Abstract. Snow water equivalent (SWE) is a valuable characteristic of snow cover, and it can be estimated using passive spaceborne radiometer measurements. The radiometer-based GlobSnow SWE retrieval methodology, which assimilates weather station snow depth observations into the retrieval, has improved the reliability and accuracy of SWE retrieval when compared to stand-alone radiometer SWE retrievals. To further improve the GlobSnow SWE retrieval methodology, we investigate implementing spatially and temporally varying snow densities into the retrieval procedure. Thus far, the GlobSnow SWE retrieval has used a constant snow density throughout the retrieval despite differing locations, snow depth, or time of winter. This constant snow density is a known source of inaccuracy in the retrieval. Four different versions of spatially and temporally varying snow densities are tested over a 10-year period (2000–2009). These versions use two different spatial interpolation techniques: ordinary Kriging interpolation and inverse distance weighted regression (IDWR). All versions were found to improve the
SWE retrieval compared to the baseline GlobSnow v3.0 product, although
differences between versions are small. Overall, the best results were
obtained by implementing IDWR-interpolated densities into the algorithm,
which reduced RMSE (root mean square error) and MAE (mean absolute error) by about 4 mm (8 % improvement) and 5 mm (16 % improvement) when compared to the baseline GlobSnow product, respectively. Furthermore, implementing varying snow densities into the SWE retrieval improves the magnitude and seasonal evolution of the Northern Hemisphere snow mass estimate compared to the baseline product and a product post-processed with varying snow densities.


Objective To compare the evolution of a new artificial dura mater and autogenous pefiosteum after replacing respectively orthotopic dura mater by means of performing the skull surgical operations on New Zealand white rabbits and local dogs.Methods All animals were divided into 6 groups.Nine rabbits were divided into 3 groups with 1,6 and 12 month observation respectively(n=3);12 local dogs were divided into 3 groups observed for 12,24 months and longer time period respectively(n=4). The dura mater of each animal was replaced by implanting a new artificial dura and autogenous periosteum. After the operation,the evolution process of the different grafts in each group was observed.Results The zootomy in 6 months or within of the two materials being used to replace the animal's orthotopic dura mater showed no typical significance due to the incomplete cure.The zootomy in 12 months or later showed a little bit easily detachable adhesion of the outside surface of the two replacement materials to the skull perio steum.The animal's orthotopic dura mater sutured around cured completely,without visible interface between the implanted dura and the orthotopic duramater.The inner surface of the two replacement materials showed that the growth of the new biological artificial dura mater is much closer to the orthotopic dura mater,with no adhesion or occasional filamentous adhesion to the brain surface,while there was filamentous adhesion and a little pillar adhesion between the autogenous periosteum and the brain surface. Histological and microscopic observations showed that there were no inflammatory cellular factors such as neutrophil cells, lymphoid cells and so on,and there was no cyst wall at the interface.The inner surface of the new artificial dura mater was seen to be covered with epithelial cells.The proliferations of the fibrous tissues and fibroblast were seen under the epithelia.The implanted material was degraded with a distinct reduction in its total amount.Capillaries were seen inside the material.Conclusion The nature of the new artificial dura mater allowed epithelial cells to grow,avoided the adhesion to the brain tissues and would gradually be encroached,degraded and replaced by the recipient's autologous tissues so that the dura mater could be reconstructed in a practical sense.The study revealed that the new artificial dura mater had a much more practical advantage over the autogenous periosteum in tbe reparation of the injured dura mater.


Objective:  To characterize and describe the prevalence of acts of violence and discrimination against three groups of women of the School of Health Sciences at Universidad de Caldas. Materials and methods:  Descriptive cross-sectional study; the study population included female teachers (115), students (823) and administrative staff (23) who were enrolled or working at the School of Health Sciences between the second half of 2010 and the first half of 2011. Out of a population of 961 women, a random sample of 196 individuals was obtained. The information was collected by means of a survey filled by the respondents themselves after signing the informed consent and receiving a glossary. The variables included demographics, acts of discrimination or violence, and the type of offender. Results:  196 women responded the survey: 13 administrative staff, 40 teachers and 143 students of the medicine, nursing, physical education and pharmacy undergraduate programs, and the clinical and surgical post-graduate programs. Among them, 53.8% of the employees, 53.7% of the teachers and 67.7% of the students reported a history of at least one event of discrimination or violence during their university life. The most frequently cited events were: abuse of authority; obscene jibes or gestures; psychological and verbal bullying; and discrimination because of physical appearance. The students were the most affected and the most frequent offender was a male teacher. Conclusion:  The existence of acts of discrimination and gender violence is confirmed in the university population of the study.


Policymakers are weighing options that would change the retirement system for federal workers by shifting more of their deferred compensation from the defined benefit plan toward the defined contribution plan, called the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). We use administrative longitudinal data on federal workers' demographics, compensation, and TSP behavior to estimate the effects of an employer match and plan default options on workers' TSP savings behavior and the cost of employer contributions. We rely primarily on two sources of exogenous variation stemming from policy changes


More hot topic is discussed in the field of computer information security —covert timing channels based on operational semantics. According to its characteristics and existing condition of covert timing channel in covert channel, then the methods of searching based on its characteristics is proposed. The methods of searching considers process as an abstract machine, based on the reasoning rules of Plotkin's structured operational semantics, and the integral information conduction operational semantics model. The states transformation and transformation sequences of two high and low security levels of the abstract machine are analyzed, and finally studying visual windows, then find the exsting covert timing channel.


The development feature and status of civil-military integration support were expounded. Considering the domestic actuality, the necessity and feasibility of implementing integration support was discussed. In the end, some specific recommendations on the establishment of market access principles conditions, the building of support system architecture, the train of support personnel, and so on were put forward, which can provide guidance for the development of integration support.


s and presentations M. Bassil, E.B. Marliss, J.A. Morais, R. Gougeon. Altered Glucose but not Protein Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) during Clamps Simulating the Fed State. Canadian Journal of Diabetes 2008; 11:38 Bassil, M., Marliss, E.B., Morais, J.A. and Gougeon, R., (2009) Net protein anabolic response is not altered during hyperaminoacidemic (hyperAA) clamp in men with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). FASEB J. 23: 227.2 M.S. Bassil, E.B. Marliss, J.A. Morais, and R. Gougeon. Protein anabolic response to postprandial amino acid levels is not altered in hyperglycemic men with type 2 diabetes during hyperinsulinemic clamp. Journal of Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism; 34:510-511, 2009 R. Gougeon, M. Bassil, C. Mourad, S. Chevalier, J.A. Morais, E.B. Marliss. Lower postprandial branched chain amino acids (BCAA) may contribute to altered protein metabolism but not insulin resistance of glucose in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Canadian Journal of Diabetes 2009; 204: O-0388 Maya Bassil, Errol B. Marliss, Sandra Pereira, Réjeanne Gougeon. Tight glucose control does not normalize insulin resistance of glucose and protein metabolism in obese men with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Canadian Journal of Diabetes 2010; 249: 13


The aim of this work was to analyze the effect of using rice husk ash (RHA) and bovine bone as raw materials of glass-ceramics based on the SiO2-Na2O-CaO-P2O5 system on their physical, mechanical properties and bioactivity. All of the investigated compositions were prepared by melting the glass mixtures at 1300°C for 3 h. The resulting glass samples were heated at different temperatures ranging from 600 to 1000°C with fixed dwell-time for 2 h for crystallization. Phase identification of the prepared glass ceramics was carried out by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques. In addition, in vitro test was carried out in stimulated body fluid (SBF). Differential thermal analysis (DTA) showed that the glass transition occurred at 505°C and crystallization at 700°C. The main crystalline phase form in most glass ceramics is a sodium calcium silicate. The optimum heat treatment temperature, at which the maximum mechanical value (620 HV) could be obtained, is around 1000°C. After incubation in SBF for 7 days, all of the samples show good bioactivity in vitro, as evident by the formation of bone like apatite phase.


Introduction. At the end of 2019, the world faced a pandemic of infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The disease caused by this virus is referred to as COVID-19, and is characterized by multiorgan lesion. The leading syndrome is the syndrome of immune response disregulation or the «cytokine storm». According to the studies, which were used as the basis of patient management clinical protocols, antiinterleukin-6 agents, and glucocorticosteroids, are the most effective in stopping the «cytokine storm». At the same time, the use of immunosuppressive drugs increases the risk of secondary infectious complications not associated with the COVID-19 viral infection.The aim of the study was to present a successful case of treating a secondary bacterial infection in a patient with a severe new coronavirus infection in the context of a limited choice of antimicrobial therapy.Materials and methods. The report presents a clinical case of a complicated urinary tract infection associated with an extremely resistant Kl.pneumoniae strain in a 58-year-old patient hospitalized with severe COVID-19. Due to comorbidity, combined with long-term hospitalization, the need in immunosuppressive therapy, and long-term catheterization of the urinary tract, the patient got affected by Kl.pneumoniae. This pathogen demonstrated microbiological and clinical resistance to all studied classes of antibiotics, including carbapenems, aminoglycosides and polymyxins. The patient developed an abscess of the prostate, and orchiepididymitis, which required repeated surgical interventions.Results and Discussion. The multidisciplinary approach to patient treatment, as well as the use of local and regional epidemiological data made it possible to choose the most effective drug therapy. The combination of adequate surgical debridement and combined antibiotic therapy (ceftazidime/avibactam and aztreonam) led to regression of the complicated urinary tract infection manifestations and clinical recovery.Conclusions. The use of ceftazidime/avibactam and aztreonam combination is a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of infections caused by extremely resistant strains of Enterobacterales, in which the combined production of serine proteases and metallobetalactamases is expected.


In Lenin's works, Dialectics means a) scientific method and b) historical process. Diverging from the metaphysical method and from the reactionary doctrinarianism of non-dialectical Socialists, Marxist materialist Dialectics is a critical and historical-concrete analysis of the living contradictions animating conflicts between social classes: an omnilateral reason, opposed to the eclectic unilaterality of formal logic. Dialectics as Marxist theory of knowledge identifies the causes of historical process in the conflicting unity of elements contradicting each others. Social evolution is not a gradual transformation from simple to complex: quite the contrary, the historical development of social life is dialectic, because it is driven by objective contradictions between classes, revolutionary leaps, and laws conditioning the individual way of being. Keywords: Dialectic, scientific method, historical process, living contradiction, omnilateral reasoning.


OUR PURPOSE IS TO study a specific manifestation of the wellknown tendency of a significant and often crucial minority of American voters to respond to individual candidates rather than only to the party labels of the candidates. Party remains the prime determinant for the bulk of voters in the United States as in other Westtern democracies, but enough American voters are influenced by the individual characteristics of candidates to produce even landslide victories like those scored by Eisenhower despite Democratic party majorities in the electorate. This tendency is so well-known that it might be superfluous to call attention to it except for the fact that it is by no means universal in democratic nations. While the United States is not unique especially in light of the experience of Gaullist France, it is different from Britain, where party preference is less often countered by particularistic factors in the voting decision.' There are at least two ready explanations for this difference between the two nations. The first is the sociological one that American politics, for a variety of reasons, are not so highly polarized on a class basis, and that, partly as result and partly as cause, voters are more likely to be influenced from time to time by a particular characteristic of a candidate (like his religion, regional identification, or personality). The second explanation is that Americans, certainly unlike the British, directly elect executive officers, notably the most important one, and that this tends to make the characteristics


In this study, we consider different estimation methods for the parameters of Weibull Lindley distribution introduced by Ashgarzadeh et al. [1]. In this context, maximum likelihood (ML), least squares (LS), weighted least squares (WLS), Cramer Von Mises (CVM) and Anderson Darling (AD) estimation methods are utilized. The main focus of this study is to examine performances of these estimation methods. For this purpose, we carry out a Monte-Carlo simulation study based on different parameter settings and various values of the sample size. Results show that the AD estimators are almost preferable. Two real life data sets taken from the literature are also considered at end of the study.


The properties and the permeation characteristics of poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel membranes were investigated. The membranes have excellent elasticity and showed reversible compaction by operating pressure. The membrane performance was also changed reversibly by pressure, and was held stable at ambient temperature for more than 12 months. The hydrogel membrane was stable against temperature up to 40°C, and was melted down at 70°C. Rejection increased with operating pressure. In the case of 1% (w/w) aqueous solution of poly(ethylene glycol) whose degree of polymerization is 400, the rejection increased from 30 to 85% by changing operating pressure from 5 kg/cm2 to 60 kg/cm2. These results suggested the possibility for the pressure controlled fractionation of molecular weight.


This article deals with the conceptual aspects of preservation and restoration; the priorities to be established and the limits of treatment measures are defined. Preservation is discussed at the level of the institution and at the regional or national levels. The definition of the concept of preservative restoration of the ethics governing proper restoration measures concludes this essentially theoretical contribution


Bitter method is most commonly observing way of the magnetic domains even though it is limited to the surface of specimen. To observe the magnetic domains by Bitter method, a drop of magnetic liquid is put on a target magnetic material surface after electrical field polishing processes. Applying magnetic field to this magnetic material covered by magnetic fluid makes it possible to observe the magnetic domain dynamics by a microscope. We have previously reported that local magnetization characteristics could be obtained from the visualized magnetic domain dynamics. Final purpose of our research on visualized magnetic domain dynamics is to work out a fully automatic quality control system. And also, we plan to deduce some rules governing the magnetic domain dynamics system from the visualized thin magnetic materials domain dynamics. Present paper, we try to visualize the magnetic domain wall dynamics of ferromagnetic materials when applying not only the anhysteretic magnetizing condition but also mechanical stress. We try to extract 1/f as well as 1/f fluctuating frequency characteristics from the magnetic domain wall dynamics, where α is the generalization of 1.


Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of levoamlodipine besylate for essential hypertension. Methods We searched MEDLINE (1999 to ctober 2007), EMBASE (1999 to October 2007), The Cochrane Library (Issue 3, 2007), CNKI (1999 to 2007), Wanfang (1999 to 2007), VIP (1999 to 2007) and CBM (1999 to October 2007). The quality of included studies was critically evaluated. Data analyses were performed with The Cochrane Collaboration' s RevMan 4.2 software. Results A total of 345 articles were retrieved, but only 17 were finally included. Meta-analyses showed that the effective rate in patients receiving levoamlodipine besylate was significantly higher than that in patients receiving indapamide (RD 0.14, 95%CI 0.06 to 0.22, P=0.0004), while no significant differences were noted between the levoamlodipine besylate group and other control groups. The incidence of adverse effects was significantly lower in the levoamlodipine besylate group compared to the indapamide group (RD-C0.12, 95%CI-C0.21 to-C0.03, P=0.01), the amlodipine group (RD-C0.06, 95%CI-C0.11 to-C0.01, P=0.02) and the nitrendipine group (RD-C0.27, 95%CI-C0.46 to-C 0.08, P=0.006). No significant differences were observed between the levoamlodipine besylate group and other control groups. Conclusion Levoamlodipine besylate tends to have better efficacy and safety profiles compared with other antihypertensive drugs. However, most trials included in the review were of poor quality and, so, multi-center large-scale randomized controlled trials of higher quality are needed to confirm this.


Bluefin tuna ( Thunnus spp.) are a globally threatened genus of fish that currently constitutes one of
the most economically important food fisheries in the world. Intensive culture efforts have
intensified in recent years to maximize fishery profitability and mitigate market dependency on wild
stock; yet little is currently known concerning health and immune functions of these highly
specialized organisms and best culture practices continue to be investigated. In an attempt to aid
future aquaculture interests and to provide general tools for identifying immune responses and
disease status for this group of fishes, we have investigates a number of immune and diseaseidentifying
aspects regarding bluefin tuna through the use of molecular laboratory techniques
centering on quantitative PCR. In this presentation, we will focus on our identification of 20
immune, stress, or growth related mRNA sequences of bluefin and subsequent in vitro explorations
regarding the utility of selected immune and stress associated genes as biomarkers in bluefin
through gene expression analysis. Our findings suggest that temperature exerts influence in the
timing but not the degree of an innate inflammatory response in bluefin tuna and that different cell
populations have differential responsiveness to heat shock in this heterothermic species. Further, E.
coli LPS stimulation of Southern bluefin leukocytes failed to induce host Hsp70; yet, increased
inflammatory signaling was observed in following a combined heat shock/LPS stimulation,
suggesting a time specific 'cross-talk' between these signaling pathways during immune and stress
associated responses. A strong correlation between Hsp70 and IL-8 transcriptional expression was
also observed following LPS/heat shock stimulation of leukocytes and five potential heat shock
response elements were subsequently identified on the gene promoter region of IL-8 indicating that
heat shock co-activation of this chemokine previously identified in mammals is also likely present
in fish.


Detecting an object either form a static or dynamic image is considered to be a fundamental objective in the area of a computer vision. Object detection techniques can be applied both to static images as well as for dynamic images. Presently there subsist implementations of applications that uses object detection; this work orients itself on object detection using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques implementing varied computer vision characteristics. The aim is to integrate state-of-the-art practice for object recognition with the intension of attaining extraordinary accurateness with an instantaneous enactment. The basic working is to identify patterns while capturing objects using camera to identify different daily tasks-and implementing them using gesturing. The final result exhibits real-time performance and satisfactory toning outcomes.


Traditionally Legal Knowledge Based System (LKBS) research concentrates on the matching of abstracted case facts with some formal representation of the law. How these facts are obtained, and how the abstraction that is necessary to 'match' the facts with terms mentioned in legsl rules or precedents, is accomplished, is left unmentioned (typically the user is assigned this task). The paper will describe this 'reconstruction' phase that precedes legal assessment of the case at hand. An elaboration of exactly this subtask can solve many problems of developing LKBS'S. The development of a practical application for first order legal aid to members of one of the largest trade unions in The Netherlands by non professional volunteers is described. A LKBS is being developed to improve referral to professionals and to induce a better understanding of the law by the volunteers when handling 'dismisssl' cases. Analysis of the tssks executed by the volunteers reveals the neceesity of extending the core of legal reasoning, assessment, wit h a practical part, aimed at supporting the reconstruction of the csse. The support is baaed on stereotypicrd plans (scenario's), and an interface that reflects these scenarios. Furthermore, the application is embedded in a tra&ionaJ information retrieval environment. A successful prototype has been developed, and we are now in the phase of building the actual system.


Currently used wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is limited in terms of inspection time and flexibility since the capsule is passively moved by peristalsis and cannot be accurately positioned. Different methods have been proposed to facilitate active locomotion of WCE based on simultaneous magnetic actuation and localization technologies. In this work, we first investigate the trajectory following (TF) problem of a robotic capsule under reciprocally rotating magnetic actuation in a tubular environment, in order to safely, efficiently and accurately perform inspection of the intestine at given points. Specifically, four TF strategies are proposed and analyzed based on the PD controller, adaptive controller, model predictive controller and robust multi-stage model predictive controller. Moreover, we take into consideration the intestinal peristalsis and friction in our controller design by explicitly modeling the interdigestive migrating motor complex (MMC) mechanism in the intestine. We validate our methods in real-world experiments in various tubular environments including phantoms with different shapes and an ex-vivo pig colon. The results show that our approach can effectively actuate a reciprocally rotating capsule to follow a desired trajectory in complex tubular environments, thereby enabling repeated and accurate inspection of the intestine for high-quality diagnosis.


Abstract

Contributions have meaning that is participation, involvement or involvement and donation. Donations can be in the form of material or non-material. The teacher's contribution can be in the form of ideas, innovation, participation in efforts to meet the goals set by the school. Teacher contributions especially for moral subjects teachers in Muhammadiyah Middle School 1 Gatak Special Program is to carry out various methods such as exemplary, habituation and motivation to students in every teaching and learning activity takes place. These efforts that have been carried out by teachers of moral subjects have a purpose, namely to improve the religious character that is in the students themselves. Researchers studied at Muhammadiyah Middle School 1 Gatak Special Program to examine the contribution of moral subjects teachers in improving the religious character of students for class VII by explaining about the contributions that have been made by the teacher and the methods used in an effort to improve the religious character of the participants student. In this study including the type of qualitative research that uses field research. With the technique of collecting data through interviews, observation and documentation available at Muhammadiyah Middle School 1 Special Program Gatak. Then the data analysis using deductive method is to find the suitability of the data that is in theory with the data in the field. So the results of the research conducted by researchers, found that the contribution made by teachers of moral subjects in improving religious character in students has its own contribution that is giving examples / examples and motivating, encouraging and advising students in each teaching and learning activity takes place and participates in each activity or program being held by the school even though it has not been able to provide ideas, innovation or direct involvement in managing activities or programs in schools that have a purpose in improving religious character.

Keywords : contributions, teacher subjects morals, religious characters


This experiment was conducted in order to investigate the effect of foliar application of magnesium oxide (MgO) and iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles on the amount of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) as a medicinal plant by a factorial design in a randomized complete block design with four replications within the year of 2017 in Hashtgerd and Dehak areas. The first factor of the experiment consisted of different concentrations of MgO nanoparticles (zero (control), 0.01 and 0.03%), and the second factor included different concentrations of Fe2O3 nanoparticles (zero (control), 0.01 and 0.03%). The results of combined variance analysis of the two tested location indicated that the simple effect of each location treatment, different concentrations of MgO and Fe2O3 nanoparticles and the interactions of different concentrations of MgO and Fe2O3 nanoparticles on the values of hydrogen peroxide, flavonoids, anthocyanin and activity levels of the enzymes of catalase and peroxidase were significant. The final results of this study showed that MgO and Fe2O3 nanoparticles had an additive and significant effect on flavonoids, anthocyanin and the activity of catalase and peroxidase enzymes in comparison with the control treatment, and had a decreasing effect on hydrogen peroxide of this plant. Also, the results showed that the interactions of 0.03% MgO nanop for governing and/or coordinating plant growth under stress conditions articles and 0.03% Fe2O3 nanoparticles had an effect on the control treatment. It was also found that the Roselle bushes planted in Dehak region had the higher content of anthocyanin and flavonoids, and activity levels of catalase and peroxidase enzymes, and had the lower levels of hydrogen peroxide, compared with those planted in Hashtgerd area.


This paper presents results of research which examined correlation between frequency of 100 most commonly used words in three corpora of croatian language and number of web pages returned by Google Search engine which contain those words.


As the field examines a future muon collider as a possible successor to the LHC, we must consider how to fully utilize not only the high-energy particle collisions, but also any lower-energy staging facilities necessary in the R&D process. An economical and efficient possibility is to use the accelerated muon beam from either the full experiment or from cooling and acceleration tests in beam-dump experiments.Beam-dump experiments are complementary to the main collider as they achieve sensitivity to very small couplings with minimal instrumentation. We demonstrate the utility of muon beam-dump experiments for new physics searches at energies from 10 GeV to 5 TeV. We find that, even at low energies like those accessible at staging or demonstrator facilities, it is possible to probe new regions of parameter space for a variety of generic BSM models, including muonphilic, leptophilic, $L_\mu - L_\tau$, and dark photon scenarios. Such experiments could therefore provide opportunities for discovery of new physics well before the completion of the full multi-TeV collider.


Reduplication is a morphological operation in many Austronesian languages, including Acehnese. This process is very productive in Acehnese, and it occurs with many patterns. This study aims to find out the reduplication patterns in Acehnese based on nine literary works written in the 19th century or earlier. The study also focuses on reduplicated patterns and how affixation is treated in reduplication. The study was qualitative, and thus the data were analyzed qualitatively. The data collection and analysis included data extraction, data classification, data display, and data interpretation. The conclusion was verified by comparing the interpretation and tokens from the data. The results showed that reduplication in Acehnese appeared in total reduplication and partial reduplication. Each pattern involved rhythmic reduplications where vowel and some consonant alterations appeared in the reduplicants. In addition, some of those patterns were lexicalized reduplication, where the reduplication did not have any stem or non-reduplicated form. More than half of the lexicalized reduplicated words were onomatopoeia, words imitating sounds. Finally, only prefixes meu-, peu-, and teu- are found in Acehnese reduplication. These findings have provided comprehensive information regarding the patterns of Acehnese reduplication, which revealed that reduplication is a significant process of word formation in the language.


Hand Hygiene (HH) is a simple and essential action in the prevention of infectious diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of adherence, technique, and knowledge about HH by healthcare workers and perform an educational intervention. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis with 20 professionals, for six months. We observed and categorized the HH opportunities, evaluated the performance of the correct technique, determined the degree of HH compliance (Positivity Index proposed by Carter, IPC) and applied a questionnaire about HH. The data contributed to conduct training and discussion about COVID-19, using a didactic model of virus. We observed N = 791 opportunities for HH, but only N = 128 (16.18%) were performed, with the correct technique in 80.47% (N = 103). The categories with the greatest number of opportunities for HH were "after patient care" (N = 238) and "before patient care" (N = 214). However, HH occurred only in N = 76 (31.93%) and N = 28 (13.08%), respectively. Comparing the categories, the highest adherence was "after removing the gloves" (53.19%). The degree of HH compliance in this study is lower than that recommended by the IPC (70%). In the questionnaires, workers affirmed to have taken at least one course about HH throughout their careers; few of them mentioned virus as a microbe present in the hands; "Lack of time" was the major reason to not HH. The educational intervention reinforced the importance of the correct HH technique, stimulated adaptations in the hospital structure and in strategies for coping with the emergence of the pandemic.


The invention discloses a method for making honey health-care wine. The method is characterized by comprising the following steps of: processing a red date compound by using red date powder, Chinese chestnut powder, long-shaped rice powder and polygonum hydropiper powder; putting ginseng, barbary wolfberry fruit, Chinese angelica and pseudo-ginseng root into water for boiling to obtain a mother solution; putting honey and the red date compound into a clean hermetic container together with the mother solution according to a certain proportion; and fully stirring to be uniform, sealing and storing underground to obtain the honey health-care wine. The health-care wine has the advantages that: the entire making process is basically completed at normal temperature, so that nutrients lost from the conventional wine made at high temperature are kept; moreover, no food grain or edible alcohol is required to be added in the making process, so that the defect of wine soaking is overcome; ediblewine is made in a pure natural brewing way, so that a large quantity of food grains are saved simultaneously; and furthermore, the obtained honey health-care wine is nutritional, and has the health-care effects of delaying human body aging, replenishing blood and qi, regulating cardiovascular function and the like.


- Knowledge Management is known as one of the most promising and advanced tools that can contribute to the creation of a sustainable competitive advantage for business today.KM implementation requires various prerequisites such as a substantial information technology platform, specialized personnel, a supportive working environment and supportive organizational structures etc. Those components are considered as KM enablers or KM success factors. In business, KM's main function is to facilitate the new knowledge creation which, on its turn, becomes the competitive advantage of firms. The present paper focuses on the relationship between HRM practices and knowledge creation. This paper surveys the responses of managers working in SME's specifically, drawing upon HRM theory and KM theory; we develop a conceptual model that predicts that the critical factors of HR practices, and policies would be associated to knowledge creation capabilities. Using factor analysis and multiple regression the paper concludes that Socialization supports Training & Development, Selection of Employees and Performance Appraisal. Externalization supports compensation reward system and Performance appraisal. Combination doesn't support the HR Practices. Internalization supports compensation and reward system, training & development and performance appraisal. Therefore this paper highlights the importance of HRM as a key enabler of knowledge creation process.


THE ANGIOGRAPHIC demonstration of the most common type of carotid-basilar anastomosisthe trigeminal arteiy-is no longer a rarity. According to Wollschlaeger and Wollschlaeger,' who reviewed the literature and added 2 cases of their own, 134 cases had been described by early 1963. Over the last three years, 3 trigeminal arteries were angiographically demonstrated at the Addington and King Edward VlII hospitals in Durban. I n these cases, aneurysms arising from the circle of Willis and from the trigeminal artery itself were noted. The association is the subject of this paper.


Der Hungerpastor (1864-65) is Wilhelm Raabe's most popular novel. This monograph shows how Raabe borrowed much of the plot and characters from Charles Dickens's best-selling David Copperfield (1849-50). By providing the reasons why Raabe borrowed from Dickens, this study goes far beyond the existing research on the parallels between these two Bildungsromane. A comparison of the heroes, their Jewish antagonists and a number of female characters demonstrates the extent of Raabe's indebtedness to Dickens. The intertextuality ranges from direct verbal echoes to a mere use of Dickens's ideas upon which Raabe builds a novel distinctly his own.


While non-blood cell lineage has been studied for decades by developmental biologists, only recently has it been considered in disease. This is partly due to a lack of suitable reagents in experimental models, but it is also the result of a failure to understand the ability of cells to move or differentiate in pathological environments. This Editorial gives a quick overview of the Special Issue "Cell Fate Decisions in Development and Disease" and underscores the importance of understanding the mechanisms of cell fate determination and lineage.


Tetra- and disubstituted porphyrins with p-dihydroxyborylphenyl groups on their meso-positions have been prepared as BNCT target compounds. The resulting porphyrins were solubilized upon formation of sugar-boronic acid complexes.


Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the importance of performing the Directly Observed Treatment of Tuberculosis (DOT) in the perception of nurses in family health units in the city of Cajazeiras-PB. Methods: This is a descriptive exploratory field study with a qualitative approach. The research took place in Family Health Units in the municipality of Cajazeiras. As a technique for data collection, a semi-structured interview was used. Results: They were divided into two categories: socio-demographic data and importance in carrying out the DOT. Eighteen nurses participated in the research, of which 2 were men and 16 women. Most professionals had more than 5 years of professional activity and had postgraduate degrees in the area of expertise. In addition, the majority emphasized that DOT is important due to the formation of a bond with the user and the consequent prevention of abandonment of treatment. Conclusion: This study provided more knowledge about the importance from the perspective of the interviewees, because through the link between the team and the tuberculosis patient it is possible to monitor the take, identify the adverse factors, avoid abandonment, and especially follow the evolution. DESCRIPTORS: Tuberculosis; Surveillance; Primary health care; Family Nurse Practitioners.


One of the most progressive method for spatial data acquisition is Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS), widely called LIDAR (an acronym of LIght Detection And Ranging). Its biggest advantage is that the laser beam can pass through vegetation so we can create a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) also in forrested areas where e.g. photogrammetry fails due to dense canopy cover. One of the most significant INSPIRE principles says "spatial data should be collected only once and kept where it can be maintained most effectively". That is reason we decided to test whether or not LIDAR data gathered for forestry can be used in archeology.


This research was conducted because still many do not know the form of cases of OTP Fraud. The problem of this research in the cases of OTP Fraud in the view of hadith. Results and discussions this research shows the presence of a certain hadith the ban practicing fraud acts includes otp fraud. This research Concluding that otp fraud constitutes an act of criminality by cheating its target into pretending to be the society's staff in order to convince the target to give out otp codes, it is forbidden in the Qur'an and the hadith and it is recommended for tabayyun when receiving information. The research recommends to the user of technology to be careful and not to give indiscriminate codes that contain confidential personal data to others.


Non-Abelian kinetic effects are taken into account for the study of the relaxation of collective motion in a quark-gluon plasma(QGP). An explicit Compton scattering is considered to calculate the relaxation time. It is shown that the new non-Abelian relaxation has a physical mechanism from the non-linear dynamics and the meaning of the relaxation is discussed.


This contribution is about a new "Pilgrim's flask " vase from Veii , increasing the number of thirty similar vases already known from the Tyrrhenian area. This vase, belonging to a disturbed burial, could be dated during the 7th century BC, thanks to other objects found in the surrounding area. According to its formal and technical features, this vase represents an unicum,  probably realized by a local atelier. In fact Veian local pottery production in this period shows many experimentations, also conditioned by the greater opening to foreign suggestions.


The present trend for commercial telecommunication and scientific satellites is the utilization of standard platform, characterized by a high level of flexibility and reduced nonrecurring costs. One of the areas where flexibility is mandatory is the electrical primary power subsystem, due to the impact on solar array configuration and dimensions and on power conditioning unit. Use of the maximum power point tracker (MPPT) concept allows optimization of the above mentioned subsystem, maximizing the power transfer from the photovoltaic generator. The purpose of the paper is to present a new MPPT approach that allows minimization of the drawback caused by the intrinsic capacitance of the photovoltaic array (generally neglected) giving the possibility of operation with a large degree of freedom, independent from the converter topology and photovoltaic power generator, electrical network and technology.


This paper represented research on transmission scheme mechanism in Multimedia Broadcast and Multicast Service (MBMS) Long Term Evolution based on femtocells area. In MBMS, there are 3 types of transmission scheme, namely Point to Point, Point to Multipoint and Single Frequency Network. The last transmission scheme can only be occurred in Multi-cell transmission which all base station transmit the same signal at the same time and over same frequency channel to user equipment. In this paper, we compare the spectral efficiency between Point to Point and Single Frequency Network transmission in femtocells area.


Over the last decade or so, the idea of evidence-based practice has attracted vociferous critiques and much scepticism within the Australian social work community. To the dismay of those of us committed to the varying understandings of evidence-based social work, the critiques that have been bandied around have too often been based more on ideology than actually engaging with what proponents of evidence-based practice have actually written. In this context, the arrival of Evidence-based Social Work: A Critical Stance by Mel Gray, Debbie Plath, and Stephen Webb is a welcome arrival as it has the capacity to speak to protagonists of both sides of this ideological divide. Gray, Plath, and Webb review the various discourses that have emerged in social work internationally, including notions of ''evidence-based'' and ''research-informed'' practice. They consider both the points of congruence and divergence between these discourses and other key conversations in social work, including ethics, postmodernism, and the politics of funding. They review four types of evidence-based practice*positivist, pragmatic, political, and postmodern, and ultimately propose ''a critical realist perspective for evidence-based social work'' (p. 72), which draws on the strengths of each of these approaches. As evidence-based social work has developed with differing emphases and approaches across the world, considerable discussion is given to the work of key individuals, organisations, and networks. What these show is that any move towards evidence-based practice on a widespread scale requires individuals or organisations who will champion moves in this direction. Also essential is appropriate infrastructure to support both the collection of relevant data and the translation of original research findings into appropriate guidance for practitioners. Notwithstanding the highlighted shortcomings and limitations of the work of networks such as the Cochrane and Campbell Collaborations, and organisations such as the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), if as the authors suggest, this book could be used as a textbook for students studying evidence-based practice, I would like to have seen a brief mention of the fact that much of the work of these groups is freely available over the internet. SCIE in particular, has produced numerous resources, which although produced in the UK practice context, many of these have some relevance for Australian social workers. Another minor annoyance in what is generally a well-written and researched book concerns the discussion of the USA-based Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR). It is noted that SSWR has over 1,200 members from ''the USA as well as Denmark, Hong Kong, Israel and the UK'', but no mention is made of there being any Australian members of SSWR, of which there are at least a handful. Australians have participated in SSWR conferences and in the past there have been Australian members of the society's journal Research on Social Work Practice.


Background: When one hears that company X achieved success, adopted a strategy, or struggles with difficulties, there is always a company board behind this news. Typically, a company board is a reflection of decisions taken by the owner; in practice, there is no rule as to how to appoint a company board. However, if we consider the long-term interest of the company, we may suggest a few ideas that will allow the company to better adapt to the market; they may also help to build the competitive advantage and have a positive impact on the company's market position. This article presents a belief that the company board composition should evolve from merely reflecting the goals of the owner and the professionalism of the members, into a board, whose structure reflects employees and the market in which the company operates. This approach stems from the need to adapt to the market condi-tions, which is easier when the process of change starts with the company board. To illustrate these ideas, a fictitious example of a limited liability company will be used, for which we developed various board models based on the market situation. Purpose: The aim of this article is to develop a new approach to board of directors' creation, through the lens of decision-making theory, sustainable development and business performance. Design / methodology / approach: To build a new model of a board of directors, a critical-realistic approach was used along with a case study of a fictitious limited liability company. Hypo-thetical-deductive technique was a base of the analysis. Findings: Conceptual models of a board of directors – which reflected human capital of the company and market structure – were developed. Research and practical limitations/implications: A guidance for businesspeople on how to compose a board of directors is provid-ed. As this is a theoretical work, it may be a base for future market/ real testing of the presented ideas. Originality/value: The article responds to a lack of research and wider works on connections between a board of directors and developing company performance, so this paper will be of par-ticular value to those involved in the appointment of directors. In conclusions, we propose how to create better boards of directors. Paper type: Conceptual article.


This paper examines the valuation impact of U.S. multinational corporations' expansion into the Peoples Republic of China during 1979 to 1987. The market response to the announcement of a firm's initial entry into the Peoples Republic of China is found to be positive and statistically significant, suggesting that expansion into China was a value-enhancing activity. Equity joint venture modes of entry are found to result in greater shareholder gains than nonequity expansion modes. The influence of degree of multinationality, market share, growth, and technology-related variables on the size of shareholder gains is also analyzed. Coauthors are Carl B. McGowan, Jr., Lalatendu Misra, and Agnes Missirian. Copyright 1991 by MIT Press.


Teachers' professional belief is the individual acknowledgement and deep belief of professional value,and also the motivation for persuing professional ideal and development. Teachers' professional belief has the functions of promoting the realization of professional ideal and development on the aspects of teaching practice, educational value pursuing and teachers' professional development.


The aim of this work is to create a guide to editorial systems, compare them and in conclusion recommend the reader an editorial system, which would suit his project well. In the introduction the guide focuses on users beginners and describes how were the editorial systems created, how to install them and what are the possibilities of a further spread. Some of the systems are very similar. That is why there will be presented a comparison between several chosen ones. Further the author introduces his projects and highlights the advantages and disadvantages of compared systems. In the end arises a recommendation, which system to choose for a specific type of project.


Diffractive processes (elastic and inelastic) constitute a substantial part (about 1/2) of the total interaction cross sections of hadrons at high energies. Investigation of these processes provides an important information on mechanisms of high-energy interactions. There are important problems of QCD which can be studied in diffractive processes: a) Nature of the pomeron in QCD. b) Role of the s-channel unitarity and multi-pomeron exchanges. c) Small-x problem and "saturation" of parton densities at x → 0. d) Violation of Regge and QCD-factorisations in diffractive processes.


Based on the rough set and the influential factor of the price of real estate,the influential factor of the price of real estate can be analyzed.Using this method,it proves that the result we obtain is more reasonable.


This paper presents some issues when tracing communication routes, in general, but also those used in agriculture. Roads are an important component of agriculture, helping the transportation of the agricultural products, chemicals and natural fertilizers, execution of works in agriculture.The paper also presents general aspects on the construction of the communication lines used in agriculture, field application of provisional route and plan drafting of the study track, the final route picketing, tracing the main points of transition curves, in detail tracing.


The purpose of this study was to determine whether the long distal attachment of the medial ulnar collateral ligament (MUCL) can be delineated on sonography.


For RegNets [40], MobileNets-V3 [16] and EfficientNets [50], we use a gated recurrent unit (GRU) with 256 hidden units [7] in the patch proposal network π. For ResNets [14] and DenseNets [22], we adopt 1024 hidden units and remove the convolutional layer in π. This does not hurt the efficiency since here the computational cost of π is negligible compared with the two encoders. With regards to the recurrent classifier fC, for ResNets [14], DenseNets [22] and RegNets [40], we use a GRU with 1024 hidden units. For MobileNets-V3 [16] and EfficientNets [50], we find that although a GRU classifier with a large number of hidden units achieves excellent classification accuracy, it is excessively computationally expensive in terms of efficiency. Therefore, we replace the GRU with a cascade of fully connected classification layers. In specific, at tth step, we concatenate the feature vectors of all previous inputs {ē1, . . . , ēt}, and use a linear classifier with the size tF×C for classification, where F is the number of feature dimensions and C is the number of classes. Similarly, we use another (t+1)F×C linear classifier at (t+1)th step. Totally, we have T linear classifiers with the size F×C, 2F×C, . . . , TF×C.


This paper contains a proof of the following Theorem. Let be a simple Lie algebra which is finite dimensional over an algebraically closed field , where , and which contains a solvable maximal subalgebra acting irreducibly on the space . Then is either the classical algebra or the Zassenhaus algebra . Bibliography: 10 titles.


In untreated pernicious anaemia, the binding of folic acid activity (FAA) to protein zone II of the serum (transferrin) had increased distinctly and to zone I (γ-globulin) slightly. A decrease, on the


Objective To evaluate the microsurgical experience of debridement and repairing in operation for spinal cord injury. Methods After reduction and internal screw fixation for patients suffering from vertebrae fracture or dislocation, the necrosis, tissue splinters and blood clots at the injury site were cleared, and small vessels and nerves were repaired with microsurgery. The blood circulation at the injury section was restored early. Results 94 cases were followed up. X ray and CT showed that the reduction rate of injured vertebra was 95% . According to the standard of FRANKEL,7 cases of grade A were still grade A after the spinal cord operation. 87 cases had one or two grades of improvement.The rate of efficiency was 93% . 57 cases had two grades or more of restoration. The average time for the microsurgical operation was 47 min. The average internal between injury and operation was 7.6h. The average time of the beginning of restoration was 36 h after operation. Conclusion The microsurgical treatment of cleaning and repairing can reduce the primary and secondary injury response, the edema of nerve tissue, and the time for nerve and functional rehabilitation.


In many Human Robot Interaction scenarios, social robots are expected to communicate with human naturally. Especially, the skill of predicting human internal state is a field of great interest in many applications, including video surveillance, behavior analysis, human robot interaction, life-logging. While accurately predicting these technologies (e.g. emotion, confident for talking a topic) could have benefits for many fields, generic machine learning systems still yield low performance in some situation. We hypothesize that these sophisticated models suffer from individual differences of human's personality. Therefore, we proposed a multi characteristic model architecture which combines the personalized machine learning models and utilize each model's prediction score in the inference. This architecture formed with reference to ensemble machine learning architecture. In this research, we focus on a similarity between new user and trained user model by using the idea of applicability domain of machine learning models. In the empirical result, we confirmed that data distribution (one way of checking applicability domain) of each user model correspond to the performance of models and we estimated confidence during communication as a human internal state.


Geza island arc located in the southwest Sanjiang tectonic igneous rock belts, it was a products of Ganzi-Litang oceanic crust diving to Zhongdian Landmasses in late Triassic and a important of newly discovered copper polymetallic belts in the recent years in China. The regional strong tectonic-magmatic activity throughout the island-arc orogenesis from beginning to the end, the rich mineralization developed in the different times and different circumstances. Based on the development stage of island arc orogenic,the distribution of intrusive rocks, rocks composition, geochemical characteristics, Geza island arc granit belt can be divided into three belts. Lithogeochemical characteristics show that the porphyry (porphyrite) and island-arc granite rocks have the same rock series (high-K calc-alkaline) and the same genetic type (I-type granite); these rocks trace elements very similar to granite of island arc, which enriched in Ba, La, Hf, Au,chalcophile elements Cu,Pb, siderophile elements Mo, Ni, and depleted in Rb, Nb, P, Ti.


The European woody leguminous shrub Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link; Genisteae, Fabaceae) is a serious weed in several countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. A rust fungus was found on Scotch broom in France in 1995, where it was infecting stems and leaves, causing severe dieback of branches. Depending on the taxonomic authority, the rust fungus found on Scotch broom is referred to as Uromyces pisi-sativi (Pers.) Liro, Uromyces laburni (DC.) Otth, Uromyces genistaetinctoriae (Pers.) Wint. f. sp. scoparii or Uromyces sarothamni Guyot and Massenot. Preliminary host-specificity testing was undertaken to determine the suitability of this rust as a biological control agent. Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis (H. Christ) F.A. Bisby and K.W. Nicholls) and two lupin species (Lupinus polyphyllus Lindley X Russel; L. arboreus Sims) that belong to the subtribes Genistinae and Lupininae respectively, within the tribe Genisteae, were selected for testing. Tagasaste was found to be highly susceptible to the rust and developed many uredinia that sporulated abundantly. Several uredinia also developed on old leaves of L. polyphyllus X Russel but they were smaller than on broom plants and only produced a limited amount of urediniospores. Lupinus arboreus was the only species resistant to the rust, with only chlorotic spots, slight necrosis and no uredinia produced. The broom rust will not be further investigated for biological control in Australia because it developed extensively on tagasaste, a species that is used as a fodder plant particularly in Western Australia.


Shape correlation and magnetic field control of stimulated photon echo (SPE) are investigated as basic properties useful for optical data storage and treatment. The SPE polarization was investigated in ytterbium vapour at the intercombination transition (6s6p) 3P1 → (6s2) 1S0 for the first time in a wide range of longitudinal magnetic field strength. SPE was generated by three resonant laser pulses of identical linear polarization and wave vectors directed symmetrically at small angles to the axis of cylindric vapour cell. SPE polarization is close to linear one in zero magnetic field. As magnetic field increases, the SPE polarization acquires ellipticity with the ellipse axis rotated around magnetic field vector. Components of SPE polarization show oscillations versus magnetic field with higher contrast of the oscillations in the weak field.


Insurance sector performance is important at the stage of economic growth. On the other hand, in practice it is not sufficient to evaluate the options according to the simplest form of decision making only based on a criterion. In such cases, we must consider all the variety of different information to decide to best option. It arise the requirement of multi-criteria decision making methods.The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a multiple criteria decision-making methodology designed to help decision makers in prioritizing decisions that involves both tangible and intangible criteria and has been implemented extensively all over the world. The paper employs the AHP to evaluate the performance of insurance companies in Turkey during the period 2006-2010.The main starting point for this study is to evaluate the performance of the insurance companies in Turkey. Turkish insurance industry's financial ratios are placed in a hierarchical decision structure to calculate financial performance score for the insurance companies in Turkey. We used AHP as a systematic methodology of acquiring knowledge from experts through group decision-making. The selected companies are prioritized based on financial criteria using AHP. In other words, based on this analysis the decision-makers can also predict the likelihood of a ranking of insurance companies in Turkey. Sensitivity analysis was performed using Expert Choice. Ranking was sensitive to capital, liquidity and shares-in-sector ratios. In other words, small change in the importance of these criteria caused rank reversal of certain insurance companies. In this paper, the insurance companies performance score was constructed by using publicly open financial data. This framework can be used to select the insurance companies to invest in Turkish Insurance Sector.


Sipirok Batik Village is one of the cultural areas in Indonesia which is rich in cultural and historical potential that has been inherited from our ancestors. One of the invaluable heritages owned by the Sipirok batik village is the art of batik which is included in the intangible cultural heritage. Solo batik art, which is the main attraction, is enriched with historical sites such as historic tombs and mosques and other sites. The aims of this research are to: (1). Analyzing marketing management carried out by batik entrepreneurs in Sipirok Batik Village, South Tapanuli Regency, (2). To find out the marketing management carried out by batik entrepreneurs in Sipirok Village, South Tapanuli Regency, (3). To find a new marketing management so that it can further increase batik sales in Sipirok Batik Village, South Tapanuli Regency, (4). This research is expected to be able to contribute to the government to encourage local governments to support the preservation of batik. The research results are: (1). The research planned by the researchers has been successfully implemented in the Sipirok Batik Village, South Tapanuli Regency, (2). The results of data processing show that the marketing carried out by the batik artisans of Kampung Batik Sipirok, South Tapanuli Regency still uses traditional methods as much as 17%, while marketing management is carried out by batik craftsmen using ICT (website) as much as 83%, (3). Based on the SWOT analysis, it can be concluded that the marketing management marketing method that uses internet technology (website) can be applied by batik craftsmen in Sipirok Batik Village, South Tapanuli Regency.


Realization of sufficient employment is the important objective of construction of harmonious society.Currently and in the future,the employment situation is very unoptimistic in China.In order to solve the unemployment problem,we should carefully study the relationship between enlargement of employment and economic growth and between industrial structure adjustment and technological progress,study the relationship between the reform of state-run enterprises and development of multiple private enterprises and multiple employment methods,study enlargement of employment and protection of the rights of workers and promotion of the responsibility of enterprises,study the responsibility of government,enterprises,social agents and workers,and study policies and measures about consummation of labor market and enlargement of employment so as to solve the contradiction between low cultural quality of workers and the upgrading industrial structure,to solve the contradiction between traditional employment outlook and new labor market realization and to solve the contradiction between backward macro management reform and market economy development.


Background Two-dimensional (2D) measures have been proposed as potential proxies for whole-brain volume in multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective To verify whether 2D measurements by routine MRI are useful in predicting brain volume or disability in MS. Methods In this cross-sectional analysis, eighty-five consecutive Japanese MS patients—relapsing-remitting MS (81%) and progressive MS (19%)—underwent 1.5 Tesla T1-weighted 3D MRI examinations to measure whole-brain and grey matter volume. 2D measurements, namely, third ventricle width, lateral ventricle width (LVW), brain width, bicaudate ratio, and corpus callosum index (CCI), were obtained from each scan. Correlations between 2D measurements and 3D measurements, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), or processing speed were analysed. Results The third and lateral ventricle widths were well-correlated with the whole-brain volume (p < 0.0001), grey matter volume (p < 0.0001), and EDSS scores (p = 0.0001, p = .0004, respectively).The least squares regression model revealed that 78% of the variation in whole-brain volume could be explained using five explanatory variables, namely, LVW, CCI, age, sex, and disease duration. By contrast, the partial correlation coefficient excluding the effect of age showed that the CCI was significantly correlated with the EDSS and processing speed (p < 0.0001). Conclusion Ventricle width correlated well with brain volumes, while the CCI correlated well with age-independent (i.e. disease-induced) disability.


Early nineteenth-century Germans—emigrating first to Russia and then in the late nineteenth century to America—expressed a cultural contradiction in their dress, affirming pride in their ancestral home but also a willingness to selectively adopt items from the surrounding environment. Evidence suggests that while in Russia, their communities had been segregated both by choice and by dictate within an ethnically diverse population. Six garments, located in North Dakota—the final stop in their double diaspora, were studied to define their apparel choices and whether they had remained unchanged or affected by surrounding cultures while in Russia. The items revealed a gendered mixture that both retained traditional German dress practices but also adopted convenient choices from the cultures around them. All the items affirmed the German-Russian experience of Heimat—an intense pride in their Germanic heritage coupled with a unique affection and homesickness for their adopted Russian fatherland.


In most instances it is necessary to partition a product realization process into a set of design activities. Design decisions are an important type of design activity. In order to ensure that information flows among different design activities are achieved without difficulty, uniform representation of the information is necessary. A design activity template and a solution template are presented in this paper to support the information flow in a design process. Activity template provides an option to describe the design problem so that engineers know exactly what kind of design decision is preferable. Solution template provides an option to describe the design solution. The paper also introduces an approach to manage and deliver design freedom from one engineering team to the other. In mechanical design, it is essential to give engineers a feasible design space so that they can choose the design solutions that best satisfy the design problem. A chip design example is used to illustrate the different concepts presented in this paper for collaborative decision making.Copyright © 2007 by ASME


Amplitude of the late components of the averaged auditory evoked potential increases as the time between repeated stimuli is increased up to 12 sec. The interspersal of tone bursts of different frequencies within the interstimulus time interval was investigated as a method for improving data acquisition rate without sacrificing response amplitude. Series of 500‐, 1000‐, and 2000‐Hz tone bursts were presented singly and in combinations of two and three frequencies at repetition periods of 1 to 8 sec. Response records were sorted and averaged according‐to stimulus frequency, yielding one, two, or three averaged evoked potential records. Experimental results indicate that data acquisition rate can be improved by serial presentation of different stimuli without significant loss of response amplitude. [This project was made possible through funds granted by the University of Southern Mississippi Faculty Research Council.]


Sp receiver functions have been widely used to detect the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB) and other mantle discontinuities. However, traditional common conversion point (CCP) stacking can be biased by the assumption of horizontal layers and this method typically underestimates scattering amplitudes from velocity boundaries with significant dips. A new pre-stack migration method based on recently developed Sp scattering kernels offers an alternative that more accurately captures the timing and amplitude of scattering. When calculating kernels, Sp-S times are estimated with the fast-marching method, and scattering amplitude versus direction, geometrical spreading and phase shifts are accounted for. To minimize imaging artefacts with larger station spacing, Sp receiver functions are interpolated to more closely spaced pseudo-stations using either compressive sampling or spatial averaging algorithms. To test the kernel-based stacking method, synthetic Sp phases were predicted using SPECFEM2D for velocity models with a flat Moho and a negative mantle velocity gradient with a ramp structure. The kernel-based stacking method resolves horizontal interfaces equally well as CCP stacking and outperforms CCP stacking when imaging boundaries with dips of more than 8°, although dip resolution is still limited. Use of more vertically incident phases such as SKSp improves retrieval of dipping discontinuity segments. A second approach is to down-weight the portions of the kernels that have the greatest positive interference among neighbouring stations, thus enhancing scattering from dipping structures where positive interference is lower. With this downweighting, the kernel-based stacking method applied to Sp data is able to continuously resolve LAB discontinuities with dips up to 15° and to partially resolve continuous LAB discontinuities with dips of ∼20°. The intrinsic properties of teleseismic Sp phase kernels limit their ability to resolve LAB structures with dips of ∼20–35°, but still larger dips of ∼40–50° are resolvable with dense and appropriately placed stations. Analysis of Sp scattering kernels also explains the effectiveness of CCP stacking for quasi-horizontal interfaces.


Embedded systems in recent critical applications are becoming more complicated with increasing capacities and running more complex functions. Powerful methods are required to verify a complex system design used in any safety critical applications (like Avionics, nuclear and railways systems).This paper proposes to use model checker, a formal method based technique to verify the design of an indigenously developed safety critical system, enhanced Fatigue Meter. The outcome of this analysis is verified with the conventional analysis (Manual analysis) results to prove the effectiveness of formal method based approach to analyze the system behavior.


The Scavenging of Atmospheric Trace Organic Compounds by Rain Mary P. Ligocki, Ph.D. Oregon Graduate Center, 1986 Supervising Professor: James F. Pankow Little is known about the scavenging of organic compounds, particularly the relative importance of gas and particle scavenging. A field study of organic compounds in rain and air was conducted in Portland, Oregon and at the Oregon coast in order to provide information on the scavenging process. The samplers collected organic compounds in the rain dissolved and particulate phases and in the atmospheric vapor and particulate phases. The rain sampling train consisted of a prefilter and filter, followed by two parallel sets of Tenax cartridges for the adsorption of dissolved organics. The air sampling train consisted of a glass fiber or Teflon membrane filter followed by parallel sets of adsorbents for the collection of vapors. Polyurethane foam and Tenax were both used in the air sampler. Analysis of the rain and air samples proceeded by either solvent extraction and on-column injection or direct thermal desorption onto a fused silica capillary column interfaced with a mass spectrometer and data system (GC/MS/DS). Concentration data were obtained for over 100 organic target compounds including PARs, phenols, phthalate esters, xix alkanes, aromatics, and pesticides. Phenols were the dominant organic compounds found in rain samples, with concentrations in the ug/L range in Portland. PARs and phthalates were also major constituents. Concentrations at the Oregon coast were generally a factor of 2 to 7 lower than in Portland. Gas and particle scavenging ratios were obtained from the air and rain concentration data. The gas scavenging ratios (Wg), obtained at ambient temperatures of 3-l0oC, ranged from 3 to 105 at both sites. Wg values were generally a factor of 3 to 6 higher than the values predicted from the Henry's Law equilibrium, when 250C literature values were used. However, Wg values for several PARs agreed well with equilibrium when literature values obtained at the appropriate temperatures were used. Particle scavenging ratios (Wp) ranged from 103 to 105 and averaged _104. These values were consistently lower than the 105 to 106 generally reported for inorganic species. Wp values were significantly lower for the least volatile PARs than for the other organic compounds. Only alkanes and volatile PARs exhibited Wp values larger than their Wg values. For the majority of compounds studied, gas scavenging was more important than particle scavenging.


The five cultivars of kiwifruit viz., Allison, Hayward, Abbott, Monty and Bruno during the years 2011 and 2012 in the Department of Fruit Science, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. Two irrigation treatments i.e. standard irrigation (at 80% field capacity) and deficit irrigation (at 60 % F C) were applied to these cultivars from March to October with three replications in Randomized Block Design (RBD). The leaf nutrient content (%) and frequency of irrigation (irrigation interval in days) were investigated in kiwifruit in response to these irrigation treatments. The leaf nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg) contents varied with cultivars under two irrigation regimes. The leaf N content and Ca content (%) was observed highest in cultivar Monty; P content in Allison; K content in Hayward; Mg content (%) in Abbott and Monty under standard irrigation treatment. These nutrient contents reduced significantly at 0.05 % level of significance with deficit irrigation treatment in different cultivars. The % reduction in these nutrients with deficit irrigation treatment was found to be highest in cultivar Hayward and the least in Bruno. The total number of irrigation applied under standard and deficit irrigation were 16 and 10 respectively, during both the years. The response of Bruno cultivar in terms of leaf nutrient content under water deficit condition is much better in comparison to all other cultivars. Bruno is considered to be drought tolerant cultivar and Hayward to be drought sensitive. Thus, the Bruno cultivar should be preferred for cultivation in water scarce regions.


Computational complexity reduction is at the basis of a new formulation of many-body quantum states according to tensor network ansatz, originally framed in one-dimensional lattices. In order to include long-range entanglement characterizing phase transitions, the multiscale entanglement renormalization ansatz (MERA) defines a sequence of coarse-grained lattices, obtained by targeting the map of a scale-invariant system into an identical coarse-grained one. The quantum circuit associated with this hierarchical structure includes the definition of causal relations and unitary extensions, leading to the definition of ground subspaces as stabilizer codes. The emerging error correcting codes are referred to logical indices located at the highest hierarchical level and to physical indices yielded by redundancy, framed in the AdS-CFT correspondence as holographic quantum codes with bulk and boundary indices, respectively. In a use-case scenario based on errors consisting of spin erasure, the correction is implemented as the reconstruction of a bulk local operator.


A formula for luminance distribution on the clear cloudless sky and a formula for total horizontal illuminance from that sky are proposed based on a scattering theory. The clear sky light consists of the scattered light of the direct sunlight and that of the reflected light from the ground surface. And the main scattered light in the clear sky is the Ist-order scattered light of the direct sunlight, but its higher order scattered light than or equal to the 2nd-order and the scattered light of the reflected light from the ground surface are considerably included in the clear sky light and they have effect on the variation of clear sky light, respectively. In the proposed formulas,these effects are estimated from the result of a theoretical analysis. In the conventional formulas for the clear sky luminance distribution which are derived based on observation, however, these effects are not done because, of difficulties of the estimation by means of measurements. Therefore the luminance distributions from the proposed formula approximate more closely to measured data under the clear sky than the conventional formulas. And the proposed formula for tota] horizontal illuminance from the clear sky is applicable not only to the clear sky but to the overcast sky because the scattering characteristics of the overcast sky is equivalent to those of the clear sky where aerosole is included quite densely.


e15088Background: Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are commonly encountered when using anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy and are often managed with corticosteroids. The effect of irAEs, particularly whe...


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A field experiment was carried out at Research block of S.G.R.R University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand during Rabi season of 2019-2020 to record the response of various weed management methods on growth and yield of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) The experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design (RBD). Eight treatments were adopted for the experiment with three replications each. Kufri Jyoti is an early maturing variety in hills. The major weed species observed during the course of the experiment were Cyperus rotundus (sedge), Eleusine indica and Digitaria sanguinalis among grassy weeds and Medicago denticulata, Chenopodium album and Amaranthus virdis among broad leaf weeds. The results stated that treatment T2 (Pendimethalin 350 g ha as pre-emergent application) was most effective in controlling weeds and recorded with highest weed control efficiency (47.84 %), highest number of tubers (96.00) and maximum yield (61.5 Kg). Besides, minimum dry biomass of weed (29.59 g m), lowest weed density per meter square (61.25 m) at 60 Days after sowing (DAS) and at harvesting stage of crop (54.97 m) were recorded under Treatment T2 (Pendimethalin 350 g ha as preemergent application). Whereas, treatment T1 i.e. weedy check (control), was least effective in controlling weeds and also recorded maximum weed density m at 60 DAS (110.31 m) and at harvesting stage (97.31 m). T1 also recorded maximum weed dry biomass (56.73 g m) and showed lowest yield (30.90 kg).


Author(s): Attar, Narsis | Advisor(s): Kurdistani, Siavash K | Abstract: Histones have long been known for their functions in packaging the eukaryotic genome and in regulating DNA-based processes. These functions are dependent on physical and chemical properties of histones constructing the nucleosome, the basic structural unit for packaging DNA. The packaging of DNA into chromatin limits DNA accessibility for processes such as transcription and DNA replication, putting the nucleosome in a position to govern and fine-tune these processes. The influence on DNA metabolic processes can be mediated through alterations in nucleosome composition and positioning as well as covalent modification of histones. Variations in nucleosome structure and stability achieved by the use of non-canonical histone variants can lead to changes in DNA wrapping and accessibility. Similarly, covalent modifications of histone N-terminal or core domains can lead to structural changes for the nucleosome and the chromatin fiber. Covalent modification of histone tails also contributes to recruitment and anchoring of protein complexes required for transcription, DNA repair and replication. Changes in histone modifications andmutations in the enzymes adding and removing them are implicated in a wide-range of pathologies including cancer (discussed in chapters II, III and IV). Histone modifications are dynamically regulated, which makes them suitable for integration of environmental and cellular cues with gene expression. While histone modifications locally participate in orchestrating transcription, global changes in histone modifications can have profound effects on cellular physiology and metabolism. In fact, alterations in cellular levels of histone modifications are observed in diseases such as cancer and can be responsive to changes in physiologic state of the cell like intracellular pH. In addition to the well-recognized structural elements of histones, a less well-known feature of these ancient proteins is their potential metal binding capabilities. Since metals such as copper and iron are required for a variety of important functions, a potential ability of histones to affect cellular metal homeostasis would greatly increase their influence on cellular functions. Indeed we have recently discovered the function of one such metal binding site at the nucleosome core within the H3 dimerization interface in regulating copper homeostasis. Investigating the role of this region of the nucleosome in metal biology revealed an unprecedented molecular function of the nucleosome as an oxidoreductase enzyme, capable of catalyzing the reduction of Cu2+ to its biousable form Cu1+. This remarkable enzymatic activity significantly affects copper- dependent activities including mitochondrial respiration and Sod1 function, with a profound impact on the molecular biology of eukaryotes and potentially their evolutionary origin. The importance of copper for various physiological and pathological states in humans further underscores the broad implications of copper reductase activity of the nucleosome. These discoveries mark a new frontier into chromatin biology and a function of histones which may have deemed these proteins suitable participants in the emergence of eukaryotes on Earth (discussed in chapters V and VI).


This paper builds on previous work introducing the Secure Remote Update Protocol (SRUP), a secure communications protocol for Command and Control applications in the Internet of Things, built on top of MQTT. This paper builds on the original protocol and introduces a number of additional message types: adding additional capabilities to the protocol. We also discuss the difficulty of proving that a physical device has an identity corresponding to a logical device on the network and propose a mechanism to overcome this within the protocol.


I argue that unless belief is voluntary in a very strict sense – that is, unless credence is simply under our direct control – there can be no practical reasons to believe. I defend this view against recent work by Susanna Rinard. I then argue that for very similar reasons, barring the truth of strict doxastic voluntarism, there cannot be epistemic reasons to act, only purely practical reasons possessed by those whose goal is attaining knowledge or justified belief.


1-D ZnO nanowires have been attractive for their peculiar properties and easy growth at relatively low temperature. The length, diameter, and density of ZnO nanowires were determined by the several synthetic parameters, such as PEI concentration, growth time, temperature, and zinc salt concentration. The ZnO nanowires were grown on the oriented seed layer using the hydrothermal process with zinc nitrate and HMTA (hexamethylenetetramine) and their structure and optical properties were characterized. The morphology, length and diameter of the nanowires were strongly affected by the relative and/or absolute concentration of and and the hydrothermal temperature. When the concentrations of the zinc nitrate HMTA were the same as 0.015 M, the length and diameter of the nanowires were and , respectively, and the aspect ratio was 28.1 with the preferred orientation along the direction. XRD and TEM results showed a high crystallinity of the ZnO nanowires. Optical measurement revealed that ZnO nanowires emitted intensive stimulated UV at 376 nm without showing visible emission related to oxygen defects.


Methodology/Key Propositions A review of strategic entrepreneurship's theoretical foundations, together with case analysis of strategic entrepreneurship in practice, are used as a basis to develop strategic entrepreneurship theory. Drawing on findings from both theory and practice, this paper presents an overview of strategic entrepreneurship's emergence and developments since 2001. Using concepts and frameworks applied in other areas of management research such as strategy and innovation, this paper explores and expands the scope of strategic entrepreneurship through the development of three propositions.


New improvements in the field of targeted PDT concern the use of nanoparticles that can serve as carriers for anticancer agent delivery. Nanoparticles do indeed offer many advantages such as good colloidal stability, effective protection of encapsulated drugs against enzymes and hydrolysis, surface tailor ability and multipurpose, and easy, synthesis. More importantly, thanks to their size, nanoparticles are a means to allow selective accumulation of the PS in cancer cells due to the enhanced permeability and retention effect of tumor tissues. In this chapter, we will focus on the production of singlet oxygen (1O2*) after excitation of PS coupled or encapsulated into nanoparticles possessing a three-dimensional rigid matrix. We define three types of nano-objects: nanoparticles in which the ΦΔ of photosensitizers increases compared to free photosensitizers, nanoparticles in which the ΦΔ of the encapsulated PS decreases compared to ΦΔ of the free photosensitizer and systems in which ΦΔ of the encapsulated or free PS are similar.


Fracturing in rock under the actions of explosives is caused by large forces exerted on rock during and after detonation. This paper presents numerical and experimental evidence as to how the blast loading is transformed into a stress state that causes radial fracturing in rock. We show that propagating radial fractures trail behind the shock wave in a tensile zone and that the Johnson-Holmquist strength and failure models provide numerical results that match experimental studies. This provides new evidence regarding how shock waves create radial fractures and advances the current understanding regarding the mechanism of crack formation under the action of explosives.


Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has examined U.S. reactor pressure vessel material in order to measure the density and size of fabrication flaws. The Pressure Vessel Research User Facility (PVRUF) vessel at Oak Ridge National Laboratory was inspected using the Synthetic Aperture Focusing Technique for Ultrasonic Testing field data acquisition system. An inspection methodology was developed specifically for recording small fabrication flaws. This methodology was used to detect and characterize 2500 indications in the PVRUF vessel. Rules were developed and applied to the detection process. The characterization steps have been documented. The spatial dependence of the indication density shows the greater concentration of fabrication flaws in the weld metal and heat affected zone compared to the base metal.


Background and purpose:  Previous studies demonstrated that post‐stroke hyperglycemia was associated with poor outcome in non‐diabetic patients. However, evidence was inconclusive amongst patients with diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between initial glucose levels and mortality amongst patients with acute ischaemic stroke, and further, to assess whether the association varied by diabetes mellitus and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels.


Content delivery and playback method and apparatus are described. The method and apparatus, in response to 360 ° environment, are well adapted for the delivery and playback content, in response to events such as sports games, for example, events during in progress, or after the event has ended , for example, streaming content such as 3D content, and / or may be used to support real-time delivery. Part of the environment is captured by the camera provided in different positions. Content taken from different locations are encoded and made available for delivery. Playback device based on the position of the user's head, selects the content to be received. Stream, the current field of view of the user, and / or, based on the direction of rotation of the head, the prioritized, may be selected for delivery. Still image or synthesized image, for example, the background, the sky, and / or are used for the ground, it may be combined with content from one or more streams.


An investigation into the effects of 4 popular "Ephedra‐free" dietary supplements (Metabolift, Zantrex 3, Xenadrine EFX, Guarana) on heart rate, blood pressure, and electrocardiographic parameters was conducted. 12 healthy males (age 31± 7.8 years) volunteered to participate. All subjects were non‐smokers, took no medications, and refrained from caffeine intake and physical exertion throughout the study. The study was randomized for supplementation sequence with a 2‐week washout period between each phase. Subjects wore a Holter monitor for 24 hours on day 1 of each phase (baseline) for assessment of electrocardiographic activity. Blood pressure and heart rate were also assessed at each baseline. Subjects ingested supplements 3 times daily for 3 consecutive days. On days 1 and 3 of supplementation, Holter monitors were again placed and hemodynamic parameters evaluated. On day 1, systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures were significantly increased relative to baseline (9.8 ± 2.2 and 5.8 ± 1.7 mm Hg, respectively). By day 3, these effects were somewhat attenuated (5.1 ± 1.6 mm Hg, SBP; 3.0 ± 2.0 mm Hg, DBP). Abnormal atrial and ventricular events were noted in several subjects during supplementation. Our findings suggest that "Ephedra‐free" dietary supplements may not be free of adverse cardiovascular effects and their use should be discouraged in consumers with underlying cardiovascular disease.


The bodily form,quality,physical performance and specific skill for 25 elite young wrestlers from 17 cities at the 20th Shandong Provincial Games were tested.It has been shown that their body shape was well-balanced,and the index of upper and lower limb proportion and finger internal were ideal.However,their edurance was not so good and their aerobic capacity needed to improve further.Their performance showed that their nutrition state,red blood corpuscles shape,iron metabolism and iron reserve were better.


ABSTRACT Nanowire networks represent a unique class of neuromorphic systems. Their self-assembly confers a complex structure to their network circuitry, embedding a higher interconnectivity of resistive switching memory (memristive) cross-point junctions than can be achieved with top-down nanofabrication methods. Coupling of the nonlinear memristive dynamics to the network topology enables intrinsic adaptiveness and gives rise to emergent non-local dynamics. In this article, we summarise the physical principles underlying the memristive junctions and network dynamics of neuromorphic nanowire networks and provide the first comprehensive review of studies to date. We conclude with a perspective on future prospects for neuromorphic information processing. Graphical abstract


Indoor Sport The indoor sport of picking at circles of knowledge has a long, reputable tradition. In the 18th century, for example, Pierre Bayle ex posed Louis Moreri's errors, Voltaire did a scathing piece in his Philosophical Dictionary on another's work, and the frequently over rated Diderot enterprise suffered periodic re pressions.1 Because it is our oldest, most re vered, and most comprehensive in the English language, the Encyclopaedia Britannica has been a frequent target. The late Willard Hunt ington Wright probably sprung his popular at tention with the book Misinforming a Nation9 which undertook to expose the Britannica's shortcomings. This sleuthing experience may have contributed to his subsequent success un der the pseudonym of S. S. Van Dine. Cur rently, a series of more competent evaluations by Professor Harvey Einbinder3 have appeared. Knowing as I do the capable and dedicated edi torial staff of the Encyclopaedia Britannica these evaluations, as well as all others, favor able and unfavorable, by whatever agency or individual will be attentively studied. It can be assumed, also, that librarians and other intelli gent consumers of encyclopedias will also read such evaluations as that in Paul Kruse's doc toral dissertation4 and the popular book based on it?The Great EB.5


Abstract Pure Li4SiO4 ceramic material is obtained using citrate sol–gel method followed by sintering at 750°C. The crystallographic phase of the material is investigated by X-ray diffraction. The conductivity of the ceramic material is determined at different temperatures. Meanwhile, the dielectric properties are observed in order to obtain further information on ion dynamics in the material. The X-ray diffraction result shows the formation of a pure monoclinic Li4SiO4 crystal structure with lattice parameters a = 5·140 Å, b = 6·094 Å, c = 5·293 Å and β = 90°. The conductivity of the material increases linearly with the increase in temperature. The conductivity of the sample is 1·16×10−4 S cm−1 at 100°C. The frequency dependence of conductivity follows the universal power law variation σac (ω) = σo+Aωs. The plot of pre-exponent s versus temperature suggests that the conduction mechanism in the system can be described using correlated barrier hopping model. The increase in dielectric constant and dielectric loss and the peak shift of tan δ to higher frequencies with temperature indicate that the increase in conductivity with temperature is due to the increase in number and hopping rate of charge carriers with temperature.


Changes and deterioration in water quality occur during the passage of potable water through distribution systems. Resulting issues include taste and odour, high corrosion rates, precipitation, discolouration, disinfection by-product formation, and biological activity. While the direct simulation of the behaviour, reactions and interaction leading to such problems are currently beyond complete understanding and modelling capabilities, many of these processes and mechanisms have been directly related to the age of the water. Hence it is desirable to predict the distribution of age of water throughout water distribution systems as a surrogate for water quality characteristics, and as a basis for further calculation. Current mathematical simulation models calculate average water age, assuming flow weighted mixing. In reality however, age values can not be averaged in this manner. A litre of water with an age of 2 hours, mixed with a litre with an age of 10 hours, does not produce 2 litres with an age of 6 hours. The fact is that 50% of this water is 5 times as old as the other 50% and will have different quality characteristics; but current models disguise this information. To improve age representation, an approach which provides information about the component ages contributing to the mean age has been developed. The enhanced model tracks the volumes and ages of different flow contributions, within user defined bands, throughout water distribution systems. As the age of water within a network is related to flow patterns, it is postulated that age information derived from the model, in particular extreme age components, can be translated into operational strategies to manage flows, and hence residence times, thereby improving overall water quality and asset performance.


With the systems and applications migration from the traditional enterprise data center infrastructures to the virtualisation of cloud computing infrastructure, there are changes required in term of the way of system security and data security management. There are more various sources of threats to the data integrity preservation which may come from internal employees, external users, cloud providers and the vendor of cloud providers. Among the way to ensure the data is not leaked out is by looking at data loss prevention tool. The tool should be protecting data at all the three common states namely data in motion, data in transmit and data at rest. The thesis intention is to find out the effectiveness of using open source data loss prevention in cloud computing infrastructure. In addition, the thesis would also study the security vulnerabilities on the open source DLP deployment architecture system and propose the improved architecture setup. While the effectiveness evaluation is done using open source, there is also a need to find the market leading commercial data loss prevention tool and identified the market strength.


On Easter Thursday we returned to The University Women's Club to capture Eve and Jac's Civil Partnership. This was our 3rd visit to this wonderful club in the heart of Mayfair. Jac and Eve's civil partnership took place in the wonderfully lit library...