Pairwise comparisons have been applied to several real decision making problems. As a result, this method has been recognized as an effective decision making tool by practitioners, experts, and researchers. Although methods based on pairwise comparisons are widespread, decision making problems with many alternatives and criteria may be challenging. This paper presents the results of an experiment used to verify the influence of a high number of preferences comparisons in the inconsistency of the comparisons matrix and identifies the influence of consistencies and inconsistencies in the assessment of the decision-making process. The findings indicate that it is difficult to predict the influence of inconsistencies and that the priority vector may or may not be influenced by low levels of inconsistencies, with a consistency ratio of less than 0.1. Finally, this work presents an interactive preference adjustment algorithm with the aim of reducing the number of pairwise comparisons while capturing effective information from the decision maker to approximate the results of the problem to their preferences. The presented approach ensures the consistency of a comparisons matrix and significantly reduces the time that decision makers need to devote to the pairwise comparisons process. An example application of the interactive preference adjustment algorithm is included.


e12529 Background: In Brazil breast cancer (BC) is a public health care problem due to its high incidence and mortality rates. Approximately 5% of BC and 15% of ovarian cancers (OC) are attributable to germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, whose mutational prevalence among patients fulfilling Hereditary Breast and Ovarian cancer (HBOC) genetic testing criteria are largely unknown in South Brazil. Methods: We enrolled 127 women from three medical genetics centers from the Southernmost Brazilian state, Rio Grande do Sul. All patients fulfilled NCCN HBOC criteria and underwent complete sequencing of BRCA1/2. In a subset of patients, gene rearrangement screening by MLPA was also done. Results: Most of the patients were diagnosed first with BC (73%) or OC (11%) and the mean age at diagnosis was 43 years (range 23-75). BRCA mutations were detected in 25 of 127 patients (19.7%). Among the 18 (14.17%) BRCA1 mutation carriers, we identified 14 different mutations; among the 7 (5.5%) BRCA2 mutation carri...


This study uses administrative data and an event study methodology to analyze the impact of childbirth and the birth of a child with a disability on labor market outcomes of mothers and fathers. We use a monthly employer-employee panel based on unemployment insurance data. The findings reveal a substantial gender gap associated with childbirth, and childhood disability further widens this gap. Moreover, childhood disability creates an intra-gender gap for mothers after childbirth, where mothers of children with disabilities experience poorer labor outcomes compared to mothers of children without disabilities. These findings underscore the importance of caregiving policies in general and for children with disabilities in particular. It is crucial to consider disability in family assessments and social protection programs designed to address these disparities.


Hoppe, J. Schofield, M. Pignatari, and S. Amari, MPI for Chemistry, Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, 55128 Mainz, Germany (email: firstname.lastname@example.com), E. A. Milne Centre for Astrophysics, University of Hull, UK, Konkoly Observatory, Budapest, Hungary, NuGrid Collaboration, Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA-CEE), McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences and Physics Dept., Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.


The aim was to analyze the profile and perinatal results of high-risk pregnant women with hypertensive syndrome. This is an epidemiological, observational and retrospective study, with a quantitative approach. Secondary data were used from 471 high-risk pregnant women with Hypertensive Syndrome in the city of Sarandi/PR and later followed by the outpatient clinic and delivery at the referral hospital, from 2012 to 2016, with deliveries performed until 2017. The independent variables were constituted by Hypertensive Syndrome, classified as: chronic hypertension, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, pre-eclampsia overlapping with chronic hypertension, also known as hypertensive disease specific to pregnancy (DHEG). The outcome variables were prematurity, low birth weight, Apgar <7 in the 1st and 5th minutes, fetal death, neonatal death and cesarean delivery. The data were submitted to the Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. All discussions were conducted at a 5% level of significance (p <0.05) and a 95% confidence interval. Gestational hypertensive syndrome is directly associated with prematurity, the development of Apgar less than seven in the fifth minute of life, low birth weight, fetal death and cesarean delivery. DESCRIPTORS: Maternal and Child Health; Pregnancy Complications; Hypertension.


The One-Stop Career Center system in the United States and the Jobcentre Plus system in Great Britain provide universal access to public employment services targeted at all job seekers, including people with disabilities, and employer services. Studies have identified challenges with these universal models in that some job seekers with disabilities may have additional or more intense support needs. Disability specialist positions provide one way of addressing these needs. This article examines their roles and responsibilities and their effectiveness in improving employment service delivery through these systems. The article highlights commonalities and differences associated with the roles between the two countries and discusses implications for improving effectiveness. Findings are based on a scoping review of existing empirical research that was conducted in 2008. The article concludes with directions for future research.


The results of conventional treatment for rectal intussusception and rectocele are unpredictable. The aim was to develop a less invasive surgical approach and to evaluate outcome in selected patients.


A boot is used to cover an inlet of a microphone of an auditory prosthesis. The boot prevents water, sweat, and other debris from damaging the microphone or entering the prosthesis housing. Additionally, the boot can include structure that helps dampen vibrations within the auditory prosthesis, thus improving microphone performance.


As the increased capacity of 5G has changed the process of viewing, managing, and controlling data security, it also brings added security concerns.


trade as their ideal. However, this does not make them adherents of Eric Nelson's 'Greek republican tradition' favouring redistribution of wealth. Quite the contrary, the de la Courts abhorred any form of intervention in the economic realm, championing free trade, both at home and abroad. Concerning the 'mare liberum', this was a conventional Dutch assertion. The same cannot be said of their domestic demands. From early on they fought against guilds and their hometowns' policy of regulating the cloth trade, and later Pieter took on the monopoly of the Dutch VOC. Both confrontations can be understood in light of their critique of the state of affairs in republican Holland. Surely, living in the age of de Witt's 'True Liberty', their main adversaries were monarchists in general and the Dutch Orangists in particular. The debate about the role of the princes of Orange led to the radical rejection of any rule by a single man, even if elected or appointed to that position. Basically, the brothers declared it theoretically impossible for a free commonwealth to appoint a single permanent leader, as this countered the interests of the free citizens. This position differed sharply from English republicans and shows the effects of actually living in a republic instead of only imagining the perfect one. Attacking the regents of Dutch cities, the de la Courts proposed a more inclusive form of government. They favoured faster and easier access to citizenship (for immigrants, not poor people) and much larger legislative bodies that would turn the aristocratic republic into a more democratic one. Nevertheless, in classic republican style, political participation was to be reserved for the independent male householder, excluding the 'multitudo' of wage-earning labourers – who sided with the princes of Orange anyway and brought about the end of 'True Liberty' and de la Courts' political involvement in 1672. To conclude, Weststeijn shows the fascinating variety of possibilities to take up and develop the strains of (republican) political thought available to seventeenth-century thinkers. As it is inconceivable to exclude the de la Courts from any construction of early modern republicanism, it follows that it is unsuitable to define republicanism in a too narrow way. Having made this abundantly clear is a main strength of this book. This focus, however, entails one weakness. At times, the author seems to be more interested in comparing the brothers to English republicans (whom, for the most part, they did not read) than to their own countrymen. Having started off by showing how they entered the lively political debate of the Dutch republic, for large parts of the book this debate recedes into the shadows.


This paper surveys some of the challenges facing Serbia in reconstructing elements of its national identity following the break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Unlike most of the other republics that comprised the federation, Serbia fought to maintain the Yugoslav federation, and so to that extent was the least nationalist of the republics at the beginning of the 1990s.  However, as Yugoslavia disintegrated in that decade, Serbia was forced to reconstruct its identity in ways that reflected the unprecedented circumstances it was confronting.  This paper explores elements of the ongoing process of Serbia's identity-reconstruction since the 1990s, focussing on notions of hybridised national identity, the influence of historical tropes, and the tensions between cultural homogeneity and the subversive effects of globalisation on this identity. What emerges from this study is that contemporary Serbian national identity has consequently become a dynamic and evolving construct, and is continually being redefined as it responds to internal tensions and external pressures.


The present study developed and validated an instrument on teacher efficacy. Thirty-seven (37) situational judgment items were developed capturing the seven domains of the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) and was administered to a total of 585 basic education teachers selected through purposive sampling. Analysis showed that all the items had acceptable discrimination indices ranging from .469 to .824. Reliability analysis suggested high internal consistency among items, signifying that items are measuring teacher efficacy. Validity evidences based on relations to other measures suggested that the newly developed instrument share common characteristics with Bandura's Teacher Efficacy Scale and measured a different construct from Batulan's Teacher Burnout Instrument. Given the challenges of the K-12 Basic Education Program, the instrument may serve as a pivot point in helping teachers think about the ways in which they approach tasks in their classrooms as they reflect on their personal assessment of competence.


The exchange operator formalism introduced recently for the Calogero problem is extended to that of the three-body Calogero-Marchioro-Wolfes. In the absence of oscillator potential, the Hamiltonian of the latter is interpreted as a free particle Hamiltonian, expressed in terms of the generalized momenta. In the presence of oscillator potential, it is regarded as a free modified boson Hamiltonian. The modified boson operators are shown to belong to a D6-extended Heisenberg algebra. A proof of the complete integrability is also provided.


We read with great interest "Ensuring Early Mobilization Within an Enhanced Recovery Program for Colorectal Surgery A Randomized Controlled Trial" in the August issue of Annals of Surgery , and applaud Fiore and Feldman for highlighting an important concept.


Normal salivary gland tissue has been recognized to positively stain for PSA, independently of gender, while immunostaining for AR has not been consistently found [6, 7]. Immunostaining for AR, and occasionally for prostatic acid phosphatase and PSA, has been reported in duct carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of salivary glands in both sexes [3–6, 8]. These findings suggest that, unlike prostate cancer, PSA expression could be independent of androgen stimulation in normal salivary gland tissue. However, the biological significance of PSA and AR expression in normal tissue and in SGCs, respectively, remains unknown. In prostatic cancer, androgens play a role as both a survival and growth factor and androgen-deprivation therapy is successfully used. Our experience suggests that a similar mechanism may be implicated in AR-positive salivary gland tumors. Studies looking at the underlying biological role of AR expression in SGCs are warranted. This work was supported in part by AIRC (Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro).


The aim of the TFG is to design, build and test an hydrofoil for surf board. The design will focus on finding a hydrofoil geometry capable to ensure stable and exciting surfing. Some geometries will be built at scale with a 3D printer and tested. Finally, a winning geometry will be built in full-scale with composite materials and tested in real conditions. At the end of the project, a hydrofoil prototype will be ready for industrialization.


(2012). Chapter 8 - Broadcast Television and the Game of Packaging Sports. Routledge Online Studies on the Olympic and Paralympic Games: Vol. 1, Handbook of Sports and Media, pp. 139-155.


Events in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans have proved that failed and defeated states threaten the national security interests of the United States and the stability of entire regions. But success in addressing these threats clearly depends on more than military might; the post-conflict period is equally crucial. Case studies in this book examine the U.S. approach in Kosovo, East Timor, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The book offers policy guidance on how to handle current reconstruction challenges and on building capacity to do a better job when America is inevitably called on to restore failed nations in the future.


Following the detection of horse meat in beef products, the project considered food fraud risk with a focus on anti-fraud tools and intelligence gathering from both the food and financial sector. It developed a framework that was tested by evaluation by stakeholders.


Introduction: Considering the high prevalence of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), their high economic costs, and severe negative effects on the patients, the present study was conducted to investigate the structural model for prediction of perceived social support based on mindfulness in patients with ulcerative colitis. Method: This study was conducted in the form of a descriptive-correlational study using structural equation modeling. The statistical population of this study consisted of 720 patients with ulcerative colitis referred to gastrointestinal clinics in districts 4 and 7 of Tehran in the second half of February and the first half of March 2020, from which 270 cases were selected according to purposive sampling method. Among them, 261 patients completed questionnaires and were included in the study. The research instruments were Zimet's Perceived Social Support questionnaire, Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory- short form, and Garnovsky Cognitive Emotion Regulation questionnaire. The structural equation analysis method was applied to analyze the data. For this aim, SPSS and Amos softwares were employed. Results: The results showed that mindfulness was positively associated with perceived social support and cognitive emotion regulation in patients with ulcerative colitis. There was also a positive relationship between the cognitive emotion regulation and the perceived social support in these patients. In addition, mediated by the cognitive emotion regulation, mindfulness was associated with the social support in patients, and the assumed model was found to have a good fit. Conclusion: Since social support, with the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation, was inversely associated with mindfulness in patients with ulcerative colitis, paying attention to these variables could help researchers and therapists to design more efficient therapies.


The screening of 86 marine bacterial strains associated with marine invertebrates, algae, sediment, artificial sponges and sea water from the coastal waters of the Iriomote Islands (Japan) has been carried out. The purpose of this study was to get various strains of marine bacteria that are beneficial to the production of bioactive compounds. The screening of antibacterial activity produced by strains of marine bacteria was carried out using the paper disk method. Antibacterial activity test results showed that one strain of bacteria showed some activity against Bacillus subtilis and Cautobacter halobacteroides, two strains of bacteria showed some activity against Staphylococcus aureus, four strains of bacteria showed some activity against Cytophagamarinoflava, 63 strains of bacteria showed some activity against Vibrio harveyi and 14 strains of bacteria showed some activity against Pseudovibrio sp., while Salinivibrio costicola showed no antibacterial activity. This indicates that about 78% of all the bacterial strains isolated have the potential to produce bioactive compounds


Robot  barrier  line designed  and  developed  as  a  platform   for the development  of  robots in the  future. Robot  control system  was  designed  based  on  Robo TX Controller  and  is  designed  to be able to move forward, backward, and turn in place or the desiredlocation. In  the  design  o  f the  prototype   robot  is  necessary a barrier line controller ( ROBO TX Controller ) and    infrared   trail  sensor, where  the   sensor  can  distinguish  between  black  and  white. If  the  robot  track  a black  line  then  the  robot  will  stop  and    make  a   turn   to   continue  it  is  work. Obtained   in  the  testing  and   analysis    that   the  robot   is   able  to   do  it  is   job  as  it   should   be .   Data  tables   from  the  test  range   for   robot obtained error of  0.80   %  to  0.86  %  in  the  black  line  sensor readings. Key words : Robo TX, Sensor, Prototype, Autonomous


Gender stereotypes concerning women's role and engagement in terrorism. Western audiences and media denial about the violent capabilities of women. Origins of female terrorism. Gender differences in motivations leading to terrorism. The "new faces of terrorism", European female terrorists in general and suicide bombeers.


The study examined the core self-evaluations of prisoners on formal and vocational education in Luzira Prison in Uganda. A cross-sectional survey design using a quantitative approach with.800 participants selected purposively was used. Core self-evaluations were measured using Judge, Erez, Bono and Thoresen's scale, while data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc test.  The study yielded statistically significant variations among education levels, (F [4, 795] =3.18, p <.05) where a post hoc test revealed significant difference between Degree holders (M = 2.86, SD = .27), on the one hand, and  O'Level (M = 3.00, SD = .29), A 'level (M = 3.039, SD   = .32) and Diploma (M = 3.00, SD = .29) level students, on the other. The study demonstrates the significance of core self-evaluation to the life prospects of the prison inmate and recommends that prisoners' core self-evaluations be nurtured. It supports studies that correlate core self-evaluations to ultimate reduction in prison congestion and government expenditure.


Three approaches to modelling FM video spectra which include energy dispersal are described. The first method is an analytical approach minimizing computer processing time. The second gives a more complete solution using numerical methods. In the third approach a statistical model is proposed with particular application to interference analysis. Each approach has both advantages and disadvantages, the most suitable method must be chosen depending on the application and availability of data. With limited data samples it is probable that one of the first two techniques can be used. The analytical approach minimizes computation time but is only effective around the carrier. The numerical analysis provides a more complete approach but requires substantial computer processing. Hence, for CCI (cochannel interference) analysis, the analytical method is acceptable. For an ACI (adjacent-channel interference) problem, the FFT (fast Fourier transform) approach is more realistic. The final method relies on the existence of the system to enable extensive data collection to be carried out. >


A comparative study of data reconciliation methods based on decentralized calculus is presented. An efficient strategy for reconciling data requires a dimensionality reduction of the initial problem by observability and redundancy concepts. The decentralized calculus is applied to the redundant subsystem obtained by this decomposition. The result obtained from applying different algorithms to a numerical example shows the efficiency of using an analytical algorithm with coordination by coupling variables. If there is a incidence matrix of a subsystem which is not a full row rank matrix, the Gauss-Seidel algorithm can be used. A relaxation scheme guarantees the convergence of this algorithm.<<ETX>>


The resistivity difference between chrome-contaminated soil and uncontaminated soil in site was simulated to compare them with resistivity and slopes in different moisture content.Then low concentrations of soil samples of chromecontaminated soil was manual deployed to simulated to analysis the resistivity between low concentrations of chrome-contaminated soil and uncontaminated soil.The results show that the resistivity of the two kinds of soil decreases with increasing moisture content,but the slope of the curve of chrome-contaminated soil is smaller than uncontaminated soil.Under the same moisture content,the resistivity values of chrome-contaminated soil decreases with increasing concentrations of chrome,but the resistivity difference between the two kinds of soil still exists.


Realizing green economy requires extensive considerable funding, especially for renewable energy projects. This problem then encourages stakeholders to create financial instruments that focus on funding projects that are following the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of the financial instruments developed is green sukuk, an innovative form of environmentally friendly funding. The results showed that the green sector financed by sovereign green sukuk funds was following maqahid shariah in the al-kulliyah al-khamsah frame, namely guarding religion (hifdzu ad din), guarding the soul (hifdzu an Nafs), guarding reason (hifdzu aql), guarding offspring (hifdzu an nasl) and guarding property (hifdzu al Maal). The potential for green sukuk issuance can be seen from the increasing awareness of investors about the importance of environmental conservation. The involvement of influential entities such as the government and the United Nations in the development of green sukuk indicates the potential of this instrument. The challenges of issuing green sukuk include a higher risk profile because it involves high, new, and sophisticated technology. In addition, green sukuk is not a simple transaction because it involves a large number of funds, so that checks and balances are needed and proper monitoring. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, green sukuk can be used to conserve the environment and natural resources, save energy, promote the use of renewable energy and reduce the impact of greenhouse gas emissions.


In this paper I take issue with what I identify as a basic consensus in gentrification studies. I argue that gentrification studies have been conducted within a context framed by two basic models of urban development, namely the Burgess concentric-zone model and the Alonso bid-rent model. These two models lie at the heart of what are more usually seen as the parameters of the gentrification debate, namely the 'supply-side' rent-gap account of gentrification offered by Neil Smith and his followers and the 'demand-side' consumption-oriented explanations offered by David Ley and his followers. Both sets of explanations are, however, fatally compromised by seeking to answer the question 'why does gentrification occur?' before answering the question 'how does gentrification occur?'. Starting with the question 'how?', rather than 'why?', draws attention to the hitherto almost completely neglected role of domestic technologies in permitting gentrification to occur, thereby helping break the theoretical logjam in which the gentrification debate currently finds itself.


Objectives: To investigate factors contributing to separation and divorce in first-time parents. Methods: Quantitatively analyzing data using Mann–Whitney-U-test, Chi-square and logistic regression analysis test from separated and non-separated mothers and fathers, when first child was six months and four years of age. Outcome measures were quality of dyadic relationship, QDR-index and its dimensions and variables. Also, a qualitative content analysis of comments to one open question about contributing factors to the experienced situation from the separated parents (n = 39) was conducted. Results: The experienced quality of the relationship measured with QDR-index and especially Dyadic Satisfaction, Dyadic Consensus and also Dyadic Cohesion showed a statistically secured difference between the groups of separated and non-separated parents. The qualitative description showed seven categories of factors contributing to separation: Strains from parenthood, Stressful conditions, Lack of intimacy, Insufficient communication, Differing personalities & interests, No commitment, and Negative effects of addiction. The described factors were in accordance with the factors described in earlier non-Swedish research. Some of the factors may be possibly prevented from leading to separation, such as lack of equality, insufficient communication and lack of intimacy. Conclusion: Primary health professionals meet the majority of parents-to-be and new parents and should therefore take on the task of supporting them in their relationships, thereby helping to prevent unnecessary separations.


In this note, we comment on and discuss the weirdness and absurdity of the idea that Professor Fernandez has argued for. The weirdness or absurdity of a theory does not automatically disqualify a theory; however, perhaps another review of the implications of the theory may have some merit. It seems that the definition of the present value of the tax benefits (PVTB) was revised to accommodate pre-existing ideas; perhaps the new theory is masquerading as a sort of reverse engineering.


The purpose of this study is to analyze the past trends and suggest new interdisciplinary ways and directions in creative scholarship that contribute to the larger academic dialogue. It is also to position creative practice in design as a tool to advance problem-based research and research through practice (Bye, 2010) in clothing and textile design scholarship. By analyzing the trends over the past 16 years, themes such as target markets, design techniques, sustainability, technology, functional clothing were identified. The study examines trends and gaps in creative practice, and increases engagement and productivity of design scholars who are seeking guidance in framing their future creative practices in interdisciplinary ways.


OBJECTIVE
To identify acute psychiatric patients considered inappropriately placed three months after admission and expedite a more suitable placement by improving liaison with social work.

DESIGN
A survey established the point prevalence of inappropriately placed patients. Changes in usual practice were implemented with the identification of a named social worker for each ward and the introduction of a 'contact sheet' which updated the progress of these patients monthly. A repeat survey one year later assessed the impact of these changes.

SETTING
Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Greater Glasgow Community and Mental Health NHS Trust.

SUBJECTS
Patients aged 18-65 in the acute psychiatric wards who were resident beyond three months.

RESULTS
Use of the contact sheet and improved liaison with a named social worker did not shorten the length of stay of the inappropriately placed patients. Conversely, their mean value for in-patient weeks on the dates surveyed increased from 41.8 in 1994 to 64.7 in 1995. (p = 0.05, 95% confidence intervals from -1 to 42. The length of stay of patients who were still considered to be appropriately placed beyond three months after admission decreased from a mean of 47.7 to 31.9 weeks. (p > 0.5, 95% confidence intervals from -16 to 16). By 1995 the mean length of stay was significantly greater for inappropriately placed patients (p = 0.008, 95% confidence intervals from 10 to 47).

CONCLUSIONS
Improved liaison with social work at an operational level was not sufficient to solve the problem of inappropriately placed patients on acute wards. Additional factors such as limited access to rehabilitation placements and patients having complex physical or behavioural problems made placement elsewhere difficult. Such patients with unmet needs place increasing strain on acute psychiatric beds. A reappraisal of current services is required.


Focusing of proton beam of energy 5 MeV, current 10 mA, pulse duration 30 ms, obtained on the accelerator «Ural-5» by means of plasma has been investigated. The parameters of the plasma flow produced by a coaxial plasma gun are the followings: plasma density 10 15 cm, temperature 1-3 eV, velocity 10 7 cm/s, time duration 500 ms. Magnetic field value of a short coil is 500-1000 Oe. The focusing coefficient of compression up to 10 times at the length 30 cm is obtained. The dependence of ion beam size upon various parameters of the plasma lens is investigated. Theoretically several models of ion beam focusing in the plasma have been considered.


Modernization which originated fro m Europe has made the population tren ds change from more birth -more death to less birth -less death.Modernization not only caused the ageing of the population in Europe,but also had its influence in USA,Japan and some o ther countries.China and Korea have also become into ageing countries.A s the global ageing situation intensifies various problems caused by ageing will become more and more obvious o ver time.This paper will focus on the com parative study on the present situation of ageing in China,Japan and Kore a,find out the problems caused by agein g and make examination and research o n these problems,defining future projects in this field.


Ascorbic acid (AsA) treatment is expected to be a potential cancer therapy strategy with few side-effects that can be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy. However, the combination of AsA, a free radical scavenger, with radiation is not clearly understood; conflicting data are reported for cancer cell death. We conducted this study to determine the effect of AsA treatment combined with X-irradiation and the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells. Additive cytotoxic effects were observed when the cells were exposed to 2 Gy X-irradiation after 2.5 mM AsA treatment. When catalase was added to the culture with AsA alone, the cytotoxic effects of AsA disappeared. X-irradiation increased intercellular ROS levels and mitochondrial superoxide levels. By contrast, AsA alone and in combination with X-irradiation decreased ROS levels. However, in the presence of catalase neutralizing H2O2, AsA alone or in combination with X-irradiation only slightly decreased the intercellular ROS. Moreover, AsA decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential, which is commonly associated with apoptosis. These results suggest that the reduction of ROS did not result from ROS scavenging by AsA, and AsA induced apoptosis through a ROS-independent pathway. This study reports that a combination of AsA with radiation treatment is effective in cancer therapy when considering ROS in cancer cells.


The solar flare, galactic, and magnetically trapped (Van Allen) nuclear particle radiation environments expected on three outer planet "Grand Tour" missions have been calculated. The missions are the 1977 4-planet mission (Jupiter - Saturn - Uranus - Neptune), the 1977 3-planet mission (Jupiter - Saturn - Pluto), and the 1979 3-planet mission (Jupiter - Uranus - Neptune). The planetary Van Allen belts contribute the largest doses behind 1 gm/cm2 shielding of aluminum. For the 1977 4-planet mission, which passes within 2.6 planet radii of Saturn, Saturn's Van Allen belts may contribute as much as 95% of the total dose of 5300 rads. For the 1977 3-planet mission, which passes within 4.3 planet radii of Jupiter, Jupiter's Van Allen belts contribute 90% of the calculated total dose of 1900 rads. The 1979 3-planet mission dose of 600 rads is due to approximately equal contributions of solar flare particles, galactic (cosmic ray) particles, and Jupiter's Van Allen belts (periapsis at 6.7 Jupiter radii).


Four methods to compute the dielectric permittivity e of a liquid from molecular simulations are compared in the context of the simple point charge (SPC) water model. In the first method (unrestrained method), e is evaluated from the fluctuations of the box dipole moment M, monitored during a single equilibrium simulation. In the three other methods, e is evaluated from the probability distribution p(M) of the dipole moment norm. This distribution is itself evaluated in three different ways: (i) from multiple simulations involving a M-dependent biasing potential (umbrella-sampling method), (ii) from multiple simulations involving a constrained dipole moment norm (M-constraint method), or (iii) from fitting of incomplete p(M) estimates to a Maxwell distribution (fitting method). The four methods are shown to converge to an identical estimate of e=61±1 for SPC water (256 molecules, reaction-field electrostatics). The convergence properties, advantages, and drawbacks of the different methods are analyzed in ...


A thermospray was modified and used to couple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, which was applicable to both normal- and reversed-phase HPLC. Column effluents from the HPLC system were desolvated by thermospray and solutes were deposited as individual spots on a moving stainless-steel belt (0.025 mm thickness×13 mm width) substrate, which continuously transferred the analytes into the diffuse reflectance (DRIFT) accessory of the FTIR, enabling identification of deposited solutes by measurement of the IR spectrum. The thermospray temperature and thermospray height were shown to influence the deposition of solutes. By use of a heated external nitrogen gas flow, desolvation of the reversed-phase HPLC eluents was improved and reduction of power supply in the thermospray capillary was achieved. Thus lower thermospray capillary temperatures could be used. The IR spectra of the separated individual components showed good agreement of the spectral features to those of standard FTIR spectra and no thermal degradation was found to occur.


In this article we present a quantitative micromagnetic modeling analysis of thermally activated magnetic noise in spin valves heads at deep submicron track widths. It is found that, for these spin valve heads, the thermal magnetic noise is at a magnitude that is comparable to that of the head's Johnson noise. Reducing the sensor track width by keeping the same aspect ratio and film layer thickness will not necessarily yield an increase of thermal magnetic noise, which is attributed to the accompanying increase of the demagnetization field within the sensing layer. However, both the magnitude of noise and the noise spectra are strong functions of the sensor stripe height. An excessive stripe height will yield significantly higher thermal magnetic noise.


The materials used in the treatment of an adult patient with severe cleft palate need to be choose very carefull, according with the biological aspects. First of all, is mandatory to choose a proper material for endodontic treatment and use a correct technique. Second, the cement used in order to fix a RPD (rapid palatinal disjunctor) has to be glass-ionomer cement, because the oral and nasal cavity are still communicating. On the other hand, the dental ceramic material used in the prosthetic treatment has to be a special one, pink-colored in those regions where cleavage is present. For this reason, the cases with cleavage need a complex treatment, usually during a few years and several steps. They need a good collaboration between doctors of different specialities: maxillo-facial surgery, orthodontics, prosthetics and plastic surgery. The aim of the present study is to underline the assessment of ceramic dental materials during the laborious treatment in the case of an adult with cleft palate, in order to obtain the best results.


(57) The invention provides a useful novel isoxazolinone derivatives having and treatment of bacterial diseases antibacterial activity. A novel isoxazolinone derivatives general formula (I): ## STR1 ## (Wherein, A and R


The repoting of this research combined two methods to collect the date which are in point of the Akesu area.One is the method of survey and the other is discussion.The conclusion is the level of the teachers' degree that is in the kindergarten of corporation and the private kindergartens are lower than the common kindergarten.But the characteristic of the kindergarten of corporation and the private kindergarten are rejuvenate and fluid and it is the activist factor in the development of the normal study edbiz.The teachers in the common kindergarten have better stabilization but the fluid is worse than the other two kinds of kindergartens.And the high teacher pupil ratio in the common kindergarten shows the teachers' head function.


Abstract Monogamy in Western countries has recently undergone criticisms, because it is perceived as an oppressive institution, adjacent to reactionary cultural values. In this article, I argue that monogamy is in fact a force of social progress and women's empowerment. I point out that, given our natural tendencies, the most likely alternative to monogamy is polygyny. By its very nature, polygyny faces a numerical difficulty, to the extent that (given the equitable male to female ratio) when one man engages in romantic or sexual relationships with multiple female partners, inequality and social conflict ensues. I present historical and sociological data that sustains the argument that polygyny is associated with greater inequality, violence, poverty and women's vulnerability. Nevertheless, while monogamy can be considered a force of social progress, I argue that the State is not morally entitled to prosecute non-monogamous lifestyles, but there may still be non-coercive ways to promote monogamy.


Suitable dosimeter methods have to be developed to measure the different dose contributions in phantoms exposed to epithermal/thermal neutron beams of a research reactor. The method based on Fricke xylenol orange gel dosimeter in form of layers has shown to be very effective for achieving images of the various dose components in air or in phantoms exposed to epithermal/thermal neutron beams with very high fluence rate. Another useful method is based on the use of TLD-700 chips, from whose response the gamma dose and the thermal neutron fluence can be obtained by means of appropriate parameters of the glow curve.


Epitaxial films of ZnO have been synthesized by the sol-gel method using ZnO buffer layers on sapphire (001) substrates. The buffer layers of 50-nm ZnO were epitaxially grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition prior to the sol-gel process and significantly improved the crystallinity of the sol-gel ZnO. The six-fold symmetry observed in X-ray diffraction φ-scan spectra confirmed the epitaxial nature of the sol-gel ZnO films. Excitonic recombinations were dominant in the photoluminescence, while defect-related emissions around 3.31 to 3.32 eV, which are commonly observed in polycrystalline sol-gel films, were not observed in the sol-gel ZnO with ZnO buffer layers.


This paper examines the super-ministry reform in China from the perspective of job design,which belongs to a domain of organizational economics.We find that under some conditions it is suitable to carry out the super-ministry reform,and that under other conditions it is unsuitable to make this kind of reform.Specifically,as for the more generalized case,when the coordination and replacement cost is too high,the super-ministry system dominates the non-super-ministry system.When the coordination and replacement cost is not high enough,if the risk-merging coefficient is less than some critical value which is determined by the coordination and replacement cost and the task-connecting degree,then the super-ministry system dominates the non-super-ministry system;if the risk-merging coefficient is equal to this critical value,then the super-ministry system and the non-super-ministry system are indifferent;if the risk-merging coefficient is larger than this critical value,then non-super-ministry system dominates the super-ministry system.Our conclusions are of theoretical interest to how to advance the super-ministry reform in China.


Leading economic indicators assist in forecasting future business conditions, but can they predict aggregate stock returns? To answer this, we examine six decades of data from 39 countries. Past short-term changes in the composite leading indicator (CLI) positively correlate with future stock returns in the cross-section. The quintile of markets with top CLI increases outperforms the quintile with the lowest CLI change by 1.43% per month. The effect survives extensive robustness checks and cannot be explained by known predictors of country equity returns. Furthermore, it may be directly translated into exploitable investment strategies and be harvested with exchange-traded funds.


In this paper, we propose a new password-authentication scheme based on quadratic residue problem with the following advantages: the scheme does not require a verification file, and the scheme can withstand replay attacks and resist from the guessing and impersonation attacks. We next discuss the advantages of our designated scheme over other schemes in terms of security and efficiency.


Serving quality services to the customers and various stakeholders is the main motto of municipalities in Jordan with regard to support socio economic development within its particular jurisdiction. However, in the Jordanian context, the municipalities are identified to have massive debts and this indicates that self-generated revenue is not sufficient for municipalities to accept their mandated roles as engine of growth for the community. Moreover, several municipalities are allied with poor governance, wastage as well as corruption and maladministration as evidenced from upsurge in the size of indebtedness. Thus, this study investigates the effects of Motivation, Empowerment and Organizational Culture (OC) on organizational commitment (DCO) of municipalities in Jordan. Very few empirical research has been conducted on this ground using these variables in a single model in Jordan. Hence, a structured survey was conducted and selected 340 government officials via cluster random sampling. The hypotheses were tested using SEM-PLS3 based on social exchange theory. Based on the statistical results, there is a significant effect of Motivation, Empowerment and Organizational Culture (OC) on organizational commitment (DCO). Subsequently, the findings evoked that there is a dire need to focus on Motivation, Empowerment and Organizational Culture to get better commitment from the municipalities in Jordan. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences Vol. 9 , No. 9, September, 2019, E-ISSN: 2222-6990 © 2019 HRMARS 103 Keyword: Organizational Commitment, Motivation, Empowerment, Organizational Culture, Municipalities Introduction According to Grönroos (2016) around the world service industry has generate more than 50 percent of GDP and total employment in the developed countries. Whereas, the service industry in this part of the world particular in Jordan has also grown substantially corresponding to the increasing development in the world. However, services provided by the municipalities to the local community are not in a good shape though service industry is growing in Jordan. Basically, local government is under the dominion of the central government in Jordan and the power of decision making is kept in the hand of the local government to manage within its locality (Henson and Beehr 2018). Moreover, the massive urbanization of local zones which connect considerably with the nation's economic progress causes of complications concerning city governance and thus, municipalities are feeling incredible pressure to provide quality services to the locality in Jordan (Zohar and Polachek 2017). Furthermore, several municipalities are allied with poor governance, wastage as well as corruption and maladministration as evidenced from upsurge in the size of indebtedness (Agyapong 2017). Hence, improving the municipality and converting its precious human capital to deliver excellent and better quality services to the stakeholders and its clients in the 21st century in Jordan is obligatory (Rose‐Ackerman 2017). Consequently, in this stage it is necessary to investigate how to upgrade municipal service quality, and to decide what interventions are required, and to recognize the fundamental issues in overcoming the current problems faced by municipalities in Jordan (Bowen, CradockHenry et al. 2017). Hence, this study examines Motivation, Empowerment and Organizational Culture which can effect on organizational commitment of municipalities offices in Jordan. Problem Statement The huge size of debt, high ratio salary to budget, a lot of complements for delay services, the relationship between employees, weak management and corruption, it is therefore essential to understand how to improve municipal service delivery, table 1 shows that ratio of salary to the size of the budget and huge debts on Jordanian municipalities and it has been noted that the major problem facing many municipalities is the small revenue generated especially from the poorer areas such as Mafraq and AJjlun (ministry of municipal affairs, 2016). This factors motivate the researcher to do this study to determine what interventions are necessary, and to understand the underlying issues in overcoming the current problems faced by Jordanian municipalities sector. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences Vol. 9 , No. 9, September, 2019, E-ISSN: 2222-6990 © 2019 HRMARS 104 Table 1: Ratio of salaries to the size of the budget NO Municipality revenue salaries Budget size Budget deficit Salaries Ratio/ budget size 1 Irbid Greater Municipality 5039336 18,152,103 41,417,253 6,000,000 % 44 2 Madaba Greater Municipality 1907977 3,874,800 8,112,848 ---------% 48 3 Taffela Greater Municipality 1562568 2,724,300 5,997,138 1,796,000 % 45 4 Salt Greater Municipality 1843232 3,793,250 11,235,924 ---------% 34 5 Mafraq Greater Municipality 1815461 3,186,572 7,523,439 ---------% 42 6 Jarash Greater Municipality 1675327 3,822,300 10,726,124 5,190,922 % 36 7 Maan Greater Municipality 916125 1,929,914 4,973,890 1,269,255 % 39 8 Ajlun Greater Municipality 1295753 1,973,788 5,047,757 296,841 % 39 9 Zarqa Greater Municipality 3457309 19,048,300 41,343,633 7,085,083 % 46 10 Rusaiffa Greater 2918477 5,911,000 14,070,400 ---------% 42 11 Karak Greater Municipality 2257114 4,338,894 11,069,588 500,066 % 39 Background of Jordanian Municipalities The Jordanian Municipalities is a historical component of the local government in Jordan. Since the establishment six municipalities since the late 19th century CE. The first municipality was established, it was the municipality of Irbid, which was established in 1881, followed by the Municipality of El-Salt in 1887, Karak in 1893, Ma'an Municipality in 1898, Amman Municipality 1909, and Jerash Municipality 1910, to reach the number of Municipal councils at the beginning of 2001 to 99 municipal councils. (Annual report, ministry of municipalities, 2014). In this study will be highlighted on first category municipalities. because of the large numbers of staff in them and also because it covers a greater area of service delivery compared to the municipalities of the second and third category, as well as the many challenges facing the first category municipalities such as the huge size of debts, high ratio salaries compared With the budget, the absence of work and financial and administrative corruption. According to World Bank (2017), the Ministry of Municipal Affairs is pursuing its new strategic plan for the years (2015-2020) approved by the Council of Ministers focused on three reformist approaches: Legislative reform, reform of financial, Administrative reform. Each of the three axes included a set of measures. In the legislative aspect, the ministry prepared a project the new Municipal Law No. (41) for the year 2015, which has been adopted in all its constitutional stages and is being amended, a wide range of laws and regulations are in line International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences Vol. 9 , No. 9, September, 2019, E-ISSN: 2222-6990 © 2019 HRMARS 105 with new requirements and international standards following the amendment of the Municipalities Law, as for financial reform, the Ministry and the Council of Ministers have multiplied the share of financial municipalities of the revenues of hydrocarbons from (100) million to reach (220) million USD annually, and municipalities were also provided with provisions (75) million for the implementation of asphalt mixes for municipal streets in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Works and Housing. Literature Review Organizational Commitment (DOC) Gao‐Urhahn, Biemann et al. (2016) claimed that organization's commitment is the emotional bonding of a person has with an organization which helps to ensure high organization productivity. Whereas, (Smith, Whitman et al. 2017), mentioned that DOC is a sense of identification, participation, and loyalty expressed by a member towards the corporation when an individual brings into line very closely with the program, objectives, and system of the institute. Moreover, DOC is classically linked to the characteristics, the occupations and performances of staff and the sociocultural, environmental of an organizational (Porter, Riesenmy et al. 2016). Mendes and Jesus (2018), Pointed out that commitment is the connection between individual and individual behaviour, which the individuals have to depend each other and have responsibility for their actions and behaviour with the organization. The definitions associated with organizational commitment, commonly relate the behaviour to the attitude of the employee (Mueller and Lee 2002). Mathieu and Zajac (1990) confirms that DOC as being the personal attachment between the employees, and the goals of the organizations, further describe the traits of committed employees as the ones willing to stay with the institution in times of need, and express their commitment by attending work regularly, working a full day and willing to do extra, looks after company assets, and feels being a part of the vision and mission of the institution. Hence, organizational commitment indicates the employee and organization relationship on which employee belongs to organization and organization also belongs to employee for better and superior performance. Motivation and Organizational Commitment Motivation is concerned with the factors that influence people to behave in certain ways (Armstrong 2016). It includes factors that cause, channel, and sustain human behaviour in a particular committed direction. For the purpose of this study it is defined as a means by which organization solicit the efforts of its employees for the job done so as to attain the organizational goals. Motivation can either be intrinsic and extrinsic, depending on the type of employees, nature of the job and the working environment. In other means words, motivation is a means to reduce


Notes on contributors Editor's preface Map Introduction Marilyn Strathern 1. Ta'a geni: women's perspectives on Kwaio society Roger M. Keesing 2. The remarriage of Yebiwali: a study of dominance and false consciousness in a non-Western society Frederick Errington and Deborah Gewertz 3. Gender difference and the relations of inequality in Zinacantan Leslie Deveraux 4. The politics of separation Diane Bell 5. 'Women are our business': women, exchange and prestige in Kove Ann Chowning 6. Gender attributes and equality: men's strength and women's talk among the Nagovisi Jill Nash 7. Complimentary in this world in this world and the next: gender and agency in Kodi mortuary ceremonies Janet Hoskins 8. Flying witches and leaping warriors: supernatural origins of power and matrilineal authority in Tubetube society Martha Macintyre 9. The tusk, the flute and the serpent: disguise and revelation in Goodenough mythology Michael W. Young 10. Diseases of the soul: sickness, agency and the men's cult among the Foi of New Guinea James F. Weiner Conclusion Marilyn Strathern bibliography Index.


Objective: Lifestyle modification including exercise and diet is effective for decreasing abdominal obesity. However, it is difficult to start and maintain an appropriate lifestyle. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to examine the effects of behavior modification intervention on visceral fat volume and other factors in subjects with abdominal obesity. Methods: The participants were 10 adults (9 males and 1 female; 41.8 ± 9.7 years) with abdominal obesity and no diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. The participants were consulted to set up their targets (exercise and/or diet) which contained the self-confidence to achieve 95 % of them. They recorded their body weight, target achievement, pedometer count, and waist circumference by self-monitoring. Then, the participants sent in their records to a researcher for analysis by e-mail. Referring to their records, the researcher gave the participants advice and praise. During the "reinforcement intervention (1-12 w) period", the participants had to submit records every week. Then, in the "follow-up intervention (13-24 w) period", the frequency of submission was gradually decreased. Measurements were made of physical activity level, total energy intake, total cholesterol (TC), highdensity- lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI). Parameters for three time points (0, 12, and 24 weeks) were compared using the Friedman test. Results: The TC significantly decreased from the baseline to the end of the reinforcement intervention. The waist circumference was significantly lower at 12 and 24 weeks than the baseline level. The BMI was also lower at 12 and 24 weeks than the baseline level. There was no significant difference in the overall physical activity level and total energy intake. These results suggest the importance of promoting self-confidence for behavior change as well as providing information for behavior-modifying intervention in those with less subjective symptoms.


Defatted peanut flour was texturized in a Wenger X-25 extruder at 25.1% moisture content and 140°C product temperature. Texturization did not have any significant effect on the amino acid pattern nor on the PER of defatted flour. For example, the PER of the flour was 1.57 as compared to 1.54 for the textured product. Supplementation of both products with 0.3% DL-threonine, 0.2% L-lysine and 0.2% DI -methionine resulted in a 39 and 41% increase in PER, respectively (PER = 2.18).


[Objective] The definite relation was found between polymorphism,pathogenicity differentiation of Phytophthora capsici Leonian and regionality in Liaoning Province.[Methods] Using Sequence related Amplified Polymorphism(SRAP) technology,the 25 strains of Phytophthora capsici Leonian in Liaoning were amplified in PCR method and evaluated by clustering analyses of NTSYS-PC.The pathogenic differentiation was researched by root-drenching method,and it was examined with hierarchical cluster combination by SPSS 11.5.[Results] The results showed that the DNA of 25 strains were amplified by 27 primer pairs.A total of 578 bands were identified,of which 548 bands were polymorphic.The percentages of polymorphic fragments of each primer pairs were ranged from 84% to 100%.There were abundant polymorphism clustering analysis showed that the genetic similarity among the 25 strains of Phytophthora capsici Leonian were very high.The similarity coefficients varied from 0.56 to 0.91.They were divided into four groups at 0.68 for similarity coefficient,significant correlations were not obvious among the sources of these strains,and there were not regional characteristics.80% strains were intermediate pathogenicity.[Conclusion] The tested strains were not significantly regional characteristics,and there was no regularity of pathogenicity differentiation from different areas.


A field experiment was conducted during 1996-98 and 1997-99 at Lucknow with 3 cropping systems, viz autumn sugarcane (sole), autumn cane + indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj. & Cosson] in 1:1 row ratio and indianmustard-sugarcane, at 3 levels each of nitrogen (150, 225 and 300 kg N/ha) and sulphur (0, 30 and 60 kg S/ha) to optimize N and S fertilizer schedule for a cropping system as a whole. An intercropping of indian mustard with autumn sugarcane increased cane-equivalent yield (118.5 tonnes/ha or 263.07 kg/ha/day). Increasing nitrogen (150-300 kg N/ha) and sulphur doses (0-60 kg S/ha) for whole cropping system individually increased cane (nitrogen 84.62-94.30 tonnes/ha and sulphur 77.44-101.94 tonnes/ha) and cane-equivalent yield (N 112.95-130.07 and S 109.07-137.96 tonnes/ha). Nitrogen and sulphur could not influence juice quality (brix, pol and purity). Land-equivalent ratio (N 1.69-1.73 and S 1.67-1.74) increased with increasing nitrogen and sulphur levels.


FIELD: medicine, pharmaceutics. SUBSTANCE: group of inventions refers to a combination of a type II anti-CD20 antibody and an anti-Bcl-2 active agent for treating cancer, first, CD20 expressing cancer, wherein the above type II anti-CD20 antibody is a humanised B-Lyl antibody and the above active agent is a Bcl-2 protein binding inhibitor and thereby destroys the Bad/Bcl-2 complex with the IC 50 anti-Bcl-2 inhibitory activity of 1 mcM or less, as well as to using the type II anti-CD20 antibody for producing a medical drug applicable for treating cancer, first, CD20 expressing cancer, in a combination with the anti-Bcl-2 active agent. EFFECT: group of inventions in effective in treating cancer, first, CD20 expressing cancer, in a combination with the anti-Bcl-2 active agent. 10 cl, 3 dwg, 2 tbl, 4 ex


This article summarizes the major components of curriculum design: vision, operationalization of the vision, design, and evaluation. It stresses that the relationship between these components is dynamic, and that the process of curriculum design does not proceed via a linear application of these components. The article then summarizes some of the major influences on curriculum design: policy, local context, societal expectations, research trends, and technology. Then, it provides examples of how these influences affect the design of a curriculum and ends with a comprehensive set of questions that instructors could use to guide their curriculum development process. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 68–76, 2011


Objective: Drug-free patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are understudied in terms of increased risk for arrhythmias. In this study, we compared changes in corrected QT interval (QTc), QTc dispersion (QTcd), Tpeak-Tend (Tp-e), Tp-e/QT ratio, corrected JT interval (JTc), and JTc dispersion (JTcd), which are considered to be among the risk factors for the emergence of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with MDD. Methods: The study involved 50 patients with MDD who had been free of psychotropic medications for at least 1 month and 52 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls. Illness-related characteristics, including duration of illness and Beck Depression Inventory scores, were recorded. Electrocardiography recordings made under a standardized procedure were performed for all participants, and arrhythmia risk markers were calculated from the electrocardiograms. Results: The patient group had significantly higher QTcd, JTc, and JTcd values compared with the controls. Among electrocardiogram markers, only Tp-e/QTc was significantly and inversely correlated with the duration of illness, while none of the markers was associated with Beck Depression Inventory scores. Conclusions: Alterations in electrocardiogram-derived markers of ventricular arrhythmia, which can be obtained easily and inexpensively, can be evaluated for the prediction and prevention of severe cardiac conditions in patients with MDD and considered in selecting the safest antidepressant options available.


High data rates give rise to frequency-selective propagation, while carrier frequency-offsets and mobility-induced Doppler shifts introduce time-selectivity in wireless communication links. As the transmission rates and mobility increase, future generations of wireless communication systems will have to cope with critical performance-limiting challenges that originates from propagation channels exhibiting time- and frequency-selectivity (double-selectivity). This research investigation focuses on the basic properties and principles of doubly-selective channels: modeling, estimation, diversity, and capacity. In a nutshell, the research in this dissertation includes: (i) derivation of a basis expansion to model physical doubly-selective channels; (ii) design of linearly coded transmissions with maximum diversity to combat fading of doubly-selective channels; (iii) development of data-aided (training-based) channel estimation and delineation of information-theoretic aspects of doubly-selective propagation with non-coherent receivers; (iv) study of multi-antenna space-time coded transmissions over doubly-selective channels to collect multi-dimensional diversity; and (v) design for multi-antenna systems to achieve full rate and full diversity. The findings impact the basic research, and facilitate the design of mobile wireless systems communicating over interference-rich propagation media.


Micro-blog offers a unique opportunity to ideological and political education in universities. It innovates a pathway for ideological and political education, enriches ideological and political education content, enhances the students' subjectivity and improves the effect of ideological and political education. At the same time, interactivity of micro-blog communication requires a change of ideological and political education mode, plurality of micro-blog communication requires transformation of ideological and political education carrier. The disorder of micro-blog communication calls for the strengthening of ideological and political education, and dissemination of the complexity of micro-blog calls for promotion of ideological and political education level. To meet the challenge, it is necessary to actively create a micro-blog political platform, build the campus culture, strengthen the micro-blog technical training, cultivate micro-blog ideological team, pay attention to guiding public opinion, strengthen the micro-blog micro-blog control, build a micro-blog red node and cultivate the micro-blog opinion leader.


ZnO self-assemble nano-crystals were synthesized from ZnO and graphite powder by carbon thermal reduction. The lattice phase, morphology and photoluminescence property of the sample were characterized using XRD, SEM and PL spectrum. The results show that the product is wurtzite ZnO hexagonal nanotubes with multiple layers. Room-temperature PL spectra show that ZnO hexagonal nanotubes exhibite broad green emission centered at 545 nm, and enhanced red emission.


In this paper, we apply model-driven techniques to create a link between bottom-up and top-down safety analysis methods. Around MetaFPA, an internal framework for Metamodeling-based Failure Propagation Analysis, we build a safety evaluation environment integrating standard tools used for FMEDA: Failure Modes, Effects, and Diagnostic Analysis (e.g., Excel spreadsheets) and FTA: Fault Tree Analysis (e.g., Isograph's Reliability Workbench™). The environment contains data exchange and conversion utilities and implements an algorithm to synthesize fault trees out of failure propagation models created with MetaFPA. A case study of an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system shows an effort reduction of up to 70% in creating and handling data-intensive failure analysis models compared to manual approaches. Furthermore, the productive deployment of the environment simplifies safety engineering tasks and helps to advance the quality of safety-relevant components and systems.


The electroacoustic signals of sunflower oil-in-water emulsion droplets stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were affected by the adsorption of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). Large changes in the dynamic mobility of the coated oil droplets measured with an AcoustoSizer-II apparatus were observed. The results are interpreted with the aid of O'Brien's "gel layer" model, which gives an estimate of the elasticity and the approximate thicknesses of a dense inner and an extended outer adsorbed polymer layer. The thicknesses of both the inner and the outer layer increased smoothly with increasing concentration of polymer and the rate of increase increased with molar mass of the polymer with average molecular weights of 1500, 10 000, and 35 000.


Broth cultures of Escherichia coli, strains Hfr G6 and F− 464 grown separately, were mixed (2 ml of each) and the mixture filtered through a 0.45 μ pore size, 25 mm diameter, MF-Millipore membrane. The membrane was placed, cell side up, on a nutrient agar plate and incubated 15 min at 37 C. Processing in the customary manner to include fixation, staining and epoxy embedding for electron microscopy followed. The technique provides greater concentration of cells, allows less opportunity for separation of conjugating cells and is less time consuming than procedures involving concentration by centrifugation and enclosure in agar as prerequisities to resin embedding.


Gravid does (18) were randomly divided into 3 groups, fed wheat straw ad lib. and supplemented with concentrate mixture @ 20gkgW0.75th throughout the experimental period to study the effect of strategically supplemented pregnancy allowance on the reproductive performance of goats. Additional 20g concentrate mixture/kgWw0.75 as given as pregnancy allowance to gravid does from 61 days post-mating (DPM) to term, 61-90 DPM and 121 DPM to term to HH (high-high), HL(high-low) and LH (low-high) group, respectively. Mean daily dry-matter (DM) intake (g/Kg W09 increased significantly during first 90 days of gestation and then became stable. Intake and digestibility of DM by does during metabolism trial (after 135 DPM) was significantly lower in treatment HL in comparison to comparable values of HH and LH treatments, whereas crude protein digestibility was significantly higher for treatment LH followed by HH and HL, respectively. Live weight changes, foetal growth and reproductive performance of goats on treatment HH and LH were statistically similar and significantly better relative to does on HL. Results indicated that last month of gestation is the period of most rapid foetal growth necessitating supplementation of pregnancy allowance to economize production and minimize reproductive losses in goats.


This paper presents the third of a series on comparative microscopic anatomy of the entodermal tract of certain teleost fishes, selected for their feeding habits: A study of the histology of the digestive tube of a bottom‐feeding species, the Carolina sea robin (Prionotus carolinus (L.)). Mainly from study of sections, but dissections of both fresh and preserved material were employed to furnish the necessary background of gross anatomy. A short résumé of the literature is given. Treats the general histology of the different divisions of the tube, the tunics and tissues present, and findings on structure and arrangement of cells. Particular emphasis is placed on histological adaptations to meet the demands of physiological processes. Escphagus, stomach, intestine and pyloric caeca are given detailed treatment. The tunica mucosa, with its histological constituents and their arrangement, receives particular stress, being considered in relation to various phases of digestion and absorption. Particular consideration is given to the following: Effects of amount of food present in the tube on extent of mucosal folding; histological transitions from one region of the tract to another, particularly as regards epithelia; histology of peptic glands in cardiac division of stomach; origin and development of mucosal goblet cells; comparisons between the histology of the pyloric caeca and that of the adjacent intestine from which they arise, together with a detailed account of the histology of the former.


This paper presents a simple shape planar antenna with high adaptability to an Radio Frequency IDentification tag. The feed point of this antenna consists of two adjacent electrodes in the plane which can be matched to the intrinsic impedance of a coaxial cable (50-/spl Omega/) without using parasitic elements or balun. Specifically, the aperture shape inside the loop antenna is modified without deforming the antenna element outline. Control of the input impedance becomes possible and bandwidth for S11/spl les/-10 dB can reach about 49% of the central frequency. The proposed antenna demonstrates a steady gain (3.5-4.2 dBi) within a wide frequency range. An investigation of antenna-element miniaturization showed the sectional area of the antenna element could be compressed by about 50% while maintaining wide bandwidth.


The aim of the present study is to investigate the inhibitory activity of the compounds of Orthosiphon stamineus on cancer by molecular docking studies and to analyse the ADME/T properties of the compounds. Compound 1Norstaminolactone A,Compound 2Norstaminone A, Compound 3Orthosiphol B, Compound 4Orthosiphol Q, Compound 5Orthosiphonone A were isolated from the leaves of Orthosiphon stamineus. Compounds 1 to 5 were used for docking on PTK6 (protein tyrosine kinase 6), Oncogene protein (HRas GTPase). Glide docking uses the assumption of a rigid receptor, although scaling of Vander Waals radii of nonpolar atoms, which decreases penalties for close contacts, can be used to model a slight "give" in the receptor and/or ligand. Docking studies of designed compounds were carried out using GLIDE (Grid-based Ligand Docking with Energetics) module version 5.9. Schrödinger, LLC, New York, NY, 2013. The software package running on multi-processor Linux PC. GLIDE has previously been validated & applied successfully to predict the binding orientation of many ligands. The docking results showed that the leaves of Orthosiphon stamineus are potential for anticancer activity by inhibiting tyrosine kinase protein and oncogene protein. Norstaminolactone A, Norstaminone A, Orthosiphol B and Orthosiphonone A have shown excellent anticancer activity with better ADMET parameters.


Algebras of relations were shown useful in managing ontology alignments. They make it possible to aggregate alignments disjunctively or conjunctively and to propagate alignments within a network of ontologies. The previously considered algebra of relations contains taxonomical relations between classes. However, compositional inference using this algebra is sound only if we assume that classes which occur in alignments have nonempty extensions. Moreover, this algebra covers relations only between classes. Here we introduce a new algebra of relations, which, first, solves the limitation of the previous one, and second, incorporates all qualitative taxonomical relations that occur between individuals and concepts, including the relations "is a" and "is not". We prove that this algebra is coherent with respect to the simple semantics of alignments.


This paper describes the numerical simulation of the use of continuous noise sources in seismic exploration where each source is orthogonal with all others if summed over a number of repeats of the signals. The orthogonal property allows a number of sources to operate simultaneously and continuously with the signal from each source being identified in the recorded signal at each receiver. The technique has been used to generate seismic recorda equivalent to those from short duration or impulsive sources. Continuous sources should have application in time lapse studies of reservoirs where small changes in the signal need to be detected.


Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) have a promising application prospect for energy storage systems due to the abundant resource. Amorphous carbon with high electronic conductivity and high surface area is likely to be the most promising anode material for SIBs. However, the rate capability of amorphous carbon in SIBs is still a big challenge because of the sluggish kinetics of Na+ ions. Herein, a three‐dimensional amorphous carbon (3DAC) with controlled porous and disordered structures is synthesized via a facile NaCl template‐assisted method. Combination of open porous structures of 3DAC, the increased disordered structures can not only facilitate the diffusion of Na+ ions but also enhance the reversible capacity of Na storage. When applied as anode materials for SIBs, 3DAC exhibits excellent rate capability (66 mA h g−1 at 9.6 A g−1) and high reversible capacity (280 mA h g−1 at a low current density of 0.03 A g−1). Moreover, the controlled porous structures by the NaCl template method provide an appropriate specific surface area, which contributes to a relatively high initial Coulombic efficiency of 75%. Additionally, the high‐rate 3DAC material is prepared via a green approach originating from low‐cost pitch and NaCl template, demonstrating an appealing development of carbon anode materials for SIBs.


A filter that does edge-preserving decomposition of an image is implemented here. It is containing the Local Edge Preserving (LEP) filter which has locally adaptive property. The filtered image contains local means everywhere and preserves local salient edges. Analysis has been done on the output of the method. A multiscale decomposition with this filter is implemented for manipulating a high dynamic range image, which consists of three detail layers and one base layer. An effective function is used for compressing the detail layers. A noise reduction, based on subband decomposition followed by separately filtering the LL subband with bilateral filter and other subbands with soft thresholding and then the subband synthesis, is applied on this LDR image as the HDR


Spectral triples are defined for C*-algebras associated with hyperbolic dynamical systems known as Smale spaces. The spectral dimension of one of these spectral triples is shown to recover the topological entropy of the Smale space.


In order to forecast the emerging micro- and macro-nutrient deficiencies or toxicities in crops and soils resulting from intensive cropping, 15 benchmark sites have been identified in Gobichettipalayam taluk of Erode district in Tamil Nadu, based on the soil physico-chemical properties. The experimental soils were neutral in pH, free from salinity, low in organic carbon, medium in available P & K. The available micronutrient status has shown that the soil available Zn & Cu and Fe & Mn is in the range of deficiency and sufficiency levels, respectively. The soils belong to Irugur (red non-calcarcous), Chikkarasampalayam (black calcareous) and Sathyamangalam (black calcareous) series. Two intensive cropping systems such as Rice - Rice and Sugarcane - Sugarcane - Turmeric were chosen for the study. The soil data indicated that both intensive cropping systems have depleted the soil nutrient status heavily. However, as both cropping sequences have been supplied with sufficient quantities of fertilizer inputs carrying macronutrients, soils in the benchmark sites have maintained the inherent soil fertility status. On the other hand, non-addition of micronutrients has caused deficiencies of Zn, Cu and B as indicated by the available nutrient status in both cropping sequences. Plant samples showed sufficiency levels of both macro and micronutrients. The overall data indicated that there is an utmost necessity for application of micronutrients especially Zn, B and Cu to enable to maintain the crop yields in the intensive cropping systems in Erode district. Further, soil nutrient balance has to be maintained by proper substitution of organic and inorganic sources of macronutrients.


Torque is the most common tightening strategy used to control clamp load when bolts are tightened, since a direct relationship between torque and clamp load exists. For unified and metric fasteners used in non-critical applications, there are torque tables available in the literature that provide a guideline as to what torque level is recommended to be used based on fastener size, thread pitch, and material class. For critical applications, the tightening specification is usually developed based on individual cases. For self tapping and thread rolling screws, the tabulated torque values available for machine threaded screws cannot be used. If the torque spec is not developed carefully for such joints then problems such as stripping the threads or torqueing out before seating the screw may be encountered. This is mainly due to the fact that these types of screws are very sensitive to many variables, such as thread type, hole size, coating, joint surface finish, tapped material thickness, and other factors. For such fasteners, the torque spec should be developed experimentally based on test data for the actual joint. This paper provides an accurate procedure for developing tightening specifications for joints that use self tapping and thread rolling screws. Additionally, it provides a criterion to determine whether the joint design is robust enough for assembly or not.Copyright © 2011 by ASME


Background The role of thromboprophylaxis in the post-acute phase of COVID-19 is uncertain due to conflicting results from randomised controlled trials and observational studies. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of post-hospital apixaban in reducing the rate of death and hospital readmission of hospitalised adults with COVID-19. Methods HEAL COVID is an adaptive randomised open label multicentre platform trial recruiting participants from National Health Service Hospitals in the United Kingdom. Here we report the preliminary results of apixaban comparison of HEAL-COVID. Participants with a hospital admission related to confirmed COVID-19 and an expected date of discharge in the subsequent five days were randomised to either apixaban 2.5 mg twice daily or standard care (no anticoagulation) for 14 days. The primary outcome was hospital free survival at 12 months obtained through routine data sources. The trial was prospectively registered with ISRCTN (15851697) and Clincialtrials.gov (NCT04801940). Findings Between 19 May 2021 and 21 November 2022, 402 participants from 109 sites were randomised to apixaban and 399 to standard care. Seven participants withdrew from the apixaban group and one from the standard care group. Analysis was undertaken on an intention-to-treat basis. The apixaban arm was stopped on the recommendation of the oversight committees following an interim analysis due to no indication of benefit. Of the 402 participants randomised to apixaban, 117 experienced death or rehospitalisation during a median follow-up of 344.5 days (IQR 125 to 365), and 123 participants receiving standard care experienced death or rehospitalisation during a median follow-up of 349 days (IQR 124 to 365). There was no statistical difference in the rate of death and rehospitalisation (HR: 0.96 99%CI 0.69-1.34; p=0.75). Three participants in the apixaban arm experienced clinically significant bleeding during treatment. Interpretation Fourteen days of post-hospital anticoagulation with the direct oral anticoagulant apixaban did not reduce the rate of death or rehospitalisation of adults hospitalised with COVID-19. These data do not support the use of prophylactic post-hospital anticoagulation in adults with COVID-19. Funding HEAL-COVID is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research [NIHR133788] and the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre [ BRC-1215-20014*].


With the 2814 data sampled from Shanghai stock exchange between 2004 and 2005 from 201 non-financial business enterprises, we categorize these samples from the point of corporate governance model, adopt linear multiple regression analysis method to study the relationship of finance structure and investment scale of Chinese listed companies on two different conditions, one condition is ldquoshareholder and creditor co-governancerdquo model while the other condition ldquoshareholder-governancerdquo model. At last, we draw out a conclusion that the relationships are different. Furthermore, after comparing impact factors comprehensively, we find out that under the two different governance models, a positive correlation relationship exist between finance structure and investment scale.


One major reliability concern regarding renewable energy resources connected in the vicinity of series-compensated power transmission lines or to weak power grids is subsynchronous resonance. A particular type of interaction known as subsynchronous control interaction (SSCI), with a purely electrical nature, has the potential to grow very rapidly and can cause severe damage to power grid infrastructure. This article proposes an additional damping controller that allows mitigating the SSCI expeditiously. The proposed damping loop provides a very large impedance at the synchronous frequency and very low impedance at the subsynchronous range. More importantly, it can be integrated into the control loop of the battery energy storage systems (BESS) without imposing a negative impact on the routine performance of the BESS. As BESSs are becoming more popular in power grids, thanks to their significant impacts on reliability and power quality, it is anticipated that the proposed approach will have a great implementation opportunity. Hence, the proposed mitigation solution is implemented in a hybrid plant and tested with a radial test system and a section of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas power grid under a variety of operating conditions. The results show the efficiency and robustness of the mitigation solution even under different frequencies of oscillation and larges disturbances.


The authors have been studying ways to configure APLICOT (application platform for integrated database and data communication), a common in-house application program (AP) development environment with the aim of simplifying the job flow of in-house online system building at NTT. The authors report the techniques used to design AP interfaces (APIs) in the APLICOT project and also include an appraisal of their usefulness. APLICOT breaks down all of the different kinds of online application processing at NTT into six major types based on the processing types of messages and files. APLICOT then provides a set of 54 API parts for each type to standardize AP development environments. This set minimizes the total development cost of AP and these API parts. APLICOT's purpose is to standardize AP development support systems while allowing flexibility in the number of required AP programmers and in their tasks.<<ETX>>


Camellia oleifera(oil tea) is an important economic plant and an important source of edible oil in in China.With the variety optimization and standardization of cultivation,mechanization of harvesting oil tea fruit will become inevitable.The development of suitable machine for picking fruits becomes a new area of forestry machinery.In this paper,an organ of the picking arm for the fruit picking machine were designed,based on the study of plant characteristics and the way of picking.The motive simulation was made by the three-dimensional software pro/e.according to the way to drive the arm by hydraulics.


(0.4–8.3 Woods units). Overall 15 patients (42%) had clear evidence of impaired left ventricular function. Nine patients (26%) had pulmonary hypertension. The median FEV1, FVC, TLCO and KCO were 73%, 81%, 62% and 85% predicted. Conclusion: Patients with ongoing dyspnoea following six months anticoagulation for PE may have significant underlying pathology. This may require further investigation and treatment and may have implications for ongoing anticoagulation and anaesthetic technique. Reference: 1. Pengo V, Lensing AW, Prins MH, et al. Incidence of thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension after pulmonary embolism. N Engl J Med 2004; 350(22): 2257–2264.


An account is given of the measurement of the transverse deformation of fibres under various loads acting normal to the fibre longitudinal axis by a technique in which fibres are interleaved between glass plates in a vertical stack. Graphs of transverse load against compression are plotted for nylon, acrylic, and viscose rayon fibres under both air-dry and wet conditions. An expression for the transverse deformation in terms of the applied load is proposed and used to calculate the lateral-compression moduli of the various fibres. The results show that, laterally, nylon fibres in both wet and dry states have the highest modulus and that acrylic fibres appear to be least affected by immersion in water. Viscose rayon fibres are most affected by water and experience a reduction in modulus by a factor of about 20.


Pre-service teachers are agents involved in several teaching training before involving in the professional community. The present study was designed to look at the enactment of Scenario Card-Lesson Study (SCLS), a previously developed learning media. A single pre-service teacher with disabilities was voluntarily involved in the project. Data were garnered through multiple video-recorded observations and checklist documentation. Findings suggest that the participant demonstrated contextual practices of classroom teaching using SCLS. Based on the themed-finding, the participant designed the lesson plan effectively, improved classroom teaching skills, and wrote the lesson study report well. In addition, based on our observation session, The participant also engaged fully in student-student discussion and teacher-student interactions. One tangible finding from this study is that the participant appeared autonomous in designing the teaching and learning plans. Suggestions for policymakers, stakeholders, and future researchers in pre-service teacher education are offered in this paper.


This chapter contains sections titled: A Classification of Metadynes that Takes into Account their External Connections, Comments on the Various Types on Metadynes, Vector Diagrams, Reactive and Nonreactive Metadynes


Differing from wavelet transform,Contourlet transform has the ability of image multi-scale and direction decomposition using the anisotropic basis,thus it is better to capture the curve singularity and much more match the HVS properties.A unified robust and perceptual watermarking algorithm is presented with respect to two transform domain.The watermarks are adaptively embedded in each frequency sub-band,with the strength adjusted by the visual saliency of transform coefficients.Some experiments of such algorithm in two multi-resolution decomposition frameworks are given with respect to several common attacks.Experiment results show that the contourlet based algorithm has better safety,robustness and invisible compared with wavelet based algorithm.


The goal of this work is to assess the efficacy of texture measures for estimating levels of crowd densities in images. This estimation is crucial for the problem of crowd monitoring and control. The assessment is carried out on a set of nearly 300 real images captured from Liverpool Street Train Station, London, UK, using texture measures extracted from the images through the following four different methods: gray level dependence matrices, straight line segments, Fourier analysis, and fractal dimensions. The estimations of crowd densities are given in terms of the classification of the input images in five classes of densities (very low, low, moderate, high and very high). Three types of classifiers are used: neural (implemented according to the Kohonen model), Bayesian, and an approach based on fitting functions. The results obtained by these three classifiers, using the four texture measures, allowed the conclusion that, for the problem of crowd density estimation, texture analysis is very effective.


The baking process of the baking furnace for making anodes is modified in order to meet the demands for operation conditions, that is the fuel and draft level. The modification brings about a number of advantages which include: the flue temperature difference is minimized; the heating rate during the middle period of baking process is under control; the lifetime of refractory is extended or prolonged; the fuel consumption is reduced to a lower level; and at the same time, the anode quality has been improved and stabilized. Suggestions for improving the temperature uniformity in the pits are also given.


What are the policy implications of nonprofit organisations playing a greater role both in national affairs and across the globe? This is the question posed in a broad ranging book by John Casey that covers nonprofits from the industrialized democracies of the North to the emerging voices of the South. It is an immense challenge that is well met. The author charts the rise of contemporary nonprofits, with special attention to American influences, state–nonprofit relations and emerging social enterprise, followed by an in depth analysis of international nonprofits. He completes his survey with a discussion of emerging policy issues: the economic, cultural and social nonprofit voice of the South; the jostling of government and business at the nonprofit boundaries; and megatrends such as technological disruption, ageing populations in the North, and emerging middle classes in the South, all of which he considers bode well for future growth in the nonprofit sector. Some readers will think the final chapter too brief and wish for further policy discussion of the impact of international issues such as the rise of mega-foundation nonprofits; climate change and international environmental organisations; terrorism and societal upheavals in the Middle East. These have the potential for profound impacts on the nonprofit actors involved. This book appears to be directed at both the student and the researcher. As a student text matched to the appropriate course, the book will be a useful resource. The appropriate course would be one that deals with international nonprofit organisations, but the book should be considered as an item for any reference or reading list of introductory nonprofit studies courses. Its value lies not only in being about nonprofit organisations across the globe – it is written from the perspective of the author who has lived and worked on a number of continents and can appreciate the biases inherent in American and northern discourses. The result is a nicely balanced, cosmopolitan discourse that may challenge students who have experienced only one dominant cultural frame of reference. The early chapters provide a methodical and comprehensive introduction to the nonprofit sector, its definitions, history, definitional frameworks and measures. The second part deals more specifically with national nonprofit sectors Nonprofit Policy Forum 2016; 7(2): 285–286


This paper discusses an air cooler that works with a steam compression cycle. This equipment can be used as a replacement for an air-cooler, an air-cooler that works with evaporative cooling. The refrigerant used is R134a. The main components of the vapor compression cycle consist of: compressor, evaporator, condenser, and capillary tube. The total electric power of the air cooler is 148 watt. If the intake air temperature is 30 o C with RH 70% and the intake air flow rate is 2.13 m/s, then this air cooler can produce air with a temperature of 25.2 o C and RH 93%. The COP of this air cooler is 2.47. Research can be developed by lowering the working temperature of the evaporator or the working temperature of the condenser.


The relativity of the value of cultural identity and diversity of object relations become the internal regulation led by the socialist core value system.The cultural identity of contemporary college students reflects the phase characteristics of the Chinese economic and social development and college students' level of cultural awareness,and mainstream and trends have always been progressive,on the whole compatible with the development of contemporary Chinese economy,and the reform and opening up and social development.Meanwhile,the cultural identity of college students also faces the dual challenges of value conflict in social transformation and cultural transformation.We should adhere to the socialist core value system to lead the college students' cultural identity,advance Students profound grasp of the nature of cultural identity,and adhere to abandon the standard,and achieve recognition of cultural values and cultural unity.


Plans for low-carbon transitions in cool climates typically include electrification of heating. This poses challenges for electrical network managers, who will need to cater for substantial new loads. Transition also implies at least two types of change in heating practices: (a) as people shift to electric heating and (b) as they adapt usage in response to the availability and price of power in a system that is supply-driven and increasingly reliant on renewable generation. From a systems point of view, electric storage heating has proved useful in the past and could offer a valuable source of flexibility in future, comparing favourably with the current generation of domestic batteries. In order to realise its potential, though, it has to be more readily controllable than traditional storage heaters, for two reasons. The people who use the heaters need to be able to heat their homes or offices adequately at times of their choosing, and system operators also need to be able to charge up or switch off heaters in response to conditions on local networks or on the transmission grid, to minimise curtailment of renewable generation when this is abundant or the use of back-up generation when demand exceeds supply. This paper explains why and how a new,'smart' version of an established technology – electric storage heating - is being tested to offer flexibility to networks that are supplied by an increasing proportion of renewable generation. Drawing on the demand response literature and on background research for a project in which smart thermal storage appliances are being tested in Ireland, Germany and Latvia, it sets out some theoretical and practical considerations about the role and of storage heating in energy transitions, the actors involved in demand response, and how value may be distributed between them. The paper concludes with some considerations for further research.


In this contribution, we report the design and theoretical analysis, using the INDO/SCI-SOS quantum chemical formalism, of novel molecular architectures based on planar [N4]-, (2-aminobenzylideneiminato)- and tetraazamacrocycle-coordinated nickel(II) complexes, having second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties. Calculations indicate that these molecules possess comparable, or even larger, second-order nonlinearity to the bis(salicylaldiminato)NiII Schiff-base analogues. The nonlinearity of substituted complexes is dominated by the nature and position of substituents on the tribenzo[b,f,l] and/or cyclotetradecine rings, and is determined by the relative directions of the ground- and excited-state dipole moments. Moreover, substitution with acceptor groups in the dibenzo[b,l] rings involves a significant octupolar contribution to optical nonlinearity. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2003)


Abstract Satellite data assimilation of hyperspectral Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) clear channels in regions with but not affected by low-level clouds requires a set of height-dependent cloud emission and scattering indices (CESIs) that are sensitive to cloud top pressures. In this study, three CESIs are generated by pairing CrIS longwave and shortwave channels at three altitudes around 212 (CESI-5), 452 (CESI-9) and 1085 hPa (CESI-19). The training dataset for CESIs is the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting analysis. CESI-5 is strongly (weakly) affected by those ice clouds with cloud-top pressures (CTPs) above (below) ∼300 hPa; CESI-9 is strongly (weakly) affected by those ice clouds with CTPs above (below) ∼600 hPa; and CESI-19 is highly correlated with the ice cloud optical depth (ICOD) obtained from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) retrieval product. CESIs have latitudinal and scan-dependent biases that need removal. Verified with AIRS ICOD data, CESI-19 is greater than 5 K (6.5 K) if an ice cloud is present. This 5-K threshold gives a probability of correct typing of 85.3% (86.5%), a false alarm rate of 9.5% (5.1%) and a leakage rate of 4.5% (5.0%) during the daytime (nighttime). CESI-5 (CESI-9) is greater than −3 K (−1 K) if an ice cloud is present above 200 hPa (between 200 and 300 hPa). The case of Typhoon Maria (2018) demonstrates the potential of using height-dependent CESIs to identify above-cloud CrIS clear channels.