Systems and methods for a self-organizing OFDMA system for broadband communication are provided. In certain embodiments a communication node for a self organizing network comprises a communication interface configured to transmit data to and receive data from a plurality of nodes; and a processing unit configured to execute computer readable instructions. Further, computer readable instructions direct the processing unit to identify a sub-region within a cell, wherein the communication node is located in the sub-region; and transmit at least one data frame, wherein the data from the communication node is transmitted at a particular time and frequency as defined within the at least one data frame, where the time and frequency are associated with the sub-region.


Sustainability has become an increasingly important value in the business of the global fashion industry. All leading brands have been taking initiatives in promoting notions of environmental and social sustainability. This article discusses the similarities and differences in sustainability-related approaches, activities and collaborations of selected fashion brands. It does so as part of a comparative study of typical Asian and European brands. The European brands analysed here tend to take a holistic, structured and goal-oriented approach towards marketing their links to environmental sustainability. In contrast, the article proposes that a typical Asian brand approach seems to be more fundamental in terms of social sustainability. This is the larger context that the global fashion industry continues, embracing the concept of sustainability in terms of how businesses should not just be concerned with profits but also with commitments to society and the environment.


The utility model discloses a natural gas residual heat regeneration and dehydration device which utilizes an adsorbent temperature-changing adsorption and regeneration principle to carry out dehydration and generation on adsorbent in an adsorption tower, with the characteristic of energy saving. The device comprises a left adsorption tower and a right adsorption tower, wherein, an input end of the left adsorption tower and an input end of the adsorption tower are respectively connected with an output end of an inlet separator through valves, and an input end of the inlet separator is connected with a gas inlet. An output end of the left adsorption tower and an output end of the adsorption tower are mutually connected through a dual-direction flow leading device, wherein, the input end of the inlet separator is connected with the gas inlet respectively through a compressor and a heat exchanger. The input end of the left adsorption tower and the input end of the right adsorption tower are respectively connected with an output valve, and the dual-direction flow leading device is connected with the output end of the inlet separator through valve. The natural gas residual heat regeneration and dehydration device eliminates the heater in the existing natural gas residual heat regeneration and dehydration device, so the device greatly reduces the device energy consumption and performs the functions of energy saving and environment protection.


The Ordovician reservoir in Tahe oil field is characterized by extremely strong heterogeneity with enor-mous thickness of solution fissure-cavity reservoir rocks,during its development ,most wells appear quick water break-through,quickly raising water-cut and quick production decline.This paper studied the geologic factors,re covery mech-anisms and water coning of Ordovician reservoir in District No.3by means of numerical simulation technique,put for-ward the principle of small oil well perforated extent,controlling recovery rate during production and early water or gas injection for supplementary energy.These provide foundation for reference for promoting high effective develop ment of Ordovician reservoir in District No.3,Tahe oilfield.


The utility model relates to a method for shooting a locating plate, a computer program, and a system for shooting an X-ray image. The invention is based on the idea of automatically controlling the quality of a locating plate of a patient (5). The locating plate is shot by a CT device (7) having an X-ray emitter (8) and an X-ray detector (9). To this end, a body part of the patient is selected, a first locating plate segment of the selected body part is shot, and a boundary marker inside or on the body of the patient (5) is automatically sought in the first locating plate segment. Selection of the body part to be shot and searching of the boundary marker in the first locating plate segment allow automatic quality control of the first locating plate segment in an automatic evaluation manner, thereby avoiding further using of incomplete or wrong locating plates, especially for calculation of X-ray dose (14) for diagnostic CT shooting.


ABSTRACT This paper argues that educational policies and changes in Wales over the last thirty years have somewhat neglected issues concerned with management and leadership, in comparison with other countries and within the UK. More recently, however, leadership development has been provided and the Welsh National Academy for Educational Leadership has recently produced an organisational framework. Based on analysis of the Welsh educational, social and economic context and a scoping of relevant literatures, we suggest six strategies for the development of educational management/leadership for Wales, which aim to address existing deficits and build a distinctive leadership and management approach in Wales: A focus upon using within-school variation (WSV) in schools in Wales as a means of identifying good practice (as Wales has high levels of WSV); A greater focus upon leadership strategies related to classroom pedagogy; Implementing contextually variable leadership/management strategies to address the substantial variability in multiple areas of Welsh society and social structure; Embracing more advanced 'thought leadership' which acknowledges the complexity of enacted leadership; Embracing more productive original thinking drawing from evidence from non-educational areas; Attending to the reliability of Wales' educational system because system reliability puts a ceiling on system validity.


The abomasal emptying rate of fat, proteins, and sometimes lactose, increases when skim milk in milk substitutes is replaced by other protein sources. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of this acceleration on absorption and to indirectly verify previous results on abomasal emptying in calves fitted with a duodenal reentrant cannula. Two diets were used, a control and a fish diet. The control diet contained skim milk powder as the only protein source, while 74 p. 100 of the proteins of the fish diet were provided by partly hydrolyzed fish protein concentrate. Eight bull calves were studied ; 4 were first fed the control diet and 4 the fish diet. The diets were then switched after 1 or 2 days of blood sampling from the external jugular vein. The concentrations of plasma triglycerides and blood free a-amino nitrogen were lower before the morning meal with the fish diet than with the control diet ; these same concentrations were then higher 1.5 hrs later with the fish diet than with the control diet and remained so until 4.5 and 6.5 hrs, respectively (fig. 1). There was no significant difference in the levels of plasma non-esterified fatty acids. The concentrations of plasma glucose were the same with the two diets before and 0.5 hr after the meal, but then decreased quicker with the fish diet. In conclusion, the rate of fat and amino acid absorption increased when milk proteins in the milk substitute were replaced by hydrolyzed fish proteins. This confirmed previous studies on the kinetics of abomasal emptying in calves fitted with a duodenal reentrant cannula and eating diets similar to those in the present study. The quicker decrease of glycemia with the fish diet


. Jonathan Dancy argues in his book Moral Reasons that neither general nor specific moral principles are of any important use in moral decision making. I examine his reasons for denying any important role to such principles. With regard to general moral principles, I suggest that there are such principles that appear useful - an idea that Dancy in some passages actually seems to endorse. When it comes to highly specific principles, Dancy's advice is less open to interpretation; since such principles match only one situation, Dancy considers them as of no use. I contest this view by considering an example that suggests that a highly specific principle has been of use.


Objectives: To estimate the incidence of compensated claims involving mild traumatic brain injury among On- tario workers covered by the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) and to describe the number and duration of days off work related to incident claims using workers compensation administrative data. Methods: We used a population-based, historical cohort of 111,800 injured workers aged 20 or older with a claim to the Ontario Workers' Safety and Insurance Board in 1998. We estimated the incidence as the rate of new mild traumatic brain injury in the Ontario working population eligible for compensation by the WSIB. We described the number and duration of disability days using an episodic and cumulative analysis of time on benefits over a two-year period (1997-98) deter- mined from administrative data. Results: The annual incidence was 1.5 (95% CI: 1.3, 1.7) per 10,000 full-time equivalents. Eighty-seven percent of claim- ants had a single episode of benefits with median duration of 11 days (95% CI: 10, 12). Fifty percent were off benefits af- ter 17 days and 75% by 72 days. Conclusions: Mild traumatic brain injury is disabling in the working population. Most work disability is short-term, but a small proportion of claimants become chronically disabled and unable to work.


At St. Jamess University Hospital in Leeds England 59 women who had experienced insertion or removal of Norplant contraceptive implants participated in a study of skin reactions associated with Steristrip dressings. 18% suffered from a skin reaction varying from localized redness under the Steristrips to blistering. In all cases latex gloves were used to apply the Steristrips while in those cases in which clean hands or vinyl gloves were used no skin reaction occurred (p = 0.0013). A latex glove used to apply the Steristrips was the most significant variable for a skin reaction. A skin reaction was more likely to form under the first than the second applied Steristrip (23.5% vs. 1 reaction; p = 0.014) suggesting that tension may have been a contributing factor. Even though the difference in incidence of skin reactions between Norplant insertion and removal did not reach significance the severity of the skin reaction was significantly higher among removals than among insertions (p < 0.05). 78% of women who experienced a skin reaction had only one reaction site. These findings have resulted in providers at the clinic removing gloves and rewashing hands before applying Steristrips. Since they adopted this procedure none of the clients have yet suffered a skin reaction.


The vehicle routing problem with private fleet and common carrier (VRPPC) is a generalization of the classical vehicle routing problem in which the owner of a private fleet can either visit a custo...


This chapter provides a brief overview of the current scientific evidence for the treatment of depression in type 2 diabetes. Considering the multiple adverse interactions between both conditions, treatment targets should always focus on diabetes-related medical outcome and improvement or remission of depression at the same time in people with diabetes. Depression can be treated with moderate to good results in depressed patients with type 2 diabetes by a variety of psychological and pharmacological interventions, with comparable results to the treatment of depressive patients without diabetes. Results regarding glycaemic control are inconsistent and indicate a low effectiveness of psychological interventions. Antidepressants demonstrated mild to moderate effect regarding better glycaemic control, but the results are still inconclusive and long-term effects are widely unknown. The chapter ends with a critical summary of methodological limitations of the research in that area and concludes with evidence-based recommendations for clinical practice.


There is an inherent reliance on collaboration among the participants of mobile ad hoc networks in order to achieve the fixed functionalities. However, they are susceptible to the destruction of the malicious attacks or denial of cooperation. Therefore, it becomes obvious that the security issue is urgently needed to be addressed. Over the last few years, many trust-considered countermeasures have been proposed. The design of trust quantification methods is the key of these countermeasures. In this study, we abstract a novel light-weight subjective trust inference framework, which is divided into trust assessment and trust prediction. The process of node trust assessment is based on node's historical behaviours. Then utilizing the obtained trust data sequence, we introduce the SCGM(1,1)-weighted Markov stochastic chain measure to predict node's trust for future decision making. Experimental results have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed trust model. As an important security application, based on the standard On-Demand Multicast Routing Protocol (ODMRP), we make four major improvements which take the issue of trust into consideration, and propose a novel trust-based routing protocol called the On-Demand Trust-Based Multicast Routing protocol (ODTMRP). And finally, convincing experimental results are presented using three routing evaluation metrics.


Background: There are limited U.S. reports of spontaneous triplet heterotopic pregnancies discussing both maternal and fetal outcomes.
Case: A 34-year-old patient at 7 weeks of gestation presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with a spontaneous heterotopic triplet pregnancy, consisting of a twin monochorionic-diamniotic intrauterine gestation and a ruptured left ectopic pregnancy. She underwent a laparoscopic unilateral salpingectomy. Her antepartum course was complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus and fetal growth restriction. Delivery of liveborn twins was via a cesarean delivery at 32 weeks.
Conclusion: Timely intervention and management of a ruptured spontaneous triplet heterotopic pregnancy can result in a viable twin delivery with overall favorable maternal and newborn outcomes, although long-term implications due to prematurity and other twin sequelae exist.


This article reviews arguments that, in the process of action formation and ascription, the relative status of the participants with respect to a projected action can adjust or trump the action stance conveyed by the linguistic form of the utterance. In general, congruency between status and stance is preferred, and linguistic form is a fairly reliable guide to action ascription. However incongruities between stance and status result in action ascriptions that are at variance with the action stance that is otherwise conveyed in the turn. This argument is presented, first, in relation to epistemic status and stance where the process is argued to be both fundamental and universal across all declarative and interrogative utterances. Some consequences of this way of viewing action are discussed. The argument is then briefly extended to deontics and benefactives.


The thermal convection in a layer of electrically conducting micropolar fluid heated from in the presence of a uniform magnetic field and rotation in a porous medium is considered. Using Boussinesq approximation, the linearized stability theory and normal mode analysis method for perturbation equations relevant to the problem, the dispersion relation is derived and the exact solutions are obtained for the case of two free boundaries.The presence of coupling between thermal and micropolar effects, uniform rotation , magnetic field and medium permeability may bring overstability in the system. The critical Rayleigh number for the onset of ordinary cellular convection and the onset of overstability are computed numerically using Newton-Raphson method through the software FORTRAN-95. It is found that these critical Rayleigh numbers increase with the increase in magnetic field , rotation and micropolar coefficients (dynamic microrotation viscosity and the coefficient of angular viscosity )implying thereby their stabilizing effect on the system , whereas critical Rayleigh numbers decrease with increase in medium permeability. It is evident from graphs that overstability is dominant parameter accounting for low wave numbers, however reverse occur for large wave numbers.


Based on a study of more than 60 bargaining exchanges, the author demonstrates that men use more solidarity linguistic devices than women. But it was also evident that women were more likely to look at bargaining as a manifestation or sign of one's housekeeping skills and that their more extensive use of insisting strategies of bargaining is seen as a daring act of assertiveness. Men feel that such strategies could be face threatening and reduce their inherited social power and superiority.


Competition and cooperation can boost the performance of search. Both can be implemented with a portfolio of algorithms which run in parallel, give hints to each other and compete for being the first to finish and deliver the solution. In this paper we present a new generic framework for the application of algorithms for distributed constraint satisfaction which makes use of both cooperation and competition. This framework improves the performance of two different standard algorithms by one order of magnitude and can reduce the risk of poor performance by up to three orders of magnitude. We expect our new methods to be similarly beneficial for any tree-based distributed search and describe ways on how to incorporate them.


We describe a simple way to build giant macrocyclic hydrocarbons by the reversible formation of carbon-carbon bonds. Specifically, extended spirobifluorene-substituted derivatives of Wittig's hydrocarbon were synthesized and found to undergo oligomerization, giving the largest hydrocarbon that has been crystallized and characterized by X-ray diffraction to date.


Peer mentoring is considered an effective vehicle for addressing anti-social behaviours and improving students' academic achievement and retention. Consequently, discussions on the subject have received considerable traction in the education literature in recent times, most of which depicts its usefulness as well as factors that contribute to successful design and implementation. One issue that has not received adequate attention in the peer mentoring literature, which this reflection paper seeks to address, relates to whether demographic attributes such as gender, race and ethnicity influence mentoring outcomes for mentors and mentees. Drawing on the Top Up mentoring programme at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia as a case study, the paper argues that both same and mixed demography peer mentoring are mutually beneficial for mentors and mentees and that their usefulness should be viewed as situational.


The structures of the host-guest complexes {[{[P(μ-NtBu)] 2 (μ-NH)} 5 ]I} - .[Li(thf) 4 ] + [2.I{Li(thf) 4 }] and [{[P(μ-NtBu)] 2 (μ-NH)} 5 ].HBr.THF (2.HBr.THF) show that increased distortion of the framework of the pentameric macrocycle [{[P(μ-NtBu)] 2 (μ-NH)} 5 ] (2) occurs with the larger halide ions. Theoretical studies show that the thermodynamic stabilities of the model host-guest anions [2.X] - (X=Cl, Br, I) are in the order Cl - Br - >I - , that is, the reverse of the templating trend observed experimentally. These studies support the view that the selection of the pentamer 2 over the tetramer [([P(μ-NtBu)] 2 (μ-NH)} 4 ] (1) is kinetically controlled, a conclusion which is also consistent with the previous observation that the frameworks of 1 and 2 are not in dynamic equilibrium with each other.


To attend the development of civil construction, new products are being developed with
frequency by industries, seeking constructive systems more efficient and sustainable for
generate less environmental impact, also providing faster and better cost benefit to the lower
class population. Based on these factors was developed this present bibliographical research
comparing the constructive system using block of soil-cement and conventional ceramic block,
with the objective to analyze the technical feasibility and executive of both blocks applied in
popular houses. We analyzed the stages in the construction of the masonry, since its foundation,
settlement of blocks, passage of ducts and pipes hydrosanitary until the last coating. For the
preparation of this work, were used as bibliographic sources, standards, technical articles and
web pages referenced along the same. As a complement, visits were made in works - who used
their constructive methods - and a brief follow-up and seeing how they are developed in
practice. The block of soil-cement, for being modular and its implementation require smaller
amounts of cement, iron, and woods, generates a large reduction in waste, which results in a
reduction of environmental impacts, mainly due to the fact that the block doesn't pass through
the process of burning in their manufacture. All these aspects, and whereas the construction
with modular block is faster in its execution, leads us to believe that the block of soil-cement is
the best option for the construction of popular houses, taking into account its agility, reduction
of inputs used and waste generated, as well as environmental impacts.


Objective To improve the accuracy of diagnosis for pancreatic carcinoma by comparing the techniques of CT and MRI examinations and to find out the best protocol.Methods Techniques of CT and MRI were analyzed retrospectively for 37 patients who were confirmed as pancreatic carcinoma by operation or pathology.Results (1) With spiral CT for pancreatic carcinoma, thin slice scanning in pancreatic phase was best for revealing direct sign of pancreatic mass than in any other phase (P0.01), while there was no difference for revealing indirect signs (P0.05); (2) Spiral CT scanning in three phases was more useful for revealing direct sign (pancreatic mass) than T_2W and MRCP of MRI, especially in pancreatic phase (P0.01), while there was no difference for revealing indirect sign; (3) Scanning in three phases with spiral CT had higher accurate rate for diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma than T_2W + MRCP of MRI, especially in pancreatic phase; (4) However, with T1W +FS of SE, direct sign for pancreatic carcinoma (pancreatic mass) could be clearly displayed in eight cases.Conclusion Scanning in three phases with spiral CT (especially in pancreatic period) and with T1W + FS of SE, will be more useful for revealing direct sign (pancreatic mass) and accurate diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma.


The State of Israel received perhaps the biggest shock in its history on 6 October 1973, when the Egyptian and Syrian armies launched a simultaneous and massive assault in the Sinai and on the Golan, respectively. Taken by surprise, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) fought desperate holding actions on both fronts to prevent catastrophic breakthroughs. While reserve units were hurriedly mobilized and dispatched to the fronts, the meagre IDF forces deployed there at the outset of the fighting barely managed to contain the Arab attacks, and only at a very heavy cost in men and machines. The IDF eventually won a grand victory in the Yom Kippur War, but not before Israel had suffered a real scare. Much of the blame for the near disaster of the first few days of the war has been laid squarely on the doorstep of A'MAN, the IDF's intelligence branch. Though it had promised to give both the IDF and the civilian government a clear warning well in advance of an impending Arab attack, it completely failed to do so in the autumn of 1973. Indeed, many of its senior analysts, including the Director of Military Intelligence himself, Major General Eliyahu Zeira, continued to insist almost up to the moment that the first bombs and shells landed on Israeli outposts that war did not appear imminent. Prior to the Yom Kippur War, A'MAN occupied the most important position in Israel's intelligence community. It alone among the state's three principal intelligence services had the task of preparing the 'national estimates' that served as the basis of Israel's defence and foreign policies. Its civilian counterparts, the MOSSAD (foreign intelligence) and SHIN BET (domestic intelligence), to the contrary, had no such broad mandate. The tale of how and why A'MAN failed in its main duty has been told many times in the past, but never in such depth (at least in the nonclassified literature) and with such authority as in Uri Bar-Joseph's volume. Not only did the author consult the relevant government documents, especially A'MAN's own work product as well as the non-classified portions of the Agranat Report, but he also trawled through the available


Few would disagree that we have entered an age of tabloid justice - one in which the sensationalistic, and often tawdry, details of criminal cases have become the centrepiece of news coverage. This study shows just how far this situation has progresed, and with what results.


The subject of the invention is a cardiac stimulation probe with auxiliary pole (10), comprising at least one first conductor (1) linked to a first contact (4) of a connector (5) for linking the probe to a stimulator casing, for which the auxiliary pole (10) is linked to the first contact (4) by an auxiliary conductor (3) parallel to the first conductor (1), characterized in that the connector (5) comprises an insulating body (51), covering at the level of the connector (5) a cable (30) for linking the connector to the stimulation electrode (101) of the probe and being extended, on the opposite side to the first contact (4), by a sleeve (52) comprising a housing (53) of an auxiliary contact (11) for receiving a stimulation stylus (20) and by an output of the cable (30).


The general policy as regards the provision of a safe, and at the same time adequate, milk supply in this country is about to enter a new phase. The contending interests of producer and consumer will now become merged, and, in the near future, the progress which is envisaged in the new legislation sponsored by the Government will become an accomplished fact. During the past few years the medical press and parliamentarians in both Houses have stressed the urgency of the need for new legislation. In the House of Lords, Lord Bledisloe's recommendations as quoted in a leading article in the Lancet^) were as follows: (1) a proper survey of the incidence of cattle disease throughout the country; (2) increasing the bonus given for milk from attested herds, and an intimation that, within a fixed period, milk from herds which are not free from tuberculosis will not be accepted for human consumption; (3) establishing a free State veterinary service; (4) marking cows eliminated from attested herds so that they cannot be sold into other herds and so spread disease without the purchaser knowing that the animals are affected; (5) compulsory vaccination of calves against contagious abortion; (6) compulsory health service for cattle; (7) establishing disease-free areas; and (8) a State abattoir service under veterinary supervision. During the debate it was stated that the annual milk supply was reduced by over 200 million gallons owing to disease. The editorial in the Lancet also pointed out that although the recommendations of Lord Bledisloe were admirable the needs of the people were immediate, and since all admitted that millr is being contaminated to a greater or less degree and is unsafe, immediate steps should be taken to rectify this by pasteurization. As Prof. G. S. Wilson pointed out in his book, The Pasteurization of Milk (2), 'Accredited milk is just as heavily infected with tubercle bacilli as ungraded milk; and Tuberculin Tested milk is just as heavily infected with Br. abortus as ungraded milk, if not more so.' In 1945, also, an editorial in the British Medical Journal!?), entitled 'Milk still unsafe', dealt with a debate which had taken place at the Annual Representative Meeting of the British Medical Association. It was emphasized that, so far, nothing had been done to implement the recommendation in the Government's White Paper on 'Measures to improve the quality of the Nation's Milk Supply'(4), particularly in regard to the fact that the Minister of Food was enabled by a Defence Regulation (55 G) to make it an offence to sell milk in any area which he might schedule, unless the milk was either heat-treated or from disease-free animals. The editorial also pointed out that American troops in this country had not been allowed to drink milk unless obtained from a tuberculin-tested herd and then pasteurized. In 1946, as reported in a further editorial in the same journal(5), the House of Lords again raised the question of the safety of the milk supply, and Lord Rothschild 'rose to call the attention of His Majesty's Government to the urgent need for compulsory pasteurization of milk in as many parts of the United Kingdom as is practicable'. He also pointed out that such diseases as undulant fever, enteric fever, dysentery, food poisoning, scarlet fever and diphtheria were still being transmitted through the agency of milk, and that so far as tuberculosis was concerned 1600 deaths and 7000 to 8000 active infections were caused annually by drinking infected milk. Lord De La Warr advocated cleaning up the herds and farms of producer retailers, while in the same debate Lord Ammon said that in England and Wales about 1075 million gallons of liquid milk were consumed annually and of these 725 million gallons were already heat-treated.


A robust A/D converter system is described which requires much less hardware overhead than traditional modular redundancy approaches. A modest amount of oversampling is used to generate information which can be exploited to achieve fault tolerance. A generalized likelihood ratio test is used to detect the most likely failure and also to estimate the optimum signal reconstruction. The error detection and correction algorithm reduces to a simple form and requires only a slight amount of hardware overhead. A derivation of the algorithm is followed by simulation results.<<ETX>>


In this article, we discuss the principal difficulties in gaining ethics approval for an ethnographic midwifery doctoral research project in a hospital setting in South Australia. The research focus is on the various personal, social, institutional and cultural influences on women making a choice about whether or not to use epidural analgesia in labour. The obstacles encountered in gaining human research ethics committee (HREC) approval are discussed within the wider context of the benefits of ethnography as a research methodology, as well as the potential consequences to ethnography when assessed by quantitative research standards. By sharing our experience, we add to the current literature debating the "ethics" of ethics committee review in qualitative research approval. Engaging with the academic debate surrounding "ethics creep" – the increasing jurisdiction of ethics committees over research design – we consider the possibility of moving beyond principle-based ethics towards an ethical theory that more fully addresses the complexities of ethnographic research.


Data transfer from source to destination has become more essential as the organizations working under a frame need to exchange the data for processing the information and solving the necessary tasks. This concept of data transfer has become a most tricky task with the advent of hackers, intruders and other guilt agents who try to steal the sensitive data for unethical means. The present article addresses the issue of identifying such data leakages and also provides a platform for data preventing from such issues.


The solidification structures and segregation of the VAR cast ingots of alpha+beta titanium alloys were investigated by using a new etching technique and CMA analysis.Main results were summarized as follows:(1) The fine structures of the solidification were revealed by immersing the specimens in an advanced hydrofluoric acid etchant.(2) The metallographic structure consist of the chilled layer, the columnar grain structure in its inner zone and the equi-axis grain structure in the central zone.(3) The etch pit and shrinkage cavity lines intersect perpendicularly to the growing directions of the columnar grains. And these lines correspond to the interface of solid-liquid phases under solidification. This parallel lines show intermitted solidification.(4) In Ti-6Al-6V-2Sn alloy with 0.7% Fe and 0.7% Cu, the segregation of these elements was observed in the final solidification zone, which is referred to so called beta flecks.(5) To prevent segregation, the authors proposed a melting method in which faster solidification is maintained by making the edge diameter of the consumable electrodes smaller, as the hot-topping of VAR.


Objective
To evaluate the application value of the quantitative procalcitonin (PCT) test in bloodstream infection.

Methods
Of 1066 patients with blood culture and PCT detection were collected in our hospital, retrospectively, 1010 were effective cases.The relationship between blood culture results and serum PCT levels was investigated.PCT levels in gram-negative bacterial infection, gram-positive bacterial infection and candidiasis were compared. The prognosis of 33 blood culture positive patients with repeated PCT detection results were analyzed. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the PCT value among the three groups, and Fisher′s test was used to compare the death rate among the three groups.

Results
In the patients with negative blood culture results, the median of PCT was 0.37(0.11-1.67) μg/L. But in the patients with positive blood culture results, the median of PCT were 2.24(0.57-11.59) μg/L. The positive rate of PCT in gram-negative bacteria infection, gram-positive bacterial infection and candidiasis were 86.6%, 72.0% and 75.7%, respectively. In the 33 patients subjected to repeated PCT detections, the mortality of the patients with decreasing PCT was lower than the others. The patients whose PCT levels were greater than 5 μg/L had poor prognosis.

Conclusions
Quantitative PCT is proved to be an effective method for rapid diagnosis of bloodstream infection. The changing trends of PCT test results has certain reference value for the patients′ prognosis.(Chin J Lab Med,2012,35:243-246)

Key words:
Bacteremia; Fungemia; Calcitonin; Protein precursors; Bacteria; Candida; Microbiological techniques


Industrial Light and Magic', a study of the development of visual style in music videos (Hayward, 1990), identified a number of continuing strands of music video production. One of these was a series of videos, particularly prominent since the mid 1980s, which have attempted to grab viewer attention by the use of ever more surprising and spectacular visual effects - a cycle devoted to the pursuit of 'impact
aesthetics'.In one sense however, the history of visual effects outlined in 'Industrial Light and Magic' mirrored its object of study and became dazzled by the sheen of the images it analysed.The arguments advanced there avoided examining the extent to which the images discussed continued to signify in more conventional ways. Images do not, after all, become completely drained of denotative and iconographic significance merely by being combined in decorative - albeit dazzling - montage. The signifying force of such images may be overwhelmed, subdued, or even dazzled, but a residual effect remains. This article will attempt to explore aspects of this contention with regard to a specific music video text; one which - unlike those exclusively Anglo-American ones discussed in the original analysis - was produced in Australia, Noiseworks' Freedom, directed by Warren Lynch in 1990.


Experience revealed the existence of the tendency for high pressures at high latitudes to propagate southward, causing colder weather in central Japan about 3 pentads later. In this report, the relation between the pressure wave and the temperature change in the middle part of Japan is studied statistically and synoptically, using 5-day mean northern hemispherical sea-level and 500 mb pressure anomaly data as the basic materials. In the result, the reality of such pressure wave is confirmed, its propagation process at upper level being recognized to be different from that at sea level. The utility of the empirical rule for forecasting the temperature (in central Japan) by attending to the high pressure at high latitudes is also confirmed.


VALUE ENGINEERING IS AN OBJECTIVE, SYSTEMATIC METHOD OF OPTIMIZING THE TOTAL COST OF A FACILITY OR SYSTEM FOR A SPECIFIED NUMBER OF YEARS. TOTAL COSTS ARE THE ULTIMATE COSTS TO DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, AND MAINTAIN AND REPLACE A PROJECT FOR A SPECIFIED LIFE CYCLE. USING VE METHODS THIS OPTIMIZATION OF COSTS IS ATTEMPTED BY THE SYSTEMATIC DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATE PROPOSALS COVERING ISOLATED HIGH COST AREAS. A FULL-TIME VE PROGRAM IS A MEANS BY WHICH THE DESIGN COSTS CAN BE INCREASED A SMALL PERCENTAGE TO ENABLE A LARGER PERCENTAGE REDUCTION IN TOTAL COSTS. TO DATE, VALUE ENGINEERING PROGRAM FOR HARDWARE OR SYSTEMS DESIGN ORIENTED CONTRACTS HAVE RANGED FROM A 1-5 PERCENT REDUCTION IN TOTAL COSTS. /AUTHOR/


Pain from chronic pancreatitis can lead to narcotic addiction, frequent hospitalization, and disruption of daily activities. Total pancreatectomy has been considered a treatment of last resort because it leads to development of postoperative "brittle diabetes." However, advances such as improved autologous islet cell transplantation have resulted in more-frequent use of total pancreatectomy in patients with disabling symptoms whose pancreatic morphology is not conducive to resection or decompressive surgery.

Now, researchers in the U.K. have prospectively examined outcomes of …


PRMA is a medium access control (MAC) protocol for centralized wireless LAN, which is not suitable for wireless ad hoc network requirements. However, some of the fine structure and ideas of the agreement can be used in a distributed network. According to characteristics of long delay channel and wireless Ad hoc network, this article improved PRMA protocol are brought into RTS/CTS handshake mechanism of MACA protocol, re-classified the frame structure, and added in the concept of sub-time slot and increased the possibility of node access channel. Simulation results show that it has higher channel utilization when the designed protocol of this article in burst period compared with the 802.11 DCF protocol, satisfied the need of long delay channel transmission.


This paper discusses some of the current challenges for knowledge exploitation and sharing in petrochemical domains and provides one approach to utilizing ontologies to solve some of those problems. By building ontological profiles that accurately classify kinds of crude oils, petroleum products and refineries, the ontology proved capable of providing significant inferential capabilities that were useful for optimizing numerous phases of the petrochemical life cycle.


A brief overview of the most highly advanced technology of concrete and concrete products. Namely, ready-mixed concrete, concrete and concrete products by vibrocompression, radial extrusion, continuous molding. Аre given brief descriptions of these technologies and products, respectively.


J. A. Schumpeter was an Austro-American economist, historian of economic science, political scientist, lawyer and politician, ranking among the most famous, outstanding and cited economists of the 20th century. He created a dynamic theory of development based on innovations, researched economic cycles, issues including long waves, innovations, entrepreneurship, and theory of evolution.


The methods ofprofessional teacher's panel discussion and experimental study were applied with the goaE of understanding the difference b tween Exhibition design evaluation items and various teaching methods that inspire creativity in student's work perforrllance. Using Exhibition design, students were divided into two groups, the experirnental group and control group in which Case-based instruction and didactic instruction were given. The distinction between the two teaching methods and the influence on each evaluation item were compared. The results showed that (1) the evaluation items include design ability and creativityl the visual imagery} visual application, plane layout, display properties, entrance image, drawing presentation, and refined model should be revealed in the design ability and the entire as well as conceptua] perforTnance should be seen as a creativity; (2)Case-based instmction can strengthen visual applications, display properties, entrance image, drawing prcsentation and reflned model; (3) the infiuence of design ability and creativity on the entrance irnage, refined model, visual imagery and plane layout can estimate the whole and concept performallce. ConsequentlM teachers are adyised to apply to irnprove the creative performance of students. It also provides teachers with a reference in instructing students. Klevwords: CZise-based1}istruction(CBD. idactic instnuction(1)(), ll hibition Design, Design Edocation 1. Jntroduetion Accordmg to Kathryn McDowell (2002), the Director of City of London Festival, the imdamental appreach to continued discovering of creative talents is ediication. The incorporation f creativity into education is the ultimate way to avoid a creativity dry-out. [Ib nurture creativity, one must first nurture the learning environment and teaching activities of design, and the most critical part regarding desigri education and instruction is that there must be a way to inspire students' creativity. Design is a wotk whose nature is te find and solve problems (Pena, 1987). Designers are often limited by the contents, conditions, time and manpower when they are engaged in solving problems of diesign. Before they proceed, they often take references from some precedent cases in order to quickly grab some inspirations and create a new desigri (Maher, 1995), Creativity serves as a key in the problem-solving process, When students meet with any difficulty during the process, they must think ofa new way to handle since they cannot achieve that through past experiences and knowledge (Jenmu, 1991; Lu & Guan, 2003), Many scholars have explored issues such as case knowledge, case-based reasoning, case-based design (Gero, 1990; Kolodner, 1993). Cognitive psychologists suggest including Case-based Reasoning in teaching since this teaching activity is helpfu1 fbr solving the prob]ems of design (Shiao & Hung, 2000). Design is a thinlcing process to allow creativity to fiow, as well as an edncation fbr professionals. [Eherefore, CBR is not only a design method in the domain of desigris, but also a mature technique in design teaching. It can derive design THE SCIENCE OFDESIGN BULLETINOF JSSD Vd.58 No.2 2011 II-Electronic Mbrary75 Japanese Society for the Science of Design NII-Electronic Library Service apaneseSociety or he cience f esign answers with efficiency. Therefore, during design teaching, in additi,on to the importance of creativity, it is necessary to create an effectiye teaching model. A mere significant issue that is worthy of further study is about how a desigri teacher integrates design efficiency with creativity and applies this to the design teaching scenario in order to guicle students to search for a creative and eff{cient way to solve design problems, and to rmrture more creative talents. In terms ef desigri teaching, most teachers start by ease $tucly and then apply the method of scenario analogy to resolve current issues. Many teachers also lecture on preject experiences and pass on the knowledge to students as this lecturing proeess is easier and more convenierit to handle, wuether reference cases are provided during the teaching process will affect students' learning efficiency as well as their perfemmce in design creativity. Thereforc, this study aims to discuss whether the adqption of case-based instruction (CBI) and didactic instmction (DI) would enliance the performance of students' design works in creativity. In addition, in terms of the evaluation of exhibition design works, most literatures discuss exhibition evaluation from the viewpoint of exhibit planning on the actual exhjbition space (Screven, 1976), and there is little discussion en the evaluation of students' post-learning works frorn the viewpoirrt of teaching process. Therefbre, this paper intends to further explore the assessed kems for the display of design woiks based on a literature review. [Ib sum up the al]ove researeh background and motivations, this paper sets out its major research purposes as fo11owsi (1)To estal]lish evaluation items for exhibition desigri wotks. (2) To compare whether CBI & DI make a sigriificant difference to the periiormance of students' Exhibition design works in creative perfbrmance, (3) To discuss whether there is a correlation amon,g the evaluation items. 2. Literatare Reviews Chang (2000) considered that CBI mainly focuses on students. It guides the leamer to enter into a learning process of scientific exploration and introspection through diversified potential value-holding cases, Stolovith & Keeps (1991) suggested that Case-based Reasoning (CBR) is applicable to resolving creative issues and professional personnel training, and in the field with ineomplete structure. In addition to teaching knowledge and theoryl it can also train students' al)ilities in analysis, critical thinking and problem-solving. Akin (2002) considered that Case-based instruction (CBI) fbcuses on problems as the core of teaching. It takes relevant cases for analysis and discussion which is helpfu1 for students to further understand the practicality of desigri, but whether students receive actual help and inspiration for their creativity performance is a question worthy of further exploration. On the other hand, a teaching that mainly delivers lectures is ealled tvaditional teaching or didactic instruction (DD. Ever since the beginning of teaching, edueaters are used to deiiverillg educatjon by giving lectures as the primary method. Fer students, different teaching methods result in difierent eifects. Regarding the features of design creativity edncatioll, Du, Wu (1997) summarized its connotations:(1)creativity stimulation, which is the most chamiing part in desigri education, also the most difficult part to get hold oe (2)cultivation of keenness, which cultivates keen sense of perception, observation and aesthetic ability; (3)presentation skill proficiency such as presentation skill and computer-aided design. Desigriers' creative ideas are presented through using certain tools. Based on the learning prin,ciples of creativ{ty and design, this is to emphasize the perceptual and cognitive abilities fbr inspiration which accords with the teaching ideology of puuing emphasis on senses and perceptions that J, H. Pestalozziy and John Frederick Hert)art contended. They considered that during a teaching process. students' senses should be in contact with the outside firsg and after the impression obtained from the centact is integrated with the original concept one keeps in heart, proper teaching materials are then adopted to stimulate leamlng motive and creatlvlty. Screven (1976) proposed the theory and steps of fbrmative valuation and suinmative evaluation earlier and ]ater add ¢d front-end evaluation and remedial evaluation te the theory to conclude a total of four types of evaluations. Some scholars discussed this through two dimensions, stage evahiation and audienee satisfaction evaluatioll. Stage evaluation: Huang (1997) indicated that the work ef evaluation shou]d be conducted in three stages, before, in the middle of and after the idea is fu1fi11ed. Iliey are respectively: (1)Front-end Evaluation ; (2)Format{ve Evaluation i (3)Smmative Evaluatien. Huang (2002) argued that an exhibition package should include:(1)fine exhibition introch}ctions; (2)harmony between the exhibits and exhibition introductions; (3)good designs including display, well appliccl colers, charts and lightings, Wu, Guan (2004) considered that the evaluation of an exhibition effect should focus on respectiye elements including the contents in display, the exhibition pattern, display and moving route arrangement, space design, etc. Vicwed from teaching 76BULLETINOF JSSD VoL58 No,2 2011 THESclENCEOFDES[GN


Objective To investigate the effect of microinjection of Aβ25 ~35 on hydrogen sulfide ( H2S) /cystathionine-β-syn-thase ( CBS) system in the hippocampus of rats. Methods A model of AD was induced by microinjection of Aβ25 ~ 35 into thehippocampus in SD rats. And the NS group induced by microinjection of normal saline into the hippocampus. The H2S levels,andCBS activities in hippocampus in three groups were determined using a Universal Microplate Reader. Results Compared with NSgroup,H2S content in hippocampus was significantly decreased ( P 0. 01) while the expression of CBS activities was up-regulated( P 0. 05) in AD group. Conclusion microinjection of Aβ25 ~35 into the SD rats hippocampus can decrease H2 S level and up-regulate the expression of CBS activity in thehippocampus of rats. There maybe negative feedback effect between H2 S and CBS in ratshippocampus.


INTRODUCTIONAt first glance, the word atrocity might seem odd to associate with organisations. Yet a moment's reflection on history will call to mind the KGB under Stalin in the Soviet Union, the SS or Gestapo under Hitler in Nazi Germany, the Inquisition in Catholic Spain, and McCarthyism in the US. Although atrocities occurred in radicalised nation-states, they were themselves in fact carried out by organisations (Stokes & Gabriel, 2010). As we will show in this paper, organisations as well as the larger groups (religions, ethnic groups, nation-states) in which they are embedded, can commit atrocities that kill the spirit as well as the body. Indeed, atrocities occur in many social forms. One contemporary organisational form in which atrocity occurs is downsizing. We shall explore its dynamics in detail.Our approach to understanding atrocity is symbolised by the image of the triptych, a panel of three paintings, side-by-side, that are prominent in Medieval and Renaissance Roman Catholic Churches. Together they told a story. The triptych is a form of panel painting that dates to Greece and Rome. Since the Middle Ages it has served as altar decoration, usually containing complicated subjects with numerous figures-human and divine. The three panels are usually thematically related (e.g., Hieronymus Bosch, the Dutch painter 1450-1516).Similarly, we will present three "panels" that together tell the story of organisational atrocity: (1) the first is the ideas and emotions (affects) involved in organising atrocity; (2) the second is managing and administering atrocity; (3) and the third is the language of atrocity. Although they are structurally separate, they tell different facets of the complex story of atrocity. Thus, the paper will be organised in three parts. Together, they will bring to life the fact and experience of atrocity in organisational life. They will, it is hoped, increase the reader's awareness of, and ability to reflect on, the experienced reality of organisational atrocity.The reader may well be sceptical of our approach. The word atrocity could be startling when it is used with reference to organisational dynamics as also are the words like brutality, genocide, mass murder, and reference to the Holocaust. Still, as you read this essay, similarities and references to feelings of hate, aggression, abandonment, and many others may make the argument come alive and become emotionally plausible. We do not conflate mass genocide with destructive organisational practices such as restructuring and downsizing. Still, these organisational practices are a form of symbolic annihilation and must be embraced for what they are to understand workplace dynamics.PANEL 1: ORGANISING ATROCITYThis "panel" explores the idea of organisational atrocity, together with the emotion that gives it its deadly force, even to the point of brutality and genocide. In the West, we have long thought of organisations and management as guided by rationality, objectivity, realism, and enlightened self-interest. Here we shall reveal the heavy rationalisation of atrocity that justifies and masks evil toward fellow human beings in the form of atrocity.In an essay on "moral violence in organisations", Diamond and Allcorn (2004) point out "the sadomasochistic character of many hierarchic and bureaucratic organizations and their managers and leaders-the notion of hierarchic dominance" (Michael Diamond, personal communication, 12 April 2015, quoted with permission). Whether literal mass murder or symbolic genocide as in downsizing, it requires considerable organisation in order to be carried out. And the organisation is, in turn, managed by people, many of whom have boundless conviction about the rightness-the morality, the sacredness-of their deed.Banality of organisational atrocity?It turns out that the impersonal "banality of evil", "obedience to authority", and modernity's bureaucratic rationality thesis of Hannah Arendt (1963) and Zygmunt Bauman (1989) that has prevailed since the early 1960s are a kind of intellectual seduction. …


An Automated Highway System (AHS) provides the promise of increased vehicle throughput without the need to acquire new right-of-way or to pour vast quantities of additional concrete. The National Automated Highway Systems Consortium are currently developing and evaluating alternative concepts for this system. There are several crosscutting issues, such as the role of the driver and the use of platoons, but the key characteristic that distinguishes the various approaches is how the sensors, communications, and command and control functions required for system operation should be distributed among the vehicles and the roadside and traffic operations center infrastructure. This paper deals with this heart of any AHS concept. More than any other concept characteristic, this one determines the safety, technological evolution rate, growth in number of equipped vehicles, total system cost, system build time, maintenance schedule, and, potentially, litigation aspects arising from use of the system.


Abstract Based on high-resolution electron microscopy images and convergent-beam electron diffraction patterns, structural models of decagonal quasicrystals, which have pentagonal atom-cluster columns and belong to the space groups P10m2 and P105/mmc, have been contructed by the section method. The model for the space group P10m2 stands for melt-quenched quasicrystals of Al70NixFe30—x (10 ≤ × ≤ 17), Al70CuxCo30—x (2 ≤ × ≤ 12), Al65CuxCo35—x (x = 15 and 20), Al73Co27 and Al70Ni3Co27. All the pentagonal cluster columns in these alloys have the same sense of polarity in an inversion domain. The model for the space group P105/mmc stands for melt-quenched quasicrystals of Al70NixFe30—x (17 < × ≤ 20) and Al70Ni15Co15, and annealed quasicrystals of Al65Cu20Co15 and Al70Ni15Co15. The pentagonal cluster columns with opposite senses mixed uniformly. This is the first P105/mmc model composed of the pentagonal cluster columns. 105 screw axes do not exist at the centre of the cluster column but at the adjoining point ...


The DAESH has been particularly successful in recruiting Western women. There are differences in their profile and motivation with their male counterparts. The DAESH offered an alternative to Western secularist feminism, substituting salvation for emancipation (empowerment without gender equality). DAESH´s Western women played different roles. They were wives of jihadists, mothers and educators of the next generation, recruiters and fundraisers for the organisation and workers in the segregated institutions of the Caliphate. They were also involved in violent actions when the time came, depending on the needs of the organisation. The analysis on DAESH Western women is often influenced by prejudices, stereotypes, and gender biases. Counterterrorism efforts need for the integration of the gender perspectives and needs for more women to detect radicalization as well as in prevention, de-radicalisation, and reintegration processes.


The thesis introduces a principle and a characteristic of structure of a new type of transducer called magnetostrictive pick-up, which is applied to constant tension control system of warp of a loom.


Abstract : The purpose of this study was to determine the dose uniformity among various brands of over-the-counter (OTC) melatonin tablets (or capsules). Melatonin is a substance that may be used by Army aviation personnel, so education in regards to the actual amounts of melatonin contained in each tablet will be beneficial. High-pressure liquid chromatography was used to analyze eight different brands of tablets. From each brand, two lots were selected and six tablets were taken from each lot for analysis. A liquid chromatograph equipped with a C-18 microbore column was used in conjunction with an autosampler to perform two runs per tablet, while also running intermittent standards on a regular basis. Of the brands tested, most were either consistently higher or lower than the amount stated on the label. Some brands showed significant variability. This variability is reason for concern for those users of OTC melatonin. Although such variability may not necessarily cause any side effects, it does indicate laxity in preparation techniques.


Recently, social learning has been recognized as a means to foster adaptation to changing conditions, and more broadly, social-ecological systems resilience. However, the discussion of social learning and social-ecological resilience in different cultural contexts is limited. In this study we introduce the Korean Village Groves Restoration Project (VGRP) through the lens of social learning, and discuss implications of the VGRP for resilience in villages impacted by industrialization and decline of traditional forest resources. We conducted open-ended interviews with VGRP leaders, government and NGO officials, and residents in four villages in South Korea, and found that villages responded to ecosystem change in ways that could be explained by the characteristics of social learning including interaction, integration, systems orientation, and reflection. However, the processes of learning varied among the four villages, and were associated with different levels of learning and different learning outcomes related to changes in village grove management and governance. The cultural and historical context can be used to help understand social learning processes and their outcomes in the Korean cases.


ABSTRACT Coaching supports have been used in the past few decades with practicing teachers in professional development programs seeking to improve teachers' and novice teachers' practice. Prospective teachers experience the complexity of teaching when they start their field experiences. In some cases, prospective teachers struggle to enact what they learned in university coursework in real classroom settings. In an effort to bridge this gap, this paper provides an innovative approach to onsite coaching in the form of modelling, along with dialogic feedback to support prospective teachers' development of their teaching practice in their field experiences. Onsite coaching supports as described in this study, have implications on teacher learning to promote prospective teachers' enactment and appropriation of instructional strategies from university course work in field experiences. Findings suggest that field supervisors use this onsite coaching model to support prospective teachers in developing their teaching practices in the context of practice by taking a clinical stance. This paper unpacks the appropriation cycle and provides coaching moves (e.g., types of feedback in lesson plans, planning sessions, debriefing sessions, and onsite coaching moves) by sharing representative stories of prospective teachers facilitating literacy and mathematics in general education classrooms, and by differentiating instruction for emergent bilinguals.


Within popular discourse, natural hair is considered to be a source of liberation where Black women can accept and nurture their natural hair texture. My research explores the points of contention in this community and the hierarchies that exist based on length of hair, curl pattern, and texture. By using product content analysis, interviews with Black women with natural hair, and analysis of social media, this thesis brings the ideal aesthetics in the natural hair community to the forefront for closer examination. Findings insist that, in the natural hair community, a curl is more attractive than a kink, longer hair more preferable than short, and that "manageable hair" is vital to Black women's successful performances of Black femininity. This thesis project attempts to broaden the discourse on Black women and natural hair to encourage new conversations and understand tensions in the natural hair community. INDEX WORDS: Natural Hair, Aesthetics, Femininity, Black Women (DE)TANGLED: AN EXPLORATION OF THE HIERARCHIES IN THE NATURAL HAIR COMMUNITY


Although arguably only 30 years old, 3D printing is already having a tremendous impact upon a broad spectrum of industries, from medical products to consumer goods and nearly every industry in between1. The primary driver for growth has been the ability to rapidly prototype components at very low cost. However, as 3D printing technology has matured, industry participants are experimenting with printing components for production and long-term use as opposed to just prototypes. Chap Research has created a web-based application used to 3D print a "sprocket" – a toothed wheel used in chain-driven systems. This paper details our study to determine the applicability of these plastic 3D printed sprockets in production and for long-term use within certain robotics applications, an area traditionally dominated by metal (aluminum) sprockets. The study varied a range of design parameters and evaluated whether plastic (PLA) 3D printed sprockets could withstand the torsional stresses and fatigue failure modes present in robotics applications (specifically for FIRST2 competition robots). This paper also describes two custom test rigs that were built, one to characterize torsional stress and the other for fatigue stress analysis. Our study indicated that, for our target application, FIRST robotics competitions, 3D printed sprockets were quite sufficient in production and for long-term use. Layer height and infill settings for the 3D prints had the largest impact on the performance of these sprockets. While this is not a study to comprehensively compare performance of 3D printed sprockets to their aluminum counterparts, the big surprise was that 3D printed sprockets performed even better than metal sprockets for fatigue stress modes of failure. Using these results, this study also makes some recommendations on infill and layer height settings for achieving the desired performance for FIRST robotics applications. The study also showed the relationship between the load applied to a 3D printed sprocket and the number of cycles of continuous operation before a fatigue load related failure occurred and makes a conjecture on a range of load for "infinite life" of operation. Future extensions of this study may focus on additional fatigue loading tests, expanding to broader sets of load and printer conditions, further optimization of build parameters, varying printing materials, and different 3D printing technologies such as SLS. 1768 Solid Freeform Fabrication 2016: Proceedings of the 26th Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium – An Additive Manufacturing Conference Reviewed Paper 7


Abstract The extant New Zealand herpetofauna is now considered to consist of at least 65 endemic species of terrestrial reptiles and amphibians, an increase of about 64% in the size of the known fauna since 1980. The list includes four species of Leiopelma*, two species of Sphenodon, seven Naultinus, 22 Hoplodactyius, eight Cyclodina, and 22 Leiolopisma, all endemic to New Zealand. Discoveries in the past decade include many cryptic species identified using allozyme data, but also some morphologically well‐differentiated forms not previously known. At least 30 species (46%) are rare, threatened, or endangered, and 26 species (40%) are restricted largely or entirely to offshore islands. All but three species are protected. The New Zealand Department of Conservation has developed a comprehensive scheme for establishing management priority for indigenous species. At present, formal Recovery Plans exist in draft or approved form for at least 11 species, and more are in preparation.


Radical ring-opening polymerization (R-ROP) possesses the versatility of radical polymerization and the utility of ring-opening polymerization that functional groups can be introduced into the polymer backbone. Therefore, R-ROP is one of the most promising methods for the preparation of functional polymers. In this paper, we describe the molecular design and polymerization behavior of various cyclic molecules capable of undergoing R-ROP.


Background: Cancer of the biliary tract, cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), is increasing in incidence and has limited treatment options. In an attempt to further understand signaling pathways driving oncogenesis and impacting response to therapy we, and others, have identified altered activation of the transcriptional co-activator, Yes- associated protein (YAP) in CCA. Canonical regulatory pathways impacting YAP consist of serine kinases; however, more recently we have demonstrated a central role for tyrosine phosphorylation in regulating YAP function in CCA. Herein we explore the role of tyrosine phosphatases in regulating YAP tyrosine phosphorylation. Methods: In silico analysis of the TCGA cholangiocarcinoma dataset was undertaken specifically evaluating tyrosine phosphatase levels. Molecular studies utilized the human CCA cell lines HuCCT-1 and KMCH as well as the murine CCA cell line SB1 (expressing a flag-tagged YAP). Baseline tyrosine phosphatase levels were assessed by RT-PCR and immunoblot. YAP-interacting phosphatases were identified by co-immunoprecipitation. Tyrosine phosphorylation was inhibited utilizing the multi-kinase inhibitor dasatinib. The pan-tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor sodium orthovanadate (Na3VO4) and the selective SHP1/2 inhibitor NSC87877 were utilized. Tyrosine phosphorylation was assessed by immunoblot. YAP transcriptional activity was evaluated by RT-PCR. Apoptosis was evaluated by caspase 3/7 assay. Results: Multiple tyrosine phosphatases were noted to be expressed at lower levels in tumor versus normal adjacent liver in the TCGA RNAseq dataset. YAP-interacting tyrosine phosphatases identified by co-IP included PTPN1, 11, 23, and PTPRK. Profiling of tyrosine phosphatase levels by RT-PCR and immunoblot demonstrated higher levels in KMCH cells compared to HuCCT-1; notably the YAP-interacting phosphatase PTPN11 (SHP2) was elevated. Consistent with the anticipated function of the phosphatases, immunoblot demonstrated lower levels of tyrosine phosphorylated YAP (p-YAPY357) in KMCH cells compared to HuCCT-1. The role of SHP2 was further probed by incubation of KMCH and HuCCT-1 cells with NSC87877 which was associated with an increase in p-YAPY357 levels and YAP co-transcriptional activity. Conversely, incubation of HuCCT-1 cells with dasatinib rapidly decreased p-YAPY357 levels; and this effect was diminished by pre-incubation with either Na3VO4or NSC87877. The effect on YAP tyrosine phosphorylation paralleled effects on apoptosis; incubation of HuCCT-1 cells with dasatinib lead to an apoptotic response as measured by caspase 3/7 assay, which was eliminated by pre-incubation with Na3VO4 or NSC87877. Conclusions: Inhibition of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 is associated with elevated p-YAPY357 levels, elevated YAP co-transcriptional activity, and a blunted therapeutic response to dasatinib in cholangiocarcinoma cell lines. Citation Format: EeeLN Buckarma, Nathan Werneburg, Ayano Niibe, Gregory Gores, Rory Smoot. Tyrosine phosphatase activity is required for response to Src kinase inhibition in cholangiocarcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3449.


To compare the relative potencies of a variety of enzyme-inhibiting compounds, a quantitative measure must be employed. IC50 values and Ki values are often reported in the literature, but direct comparison of these values is not possible. The relationship of Ki and IC50 for a given compound varies depending on the assay conditions and the compound's mechanism of inhibition. The Cheng–Prusoff equations describe this relationship mathematically, and an intuitive description of this relationship is presented. Although there are currently a number of means to graphically determine IC50 values, there is not a biochemically intuitive linear method. A novel use of the Dixon plot will aid students in the determination of IC50 values. While the Dixon plot has been traditionally used to determine Ki in limited cases, a more widely applicable use is in IC50 determination. A new convention for presenting IC50 values is suggested.


Abstract. The following species of encyrtids described by Howard (1894, 1897) from St Vincent and Grenada are redescribed or dealt with in some other way. The current generic placements and synonymies are indicated in parentheses. Archinus occupants (Archinus), Aphycus amoenus (Metaphycus comb.n.), Aratus scutellatus (=brasiliensis Subba Rao syn.n., Zeteticontus), Blastothrix insolitus (Anagyrus comb.n.),Bothriothorax insularis (Zeteticontus), Cerchysius terebratus (Anagyrus), Cerchysius pulchricornis (Anagyrus), Chieloneurus funiculus (=cupreicollis Ashmead syn.n., Cheiloneurus), Cheiloneurus nigrescens (=longisetaceus De Santis syn.n., Cheiloneurus), Copidosoma diversicomis (Apoanagyrus comb.n.), Encyrtus argentipes (Zaomma), Encyrtus crassus (=Encyrtus gargaris Walker syn.n. =Giraultella lopesi Costa Lima & Ferreira syn. n, Coelopencyrtus comb.n.), Encyrtus conformis (Encyrtus), Encyrtus convexus (= Encyrtus nitidus (Howard) syn. n.), Encyrtus flaviclavus (Encyrtus), Encyrtus hirtus (Hunterellus comb.n.), Encyrtus moderatus (= Adelencyrtus femoralis Compere & Annecke syn. n. =Adelencyrtus miyarai Tachikawa syn. n., Adelencyrtus comb.n.), Encyrtus nitidus (=Protyndarichus proximus De Santis syn. n., Protyndarichus comb.n.), Encyrtus quadricolor (Encyrtus), Encyrtus rotundiformis (Psyllaephagus comb.n.), Encyrtus sordidus (Forcipestricis comb.n.), Encyrtus submetallicus (Ooencyrtus), Habrolepoidea glauca (Habrolepoidea) and Homalopoda cristata (Homalopoda). Xiphomastix De Santis is synonymized with Anagyrus Howards (syn. n.), both included species (X. nigriceps De Santis and X. bellator De Santis) being transferred to the latter. Propsyllaephagus Blanchard is synonymized with Psyllaephagus Ashmead (syn.n), Aratiscus laevigatus De Santis is transferred to Zeteticontus Silvestri (comb n.) and a key to the South American species of the genus is provided.


Social sensing has received growing interest in a broad range of applications from business to health care. The potential benefits of modeling infectious disease spread through geo-tagged social sensing data has recently been demonstrated, yet it has not considered contagion events that can occur even when co-located individuals are no longer in physical contact, such as for capturing the dynamics of airborne diseases. In this study, we exploit the location updates made by 0.6 million users of the Momo social networking application to characterize airborne disease dynamics. Airborne diseases can transmit through infectious particles exhaled by the infected individuals. We introduce the concept of same-place different-time (SPDT) transmission to capture the persistent effect of airborne particles in their likelihood to spread a disease. Because the survival duration of these infectious particles is dependent on environmental conditions, we investigate through large-scale simulations the effects of three parameters on SPDT-based disease diffusion: the air exchange rate in the proximity of infected individuals, the infectivity decay rates of pathogen particles, and the infection probability of inhaled particles. Our results confirm a complex interplay between the underlying contact network dynamics and these parameters, and highlight the predictive potential of social sensing for epidemic outbreaks.


The focus area is located along Beja and Faro districts (southwestern of Portugal), where the Baixo Alentejo Flysch Group exists, is composed of the Mertola, Mira, and Brejeira Formations. The aim of this article is to characterize the groundwater contamination by toluene, one of the petroleum products that may originate from natural petroleum systems and have been introduced into the environment by natural seepage. For this study, twenty soil samples and thirty-one water samples were collected, in 2016, from artesian wells, boreholes, and springs, and analyzed in a GC-FID system. Sampling was performed using headspace vials, with distilled water and a bactericide to inhibit any bacterial activities. The results showed that 93.5% of water samples range between 1000 and 6000 μg/L, and 55% are higher than 3000 μg/L of toluene concentration. In soil samples, amounts of toluene are less than 1000 μg/L in general. These levels are much higher than the World Health Organization health-based guideline for drinkable water (700 μg/L) and higher than those usually found in other places, being only comparable with values from severe industrial contamination. Contaminated groundwater represents a serious concern for human health, and residents should be informed to avoid drinking contaminated ground water or using it for other domestic proposes.


On July 10th 2003 the Federal Communication Commission adopted changes to Part 68(a) of the Commissions rules governing hearing aid compatible telephones in Report and Order 01-309. Specifically this R&O addressed wireless handsets. The main thrust of the action was to address exemption of HAC requirements for digital wireless phones that had been in place since 1988 hearing aid compatibility. This paper presents Part 15 exemption from the regulation. The order as written is mainly geared for digital wireless phones that operate under Part 22 and Part 24 of the regulations and does not specifically address phones operating under Part 15. This currently means that unless for specific case's most Part 15 phones are exempt from this regulation


Objectives: To assess the reliability of trans-vaginal-scan (TVS) in measuring the uterine depth (UD) in comparison with ultrasound-guided trial-transfer (UTT). Methods: This prospective study was conducted in 66 consecutive patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). The study took place in a private IVF center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between November 2013 and January 2014. The patients underwent UD measurements using TVS and UTT, sequentially. All scans were performed by a single sonographer, and all UTT were carried out by a single physician who was blinded to the TVS measurement. Results: The median (95% confidence interval) UD measurement using the TVS method was 6.9 cm (5.0-12.5) and UTT was 7.1 cm (5.9-13.5), (p<0.0001). Fifteen patients (22.7%) had a difference of >1 cm between the 2 measurement modalities (group-B). When measured by UTT, 93.3% of patients in group-B had UD ≥8cm, compared with 9.8% of patients in group-A, (p<0.0001). Group-B had a significantly longer uterine cavity when measured by UTT (p<0.0001), and a trend towards significance when measured by TVS (p=0.055). The TVS measurements generally underestimated UD when compared with UTT. Conclusion: Trans-vaginal-scan is less reliable than UTT and should not be used as a substitute. Larger sample-size studies involving different personnel, and equipment is needed.


A high reliable communication system which based on the controller area network(CAN) bus was proposed.Answer and broadcast,the two different mechanism of communitcion were introduced in the system.The complete structure of the system,the main ciucuit and software design were given.The experiments indicate that the system has the merits of high reliability and smartness.


The author summarized and analyzed the main methods of hospital infection control of SARS of a army area hospital as followed, highly regard by leaders and improve regulations to standardize hospital infection control of SARS, regulate sections and receive different patients in separate wards to ensure the transport of people and materials as desired, strengthen education and training to improve the self protect ability of staff, rigidly disinfect and enforce self safety to prevent the high risk group from being infected. The author concluded that the cross infection in hospital can be prevented effectively by means of rigidly abiding the prevention and cure principle of infectious disease, controlling three key spreading steps of infectious diseases, enhancing the inspection of hospital infection, forming correct working habit, putting all rules and regulations into effect no matter what kind of infectious disease it is and no matter if it's etiological factors and modes of spread are clear.


Abstract In the presence of Pd2(dba)3–tBu3P catalyst and Cs2CO3, cycloisomerization–allylation reactions of 4-alkynone derivatives with allyl carbonates in MeCN proceed in 5-exo mode to give highly-substituted furans having homoallyl groups at 5-position.


Today's industrial environment is smarter than ever before. Most production lines include electrical devices which are able to communicate each other and controlled from a single station with automation systems. Most of those elements have an internet connection link known as industrial internet. Development of smart technology with industrial internet comes with a need of monitoring. Monitoring technologies are emergent systems that focus on fault detection, grid self - healings and online tracking of power quality issues. Present study deals with one of the essential part of an electricity grid monitoring system called power quality event classification in a manner of machine learning topic. Power quality events to be processed are generated synthetically by means of a comprehensive software tool. Classification of real-like dataset is executed using extreme learning machine which is an extremely fast learning algorithm applied to single layer neural networks. Basic statistical criteria and wavelet - entropy methods are handled to achieve distinctive features of dataset. As a performance evaluation instrument, conventional artificial neural network structure is run too. Detailed results are discussed to prove the satisfactory performance of proposed pattern recognition model.


Although the hyperspectral image classification method based on convolutional neural network(CNN) has made great progress, the classification task with less training samples remains a challenging problem. Active learning technology is able to alleviate the problem above by improving the quality of labeled samples. In this paper, we propose to choose informative samples in gradient space, which considers both uncertainty and diversity in selection process. At each iteration, we performs clustering on gradient vector of network parameters corresponding to each sample and its predicted label, then the samples nearest to cluster centers are selected and labeled. Moreover, in order to alleviate the overfitting problem duing to less training samples in the early stage of active learning process, we utilize a two-branch network with shared feature extraction module to learn both supervised classification and unsupervised clustering knowledge. The proposed method is validated on widely used hyperspectral image data set, and achieves better performance.


We compared diurnal and 24-h habitat use patterns of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota from 1 January to 20 December 1993. Deer were sampled during two periods, diurnal (i.e. 0800 to 1959 h) and 24-h to determine if 24-h habitat use could be estimated from diurnal use patterns at the population level. No differences between diurnal and 24-h use were detected (P=0·101) during winter, spring, summer, or fall, indicating that 24-h habitat use could be estimated (r2=0·95,P<0.001) from diurnal patterns when habitats were combined even during periods of intense unpredicted human disturbance (i.e. fall hunting with approx. 12 hunters/km2).


We have studied the Blink-reflex abnormalities on 30 patients suffering from idiopathic peripheral facioparesis. We have measured the amplitudes and the latencies of ipsilateral early phasic component (R1) and the bilateral late tonic component (R2, R2,) on both mm. orbiculares oculi: (1) in the acute phase of the illness, and (2) 1 week and (3) 6 months after the onset of symptoms. All patients have been treated with prednisone. In the group of subjects, in the acute phase, the Blink-reflex showed slightly prolonged latencies and reduced amplitudes of both R1 and R2 on the afflicted side and the normal latencies and amplitudes at the contralateral side. All subjects showed clinical symptoms and the neurogenic EMG changes, while 24 (80%) displayed the Blink-reflex abnormalities. One week after the onset, all patients were still symptomatic and showed the EMG changes, but the latency and amplitude changes of R1 and R2 remained in only 11 (33,3%) of the patients. Six months after the onset of symptoms, 21 (70%) of the patients have become asymptomatic and showed no EMG changes, 7 (23,3%) had no clinical symptoms, but EMG changes could have been observed, while 2 (6,66%) showed the residual weakness and signs of denervation in EMG. Blink-reflex abnormalities, especially the decrease of the R2 amplitude, could have been observed in 6 (20%) patients.We believe that these results suggest that the Blink-reflex is a valuable tool for follow-up and the recovery prognosis for the partial idiopathic facioparesis, especially in the the early recovery phase.


Schistidium cupulare (Mull. Hal.) Ochyra, an obscure and poorly known spe− cies originally described from Iles Kerguelen as Grimmia cupularis Mull. Hal. and subse− quently reported from a single station in the Antarctic, is re−assessed taxonomically. It is considered to be a distinct species of sect. Conferta, closely related to S. amblyophyllum (Mull. Hal.) Ochyra et Hertel, from which it differs in its distal− and mid−leaf areolation of short, isodiametric, quadrate to shortly rectangular cells; stouter costa, 50-75 µm wide in the distal and median part, semi−terete to subrectangular in cross−section and prominently convex on the dorsal surface, (2-)3−stratose above, 3(-4)−stratose below; leaf margins regu− larly 2-3−stratose in 1-3 rows of cells forming fleshy, bulging limbidia; presence of a dis− tinct central strand; and finely roughened to nearly smooth peristome teeth. S. celatum (Cardot) B.G. Bell from South Georgia and Tierra del Fuego is considered to be conspecific with S. cupulare. Some details of the type specimens of both species are illustrated. The geographical range of S. cupulare is evaluated and it is considered to be an amphiatlantic subantarctic species. A new record of the species from Livingston Island in the Antarctic is provided and a key to species of Schistidium in Antarctica is given.


Over the decades, there has been a remarkable transformation in the information globe. Everyone has to adapt to these changes. Changes in society and demands for information utilization have forced the information professionals to look for more effective and efficient methods for processing, storing, and retrieving information to cope up with the application of modern information technology. This paper examines the Basic skills among Library Professionals in selected affiliated college of Bharathidasan University. The analysis of the data represents the extent and the level of skills possessed by the librarians of these institutions.


Such are the breadth and diversity of the hospitality and related industries, that the definition of this industry is needed urgently. This study proposes a three-key industry definition for analysis based on industry characteristics. In addition, we have investigated the major changes of Korean hospitality industries for the last 12 years in terms of their employment characteristics. It was found that they are very much female friendly and rapidly growing service industries. We suggest much more efforts are needed to develop the hospitality industry-a key to future growth of Korean economy.


Context. Technical debt (TD) is a metaphor reflecting technical compromises that sacrifice long-term health of a software product to achieve short term benefit. TD is a strategy for the development ...


Various formats employing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as an extraction medium prior to gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOFMS) analysis were investigated to measure off-flavors in aged beer. The techniques included stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), headspace sorptive extraction (HSSE), purge and trap, and closed-loop stripping (CLS). Although all PDMS extraction methods worked well, SBSE appeared to provide the most accurate quantitation and was capable of detecting the most odor-active compounds. The peak deconvolution capability of the Leco Pegasus TOFMS was critical to the detection and accurate quantitation of key off-flavor chemicals. Compared with fresh control beer, increases in furfural; furfuryl ethyl ether; furyl hydroxymethyl ketone; 2,4-dodecadienal, (E,E)-; benzeneacetic acid ethyl ester; β-damascenone; and 3-pyridinecarboxylic acid ethyl ester (also known as nicotinic acid ethyl ester) were observed in beer samples incubated for 12 weeks at 30°C, and increases in dimethyl disulfide, dimethyltrisulfide, and benzeneacetaldehyde occurred in beer samples exposed to sunlight for 8 hr.


This letter was written in response to the report of Drs. Wynder and Hill (October 22 p. 840) on estrogen in breast fluid. Drs. Wynder and Hill report that concentrations of prolactin estrone and estradiol-17beta in breast fluid obtained from premenopausal women are consistently greater than concentrations in their plasma. However Miller et al. were unable to detect high levels (greater than 8.2 ng/dl of either estrogen in the secretions from 5 women (3 pre- and 2 postmenopausal). They did however find in most samples large amounts of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHAS)-like material active by radioimmunoassay against an antibody specific to DHAS and DHA. The concentrations of DHAS-like material were many times those in plasma in pre- and postmenopausal women indicating that this steroid may be concentrated in the human breast.


High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) techniques were developed and validated to quantify Withanolide in extract and formulation. On Al-backed silica gel 60 F254 TLC plates (10 cm × 10 cm, layer thickness 0.2 mm), which had been prewashed with methanol, HPTLC separation was carried out. Dichloromethane: Methanol: Toluene: Acetone in various ratios produced good separation in mobile phase (5:1:1:0.5 v/v). Camag TLC scanner densitometric scanning at 365 nm determined and quantified. This approach produced compact Withanolide spots at Rf 0.48. ICH guidelines verified HPTLC's precision, reproducibility, and accuracy. Withanolide linearity was 500-3000 ng/spot with R2= 0.9994. LOD & LOQ were found to be 9.48 & 28.73 ng respectively. For UHPLC, Cosmosil C18 was used with acetonitrile: water (0.2 % OPA) (70:30, v/v) mobile phase. Flow rate was 1.5 mL/min. Under optimal chromatographic conditions, Withanolide was retained for 5.9 min and detected at 254 nm. ICH guidelines verified UHPLC's precision, repeatability, and accuracy. Withanolide linearity was 10-60 μg/mL with R2= 0.9994. LOD along with LOQ were 0.411 and 1.245 μg. HPTLC and UHPLC procedures utilized for regular quality control and quick screening of active components from plant extracts.


Spectra of 15 horizontal-branch stars in the galactic globular cluster NGC 3201 are analyzed to determine the value of the Ca/H abundance ratio and the color excess, E(B - V). It is found that the cluster is reddened by E(B - V) = 0.31 + or - 0.03, in good agreement with a recent determination from the integrated properties by Reed et al. (1988). The Ca/H abundance ratio derived from equivalent-width measurements of Ca II K and Balmer lines, is found to be -1.37 + or - 0.25, i.e., less than one-half that of NGC 1851, a cluster with a similar apparently retrograde orbit.


Recently, to improve the efficiency and safety of the transportation system that is severely affected by the increasing traffic demand, the Internet-of-Vehicles (IoVs)/Vehicular Networks (VNets) have received more and more attention because it can effectively improve the ability of the participants in the transportation system to perceive the traffic environment around them through Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technique. Moreover, V2X also makes it possible to share computing and storage power between vehicles, which further promotes the development of vehicular edge computing (VEC). However, due to the highly dynamic nature of the VNet's topology, based on the instant traffic flow condition, how to determine whether the vehicles on a given road can form a relatively stable cloudlet with certain computing or data storage capabilities to support certain VEC applications becomes a crucial task that needs to be solved. Therefore, in this paper, we proposed a Cloudlet-Dwell-time (CDT) estimation method to theoretically derive some essential parameters for implementing VEC applications, i.e., the vehicular cloudlet existence probability and its corresponding dwell-time. We further demonstrate the results of the proposed work based on traffic flow data chosen from the England Highways data set.


In the RoboCup Standard Platform League, fully autonomous humanoid robotic soccer players compete against each other. During a match, it is critical that the robot is capable of perceiving and comprehending its surroundings. This study is focused on the opponent detection by the robots. An opponent detector based on Multi-block Local Binary Patterns has been proven effective by a recent study from the University of Miami. However, many improvements to speed and accuracy are still achievable. Therefor, this study expanded on this by implementing six Multi-scale Color Local Binary Patterns: RGB-, nRGB, Transformed-, Opponent-, nOpponentand Hue-LBP. All these LBP s are trained by using functions from the OpenCV library. This study concludes that the Multiscale Color LBP s outperform the Multi-block LBP based on the argument that their mean average percentage is higher.


The aim of this article is to explain why and how two formerly hostile states such as the USSR and West Germany concluded a gas deal in 1970 that lasted not only the 20 years that had been initially contracted, but until 2022. Based on new documents from Russian archives, this paper will analyse how natural gas for the Politburo turned from a minor natural resource to a worthy political tool and a 'soft power'. While the Soviet gas minister had already advocated the global sale of gas in 1966 and the Politburo used it in 1966 itself as a means to bind Austria to its sphere of influence, Moscow changed its mind towards West Germany only in 1969 due to political developments. In order to bring Willy Brandt to power, put China in its place and teach Italy a lesson, Moscow changed its policy towards West Germany from risk avoidance to danger containment. Both sides independently developed the idea that binding the other's market to their own would prevent the partner from imposing another embargo (the West) or stopping deliveries (the USSR). The entanglement of markets was supposed to serve as a guarantee for the reliability of the respective contractor – the result of which we see today.


When general attitudes do not predict behaviour towards specific members of a social category, the reason may be that the specific members belong to a subtype that is not spontaneously associated with the superordinate social category. In Study 1, university students reported their general attitudes towards former mental patients and described the 'typical' former mental patient. The descriptions were rated on how well they matched each of eight subtypes (e.g. depressed, paranoid). One month later, the same students expressed their willingness to engage in various activities with a 'former mental patient' visitor who was depicted as a member of a subtype that either matched or mismatched the student's description. General attitudes predicted behavioural intentions better when the visitor was from a matching subtype than from a mismatching subtype. In Study 2, students who had negative attitudes towards substance abusers agreed to engage in fewer and less intimate activities with, and sat farther from, a visitor from a matching than from a mismatching subtype. Implications for theories of attitude-behaviour consistency and stereotyping are discussed.


The olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi, 1790) poses a significant threat to oliviculture worldwide, despite extensive chemical control measures. The susceptibility of olive (Olea europaea L.) to this pest varies among cultivars, with fruit size being a key factor of interest, as it can be assessed using non-destructive automated technologies. In this study, we investigated the oviposition preferences of the olive fruit fly in six Italian olive cultivars, tracking fertile and sterile punctures in relation to the diametric growth of the drupe. Additionally, we assessed the genetic diversity among cultivars using SSR markers, aiming to uncover a potential correlation between variation in the genetic diversity patterns and infestation levels. The results revealed that the relationship between fruit size and infestation level is non-linear and varies across different cultivars. The co-inertia analysis (COIA) performed on the genetic and infestation datasets revealed possible shared patterns of diversity and relationships between the two datasets. This study emphasizes the complex and diverse nature of the interaction between the olive fruit fly and its host, underscoring the importance of comprehending non-linear relationships to develop accurate genotypic-specific predictions and models.


Macro malware in Microsoft (MS) Office files has long persisted as a cybersecurity threat. Though it ebbed after its initial rampages around the turn of the century, it has reemerged as threat. Attackers are taking a persuasive approach and using document engineering, aided by improved data mining methods, to make MS Office file malware appear legitimate. Recent attacks have targeted specific corporations with malicious documents containing unusually relevant information. This development undermines the ability of users to distinguish between malicious and legitimate MS Office files and intensifies the need for automating macro malware detection. This study proposes a method of classifying MS Office files containing macros as malicious or benign using the K-Nearest Neighbors machine learning algorithm, feature selection, and TFIDF where p-code opcode n-grams (translated VBA macro code) compose the file features. This study achieves a 96.3% file classification accuracy on a sample set of 40 malicious and 118 benign MS Office files containing macros, and it demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach as a potential defense against macro malware. Finally, it discusses the challenges automated macro malware detection faces and possible solutions.


Information is a determinant subject in modern organization operations. The success of joint and combined operations with organizations partners depends on the accurate information and knowledge flow concerning the operations theatre: provision of resources, environment evolution, markets location, where and when an event occurred. As in the past and nowadays we cannot conceive modern operations without maps and geo-spatial information (GI). Information and knowledge management is fundamental to the success of organizational decisions in an uncertainty environment. The georeferenced information management is a process of knowledge management, it begins in the raw data and ends on generating knowledge. GI and intelligence systems allow us to integrate all other forms of intelligence and can be a main platform to process and display geo-spatial-time referenced events. Combining explicit knowledge with peoples know-how to generate a continuous learning cycle that supports real time decisions mitigates the influences of fog of everyday competition and provides the knowledge supremacy. Geo-spatial information and intelligence systems allow us to integrate all other forms of intelligence and act as a main platform to process and display geo-spatial-time referenced events. Combining explicit knowledge with person know-how to generate a continuous learning cycle that supports real time decisions, mitigates the influences of fog of war and provides the knowledge supremacy. These investigation describes the analysis done after the construction and application of a questionnaire and interviews about the GI and intelligence management in a military organization. The study intended to identify the stakeholders requirements for a military spatial data infrastructure as well as the requirements for a future software system development.


Grouping same line-rate channels makes no difference in growth-only networks, but significantly reduces fragmentation in dynamic networks and improves overall network throughput, particularly in congested operation scenarios.