lesser extent. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: It is recommended that SMEs should be levied lower percentage of taxes to allow enough funds for business development and better chances of survival in a competitive market. The government should also consider increasing tax incentives such as exemptions and tax holidays as these will not only encourage voluntary compliance but also attract investors who are potential viable tax payers in the future.


T HE American rural police system is derived from England. Our sheriffs of the counties, as well as our constables of the townships, boroughs, and villages, all bear a striking resemblance to their English prototypes as the latter existed when the first local governments were being set up in America. In the face of increasing evidence of failure, the system still continues. The reasons for this persistence of outworn police agencies lie deep in the history of the nation. The founders of our federal union had a lively suspicion of centralized governmental power, particularly when exercised from a great distance. Out of this feeling of distrust there has come down to us a carefully balanced constitutional scheme which reserves to the several states the bulk of governmental power, and confers upon the federal government only such powers as are necessary to its existence. The same influences which have produced this scheme of federal-state relations have operated to develop a somewhat similar relationship between the state governments and those of the local communities. The state in fact is the keystone of our entire governmental structure ; for while the federal government is in a limited sense the creature of the states, the local units, such as cities, counties, towns, and villages, are also created by the states as convenient instrumentalities for the exercise of a wide range of governmental functions. With few exceptions, all of this machinery for local administration might be wiped out without undue formality were it not for the fact that distrust of centralized governing power still continues to exercise


Constructing the new socialist countryside is a long-term and complexly-hard mission in the process of the modernization of China. It is the key of making decisions and countermeasures to recognize in a angle the actual solution to the issue of "Three Publics". The thesis put forth several suggestions for constructing the new public service system in rural areas.


Abstract This study aimed to improve the acid resistance effect of Lactobacillus plantarum through microencapsulation with enzymatic hydrolysate of soybean protein isolate (EHSPI) and modified phospholipid. Response surface methodology was adopted to establish the optimal microencapsulation technology of L. plantarum, while coating characters were evaluated. Through response surface methodology, the optimal conditions were obtained as follows based on microencapsulation efficiency: the ratio of bacteria/EHSPI 1:1.83, EHSPI content 4.01%, modified phospholipid content 11.41%. The results of digestion in vitro showed that after passing through the simulated gastric fluid (SGF), the L. plantarum was released and reached 3.55 × 108 CFU/mL in the simulated intestinal fluid. Meanwhile, the surviving bacteria number of control significantly decreased to 2.63 × 104 CFU/mL (P < 0.05) at 120 min in SGF. In sum, the acid resistance and survival of L. plantarum were improved in SGF in vitro, through the microencapsulation technology based on EHSPI.


In this day and age of widespread Internet access, more and more aspects of the economy are becoming dependent on various aspects of network technologies. Cybercrimes are on the rise and massive numbers of network security breaches occur every year. This paper presents network data collected in the Netflow format and its application to detect network attacks. The paper proposes a refined, real-world dataset collected from an academic network. The dataset is a direct result from the experience gained by working on and with the SIMARGL2021 dataset. The applicability of the new dataset is demonstrated on several machine learning algorithms. This novel dataset is open-sourced for researchers to download and use in scientific work.


China has experienced a rapid boom in real estate prices in the last few decades, leading toa substantial increase in living costs and heavy financial burdens on households. Usingan instrumental variable approach, this paper exploits spatial and temporal variation inhousing price appreciation linked to individual-level health data in China from 2000 to 2011.We find robust evidence that increases in housing prices significantly raise the probability ofresidents having chronic diseases. This negative health impact is more pronounced amongindividuals from low-income families, households that purchased rather than inheritedor was allocated the home, and those who migrated from rural to urban areas. We alsofind evidence that marriage market competition exacerbates these negative health effects,particularly for males and parents with young adult sons. Further empirical results suggestthat housing price appreciation induces negative health consequences through increasedwork intensity, higher mental stress, and reduced sleep time. This paper provides a novelexplanation to the increased prevalence of chronic diseases in China.


The literature on the theological or spiritual dimension of pastoral counseling supervision is as varied as the theories and theologies that inform it. The rich variety includes an "intersubjective" perspective inspired by liberation theology's "throwing off the shackles of objectivity"1 in God-talk and God-walk and an attachment-theory-based "incarnational theology," that sees the supervisory process as enabling supervisees to "discover the divine 'Secure Base.'"2 At the other end of the spectrum, is "Word of God" theology, employed as an interpretive resource for supervisees of experiences of therapeutic change.3 In this paper, I propose that pastoral counseling supervision or "spiritually integrated psychotherapy" supervision,4 facilitates a process in which the supervisee finds her or his own voice as a spiritually integrated psycho-


We analyze how the financial crisis affected a wide range of investments in Indonesian children and children's outcomes including school enrollment, immunizations, and mortality. Our dataset is the National Socio-Economic Survey (Susenas), a large nationally representative sample. We build on past research by differentiating outcomes for boys and for girls, and by separating regions heavily affected by the financial crisis from others that were relatively unhurt. Along most dimensions, children were well protected. Contrary to some theory and press reports, girls did not fare worse than boys during the crisis.


There are many phenomenon causing signal loss on transmission through the earth's atmosphere. These are (1)Atmospheric absorption(gaseous effects) (2) Cloud attenuation(aerosol & ice particle effects) (3)Tropospheric scintilation(refractive effects) (4)Faraday rotation(An ionosperic effect) (5) Ionospheric scintilation(A 2nd ionosperic effect) (6)Rain attenuation (7)Rain & ice crystal depolarisatin Signal loss(attenuation) affects all radio systems.Frequncy bands experience signal degradation caused by depolarisation. Depolarisation is the conversion of energy from wanted (co-polarised) channel into the unwanted (cross-polarised) channel. Under ideal conditions,depolarisation will not occur.When depolarisation occur it can cause co-channel interference & crosstalk between dual –polarised satellite links. Rain is the primary cause of depolarisation. Both attenuation & polarisation come from interactions between the propagating electromagnetic waves & atmospheric effects at that time. Non-hydrometric effects Atmospheric absorption At MW freq. EM waves interact with molecules in the atmospere to cause signal attenuation. At certain freq. resonant absorption occurs & severe attenuation results. Cloud attenuation Calculation of cloud attenuation is difficult as clouds are of many types & can exist at many levels,each type having a different probability of occurance.The water droplet concentrations in each cloud will also vary & clouds made up of ice crystals cause attenuation.The lower the elevation angle ,the higher the cloud attenuation. Tropospheric scintillation & low angle fading The atmosphere close to the ground is called as the boundary layer.Solar radiation causes the earth surface warm so as the boundary layer.When a signal encounters a turbulent atmosphere the rapid variation in the refractive index along the path leads to fluctuations in the received signal level which are called as scintillations.The magnitude of the scintillations becomes larger as the freq. increases,path elevation angle reduces & the climate becomes more warmer & humid. When the elevation angle falls below 10 degree ,a 2 nd propagation effect occurs called as low


Chronic breathlessness [1] causes immense suffering in cardiorespiratory diseases. The functional impact of activity-related breathlessness, measured on the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale [2], is highly prognostic, informs disease evaluation and management, including in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [3], and is widely used for determining eligibility in clinical trials. Chronic activity-related breathlessness often assessed on the mMRC scale has low agreement between clinicians and patients. Self-ratings are important when available and improved objective assessment methods are emerging and should be used. http://bit.ly/314wkVS


We make use of new near- and mid-IR photometry of the Pleiades cluster in order to help identify proposed cluster members. We also use the new photometry with previously published photometry to define the single-star main-sequence locus at the age of the Pleiades in a variety of color-magnitude planes. The new near- and mid-IR photometry extend effectively 2 mag deeper than the 2MASS All-Sky Point Source catalog, and hence allow us to select a new set of candidate very low-mass and substellar mass members of the Pleiades in the central square degree of the cluster. We identify 42 new candidate members fainter than Ks = 14 (corresponding to 0.1 M☉). These candidate members should eventually allow a better estimate of the cluster mass function to be made down to of order 0.04 M☉. We also use new IRAC data, in particular the images obtained at 8 μm, in order to comment briefly on interstellar dust in and near the Pleiades. We confirm, as expected, that—with one exception—a sample of low-mass stars recently identified as having 24 μm excesses due to debris disks do not have significant excesses at IRAC wavelengths. However, evidence is also presented that several of the Pleiades high-mass stars are found to be impacting with local condensations of the molecular cloud that is passing through the Pleiades at the current epoch.


The fundamental plane (FP) has an intrinsic scatter that cannot be explained purely by observational errors. Using the recently available age estimates for nearby early-type galaxies, we show that a galaxy's position relative to the FP depends on its age. In particular, the mean FP corresponds to elliptical galaxies with an age of ~10 Gyr. Younger galaxies are systematically brighter, with a higher surface brightness relative to the mean relation. Old elliptical galaxies form an "upper envelope" to the FP. For our sample of mostly noncluster galaxies, age can account for almost half of the scatter in the B-band FP. Distance determinations based on the FP may have a systematic bias, if the mean age of the sample varies with redshift. We also show that fundamental plane residuals, B-V colors, and Mg2 line strength are consistent with an ageing central burst superposed on an old stellar population. This reinforces the view that these age estimates are tracing the last major episode of star formation induced by a gaseous merger event. We briefly discuss the empirical "evolutionary tracks" of merger remnants and young elliptical galaxies in terms of their key observational parameters.


An aspect of the construction of ecological civilization which can't be neglected is to realize ecological transformation of scientific and technological values within the framework of industrial civilization,that is to say,understanding and evaluation of scientific and technological values should to lead by the idea of human and the natural unification.The implementation of the ecological transformation of scientific and technological values,rely on five aspects:The first is to reflect on and correct the value system of science and technology;the second is to promote the construction of "people-oriented" system;the third is to build the ecological culture of human and the nature harmonious;the fourth is to strengthen the value guidance of scientific and technological policy;the fifth is to conduct propaganda and education on the scientific and technological values.


Contrast‐induced nephropathy (CIN) post‐percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a major cause of acute kidney injury. In this study, we established a comprehensive risk score model to assess risk of CIN after PCI procedure, which could be easily used in a clinical environment.


There are few reports in literature about the selectivity of postemergence application of herbicides for the control of eudicotyledon weeds (broadleaf) in chickpea. For this reason, the aim of this study was to investigate the selectivity of diphenyl-ether herbicides in chickpea influenced by the herbicides and application rates. A field experiment was conducted from February to June 2017 in Urutaí, state of Goiás, Brazil. Cultivar BRS Aleppo was used in the experiment. The experiment was set up in a randomized block design with 2 × 3 + 1 factorial arrangement and three replications. The first factor was herbicides (fomesafen and lactofen) with the second factor being herbicide rate (50, 75, and 100% of referenced rate) plus an untreated check as a comparison. The applied rates of herbicides were 250 and 180 g ⋅ ha–1 of fomesafen and lactofen, respectively. The selectivity of herbicides was evaluated according to agronomic characteristics (plant population, height, dry matter, number of pods per plant and 100-grain weight) and yields. Both herbicides, regardless of dosage, were selective in chickpea cultivation, even exhibiting leaf necrosis symptoms with visible injuries below 20% with no effect on yield.


Oriental freshwater prawn Macrobrachium nipponense is natively distributed in China,Japan,Vietnam and the Far East Region of Russia,etc.In China,it is widely found in the mostly freshwaters,and at the same time it is also the most important commercial species which is popular with the peoples for its nutrition and delicious tastes.In the past and especially before 1950,people directly caught the natural individuals of M.nipponense for use.And since the late 1950s the species has been be artificially cultured gradually.During 1980s-1990s,the culture of the species started developing rapidly for its advantage of widely adaptability and excellent resistance to the environmental stress,as the yields of seawater shrimps declining sharply as a result of the outbreak and spread of its epidemic diseases.But in recent ten years,the natural resources and the germplasm of M.nipponense began to decline because of the heavy fishing of the nature resources,degeneration of living environment and shortage of efficient genetic breeding.In order to maintain the sustainable utilization of the species,we reviewed the research progress on germplasm exploitation and protection of the species in this paper,mainly from their morphology,yielding capabilities,genetics and breeding.And we also put forward the protective strategies of the germplasm resources.All of these were in order to offer the basic information for the deep research and protection of germplasm resources,and even for the scientific breeding of the species.


It is presently observed the growing number of companies that are choosing the information technology (IT) services outsourced as a way to meet the challenges brought by the companies' business areas, in terms of cost and quality of IT services delivery. This article aims to discuss the matters involving the contracting and management of outsourced IT services (IT outsourcing). To meet the stated aim, a qualitative and exploratory research, based on multiple case studies, covering Brazilian companies, was performed. The data analysis has indicated that companies are not sufficiently empowered for building consistent and strong relationships with third party service providers, although these companies are aware the choice of outsourcing is not just about selecting and contracting a vendor, but it also involves a decision which requires monitoring and adaptation to the organizational structure and how the remaining IT should operate. As a contribution arising from the analysis and obtained results, it is proposed an evaluation model for ICT outsourced services based on project management best practices. Full Paper PDF: http://www.contecsi.fea.usp.br/envio/11contecsi-files/papers/724/submission/director/724-2449-1-DR.pdf


From a purely epidemiological perspective the transmission of HN from a mother to her child (MTCT) is irrelevant, as most infected children die before being able to transmit the virus further. MTCT is therefore effectively a dead-end for transmission. Of course as public health practitioners this does not concern us, as we are charged with protecting the health of all, and the lives of children are especiaUy valued. Over the past decade, a wide range of studies in developed and developing countries have demonstrated MTCT of HIV, and that it occurs in between 20% and 40% of HN-infected pregnant woman, depending on setting.' The risk factors for and timing of transmission have been defined, and more recently effective interventions have been developed. In 1994 the landmark ACTG 076 trial done in the USA and France' showed that a lengthy, complex and expensive regimen of zidovudine (ZDV) given through pregnancy, in labour and to the newborn reduced MTCT of HN by 67% in women who did not breast-feed. Widespread implementation of this regimen in the USA' and other countries including France' has led to a marked reduction in the incidence of paediatric AIDS a public health triumph. In March of this year the results of the first trial of a shorter course of ZDV, designed to test the efficacy of a regimen that might be implementable in parts of the developing world, were reported.; A 4-week course of ZDV giyen orally in late pregnancy and in labour to women in Thailand who did not breast-feed showed that MTCT was reduced by 51 % (95% confidence interval 15 71%). We were both invited to participate in a meeting called by the Joint United ations Programme on HN/ AIDS AIDS) to consider how these results should be used to plan for programme implementation


Objective To learn about the incidence and epidemiological characteristics of breast cancer in parts of China by a survey of women's breast health. Methods Multi-stage stratified randomized cluster sampling of the cross-sectional study was applied in collecting data of women aged 25 to 70 in Shandong, Hebei, Jiangsu and Tianjin province. All subjects included in the investigation attended face-toface interviews and clinical breast examinations. Results 122 058 females aged 25-70 years old in three provinces and Tianjin metropolitan were included. 320 (58 incident cases) breast cancer cases were documented in this investigation, that is 262.2/105 in prevalence. There was a higher breast cancer prevalence in subjects aged 45 to 54 and aged 55 to 64 within one year. The standardized detection rate of 54.2/105 in rural areas was higher than urban areas' 45.3/105. Conclusion Carring out the screening of female breast cancer and popularizing the knowledge of breast cancer prevention consistently, which could improve the detected rate of breast cancer.

Key words:
Breast neoplasms;  Epidemiology;  Mass screening


Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is expected to improve the detection of early-stage breast cancers, which uses projection data from a limited range of angles. Because of the limited size of the detector panel, the detectors cannot receive all X-rays at some large projection angles, which causes truncated projection artifacts (TPA) at the edges of the image. In this study, we use image post-processing to find artifact areas and correct high gradient artifacts. The simulation data, phantom and a selected patient case verified that our algorithm can remove TPA and restore objects that obscured by TPA. Our algorithm can be used under any reconstruction algorithm without increasing the computation time of the reconstruction algorithm. This is beneficial for radiologists to make better judgments on DBT images.


Polymersilicate concrete is used for structures of industrial buildings in many industries, where production processes form an acidic wet- gas operating environment. The lightweight polymer silicate shungizite concrete, proposed by the author for external walls, can also be attributed to these materials. The polymersilicate composition is based on the components of schungite and schungizite. The composition also included liquid glass, sodium silicofluoride and furyl alcohol. These ingredients are usually adopted for polymersilicate concrete. Previously, the author carried out the research of physical and mechanical properties of the composition. The components based on schungite and schungizite were chosen because of their high acid resistance. The issue of the corrosion resistance of reinforcement in light polymer-silicate concrete has not been studied enough. This article presents the results of investigations of the corrosion resistance of steel reinforcement in polymer silicate shungizit concrete. The investigations were carried out in an airy environment of high humidity and in solutions of sulfuric acid of various concentrations. After the established time limits for corrosion testing, the corrosion of reinforcement in samples was not observed. Such a result was obtained due to the dense structure of the material and high acid resistance of the constituent components on the basis of schungite and shungizite. There is no need for additional protection of the concrete surface to prevent corrosion of the reinforcement in it . The author recommends the use of the material for reinforced structures of external walls exposed to an acidic wet- gas operating environment.


Even though the use of erythropoietin and intravenous iron has improved the treatment of anemia in hemodialysis patients, a considerable proportion of these patients still have anemia. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of anemia in a hemodialysis population. In a single‐center hemodialysis unit, all patients were studied with blood tests and their medication recorded during a period of 22 months. Correlations with hemoglobin (Hb) were performed with a simple regression or a t test. Variables that reached 5% significance were entered in a multiple regression analysis. Selected variables were presented in quartiles with levels of Hb. Mean Hb was 11.3 g/dL, and 53 patients (40%) had Hb<11.0 g/dL. In the simple regression analysis Hb correlated positively with s‐iron, CHr, s‐albumin, and doses of sevelamer, and negatively with sedimentation rate (SR), ferritin, base excess, and doses of erythropoietin. In the multiple regression analysis erythrocytes SR was the only variable that remained significant. Elevated SR is the strongest predictor of anemia in hemodialysis patients receiving adequate treatment with erythropoietin and intravenous iron. Patients using high doses of sevelamer had higher Hb levels than patients using low doses.


Problem Statement: This manuscript is about effectiveness of using flash memory that is individualized memory stick for referred as mainstreamed students' motivation. It is apparently known that there are referred as mainstreamed   children who need individualized education program (IEP) one to ten ratio. This is really troublesome not only for teacher but also school counselor. Professionals think that two referred as mainstreamed students are normal number for any class contain twenty four students. But there are some cases when the referred as mainstreamed students increased five this is really unwanted sudation for all school bodies. Teachers really facing trouble when they have to devote their time to those two different groups. When the teacher answer the question of normal student the mainstreamed one losing his or her attention and start to broke up class climate. This situation is valid for counterpart. Lots of homework in other words many of collected papers that require teacher and counselor check can have problems. It is pity that this situation is both time consuming and waste of material that's why no one have enough time to look close to them. The lost, forgotten or unfinished materials (especially homeworks) starts home wars between parents and students. Individualized memory stick (I Stick) or Bireysel Bellek [(in Turkish)(B Bellek)] is a kind of record program that contains student personal appraisal is a rescue for families, classroom teachers, counselors, friends and students for enhancing motivation. Purpose of Study: The purpose of the study is to investigate effectiveness of I Stick for mainstreamed-referred fourth grades students on motivation. Methods: This study is conducted as experimental study. Quantitative data gathering research methods used in the study. Motivation in education scale in education applied to 668 fourth grade students. Experimental, control and placebo of three groups are constituted. Findings and Results: In the pre-test the average of motivation levels of experiment, control, and placebo groups are close to each other, respectively: 37.16, 37.31, and 37.27. The post-test shows that the average of motivation level experimental group increased, and control and placebo group did not changed. In the follow-up test in three weeks the results shows that the groups motivation levels found to be similar to post-test results. Results show that there was significant difference between experiment, placebo and control groups. Using I Stick has positive effect on student motivation and this positive affect prolong three weeks interval. Conclusions and Recommendations: Using I Stick is highly influential on student motivation. All mainstreamed referred students are positively affected I Stick.  I Stick is useful for collect, follow up, interpret and draw conclusion records about IEP students on their motivation. Students who have high motivation is also well come for the people around the IEP student. Future studies should conduct among different age, sex and domains such as anxiety, social emotional learning.


Recently we reported that some of the charge-transfer bands of CoBr4= which are ordinarily obscured by the absorption of Br− can be resolved in thin films of (Bu4P+)2CoBr4=.1 Apparently the concentration of free Br− is so small under these conditions that it permits the detection of CoBr4= bands in the same region. Here we note that it is also possible to observe at least the first component of the absorption band of Br− by the same technique.


This article examines current account deficit adjustments in selected transition countries in the 1990s and at the beginning of the 21st century. For this purpose we primarily investigate the main characteristics of sharp current account reversals in Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyz R., Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Slovenia and Ukraine. Results suggest that restrictively defined reversals seem to be closely related to factors such as domestic savings, real export growth, international reserves and external indebtedness as well as to budget and trade balances. While the role of exchange rate depreciation seems ambiguous, we found that sharp current account reversals are systematically associated with a gradual GDP growth slowdown in the pre-reversal period and with robust GDP growth impetus afterwards.


Introduction. During fiber-flax harvesting, the working tools of pulling units actively interact with the flax plants. The flax pulling unit with transverse tape-disc pulling channels is characterized by the separation of technological plant flows resulting in the loss of seeds and damage to the flax stems. The aim of the work is the theoretical and experimental substantiation of changes in the design of the pulling units with transverse tape-disc pulling channels by eliminating the separation of technological plant flows during flax pulling.
Materials and Methods. Experimental studies to substantiate the parameters and modes of the pulling unit operation were carried out according to available and newly developed methodologies, while the evaluation of flax products was carried out according to current GOSTs (Russian National standards). There was determined the influence of the flax ripeness stages, flax yield, and a type of pulling unit on the indicators of separation of technological plant flows and on seed losses. The influence of the pulling unit type, operating width of the pulling section, and the pulling unit speed on the indicators of processing flax straw was also established.
Results. There was obtained the dependence for determining the flax stem base elongation, taking into account the seed boll cohesion. The design of the modernized flax pulling unit was used to assess the effect of reducing the flax stem base elongation and eliminating the separation of technological plant flows during pulling on the reduction of seed loss and increase in the yield of flax longs. In the improved flax harvester, the frame elements are positioned behind the pulling unit. Thanks to the modernization of the pulling unit, the flax straw was of higher quality: 1.5 numbers at THLN-1.9M and 1.25 numbers at THLN-1.9P.
Discussion and Conclusion. The modernized pulling unit THLN-1,9M during flax harvesting in the stage of early yellow ripeness, compared with the unit THLN-1,9P, can reduce seed loss by 1.4-2.0%, increased output of long fiber by 1.3%. The production of flax longs increases to 0.45 of its number.


Plane-wave imaging methods allow for high-speed image capture at a time interval equal to round trip acoustic propagation. Plane-wave imaging is ideally suited for cardiovascular imaging where fine-temporal resolution can reveal important information about cardiac mechanics and blood flow patterns. While plane-wave imaging has been demonstrated in humans for cardiovascular studies, its use in mouse models lags because instrumentation is not yet widely available at appropriate ultrasound frequencies. Thus, the amount of functional information that can be mined from mouse models of cardiovascular disease is limited. Here, an 18-MHz linear-array probe was used to acquire plane-wave data at a frame rate of 10 kHz from an in utero, E14.5 mouse embryo. The probe had 128 elements, 1.5 mm elevation aperture, and 8-mm elevation focus. The mother was placed supine on a heated mouse imaging platform, and then, a series of 2D + time data sequences were captured. The data were beamformed using standard delay-and-sum m...


We present an adiabatic angular approximation, closely related to the infinite order sudden approximation, to treat rotational predissociation of triatomic van der Waals complexes formed by a rare gas atom and a diatomic molecule that is treated as a rigid rotor. The metastable states of the complex are obtained as discrete solutions of the Schrodinger equation while the corresponding continuum solutions allow us to estimate the rates for rotational predissociation, within the framework of the Golden Rule approximation, after the relevant discrete‐continuum dynamical couplings are calculated. Applications to the He–CO, He–N2, and He–O2 systems are presented.


Studies have shown that for a symmetrical five-port junction to be used in a six-port reflectometer to get an ideal properties for precision measurements and a broaden bandwidth, it should ideally be matched over the operating bandwidth. Based on analyzing related theory and documents, a new configuration of the microstrip five-port junction with double-ring structure is presented and a first -order model of the new configuration has been simulated and optimized by a software named "Microwave office". The excellent agreement between the simulated and experimental result confirmed the validity of the design method in this paper, it also indicates that the new method is indeed feasible and efficient comparing with the traditional ones such as EM analysis.


Motor vehicle comprising a ventilation means for supplying air into the interior of the vehicle, which ventilation device comprises at least one directed towards the interior of the vehicle air outlet nozzle, which is fed via an air duct air, said air outlet nozzle (3) a first exit portion (10) for the supplied air and a separate second outlet from this region (11) which is connected to a channel (9) through which a gaseous perfume can be supplied, having.


Summary: Background: The study "HI-Herz.BIKE Saar" (August 2017 - September 2019) examined health benefits and training effects of e-bikes (pedelecs) in patients with moderate chronic heart failure (CHF) from ambulatory heart groups. Method: The presented study is explicitly marked as a pilot study. 10 subjects with CHF NYHA stage II-III and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of <=50% were selected. In our study, we are the first to employ the novel HeartGo system which allows for heart rate controlled training on pedelecs via a smartphone app. Training groups were accompanied during bike rides by a medical doctor and a paramedic. No cardiac complications occurred. Every six months, training sessions increased in duration, distance, and target frequency. Parameters measured were frequency behaviour, pedaling and motor load on the pedelec as well as clinical data such as ejection fraction, the biomarker NT-pro BNP, risk factors, arterial blood pressure and ergometric courses. Results: Power tolerance increased by almost 2.5 times, while a discrete decrease of the resting heart rate by 3.7% was observed and pedaling power improved accordingly. Clinical data show significant increases in well-being determined by questionnaire, in ergometric power by 45%, and in the LVEF by 29%. This was paralleld by a significant decrease in the NT-pro BNP value by 27% and in systolic blood pressure by 11%. Body Mass Index (BMI) remained constant at 27 and cholesterol levels showed no significant changes. Conclusions: Pedaling according to this pilot study with its methodological limitations of low numbers was safe and accompanied by significant health benefits in patient with CHF. Moreover, subjects were enthusiastic and satisfied with this form of training. Therefore, pedelec training using the HeartGo system could be a helpful tool in the training process of heart group participants with stable CHF. The results of this pilot study with its methodological weaknesses should be verified in a larger follow-up study. Key words: Pedelec, e-bike, heart rate control, heart failure, physical activity


The thesis deals with the problem of odor fences which are used where we want to prevent access of deer. They are used not only for the protection of agricultural and forest crops but also to reduce collision of vehicles with deer. These chemical preparations contain active substances such as the odors of predators (wolf, lynx, bear) or a human to deter deer. The theoretical part deals with the specification and composition of the various commercial products that are available in the Czech Republic. The practical part deals with the analyses of chosen commercial odor fences and scent trail of beasts by gas chromatography. Furthermore there is the suggestion of new odor repellent carrier.


Jingullic acid, a nor-triterpene isolated from Emmenospermum alphitonioides F.Muell., has been shown to possess structure (5), 19β- hydroxy-A(1)-norlupa-2,20(29)-diene-27,28-dioic acid 28,19β-lactone, by chemical and spectroscopic investigation and by convergent synthesis from ceanothenic acid.


We study a system of particles on a Riemann surface with a puncture. This system describes the behavior of zeros of finite-gap solutions of the Schrödinger equation corresponding to a degenerate hyperelliptic curve. We show that this system is Hamiltonian and integrable by constructing action-angle type coordinates.


Water quality index (WQI) is valuable and unique rating to depict the overall water quality status in a single term that is helpful for the selection of appropriate treatment technique to meet the concerned issues. However, WQI depicts the composite influence of different water quality parameters and communicates water quality information to the public and legislative decision makers. In spite of absence of a globally accepted composite index of water quality, some countries have used and are using aggregated water quality data in the development of water quality indices. Attempts have been made to review the WQI criteria for the appropriateness of drinking water sources. Besides, the present article also highlights and draws attention towards the development of a new and globally accepted "Water Quality Index" in a simplified format, which may be used at large and could represent the reliable picture of water quality.


Significant DC electrostatic field are excited deep within a magneto-plasma column by electron beam driven standing waves. This stationary turbulence provides axial thermal insulation without excessive electron heating.


In contemporary literature and visual media one may encounter many references to hard-boiled fiction and film noir, yet the themes and characters depicted in the classic texts have been reinvented and altered. This article argues that L.A. Confidential may be perceived as a re-creation of American noir tradition and intends to prove that James Ellroy's L.A. Confidential may be classified as hardboiled literature. Moreover, it scrutinizes the figures of detectives presented in both the book and the film, and analyzes the work in terms of retro-noir, focusing attention on the figure of femme fatale, the notion of the city and the on-screen violence.


Abstract Background The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway plays a central role in cell proliferation and survival in human cancer. Mutations in PIK3CA, the gene coding the p110α catalytic subunit of PI3K, are frequent in cancer and result in PI3K pathway activation. About 25% of HER2-positive breast cancers also carry PIK3CA mutations, known to confer resistance to anti-HER2 therapy. Here we report the preclinical characterization of MEN1611, a potent and selective orally available PI3K inhibitor, showing high activity against p110α mutant isoforms and sparing the δ isoform. Methods In vivo efficacy studies were evaluated through Tumour Volume Inhibition % (TVI%) and mRECIST criteria using cancer cell lines and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Pathway activation and protein degradation analyses were performed by western blot and capillary electrophoresis immunoassay. Immune modulation was evaluated using murine macrophages differentiated in vitro. Results Consistent with its mechanism of action, MEN1611 down-modulates the PI3K/AKT signaling as well as selected downstream targets, both in vitro and in vivo. MEN1611 acts synergistically when combined with trastuzumab in several HER2-positive PIK3CA-mutated breast cancer cell lines and patient-derived xenograft models. The in vivo efficacy in trastuzumab-resistant models is supported by a long-lasting antitumor activity, paralleled by mechanistic down-regulation of pharmacodynamic biomarkers. Moreover, MEN1611 showed the ability to induce a dose-dependent alpha-isoform depletion, and to modulate the macrophage polarization towards a pro-inflammatory phenotype, consistent with its capability to co-inhibit P110γ. Conclusions Overall, these preclinical data support the progression in the development of MEN1611 in breast cancer and pave the way to the B-Precise-01 clinical study, a multicentre phase Ib study. Clinical trial identification NCT03767335. Legal entity responsible for the study Menarini Ricerche S.p.A. Funding Menarini Ricerche S.p.A. Disclosure A. Fiascarelli: Full / Part-time employment: Menarini RIcerche S.p.A. G. Merlino: Full / Part-time employment: Menarini Ricerche S.p.A. S. Capano: Full / Part-time employment: Menarini Ricerche S.p.A. A. Paoli: Full / Part-time employment: Menarini Ricerche S.p.A.. A. Bressan: Full / Part-time employment: Menarini Ricerche. M. Bigioni: Full / Part-time employment: Menarini Ricerche S.p.A.. M. Scaltriti: Advisory / Consultancy: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. J. Arribas: Advisory / Consultancy: Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology. C. Bernado Morales: Advisory / Consultancy: Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology. A. Pellacani: Leadership role, Full / Part-time employment: Menarini Ricerche S.p.A.. M. Salerno: Leadership role, Full / Part-time employment: Menarini Ricerche. M. Binaschi: Leadership role, Full / Part-time employment: Menarini Ricerche S.p.A.


The authors consider the performance of 22 GCMs from the CMIP3 exercise. They compare and rank the GCMs using various statistical measures for precipitation (P) and temperature (T), and they compare their results to ranking from literature based on different performance indices. In this way they identified the five best performing GCMs with regard to their plans that they want to use output from these best performing models to simulate runoff in a future study that shall be published in another paper as part 2 of the study.


Pharmacogenomics aims at co-development of a drug that targets a subgroup of patients for safety and efficacy and a device that identifies the responder group through their genetic variations. Development of such a prognostic device includes a training stage and a validation stage. The transition from the training stage to the validation stage typically involves change of platforms as a subset of potential genetic markers predictive of drug response are identified in the first stage and only those are used in the second stage. With the change in consideration, this paper concerns how to determine sample sizes for the validation stage to meet pre-specified sensitivity and specificity requirements in order to avoid futility of pharmacogenomic development. In particular, taking microarrays as a medical device, which measure gene expression levels, we show how to decide the numbers of subjects per group, replicated samples per subject, replicated probes per gene for the validation experiment. The change of platforms is taken into account in the sample sizes calculation by statistical model-ing. Our formulation of sensitivity and specificity requirements calls for estimation of both measures. Lower bounds with carefully calibrated confidence levels can give appropriate sample size to meet the requirements. The procedure is illustrated in a proof-of-concept mice experiment.


The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120/160 has pleiotropic effects on T cell function. We investigated whether Ca2+ signaling, a crucial step for T cell activation, was altered by prolonged exposure of Jurkat T cells to gp160. Microfluorometric measurements showed that Jurkat cells incubated with gp160 had smaller (≈40%) increases in [Ca2+] i in response to phytohemagglutinin and had a reduced Ca2+influx (≈25%). gp160 had similar effects on Jurkat cells challenged with thapsigargin. We used the patch clamp technique to record the Ca2+ current, which is responsible for Ca2+influx and has properties of the calcium release-activated Ca2+ current (I CRAC). gp160 reducedI CRAC by ≈40%. The inhibitory effects of gp160 were antagonized by staurosporine (0.1 μm), an inhibitor of protein-tyrosine kinases and protein kinase Cs (PKCs), and by Gö 6976 (5 μm), an inhibitor acting especially on PKCα and PKCβI. 12-O-Tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (16 nm), a PKC activator, reproduced the effects of gp160 in untreated cells. A Western blotting analysis of PKC isoforms α, βI, δ, and ζ showed that only the cellular distribution of PKCα and -βI were significantly modified by gp160. In addition, gp160 was able to modify the subcellular distribution of PKCα and PKCβI caused by phytohemagglutinin. Therefore the reduction in I CRAC caused by prolonged incubation with gp160 is probably mediated by PKCα or -βI.


The correct selection of the crystallographic orientation of diamonds is of prime importance to raise the toolthe. In thes paper, a new method for the determination of crystallographic orientations of diamonds-Laser DiffractionTechnique(LDT) is introduced. me principle of this methed is discussed and formation mechanism of the diffractionimages is analyzed. The position of each crystal plane and easy-to-grind direction can be directly decided from the pattern of the diffraction picture.


A modified gravitational theory is developed in which the gravitational coupling constants G and Q and the effective mass mof a repulsive vector field run with momentum scale k or length scale l = 1/k, according to a renormalization group flow. The theory can explain cosmological early universe data with a dark hidden photon and late time galaxy and cluster dynamics without dark matter. The theory agrees with solar system and binary pulsar observations.


Refinements in the technique of performing the "control caval return preparation" were outlined, such as those which enable one to control the caval return in the closed-chest intact dog for an arbitrary period of time, at the end of which atrial cannulation and re-establishment of caval flow were accomplished without re-entry into the chest cavity. These latter two maneuvers were accomplished by using a self-constricting rubber band to seal off the atrium and eyed stainless steel wires to release the sutures about the cavae. Coronary flow was estimated by the previously described regression equation and the value added to the known value for '' caval return'' to give a value which was called the "estimated cardiac output." The experiment was conducted sterilely, in order to study survival. It would appear that dogs in this experiment could withstand a reduction in the "caval return" to as low a value of "estimated cardiac output" as 25 ml./Kg./min. The total peripheral vascular resistance was easily calculated, owing to the fact that a close "estimate of the cardiac output" was obtainable throughout the period of reduced "caval return." The response in "the total peripheral vascular resistance" (TPVE) was most marked during the two-hour period of reduced "caval return," in the range of estimated cardiac output 20 to 40 ml./Kg./min., when there occurred a progressive increase in the TPVR. Above this range, the TPVR remained relatively unchanged throughout the period of control. Below this range the TPVR rose slight^, then began to fall before the end of the controlled period.Refinements in the technique of performing the "control caval return preparation" were outlined, such as those which enable one to control the caval return in the closed-chest intact dog for an arbitrary period of time, at the end of which atrial cannulation and re-establishment of caval flow were accomplished without re-entry into the chest cavity. These latter two maneuvers were accomplished by using a self-constricting rubber band to seal off the atrium and eyed stainless steel wires to release the sutures about the cavae. Coronary flow was estimated by the previously described regression equation and the value added to the known value for '' caval return'' to give a value which was called the "estimated cardiac output." The experiment was conducted sterilely, in order to study survival. It would appear that dogs in this experiment could withstand a reduction in the "caval return" to as low a value of "estimated cardiac output" as 25 ml./Kg./min. The total peripheral vascular resistance was easily calculated, owing to the fact that a close '' estimate of the cardiac output" was obtainable throughout the period of reduced "caval return." The response in "the total peripheral vascular resistance" (TPVE) was most marked during the two-hour period of reduced "caval return," in the range of estimated cardiac output 20 to 40 ml./Kg./min., when there occurred a progressive increase in the TPVR. Above this range, the TPVR remained relatively unchanged throughout the period of control. Below this range the TPVR rose slight, then began to fall before the end of the controlled period.


Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM) is tasked to support The Department of Energy in the dismantlement and disposal of SNL designed weapon components. These components are sealed in a potting compound, and contain heavy metals, explosive, radioactive, and toxic materials. SNL developed a process to identify and remove the hazardous sub- components utilizing drill presses, band saws, shredders, hand tools, etc. The components were shredded and/or granulated, and separated into aluminum and a precious-and-base-metals fraction using various pieces of size reduction equipment. Plastics were further cleaned for disposal as non-hazardous waste. Circuit boards from hard drives are another revenue stream. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04- 94AL85000.


This paper presents modeling and control of integrated power electronic converters for electronic ballast operation. Experiments are done for different methods for dimming control. The switching frequency control employs the rule based fuzzy logic controller. The fuzzy logic controller will provide the desired pulses for switching action. The simulation result justifies the correctness of the circuit. This proposed circuit can avoid the problems like flickering, stroboscopic effect, noise. The validation of proposed circuit is done by experimenting and implementing the circuit on board. The hardware results are presented.


Sense of community is a concept in community and social psychology and has been investigated in several researches. The sense of community level changes towards many independent variables and it is related to the quality of the built form. This research aims at investigating the relationship between the sense of community and some determinants such as; the physical environment, the historical background and the socio economic conditions in selected neighborhoods.


Corresponding author: , S. CLICHICI, AR. BIRIS, S. SIMON, C. CATOI, F. TABARAN, A. FILIP, D. DAICOVICIU, N. DECEA, R. MOLDOVAN, L. MOCAN, A. MURESAN Department of Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Clinicilor 1, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania National Institute of Molecular and Isotopic Technologies, Cluj-Napoca, Donath 65-103, 400239, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Department of Morphopathology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Manastur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Surgical University Hospital no. 3; Nanomedicine Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Croitorilor 19-21, Cluj-Napoca, 400620, Romania


Under communication environments, such as wireless sensor networks, the noise observed usually exhibits impulsive as well as Gaussian characteristics. In the initialization of channel iterative decoder, such as low density parity check codes, it is required in advance to estimate the channel parameters to obtain the prior information from the received signals. In this paper, a blind channel parameters estimator under impulsive noise environment is proposed, which is based on the empirical characteristic function in MPSK/MQAM higher-order modulation system. Simulation results show that for various MPSK/MQAM modulations, the estimator can obtain a more accurate unbiased estimation even though we do not know which kind of higher-order modulation is used.


This multi-layered sliding member 1 comprises: a back plate 2 which has a steel plate; and a porous sintered alloy layer 3 which is integrally bonded to one surface of the back plate 2 and which is formed of, in addition to copper, 25-60 mass% of nickel and 2-7 mass% of phosphorus, the remaining portion being copper.


On account of the influences on cooperative task assignment brought by the uncertainty in the intelligence acquirement and volatility in the battlefield environment, a cooperative task assignment method of manned/unmanned aerial vehicle in uncertain environment is provided. Firstly, the weight vector of uncertain multiple attribute decision making problems is calculated with the uncertain information handled by interval value theory in all decision indexes. And then the cooperative task assignment model of manned/ unmanned aerial vehicles is established combining all the indexes and constraints discussed. Finally, the Genetic Algorithm (GA) is improved with the introduction of Contract Network Protocol (CNP) and is applied to solve the optimization model. The obtained optimized task assignment result testifies the applicability of the model and the effectiveness of the improved algorithm.


This paper analyses the factors to influence auxiliary material quality in glass industry,including testing methods of auxiliary material quality,sampling representatives,mechanical equipments,grain size of raw materials,moisture,and watering temperature.It is necessary to enhance testing and improving the uniformity of auxiliary materials and well managing all equipments and producing technics.


First Steps. The Grant of Probate. The Grant of Administration. Non-Contentious Practice. Contentious Practice. Devolution and Liability. Administration of Assets. Family Provision. Administration and Other Assets. Distribution of Assets. Appendices: Statutes Rules and Orders Table of Distribution on Intestacy.


Summary. This paper describes the part played by soil and plant analysis in decisions about fertilisers used on a mixed pastoral and cropping farm at Scone, in the Northern Midlands of Tasmania. Measurements of phosphorus and potassium concentrations in soils provide an essential framework for choosing fertilisers for crops and pastures. Use of lime with certain crops is determined by pH measurements. Neither soil nor plant analysis are used in choosing nitrogenous fertilisers. Fifteen paddocks were tested 7–8 years after initial soil tests (Colwell extracts). Phosphorus concentrations (mean ± s.e.) had risen by 13 ± 5 µg/g (P<0.05) and potassium by 89 ± 19 µg/g (P<0.001). In addition, the relationship between changes in these concentrations and the total phosphorus or potassium applied to individual paddocks was examined. Phosphorus concentration rose (P<0.001) by 5.9 µg/g for each 10 kg/ha additional phosphorus applied over the 7–8 years. Application of phosphorus at 7 kg/ha annually was enough to maintain soil phosphorus levels. No such relationship was detected for potassium. Application of lime at 4 t/ha raised the pH by about 1 unit. These results provide some reassurance about the behaviour of soils on Scone in response to the practices used in commercial mixed farming. The importance for the farmer of analyses being reliable is stressed, as is the need for well-based interpretation of the analytical results in order that the yield responses to fertilisers can be foreseen. Evidence about the financial returns produced by the increased yields is often lacking, especially for grazing enterprises.


The invention discloses a detection apparatus of a rearview mirror surface driver. The apparatus comprises a rack (1); a plurality of jigs (2) that are used for accommodating to-be-detected products (3) are arranged on the rack (1); a conveying device that is used for enabling the jigs (2) to move and a control panel (5) that is used for operation are arranged on the rack (1); and a detection instrument and manipulators (12) are arranged above the conveying device; and the detection instrument and manipulators (12) are installed on the rack (1) by an auxiliary device. Besides, the detection apparatus also comprises a control circuit of a PLC; and the detection instrument and the manipulators (12) are electrically connected with the control panel (5) as well as the detection instrument, the manipulators (12), and the control panel (5) are electrically connected with the PLC control circuit. According to the detection apparatus provided in the invention, omission and false detection caused by manual factors can be effectively reduced; efficiency and accuracy of the product detection can be improved; and labor intensity of detection personnel can be reduced.


What happens when people born in a "non-existing" country are faced with Italian burocracy? What happens if they want to get married? This short paper discusses, in a humorous way, some serious problems of our everyday social life made of documents, stamps, statements, licences, certificates, the immense realm where esse est scribi is a basic principle. What comes to light is that documents and data they posess determine our lives in a crucial way, and when they are not updated the past seems to master the present.


An orientation study was conducted in the Kings Mountain, North Carolina, area in preparation for a hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance. The study was conducted by the Savannah River Laboratory as part of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Program. Ninety-nine surface sites and ninety-six ground water sites were sampled over an 800-square-mile area. Uranium concentrations ranged from 2 to 156 parts per million (ppM) in sediment and from 5 to 186,000 parts per trillion (pptr) in water. Symbol plots showing areal distribution of uranium and cumulative frequency plots of uranium concentrations in ground water, stream water, and stream sediment are presented. Tabular data for each site include temperature; alkalinity; conductivity; pH; dissolved oxygen; Eh; sulfate, nitrate, and phosphate ions; ammonia; site descriptors (e.g., well depth, stream width, etc.); and analyses for 27 supplementary elements in sediment.


Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are among the main pathogens of greenhouse crops worldwide. Plant resistance is currently the method of choice for controlling these pests. To select resistant tomato against two common species of root-knot nematodes, M. incognita and M. arenaria, 36 commercial tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cultivars were screened. Seventeen tomato cultivars were resistant to both root-knot nematodes: six in cherry tomato, `Tenten`, `Cadillac`, `Cutti`, `Sweet`, `Ppotto`, `Lycopin-9`, eight in globe tomato, `Lovely 240`, `Dotaerang Dia`, `Cupirang`, `Dotaerang Master`, `Super Dotaerang`, `Dotaerang Season`, `Miroku`, `Hoyong`, and three in root stock, `Special`, `Fighting`, and `Magnet`.


Background:Regulatory T-cells (Treg) play key roles in suppressing cell-mediated immunity in cancer patients. Little is known about perioperative Treg fluctuations in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy, as a minimal invasive procedure for treating NSCLC, may have relatively less impact on the patient's immune system. This study aimed to observe perioperative dynamics of circulating Treg and natural killer (NK) cell levels in NSCLC patients who underwent major lobectomy by VATS or thoracotomy. Methods:Totally, 98 consecutive patients with stage I NSCLC were recruited and assigned into VATS or thoracotomy groups. Peripheral blood samples were taken on 1-day prior to operation, postoperative days (PODs) 1, 3, 7, 30, and 90. Circulating Treg and NK cell counts were assayed by flow cytometry, defined as CD4+CD25+CD127low cells in CD4+ lymphocytes and CD56+16+CD3− cells within CD45+ leukocytes respectively. With SPSS software version 21.0 (SPSS Inc., USA), differences between VATS and thoracotomy groups were determined by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and differences between preoperative baseline and PODs in each group were evaluated by one-way ANOVA Dunnett t-test. Results:In both groups, postoperative Treg percentages were lower than preoperative status. No statistical difference was found between VATS and thoracotomy groups on PODs 1, 3, 7, and 30. On POD 90, Treg percentage in VATS group was significantly lower than in thoracotomy group (5.26 ± 2.75 vs. 6.99 ± 3.60, P = 0.012). However, a higher level of NK was found on all PODs except on POD 90 in VATS group, comparing to thoracotomy group. Conclusions:Lower Treg level on POD 90 and higher NK levels on PODs 1, 3, 7, 30 in VATS group might imply better preserved cell-mediated immune function in NSCLC patients, than those in thoracotomy group.


As noted, each paper in the series focuses on a specific aspect of publicly financed managed care systems. This paper focuses on promising approaches for serving youth with serious and complex behavioral health needs in managed care systems. The paper begins with a brief discussion of the issues and challenges related to serving youth with serious and complex behavioral health disorders and their families in the context of managed care. These issues and challenges have surfaced through all of the previous activities of the Tracking Project.


To identify the ecosystem features most important for differentiating leading edges from rear edges of plant population distributions, and for distinguishing both from contiguous‐range sites.


I estimate the effect of class size on scholastic achievement using that schools are only in session during the school year and out of session during the summer. This seasonal feature of the schooling system makes it possible to control for unobservable pupil characteristics affecting both the level and change in achievement. Using Swedish data, I find that smaller classes generate higher achievement. A comparison with the results from applying the same data to the widely used value-added model is also made.


The programming of cooperating teams of robots in automation and in particular for assembling small batch sizes is a tedious task. Apart from that, the use of AI-based planning for multiple robots is computationally expensive. Using state space techniques, the state space increases dramatically for numerous possibilities in an indiscrete, continuous world. Hence, in this work we present a two-layer planning algorithm for multi-robot assembly which automatically partitions the state space in order to reduce complexity and to speed up planning time. We depict formal considerations about planning complexity and show how and why the state space size and, thus, planning time is strongly lower compared to common approaches.


The relationship between first-year, first-semester college students' mind styles and their consumer decision-making styles was investigated at a southeastern comprehensive public university. A significant relationship was found between the selfreported, dominant Gregorc mind style scores and one consumer decision-making style. Two instruments were administered: the Gregorc Style Delineator™ and the Consumer Styles Inventory. Although the results did not support multiple consumer decision-making styles as detected in earlier research (Sproles & Kendall, 1986, Sproles & Sproles, 1990), an exploratory factor analysis revealed one, overall consumer decision-making style, Recreational/Hedonistic, which suggested that these students tend to primarily shop to gain pleasure from the shopping experience. Decision making involves a process of cognitive learning. Learning is a continuous process and decision making is conducted at all stages of life. Appropriate decision making involves logical steps: determining the problem, considering multiple alternatives, and choosing the best alternative based on the particular situation (Deacon & Firebaugh, 1975; Goldsmith, 1996). More importantly, learning is a function of the decision-making process (Sproles & Sproles, 1990) and learning involves how people perceive and process


As the impact of molecular and genomic data grows in epidemiology,numerous studies of genetic epidemiology and post-genomics research rely increasingly on the use of human biobanks.Biobanking ranges in scope from small collections of samples in academic or hospital settings to large-scale national repositories.In this context,the construction of biobank is confronting With numerows ethical challenges,informed consent in particular.The paper analyses several concent moder of participation in biobank and explores the optinal model of China——opt-out.


Hip dysplasia in children is the subject of careful study by specialists both in our country and abroad. There are three basic variants of hip dysplasia: congenital acetabular dysplasia, congenital subluxation of the hip and congenital dislocation of the hip. However, treatment of congenital dislocation of the hip, which is the most severe form of hip dysplasia in children, currently remains one of the topical problems of children's orthopedics, despite the significant achievements of modern medicine. In spite of the large amount of research in this field, treatment principles of hip dysplasia are still under discussion.


This article analyses the sexual harassment that girls and young women are exposed to in the spaces of nightlife. The objective is focused on learning the possible risks, as well as the experiences and perceptions concerning gender violence, and specifically sexual harassment, which take place in nightlife spaces, while also analysing strategies and possibilities for change. The methodology used is qualitative, with 24 in-depth interviews with people between the ages of 16 and 22. The results show a discourse of illusory equality in nightlife spaces: boys/young men can have an explicit sexuality, whereas girls/women must respect some unwritten rules on the use of public space, times and places. Boys/men normalize harassment as one more aspect of nightlife. Differentiated group strategies are developed, both of intimidation and defence. Girls/women identify dangers or "black spots". We conclude that girls/women are afraid of being sexually assaulted, and that males use sexual harassment as an exercise of power, perpetuating a gender-differentiated social mandate in spaces of nightlife.


Petroleum industry has a strong interest in the selective hydrogenation of polyunsaturated hydrocarbons. This reaction is catalyzed by metallic particles or alloys and happens under pressure of hydrogen. In this work, we study the selective hydrogenation of butadiene into 1-butene, on two model catalysts which are Pt(111) and Sn/Pt-Pt(111). For this, we used the VASP code (Vienna Abinitio Simulation Package) that allows to perform periodic calculations in the framework of the Density Functional Theory (DFT). The choice of the catalysts was driven by the experimental and industrial communities who mostly use platinum because of its high activity, or alloys such as tin-platinum alloy, less active but more selective. Butadiene hydrogenation was already modeled in the past but only at T=0 K and without taking into account the real pressure conditions of the reactants. Our aim is to understand the impact of the reaction conditions which is why we ran this study at T and P conditions close to the one used experimentally, e.g. 300-400 K et 1-10 bar. For this, we setup a thermodynamic model to evaluate in a first step the surface composition when the reaction occurs. It came out that the most stable surface configuration corresponds to a coverage of 1 ML of hydrogen which suggests an Eley-Rideal type mechanism. Then we studied the kinetic aspect of this reaction and we calculated the hydrogenation pathways for different coverages of hydrogen. We concluded that there is a strong competition between the sensed mechanism, called Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism and implying strongly adsorbed species, and the Eley-Rideal mechanism, proposing a weak adsorption of one of the two reactants.


A NSF funded project on our campus has two overarching goals: (1) to create a computational thinking thread in engineering programs that spans from the freshman to senior years and bridges the divide between freshman year computing and computing in upper-level classes, and (2) to enable students to take computing competencies to the next level, where they are able to perform high-level computing tasks within the context of a discipline. To achieve the goals of the project, faculty fellows from different engineering departments participate in a series of seminars relating to computational thinking that are held over the duration of a semester. The faculty fellows also undertake action research projects in their classrooms as they redesign course curricula to integrate computational thinking skills. In order to build relevant curricula and to offer appropriate faculty development sessions, it was first necessary to identify what computational skills and competencies different engineering industries expect of graduates as they enter the workforce and in their first years on the job. This presentation will share the results of the data collection and analysis effort centered on identifying these criteria. The starting point for identifying industry needs was a workshop held with a panel of industry representatives. Based on the results of the industry workshop, a model of computational capabilities emerged that articulated different levels of computational ability in a problem solving context. Using this framework, a Delphi process was employed to survey a group of practicing engineers employed by companies hiring graduates from our university, to gain consensus about desired computational skills and competencies. In the first round of the Delphi, six open-ended questions were posed. Preliminary versions of the questions were piloted at the industry panel workshop and refined based on the framework for use in the Delphi study. The open-ended responses were coded by three researchers independently and then collectively developed into a consensus coding scheme. The resulting coded responses clustered into five main themes, with interrelationships established between primary themes and subthemes. Using these themes, the second round Delphi survey was developed requesting the same employers to rate the importance of computational skills on a 5-point scale from 'not important' to 'very important'. In addition to presenting results of both rounds of the Delphi study and the model of computational abilities, we will present the preand post-course student survey results conducted in classes where curriculum changes have been piloted based on this model of computational thinking. The purpose of the student surveys was to find out if changes in the courses reflected the computational skills highlighted by industry representatives as essential skills for graduates to possess. Finally, we will present recommendations for larger scale curricular changes in the different engineering disciplines based on the findings from this study.


Disseminating spatial data and delivering GIS functionality via Internet has become common-place. However, building a popular online mapping services system that serving staggering amount of Internet users remains as a challenge. This paper describes the Internet mapping architecture based on cluster technology enhanced by mapping-oriented load balancing algorithm.