Abstract The current paper presents the results of a parametric study conducted with a previously described three-dimensional, non-isothermal computational fluid dynamics model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, which was developed and discussed in detail in part 1 of this series. The effects of several operating, design, and material parameters on fuel cell performance has been investigated in detail. The results of the current study helped identifying critical parameters and shed insight into the physical mechanisms leading to a fuel cell performance under various operating conditions. Furthermore, the current study demonstrates the use of a comprehensive three-dimensional single-phase model as a design and optimization tool.


Phonon of the single-wall MS2 (M = Mo,W) nanotubes with diameters up to 50 nm are systematically calculated using the full symmetry implemented valence-force-field model. Infrared and Raman active modes are singled out by the symmetry, and their applications in the experimental sample characterization are discussed. Raman measurement of the multiwall tubes and bulk has been performed. Obtained results are interpreted by simple coupled-spring like model concerning the same symmetry modes of walls.


The invention discloses a composite additive for purifying and removing cobalt in zinc hydrometallurgy, which is prepared by mixing, grinding and drying. In the preparation process, the Sb content is controlled to be 0.51 to 60 percent, the As content is controlled to be 0.1 to 6 percent, the Pb content is controlled to be 0.5 to 15 percent, and the balance is impurities, wherein 75 to 85 percentof Sb exists in a form of Sb2O3, and 80 to 90 percent of As exists in a form of SbAsO4. The composite additive can effectively improve the process of purifying zinc and removing the cobalt, improve the purification effect and particularly has remarkable purification effect on zinc sulfate with high cobalt content, which cannot be effectively treated by the conventional additive; meanwhile, the consumption of the additive is reduced, the production cost is saved, and the composite additive does not contain volatile organic solvents, does not influence the environment and is free from secondarypollution and environmentally-friendly.


The reform of work-study combination course is a key to achieve the change of talents training mode in higher vocational education. Combined with the features of work--study combination course, and taking the practice of the College of Jiangsu Information Technology as an example, the paper explains the reform measures of SMT production practice training course from the aspects of teaching goal setting, teaching content organization, teaching mode changing, teaching evaluation reform, teaching faculty construction, and teaching resources building, and so on.


This article is a response to Robin Barrow's John Wilson Memorial Lecture 'On the duty of not taking offence'. The present article takes issue with some of Barrow's claims and explores further the implications for moral education of some current views on the giving and taking of offence. Accounts are offered both of 'inherent offensiveness' (an important theme in Barrow's lecture) and of offence to persons. The questions 'are people too ready to take offence?' and 'are we too concerned about offending others?' are discussed, and attention is given to offensive language and the moral educational stance we should take towards it. Finally, it is argued that the chief value that should underpin the judgements we need to make about the giving and taking of offence is respect, and that we have a general duty to educate respect.


The Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) aboard the environmental satellite ENVISAT is a limb-viewing Fourier-transform emission spectrometer working in the mid-infrared spectral region between 685 cm -1 and 2410 cm -1 [...]


FEW COLLEGE STUDENTS arrive on campus with the tools to investigate their social identities. Tim Wise's autobiography, White Like Me (2007), provides a detailed methodology for unpacking the layers of awareness young people need to engage the most difficult cultural issues in the twenty-first century United States. Wise is a public intellectual who travels widely, addressing the racial aspects of social inequalities. Race as a social construct is the primary lesson he teaches, but he emphasizes the specific dimensions of white American identity to explore the complexities of race as a dynamic ideology. White privilege is the most common revelation in his presentations. It is the transitional chapter in the autobiography. Wise voices the anxiety and suffering racial thinking inflicts on white Americans through most of the narrative, in contrast to his popular public appearances. White Like Me communicates three layers of meaning to firstand secondyear college students by emphasizing the multifaceted dimensions of race in the United States, introducing the idea of white privilege, and mining the pain of white isolation. White Like Me is a response to John Howard Griffin's Black Like Me (1961), a story about life as a white person pretending to be African American. Wise challenges the premise that Griffin offered about the ignorance of white America about the functions of race in the society. Whiteness holds a wide variety of meanings across time and space in the United States. There is little uniformity of white identity in history or politics. However, Wise opens the door to the interrogation of those similarities and differences with his insistence on the importance of white experiences. In Wise's view, color blindness as a social condition blinds people to the realities of racial advantages. Without an ongoing conversation about cultural differences, misunderstandings and resentments grew unchecked in his school, his hometown, and his college. Wise defines the normality of cultural silence as a behavioral marker of white privilege. In a multiracial environment where immigrant, refugee, and native-born students interpreted conflicting forms of management and authority, silence only reifies the cultural authority of white expressions. It simultaneously destroys the chance to develop equi-


Let $(\bf U, \bf U^\imath)$ be a quasi-split quantum symmetric pair of arbitrary Kac-Moody type, where "quasi-split" means the corresponding Satake diagram contains no black node. We give a presentation of the $\imath$quantum group $\bf U^\imath$ with explicit $\imath$Serre relations. The verification of new $\imath$Serre relations is reduced to some new q-binomial identities. Consequently, $\bf U^\imath$ is shown to admit a bar involution under suitable conditions on the parameters.


The objective of this research was to identify differences in personality profile in moderate and excessive consumers of psychoactive substances. We used a comparative descriptive design, 215 college students participated with a mean age of 20.9 years and a survey of psychoactive substance use and the Big Five Questionnarie (BFQ). The results show that the three most consumed substances are alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana, that 50.7% of people use two or more psychoactive substances and 47% have a harmful use of substances. We identified significant differences and negative correlations in personality factor Strength and sub-factors: Cooperation, Conscientiousness, Perseverance and Opening to culture, all scoring higher in moderate drinkers. These results validate the hypothesis that the self-control is the ability to modulate the progression to a harmful drinking.


A series of in-situ tensile tests was performed at various low temperatures to characterize the mechanical properties and the fracture processes of the 16MND5 steel: the damage was observed with a SEM and the internal stresses in the ferritic phase were determined by XRD.


Purpose: The overall purpose of this project was to validate a model that risk stratifies patients with Crohn's disease, link this model to a web-based decision aid to create a personalized shared decision making program, and to study the impact of this program on patients' choice of therapy and decision quality. Scope: The prediction tool was calibrated and validated using data from adult patient populations. The Crohn's disease shared decision making program was then tested in adult patients ranging from 18-69 years of age, from 14 gastroenterology practices throughout both urban and rural regions in the United States. Methods: The prediction tool was developed using data from a single medical center, and then validated in two separate patient cohorts. Then, using system dynamics analysis (SDA) these results were transformed into a simple graphical web-based display to show patients their individualized probability of developing a complication over a 3-year period. This Crohn's disease shared decision making program was then tested prospectively in a cluster randomized controlled trial. Results: Compared to the control group the intervention group receiving the shared decision making program had more patients select "combination therapy," which has been proven the most effective therapy for the treatment of Crohn's disease. We also showed that in the intervention group fewer patients remained untreated, patients more often received the treatment that they preferred, had lower decision conflict, an increased understanding of their disease and increased trust in their physicians.


The Gaza coastal aquifer is the only natural source of drinking water for the popula- tion of the Gaza Strip. Groundwater is intensely overused due to the continuous growth of the population. Pumping from the coastal aquifer results in the formation of large depression cones under the city centers in the Gaza Strip. The continuous decrease of water level has invoked the seawater intrusion. This results in deterioration of water quality in the aquifer. SEAWAT code, a three dimensional model of coupled density-dependent flow and miscible salt transport, is used to simulate the seawater intrusion in the Gaza Coastal Aquifer. The model was used to determine the extent seawater intrusion impact the pumped groundwater water quality within the next 10 years. The model was also used to determine the feasibility of different man- agement scenarios in the future. The first scenario will be the no-action scenario that simulates the continuation of the current situation for the next 10 years. The second scenario is to investi- gate the impact of importing water from the West Bank via a pipeline. The third scenario will be the impact of the installation of injection wells line along the coast as barrier to the intrusion.


Complex hydrides are very promising candidates for future light‐weight solid state hydrogen storage materials. The present work illustrates detailed characterization of such novel hydride materials on different size scales by the use of synchrotron radiation and neutrons. The comprehensive analysis of such data leads to a deep understanding of the ongoing processes and mechanisms. The reaction pathways during hydrogen desorption and absorption are identified by in situ X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Function and size of additive phases are estimated using X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and anomalous small‐angle X‐ray scattering (ASAXS). The structure of the metal hydride matrix is characterized using (ultra) small‐angle neutron scattering (SANS/USANS). The hydrogen distribution in tanks filled with metal hydride material is studied with neutron computerized tomography (NCT). The results obtained by the different analysis methods are summarized in a final structural model. The complementary information obtained by these different methods is essential for the understanding of the various sorption processes in light metal hydrides and hydrogen storage tanks.


Summary. Estimations of the level of serum lysozyme were performed in 55 patients with neutropenia of various causes and bone‐marrow plasma lysozyme was measured in 39 of these patients. Neutrophil kinetic parameters (employing DF32P by an in‐vitro method) and serum lysozyme levels were measured at the same time in 30 of the neutropenic patients and 35 other subjects (14 healthy volunteers and 21 patients with non‐neutropenic disorders).


VIRTUAL ANTENNAS USING METAMATERIALS SEPTEMBER 2015 CAGLAR D. EMIROGLU B.Sc., MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY M.Sc., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Ph.D., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Directed by: Professor Do-Hoon Kwon Virtual antenna radiation at microwave frequencies using metamaterials is presented. Based on the transformation electromagnetics technique, the media embedding a physical antenna in a ground recess is designed such that the far-zone radiation pattern of a virtual antenna radiating above a flat conducting ground plane is reproduced. The antenna and a limited surrounding space above a ground plane is folded below the ground level, resulting in a physical antenna in a ground recess that is enclosed in transformation media. The electromagnetic specification of the media surrounding the physical antenna at the bottom of the recess is provided by a properly defined coordinate transformation. A three-step design approach is followed. First, microstrip transmission-line metamaterials for a ground-recessed probe are designed and implemented for virtual source formation above the ground plane. Transmission-line metamaterial unit cell designs for the embedding media are shown. Virtual probe formation is validated using full-wave vi simulations. Measured field distributions over the fabricated metamaterial-surface for an embedded probe current radiating in a ground recess confirm formation of a virtual line source above the ground plane. As a next step, resonant inclusion-based metamaterials are designed for embedding a two-dimensional electric line source in a ground recess. Metamaterials are fabricated and assembled. Measured field distributions for an effective two-dimensional configuration confirm formation of a virtual line current above the ground plane. As a final extension to a three-dimensional configuration, design, fabrication, and measurement of an embedded monopole antenna in a ground recess is presented. Poorer performance was measured compared with the two-dimensional case. The complexity and material losses associated with resonator-based, negative-index metamaterials for multiple polarizations in three-dimensional applications were identified as main technical challenges.


Digitization is changing the business world as a whole [7]. But, digitization affects not only the business world, but also university teaching significantly. The DI2 Co-Innovation Lab serves as a framework to work on joint projects and tasks with companies, students and lecturers in a spatial distributed, international and interdisciplinary setting (DI2) and at the same time to reduce the effort and risk of those involved. The Co-Innovation Lab (CIL) brings a proven agile project management method with knowledge assets from previous projects to support the work on real business problems. Aspects of mediation mitigate the effects of the complex setting. Tried and tested IT tools for acquisition, communication and knowledge management support the processing. Furthermore, branding and publications are used in the acquisition of projects.


This article discusses some aspects related to Platonic epistemology, namely, the use of nous in their thinking. To this end, we begin by presenting some antecedents of the doctrine of the Athenian philosopher, such as the Sanaxagoric nou. Then, characteristics of his dialectic are presented, by which Plato seeks to theoretically solve the problem of the one and the multiple. Plato seeks to reach the pinnacle of rationality, the intelligible, the Idea, but faces enormous problems. Do sensitive things have to be? No, and Plato seeks it elsewhere in Ideas, which are not accessible to direct human knowledge. Thus the philosopher hesitates and appeals to the myth. But, then, is it possible to separate where the myth begins and the logos ends in their epistemology? Otherwise, is it really about reaching the maximum of knowledge through the no's, the logos? How is this question? How does he solve it? In what follows we seek to verify some of Plato's steps in this steep epistemological journey.


This study chronicles the evolution of EU environmental governance to ascertain how it has changed over time and where it stands today in terms of effectiveness, legitimacy, and ecological rationality. The evidence suggests that EU hierarchical environmental governance became increasingly effective and legitimate during the 1970s and 1980s. However, many contend that these qualities have declined since the early 1990s. In response, the EU has made rhetorical and legal commitments to "new modes of governance," but in practice environmental governance has remained predominantly hierarchical. This paper contends that EU policy is more effective than is commonly believed and that legitimacy derives more from normative consensus and legalization than perceptions of policy effectiveness. Moreover, EU environmental effectiveness and legitimacy potentially will be further enhanced with a more complete transformation to the new modes of governance which coincide with our understandings of ecological rationality.


The present study was carried out to preliminary biochemical screening and antibacterial activities of Hygrocybecantharellus (Schwein.) Murrill on selected three plant and six human bacterial pathogens such as Xanthomonascampestris, Pseudomonas syringae, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella parathyphi, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruoginosa and Escherichia coli. For antibacterial test, well diffusion technique was used and the zone of inhibition of microorganisms was measured in mm. The biochemical analysis of the mushroom extracts of various solvents contained alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, flavonoids and phenols but did not contain detectable levels of steroids, tannins, triterpenoids. The fruit body of H. cantharellus showed potential antibacterial activities against the selected strains and maximum inhibition zone 17 mm followed by 16 mm, 15 mm and 14 mm was recorded from 100 mg of methanol and petroleum ether extracts of H. cantharellus fruit body against P. aereuoginosa followed by S. typhi, A. tumefaciens, S.aureus and X. campestrisand minimum (8 mm and 6 mm) by the S. parathyphi and K. pneumonia at 12.5 mg of extracts.However, the activity was less than the standard tetracycline and ciprofloxacin. The extract shows increasing inhibitory activity with increase in concentration (12.5 % - 100 %).The study concluded that the different solvent extracts of fruiting body of H. cantharellus contain potential compounds that inhibit growth of both plant and human pathogenic bacteria.


The article observes the mechanisms and levers of public administration aimed at stimulating economic growth in a fundamentally new environment, i.e. post-crisis recovery in the world and in Russia characterized by arrested economic development and constantly shrinking real income of households in the Russian Federation. The Russian economy also suffers from a decline in domestic demand. Under such conditions, the country pursues a restricting monetary and fiscal policy. The methodological framework of the study embraces the theoretical principles of strategic management and new public management. The authors apply a wide range of qualitative methods of analysis, as well as retrospective, structural-functional and system-based approaches. The paper analyses domestic demand in Russia and views it as an important object of public administration and one of the central factors in economic growth. The current level of domestic demand is insufficient and hampers economic growth. At the same time, external demand for Russian export goods may decrease due to the slowdown in global growth. In the event of severe destabilization, external risks in the financial markets may adversely affect the Russian economy. We conclude that it is highly necessary to increase the efficiency of internal factors as sources of economic growth in Russia through the active use of public management mechanisms. The paper discusses the measures of public administration employed by other countries to stimulate their economic growth amid similar conditions and finds that the Russian regulatory authorities have powerful, but yet unused, levers at their disposal. The research results may be useful for public authorities and institutions when implementing monetary and fiscal policy.


This article aims to map the locations of identity prejudice that occurs in the context of a Community of Inquiry. My claim is that epistemic injustice, which usually originates from seemingly 'minor' cases of identity prejudice, can potentially leak into the actual practice of P4wC. Drawing from Fricker, the various forms of epistemic injustice are made explicit when epistemic practices are framed within concrete social circumstances where power, privilege and authority intersect, which is observable in school settings. In connection, despite the pedagogical improvements P4wC offers, some forms of identity prejudice prevalent in traditional classrooms may persist, affecting children who are identified with negatively stereotyped social groups. It is, therefore, important to pay attention to the reality of epistemic injustice and the possible locations where it may potentially surface in the COI. Drawing from my P4wC experience, I show that identity prejudice stems from the intersections of the roles and positionalities of the participants in a philosophical dialogue. These intersections point towards the epistemic relationships of the P4wC teacher, the students, and the P4wC program itself. I conclude that identity prejudice arises circumstantially and/or substantively in P4wC scholarship and practice.


Abstract In this report, we analysed the suitability of collagen immunohistochemistry for the determination of collagen stability in historic bone specimens. The analysis covered the immunolocalization of the collagen types I, III, IV and in some specimens also of collagen VI in bone tissue ranging between 16,000 bc (Olduvai) to 1200 ad (Peru). Specific positive reactions were seen first in bone samples from Hassek Hoyok (Southeast Turkey) dating from about 3000 bc . The intra- and interindividual range of positive reactions, however, was large, although specimens of "younger" age showed better conservation of the tissue structure and coincidentally more often a specific collagen type immunoreaction. Our analysis demonstrates that collagen immunohistochemistry may provide a specific method for the analysis of intactness of collagen molecules or defined fragments derived thereof. This technique thus provides considerable information on the molecular structure of historic bone tissue.


The invention belongs to the pressure vessel technical field, in particular relating to a pressure vessel quick opening device of a movable cylinder. The invention is formed by connecting the cylinderand a quick opening end enclosure through a quick opening connection piece, wherein, the quick opening connection piece comprises a connecting nipple and a gear-matched locked clip; the internal thread of the connecting nipple consists of two sections of threads with opposite screwing directions; the gear-matched locked clip consists of a connecting ring and an engaging tooth. The connecting nipple connects the quick opening end enclosure with the cylinder together so as to form the pressure vessel quick opening device of the thread connection type movable cylinder; and the gear-matched locked clip connects the quick opening end enclosure with the cylinder together so as to form the pressure vessel quick opening device of the gear-matched connection type movable cylinder. When used, the pressure vessel quick opening device is fixed on a work jack horse of a device through a connecting hole on the end face of the quick opening end enclosure, the cylinder is assembled and disassembled conveniently through the connecting nipple and the gear-matched locked clip and can move flexibly to handle materials and to be washed, etc. The pressure vessel quick opening device is reasonable in structure, and safe, convenient and quick in operation.


Butyl methacrylate(BMA)/acrylamide(AM)copolymers were synthesized via free radical bulk polymerization by using benzoyl peroxide as the initiator and two-step feeding,which could effectively eliminate separation of AM monomer appearing in one-step feeding.Effects of batch feeding on the structure and properties of BMA/AM copolymers were investigated by infrared adsorption spectrum(FTIR),differential scanning calorimetry(DSC),thermogravimeter analysis(TGA),characteristic viscosity analysis and compression performance test.Results indicate that the conversion rate of AM monomer improves and intrinsic viscosity of BMA/AM copolymers increases as batch feeding ratio increases.When the batch feeding ratio is 50/50,the quantity of AM chain links is the most in BMA/AM copolymers;thermal stability and compression strength of BMA/AM copolymers improve significantly.


Objective To evaluate the clinical characteristics and surgical risks for elderly patients with gastric cancer. Methods The clinical data from 607 patients, who received surgical therapy for gastric cancer between January 2006 and December 2009, were retrospectively analyzed.Among them, 267 patients were over 65 years of age, and the other 340 patients (≤65 years of age)were served as control. Complete surgical resection was done by doctors in same group. The preoperative complications such as cardiopulmonary disease and post-operative complications as well as pathologic patterns were compared between two groups. Results Coexisted diseases were found more in elderly patients than in controls (68.91% vs 31.63 %, P<0.01). Whereas there was no significant difference between two groups with respect to post-operative complication [28. 19% (75/267)vs 25.59 % (87/340)]. However, the incidence of cardiopulmonary complications, especially pulmonary infection, was higher in elderly patients than in controls (17.23% vs 5.29% ,P<0.01). The digestive tract complications were related to the pattern of radical operation. Post-operative complication occurred less in patients treated with D1 radical operation than those with D2 and D3 radical operation.Conclusions The incidence of post-operative complication in elderly patients with gastric cancer was closely related to the surgical method. The elderly patients may has less complications if they were operated with D1 radical method which can reduce risk of complication and improve the quality of life.

Key words:
Stomach neoplasms;  Surgery;  Complication;  Age


Ferritin is an ubiquitous iron storage protein found in all kingdoms of life. Ferritin is essential for iron homeostasis and is involved in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. Several structures of ferritin in complex with small molecules and metal ions have been reported. Here we report the crystal structures of Horse Spleen Ferritin, in which the crystals were grown by employing a novel approach adopting the microbatch experiments performed in the presence and absence of electric field using a 2% agarose pellet of CdSO4. We observed that 1) these structures contain increased number of Cd ions as compared to the crystallization of same protein by others using different methods. 2) The externally applied electric field reduced the number of nucleation and with fewer nucleation the size of the crystals increased. 3) There is no significant conformational change observed among these structures. 4) Irrespective of the externally applied electric field, this agarose microbatch crystallization method facilitates the retaining of increased number of bound metal ions with ferritin to mimic the possible in vivo environment.


In recent years, increasing attention has been directed to the specific changes in glycosylation of glycoproteins that occurs in response to certain physiologic and pathologic conditions (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6). α1-Acid glycoprotein (AGP; orosomucoid) is a heavily glycosylated acute phase protein with five glycosylation sites carrying N-linked, complex-type oligosaccharides (N-glycans). The function of AGP is not well understood, but immunomodulating properties have been suggested that may be dependent on the expression of the sialyl LewisX (SLeX) epitope, in which fucose is a necessary component (7). However, methods for analysis of the glycosylation of acute phase proteins have been time-consuming and not suitable for routine analysis in a clinical laboratory (3)(6)(8).

A lectin ELISA has been used previously for analysis of a tumor marker (9). The Aleuria aurantia lectin (AAL) was used in an ELISA for analysis of fucosylation of serum cholinesterase in liver disease (10). We developed a lectin ELISA that uses biotinylated AAL and a capture antibody specific for AGP to study the fucosylation on AGP in the acute phase response. As a model for acute inflammation, we monitored the daily changes in AGP fucosylation in patients with severe burns.

The plasma concentration of AGP and C-reactive protein (CRP) was analyzed on a Cobas Integra 700 (Roche). AAL was purified from locally picked mushrooms as described previously (7). AAL fractions were pooled, lyophilized, and stored at −20 °C until biotinylation was performed according to the manufacturer's instructions (ImmunoprobeTM Biotinylation Kit; Sigma). Biotinylated AAL was stored at 4 °C. Microtiter plates (Nunc-ImmunoTM Maxisorp) were coated with polyclonal antibodies directed against human AGP (anti-human orosomucoid, cat. no. A0011; Dako), diluted 1:100 in coating buffer (15 mmol/L Na2CO3, 35 mmol/L …


Changing demographics suggest that much of the growth in higher education will come from diverse students consuming higher education in nontraditional formats. This paper present the findings of three studies conducted to determine various factors that contribute to effective teaching and learning for non-traditional students at a for-profit institution of higher learning. The first study explores the relationships between students' perceptions of the importance of three faculty dimensions --- technical currency, teaching techniques, and commitment to student success --- to their learning/success, expressed in terms of self-reported technical competencies and GPA in a technology-based baccalaureate electronics engineering technology (EET) program at a teaching university. The sample (N=225) was composed of seniors of the BSEET program (Fall 2003) from 13 geographically diverse campuses of a teaching university. More than 75% of the EET seniors agreed that the constructs of faculty technical currency, teaching techniques, and commitment to student success, are important to their learning/success. The second study deals with the conditions relating to faculty assimilation, teacher preparation, and teacher effectiveness at a for-profit institution of higher education. The study examines faculty assimilation, teaching practices, and teaching preparation at the Chicago campus of DeVry University, a for-profit, non-traditional university. Findings of the study are used to develop a model for teaching preparation and practice at for-profit, non-traditional universities. The third study deals with developing and testing a longitudinal model synthesized from the literature to (a) investigate the associations on persistence for nontraditional students attending nontraditional institutions, (b) assist staff, faculty, and administrators implement high quality intervention strategies, and (c) refocus institutional resources toward enhancing student persistence. Data were collected in a three-step process over a 5-year period. Results yielded significant differences between students who persisted to their second year or not and those who graduated or not within 5 years. Further analyses indicated that satisfaction significantly decreased on every construct in the theoretical model as students moved from their first to second year. Prior research studying commuter institutions showed background characteristics of the student as the most important associations on short-term outcomes and persistence decisions. Results of this study indicated the opposite; institutional and interactional variables were associated with


Abdul Sattar Edhi is a living legend and the most decorated philenthropist of Pakistan truly for his unmatched dedication, commitment and practical work. The article is a one-window solution as it briefly but comprehensively touches all the dimensions required to be highlighted to pay a worthy tribute to a hardworking realizer of dreams - Edhi sahib! This article encompasses all there needs to be known about Edhi and his remarkable achievements... Writing style is unique too ...


Abstract The deformation of a spherical molecule due to its own reaction field is studied theoretically. The spheroidal shape thus obtained is used to calculate the cohesion energy of polar liquids and also their molecular dipole moments. The latter values are found to be in better agreement with moments measured in the gas phase than those obtained earlier. Relevance of the model in molecular theory of liquids is pointed out.


An experimental device for determining the viscosity of liquid by the capillary method was developed.The viscosity of liquid was obtained by measuring the relationship between the height of liquid surface and time.The constant-pressure liquid tank was not required in the experimental device.The viscosity of liquid at different temperatures could be measured using the constant temperature tube around the capillary.The teaching contents of the experiment were extended by the device.


Abstract. Aerosol extinction coefficients (σa) and lidar ratios
(LRs) are retrieved over the ocean from CALIPSO's Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with
Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) attenuated backscatter profiles by solving
the lidar equation constrained with aerosol optical depths (AODs) derived by
applying the Synergized Optical Depth of Aerosols (SODA) algorithm to ocean
surface returns measured by CALIOP and CloudSat's Cloud Profiling Radar.
σa and LR are retrieved for two independent scenarios that
require somewhat different assumptions: (a) a single homogeneous atmospheric
layer (1L) for which the LR is constant with height and (b) a vertically
homogeneous layer with a constant LR overlying a marine boundary layer with
a homogenous LR fixed at 25 sr (two-layer method, 2L). These new retrievals
differ from the standard CALIPSO version 4.1 (V4) product, as the
CALIOP–SODA method does not rely on an aerosol classification scheme to
select LR. CALIOP–SODA σa and LR are evaluated using airborne
high-spectral-resolution lidar (HSRL) observations over the northwest
Atlantic. CALIOP–SODA LR (1L and 2L) positively correlates with its HSRL
counterpart (linear correlation coefficient r>0.67), with a
negative bias smaller than 17.4 % and a good agreement for σa
(r≥0.78) with a small negative bias (≤|-9.2%|).
Furthermore, a global comparison of optical depths derived by CALIOP–SODA
and CALIPSO V4 reveals substantial discrepancies over regions dominated by
dust and smoke (0.24), whereas Aqua's Moderate resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and SODA AOD regional differences are within 0.06. Global maps of CALIOP–SODA LR feature high values over littoral zones,
consistent with expectations of continental aerosol transport offshore. In
addition, seasonal transitions associated with biomass burning from June
to October over the southeast Atlantic are well reproduced by CALIOP–SODA
LR.


In order to realize positioning of nano-meter precision, it is important to eliminate friction and backlash from mechanical parts making relative sliding and/or rolling motion. This paper first describes the principle of an Air Bearing Lead Screw(ABLS)in which the lead screw surface is completely separated from the nut surface by the pressured air film. Then a positioning system comprised of ABLS, a table, an air guideway and air bearings used for supporting the screw shaft is introduced. The system is free from friction except that by DC motor brushes. The basic dynamic characteristics of the system are examined and some controllers are designed and implemented. Experimental results show that the system can position the table with the accuracy of a few nano-meters.


The international CUBI forum strives to validate thermal modelling software on a welldefined, simple geometric object. The CUBI at DLR is isolated inside by a 60mm layer of rock wool and has 47 Pt100 temperature sensors in order to get the spatial distribution of temperature on the object. The CUBI is now placed outdoors in an almost shadowfree environment (Ground Station Weilheim, Germany). We record the temperature values and compare them to the result of a simulation by RadThermIR with weather data imported from a nearby positioned weather station. In this talk, we discuss the agreement between simulation and experiment under certain different weather conditions.


An attempt was made to determine the spin of the /sub LAMBDA /H/sup 4/ hyperfragment from the analysis and angular distribution for the decay process / sub LAMBDA /H/sup 4/ yields t + p + pi . (auth)


The present study investigated the maturation, spawning, molting cycle, and growth of eyestalk-ablated (group A) and unablated (group B) P. muelleri reared in a tank. In adition, the adequency of gonadosomatic index (GSI) and coloration of ovary for the purpose of assesing the stage of the gonadal maturation was evaluated. The assesment of the stage of ovarian maturation by gonadosomatic index and the coloration showed that P. muelleri can spawn only after attaining Stage-IV (GSI 10.3 ± 1.9 %). The smallest unablated spawner had a body weight of 18.3 g and completely spawned 268,000 eggs 16 days after the onset of the experiment. No signifi cant diff erence was observed between the molting cycle of ablated (21.2 ± 4 days) and unablated (22.4 ± 3 days) females. However, the molting cycle increased with an increase of spawner size between 4 and 28 g. The growth rates of carapace length and body weight per momth between group A and B showed no signifi cant diff erence. Based on the maturity, spawning, and mating rates, it was considered that a frequent spawners were over 18 g in size. The ovarian development in both groups as slow and steady. Females attained Stage-I 4-5 days after molt and then took another 6-8 days to spawn. The interval between the fi rst and the second spawnings was 7 days. There was no a signifi cant diff erence between the spawning rates of groups A and B.


Estimation of downlink (DL) channel state information (CSI) is necessary in massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems to enable precoding and in general achieve high spectral efficiency. However, CSI estimation (both uplink (UL) and DL) is challenging in an environment with highly mobile users due to rapidly-varying fading. The estimation becomes even more challenging when the UL CSI knowledge is incomplete due to system constraints. In this work, we combine two machine learning techniques to tackle this twofold problem: 1) predicting DL CSI from earlier UL CSI estimates, and 2) estimating full UL CSI from its incomplete form. For the first sub-problem, we apply long short-term memory (LSTM) to capture the spatiotemporal correlation between CSI at different time instances and UE positions. For the second sub-problem, we use a conditional generative adversarial network (CGAN) to estimate the full UL CSI from its incomplete version. We study the normalized mean squared error performance of the proposed CGAN-LSTM method and compare the achieved spectral efficiency of the system with what is maximally achievable with full CSI knowledge.


The use of intense sweeteners in the manufacture of low calorie frozen desserts has brought about the need to add bulking agents to replace the sugar omitted in such products. A bulking agent acts as a filler and reproduces the physical properties of sugar, but not its sweetness and caloric content. Careful attention must be paid to combining sweeteners (polyols) with bulking agents in order to regulate the freezing point of the mix, and to restrict the levels to those which do not impart offflavours or create gastrointestinal distress. Some modifications in the freezing and serving conditions are needed with the addition of bulking agents. The newlmodified bulking agents need to be approved by the regulatory bodies to ensure their safety. There is a need to identify a low or non-caloric bulking agent with little or no laxative effect.


The last decade has witnessed a rapid proliferation of superscalar cache-based microprocessors to build high-end capability and capacity computers primarily because of their generality, scalability, and cost effectiveness. However, the constant degradation of superscalar sustained performance, has become a well- known problem in the scientific computing community. This trend has been widely attributed to the use of superscalar-based commodity components who's architectural designs offer a balance between memory per- formance, network capability, and execution rate that is poorly matched to the requirements of large-scale numerical computations. The recent development of massively parallel vector systems offers the potential to increase the performance gap for many important classes of algorithms. In this study we examine four diverse scientific applications with the potential to run at ultrascale, from the areas of plasma physics, material sci- ence, astrophysics, and magnetic fusion. We compare performance between the vector-based Earth Simulator (ES) and Cray X1, with leading superscalar-based platforms: the IBM Power3/4 and the SGI Altix. Results demonstrate that the ES vector systems achieve excellent performance on our application suite - the highest of any architecture tested to date.


In today's young generation, there is an understanding of religion that is starting to disappear among the younger generation. To solve this problem, it is necessary to motivate the younger generation to be able to study fiqh science. This research was carried out to describe how important the application of adolescent psychology is in increasing the learning motivation of students at a state Madrasah Aliyah Negeri in Palu. This research was carried out using a qualitative approach. Interviews was employed to collect the data. Meanwhile, the data analysis process carried out in this study used deductive and inductive techniques. The results of this study then found that learning motivation for students was strongly influenced by their psychological development. Therefore, problems in fiqh learning activities can be solved by increasing student motivation through an adolescent psychology approach. Through this, it is hoped that students will want to learn fiqh.


Diabetes, a metabolic disorder diagnosed by hyperglycemia, is as a result of defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The most common complication of diabetes is neuropathy, which happened for more than 50% of diabetic patients. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a disorder diagnosed by demyelination, axonal atrophy, blunted regenerative potential, and loss of peripheral nerve fibers. The exact mechanism of this disorder is still unknown. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is another major complication of diabetes which eventually causes blindness. The exact mechanism of this disorder has not been understood yet. According to past studies, activation of ERK in MAPK signaling pathway increases in DPN. As well as it was shown that increased expression of JNK leads to DR. Simvastatin as a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor has showed a beneficial effect on both DPN and DR. In this hypothesis, we propose that mechanism of simvastatin in DPN is decreasing phosphorylated ERK (pERK) via different ways and in DR is decreasing JNK via WNT signaling pathway.


The photovoltaic performance of codeposited films of fullerene and metal-free phthalocyanine was confirmed to be affected by their nanostructure which can be controlled by adjusting substrate temperature during codeposition. Crystalline-amorphous nanocomposites possessing individual transport routes for electrons and holes showed the largest photocurrent. A photoelectric conversion efficiency of 0.56% was observed.


Physicochemical analyses of surface and groundwater samples from eleven different locations in Ugbomro and Iteregbi, Delta State, Nigeria were sampled and analyzed for physicochemical parameters according to standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. The following  mean and standard deviation were obtained from the groundwater of the communities: temp (oC) 22.46 ± 0.50 and 23.23 ± 0.99, pH 6.63 ± 0.68 and6.69 ± 0.24, dissolved oxygen (DO) (mg/L) 5.91 ± 0.46 and 5.73 ± 0.46, chemical oxygen demand (COD) (mg/L) 4.24 ± 0.01 and 4.43 ± 0.10, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) (mg/L) 3.51 ± 0.38 and 3.84 ± 0.21, Turbidity (NTU) 1.22 ± 1.07 and 3.56 ± 0.77, electrical conductivity (EC) (μs/cm) 748.9 ± 215.79 and 786.67 ± 226.77, color (TCU) 1.22 ± 2.12 and 6.11 ± 2.11, total alkalinity (TA) (mg/L) 6.22 ± 7.38 and 14.11 ± 11.19, HCO3- (mg/L) 6.22 ± 7.38 and 14.11 ± 11.19, NO3 - (mg/L) 1.13 ± 0.62 and 2.89 ± 1.25, total solids (TS) (mg/L) 489.09 ± 180.17 and 664.95 ± 373.37, total suspended solids (TSS) (mg/L) 32.25 ± 24.29 and 123.86 ± 82.79, total dissolved solids (TDS) (mg/L) 456.78 ± 163.73 and 542.20 ± 450.66, Cl- (mg/L) 21.20 ± 3.20 and 20.10 ± 3.89, total hardness (TH) (mg/L) 26.67 ± 22.83 and 46.78 ± 36.17, Na (mg/L) 1.26 ± 0.06 and 1.16 ± 0.04, K (mg/L) 0.04 ± 0.01 and 0.06 ± 0.03, Mg (mg/L) 4.32 ± 3.23 and 6.96 ± 5.49, Ca (mg/L) 8.68 ± 9.35 and 18.12 ± 13.71 respectively. The results obtained were subjected to statistical analysis and compared with the standard set by the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for water samples. Some of the parameters did not meet the standards, hence the need for treatment. The present physio-chemical analyses of surface and groundwater quality of the two neighboring university areas, Ugbomro and Iteregbi, were done to assess the environmental status of  the environment before socio-economic impacts.
Keywords: physicochemical, surface water, groundwater, water quality


An attempt is made to find a coherent verbal expression of the intuition that reality is a manifold of more or less comprehensive wholes (gestalts), all discernible in terms of qualities. Quantitative natural science is thought to describe abstract structures of reality, not contents. The qualities are neither subjective nor objective, they belong to concrete contents with structures comprising at least three abstract relata: object, subject, and medium. Their status is that of entia rationis, not content of reality. Recent developments in physics suggest that we shall look in vain for physical 'things' of which reality is composed. Adequate expressions of concrete contents form designations rather than declarative sentences. They may obviously contain value terms. The attempt to formulate an ontology along the suggested lines seems to be closely related to phenomenology of a Heideggerian rather than Cartesian kind. It serves the endeavour to change the conception of the man‐nature relationship.


This research project gathers information about overall impression (s) of China by tourists in China as well as their likes and dislikes of and about the country. The study also examines respondentspsila perceptions of similarities and dissimilarities of cultural variables (i.e., psychic distance) between their own country and China. The information contained herein will benefit both policy makers and managers in the tourist industry in their strategic planning process. The purpose of the research is to better serve the incoming tourists to China.


The Project "Informatization of the General Practitioner" aimed at networking the work stations of a randomized set of 150 general practitioners equipped with the "Follow-Up System" software, for the collection of information related to the activity carried out, to be electronically transferred to a central unit was developed in the frame of the finalized Project of the National Research Council: "Prevention and Control of the Disease Factors". During the project activity, a study on prescribed hospitalizations was carried out. The contents of items regarding hospitalization diagnosis show that diagnoses concerning diseases included in chapter ICD-9: "Symptoms, signs and morbid conditions not well defined" represent 30.3% of the total; most of these undefined syndromes can be identified under the item "abdominal pain" with 18.2% of cases. Obviously in the case of appendicitis (12.1% of hospitalizations) the hospitalization carried out by the physician resulted to be necessary, in the case of biliary lithiasis (8 cases, 7.4%), the physician could have treated the patient without hospitalization. The interest of such data is to induce a sort of provocation in order to observe, within 8% of hospitalizations following abdominal pain, what rate of hospitalization could be avoided, giving the adequate support to the general practitioner in order to decide the behaviour to have.


Phenotyping of hemoglobin variants from whole blood and dried bloodstains is an important procedure for the forensic scientist. Although electrophoretic techniques for hemoglobin phenotyping have been described [1–5], there has been to our knowledge no published report of alterations in the electrophoretic mobility of hemoglobin in dried bloodstains. In the present study, observations were made on changes after electrophoresis on cellulose acetate membranes in the mobility of hemoglobin from bloodstains 1 to 28 days old. A procedure has been worked out to prevent these changes which may cause errors in the phenotyping of hemoglobin variants.


Chalcogenide based detectors (sensors) have been prepared as thin amorphous films. The sensitivity of the detectors depends on the chalcogenide composition.


We mainly treat a separable C*-algebra A in this article. Let S be a subset of Asa. We call S a generator of A when any C*-subalgebra B of A containing S is equal to A, and we denote A = C∗(S). If S is finite, then we call A finitely generated and we define the number of generators gen(A) by the minimum cardinality of S which generates A. We denote gen(A) = ∞ unless A is finitely generated. We call a C*-algebra A singly generated if gen(A) ≤ 2. Indeed, if A = C∗(x, y) for x, y ∈ Asa, then any C*-subalgebra B of A containing the element x + √−1y is equal to A. There are many works on single generation of operator algebras. Many of them concern to von Neumann algebras ([2],[6],[16], [18], [19], [23]). Concerning to C*-algebras, there are interesting works of D. Topping([21]), C. L. Olsen and W. R. Zame([14]). With related to them, we introduce the recent work ([11]) of singly generated C*algebras in the next section and mention the relation between singly generated C*-algebras and their ranks in the last section.


This article explores some of the specificities, transformations and continuities in the role of the state in education in Mexico (New Spain) over a long period of time (1788–1848) before and after independence, by focusing on the ritual of public examinations in elementary schools. In addition to a review of the laws and regulations that led to a stronger intervention of the city councils in schooling, it discusses how the state became defined as the "provider" of education, analyses the emergence of the notion of "the public" in schooling, and examines the notions of individual achievement and merit. It is the author's contention that, throughout this period, the terms of the relationship between state and society regarding education gained new forms and changed from a "logic of reciprocity" to a "logic of citizenship".


In a power market,generators need to commit their own transaction project to maximize the total revenue and minimize the associated risks considering cost of electricity and ramping constraints.So it is worthwhile studying how to allocate the generation capacity to the multi-electricity markets in multi-scale time.The paper presents a multi-scale temporal bidding combination model by introducing the economic concept of utility and risk management.The computation and analysis results of a numerical example are detailed,which shows that adopting the competitive model is helpful for power generators to optimal bidding combination project within the transaction day.


Cities are constantly changing and authorities face immense challenges in obtaining accurate and timely data to effectively manage urban areas. This is particularly problematic in the developing world where municipal records are often unavailable or not updated. Spaceborne earth observation (EO) has great potential for providing up-to-date spatial information about urban areas. This article reviews the application of EO for supporting urban planning. In particular, the article overviews case studies where EO was used to derive products and indicators required by urban planners. The review concludes that EO has sufficiently matured in recent years but that a shift from the current focus on purely science-driven EO applications to the provision of useful information for day-to-day decision-making and urban sustainability monitoring is clearly needed.


Here, an experimental grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) study of the nanostructure of a sample composed of a Si(001) wafer covered by a Ni-doped SiO2 thin film and thermally treated at high temperature is described. Previous studies indicated that this type of composite contains Ni nanocrystals mainly inside the thin film and NiSi2 nanoplates buried in the Si wafer. To achieve accurate determinations of low-resolution structural parameters of the nanoparticles derived from the experimental results (shape, volume and size), two GISAXS patterns were recorded. The first pattern was produced by the Si wafer covered by a nanoporous Ni-doped SiO2 thin film and the second pattern was recorded after removal of the SiO2 thin film by chemical etching. By using the procedure of best fitting of a modeled isotropic GISAXS intensity to a set of 1D GISAXS patterns recorded before thin-film removal, the average radius and radius dispersion of a size polydisperse set of spherical Ni nanocrystals were determined. The GISAXS pattern recorded after removal of the SiO2 thin film was almost completely due to the scattering intensity produced by oriented NiSi2 nanoplates located inside the Si wafer. By fitting a theoretical function for the X-ray scattering intensity produced by oriented nanoplates to a set of experimental 1D GISAXS patterns, the maximum diameters and average thickness of the hexagonal NiSi2 nanoplates were determined. The GISAXS intensity pattern produced by the sample after thin-film removal is essentially anisotropic (with only a weak isotropic contribution from Ni nanocrystals), thus allowing for precise quantitative determinations of the relevant sizes of the NiSi2 nanoplates.


The existing evidence suggesting a link between exposure to Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) magnetic fields and an increased incidence of cancer is reviewed and evaluated.


This research was carried out in order to find the effects of drought stress on growth and biochemical biomarkers changes of barley inoculated with plant growth promoting bacteria , foliar application of amino acids and silicic acid in research field of Islamic Azad UniversityKaraj Branch/ Iran in 2009-2010. A split plot experiment under completely randomized block design with four replications was used. Experimental treatments included two levels of irrigation {a1: Control, a2: cut irrigation after flowering stage} and second experimental treatment included{ b1: control ,b2: seed inoculated with bacteria (Azospirillum + Azotobacter + Pseudomonase), b3: seed inoculated with bacteria (Azospirillum + Azotobacter + Pseudomonase) and sprayed silicic acids, b4: seed inoculated with bacteria (Azospirillum + Azotobacter + Pseudomonase) and sprayed amino acids,b5: seed inoculated with bacteria (Azospirillum + Azotobacter + Pseudomonase) and sprayed silicic acids with amino acids}.Highest amount of MDA 170.4 (µmol/g protein) and the lowest amount 122 (µmol/g protein) appeared in drought stress and normal condition, respectively. Between second experimental treatments were no significant difference for MDA. The highest percentage of protein degradation produced in the treatment of stress (80.6 µmol/g protein) and lowest degradation rate of proteins produced in the normal treatment (51.2 µmol/g protein). No significant differences observed among second experimental treatment for dityrosine. Results of analysis of variance showed significant difference between irrigation treatments for 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine. Highest amount of 8OH-2-DG (15.8 µmol/g protein) and the lowest amount (12.9 µmol/g protein) appeared in drought stress and normal condition, respectively. Results showed that plant growth promoting bacteria associated with spraying silicic acid and amino acids increased drought tolerance of barley because of lower production of MDA, dityrosine and 8-OH-2-DG.


Teachers vocational skill training has been regarded as the necessary foundation stage reserves of Normal students'professional growth and the powerful evidence of their professional values,which are weakening even defection in the course of pursuit of"academic"and"comprehensive"in the Teachers Colleges. Facts show that we can shape only around professional values and set up the course education system ability training system of teachers vocational skill to improve the students'professional growth,which can truly improve the quality of the training and meet the urgent demand of the basic education curriculum reform.


The unreasonable exploitation of metal mines is one of the critical causes of heavy metal pollution in soil-groundwater of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It not only reduces the quality of regional soil groundwater, but also seriously damages the regional agriculture and animal husbandry activities. In this study, 57 soil samples were collected from a copper mine flotation plant in Ulat Houqi, Bayannur city. The contents and spatial variation characteristics of Cu, As, Cr, Cd, Pb, Mn, and Zn in soil samples were analyzed. The element forms in soil samples were analyzed by BCR method. In addition, DO, TDS, pH and other indicators of regional groundwater samples and heavy metal concentrations were monitored through six monitoring wells. The results showed that the contents of the above heavy metals in the topsoil samples showed a significant downward trend with the increase of the distance between the sampling point and the slag heap, and also showed the characteristics of rapid decline with the growth of depth. The average and maximum concentrations of Cu in the regional soil were 338.04mg/kg and 2356.84mg/kg, respectively, the pollution degree of Cu is very serious in the study area, As and Cd pollution exist in the topsoil, but other heavy metals do not reach the pollution levels. Furthermore, the risk of pollution in groundwater is controllable. This study can provide some support for heavy metal pollution control and risk prevention and control of soil and groundwater in mining area.


The present invention relates to an adhesive composition, which comprises, relative to its total weight:? 40% polyethylene grafted functional monomer (A) or polyethylene (A1) and is different from (A1) a second polymer (A2) blend, wherein (A1) and (A2) being co-grafted blend of the functionalized unsaturated monomers, with respect to (a) in terms of an unsaturated mono-functional body weight content is in the range of 30-100000 ppm;? 25-98% of a density of 0.900 to 0.965 in the range of non-grafted polyethylene (B) ;? 1-35% of the elastomeric product (C). The present invention also relates to compositions comprising such a multilayer structure, the structure can be used to protect the metal tube, the metal tube used in the manufacture of oil pipelines and gas pipelines.


Exclusive residential villages are planned residential subdivisions which are comprised of single-detached housing units, and for which access is restricted to residents only. Urbanization leads to an increasing need for additional capacity in the existing road networks. Village size, shape and location are the most important aspects of its interaction with the road system. When villages' conflict with the function of the primary road system, opening of these villages is a very visible option for increasing network capacities. Unfortunately, there has been a lack of careful consideration of the effects of such moves on the residents of these villages and whether or not such action would necessarily abate the decline in performance of the road traffic system. This paper sought to identify the most important benefits of exclusiveness or conversely to identify the most serious disbenefits of its loss. From the village inventory, around 16% of all residential villages in Metro Manila are exclusive, affecting a large number of households. The surveys identified security and clean, quiet environment as the most important benefit of exclusiveness.


A detailed study of main factors of expressway with tunnel group was conducted:transport routes,temporary engineering,temporary layout of facilities,water,electricity,telecommunications,networks,spoil site setting,geology,climate,hydrological conditions,avoiding overlapping sub-contract segment,favorable external coordination,etc.In order to avoid overlapping and enhance favorable external coordination,several main means of dividing contract section were obtained: single subtype,middle subtype,left and right segmented type,and hybrid type;difficulties of construction organization in expresshway with the tunnel group,namely difficulty of time organization and difficulty of space organization were discussed.


Terry Burke and Robin Zakharov, with the assistance of Caroline Neske, look at what Australia's housing future may look like in twenty years time. They identify and develop a small number of scenarios about the nature of the housing system in 2025 and work through their implications.


D ue to the fast rising cost, healthcare is currently an important topic on the governmental agenda of most Western countries. Several reasons can be distinguished for the fast increase in healthcare cost. Firstly, large investments in product innovation have led to increased quality, but also to increased cost of health services. Secondly, the increased performance of the healthcare sector have led to a higher life expectancy and healthcare demand. Thirdly, the aging phenomenon led to a fast growth of the demand for health services as well. Four key actors play an important role in healthcare, namely the government, healthcare providers, health insurance companies and patients. Three of these actors (patients do not have a prominent role here, but are represented by the other key actors) agreed on reducing the cost and increasing the efficiency of health services by signing the healthcare outline agreement. Several initiatives are developed to reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of health services. These initiatives are started in the past and continued by the healthcare outline agreement. The initiatives concern the introduction of competition, the definition of integrated care pathways, the principle of Pay for Performance and demand driven healthcare. All these initiatives are to a certain extent connected to the introduction of more competition on the healthcare market among healthcare providers. Health insurance companies have a key position in these initiatives due to their current position in healthcare where they play a central role in the provision of information to the relevant actors on the healthcare market (the provision of sound and relevant information is marked as an important precondition for fair competition). For that reason is laid down in the healthcare outline agreement that health insurance companies get the responsibility to take a dominant role in realizing lower cost and a higher efficiencies in healthcare by means of performance based healthcare procurement. Fair decision making is a requirement for fair competition. Healthcare procurement involves all relevant information streams that are used for decision making on the healthcare market and may for that reason be a good means for restoring sound and relevant information to the healthcare market. However, healthcare procurement may only be effective in enabling fair competition when a broad set of requirements is fulfilled. These requirements should guarantee the provision of sound and relevant information to the healthcare market and broad support among the key actors on the healthcare market. It is for the sake of fair competition important that competition takes place at the right level of detail. The right level of detail from the point of view of demand-driven healthcare is the level of the integrated care pathways as this is the level at which appropriate health services can be guaranteed. This is not possible at the institutional level of a healthcare provider. Patients (as the demand side of the healthcare market) are interested in the performance of healthcare providers for specific diseases and do not care that much about the performance of healthcare providers on the institutional level when they need to be treated for a specific disease. Healthcare performance information should be available on the integrated care pathway level in order to enable competition on this level of detail. An important first step towards performance based procurement of health services is the definition and the quantification of criteria that measure the performance of healthcare providers on the level of the integrated care pathways. This is currently not possible due to the lack of appropriate KPIs that measure the relevant information on the right level of detail. The design objective for this research is Design a method for the evaluation of the performance of healthcare provider transcending integrated care pathways on broadly agreed criteria which may serve as a basis for a healthcare procurement model. This method should facilitate health insurance companies in the execution of their role on the healthcare market. First a desk research is executed in which is evaluated which KPIs are appropriate for the evaluation of the performance of healthcare providers on the relevant criteria in order to enable healthcare procurement


Doppler ultrasound (US) is still considered the gold standard for in vivo blood flow measurements [1]. However, within past years several new magnetic resonance (MR) imaging methods for flow quantification evolved. All MR modalities essentially rely on the strong influence of the movement of spins on the amplitude and phase of the MR imaging signal. The phase-modulation method [3] has gained the greatest importance for flow quantification. The linear relationship between the phase of the MR imaging signal and the velocity of the moving spins permits a straightforward quantification of instantaneous flow velocity and direction in every pixel over the entire cross section of the vessel. The flow sensitivity of the phase mapping sequences can be adjusted widely to suit physiological velocities ranging from slow cerebrospinal fluid flow to accelerated flow in a stenosed artery. Fast gradient-echo (GRE) sequences enable short repetition times (TRs) on the order of 20 ms and less by means of a time-saving reversal of the readout gradient instead of the 180 0 radio-frequency (RF) echopulse applied in spinecho sequences. This and electrocardiographic triggering allows for a temporal sufficiently resolved quantitative analysis of repetitive pulsatile flow over the entire cardiac cycle. In comparison to other established methods such as thermodilution, electromagnetic flowmetry and Doppler US, the new MR imaging modality is neither invasive nor limited in its application by access windows. These are some of the reasons why MR velocity mapping is becoming an important method for flow quantification in clinical diagnosis [4]. The clinical relevance of quantitative flow measurements should further increase once the normal reference values for various vessels are established. Previously, in vivo flow measurements by means of MR imaging were compared with other methods. Lipton et al. [5] measured the blood flow in the ascending and descending aorta with MR and standard thermodilution. Matsuda et al. [6] compared the MR flow measurements in the abdominal aorta with those achieved by a single-gated Doppler US. However, these authors utilized time of flight MR methods which are not sensitive to flow direction and provide no spatial resolution, thus preventing comparisons between the cross-sectional velocity profiles. These drawbacks can be overcome when phase-based MR methods are employed, allowing the measurement of the


Internet blackouts are challenging environments for anonymity and censorship resistance. Existing popular anonymity networks (e.g., Freenet, I2P, Tor) rely on Internet connectivity to function, making them impracticable during such blackouts. In such a setting, mobile ad-hoc networks can provide connectivity, but prior communication protocols for ad-hoc networks are not designed for anonymity and attack resilience. We address this need by designing, implementing, and evaluating Moby, a blackout-resistant anonymity network for mobile devices. Moby provides end-to-end encryption, forward secrecy and sender-receiver anonymity. It features a bi-modal design of operation, using Internet connectivity when available and ad-hoc networks during blackouts. During periods of Internet connectivity, Moby functions as a regular messaging application and bootstraps information that is later used in the absence of Internet connectivity to achieve secure anonymous communications. Moby incorporates a model of trust based on users' contact lists, and a trust establishment protocol that mitigates flooding attacks. We perform an empirically informed simulation-based study based on cellphone traces of 268,596 users over the span of a week for a large cellular provider to determine Moby's feasibility and present our findings. Last, we implement and evaluate the Moby client as an Android app.


We obtain estimates for the mean squared error (MSE) for the multitaper spectral estimator and certain compressive acquisition methods for multi-band signals. We confirm a fact discovered by Thomson [Spectrum estimation and harmonic analysis, Proc. IEEE, 1982]: assuming bandwidth <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$W$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$N$ </tex-math></inline-formula> time domain observations, the average of the square of the first <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$K=\lfloor 2NW\rfloor$ </tex-math></inline-formula> Slepian functions approaches, as <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$K$ </tex-math></inline-formula> grows, an ideal bandpass kernel for the interval <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$[ -W,W]$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. We provide an analytic proof of this fact and measure the corresponding rate of convergence in <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$L^{1}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> norm. This validates a heuristic approximation used to control the MSE of the multitaper estimator. The estimates have also consequences for the method of compressive acquisition of multi-band signals introduced by Davenport and Wakin, giving MSE approximation bounds for the dictionary formed by modulation of the critical number of prolates.


Aim. As a result of fluctuations in water level, waves, circulation, rise and fall of the water levels there are constant partial erosion and leaching of soil banks in water bodies, with intensive ongoing pollution of the waters of the Caspian Sea, which we have seen in recent decades, and in the long run may dangerously affect the transparen- cy of the water and reduction of biomass of the benthic community in the western part of the South Caspian Sea. The paper presents the results of the last 60 years of monitoring studies to determine the nature of transparency, depth of the euphotic layer, the primary production of phytoplankton photosynthesis, phyto- and zoobentos biomass and de- struction of organic matter in the coastal western shelf of the South Caspian. Methods. In the course of research, modern methods of quantitative and qualitative analysis were used, regulated by normative documents, duly ap- proved for environmental monitoring of water bodies. Results. Studies have shown that since the second half of the 90's, the mainland coast strip is strongly deformed, starting from the village of Shihva to Kura area, further from the south of the village of Narimanabada to Astara. Dozens of artificial coves, bays, islands were created with clay-soil mounds. Conclusions. A huge mass of clay and soil goes to the coastal waters of the western shelf as a result of the destruction of the structure of the coasts due to waves and wind, resulting in clastic particles in the water in-


Implementing Marxist world view and methodology, grasping the laws of the socialist development and accurately comprehending the characteristics of the times, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Jiang Zeming as the chief representative have drawn on the achievements of modern human civilization, broaden its field of vision in superstructure theory and come up with new theses with the courage of the theory of Marxism. Jiang Zeming have gained the most valuable experience in nine parts leading the people in promoting socialist democracy and building socialist political civilization during which the important thought of The Three Represents are carried out.


Genetic algorithms (GAs) are excellent approaches to solving complex problems in optimization with difficult constraints, and in high state space dimensionality problems. The classic bin-packing optimization problem has been shown to be a NP- complete problem. There are GA applications to variations of the bin-packing problem for stock cutting, vehicle loading, air container loading, scheduling, and the knapsack problem. Mostly, these are based on a 1D or 2D considerations. Ikonen et. al. have developed a GA for rapid prototyping called GARP, which utilizes a 3D chromosome structure for the bin- packing of the Sinterstation 2000's build cylinder. GARP allows the Sinterstation to be used more productively. The GARP application was developed for a single CPU machine. Anticipating greater use of time compression technologies, this paper examines the framework necessary to reduce GARP's execution time. This framework is necessary to speed-up the bin-packing evaluation, by the use of distributed or parallel GAs. In this paper, a framework for distribution techniques to improve the efficiency of GARP, and to improve the quality of GARPis solutions is proposed.


This paper documents major solid waste minimisation (SWM) practices, challenges, and recommendations identified in an environmental sustainability case study. The analysis was performed in the 3,530 room Flamingo Hilton Resort and Casino (LVFH) in Las Vegas,Nevada,USA.The city's 29 million tourists a year leave behind mountains of dollars... and garbage. The main research contributions are the SWM hierarchy, and the study's documentation of corporate actions and attitudes relating to waste minimisation in an urban tourism setting. Resort areas studied ranged from reprographics to guest rooms. Selected findings and recommendations of this study are presented according to a five level hierarchy for waste minimisation, from most to least critical. The first and most fundamental hierarchy level is commitment to environmental goals such as conservation and environmental protection from tourism's negative impacts. Levels two through four are critical sub-strategies of source reduction. Level two necessitates ap...


Integrating Google Street View into a three-dimensional virtual environment in which users control personal avatars provides these said users with access to an innovative, interactive, and real-world context for communication and culture learning. We have selected London, a city famous for its rich historical, architectural, and artistic heritage, as the location of choice for culture learning. Using avatars, learners walk the virtual streets of London under the guidance of a native English-speaking instructor, and interact with each other using text and voice chat functions. The study examines the effects of this virtual environment on culture learning. Specifically, a qualitative case study combined with a time-series design is used to investigate the virtual context's impact on culture learning in terms of learner knowledge and attitudes, and to track associated change processes across the three research phases (baseline, treatment, and maintenance). The results show that all four English learners involved in the study benefitted from their cultural immersion, to varying extents, in the virtual environment. Four contributing learner factors, namely linguistic proficiency, motivation, character traits, and attitudes were found to correspond to the learners' levels of acquaintance with the target culture.


This find out about discusses the position of moms as single parents in instructing their adolescents with the condition of the living environment, which is a region of localization. Mothers who have been single dad and mom considering that their partner left them ought to play a twin position in assisting their families. The burden of mothers who have to take care of their children, earn a dwelling and educate their kids is quite heavy, many issues will be faced with the aid of mothers in educating their children, with the principal aspect being the surroundings the place the playground is a area of prostitution so that the position of the mom is like to teach their children. Based on the results of the lookup on the function of single parents in instructing their youth in the Bukit Smile localization, it can be viewed that the mother's efforts in carrying out her position as a mother with her own conditions, though there are still problems that prevent her in carrying out her function as a mother and such as lack of time to be with children, it seems that the mother continue to be accountable with their role, they nevertheless attempt to give the quality for teens and try to teach and instill accurate values and things in their children in the hope that their young people do now not get concerned with their playing surroundings and have appropriate morals


The session was chaired by M. Penedo. A few panelists were selected to answer questions related to the topic and to stimulate discussion. They represented experience with different process formalisms (e.g., rule-based, procedural, petri-net based, trigger-based), different SEE architectures (e.g., database centered, integration based on control mechanisms, rule-based server), and different aspects of SEE architectures (e.g., message passing, event and data driven enaction, concurrency support). The panelists were: a) Naser Barghouti, of Columbia University, representing Marvel; b) K. Narayanaswamy, of the U.S.C. Information Sciences Institute, representing AP5; c) Wilhelm Schafer, of the University of Dortmund, representing the Eureka Software Factory and Merlin; and d) Gary Thunquest, of Hewlett-Packard, representing SoftBench.


Professionalism indicates people attitude on their mastery of science. It is shown through the product of creativity and innovation they struggle with among their work circumstances. The officer of Navy Material Worthiness Service Department (DISLAIKMATAL) has an essential chore, especially on the Worthiness of all materials in Indonesian Naval Department. One hundred and twenty four officers have been investigated as the sample of research. The study found that work commitment has a dominant role to improve an officer professionalism. It seems to be a concern of the leader. In addition, both factors: transformational leadership and officer competency come as components in building the professionalism. This study applied a quantitative approach through Path analysis. The direct effect of transformational leadership (X1) on professionalism (Y) is 0.2281. The direct effect of competence (X3) on professionalism (Y) is 0.270. The direct effect of work commitment (X4) on professionalism (Y) is 0.371. The data shown that the officers professionalism will increase if they have work commitments. It is strengthened by officers" self-confidence at work. This finding deserves to be follow-up. As wish as it can improve the professionalism of Navy Material Worthiness Service Officers.


ABSTRACT The common productionmethods of nanocellulosic(cellulosicnanofibrils,CNF) materialsfrom wood are being reviewed, together with large scale applicationsand particularlypapermaking applications. The high energy demand for producing CNF has been one particular problem, which has been addressed over the years and can now be consideredsolved. Another problem was the clogging of homogenizers/microfluidizers, and the different routes to decrease the energy demand. The clogging tendency, related to the flocculation tendency of fibres is discussed in some detail. The most common methods to decrease the energy demand are TEMPO-oxidation, carboxymethylation and mechanical/enzymatic pre-treatments in the order of increased energy demand for delamination. The rheology characteristics of CNF materials, i.e. the high shear viscosity, shear thinning and the thixotropic properties are being illuminated. CNF materials are strength adjuvants that enhance the relative bonded area in paper sheets and, hence increase the sheet density and give an increased strength of the paper, particularly for chemical pulps. At the same time papers obtain a lower light scattering, higher hygroexpansion and decreased air permeability, similar to the effects of beating pulps. The negative effects on drainage by CNF materials must be alleviated through the appropriate use of microparticulate drainage aids. The use of CNF in films and coatings is interesting because CNF films and coatings can provide paper/board with good oxygen barrier properties, particularly at low relative humidities. Some other high volume ap-plications such as concrete, oil recovery applications, automotive body applications and plastic packaging are also briefly discussed.Keywords: Nanocellulosic materials, NFC/MFC, NCC, large scale application, energy con-sumption


Climate change is one of the biggest challenges that the world is facing. In order to limit global warming, each political jurisdiction must implement a drastic climate policy to mitigate anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs). In this challenge, the electricity generation sector has a central role to play. On the one hand, it is a major contributor to the total GHG emissions, and on the other hand, this sector o ers several alternatives for generating electricity without emissions, such as renewable sources or fossil fuel generators equipped with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) capacity. In three essays, this thesis examines cost-e cient solutions to reducing GHG emissions and promoting climate-friendly technologies in the electricity sector. The rst essay compares an emissions tax and a clean energy standard using a calibrated general equilibrium model of electricity generation. The structure of electricity production features two plants: one that generates its output based on renewable sources and the other based on fossil source emitting CO2. The model is calibrated to match selected macroeconomic aggregates of the economy of British Columbia. The calibrated model is then used to conduct conceptual experiments that pit the overall cost of achieving the optimal emissions reduction target with a given policy instrument against the counterfactual cost of achieving the same target with an alternative policy instrument. The experiments lead to the conclusion that an emissions tax is more environmentally e ective as well as more cost-e ective than a clean energy standard. The second essay extends the comparison between a clean electricity standard and a carbon tax on cost-e ectiveness grounds by adding innovation and market power. In our model, a twostage competition in the electricity sector between a clean plant and its "dirty" rival anchors a two-sector general equilibrium model of climate change intervention. The dirty plant can innovate to reduce its emissions, and the clean plant can innovate to reduce its pre-existing cost-disadvantage. The model is calibrated to selected US macroeconomics aggregates. Results in this essay overturn those obtained in the rst, where perfect competition was the feature of the electricity industry. The second essay thus shows cost-e ective choice of climate policy instruments depends on the industrial organization of the electricity sector, as well as on the mechanisms plants use to respond to climate policy. Whereas the rst two essays are only concerned with abatement incentives the third, by con-


The chemical constituents of some selected freshwater biomass: Eichornia natans (Water Hyacinth), Pistia stratiotes (Water Lettuce), and Nymphaea lotus (Water Lily) were determined using proximate and ultimate analysis with a view to determining their biofuel potential. These aquatic weeds can be utilized as viable feedstock for the production of biofuel and exploitation of these freshwater weeds will not only be of economic importance but would be a step towards better utilization of these plants for sustainable and green energy production.


Compact, robust, single-frequency fiber lasers, emitting around 1.06 or 1.5 µm with up to several hundred mW power combine polarized output with very narrow linewidth of 1-3 kHz and fast frequency modulation up 10 kHz.


With significant increase of home appliances both in quantity and variety,the power harmonic contamination at residential area becomes more and more serious,causing a serious threat to the security and reliable power supply.Therefore,it will be of great importance in improving power supply quality of the residential area and assuring safe and reliable operation of power system.In this paper,takes the typical residential area as an example,analyzes the harmonic contamination of power supply presently at the residential area,compares and analyzes the harmonic control result by the active power filter at the area through increasing active power filters.It can be seen from the example of active power filter that the filter can simultaneously compensate for the different orders of harmonics,and have significant compensation result.


We consider the production process e−e+→Gγ of invisible gravitons (G) at future linear colliders. We discuss whether the angular distribution of the photon (γ) can be used to measure the spin of the invisible graviton, or of any other invisible objects produced. We propose a method based on the Fourier expansion of the transverse energy squared moment distribution of the photon. We provide justification for this method, and confirm, especially for the case of two extra dimensions, that the method is valid within a realistic setup, which includes the simulation of the Standard Model background, beamstrahlung, bremsstrahlung, calorimeter resolution and calorimeter coverage. When the number of extra dimensions is increased, the angular distribution does not provide sufficient information to extract the spin, but this method still offers a useful parameterization of the single photon cross section using which the nature of the missing object can be studied.


According to the rapid tracing speed of RLS algorithm in actual working environment and the laguerre filter is the combination of advantages of FIR filter and IIR filter,this paper proposed an RLS-Laguerre adaptive filter algorithm based on Laguerre filter to fulfill cancellation of cosite interference.Besides,it analyzs its performance and algorithm as well as compares to the performance of other kinds of algorithm such as LMS、LMF/S-Laguerre.Both the theoretical analysis and the simulation result proved that the RLS-Laguerre algorithm is better than LMS and LMF/S-Laguerre algorithm since it has good properties in cancellation and faster convergence speed as well as a more steady performance.


Early in the spring of 1953 with the activation of a ground telemetering facility at the Air Force Flight Test Center it became evident that there existed a real and continually increasing need for a less expensive, faster and more reliable method of processing extremely large amounts of raw uncorrected data that found its origin in the many diversified activities which were at that time presently being conducted at the Center. Examples of the sources from which this data came were the flight testing of experimental and production aircraft, (i.e. airborne recording), a radar phototheodolite, the aforementioned telemetering station, as well as the high speed experimental track and the USAF experimental rocket engine test station. Figures 1 through 4 illustrate some of the data sources at this Center. Furthermore certain large classified projects were being initiated at the Center at that time and they brought with them their own large data work loads. The problem of reducing this data presented a task almost as large as the problem of correcting the data. However, before the data could be reduced, that is, reduced on IBM machines or desk calculators, it had to be processed; that is, put into a form where it could be handled readily and easily by the IBM card programmed calculators. This processing consisted of reading the data, usually from film or oscillograph records, translating this information into digital form and correcting for any instrument or calibration errors which might be present in the raw data. With the advent of the IBM card programmed calculators, actual calculating time on the data was materially diminished, leaving the problem of reading and processing the data standing as a very real bottleneck. It therefore became evident to responsible personnel concerned that a system would have to be devised that would allow either automatic or semi-automatic processing of much of the data incurred at the Air Force Flight Test Center if the Center was to survive this deluge of data. To this end a centralized automatic data processing system was proposed, based on the philosophy that data should be taken in such a form, that it would be suitable for automatic reduction. It was felt that such a centralized data handling system would be instrumental in effecting significant savings in personnel costs, since it would reduce the number of employees required to reduce data and make unnecessary the constant recruiting and training of large numbers of data reading employees, or, at least enable those assigned to the data reduction task to cope successfully with their expanding work load. Moreover it would increase the reliability of results obtained by eliminating much human contamination in the reading of data which by its very nature was tedious to reduce, highly exacting and demanding of a high order of accuracy in reading. Finally this type of data handling system through its ability to rapidly process large amounts of data would aid materially in expediting the mission of the Air Force Flight Test Center by helping to make more complete and efficient use of its experimental and unique flight test aircraft and equipment.


ABSTRACT Tests of vocabulary and verbal patterns in Jejueo and English reveal that the acquisition of the former language is in sharp decline, while progress in the latter language reaches a developmental plateau after high school. This dissertation investigates the acquisition of Jejueo and English on Jeju Island, a province of Korea located approximately 45 miles off the southern coast of the Korean peninsula. Jejueo, which was recognized as an endangered language by UNESCO in 2010, is primarily spoken between family members and close friends, while Korean is used in other contexts, including school. This is the first study of the acquisition of Jejueo and also the first attempt to compare fluency in that language with fluency in Korean and with proficiency in English, which is taught as a compulsory foreign language in schools from Grade 3 to college for two to five hours per week but is rarely heard outside that setting.


On the basis of Descartes's account of the passions of the soul, we argue that current interoception-based theories of emotions cannot account for the hallmark of a passion of the soul, i.e., that its effects are felt as being in the soul itself. We also pay attention to the epistemic functions of the passions and to Descartes's category of emotions that are caused and occur in the soul alone. Certain passions of the soul and certain internal (or intellectual) emotions are similar to what are today called 'epistemic (or noetic) feelings' and 'epistemic emotions.' Descartes's work reflects another challenge for contemporary embodied cognition: how might epistemic affect be embodied? Since the signature of embodiment is increasingly understood as interoceptive, the challenge to interoceptive research is demonstrating the degree to which (epistemic) affect results from interoception. This challenge also implies that the locus of emotional experience is taken into account.


A hose fault detection system includes a hose assembly including a hose having first and second conductive layers. The hose assembly has an electrical characteristic. A fault detector is in electrical communication with the first and second conductive layers. The fault detector includes an indicator operatively connected to the hose assembly. A method for monitoring the structural integrity of a hose assembly includes providing a fault detection system having a hose assembly including a hose having a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The hose assembly has an electrical characteristic. The electrical characteristic of the hose assembly is compared to a threshold value. A visual indicator in operative communication with the hose assembly is illuminated when the electrical characteristic goes beyond the threshold value.


Objective The objective of this study was to develop a rat orthotopic lung tumor model.Methods Forty female Wistar rats weighing 169 g±10 g were anesthetized intraperitoneally with pentobarbital,tracheotomized and intubated with an ultrafine catheter for inoculation with Walker's tumor cells(1×10~5~5×10~5).Pathological examination was performed and the tumor take rate was determined.Results 39 rats survived among the 40 operated animals.The tumor take rates were 60%,80%,90% and 100% for implants with 1×10~5~5×10~5 tumor cells respectively.Conclusion The present rat orthotopic lung tumor model was shown to be feasible: the take rate was high,surgical mortality was negligible and the procedure was simple to perform and easily reproduced.


In developing nations, like India, which had the distinct advantage of inheriting from their colonial masters an elaborate and fairly experienced-maybe from a narrow angle-bureaucratic system, adoption of multidisciplinary development administration approach in 60s raised many hopes. Unfortunately, these hopes were soon belied due to several factors .. Despite its pronounced failures, however, faith in Development Administration approach did not dwindle and search for newer themes under its umbrella followed with variations in emphasis.


ABSTRACT This paper will trace the complex lineage of Brother Wang and Brother Liu in Taiwanese cinema, beginning with the emergence of a 'two fools' (兩傻) genre in imported cinema from Hollywood and Hong Kong, a category which included classic Laurel and Hardy, late Abbott and Costello, the more contemporary Martin and Lewis, Cantonese song and dance film and Mandarin comedies from Cathay featuring the likes of King Hu, Liu Enjia and Jiang Guangchao. When the two fools genre was adapted in Taiwan, an additional social allegory of mainlander and islander solidarity came to the fore: thin actor Zhong Fucai was a local, while fat actor Li Guanzhang arrived from mainland China after 1949. Their unshakeable solidarity and many shared feasts suggest a utopian dimension to the comedy duo, in which homosocial friendship transcends all differences. The visual iconicity of their bodies sharing the frame and the low quality of sound in taiyupian meant that these films often leaned upon the plasmatic appeal of physical comedy instead of dialogue for comic effect, an aesthetic that would continue to dominate taiyupian comedies until the end of the 1960s.


Different emphasis had been put on the protection and development of the natural and humane tourism cultural resources in the Yellow River basin in different historical periods. In the pre-Qin period Confucianism and Taoism had formed simple ideas of natural protection of the tourism cultural resources,i. e. letting nature take its course,harmonizing the nature and the humankind,and paying attention to the protection of environments. In the Qin and Han Dynasties,the development of tourism culture resources had been focused on the establishment of the corresponding management system. In the Wei-Jin,and the Southern and Northern Dynasties,and the Tang and the Song Dynasties,the development of the tourism culture resources had been deeply branded a mark of the Buddhism culture. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties,due to the needs of tourists and the excessive reclamation in the Yellow River basin,the loess landscape gradually came into being.


History is replete with examples where states have interfered with foreign exchange markets in order to influence exchange rates. The trade conflicts between the two world wars, for instance, were fought not only via the imposition of tariffs, but also via competitive devaluations. Since then, straightforward competitive devaluations have become a rare phenomenon; contemporary scenarios, in which exchange rate policies are criticized for their potentially protectionist impact, tend to be much more sophisticated. The exchange rate policy followed by China is certainly the outstanding, yet not exclusive, example. In recent years policymakers worldwide have criticized China for maintaining an undervalued real exchange rate as part of its strategy of export-led growth.