Currently, over 100 countries are fighting against a common enemy, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV)‐2, which causes COVID‐19. This has created a demand for a substance whose effectiveness has already been demonstrated in a similar scenario. Glycyrrhizin (GZ) is a promising agent against SARS‐CoV‐2 as its antiviral activity against SARS‐CoV has already been confirmed. It is worthwhile to extrapolate from its proven therapeutic effects as there is a high similarity in the structure and genome of SARS‐CoV and SARS‐CoV‐2. There are many possible mechanisms through which GZ acts against viruses: increasing nitrous oxide production in macrophages, affecting transcription factors and cellular signalling pathways, directly altering the viral lipid‐bilayer membrane, and binding to the ACE2 receptor. In this review, we discuss the possible use of GZ in the COVID‐19 setting, where topical administration appears to be promising, with the nasal and oral cavity notably being the potent location in terms of viral load. The most recently published papers on the distribution of ACE2 in the human body and documented binding of GZ to this receptor, as well as its antiviral activity, suggest that GZ can be used as a therapeutic for COVID‐19 and as a preventive agent against SARS‐CoV‐2.


Stem cuttings of Chromolaena odorata obtained from wild stock plants were planted in open mist propagation system. Each stem was divided into three parts i.e. upper, middle, bottom. The length of each cutting was 11 cm. The base of each cutting was treated with commercial powdered hormone, Seradix 2 (0.2 % IBA). These cuttings were planted in cleaned river sand medium for seven weeks. Results showed that cuttings taken from the top part of stem produced significantly higher rooting percentage (90%) and root length (11.47 cm) than those of middle and basal part of stem. The stem anatomy showed the presence of vascular bundles increase from upper to bottom parts of cuttings. However, it does not significantly affect the rooting formation in Chromolaena odorata as the upper part gave good rooting performance compared to others. The upper part of the stem is recommended to be used as cutting materials for future planting stocks production.


This is not a book. It is a collection of articles from various sources. Nor should you be deceived by the title. It does not deal with the subject of attorney and client in any general way; rather its focus is far narrower. Most of the included articles concern attorney and corporate client privilege as it is applied to a corporation under regulatory investigation. Therefore, if you are looking for a book on attorney and client privilege, this is not the one.


trade links among Itza, fugitive settlements, and Spanish-controlled northern Yucatán may be exaggerated. But these are minor issues compared to a (perhaps the) major flaw in an otherwise solid book. By implication and sometimes explicitly, Caso Barrera tends make unwarranted claims to originality. Despite an extensive bibliography, she does not, in my view, properly acknowledge the work of others, most noticeably the magisterial and, in many instances, more finely grained descriptions and interpretations of Nancy M. Farriss's Maya Society under Colonial Rule (Princeton University Press, 1984) and Grant D. Jones's Maya Resistance to Spanish Rule (University of New Mexico Press, 1989) and The Conquest of the Last Maya Kingdom (Stanford University Press, 1998). For example, in dealing with Tipu, Caso Barrera does cite Jones but hardly does justice to the fullness of his analysis. All this and more comes to a head when she announces that until now the political organization of the Itza polity has not been understood (p. 381). Fair enough, but making the claim carries with it the responsibility to mount an explicit debate with Jones, rather than cite him on, for the most part, relatively innocuous matters. There is nothing wrong with retelling a story others have told, and the retelling may clarify what is a most complex story. However, making unnecessary claims to originality and ducking obvious debates detracts from Caso Barrera's accomplishment, does not serve the interests of scholarship, and can mislead readers who are not as familiar with the documentary evidence as Mayan specialists are. In short, this is a solid book, but hardly as innovative as the author would like readers to believe.


We have taken one of the simplest examples of the reflex are and attempted to apply stimulus-response concepts to it. In trying to do this we have discovered that we do not know what the stimulus is unless we know what the response is and what previous stimuli and responses were and that, as a matter of fact, we need quite a good understanding of the transaction in order usefully to call anything the stimulus. ----Charles Slack, "Feedback Theory and the Reflex Arc Concept," Modern Research for the Behavioral Scientist


Objective
To study the clinical distribution of Listeria monocytogenes infection and the changes in drug resistance of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from inpatients during recent 3 years, and to increase the awareness of the situation and provide data for clinical antibiotics application.

Methods
The clinical distribution of 22 cases of neonatal Listeria infection and drug resistance changes of Listeria were retrospectively analyzed in Bayi Children's Hospital from Jan.2011 to Dec.2013.

Results
Neonates began to be attacked by Listeria monocytogenes of 0.5 hours to 5 days(an average of 17.45 hours) after birth.The average birth weight was (2 331.82±677.64) g. There were 7 full term cases and 15 premature infants, 13 cases with low birth weight.The average hospitalization was (21.91±17.64)days.The cure rate was 45.45%(10/22 cases). All the mothers of 15 cases had fever in the third trimester of pregnancy and the temperature was 37.5-39.5 ℃.Infection rate with Listeria monocytogenes in neonatal was 0.03% (2/7 137 cases), 0.11%(8/7 281 cases) and 0.19%(12/6 394 cases) in 3 years, respectively.From 2011 to 2013, the sensitive rate of antimicrobial drugs with Listeria monocytogenes to commonly used antimicrobial was 82.72%, 75.40% and 50.66%, and the rate of drug resistance was 17.28%, 17.50% and 11.01%, respectively.During 3 years, the rates of drug resistance had no significant difference(χ2=3.65, P>0.05), and the sensitive rates had a trend of declination year by year(χ2=36.87, P<0.01). The sensitive rates and the drugs resistant rates of penicillin were 33.93%(19/56 cases)and 51.79%(29/56 cases), respectively.In 3 years, the drugs resistant rates of penicillin was 100.00%, 40.00%, and 46.43%, and the sensitive rate was 0, 60.00%, 25.00%, respectively.There was a high sensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes to ampicillin, aminoglycoside, sugar peptide, tetracycline, macrolides, lincosamides, quinolone, sulfa and other classes (such as rifampicin). It showed the different drug resistance rates with 33.33%-100.00% to oxacillin, penicillin G and nitrofurans.

Conclusions
These children has the characteristics of early-onset infection.The pregnant women and newborns are susceptible to high-risk groups.Infection rates with Listeria of neonatal and Listeria monocytogenes isolated from inpatients showed a trend of increase year by year.The cases were very sensitive to commonly used antimicrobial for killing Listeria monocytogenes.There was a trend of the declination for drug resistance to penicillin, but it was still at a higher level.The drugs resistance rate to oxacillin, penicillin G and nitrofurans were high.

Key words:
Infant, newborn; Listeria monocytogenes; Infection; Sepsis; Change in drug resistance


This research discussed about the use of student team achievement division (STAD) in teaching of narrative text. This research was to find out whether any significance difference on using STAD in teaching writing of narrative text. This research used quantitative approach with the experimental method. The researcher used pretest and posttest in experimental and control class. The population was the students of class eighth grade of SMP N 3 Semarang The samples were the students class VIII B and VIII D with the amount of 64 students. The researcher used simple random sampling in which VIII D as the experimetal group, and VIII B as the control group. The researcher also conducted try out to get the validity, difficulty level, and distinguising capacity. The research instruments used were test and questionnaire. The result of the test showed tarithmetic was greater than t_(table ) (3,713 >1.69389) so the hypothesis was accepted. The result posttest of experiment and control classes got average 82.81 and 76.18. While used SPSS in T-test got (0.00 <0.05) So, H1 was accepted. It meant there was a significant difference of students in writing narrative text between students who were taught writing using student team achievement division and those who were taught by conventional method. Meanwhile, the result of questionnaire or students' motivation of experiment class and control class was 3.19 and 2.89 in category was good. It meant that the students' motivation was good toward the use of student team achievement division or conventional method in writing narrative text. Then, the researcher suggests that the teacher should uses student team achievement division in teaching writing to improve students' motivation in writing English narrative text.

Key Words : narrative text, student team achievement division (STAD), writing


In order to evaluate the inhibitory effects of drug on the growth of babesia parasite, relative quantification real-time PCR method was developed in this study. The 18S rRNA gene was used as target gene for the 2−ΔΔCt method analysis. Meanwhile, Chicken RNA was added into the parasitized blood for total RNA extraction. The β-actin gene of chicken was selected as internal control gene for the 2−ΔΔCt method analysis. Parasitized blood 100 μL, 50 μL, 25μL, 12.5 μL, 6.25 μL was prepared for B. gibsoni relative quantification. Regression analysis results revealed that significant linear relationships between the relative quantification value and parasitemia. The 18S rRNA gene expression was significantly decreased after the treatment of Diminazene aceturate and Artesunate in vitro drug sensitivity test. It suggested that this relative quantification real-time PCR method can be used in evaluating the effects of inhibitory of drug.


The ability to identify, via remote sensing, the identity of materials prior to self-ignition is important for fire safety. We have developed a system to monitor, in real time, the thermal and chemical properties of specific materials under well controlled heating conditions. Our goal is to develop a library of the pre-combustion "signature" of materials commonly present in buildings. These signatures focus on the gases produced by combustion: CO, CO2 and total hydrocarbons; as well as oxygen, an essential reactant. An infrared furnace is used to rapidly (few seconds) heat (up to 800 °C) a small sample of combustible material, while output gases are monitored, with 1 s resolution, using a multi-component gas analyzer. Systematic measurements of PMMA, a thermoplastic, are presented. Ultimately these results will be used to provide first responders with remote knowledge of the type of fire prior to entering a site.


Turkey is a country that have an important role for the European Union. The importance of Turkey to the EU and Europe itself is rooted on historical relations between the two sides, whether through war, diplomacy, commerce, art, and culture. For centuries, the relation between theese two was marked by cooperation and convergence, as in the profound economic, cultural, art, and social exchanges between the Ottoman Empire and European powers. Simultaneously, conflict and competition also colored the relations between Europe and Turkey, especially in the Ottoman-Habsburg war era. This contrasting relations create contestation in identity and perception among EU countries against Turkey. This reflected in Turkey s accession being part of the official member of the EU whose progress has been slow since 1987. The European Union explicitly shows its opposition to Turkish full membership largely based on differences in Turkish culture, history and identity as a majority country Muslim. This paper seeks to clarify the identity of Turkey and the European Union, and seeks to determine whether the identity is culturally or politically influential on Turkish application to become a member of the European Union.


The influence of metal ion interaction with crowned spirobenzopyrans on the photoisomerization behavior was investigated through the use of various solvents, crowned spirobenzopyrans, and metal ions. Studies on the photoisomerization behavior of crowned spirobenzopyrans in various solvents revealed that solvation of the phenolate anion moiety in the merocyanine form induced photoisomerization back to the spiropyran form, giving rise to negative photochromism. Metal ion interaction with the phenolate anion moiety similarly caused photoisomerization back to the spiropyran form, while that with the crown ether moiety just produced a polar environment and its influence on photoisomerization behavior was dependent on the affinity of the metal ion captured by the crown ether moiety for the phenolate anion. Therefore, photochromic switching of crowned spirobenzopyrans between positive and negative to control the metal ion interaction with the phenolate anion moiety through the crown ether moiety is possible. This finding suggests a molecular design method for crowned spirobenzopyrans showing desired ion-responsive photochromism.


The Public Distribution System (PDS) continues to be a major instrument of food security for the poor in the Indian subcontinent. This paper examines how efficiently food is being delivered under this food subsidy scheme and measures the extent of diversion of food meant for the poor. The study is based on a large primary survey of 12 states surveying 1,000 households from each state over six consecutive months. The findings indicate huge identification errors and incidences of diversion of food, especially in the case of households below the poverty line. The gross failure of identification of the correct beneficiaries in almost all the selected states raises a major question about the very genesis of this subsidy scheme.


With large-scale electric vehicles connected to the power grid, the security and operating efficiency of V2G networks are facing severe challenges. Aiming at the shortcomings of the existing V2G privacy protection schemes, this study proposes a certificateless privacy protection scheme based on fog computing in V2G network. This scheme applies the elliptic curve certificateless public key signcryption algorithm to the V2G network, avoiding the bilinear pairing operation. At the same time, we introduce the fog calculation model into the charging and discharging data transmission process to design a new V2G network architecture, and used data aggregation technology, which can effectively improve the calculation efficiency. This study compares the security and computational overhead with other existing V2G privacy protection scheme. Compared with other schemes, the security and computational efficiency of the scheme proposed in this article are better.


The focus of our study is the rhetorical figure litotes and its cognitive modeling. This figure is formed by a contrary term that emphatically accentuates a positive, e.g. He is not exactly an idiot (said of Albert Einstein). Lawrence Horn's illumination of the Law of Excluded Middle and its relationship to litotes by creating an Unexcluded Middle is central to our ideas and we correlate this to Image Schema theories developed by Mark Johnson, George Lakoff and Rafael Núñez – specifically the schema of CONTAINMENT. The distinction between contrary and contradictory opposition is described. We extend the assessment of the Excluded Middle from the perspective of Image Schema theory into the realm of the Unexcluded Middle and draw a representation of the layout of containers and analogous concept-activation. Lastly, we create and present an OWL ontology and publish it online.


Abstract Effects of size and concentration of aquatic particles collected from Lake Poyang, as well as initial algal cell density and organic matter concentration, on flocculation of Microcystis aeruginosa (cyanobacteria) and Nitzschia (diatom) by aquatic particles were investigated in the laboratory. Results showed that flocculation efficiency of cyanobacteria by particles was higher when compared to diatoms. Flocculation efficiency of algae increased with decrease of particle size. When particle concentration increased from 0.02 g/L to 1.28 g/L, flocculation efficiencies of M. aeruginosa and Nitzschia increased from 19.3% to 43.7% and from 2.95% to 29.0%, respectively. Moreover, the flocculation efficiency increased with an increase of initial algal cell density, and efficiency of M. aeruginosa was two to three times higher than Nitzschia. Organic matter (humic acid) in the water had a positive effect on flocculation efficiency of M. aeruginosa, and efficiency increased from 17.6% to 23.4% when humic ac...


Aim. Search for new dinitroaniline and phosphorothioamide compounds, capable of selective binding with Plasmodium α-tubulin, affecting its mitotic apparatus. Methods. Structural biology methods of computational prediction of protein-ligand interaction: molecular docking, molecular dynamics and pharmacophore analysis. Selection of compounds based on pharmacophore characteristics and virtual screening results. Results. The protocol and required structural conditions for target (α-tubulin of P. falciparum) preparation and correct modeling of the ligand-protein interaction (docking and virtual screening) were developed. The generalized pharmacophore model of ligand-protein interaction and key functional groups of ligands responsible for specific binding were identified. Conclusions. Based on results of virtual screening, 22 commercial compounds were selected. Identified compounds proposed as potential inhibitors of Plasmodium mitotic machinery and the base of new antimalarial drugs.
Keywords: malaria, Plasmodium, intermolecular interaction, dinitroaniline derived, phosphorothioamidate derived.


Traffic congestion has been a major problem in our country from past few years, which affects modern city's daily life routine and disturb environments. Due to increase in population, size of cities expands, automatically number of vehicles increases in major scale on roads. There are number of problems such as travel time dealy, fuel wastage, air pollution and create issues related to transport. So the biggest challenge on traffic management authorities is to control and monitor the traffic. We design and develop system for real-time a traffic monitoring using IoT platform and sensing technology. This system includes piezoelectric sensors which are used to detect vehicle traffic levels at the lanes and this data is received at the controller and transmitted to web server through a wifi module. The server stores and analyzes the monitored data. Traffic is controlled by traffic signal control method which depends on the detecting traffic levels at the lanes. When there is high traffic level in any lane, then it gives highest priority to passing vehicles. RF transceivers used to communicate the main system to priority system which receives and transmits traffic related message. This system is reliable, simple and low cost. IndexTerms -Internet of things, Emergency priority, Wireless technology, Traffic monitoring and controlling system.


properties of Machine Learning tools that rely on the amount of data and the diversity of data-sources and also study the implications for the structure of a market for data.


Streptococcus agalactiae is a major bacterial pathogen that has caused severe economic losses in many species of freshwater, marine and estuarine fish worldwide. ScpB is a highly conserved surface protein among all group B streptococcus(GBS) strains and is an attractive surface-exposed antigen for inclusion among vaccine components against GBS. In this study, the scpB gene was amplified from the genomic DNA of an S. agalactiae strain isolated from diseased tilapia farmed in Guangdong province, China. The scpB gene contains a 2 799 bp open reading frame(ORF), encoding 932 amino acids. The molecular mass of the deduced protein was 103 kD. Blast analysis showed that it shares high similarity with scpB sequences of human GBSs registered in GenBank. Prokaryotic expression vector pET32a(+) was used to construct a recombinant expression vector pET32a(+)-scpB, which was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). Colonies containing the recombinant expression vector pET32a(+)-scpB were selected and then induced to express using 0.5 mmol/L IPTG for 8 h at 37℃. The expressed recombinant protein was purified by nickel chelate affinity chromatography and ultrafiltration tube enrichment. SDS-PAGE analysis and western blotting showed a specific protein band of about 121 kD. The recombinant strain could produce large amounts of ScpB protein, mainly in the form of an inclusion body. To analyze the immunogenicity of the recombinant protein, the purified fusion protein and Freund's adjuvant were mixed according to a certain proportions to produce vaccines. Three immune dosages, 1 μg/g(F1), 3 μg/g(F3) and 5 μg/g(F5) were used. Four weeks after immunization, tilapia were challenged by artificial infection with the GBS ZP-N strain, which was previously isolated and confirmed to be a tilapia pathogen by our laboratory. The recorded relative percent survivals(RPS) of the vaccinated groups ranged from 69.99% to 89%, of which group F5 has the highest RPS. The lysozyme activities, superoxide dismutase(SOD) activities and antibody levels(OD450nm) were tested weekly until the end of the experiment. The results showed that after immunization, there were significantly higher lysozyme activities, superoxide dismutase(SOD) activities and antibody activities(OD450) in the vaccinated fish compared with the control group(P0.01). The results of this study showed that recombinant protein ScpB has a strong immunogenicity and protective effect, laying the foundation for further study of polypeptide vaccines for S. agalactiae.


During the period 1700 to about 1850, to university degrees. In the military maps of early Canada were produced by services, graduates are granted cornmilitary or naval agencies in Paris or missions as officers. These profesLondon, primarily for use in colonizasional cartographers are in great detion and colonial defence. Later, when mand in countries around the world and, government departments were estabas previously mentioned, cartography lished for administration of Crown in Canada has relied heavily on their lands, contracts were arranged with services. In fact, the traditions and p r i v a t e individuals or companies in practices of cartography in Canada have England, and in the U. S.A., for cartobeen largely derived from the knowledge graphic production of maps from source and experience of immigrant profesmaterial supplied. This practice consional cartographers. This condition tinued un t i l the e a r l y 1900s when continues to-day, due to the lack of Canadian companies, staffed with imadequate training and education in our ported Eng l i sh , Scottish and French country. The reliance of Canadian carcartographers, began to compete for tography on imported specialists is government contracts. apparent from the present membership of the O.I. C.C., of which 65% are As mapping agencies were established members who received professional wi th in departments of Federal and training prior to entering Canada. Provincial governments, many of the immigrant cartographers entered the In the period of a half century, Canadian Civil Service in order to gain improved mapping has progressed to a high state conditions, and security of employment. of proficiency through application of old Intime, these cartographers, being exworld practices to modern, scientifpert in their field, attained influential ically advanced equipment and materipositions and also formed a nucleus for als. Considering the difficulties posed the t r a i n i n g of new cartographers bythesizeandgeographyofCanada.it through traditional "on the job" methcan be sa id t h a t our cartographic ods. These me thods have continued achievements are comparable to those until recent times. of any o t h e r country. However the position is made vulnerable by the conExtensive expansions of cartographic tinued dependence on recruitment of staffs have taken place in order to keep professionals from overseas. Intime pace with developments in the use of of war as in World Wars I and H, the aerial photography in map compilation restricted availability of such persons and in the use of electronic and photonecessitates drastic reductions in carmechanical methods of production. At tographic activities. This can only be the federal level, a wide variety of avo ided through implementation of maps and charts are now completely formally recognized training and edup r o c e s s e d wi th in government recation programmes in Canada, sources. Provincial cartographic services s t i l l make use of commercial The following is an outline of the acacompanies for map reproduction. demie and practical training provided to cartographers of other countries For the last two centuries or more, and Canada. The list is known to be inEngland, France, Switzerland, Holland, complete. It was compiled from inforG e r m a n y , and other countries of mation p r o c u r e d t h r o u g h limited Europe, have produced maps either research. However, it does provide an under royal patronage or through miliindication of training requirements as tary and naval services. A major aspect determined by various agencies: of such programmes was the opening of schools for the training of cartograAUSTRALIA phers. At these schools, students unThe Australian Institute of dergo extensive training and instruction Cartographers in all subjects related to cartography A c o m p l e t e survey and cartoand, after graduation, their qualificacourse with examinations and ditions are recognized as being equivalent plomas. Mr. Barnard is Chief Cartographer at the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests


Aiming to provide teachers with a wide range of approaches to stimulate interactive work, this guide to teaching poetry in the secondary school uses approaches imported from North America and Australia as well as those used in the UK.


A large strain finite element analysis is used to study the deformation of an incompressible Neo-Hookean half space in contact with a flat rigid cylindrical punch. We assume adhesion between the elastic solid and the punch and we study the deformation as the punch is retracted. We considered two interface conditions, frictionless and no slip. Numerical results are compared with the predictions of small strain linear elastic (SSLE) theory. Our results show that many aspects of the deformation are not captured by the SSLE theory. For example, the interfacial normal stress at the punch edge is much higher for the case with frictionless boundary conditions. The deformation profiles are also very different. Our results give important insights into how soft adhesives deform when they are detached from a hard surface.


Objective: To report the effect of an oriental medicine treatment, including chuna manual therapy, for a patient suffering with spondylolytic spondylolisthesis. Methods: One patient was treated by oriental medical treatment including acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and chuna manual therapy and the results were assessed with a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), walking distance, and radiological examination. Results: After treatment, the NRS changed from 6 to 2 and walking distance changed from 250 m to 1000 m. Conclusions: In this study, oriental medical treatment, including chuna therapy, was an effective treatment for patients with spondylolytic spondylolisthesis. However, additional studies are needed, as are more and observations of these patients.


internal) authority is a utopian model for the performance of politics. The movement from conscious to sentient organization of the body, moves from a model of constraint over physical behavior to something approaching daily physical experience. The transition from symbolic to abstract or choreographer's to dancer's authority proceeds through a series of mediations. Some of the key transitions or mediations are outlined here, though each day of rehearsal layered new means as well as new movement material on the dance to be. In the first rehearsals, the choreographer took movement that individual dancers had made, altered them, assgned them to groups of dancers, and set them to the counts of the music she had selected. The musical counts then were the first step that shifted authority from the choreographer's voice to that of an other. That other was the initial bridge between dancer and choreographer. Soon the choreographer began to introduce improvisation as a means of procuring movement. The improvs consisted of rules which the dancers must transcend both in order to turn ideas into actions, and to turn constraint into the experiential freedom of movement, which in turn obscures the very existence of the rules. Improvs regulate and totalize at the same time while authority is shifted into the dancers' domain. Dancers have the means to produce movement collectively. As the performance date approaches, they begin to arbitrate differences and regulate rehearsal themselves. In performance, the movement material, regardless of its source, takes on the This content downloaded from 126.96.36.199 on Wed, 31 Aug 2016 04:33:48 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms Dance as a Social Movement 59 quality of improvisation. The movement has kinetic intent and that intentionality is directed at the audience. The desire produced in performance is secured but unnamed. In sum, choreographic authority represented or symbolized outside the group cannot realize the intended object (dance) of its daily activity (rehearsal). The very mechanisms introduced to assure the realization of the object sever ties to the external authority that had implemented them. The choreographer's predicament is not so different from that of capital or the state. They too, must structure improvisations to elicit the realization of intents, be they surplus value or legitimation through elections. So long as the power of the body to assert its own needs and demands is masked, desire will appear only in the negative to be (mis)represented by candidates and commodities. Conversely, should the left as an intervention in people's lives succeed in mobilizing not only consciousness but sentience, not just meaning but desire, a social body capable of sustaining its own activity becomes possible. Ultimately, what makes dance performance distinctive from more quotidian forms is that it only exists as a social activity sentient of its power as an agent and its effects upon others. Is this not the gait of politics? FIRST MOVEMENT: CONTOURS OF A COMPANY The company is the raw material out of which the dance will be hewn. It is the social body that must speak the choreographer's mind. Against the singularity of choreographic authority, is the collectivity of the company that constitutes totality. The dance will develop in the dialogue between these two. The relationship is more than one of command and response. At first the company only knows itself through each member's relation to the choreographer. As the rehearsals proceed, the company will take on more of its own identity as totality itself becomes more prominent. Totality then, is not the group of dancers themselves, but what they are capable of producing as a group and this is certainly facilitated through their exchange with authority. Authority and totality are relations particular to the creation of each dance. Choreographers and dancers have lives and movement resources that precede and inform each dance. In the interests of uniqueness, the choreographer must draw from those histories as well as break from them. She must create an inside to the rehearsal to which the rest of the world is an outside, while drawing from the riches of that world. Setting up a rehearsal schedule is the first step towards that break. The schedule carves up the dancers' space and time to reallocate it within the rehearsal. The schedule correlates the diverse points of departure to their common arrival. Hence, the authority-totality nexus commences on its own coordinates of space and time. The rehearsal space is flanked by a kitchen on one side and a bedroom on the other. Its smooth polished wooden floorboards are tight together, facilitating falls This content downloaded from 22.214.171.124 on Wed, 31 Aug 2016 04:33:48 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms


A printed circuit board, a display apparatus having the same and a method of manufacturing the printed circuit board are provided to reduce the noise by forming a ground pattern on the upper and lower part of signal wiring pattern. The first pattern layer(110) comprises the first ground pattern(111). The second pattern layer(120) is formed in the first pattern layer. The second pattern layer comprises the first interconnection pattern(123) and the second ground pattern(121). The first interconnection pattern is overlapped with the first ground pattern and transmits the first differential signal. The third pattern layer(130) is formed in the second pattern layer and comprises the third ground pattern(131) and the second wiring pattern(133). The fourth pattern layer(140) is formed in the third pattern layer and comprises the fourth ground pattern(141) and the third wiring pattern(143). The fourth ground pattern is overlapped with the second wiring pattern. The third wiring pattern is insulated from the fourth ground pattern.


An authoritative aid to demystification, this dictionary enables the reader to unravel the jargon of our age - the welter of specialist occupational slang ranging from deliberately deceptive euphemisms for unpalatable practices to genuine "professional" terminology. Containing around 21,000 entries, the dictionary encompasses a wide range of fields and includes extensive coverage of both British and American jargon.


We previously discovered the antioxidant and antiprostate cancer effects of antler extract (AE), but whether it inhibits cisplatin- (Cis-) induced toxicity has not been investigated. In this study, the effect of AE on Cis-induced side effects in the kidney and liver using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide-based cytotoxicity and cell cycle assays in prostate cancer PC-3 cells in vitro is investigated. Furthermore, we used a xenograft mouse model of the same cells to examine the in vivo effects and mechanisms of action. Cis and Cis + AE treatment attenuated prostate cancer cell growth by inducing apoptosis in vitro. Cis + AE stimulated cleaved caspases 3, 7, and 9 and polyadenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase expression. Cis + AE treatment for 1 week significantly increased the superoxide dismutase and catalase antioxidant activity while thiobarbituric acid reactive substances decreased. The histopathological damage and tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin- (IL-) 1β and IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in the kidney and liver tissue decreased. Therefore, AE likely possesses antiprostate cancer activity and inhibits Cis toxicity.


The monoclonal antibody JB3 was previously shown to react with a protein antigen present in the bilateral primitive heart‐forming regions and septation‐stage embryonic hearts; in addition, primary axial structures at primitive streak stages are JB3‐immunopositive (Wunsch et al. [1994] Dev. Biol. 165:585–601). The JB3 antigen has an overlapping distribution pattern with fibrillin‐1, and a similar molecular mass (Gallagher et al. [1993] Dev. Dyn. 196:70–78; Wunsch et al. [1994] Dev. Biol. 165:585–601). Here we present immunoblot and immunoprecipitation data showing that the JB3 antigen is secreted into tissue culture medium by day 10 chicken embryonic fibroblasts, from which it can be harvested using JB3‐immunoaffinity chromatography. A single polypeptide (Mr = 350,000), which was not immunoreactive with an antibody to fibrillin‐1, eluted from the affinity column. Mass spectroscopy peptide microsequencing determined the identity of the JB3 antigen to be an avian homologue of fibrillin‐2. Live, whole‐mounted, quail embryos were immunolabeled using a novel microinjection approach, and subsequently fixed. Laser scanning confocal microscopy indicated an elaborate scaffold of fibrillin‐2 filaments encasing formed somites. At more caudal axial positions, discrete, punctate foci of immunofluorescent fibrillin‐2 were observed; this pattern corresponded to the position of segmental plate mesoderm. Between segmental plate mesoderm and fully‐formed somites, progressively longer filamentous assemblies of fibrillin‐2 were observed, suggesting a developmental progression of fibrillin‐2 fibril assembly across the somite‐forming region of avian embryos. Extensive filaments of fibrillin‐2 connect somites to the notochord. Similarly, fibrillin‐2 connects the mesoderm associated with the anterior intestinal portal to the midline. Thus, fibrillin‐2 fibrils are organized by a diverse group of cells of mesodermal or mesodermally derived mesenchymal origin. Fibrillin‐2 microfilaments are assembled in a temporal and spatial pattern that is coincident with cranial‐to‐caudal segmentation, and regression of the anterior intestinal portal. Fibrillin‐2 may function to impart physical stability to embryonic tissues during morphogenesis of the basic vertebrate body plan. Dev. Dyn. 1998;212:461–471. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


This research aims to investigate risk of financial on poultry farm business.The method used is method of survey undertaken in chicken farmers group of layer poultry farming "Gunungrejo Makmur"of Lamongan Regency, which consists of 24 members. To simplify the calculation, so the sample was stratified or grouped into three based on the business scale. The result of analysis risk of financial show that at scale of I obtained by result of OER equal to 71.45%; CR equal to 3.25; DAR equal to 11.97%; RoA equal to 43.92%; RoE equal to 47.10%; and DCR equal to 476.99%. At scale of II obtained by result of OER equal to 66.70%; CR equal to 3.22; DAR equal to 11.81%; RoA equal to 56.73%; RoE equal to 61.62%; and DCR equal to 576.28%.Thus, at scale of III obtained by result of OER equal to 72.34%; CR equal to 3.07; DAR equal to 11.46%; RoA equal to 44.59%; RoE equal to 48.57%; and DCR equal to 448.40%. Pursuant to analysis risk of financial as a whole that at all of scale show generated risk level still is peaceful, because result of obtained advantage admit of to close over risk which possible happened.


In the last two-decade, robotics has attracted a lot of attention from the biomedical sectors, to help physically disabled people in their quotidian lives. Therefore, the research of robotics applied in the control of an anthropomorphic robotic arm to people assistance and rehabilitation has increased considerably. In this context, robotic control is one of the most important problems and is considered the main part of trajectory planning and motion control. The main solution for robotic control is inverse-kinematics, because it provides the angles of robotic arm joints. However, there are disadvantages in the algorithms presented by several authors because the trajectory calculation needs an optimization process which implies more calculations to generate an optimized trajectory. Moreover, the solutions presented by the authors implied devices where the people are dependent or require help from other people to control these devices. This article proposes an algorithm to calculate an accuracy trajectory in any time of interest using an LCD touch screen to calculate the inverse-kinematics and get the end-point of the gripper; the trajectory is calculated using a novel distribution function proposed which makes an easy way to get fast results to the trajectory planning. The obtained results show improvements to generate a safe and fast trajectory of an anthropomorphic robotic arm using an LCD touch screen allowed calculating short trajectories with minimal fingers moves.


It has become satisfactorily convincing that the reformation and development of Egyptian education are inevitable. Education, in Egypt, has become one of the most rudimentary causes as it is the real and only beginning for any type of progress in all walks of life. Advanced countries, as has been affirmed by contemporary history, have started their progress from the gate of education. These countries always give education all the priorities in their policies, programs and strategies.
Efforts to reform and develop education in Egypt took various forms: Holding conferences, meetings, issuing documents and inventing strategies, etc. However, there are still many defects and gaps that need to be filled. These shortcomings actually impede the process of the reformation and development of education. Therefore, it has become an obligation to reconsider the policies and strategies of that system as an inevitable step to develop and promote it. To achieve the objectives of promoting the educational system in Egypt by creating a competent graduate, the study sought the experiences of some foreign advanced countries.
The descriptive approach has been used in this study to treat the data on a critical and analytical basis. The researcher has reached a number of important conclusions and lessons. Experiences of the advanced countries in the field of education clearly indicate that: 1-The minister of education should not be the only person to demarcate the educational policy; 2- education should be given a comprehensive outlook; 3- human and financial potentials should be always available; 4- societal participation and contribution by the experts, teachers, consultants, and administrative offices should be guaranteed. Accordingly, the educational policy will surely be entrusted to those who are able to carry it out successfully and in an integrated way. This ensures the reformation and development of the educational system in Egypt.


In this paper, we develop a low-complexity scheme OpTar for designing optimal power tariffs. OpTar provides an easy way for the utility companies to adjust their power prices, and allows the users to pre-plan their power consumption. OpTar is robust against system dynamics including time-varying power market conditions and user preferences. It can be implemented both with and without communication between the utility company and the consumers, and requires minimum additional hardware/software. We show that OpTar can significantly outperform the commonly used uniform pricing schemes. The pricing design approach developed in the paper can also be used in other systems with dynamic demand and non-storable resources.


Brassica oxyrrhina Coss. (OxOx genone, 2n=18), a wild Brassica species was repeatedly backcrossed with radish (Raphanus sativus. L., cv. Miyashige, RR genome, 2n= 18) (Fig. 1, Table 1, 2, 3 and 4) . In the B2 generations, plants with 2n=18 chromosomes were obtained (Fig. 2). In the process of cytoplasm substitution, restoration of pollen fertility was not observed (Fig. 3). Thus, it was assumes that the depression of pollen fertility was due to the effect of B. oxyrrhina cytoplasm (Figs. 3, 5 and 6). Though the seed fertility of plants increased when their chromosome numbers were close to 2n=18, fertility was not restored up to the normal level (Fig. 4). No seeds were obtained from the plants in which pollen fertility was below 50 % and It was considered that cytoplasmic male sterility had been induced. Cytoplasm-substituted radish plants were backcrossed two times with nine commercial cultivars. Thereafter, nine plants with B. oxyrrhina cytoplasm were reciprocally crossed with each cultivar (Table 5). Two kinds of F1 plants (B. oxyrrhina-cytoplasmic F1 and R. sativus.-cytoplasmic F1) were used as materials for the comparative studies. In the Fl plants with B. oxyrrhina cytoplasm, the chlorophyll content was never reduced (Table 6). The values of root length, root diameter, root weight and leaf weight in the F1 plants of'Akamaru hatsuka', 'Shogoin', 'Shijunichi' and 'Miyashige' with B. oxyrrhina cytoplasm were lower than those of the F1 plants with R. sativus. cytoplasm. In case of F1 plants of 'Raddike ostergruss' and 'Nerima', there were no differences between B. oxyrrhina and R. sativus. cytoplasms (Table 6, Fig. 7). It is considered that these plants harboured a gene (or genes) compatible with the B. oxyrrhina cytoplasm. Therefore, it is suffered that the inhibition caused by the interaction between nucleus and cytoplasm may be released by hybridization.


Due to a decision made by the Swedish parliament in 2010 all teachers would become required to have a teacher´s license to be qualified to; educate students, grade them and get a permanent employment. The politician's wanted the license system to be fully incorporated in the Swedish school system by 1th of June 2012. A couple of years later the system has still not been fully enforced.
The aim of this study is to investigate whether organizational preconditions considering the processing of applications could explain the implementation failure that occurred. The aim is also to contribute with knowledge within the field of implementation in organizations. The specific question asked is: can the organizational preconditions to process license applications, within the timeline set by the politicians, be considered sufficient? Lennart Lundquist theories and models (1987) will be used to answer the question. The conclusion that follows from the analyze is that there need to be a correspondence between organizing components in the different chains in the steering process as well as correspondence within the different chains.


Abstract
Purpose
The explanatory power of Multi-Level Governance (MLG) has been and is being questioned. Two main criticisms have been raised: first, that MLG is ultimately descriptive, not explanatory; second, that MLG is a case of concept stretching, that it is ultimately an umbrella notion rather than a theory. This chapter outlines what ripostes may be provided to such critiques and argues that the progress of the study of MLG and its usage in political science and public policy and management may lie to an important extent in fostering the dialogue with other streams of research (thus filling the gap of some 'missing linkages' in the extant MLG literature), like network governance; policy learning; the analysis of policy tools and the tools of government in complex systems; models in strategic management like stakeholder analysis and others.

Methodology/approach
This volume is a collective contribution by authors from different disciplinary backgrounds who all address, from different angles and by using a variety of research methods, the key question of how to bring into the MLG research agenda a range of disciplines and applied fields of inquiry that have so far only limitedly been used in the MLG stream of research and literature more systematically.

Findings
It arises from the volume that theoretical frames like network governance; policy learning; policy tools analysis; stakeholder analysis and others have important potential to further the MLG research agenda. A number of contributions address the transformation of MLG in the European Union (EU), the polity where MLG arrangements where first detected and labelled as such (Marks, 1993). Others apply MLG frames to other institutional settings, including non-democratic regimes.

Research implications
This volume is a collective attempt to suggest 'cross-fertilisations' from other disciplines or applied fields that may lead to unleash more of the potential and promises of the MLG agenda. It is hoped that this work lays some of the foundations for building bridges between the MLG literature and disciplines and theoretical frames that may be effectively brought into the MLG research agenda.

Practical/social implications
MLG has long gone beyond the academic debate, to become an analytical lens employed by EU and other institutions across the globe. MLG informs the practice of policy-making. By addressing some key gaps in the extant literature and furnishing perspectives to link MLG to disciplines that may provide theories and models to further its analytical potential, this volume aims at contributing to improving the practice of MLG.

Originality/value
The volume is – to our knowledge – the first systematic attempt to bring into the MLG literature a whole range of theories and models that may provide ways forward to the understanding and usage of MLG.


Present study used different packaging materials of turmeric powder including branded and unbranded available in local market. A pure turmeric rhizome was used as a control and subjected to analysis after grind in fine powder form. In this study, AOAC Official method (1996) was carried out to determine the metal content (Ca, Mg, Fe) and physiochemical parameters (pH, conductivity, total dissolved solid, moisture and ash). The concentration of macro elements (Ca, Mg) were determined by using complexometric titration, while (Fe) was analyzed by spectrophotometically. Results showed that the values of pH, conductivity, total dissolved solid, percentage of ash and moisture were recorded in the range of 5.823-6.760, 516-742µS/cm, 2%, 7.435-9.445%, and 11.450-15.550% respectively, While average concentrations of Ca, Mg and Fe  were obtained in the range 176-190 mg/100g, 170-196mg/100g and 38.08-42.57mg/100g respectively. It was observed that metal content are within RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) values. The results were statistically analyzed using analysis of t-test indicate that concentration of Ca,Mg (P 0.05) was significant difference in all turmeric samples.


This paper simulated and predicted groundwater level of Minqin County located in the downstream Shiyang River by time-series analysis method.The results show that the model generally had a good effect and high precision,and its average relative error was only 0.086%.However,due to the more and more severe influence of human activities,the predicted values were generally larger than the observed values,especially at the small-extreme values of the water level.Therefore,with the successive increase of the exploitation volume,in order to raise the prediction precision,the model needs revising at any moment.Meanwhile,considering the status of too fast decrease of water level,some measures should be taken to prevent it by the related departments.


Data Scientists can add incredible value to your research community. But how do you evaluate, attract, and retain them? This lightning talk describes the six most common types of academic data scientists, what they can offer to your community, how they're motivated


three cases. They differed from this case in that the patients had had well-established rheumatoid arthritis for over 15 years, and the bursitis was chronic. Synovial cysts at. other sites are not uncommon in rheumatoid arthritis (Palmer, 1969). Popliteal cysts can cause pain and discomfort. If they rupture, the subsequent extravasation of tluid into the soft tissues of the calf can mimic thrombophlebitis (Dixon and Grant, 1964). Cysts can also compress both the ulnar and median nerves (Hart and Golding, 1960). Although a communication between the bursa and the hip was not demonstrated, it is probable that the bursitis was secondary to hip disease, even though the hip had previously been asymptomatic. The initial X-ray film suggested some loss of joint space. A bone scan using 18F, carried out in the postoperative period, suggested the presence of active arthritis of the hip. This radioisotope is specific for the detection of bone and joint disease, and is sensitive in detecting arthritic activity (Jeremy et alii, 1969) .


This paper introduces into the scholarship finger-rings and signet-rings discovered on the plateau of Eski-Kermen during the excavations in recent years. The twelfth- and thirteenth-century finger- and signet-rings uncovered in the churches in quarters I and II were modest bronze ornaments of featuring décor belonging to the group of Byzantine-circle artefacts. Adult women often wore a pair or a set of three pieces of the ornaments of the kind. The fourteenth-century hand ornaments comprise only signet-rings, partially attributable to the Byzantine circle and partially to the artefacts made by Seljuk artisans. Predominant were expensive ornaments of silver or gold. The difference between the assortment of ornaments from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and those from the fourteenth century can be explained not only by the change of fashion, but also by the different social status of those who lived in various districts of the provincial town. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, only the ordinary townspeople lived in quarters I and II, where only the bronze ornaments originate from. In the fourteenth century, the members of wealthy families were buried into slabbed graves located in the area in front of the basilica in the town centre, where silver and gold signet-rings were found. In the fourteenth century, signet-rings made a part of women's and children's attire. Young women, 18–20 and 19–25 years old, wore one signet-ring at once, on the fourth finger of the right hand; older women, 30–35 years old, decorated their left hand with a set of two signet-rings made in the same style. Young girls wore only one signet-ring on the third finger of the left hand. There were no signet-rings specially made for children: they got reshaped adults' ornaments.


Molecular sequence data from rapidly evolving organisms are often sampled at different points in time. Sampling times can then be used for molecular clock calibration. The root-to-tip (RTT) regression is an essential tool to assess the degree to which the data behave in a clock-like fashion. Here, we introduce Clockor2, a client-side web application for conducting RTT regression. Clockor2 uniquely allows users to quickly fit local and global molecular clocks, thus handling the increasing complexity of genomic datasets that sample beyond the assumption homogeneous host populations. Clockor2 is efficient, handling trees of up to the order of 104 tips, with significant speed increases compared to other RTT regression applications. Although clockor2 is written as a web application, all data processing happens on the client-side, meaning that data never leaves the user's computer. Clockor2 is freely available at https://clockor2.github.io/.


For a locally compact group $G$ and a compact subgroup $H$, we show that the Banach space $M(G/H)$ may be considered as a quotient space of $M(G)$. Also, we define a convolution on $M(G/H)$ which makes it into a Banach algebra. It may be identified with a closed subalgebra of the involutive Banach algebra $M(G)$, and there is no involution on $M(G/H)$ compatible with this identification unless $H$ is a normal subgroup of $G$. In other words, $M(G/H)$ is a $*$-Banach subalgebra of $M(G)$ only if $H$ is a normal subgroup of $G$. As well, it is a unital Banach algebra just when $H$ is a normal subgroup. Furthermore, when $G/H$ is attached to a strongly quasi-invariant measure, $L^1(G/H)$ is a Banach subspace of $M(G/H)$. Using the restriction of the convolution on $M(G/H)$, we obtain a Banach algebra $L^1(G/H)$, which may be considered as a Banach subalgebra of $L^1(G)$, with a right approximate identity. It has no involution and no left approximate identity except for a normal subgroup $H$. Consequently, the Banach algebra $L^1(G/H)$ is amenable if and only if $H$ is a normal subgroup and $G$ is amenable.


This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper OTC 31348, "Comparing Oilwell Cement Static Gel-Strength Development by Ultrasonic and Intermittent- and Continuous-Rotation Measurement Methods," by Shameed Ashraf, Rahmad H.M. Husin, and Awang Rizalman, Schlumberger, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2022 Offshore Technology Conference. Reproduced by permission.

 Cement-sheath integrity preventing interzonal communication is closely related to static gel strength (SGS). API Standard 65-2 puts importance on the critical gel strength period (CGSP) measurement, which begins when the critical static gel strength (CSGS) is developed and ends when 500 lbf/100 ft2 is attained. The three methods accepted in the industry to measure SGS development are continuous and intermittent rotation, followed by ultrasonic measurement. A laboratory-based study is presented in the complete paper that compares these measurement methods.

 Continuous-Rotation Device. The continuous-rotation device used for direct SGS measurement is equipped with a pressure vessel capable of maintaining the set temperature and pressure that simulates actual cementing conditions. The paddle drag created by the continuous movement is converted and measured as SGS by means of correlation.
 Intermittent-Rotation SGS Device. This device keeps the cement slurry to be evaluated in a static condition inside a pressure vessel at controlled temperature and pressure. The device features a torque-sensing arrangement that obtains the intermittent rotating paddle value. This measured torque value is used to calculate the SGS using correlations related to paddle dimensions.
 Ultrasonic Method. An ultrasonic device can estimate the SGS of a concrete slurry under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions using an acoustic ultrasonic mechanism based on the attenuation of the acoustic wave communicated through the slurry during the hydration process. The ultrasonic cement-analyzer configuration estimates the acoustic speed, whereas the SGS analyzer measures the signal through the slurry. Thus, the SGS analyzer joins an implanted framework that performs computerized gel analysis. When data collection is complete, investigation of the information calculates the SGS values as a function of time. The authors compared the results obtained by this SGS system with information acquired from the tube rheometer device and shearometer and found them to have similar findings.

 The methodology included the cement-slurry formula and the preparations followed by the device settings for each assessment type. Two different paddle configurations are used for the continuous-rotation method. As a result, four types of equipment evaluation are made for each slurry, two for the continuous-rotation type, one for the intermittent-rotation type, and one for the ultrasonic type.


In recent years, the vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANETs) have attracted plenty of attention. However, VANETs can hardly meet surging demands of mobile data. Device-to-device (D2D) communication is regarded as a promising method for providing the reliable connectivity between vehicles. The heterogeneous networks including conventional cellular network and VANETs, where the cellular links and the D2D-based vehicle-to-vehicle communication links coexist by reusing the same spectrum resources, result in a more complicated interference scenario. Thus the access mode switch and resource allocation between cellular and VANETs becomes a challenging issue. In this study, the authors formulate an optimal access mode selection and resource allocation scheme as a user aggregate utility maximisation problem with the joint consideration of various network topologies, transmission delay and power reduction. To reduce the high computation complexity, they provide a distributed algorithm that converges to a near-optimal solution via augmented Lagrangian technique. Numerical results show that remarkable throughput gains are achieved relative to the existing work, especially for large-scale networks. The network throughput can be considerably improved as well due to power reduction.


A micro-electromechanics model is proposed for predicting the effective electroelastic and thickness electromechanical coupling constants of 3-D piezoelectric fiber reinforced composite (PFRC) materials. A numerical study is carried out to investigate the effects of some geometrical parameters and composite constituent properties on the effective constants for 3-D PFRC materials. Choosing the optimal PFRC microstructure parameters and composite constituents using the present model can optimize the 3-D PFRC material performance. The comparison between the predicted results of 3-D PFRC materials and the existing experimental results of the 3-3 connectivity Pz34/PVDF piezoelectric composite is conducted. A good agreement exists for the dielectric constant " 33/" o, however a discrepancy is noted for the thickness electromechanical coupling constant Kt.


When Andrew Gamble ' s Between Europe and America was published in 2003, the Conservative Party was in deep trouble — a victim, he claimed, of its own success under Margaret Thatcher in destroying ' the post-war compromise ' that had kept the United Kingdom together, allowed it to participate, albeit reluctantly, in European integration, and helped it cope with imperial and economic decline. Yet, getting on for two decades later, the party appears to have regained the hegemony that then looked lost. Moreover, by leading the country out of the EU, the Tories seem fi nally to have made the choice between the two relationships and the two models of political economy that, according to Gamble, they had long attempted, however uneasily, to reconcile. When we look more closely, however, at trade, at foreign and defence policy, and at the Johnson government ' s economic policies, it looks as if the Conservatives — for all that the majority of their MPs can be classi fi ed as Brexiteers, as Atlanticists, as neoliberals, and therefore as Thatcherites — continue to hope (not necessarily irrationally) that they can have their cake and eat it too.


Based on the precipitation raster data of the Poyang Lake Basin and relative data of sunspots from 1961-2000,the precipitation characteristics of the Basin was analyzed by moving average method,unary linear regression,and Mann-Kendall test method,etc.The possible links between precipitation change and sunspot activities were discussed with wavelet analysis.The results show that the precipitation of the Poyang Lake Basin was increasing during 1961-2000,and had a sudden change in 1996.The precipitation had a principal cycle of about 10 years,which was in accord with that of sunspot activities,and the correlation coefficient between their wavelet variances was 0.86.Before the sudden change in 1996,the precipitation in the rise period of sunspot was lower than that in the decrease period of sunspot.It is believed that the periodic change of precipitation in the Poyang Lake Basin has certain connection with sunspot activity.


Objective To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam(LEV)as add-on therapy in patients with refractory partial seizures.Methods In this Chinese multicenter,double-blind, randomized,placebo-controlled trial,LEV was compared with placebo add-on therapy in 202 patients (intent-to treat(ITT)population)over 16 years old(mean,32.8±12.7 years)with uncontrolled partial- onset seizures.All patients entered an 8-week baseline period followed by a 4-week titration interval and a 12-week maintenance period.Patients initially received LEV 0.5 g twice daily,2 weeks later change to 1.0 g twice daily,and after another 2 weeks change to 1.5 g twice daily.The main outcome was measured by in the decrease of seizure frequency per week,the 50% responder rate,global evaluation scale(GES), and adverse events.Results During the 16 weeks of the trial,LEV significantly decreased the seizure frequency by 26.8% compared with placebo,the median reduced percentage in seizure frequency from baseline was 55.95% for LEV,and 13.73% for placebo.55.9% of the patients experienced a 50% reduction in the seizure frequency in LEV group,compared with 26.0% of patients in the placebo group; moreover,and 11(10.8%)patients in LEV group were seizure free.The most common adverse events in LEV group were somnolence,dizziness,asthenia and thrombocytopenia;they were predominantly mild in nature.Conclusion These results provide further evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of LEV as adjunctive treatment for partial-onset seizures.


This issue of <interactions> addresses the current "controversy" over who owns the user experience (UX). But is that a legitimate question or just a straw man? Can any one person or profession own UX? In this issue, UX professionals from the United States and Europe express diverse opinions about the ownership of UX. The authors who have contributed articles are UX strategists, designers whose work encompasses the breadth of user experience, and specialists in professions that contribute to user experience such as interaction design, information architecture, usability, user research, and technical communication. All are actively involved in the international UX community, are working to advance their respective professions, and care passionately about user experience. Some authors are speaking from their own points of view, while others represent the viewpoints of specific UX organizations. All were eager to lend their voices to this discussion. The articles in this issue range from the philosophical to the practical. While the authors look at the ownership of UX from many different perspectives, there is a harmony in their outlooks that is very positive. We hope that reading these articles will stimulate thought and discussion throughout the UX community about how we can share ownership of UX. Where do you stand on this important issue?


Abstract Indirect nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions arising from ground and surface waters are thought to be significant, but considerable uncertainty surrounds the emission factors for dissolved nitrate in aquifers, drainage ditches (EF5-g), rivers (EF5-r) and estuaries (EF5-e). Through measurements of nitrate and N2O concentrations in aquifers and field drains, the existing IPCC default emission factor EF5-g has been thrown into doubt. Here, we present a synthesis of the work of two independent UK-based research groups working as part of the Global Nitrogen Enrichment (GANE) initiative. We put forward a revised emission factor for EF5-g based on these findings. We suggest the downward revision of the indirect N2O emission factor EF5-g from 0.015 to 0.002, and a consequent decrease in EF5 from 0.025 to 0.012. Such radical downward revision would halve current estimates of N2O emissions associated with N leaching and runoff from agriculture. In the UK, estimated annual N2O emissions via this route would be cut from around 14 Gg N y−1 to less than 7 Gg y−1. Globally, the EF5 emission estimate would come down from 1.6 Tg N y−1 to less than 0.8 Tg N y−1.


A woman in her 60s presented with exacerbation of shortness of breath, cough, sore throat, bloody sputum, and dysphagia, which she had been experiencing for 18 months. Her medical history was significant for head irradiation for tinea capitis in childhood and heavy smoking. Fiber-optic laryngoscopy revealed a white, bulging nonulcerative submucosal mass involving the lingual aspect of the epiglottis on the left and causing a deviation of the epiglottis to the right. The vocal folds were free of lesions, with intact motion. There were no palpable neck masses or other findings on the head and neck examination. A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the larynx and neck demonstrated a left epiglottic expansile homogenic mass abutting the left pyriform sinus. There was no neck lymphadenopathy. The patient underwent direct microlaryngoscopy, which revealed a submucosal, white stiff mass involving the lingual aspect of the epiglottis and causing a narrowing of the supraglottic airway. Biopsy specimens were obtained and sent for histopathologic examination. On hematoxylin-eosin staining (Figure) the epiglottic mass was composed of small, uniform basaloid epithelial cells, with small to moderate cytoplasm containing nonpleomorphic, small, or inconspicuous nucleoli. The lumens of the tubules contained secretions. Perineural and cartilage invasion were demonstrated. What is your diagnosis? Figure. Histopathologic image of a biopsy specimen from an epiglottic mass showing small uniform basaloid epithelial cells. The mass exhibits 2 patterns: one composed of islands of basaloid epithelial cells that contained multiple cylindric, cystlike spaces (black arrowhead) and one composed of tubules lined by epithelial cells surrounded by basaloid cells (yellow arrowhead). Hematoxylin-eosin, original magnification ×200. Clinical Review & Education


To study the high quality processes, time-between-events (TBE) control charts have several advantages over the ordinary control charts. However, the existing TBE charts are based on the exponential distribution, which limit the application of these charts to monitor rare events. Therefore, to generalize existing exponential TBE charts, recently two new TBE charts assuming Weibull and generalized exponential distributions for the inter-arrival times of the renewal process, have been proposed in the literature. The main aim of this study is to present a detailed comparison of these charts. We use the expected quadratic loss (EQL), relative average run length (RARL), continuous rank probability score (CRPS) and closeness measure to assess the performance of the Weibull and the generalized exponential charts. We also discuss four real data examples in this article.


Salaries by Size of City: In Table 4 the same salary data are classified by size of city. In general, this classification shows gradation of salaries similar to that of the preceding table, but case workers in the smaller cities tend to have larger salaries than those in cities of intermediate size. The size-ofcity classification is based on the population of the city in which the agency is located, and frequently salary standards in smaller cities are determined by the competition of larger adjacent cities.


Abstract A new species of shrew tenrec (Microgale) is described from the central western and southwestern portion of Madagascar. Based on pelage, morphology, and DNA sequence data, this new species can be readily distinguished from its sister taxon, M. brevicaudata. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) divergences between the 2 species are on par with those observed in other closely related shrew tenrecs, and both taxa are recovered as reciprocally monophyletic haplotype clades. Furthermore, mtDNA sequence obtained from the holotype of Paramicrogale occidentalis confirms that the name occidentalis cannot be assigned to the new taxon and is a junior synonym of M. brevicaudata. Microgale new species and M. brevicaudata have latitudinally overlapping distributions, and although they are not known to occur in direct sympatry, specimens of both species have recently been collected at sites within 50 km of each other on opposite sides of the Soahany River in central western Madagascar. However, the respective distributions of these 2 species, among the most diminutive of Madagascar's endemic terrestrial mammal fauna, suggest that rivers do not serve as significant barriers to dispersal. Historical demographic analysis under a coalescence framework suggests that the northerly distributed M. brevicaudata has experienced a recent population expansion, whereas the new species described herein has undergone a population decline. Little is known about the ecology of Microgale new species, but it lives in dry forest formations. This species is known from sites within several protected areas (Bemaraha and Namoroka), as well as forest parcels currently proposed as new conservation zones. However, toward the southern limit of its known distribution, at the north bank of the Onilahy River, there is continued extensive anthropogenic habitat loss that may warrant future monitoring.


Excerpt The literature contains many reports indicating the effectiveness of medical treatment in gall-bladder disease. However, Walters and Snell1believe that in many of these reports there is an ...


939 m/s n° 11, vol. 33, novembre 2017 DOI : 10.1051/medsci/20173311008 cell movement and proliferation. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2008 ; 9 : 603-15. 12. Fournier G, Garrido-Urbani S, Reymond N, Lopez M. Nectines et nectines-like. Med Sci (Paris) 2010 ; 26 : 273-9. 13. Brancati F, Fortugno P, Bottillo I, et al. Mutations in PVRL4, encoding cell adhesion molecule nectin-4, cause ectodermal dysplasia-syndactyly syndrome. Am J Hum Genet 2010 ; 87 : 265-73. 14. Muhlebach MD, Mateo M, Sinn PL, et al. Adherens junction protein nectin-4 is the epithelial receptor for measles virus. Nature 2011 ; 480 : 530-3. 15. Mateo M, Lopez M. Nectine-4, une protéine clé pour la transmission du virus de la rougeole. Med Sci (Paris) 2012 ; 28 : 363-5. a phase III randomized adjuvant breast cancer trial in node-positive breast cancer comparing the addition of docetaxel to doxorubicin with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy: BIG 02-98. J Clin Oncol 2013 ; 31 : 8607. 9. Bianchini G, Balko JM, Mayer IA, et al. Triple-negative breast cancer: challenges and opportunities of a heterogeneous disease. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2016 ; 13 : 674-90. 10. M-Rabet M, Cabaud O, Josselin E, et al. Nectin-4: a new prognostic biomarker for efficient therapeutic targeting of primary and metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Ann Oncol 2017 ; 28 : 769-76. 11. Takai Y, Miyoshi J, Ikeda W, Ogita H. Nectins and nectin-like molecules: roles in contact inhibition of RÉFÉRENCES


This work is devoted to elaboration and practical application of analysis methods of thin structure of complex vibrational-rotation spectra of multiatomic molecules under highly excited vibrational conditions as applied to the conditions of actual modern experiment. Elaborated common methods and approaches will be tested based on the analysis of actual originally registered spectra of high resolution of deuterium- derivative molecules PH2D, PHD2.


The size distribution of polymer clusters in the pre-gel state was investigated as a function of the conversion by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) in order to elucidate the process of polysiloxane network formation. Polysiloxane networks were synthesized by hydrosilylation between a bifunctional monomer and a tri- or tetrafunctional crosslinker. Experimental chromatograms for the pre-gel system were compared with a theoretical one based on the distribution for the mean-square radius of gyration ( ) of polymer clusters predicted by the Flory–Stockmayer theory and the Gaussian chain statistics. Experimental chromatograms at high conversion showed a longer tailed distribution in the large region compared with a theoretical one. A comparison of experimental chromatograms with theoretical ones suggests the structure of a precursor network in which branched clusters are linearly linked.


Contagion effect and movement of the composite stock price index: Study in asia countries. The phenomenon Asian financial crisis 1997 and subprime mortgage 2008 were commonly understood via doing analysis on the capital market, especially on the movement of stock price index. Indonesia was one of the victims of the phenomenon due to the contagion effect. Regarding above statement, this study would like to do an investigation which is related to the change of stock price index among countries, especially in the Asia region. Additionally, the study also tries to investigate the form of the contagion effect of the movement of the stock price index. For these aims this article use the Ganger causality and the regression methods.The results of this study conclude that there are positive and linear relationships between DJIA 30 Index, FTSE 100 Index, Hangseng Index and IHSG. Their relationship describes a condition where strong market influences weak market. An identical result also shown by the relationship between FTSE 100 index and IHSG, where FTSE 100 influences IHSG but not vice versa. This circumstance corroborates the theory which states that the developed country's economy activities have significant role in affecting the economy activities of developing countries.


Abstract Although most older adults live outside of care institutions, not all seniors choose to live in traditional family homes. Among those who relocate, some relocate too early while others are pre-frail or frail when they relocate. Social frailty – the interaction between social vulnerability and frailty – could contribute to these untimely relocations. The goal of this study was to inform the concept of social frailty by examining a population of semi-independent older adults who recently relocated to a continuum of care community. The objectives of this study were to: 1) understand the influence of the social determinants of health on the relocation process; 2) explore whether relocation increases or reduces social frailty; and 3) measure the level of post-relocation frailty in study participants. This mixed method study combined semi-structured interviews on the relocation process, the frailty identification tool PRISMA-7, and socio-demographic surveys. Twenty-nine recently relocated seniors were recruited with the assistance of a Citizens' Advisory Committee along with advertisements, presentations, information booths, and word of mouth. Qualitative descriptive thematic analysis and descriptive statistical analyses were used to examine the relationship between frailty, socio-demographic variables and relocation. Findings indicated that several social determinants contributed to frailty and that relocation into a continuum of care community could mitigate some aspects of social frailty. A conceptual framework on the influence of social frailty on relocation is discussed. More research is needed to inform the concept of social frailty and to better understand the impact of social factors on frailty.


As real-time embedded systems become more complex, there is the need to build them using high performance commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. However, tasks can exhibit hard to predict worst case execution times (WCET) when executing on commodity hardware, due to contention among shared physical resources. Past work has introduced the PRedictable Execution Model (PREM) [1] to solve this issue, but unfortunately, the time required to manually refactor existing code according to this model is too high. Light-PREM proposes a novel technique that automates the refactoring process needed to convert legacy software applications to PREM-compliant code. The advantage of Light-PREM is twofold. On one side, it makes the adoption of PREM more attractive from an industrial point of view, because it significantly reduces the amount of work that is needed to generate PREM-compliant code. On the other hand, the proposed methodology is general enough to be used with any embedded software design. Experimental results show that Light-PREM significantly improves the predictability of real-time applications without requiring software engineers to gain a deep understanding about software memory usage.


Methods and devices are disclosed, inter alia, a device that includes a finite state machine lattice (30). Lattice (30) may include a programmable Boolean logic cell (58B) which can be programmed to perform various logic functions for the data stream. Programmable possibility is inverting the first input of the Boolean logic cell (58B), and inverting the final output of the Boolean logic cell (58B), the AND gate as a final output of the Boolean logic cell (58B) or and a selection of the oR gate. Data Boolean logic cell (58B) only after the end of the data representing the end of the data stream is received by the Boolean logic cell (58B), which is configured to output to the Boolean logic cell (58B) including the end of the circuit. .The 11


Among the most recent biologic drugs available for psoriasis therapy, those targeting interleukin‐17 (secukinumab and ixekizumab) or its receptor (brodalumab) have been shown to be quickly effective. However, in those patients who failed one or more of the above‐cited drugs, real‐life data on the effectiveness of switching to one anti‐interleukin‐23 biologic (guselkumab, risankizumab, or tildrakizumab) are very scarce. Here, we report our experience in treating 12 multi‐failure psoriatic patients, prospectively followed‐up over 6 months, who showed a significant improvement in their psoriasis after switching from an anti‐interleukn‐17 to an anti‐interleukin‐23 drug.


Simple Summary Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by scarring of the tissues and organs. This scarring, or fibrosis, has a major impact on a patient's quality of life; for example, lung fibrosis reduces the efficiency of breathing and is a significant cause of death for SSc patients. To develop novel therapeutic strategies, it is important to understand what causes fibrosis to occur and progress. It was recently found that plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are key immune cells in the development of fibrosis in SSc. These cells are innate immune cells that are specialized in anti-viral responses, and they are also involved in autoimmune diseases. This review will examine the recent research that has started to uncover the molecular mechanisms through which pDCs impact SSc. Abstract Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects multiple systems. It is characterized by immunological deregulation, functional and structural abnormalities of small blood vessels, and fibrosis of the skin, and, in some cases, internal organs. Fibrosis has a devastating impact on a patient's life and lung fibrosis is associated with high morbimortality. Several immune populations contribute to the progression of SSc, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) have been identified as crucial mediators of fibrosis. Research on murine models of lung and skin fibrosis has shown that pDCs are essential in the development of fibrosis, and that removing pDCs improves fibrosis. pDCs are a subset of dendritic cells (DCs) that are specialized in anti-viral responses and are also involved in autoimmune diseases, such as SSc, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and psoriasis, mostly due to their capacity to produce type I interferon (IFN). A type I IFN signature and high levels of CXCL4, both derived from pDCs, have been associated with poor prognosis in patients with SSc and are correlated with fibrosis. This review will examine the recent research on the molecular mechanisms through which pDCs impact SSc.


Letter to Editor: We readwith interest the study byMorley et al. in the recent issue of PAIN. We agree with the authors that "America is first" in the number of studies on the problematic use of prescribed opioids and the magnitude thereof, as compared to many other countries. However, there is no scarcity of data on the problematic use of opioid analgesics outside the United States as stated by the authors. There are well-conducted studies with signals of an "opioid epidemic" in both Australia and Canada. To the best of our knowledge, all U.S. studies on abuse and misuse of prescribed opioids have been conducted in selected populations, for example, veterans or commercial, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid health plan members, and not with samples representative of the general population. By contrast, studies with representative population samples have been conducted in Europe. A longitudinal population-based Danish study with a random sample of 25,000 adults in 2010 identified at least 2 of 6 addictive behaviours in 22.6% of long-term opioid users (defined by at least 1 prescription per month for 6 months in the previous year) with chronic pain compared with 11.5% of the nonopioid users with chronic pain and 8.9% of the individuals without chronic pain. In a cohort of new opioid users (17,248 persons) in a nationwide Norwegian prescription database who initiated treatment with weak opioids in 2005, only 0.08% developed prescription patterns, indicating problematic opioid use within 3 years. In a study conducted in Germany, the pooled 1-year prevalence of abuse/addiction of prescribed opioids for chronic noncancer pain (defined by hospital stays because of mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol, opioids, tranquilizers, multiple substances, and intoxications by narcotic agents) was 0.56% in 870,000 persons of a large medical health insurance organization during the fiscal year 2012. This sample was largely representative of the general German population in terms of age. It is interesting to note that both in the highly selected sample of Morley et al. and in the largely representative German population sample some predictors of problematic use of prescribed opioids such as younger age, male sex, and prescription of tranquilizers were identical. We therefore agree with the authors that problematic use of prescribed opioids, especially in young men for chronic noncancer pain without an established nociceptive or neuropathic cause, warrants attention on an international scale. However, U.S. data on the prevalence rates of problematic use of opioids for chronic noncancer pain should not be extrapolated to other countries. We contend that due attention should be given to national guidelines on opioids for chronic noncancer pain and studies conducted outside the Unites States to understand the global perspective of this issue. Conflict of interest statement


Emiliyan Stanev's unfinished short novel The Black Monk still remains on the margins of his oeuvre, and also of research interest on the part of Bulgarian literary studies. On the other hand, the plot and the eponymous character fit it into a wide network of works by English, German, French, Russian and other authors, in the traditions of Gothic, Romanticism, Realism and their varieties, where the 'Black Monk' motif is a locus communis. I call the potential of such loci communes to form sets of works partially connected by separate, often contextually undetermined threads, polyvalent intertextuality. Comparing through it works by different authors, from different genres and nationalities, I come to the conclusion that their interaction can be described, in terms such as de- and reterritorialization (Deleuze and Guattari), as rhizomatic and gothic. This paper does not range over historical-philosophical, ethical, socio-political, etc. aspects of Stanev's work.


Abstract In this paper we describe a new experimental method to produce fullerenes with substantial yield, based on the simple vaporisation of graphite rods in a low-frequency plasma jet. The proposed method is sustained by our earlier work on differently configured carbon structures produced by condensing carbon from vapor phase. Our goal is to provide a better-controlled, straightforward and low-cost method for generating large quantities of fullerene-containing carbon soot. A key feature of the vaporisation apparatus is that it is a combination between arc discharge and plasma jet dissociation. The vaporisation of the carbon rod is not driven by ohmic heating but rather by a discharge between the end of graphite rod and the cathode of the plasma-jet system. There are several attractive features of this procedure. First, variations in the parameters of plasma jet may be used to control systematically the size distribution of fullerene clusters. Secondly, this could be used for solid studies of larger fu...


The problem in this research is learning rarely uses media in learning,  students' mathematical understanding ability is still low in mathematics learning flat-build material, lack of learning media. This study aims to determine the relationship of the development of Macromedia Flash-assisted mathematics learning media related to flat material. This research method uses research and development (Research and Development). The 4-D device development model consists of 4 stages of development, namely Define, Design, Develop and Disseminate or adapted into a 4-D model, namely defining, designing, developing and disseminating. In the field trials the average pretest score is 68.24 while the average posttest score is 86.76. An average increase of 18.52. The minimum gain value is 0.62 while the maximum gain value is 1.00. In the test of the spread of the average pretest value is 60.33 while the average posttest score is 81.33. An average increase of 21. The minimum gain value is 0.77 while the maximum gain value is 0.83. Based on these data, the development of mathematics learning media assisted by macromedia flash has experienced a significant increase in students' mathematical understanding abilities.


The notion of singular one-parameter deformation of a Lie algebra is introduced. It is shown that the complex infinite-dimensional Lie algebra of polynomial vector fields in C with trivial 1-jet at the origin has such singular deformation.


Dynamic locomotion on unstructured and uneven terrain is a challenging task in legged robotics. Especially when it comes to slippery ground conditions, common state estimation and control algorithms suffer from the usual no-slip assumption. In fact, there has been only little research on this subject. This paper addresses the problem of slipping by treating slip detection and recovery tasks separately. Our contribution to the former is a probabilistic slip estimator based on a Hidden Markov Model. In the second part of this paper, we propose impedance control and friction modulation as useful tools to recover stability during traction loss. We demonstrate the success of our estimation/control architecture by enabling ANYmal, a quadrupedal torque-controllable robot, to dynamically walk over slippery terrain.


Classical-quantum hybrid algorithms have recently garnered significant attention, which are characterized by combining quantum and classical computing protocols to obtain readout from quantum circuits of interest. Recent progress due to Lubasch et al in a 2019 paper provides readout for solutions to the Schrodinger and Inviscid Burgers equations, by making use of a new variational quantum algorithm (VQA) which determines the ground state of a cost function expressed with a superposition of expectation values and variational parameters. In the following, we analyze additional computational prospects in which the VQA can reliably produce solutions to other PDEs that are comparable to solutions that have been previously realized classically, which are characterized with noiseless quantum simulations. To determine the range of nonlinearities that the algorithm can process for other IVPs, we study several PDEs, first beginning with the Navier-Stokes equations and progressing to other equations underlying physical phenomena ranging from electromagnetism, gravitation, and wave propagation, from simulations of the Einstein, Boussniesq-type, Lin-Tsien, Camassa-Holm, Drinfeld-Sokolov-Wilson (DSW), and Hunter-Saxton equations. To formulate optimization routines that the VQA undergoes for numerical approximations of solutions that are obtained as readout from quantum circuits, cost functions corresponding to each PDE are provided in the supplementary section after which simulations results from hundreds of ZGR-QFT ansatzae are generated.


Measurement of external positions of member countries has been a main feature of International Monetary Fund (IMF) operations since inception. A first step towards an understanding of current and capital account movements is the understanding of the IMF Manuals. The first edition was used as a guideline for Balance of Payments (BOP) compilers and published in 1948. However since then, important changes had occurred in the manner in which international transactions were conducted. This led to the publication of the second edition in the 1950's, the third edition in 1961 and the fourth edition in 1977. Since that last publication, liberalization of financial markets, innovations in the creation and packaging of financial instruments and new approaches to the restructuring of external debt have all taken place. As a result, the fifth edition was introduced and published in 1993 although not implemented by Barbados until two years later. The purpose of this paper is to compare the fourth edition with the new edition with respect to the composition and structure of the current and capital accounts. It also intends to show what the changes would have implied for Barbados' BOP statistics from 1979 until 1994 and how the statistics could impact on the future.


This thesis develops and evaluates a set of utterance verification (UV) techniques as part of a large vocabulary spoken language understanding (SLU) system. The motivations are to detect out-of-domain utterances, disfluencies, and noises, and also to facilitate confirmation and rejection strategy in dialog control. A two-pass UV procedure is developed. First, speech utterances are decoded by a continuous speech recognizer. Then, a second stage UV mechanism assigns each decoded word a likelihood ratio (LR) based confidence measure computed from subword level LR scores using a set of subword specific hidden Markov models (HMM) dedicated for UV. A discriminative training procedure based on a gradient descent algorithm is developed to estimate the UV model parameters to optimize a cost function that is directly related to the LR criterion used in UV. The verification and the training techniques are evaluated on utterances collected from a highly unconstrained large vocabulary spoken language understanding task performed over the public telephone network. The UV performance is evaluated in terms of the system's ability to accept correctly decoded words while rejecting incorrectly decoded ones. Thesis Supervisor: Gregory W. Wornell Title: Associate Professor, Department of EECS, M.I.T. Thesis Supervisor: Richard C. Rose Title: Principal Member of Technical Staff, AT&T Labs Research Acknowledgments: This thesis work was performed as part of the MIT EECS VI-A internship program. The experimental study in this thesis was completed at AT&T Labs Research located at Florham Park, NJ, in the Laboratory of Speech & Image Processing Service Research, under the supervision of Dr. Richard C. Rose. I would like to first thank Rick for being a greater mentor and a good friend. He has given me valuable guidance over the nine months I spent at AT&T and through the entire process of writing this thesis. During my stay at AT&T, he guided me through understanding the theory and developing the experiments for this thesis. He was always available when I needed help. He not only helped me a great deal at work, he also did me a big favor by driving me to and from work everyday for the last three months of my internship, which was really beyond his obligation as a mentor. During the past three months, Rick took on the responsibility of being the editor of this thesis. He edited each chapter carefully and discussed his commands with me one by one. I have learned a lot from him through this process. Rick has put in tremendous amount of time and effort into this thesis. Without him this thesis would not have been possible. I would also like to thank other people at AT&T Labs who have helped me during my stay at AT&T. They showed me different aspects of research, broadened my horizon and enriched my internship experience. In particular, I would like to thank Alex Potamianos, Vincent Goffin, Cecilia Castollo, Jerry Wright, and Beppe Riccardi. I would like to thank my friends for their support over this past year. I would like to thank Alice Wang for putting up with being my roommate during our internship and for being a fun person to spend time with. Finally, I would like to thank my family for their unconditional love. With the hope to create better opportunities for me, my parents moved our family to the United States, leaving all that they have established behind. To them, I owe my deepest gratitude. To my brother, who is coming to America in less than a month, I give him the best of wishes. -E