An observational analysis of an atypical energetic particle event near 5 au measured by the Ulysses spacecraft is presented. A previous study has attributed the unusual enhancement of energetic proton flux to the presence of small-scale dynamic magnetic islands or flux ropes. Here, we find that the generation of these magnetic islands may be related to the interaction of a stream interaction region (SIR) and the heliospheric current sheet (HCS). Particles are accelerated and trapped within the SIR structure characterized by a forward shock–reverse wave pair. Analysis of the energetic particle intensity spectra shows that the 63 keV–4.4 MeV protons form a power-law (PL) spectrum near the shock, with a slope much steeper than predicted by the diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) theory. Double PL spectra are found in the region of unusual particle flux enhancement, and the lower energy part of the spectrum gets harder farther away from the shock. In comparison, we discuss a later forward wave–reverse wave pair with an embedded large-scale magnetic cloud (MC). In contrast to small-scale magnetic islands, the MC corresponds to a decrease in energetic proton fluxes. A power spectral density analysis suggests that the turbulence level increases in the compression regions, and the majority of the observed turbulence power resides in the two-dimensional (2D) component because the spacecraft velocity is almost perpendicular to the interplanetary magnetic field. This is consistent with the enhanced generation of magnetic flux ropes, which are instrinsic to quasi-2D MHD turbulence, in the SIR. An automatic Grad–Shafranov reconstruction technique is used to identify flux rope structures within the period of interest, and their detailed parameters are included in the paper. The observational evidence suggests that the interaction of shock/compressional waves with the HCS may be a key element in generating small-scale dynamic magnetic islands, which subsequently accelerate charged particles and complement the classical DSA mechanism.


This keynote article sketches out a vision for the development of machine learning (ML) for computer-aided design (CAD): from today's ML-assisted CAD (MLCAD) to tomorrow's ML-based design automation (MLDA). –Ulf Schlichtmann, Technical University of Munich


American Anthropologist. General Index Current Anthropological Literature and Memoirs of the American Anthropological Association, I888-I928. Menasha, Wisconsin: American Anthropologist, I930. Pp. I9I. Archer, C. P. Transfer of Training in Spelling, University of Iowa Studies in Education. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press. Pp. 63. Beard, C. A., and Beard, W. The American Leviathan; the Republic in the Machine Age. New York: Macmillan Co., I930. Pp. 839. $5.00. Beard, Miriam. Realism in Romantic Japan. New York: Macmillan Co., 1930. Pp. 521. $5.00. Bendann, Effie. Death Customs: An Analytical Study of Burial Rites. New York: A.A. Knopf, I930. Pp. 3I7. Berne, E. V. C. An Investigation of the Wants of Seven Children, University of Iowa Studies in Child Welfare. Iowa City: University of Iowa. Pp. 6i. Best, Harry. Crime and the Criminal Law in the United States. New York: Macmillan Co., I930. Pp. 632. $6.50. Binkley, Robert. Responsible Drinking. New York: Vanguard Press, I930. Pp. 223. $2.00. Bogart, E. L. Economic History of the American People. New York: Longmans, Green & Co. Pp. 8og. $3.50. Briffault, Robert. Rational Evolution. New York: Macmillan Co., I930. Pp.


The present invention relates to a turbine disc preform which is made of a method of welding a turbine rotor and manufacturing. Specifically, there is disclosed a method of manufacturing a turbine rotor. The method comprises: forming the end of stage disk having a disk axis preform, the preform having a rotor face and an opposite face of the shaft, the rotor having a circumferential surface extending therefrom, the rotor axially extending ribs, the shaft having a surface therefrom, the rib shaft extending axially projecting circumferential direction, the disc member comprises a preform disk preform material. The method further comprises a rotor connected to the rotor rib preform to form a joint rotor, the rotor including a rotor preform preform material. The method further comprises a connecting rib to the shaft axis to form a joint shaft, the shaft comprises a shaft material, wherein a material different from the disk preform material and the preform rotor shaft materials.


Our society has been computerised and globalised due to emergence and spread of information and communication technology (ICT). This enables us to investigate our own socio-economic systems based on large amounts of data on human activities. In this article, methods of treating complexity arising from a vast amount of data, and linking data from different sources, are discussed. Furthermore, several examples are given of studies into the applications of econoinformatics for the Japanese stock exchange, foreign exchange markets, domestic hotel booking data and international flight booking data are shown. It is the main message that spatio-temporal information is a key element to synthesise data from different data sources.


The increased use of hydrogen in the nuclear and aerospace industries has multiplied the need for suitable electrical equipment for Group B applications, both for Division 1 and 2 of Class I.


Abstract A new, inexpensive radiosonde transmitter and receiver system has been developed for measuring wind field inhomogeneities in the planetary boundary layer using multiple simultaneously launched balloons. The radiosondes use a narrowband-frequency-modulated carrier signal to transmit atmospheric pressure and temperature information to a surface receiver. The pressure and temperature data transmitted by the radiosondes allow their height above the surface to be ascertained. In addition, the radiosondes can be tracked with a photographic camera system to provide the azimuth and elevation angles of the radiosondes during their ascent, so that their three-dimensional horizontal position can be determined. By tracking the spatial separation of the radiosondes over time, horizontal gradients can be derived. The system hardware and results from preliminary tests are described.


In uterine muscle from nongravid rats, the specific activities of lysosomal enzymes change with ovarian hormonal stateand approximate those found inliver.However, inpreviousmorphological studies lysosomes were not found in uterinemuscle from cycling rats.In thisstudy we examined the ultrastructureof rat uterine muscle during estrus,afterovariectomy, and after subsequent injectionof estrogen and/or progesterone,i.e.,under the same experimental conditions used by the author in an earlierbiochemical study (Sloane and Bird, 1977). In uterine muscle cells under estrogen domination, lysosomal dense bodies were routinely observed. These cellsalsohad an extensive rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and Golgi apparatus as well as many vacuoles and residualbodies. Within I day afterovariectomy, coated vesiclesand primary lysosomes could be observed budding from the Golgi or GERL (region of tubules between the Golgi and RER from which lysosomes bud). At 3 weeks postovariectomy, the only lysosomal structurespresent were a few residualbodies. Changes in the number of lysosomes in uterine muscle cellscorrelatedwith changes in lysosomal enzyme activities,yet the number of lysosomes did not seem sufficientto account for the enzyme activity,suggestingthat lysosomal enzymes in uterine muscle may be stored in the RER, Golgi, or GERL.


ABSTRACT The present study investigated the distribution, sources, bioavailable fractions, and ecological risks of nine metals (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) in water, sediment, and vegetation samples collected from a shallow lake within the industrial town of Ranipet, India. The lake water samples exceeded the concentrations of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Pb beyond BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) limits for drinking water with Cr to be highest as 6.73 mg/L. The Geo-accumulation index for lake bed sediment samples were in the order of Cr>Cu>Co>Mn>Zn>Pb. The bioavailability of the metals in sediment samples determined through Sequential Extraction Procedure (SEP) showed Cr>Co>Zn>Cu>Pb>Mn>Fe>Al. The sediment samples collected from the root zone of different plant species (Cynodon dactylon, Sida acuta, and Eclipta prostrata) exhibited varied bioavailable fractions than lake bed sediments, which indicated the influence of plants in mobilising and fixing the metals. The plant samples had metals concentration in the order of Root>Stem>Leaves and showed the possibility of phytoremediation. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and Pearson Correlation Matrix (PCM) in the lake bed sediment samples identified the clustering of Al and Fe which indicated probable lithological origin. The lone clustering of Cr from Co, Mn, and Cu indicated separate anthropogenic sources. Further Al, Fe, and Mn showed strong correlations with TOC (Total Organic Carbon) substantiate their distribution under influence of TOC. The study indicated elevated metals pollution is water, sediment, and plants samples from lake area which require immediate attention from all the stakeholders. The assessment of pollution in small and shallow lakes amidst industrial belts need to be prioritised as they often become victims of industrial encroachment and cease to exist in long run.


The resistance of native Caribbean people to the colonial dispensation established by Europeans following the Columbus landfall of 1492 has received insufficient attention from scholars. Unlike the case with the experience of enslaved African people few studies have presented systematic accounts of their anti-colonial and anti-slavery struggle. The reasons for his historiographic imbalance are not altogether clear. No one has suggested, for example, that their fight for liberty, life and land was any less endemic or virulent than that of Africans. On the contrary,-'most accounts of European settlement have indicated in a general sort of way their determination and tenacity in confronting the new order in spite of their relative technological limitations with respect to warfare.•


There is provided a mechanism for allocating communication resources of a cellular communication network to a D2D communication. After an eNB has configured a number of resource pools indicating a set of resources usable in the D2D communication, D2D clusters which share a same resource pool are enabled to obtain resources for their respective D2D communication. By detecting the current resource utilization state in the allocated resource pool by measurement on the UE side, it is decided whether suitable resources are available or not. An overload situation is signalled to the eNB if no suitable resource can be detected.


The "Internet Studio Network" is an initiative designed to create academic relationships among architectural schools to work on semester-studio projects collaborating via the Internet. Past participants included a maximum of 300 architectural students from Miami, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and Venezuela, who collaborated in semester-long design studios via the Internet and videoconference technology during the Fall, 2001.


Variations in teacher methods and flexibility in the learning process will be able to create more effective learning, because it can reduce boredom during learning, one of which is the singing method. This study aims to find out and understand the application of the singing method in the mufradat learning of madrasah students in Haurgeulis, Indramayu. Qualitative research with this descriptive method describes a state of the object under study. The population is teachers and students of class VII, with a sample of Arabic language teachers and students of class VII B. The data will be collected using observation, interview and documentation techniques. The results of this study are that the application of the singing method in learning Arabic mufradat in class VII MTs Nurul Hikmah Haurgeulis Indramayu can be said to be good, because the educators carry out three stages of learning, namely main activities, core activities and closing activities. The application of this singing method also has advantages and disadvantages, the advantage is that it can cause a feeling of joy and delight in students and increases a sense of enthusiasm, students more easily understand and memorize the material presented. While the drawback is that this method is not suitable for upper class students because the material presented is different and broader and not suitable for quiet students.


This paper describes the current status of chronic dialysis in Japan and the guidelines used to initiate dialysis (scoring system), and reports the outcome of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), focusing upon our center's experience. Fifty percent of CAPD technique survival was 6.9 ± 1.3 years among those patients classified as "positive selection." The major causes of withdrawal from CAPD were ultrafiltration failure, the patients' inability to continue on CAPD by themselves, and peritonitis. The clinical issues that most concern nephrologists in CAPD management are prevention and management of ultrafiltration failure, prevention/therapeutic intervention in encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis, catheter-related infections, and prevention of underdialysis.


President Bush's initial frame for the attacks of September 11, 2001, overwhelmingly dominated the news. Using that frame as a springboard, this article advances a coherent conception of framing within a new model of the relationship between government and the media in U.S. foreign policy making. The cascading activation model supplements research using the hegemony or indexing approaches. The model explains how interpretive frames activate and spread from the top level of a stratified system (the White House) to the network of nonadministration elites, and on to news organizations, their texts, and the public--and how interpretations feed back from lower to higher levels. To illustrate the model's potential, the article explores the frame challenge mounted by two journalists, Seymour Hersh and Thomas Friedman, who attempted to shift the focus from Afghanistan to Saudi Arabia. As hegemony theory predicts, 9/11 revealed yet again that media patrol the boundaries of culture and keep discord within conventional bounds. But inside those borders, even when government is promoting "war" against terrorism, media are not entirely passive receptacles for government propaganda, and the cascade model illuminates deviations from the preferred frame. As index theorists suggest, elite discord is a necessary condition for politically influential frame challenges. Among other things, the cascade model helps explain whether that condition arises, and how journalists can hinder or advance it.


WeiberWirtschaft (WW) is a feminist organization which is embedded in the transformations of German, European and global women's movements. It represents a 'real utopia', a concept introduced by Erik Olin Wright that refers to o characterize organizations which are guided by the moral principles of equality, democracy and sustainability. The organizational structure of the cooperative and the low membership shares ensure equality and democracy. Each member – no matter how many shares she owns – has the same voice. Sustainability was a guiding criteria during the renovation and extension of the building. Furthermore, the cooperation engages in intersectional feminist practices: local democratic practices, cooperation between state and community, as well as democratic practices in the transnational context. What factors and paradoxes contributed to the success of WW and how does this project reflect and inspire feminist transformations? One of the most important lessons that WW offers is the readiness to cooperate with diverse groups and individuals - or at least to consider it. Social movements, including women's movements are not always willing to reach out to potential allies and often engage in exclusionary solidarity. The openness to negotiate and to seek support from a range of stakeholders does not mean selling out – the tightrope walk and compromises were (and continue to be) embedded in extensive discussion processes


Studies on the relationship between moral reasoning and moral behavior have yielded weak to modest correlations which vary in strength according to the behavior examined. This article describes a social-cognitive perspective which is geared toward more comprehensive behavioral predictions, particularly in cases of honesty and conformity where reasoning-behavior relationships have been identified to be particularly unimpressive. This perspective which is consistent with the symbolic interactionist approach of James Mark Baldwin focuses on children's self-definitions as related to perceptions of significant others. Aspects in which this form of social cognition is related to maladjusted behavior are explored as is selected recent research bearing on the development of autonomy and control in children.


The welfare and retirement fund negotiated in 1946 by the UMWA for bituminous coal miners was the first large program of its type to be set up by collective bargaining after the war. Based upon principles differing from those followed in other industries, the fund aroused much speculation in regard to the high benefits which it afforded and the soundness of its financing. In this article, the operating experience of the fund, primarily with respect to old-age pensions and certain other benefits, during the last five years is analyzed. (Author's abstract courtesy EBSCO.)


Summary Abstract: If planned and applied correctly, intra-vascular brachytherapy (IVB) can significantly reduce the risk of restenosis after interventional treatment of stenotic arteries. Objectives: In order to facilitate computer-based IVB planning, a three-dimensional reconstruction of the stenotic artery based on intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) sequences is desirable. Methods: To attain a 3D reconstruction, the frames of the IVUS sequence are properly aligned in space and completed with additional intermediate frames generated by interpolation. The alignment procedure uses additional information that is obtained from biplane X-ray angiography performed simultaneously during the capturing of the IVUS sequence. After IVUS images and biplane angiography data are acquired from the patient, the vessel-wall borders and the IVUS catheter are detected by an active contour algorithm. Next, the twist between adjacent IVUS frames is determined by a sequential triangulation method combined with stochastic analysis. Results: The above procedure results in a 3D volume-model of the vessel, which also contains information from the IVUS modality. This data is sufficient for computer-based intravascular brachytherapy planning. Conclusion: The proposed methodology can be used to improve the current state-of-the-art IVB treatment planning by enabling computerized dosage computations on a highly accurate 3D model.


Gaussian graphical models are recently used in economics to obtain networks of dependence among agents. A widely-used estimator is the Graphical Lasso (GLASSO), which amounts to a maximum likelihood estimation regularized using the L1,1 matrix norm on the precision matrix Ω. The L1,1 norm is a lasso penalty that controls for sparsity, or the number of zeros in Ω. We propose a new estimator called Structured Graphical Lasso (SGLASSO) that uses the L1,2 mixed norm. The use of the L1,2 penalty controls for the structure of the sparsity in Ω. We show that SGLASSO is asymptotically equivalent to an infeasible GLASSO problem which prioritizes the sparsity-recovery of high-degree nodes. Monte Carlo simulation shows that SGLASSO outperforms GLASSO in terms of estimating the overall precision matrix and in terms of estimating the structure of the graphical model. In an empirical application to a classic firms' investment dataset, we obtain a network of firms' dependence that exhibits the core-periphery structure, with General Motors, General Electric and U.S. Steel forming the core group of firms.


It comes to question the reasons why Muslim astronomers could not recognize the centrality of the Sun in the planetary system. While Europeans have spent centuries in their dark ages, Muslims spent the same centuries trying to verify the Ptolemaic planetary theory which has adopted the assumption of geocentricism, both theoretically and observationally. Many generations of Muslim astronomers from the 8th century to the 15th century lived circling in boring games of epicycles and deferments. Undoubtedly, Muslim astronomers devoted great efforts for developing the astronomical observations. For this purpose, they invented and developed many precise astronomical instruments and on the side of scientific literature, they wrote thousands of manuscripts in astronomy and observational techniques.
This article questions the reasons why Muslim astronomers could not recognize the heliocentric system, despite their serious critique of the Ptolemaic geocentric model. For this purpose, we try to interrogate the astronomical manuscripts written by Muslim astronomers during the centuries before the Copernican breakthrough, since it is now believed that the efforts of Muslim astronomers have contributed great deal to the Copernican discovery of the heliocentric system. Some new studies in this area have already pointed to the fact that prominent Muslim astronomers have criticized the Ptolemaic geocentric system starting with the article of Ibn al-Haytham entitled "The Doubts about Ptolemy", then al-Beruni's assertion of the possibility of the spinning Erath while rotating around the Sun which comes in his assessment of the Indian astronomers' claim of the heliocentric model. The work of the astronomers of Muragha school and the Muragha observatory which was erected in 1259 and their models proposing to explain the observed planetary motions using the intelligent model of the "Tusi Couple", in addition to the comments and suggestions of Ibn al-Shatir of Damascus about the lunar motion have contributed a great deal to the advancement of astronomy. These and many other flash points in the history of Islamic astronomy marked a strong zeal for a change that never took place. The question is: why could not Muslims adopt a new paradigm?
This article emphasizes the fact that a transformation from the assumption of a geocentric system to a heliocentric system required a fundamental paradigm shift from the Aristotelian belief in the geocentric planetary system and the more developed Ptolemaic models. Such a paradigm was prevailing in the thoughts of Muslim philosophers as well as the religious clerics. We point to the fact that in addition to the observed reality of the celestial objects rotating around the Earth with different periods, the Aristotelian picture of the universe was in agreement with the interpretations of some verses of the Qur'an related to the celestial motion. We point here to the description of the heavenly spheres given by Ikhwan as-Safa who were a group of religious philosophers with some influence in the scientific circle. While being in doubt about the Ptolemaic models, Muslim astronomers were unable to continue their revolution to adopt a profoundly different model. The traditional understanding of some religious texts may have influenced the realization of some scientific facts. This may explain why Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, who belongs to the same sect of Ikwan as-Safa, resorted to device his couple to explain the apparently non-circular orbits of the planets by circular motion of his couple. However, we allude to the possibility that Muslim Mutakallimun could have achieved such a paradigm should they have the chance to continue their project on the Islamic worldview of nature. The endeavour of Mutakallimun to establish a rational and liberal attitude towards science and religion was negatively affected by their muddling with the theological question more than the questions related to natural philosophy. Internal fight between different factions of the Mutakallimun dispersed their efforts. Furthermore, the prohibition of kalam and the debates related to kalam aborted any progress in the rational approach to establish a scientific trend in religious studies.
Keywords: Geocentric model, Heliocentric model, Ptolemy, Tusi couple, Islamic astronomy.


Fifth-generation (5G) mm-wave communication systems support high-order modulation schemes with large peak-to-average power ratios (PAPR). This demands transmitter (TX) operation in deep power back-off (PBO), thus degrading its average efficiency. Hence, several mm-wave Doherty PAs have been proposed [1], [3] to address this issue. However, the number of their peaking amplifiers (PAP) has been limited to two, mainly due to poor scalability, and high losses in the Doherty power combiner. Therefore, the efficiency enhancement was restricted to the 10dB PBO range. Furthermore, prior-art chiefly employed an analog class-AB amplifier for the main PA (PAM), degrading the system efficiency (SE) for two reasons. First, the conduction angle of an analog amplifier increases with a reduction of the drive signal amplitude, resulting in a Class-A-type efficiency roll-off that severely degrades the achievable PBO efficiency. Second, the output impedance of analog PAs is almost constant while the PAs' load significantly increases in PBO Doherty operation. This results in a load mismatch at PBO, degrading the PAs' gain and efficiency while giving rise to AM-AM and AM-PM distortion.


Quasi-Normal Modes are used to characterize transmission resonances in 1D optical defect cavities and the related field approximations. Using a mirror field and the relevant QNM, a variational principle permits to represent the field and the spectral transmission close to resonances.


Collaboration has become a major solution to modern public administration issues that demand sharing of information, increased productivity, more efficient use of resources, and greater legitimacy among multiple actors from various sectors (Donahue & Zeckhauser, 2011). Countries, despite their varying contexts and conditions, have jumped on this bandwagon and embraced the idea of thinner, more adaptive, more entrepreneurial, and more collaborative government. Although this demand creates strong momentum toward innovation and synergy in the public sector, it challenges existing values, processes, and institutions of the government. This, in turn, raises the overarching question of how government can adopt and


Microparticles (MPs), spherically formed fragments of the cell membrane, play potentially important role in the thrombotic processes. Currently used scales assessing the risk of thrombosis in lymphoproliferative neoplasms seem imperfect.


Many years after the release of the first large randomized trial, there is still wide discussion regarding the best treatment of coronary bifurcations in both left main and nonleft main settings. Studies of coronary bifurcation lesions have shown no advantage of systematic two‐stent strategies over one‐stent strategies. Non‐randomized data suggest worse outcomes with a two‐stent strategy, while randomized data support the double kissing crush technique for left main disease over culotte technique. The European Bifurcation Club Left Main Coronary Stent Study (EBC MAIN) compared the clinical outcomes of the two strategies, one‐ and two‐stent, in patients with distal left main lesions. Although with non‐statistically significant differences, patients with left main stenosis in a true bifurcation lesion treated with a stepwise layered provisional stenting (PS) experienced fewer major adverse cardiac events than a more complex planned dual stenting, with the PS approach requiring the use of a second stent in only 20% patients. PS is therefore recommended by the European Bifurcation Club (EBC) as the upfront strategy of choice in the treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions, whether using a one‐ or a two‐stent approach, with the goal of keeping the procedure as simple as possible and minimizing the number of stents needed in a bifurcation lesion. The multicenter, randomized Two‐stent versus Provisional Stenting Techniques for Patients with Complex Coronary Bifurcation Lesions (DEFINITION‐II) trial documented an advantage of the two‐stent strategy in complex bifurcations where it was associated with a significant benefit in clinical outcomes compared with the PS approach. In this issue of Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, Arunothayaraj and colleagues, analyzed the procedural and outcome data of 438 patients with left main bifurcation lesion randomized to a PS or two‐stent strategy (T, T‐and‐protrude, or culotte) with the aim of identifying technical variables influencing procedural outcomes and periprocedural myocardial infarction. EBC recommends the systematic use of the "jailing wire" technique. This technique, in this sub‐study, was associated with an independently increased chance of successful side vessel (SV) rewiring. Failure to rewire the jailed SV occurred in 3.9% of cases and was strongly associated with the absence of jailed wire use (9.5% vs. 2.5%, odds ratio 6.4, 95% confidence interval 2.0–20.7). The absence of both jailed wire use and SV preparation led to very high rates of rewiring failure (16.1%). Furthermore, jailed wires have been reported to aid recovery of SV flow and act as an ostial marker with a potential bifurcation optimization effect for re‐accessing. The proximal optimization technique is another crucial step in the treatment of coronary bifurcations, a protective factor in terms of target lesion failure that reduced the need for further SV intervention without influence SV re‐access rates in this study. Although currently available data do not support the routine use of kissing balloon inflation (KBI), this technique can reduce target lesion revascularizations, as already demonstrated in other studies. Authors demonstrated that KBI with noncompliant balloons improved stent expansion, reduced SV stenting and avoided balloon overexpansion at high pressures with a significant reduction in periprocedural myocardial infarction.


A discussion is presented on nickel cadmium battery life tests using reconditioning and some comparative tests not using reconditioning. The discussion is aimed at the program application part of the testing. The goals of the program were to get an increased utilization out of the battery system in geosynchronous orbit. An attempt was made to push the depth of discharge operation up around 80 to 85 percent and the intent with the reconditioning program was to extend this type of utilization out towards a 10-year life and attune the voltage regulation.


In arid regions, starchy agricultural products such as wheat and rice provide essential carbohydrates, minerals, fibers and vitamins. However, drought, desiccation, high salinity, potentially toxic metals and hydrocarbon accumulation are among the most notable stresses affecting soil quality and cereal production in arid environments. Certain soil bacteria, referred to as Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR), colonize the plant root environment, providing beneficial advantages for both soil and plants. Beyond their ability to improve plant growth under non-stressed conditions, PGPR can establish symbiotic and non-symbiotic interactions with plants growing under stress conditions, participating in soil bioremediation, stress alleviation and plant growth restoration. Moreover, the PGPR ability to fix nitrogen, to solubilize insoluble forms of nutrients and to produce other metabolites such as siderophores, phytohormones, antibiotics and hydrolytic enzymes makes them ecofriendly alternatives to the excessive use of unsuitable and cost-effective chemicals in agriculture. The most remarkable PGPR belong to the genera Arthrobacter, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Bacillus, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, etc. Therefore, high cereal production in arid environments can be ensured using PGPR. Herein, the potential role of such bacteria in promoting wheat and rice production under both normal and derelict soils is reviewed and highlighted.


In the last few decades, the efforts of the scientific community to search earthquake signatures in the atmospheric, ionospheric and magnetospheric media have grown rapidly. The increasing amount of good quality data from both ground stations and satellites has allowed for the detections of anomalies with high statistical significance such as ionospheric plasma density perturbations and/or atmospheric temperature and pressure changes. However, the identification of a causal link between the observed anomalies and their possible seismic trigger has so far been prevented by difficulties in the identification of confounders (such as solar and atmospheric activity) and the lack of a global analytical lithospheric–atmospheric–magnetospheric model able to explain (and possibly forecast) any anomalous signal. In order to overcome these problems, we have performed a multi-instrument analysis of a low-latitude seismic event by using high-quality data from both ground bases and satellites and preserving their statistical significance. An earthquake (Mw = 7.2) occurred in the Caribbean region on 14 August 2021 under both solar quiet and fair weather conditions, thus proving an optimal case study to reconstruct the link between the lithosphere, atmosphere, ionosphere, and magnetosphere. The good match between the observations and novel magnetospheric–ionospheric–lithospheric coupling (M.I.L.C.) modeling of the event confirmed that the fault break generated an atmospheric gravity wave that was able to mechanically perturb the ionospheric plasma density, in turn triggering a variation in the magnetospheric field line resonance frequency.


P elements are a family of mobile DNA elements found in Drosophila. P‐element transposition is tightly regulated, and P‐element‐encoded repressor proteins are responsible for inhibiting transposition in vivo. To investigate the molecular mechanisms by which one of these repressors, the KP protein, inhibits transposition, a variety of mutant KP proteins were prepared and tested for their biochemical activities. The repressor activities of the wild‐type and mutant KP proteins were tested in vitro using several different assays for P‐element transposase activity. These studies indicate that the site‐specific DNA‐binding activity of the KP protein is essential for repressing transposase activity. The DNA‐binding domain of the KP repressor protein is also shared with the transposase protein and resides in the N‐terminal 88 amino acids. Within this region, there is a C2HC putative metal‐binding motif that is required for site‐specific DNA binding. In vitro the KP protein inhibits transposition by competing with the transposase enzyme for DNA‐binding sites near the P‐element termini.


This paper concerns the description of large waves in intermediate and shallow water depths. In deep water it is well known that the evolution of the largest waves is governed by linear dispersion. In contrast, as the water depth reduces the effects of wave dispersion are weakened and the relative significance of wave modulation shown to be increasingly important. This leads to very different extreme wave groups, the properties of which are critically dependent upon the directionality of the wave field. The paper also concerns the water particle kinematics arising beneath these nonlinear wave groups and contrasts fully non-linear predictions based on a state-of-the-art wave model with the results of the commonly applied design wave solutions. To explore these effects, and to provide a physical explanation for their occurrence, two wave models are employed. The first, proposed by Bateman, Swan & Taylor [1, 2], allows fully-nonlinear descriptions of the evolution of large waves in realistic seas, involving a significant spread of wave energy in both frequency and direction. The second is a wave evolution equation based upon the early work of Zakharov [3] and written in Hamiltonian form by Kasitskii [4]. This model is only valid to a fourth-order of wave steepness, but has the over-riding advantage that it gives physical insight into the evolution process.Copyright © 2005 by ASME


Dementia has a complex disease course and one of them can affect the psychology of the sufferer. People with dementia tend to experience stress and anxiety symptoms due to the limitations they experience. This article will provide a theoretical overview of the relationship between the two in general and theoretically so that it can be understood that the two are a unity in the neuropsychiatric aspect.


When we reflect on 2020, especially in the United States, the divides in society amplified by the pandemic and laid bare for all to see following the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota in May, 2020 will most likely be the top of mind. We could all see this nation's history and current complicity for racism, both the systematic and systemic. The moment was not unfamiliar, but markedly different. Initially, we wrote this piece in the summer of 2020, in response to our professional organization's delay and hesitancy to affirm Black lives, Black students, Black engineers and Black faculty. Many of us were crying out. Allies with commitment to action showed up for and with us -- no questions asked, to ensure that what we felt was at least heard. In nearly a year since our original effort to write this piece together, some things have changed for the better. We saw our professional organization affirm Black lives. We saw some of our colleagues take action, change course and use their influence to make the community better. Some learned, listened and tried to do something new. Others, either remained silent, hopefully in contemplation, but some with a silence that convinces us that they are simply not on the same side.
We composed the below entries in the summer of 2020, amid national turbulence and internal reflection. Below we provide four personal stories and some specific calls to action situated in the summer of 2020, but these remain our aspirations and hopes for the field of engineering education.


X-Ray image contains very important information. The information is useful for medical field to diagnose or to analyze any disease or malfunctioned cell. In the analyzing of x-ray image based on computer aided application, object segmentation is very important first step, including tibia and femur segmentation which are part of knee segmentation. Segmentation based Active Shape Model (ASM) can not give perfect result for tibia and femur segmentation. Original version of ASM can not separate each object (tibia and femur) so it creates connection between two segmented object which is disturb the information for image analyzing. To solve this problem, a recovery method for segmentation result based on double labelling object is proposed. Different from other labelling techniques, double labelling technique is performed to achieve more reliable results. The proposed method is a simple to implement by using labeling each object and then removing unused object. To complete this proposed method, dilation is implemented to the two objects which is selected by certain criteria. Experimental results are performed on 10 different images. Based on experiment, it shows that the proposed method gives better result for regular form disturbing area and unused area.


Although the E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (LTB) is known to be a potent mucosal adjuvant towards co-administrated unrelated antigens and immunoregulator in T-helper 1-type-mediated autoimmune diseases, a more efficient and useful LTB is still required for prospective vaccine adjuvants. To determine whether a novel chimeric LTB subunit would produce an enhanced mucosal adjuvant activity and immune response, a number of LTB subunits were genetically fused with chimeric proteins using the epitope genes of the envelope glycoprotein E2 (gp51-54) from the classical swine fever virus (CSFV). It was found that the total serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels of BALB/c mice orally immunized with chimeric proteins containing an N-terminal linked LTB subunit (LE1, LE2, and LE3) were higher than those of mice immunized with LTB, E2 epitope, and chimeric proteins that contained a C-terminal linked LTB subunit. In particular, immunization with LE1 markedly increased both the total serum Ig and fecal IgA level compared to immunization with LTB or the E2 epitope. Accordingly, the current results demonstrated that the LTB subunit in a chimeric protein exhibited a strong mucosal adjuvant effect as a carrier molecule, while the chimeric protein containing the LTB subunit stimulated the mucosal immune system by mediating the induction of antigen-specific serum Ig and mucosal IgA. Consequently, an LE1-mediated mucosal response may contribute to the development of effective antidiarrhea vaccine adjuvants.


The side window detection technology can be adopted to solve the problem of aerodynamic heat induced by high speed.To solve the problem of space interception for side window detection,an algorithm was designed to adjust the attitude of the interceptor to keep the target in the side window all the time based on the mathematical model of the attitude angle and the side window vision scope.A variable structure Bang-Bang control method was proposed in this paper to control the attitude of interceptor,which satisfied the requirement of stabilizing the vision angle.Simulation result verifies the effectiveness of the variable structure BangBang control method.


Tumor heterogeneity in PET/CT assessed by textural parameters is gaining importance as prospective and predictive feature for multiple clinical applications...


Sebaceous horn or cutaneous horn, a rare clinical entity, is a dense hyperkeratotic protrusion or growth composed of keratin that projects above the surface of the skin. We report a unique case of a giant sebaceous horn at left flank in a 64-year-old female developed on an old burn scar, which was successfully excised and reconstructed. Histopathological examination confirmed the presence of an underlying cutaneous horn in the setting of verruca vulgaris. Cutaneous horns mostly occur in sun-exposed areas and are typically found on the face and scalp, but may arise from any part of the body. They are thought to result from underlying benign, premalignant, or malignant pathology.


Purpose The optic nerve (ON) sheath's role in limiting duction has been previously unappreciated. This study employed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to demonstrate this constraint on adduction. Methods High-resolution, surface coil axial MRI was obtained in 11 normal adults, 14 subjects with esotropia (ET) having normal axial length (AL) < 25.8 mm, 13 myopic subjects with ET and mean AL 29.3 ± 3.3 (SD) mm, and 7 subjects with exotropia (XT). Gaze angles and ON lengths were measured for scans employing eccentric lateral fixation in which an ON became completely straightened. Results In all groups, ON straightening occurred only in the adducting, not abducting, eye. Adduction at ON straightening was 26.0 ± 8.8° in normal subjects, not significantly different from XT at 22.2 ± 11.8°. However, there was significant increase in comparable adduction in ET to 36.3 ± 9.3°, and in myopic ET to 33.6 ± 10.7° (P < 0.04). Optic nerve length at straightening was 27.6 ± 2.7 mm in normals, not significantly different from 28.2 ± 2.8 mm in ET and 27.8 ± 2.7 mm in XT. In myopic ET, ON length at straightening was significantly reduced to 24.0 ± 2.9 mm (P < 0.002) and was associated with globe retraction in adduction, suggesting ON tethering. Conclusions Large adduction may exhaust length redundancy in the normally sinuous ON and sheath, so that additional adduction must stretch the sheath and retract or deform the globe. These mechanical effects are most significant in ET with axial myopia, but may also exert traction on the posterior sclera absent strabismus or myopia. Tethering by the ON sheath in adduction is an important, novel mechanical load on the globe.


The survival of twin lambs is much lower than single lambs in both Merino and crossbred flocks (Mullaney 1969; Holst 1987). Differences in survival between twin and single lambs has been largely attributed to the lower birth weight of lambs born as twins (Hinch et al, 1985). Hosking B., Egan A.R. and Hall D. (unpublished) found that giving lupins to Merino ewes (400gms/hd/day) for 9 days prelambing did not increase ewe live-weight but did increase lamb birth weight and survival of twin lambs in pen experiments. These results suggest that it is not necessary to increase ewe live-weight to improve lamb birth weight and that supplementation with lupins need only begin two weeks prior to the commencement of lambing.


Optically active α-deuterated α-amino acids were prepared in methano-d through Zn2+-catalyzed transamination reaction between the chiral pyridoxamine analogs, (R)- or (S)-15-aminomethyl-14-hydroxy-5,5-dimethyl-2,8-dithia[9] (2,5)pyridinophane and various α-keto acids with enantiomeric excesses ranging from 40 to 94%. Aliphatic α-keto acids gave α-deuterated α-amino acids, whereas aromatic ones possessing a methylene group between the carbonyl group (ketone) and the aromatic ring underwent concomitant deuterium substitution at the active methylene group to give the amino acids deuterated at both α- and β-positions of the carboxyl group. The use of the (S)-pyridoxamine analog gave the (R)-deuterated α-amino acids in excess and vice versa. The enatiomeric excesses of the amino acids were determined through the analyses of 1H NMR spectra of the Schiff bases produced by the condensation of the amino acids with the chiral pyridoxal analog, (R)- or (S)-15-formyl-14-hydroxy-2,8-dithia[9](2, 5)pyridinophane. The a...


a result been obtained, and it seems to me to be full of promise for' thec future. I must, however, here confess to no little anxiety as to the machinery of collection and distribution of the cards of inquiries, and the expense of their maintenance. Already the post of Secretary to -the Committee has become almost too heavy to be borne by a single individual, the mere tabulation of the returns involving the expenditure of time and patience which can never be adequately remunerated. It seems to me that, as the collective investigation scheme grows, many and important modifications will have to be made; and that the Association will have to consider the advisability of utilising its Branches for the purpose of collecting and tabulating the data furnished by members of the Branch. In doing this, still greater demands must necessarily be made on the finances of the Association ; but, if the work is to be thoroughly done and successfully, the Association must not hesitate to expend money upon it.2 As to the other inquiries now in progress, I have but little to say. Such subjects as chorea, rheumatism, diphtheria, and albuminuria are each sofull of interest, and so frequently under the view of every medical practitioner, that no doubt can arise as to the possibility of obtaining material upon them. There has, however, been started one investigation which appeals more widely than these; I mean that upon " old age," which was instituted on Professor Humphry's suggestion. The conditions of longevity have never been systematically studied; and we want the correction of ideas, gathered from solitary examples, by the results of a multitude of instances, to estimate them truly. And, in pursuance of this inquirv, we can enlist on our side the sympathies of the subjects themselves, who mostly take a pride in their length of years, and would be well pleased to give us answers to the questions we put them upon their life-history. Mr. Francis Galton's scheme of a Family Album, which was supervised by the Collective Investigation Committee, is more thorough and exact; but it will take long for it to be thoroughly known and established. This inquiry on "old age" promises, however, to be brought to an issue speedily; and from the manner in which it is taken up we may be able to infer how far Mr. Galton's expectations are likely to be verified. Although, as I have indicated, I do not myself think that the actual labour expended in filling up many of these cards is much, and that the concise manner in which the points are drawn up minimises this labour, so that anyone really undertaking it will be surprised at the readiness with which it is done, I am free to admit that I have never had to do this personally. But I trust that no one will be deterred from assisting in these investigations on this score. Indeed, I have come here to urge you to co-operate, and to use your influence in persuading others to co-operate, in assisting in these researches. At the same time, if there be any points to which you may deem it desirable to draw attention, the Committee will be grateful for your assistance. I should also remind you that two, if not three, of these researches have been conducted on a far more restricted basis than the rest. 'Notably was this the case in the inquiry into the communicability of phthisis last year. The subject was one which had been very prominently brought before the notice of the profession by certain pathological researches upon which I need not now dwell; and it was a question which admitted either a simple negative or affirmative answer-appealing merely to experience on a single point, and not requiring much detailed exposition. The result of that appeal was that, in a few weeks, 1,078 replies were received, of which number 261 gave an affirmative answer, more or less abundantly borne out by details of the circumstances; so that the evidence, on the whole, was consideredto be in support of the view that, under certain conditions, phthisis is communicable from person to person. The iniquiry may not have been conducted with all the precaution essential to a really scientific research; but the fact that nearly three-fourths of that large number of observers had no experience of contagion in phthisis, whereas the -remainder had had more or less positive experience, is a result which may prove to be of value. In such a question as this, an affirmative, if capable of proof, outweighs many negatives. Another inquiry has recently been conducted upon much the same lines, upon a subject which the collected experience of the many alone may be expected to throw light; viz., puerpera] fever. It is to be


The purpose of this research is to find out the effect of organization structure and job analysis on organization effectiveness. The population included all 68 employees Politeknik Citra Widya Edukasi. The sample consist of 65 persons using saturated sampling. Variabel that being used is organization structure and job analysis as independent variabel, and organization effectiveness as variable dependent. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis and be processed by SPSS 25.0. Purpose of this research is to see progress of organization effectiveness in Politeknik Citra Widya Edukasi. Primary data are collected to reveal employee perceptions of the effectiveness of organization and their knowledge in organization structure and their job description.  Results shows that organization effectiveness for Politeknik Citra Widya Edukasi is less effective because organization structure and job analysis need overview.


The utility model discloses an electrode patch fixing strap for chest lead electrocardiograph, which comprises a sticking chest strap 1, a waist lacing 2.2' and a shoulder lacing 3.3'. The specification of the sticking chest strap 1 is fit for the size of patient's chest. An electrode patch 4 is agglutinated at the relevant position of sticking the electrode patch on the body and at the inner side of the sticking chest strap 1. A film membrane pressurization air bladder 6 is stitched in the interlayer of the sticking chest strap 1 which is at the back of the electrode patch 4 by a stitching thread. The both ends of the sticking chest strap 1 are respectively connected with the waist lacing 2.2'. A shoulder lacing 3.3' is arranged at the upper end of the sticking chest strap 1. The shoulder lacing 3.3' is fastened at the dorsal side of the waist lacing 2.2 after respectively passing by the two shoulders. The electrode patch fixing strap for chest lead electrocardiograph is convenient and fast while in use, no need to respectively fix the electrode patch one by one, and the phenomenon of unfirm fixation and nonuniform pressurization doesn't appear, in addition, the phenomenon that skin is allergic doesn't appear, too.


A 3D OSEM and Median Root Prior (3D OSEM-MRP) algorithm has been evaluated for the reconstruction of 3D PET studies. The algorithm was implemented using the software package developed during the EU project PARAPET. Evaluation was performed using experimental phantom data simulating in terms of shape and size PET brain studies. For each phantom, high (/spl sim/200 Mcounts) and low (<50 Mcounts) count statistics 3D PET data were acquired. The performances of the algorithm were evaluated by calculating simple figures of merit (e.g. contrast, coefficient of variation, activity ratio between two regions) based on the use of regions of interest. The performances of the 3D OSEM-MRP were compared with those of a "pure" 3D OSEM and of the PROMIS algorithm, using different reconstruction filters. In all the considered experimental situations, 3D OSEM-MRP shows: 1) to converge to a stable solution, 2) to be quantitatively accurate, 3) to be very effective in noise reduction, particularly for low statistics data, 4) to maintain "good" spatial resolution. Compared with the 3D OSEM and PROMIS algorithms, 3D OSEM-MRP provides better or comparable results depending on the configuration parameters used for the reconstruction of the images.


Study on the radiation and convection heat loss of a boiler has positive significance for improving the boiler efficiency.In general,the radiation and convection heat loss of a conventional boiler accounts for about 0.5%~3% of the entire boiler heat balance.As the thermal condition of a Coke Dry Quenching(CDQ) waste-heat boiler depends on the CDQ process,its furnace structure and heating surface layout are different greatly from those of a conventional boiler.A thermal calculation of CDQ boiler directly using the radiation and convection heat loss calculating method for a conventional boiler would therefore lead to a relatively larger deviation of the calculated value from the actual one and affect the waste-heat boiler efficiency calculations.In this paper,the radiation and convection heat loss of CDQ waste-heat boiler was discussed combined with its actual operating characteristics.


The significance of the arterial lesion in traumata is conditioned bye to cause or to favor the death due to hemorrhage and shock during the first hours or due to a


ABSTRACT Background The miserable work conditions faced by many nurses around the world make them particularly prone to work–family conflict. Purpose This study was designed to explain from a resource perspective how and when nurses experiencing work–family conflict are more likely to exhibit decreased levels of organizational identification and professional identification. Methods A time-separation research design was used, and data were collected from 322 nurses in five hospitals in China. All of the hypotheses were tested using conduct structural equation modeling. Results The results showed that work–family conflict had negative effects on organizational identification and professional identification via emotional exhaustion. In addition, job meaningfulness may have a buffering effect on the negative impact of work–family conflict on emotional exhaustion, organizational identification, and professional identification. Conclusions/Implications for Practice The results advance knowledge on how and when work–family conflict damages organizational identification and professional identification. Providing family support, relieving emotional exhaustion, and enhancing job meaningfulness are necessary to support the organizational and professional identification of nurses.


This study presents a direct prediction model of flight time uncertainty as a function of flight condition and weather forecast information at an arbitrary flight distance. Due to fluctuations in meteorological conditions, flight time uncertainty increase is unavoidable despite constant monitoring and control of the aircraft's Mach number, flight altitude, and direction. Using secondary surveillance radar Mode S and numerical weather forecast, actual flight data are collected and processed in order to obtain a large dataset regarding flight time error and flight and meteorological conditions. The law of propagation of uncertainty is utilized to derive a mathematical model of flight time uncertainty as a function of ground speed, Mach number, flight distance, wind, temperature, and pressure altitude. Through cluster and linear regression analyses, the coefficients of the derived function are determined, taking into consideration the correlation between temperature and pressure altitude. Upon evaluation, the proposed model function is found to directly predict flight time uncertainty, without underestimation or overestimation even under moderate or severe weather conditions, at an arbitrary distance. The results show that the direct prediction model simultaneously improves the safety and efficiency of 4D trajectory management. Keywords-air traffic management; 4D trajectory management; flight time uncertainty; modeling and validation


A method and device for controlling an automatic freewheeling function in a vehicle where a freewheeling function is active due to a prevailing freewheeling condition and where a control unit is programmed to: predict that the vehicle soon will travel in a steep downhill slope that is steeper compared to a prevailing downhill slope; simulate if less fuel will be consumed if the freewheeling function is inactivated in a a further position before the vehicle enters the steeper downhill slope, compared to if the vehicle enters the steeper downhill slope with the freewheeling function active; and inactivate the freewheeling function in the further position, that is, before the vehicle enters the steeper downhill slope if the simulation shows that less fuel will be consumed.


Chemotherapy is 1 method for the treatment of cancer, but serious side effects can sometimes limit the dosage given. Mild fever and diarrhea are common side effects of cancer chemotherapy. Gastrointestinal injury induced by chemotherapeutic agents may result in bacterial/endotoxin translocation from the gut into the systemic circulation. An experimental study was therefore conducted to clarify the effect of systemic chemotherapeutic agents on gastrointestinal barrier function. Male Wistar rats were divided into a 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) group (100 mg/kg/day for 4 days; n = 27) and a control group (n = 5). All rats were fasted and central venous catheterization was performed for total parenteral nutrition and blood sampling. Intestinal tissue was also sampled for pathological examination. Plasma levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) were determined by ELISA, bacterial translocation was quantified by lymph node culture and plasma endotoxin content of portal blood was measured by the Limulus‐amebocyte‐lysate test. In the 5‐FU group on day 4, a proportion of rats exhibited severe watery diarrhea (73.9%) and occasional vomiting (86.2%). The levels of plasma TNFα and IL‐6 were seen to increase, peaking at day 6 (IL‐6, 350.0 ± 67.8 pg/ml; TNFα, 26.1 ± 3.2 pg/ml). The pathological findings also changed on day 4. On day 6, 90% of the rats in the 5‐FU group showed dramatic sepsis‐like manifestations, whereas the control group did not. Within the 5‐FU group, only at day 6 was bacterial translocation in the rat mesenteric lymph nodes or significantly elevated levels of endotoxin evident. These results suggest that bacterial/endotoxin translocation might cause sepsis‐like manifestations after systemic chemotherapy. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


To explore the effect of sea buckthorn whole fruit puree (SBFP) on fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and postprandial plasma glucose response in people with impaired glucose regulation (IGR).

 A two-stage randomized crossover-control and double-blind intervention study was conducted. The SBFP was produced by the Hippophae rhamnoides L. subsp. Sinensis. Forty-five subjects aged 50–70 years old with IGR (6.1 mmol/L ≤ FPG <7.0 mmol/L and/or 5.6% ≤Hemoglobin A1c ≤ 6.5%) were included and randomly divided into two groups (22 subjects in group AB and 23 in BA, respectively). Subject in group AB consumed SBFP (90 mL/d), washed out and then consumed placebo (90 mL/d) for 35, 28, 35 days, respectively, while the sequence of group BA was reversed. Fasting and postprandial (30, 60 and 120 min after a standard meal) blood samples were collected at the start and the end of every intervention period, and the concentration of plasma glucose was detected by the glucose oxidase method. Using a trapezoidal area formula, the area under the curve of 2 hours postprandial plasma glucose (PG-AUC) was calculated. The effect of the intervention was evaluated by general linear model.

 Six subjects in group AB and One in BA voluntarily withdrew before the first period of intervention and other 38 subjects completed the whole intervention. Consumption of 90 mL SBFP for 35 days (n = 38) resulted in a reduction of 0.13 ± 0.56 mmol/L (P = 0.173) on FPG in subjects with IGR, but the placebo intervention (n = 38) resulted in an increase of 0.12 ± 0.47 mmol/L (P = 0.122), and the difference in intervention was statistically significant (P = 0.045). The PG-AUC increased by 0.22 ± 1.02 h mmol/L (P = 0.184) and 0.07 ± 1.38 h mmol/L (P = 0.755), respectively, while no significant difference was observed (P = 0.871). During the wash-out period, the FPG changed with a decrease of 0.28 ± 0.61 mmol/L in the SBFP group (group AB, P = 0.080) but an increase of 0.16 ± 0.82 mmol/L in the placebo group (group BA, P = 0.373), and the effect was significantly different (P = 0.043). No significant difference was found for PG-AUC.

 Daily consumption of 90 mL SBFP for 35 days played a positive role in reducing the FPG in people with IGR, and it might still be effective within 28 days after discontinued use.

 The National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81773420).


This article is concerned with the security control of a class of discrete-time linear cyberphysical systems (CPSs) subject to denial-of-service attacks. To enhance the inherent resistance of the CPS against damage and attacks, a multichannel network is employed for remote information interaction between the ingredients of the system. In this way, a complex interaction process will be formed between the signal sender and the smart malicious adversary. Specifically, in the context of using the multichannel network, the malicious adversary has to maximize the attack success probability within its energy constraint. As a counterpart, the system tries to mitigate the negative impact of such attacks on CPS control performance. For the purpose of designing a control strategy to cope with the attacks, this interaction process is formulated as a zero-sum stochastic game, while the Nash equilibrium solution of this problem is found with the help of the proposed learning algorithm, and the optimal mixed strategies for both attackers and defenders are derived. Furthermore, for the CPS driven by the obtained decision-making strategies, a Kalman filter-based active dynamic output feedback resilient controller is proposed. Finally, the effectiveness of the developed optimal defense strategies and the resilient controller is demonstrated by extensive case studies on the servo motor experimental platform.


The heat moisture treatment refers to the relative lower humidity and temperature in a certain time,and it is a physical modification method of starch properties change.This method costs lower and avoid the pollution by chemical modification,and achieve the purpose of improving starch specific features,which has been showing agood application prospect in modified starch.This paper introduces the effects on the starch structure and properties by heat moisture treatment in detail,and finally expounds the mechanism of the heat moisture treatment starch and the research progress in food applications.


Magnetic or electric dipole moments of neutrinos are indicators for possible extensions of the standard weak-interaction model. Certain values were recently proposed to explain the time variation in the detected solar-neutrino flux and an extragalactic background of ionizing radiation. Here we give a detailed analysis of their implications for a stellar collapse. We find two independent new upper bounds of 1.5 x 10/sup -12/..mu../sub B/ and 6 x 10/sup -12/..mu../sub B/ on the dipole moment of electron neutrinos, improving the existing bounds by one to two orders of magnitude and ruling out the proposed solar-neutrino effect. For values approx. >10/sup -13/..mu../sub B/ the coherently enhanced dipole scattering on the large nuclei in a collapsing star would flip the trapped left-handed neutrinos into right-handed ones, which would escape in a highly energetic prebounce ..nu../sub e/ ''collapse burst.'' This also reduces the trapped lepton number of the collapsing star. We calculate the spectra of the emitted neutrinos and the associated lepton-number decrease. From the supernova 1987A up to 100 neutrinos from this additional output should have been detected in the Kamiokande II detector. The absence of such events imposes the upper bound ..mu../sub ..nu..//sub >//sub e//sub =/ //sub e//sub =/<6 x 10/sup -12/..mu../sub B/, providing an independent supplementary bound.« less


A write channel model is constructed for bitpatterned-media (BPM) recording. The model takes arbitrary binary data as input and generates the corresponding written magnetization waveform. The model allows investigation of characteristics and impact of bit errors due to imperfections in the lithography process as well as write misssynchronization. Simulation results successfully demonstrate missing bit and deletion/insertion error characteristics of BPM recording.


Marginal entropy can be used as cost function for blind source separation (BSS). Recently, some authors have experimentally shown that such information-theoretic cost function may have spurious minima in specific situations. Hence, one could face spurious solutions of the BSS problem even if the mixture model is known, exactly as when using the maximum-likelihood criterion. Intuitive justifications of the spurious minima have been proposed, when the sources have multimodal densities. This paper aims to give mathematical arguments, complementary to existing simulation results, to explain the existence of such minima. This is done by first deriving a specific entropy estimator. Then, this estimator, although reliable only for multimodal sources with small-overlapping Gaussian modes, allows one to show that spurious minima may exist when dealing with such sources.


Some new azepinoquinazolones were synthesized from 2-methyl-3(o-tolyl)-4(3H)quinazolone (metliaqualone )as potential hypnotic agents. Methaqualone (I) reacted with dimethyl acetylene-dicarboxylate (dmad) to give the azepinoquinazolone (II) which on treatment with PPA gave the pentacyclic ketone (V). Subsequent sodium borohydride reduction of the ketone (V) gave the fused azepine (VIa). Reaction of the azepinoquinazolone (II) with formic acid resulted in cleavage of the quinazolone nucleus to give the azepine (VIII). None of the compounds synthesized exhibited significant hypnotic activity.


FIELD: information technology. SUBSTANCE: system contains purchasers database, services platform meant for maintaining communication over network with multiple electronic commerce systems of corresponding sellers. The database stores for each purchaser authentication data, purchaser's information about payment and transactions prehistory. When corresponding purchaser proceeds to payment for an item in electronic commerce system the services platform executes authentication of corresponding purchaser using authentication data. If corresponding purchaser has been successfully authenticated the services platform processes payment for item using purchaser's information about payment, receives information about the item over network and saves received information as part of transaction prehistory of corresponding purchaser. Additionally, services platform is designed for submitting part of transaction prehistory to at least the second seller. EFFECT: higher reliability of transactions due to providing flexible authentication of a purchaser based on purchaser transaction prehistory. 10 cl, 6 dwg


In order to meet the increasing demand on mobile data service, the fifth generation mobile communication systems (5G) expects to operate in high frequency band up to 100 GHz where the spectrum is available for wide bandwidth. Therefore, the channel characteristics and model for high frequency band up to 100 GHz are of great importance for technology evaluation and network deployment of 5G system. In this paper, wideband channel measurements were conducted in open office and shopping mall scenarios at the center frequency of 28 GHz with 800 MHz bandwidth. Channel impulse responses are obtained for directional and omni-directional channel by using horn antennas and biconical antennas, respectively. Delay characteristics are analyzed based on the measurement data. The measured delay spread is found to obey the log-normal distribution in the two indoor scenarios. The delay spread at 28 GHz in LoS case is smaller compared with that of indoor hotspot scenario in ITU-R M.2135 for below 6 GHz. Furthermore, it is found that the delay parameters are much smaller in directional channel than those in omni-directional channel.


We examine the empirical distribution of the eigenvalues and the eigenvectors of adjacency matrices of sparse regular random graphs. We find that when the degree sequence of the graph slowly increases to infinity with the number of vertices, the empirical spectral distribution converges to the semicircle law. Moreover, we prove concentration estimates on the number of eigenvalues over progressively smaller intervals. We also show that, with high probability, all the eigenvectors are delocalized.


The climate feedback determines how Earth's climate responds to anthropogenic forcing. It is thought to have been more negative in recent decades due to a sea surface temperature "pattern effect," whereby warming is concentrated in the western tropical Pacific, where nonlocal radiative feedbacks are very negative. This phenomenon has however primarily been studied within climate models. We diagnose a pattern effect from historical records as an evolution of the climate feedback over the past five decades. Our analysis assumes a constant rate of change of the climate feedback, which is justified post hoc. We find a decrease in climate feedback by 0.8 ± 0.5 W m−2 K−1 over the past 50 years, corresponding to a reduction in climate sensitivity. Earth system models' climate feedbacks instead increase over this period. Understanding and simulating this historical trend and its future evolution are critical for reliable climate projections.


A comparison between two SAR SpotLight mode images is presented. Images are obtained from standard and signum coded (one-bit) raw-data. In the latter case also a one-bit filter function is used. Visual and statistical comparisons are shown. Furthermore real-time processing in time-domain can be obtained with a dedicated architecture. This, coupled with the high resolution achievable in SpotLight images, is a very attractive feature in the development of future SAR systems.


Objective:Critical care education in maternal-fetal medicine has typically been limited or has been driven entirely by clinical cases. A pilot program was created to systematize critical care training within the context of an existing maternal-fetal medicine fellowship. Design:The program included a lecture series, a Web-based learning module, specific scenarios played out in a human simulator lab, and a clinical intensive care unit rotation. Fellows' knowledge was assessed by pre- and posttest. Results:Objective knowledge was demonstrated to increase after 1 yr of training. Fellows' impression of the curriculum was positive. Conclusion:More structured critical care medicine training is feasible within a maternal-fetal medicine fellowship. A multimodal curriculum to teach critical care within a maternal-fetal medicine fellowship appears promising and could be implemented elsewhere. Interest in this area should be cultivated.


AbstractThis study aims at identifying: i) the overall schema of group seminar presentations in Bahasa Indonesia (BI) and in English by Indonesian university students, and in English by Australian university students; ii) the rhetorical structure of presentation introductions in Bahasa Indonesia and in English by Indonesian university students and in English by Australian university students; iii) whether Indonesian university students, when engaged in group seminar presentations in English in Indonesian academic settings, transfer the overall schema of group seminar presentations and the rhetorical structure of presentation introductions conducted in Bahasa Indonesia. The primary data were obtained by tape and video recording ten naturally occurring students' group seminar presentations. It was found that firstly the overall schema of Indonesian students' group seminar presentations in BI differs in major ways from the overall schema of Australian students' group seminar presentations in English. Secondl...


The article shows that at the present time an urgent scientific and practical task is to estimate the efficiency of ensuring the credit safety of a commercial bank from the impact of external and internal economic threats. The estimation depends on saving on expenditures when taking preventive and operative measures related to ensuring the credit safety and on the amount of financial direct and indirect losses during the influence of threats that have dissimilar forces and duration. Based on the results of analyzing non-performing loans, dynamics of overdue credit debts, and changing the volumes of provisions, the gradual technology of ensuring the bank credit safety and methodology of estimating its efficiency as a result of taking safety measures were offered.


This article presents a physical model for monolithic self-rolled-up microtube interdigital capacitors and elaborates their working mechanisms in comparison to on-chip planar interdigital capacitors. Besides the high-frequency phenomena such as the skin effect in thin, wide metal films, the model accounts for the complexities resulting from all possible 3-D electrode configurations, such as the inner diameter-dependent overlapping capacitances and edge capacitances between electrodes, as well as parasitic inductances within the rolled-up structure between the fingers, for integer and noninteger number of turns. The model is validated by the measured results of fabricated self-rolled-up membrane (S-RuM) interdigital capacitors over a wide range of layout and process parameters. This fully enables the structural design optimization for electrical performance of this 3-D device architecture.


Benzotriazole (BTA) as a common corrosion inhibitor in the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, can effectively protect the copper (Cu) surface, but its organic residues will form a passivation film on the wafer surface to prevent the contact between the cleaning solution and the wafer surface, so the removal of BTA is a major problem in the post-CMP cleaning. In this paper, N,N'-Bis(3-aminopropyl)-1,2-ethanediamine (TAD) and pyrazole (PZ) were used as the main components in the alkaline cleaning solution and fatty alcohol polyoxy ethylene ether was added as an auxiliary surfactant to investigate the removal of BTA. The complexation ability of TAD and the corrosion inhibition ability of PZ were verified by electrochemical experiments, and the reaction sites of the interaction between TAD and Cu surface were analyzed by quantum chemical calculations. Meanwhile, the mechanism of the synergistic removal of BTA by TAD and PZ was investigated by electrochemical methods. The final optimized cleaning solution consisted of 1 mmol/L TAD, 0.1 mmol/L PZ and 1 wt% JFCE and its good cleaning performance was verified by contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy, which provided guidance for the development of the cleaning solution.


Network-Wide Broadcasts (NWBs) are a fundamental operation for Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs), which are required by routing and for distributing information to all nodes in the network. Many optimizations for NWBs exist which aim to counter the broadcast storm problem by reducing redundant transmission. However removing the redundancy can also hurt reliability in lossy networks like WMNs. We therefore look at the other side. What happens if we increase redundancy to improve the reliability by using retransmissions and acknowledgements, which are said to amplify the broadcast storm? In this paper, a model for calculating forwarder sets locally based on measured link qualities is developed together with an algorithm for reliable NWBs. We evaluate our approach empirically in different simulation and testbed scenarios and compare it with protocols from the literature. The results show that redundancy is needed for achieving a high reliability and should not be abandoned. Furthermore, the impact of different parameters on our approach is evaluated.


This paper discusses the available methods of average equivalent shortest way for evaluating the invulnerability of common networks.This method is applied to the assessment of the invulnerability of clusters whose main duty is to deliver date.Then the available of each cluster is used to measure that of the whole networks.Finally,this paper studies the invulnerability of the wireless sensor networks based on the small-world model.The simulation indicates that this method is more objective and accurate in assessing the invulnerability of wireless sensor networks.


The intrinsic electrophilic reactivity of linear acenes up to octacene was investigated by using interaction energy potentials and their components, namely Pauli repulsion, orbital interaction, and electrostatic interaction potentials using the Ziegler–Rauk decomposition scheme. We found that the shared regions above C1 and C2 of the outer ring are slightly more attractive towards an incoming electrophile than the inner ring secondary carbon atoms, mostly due to a more advantageous electrostatic interaction. This result agrees with the stability order of prereactive π complexes formed between anthracene and the electrophilic HCl. Decomposition potentials determined in the bond formation regime indicate that longer acenes become more reactive because of the increasing orbital interaction. In addition, the orbital interaction potentials, which represent the overall effect of the high lying reactive orbital, exhibit straightforward patterns, predicting strongly preferred inner ring secondary carbon atoms over outer ring carbon atoms. Such an orbital-interaction controlled regioselectivity shows up in the total interaction energy potentials when the electrostatic interaction is scaled down, predicting the functionalization of acenes with electrophiles on the inner secondary carbon atoms, in agreement with the experimental regioselectivity. Upon analyzing the stability of transition states for the addition of HCl to anthracene, the Pauli repulsion shows up to be an important factor in controlling the stability of the transition states and favoring functionalization along the central C9 and C10 positions to outer ring carbon atoms. The resonance stabilization concept, which is generally accepted to account for the regioselectivity of higher acenes, could not be evidenced by our analysis.


The Croatian government collapsed earlier this month, with new elections expected by September. As Viseslav Raos writes, the hung parliament that emerged from the last elections in November 2015 resulted in a decidedly unorthodox government coming to power, headed by an independent PM and two Vice-PMs from two different parties. He argues that this episode indicates that Croatia is no longer obsessed with stability, and can now allow itself the luxury of having a dynamic and therefore healthier – though no doubt more chaotic – party system.


A new model to explain how some genes are controlled is being proposed by two recent graduates of Harvard University. The model, for which there is some experimental support but as yet no proof, as...


The purpose of this study was to quantify toxic equivalent (TEQ) concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins (PCDD), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in ash residues generated by wood-fired boilers in Washington state (USA). With non-detects (ND) set to one-half the detection limit (DL) and employing mammalian toxic equivalency factors (TEF) recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), TEQ ranged from 0.36 to 11000 ng/kg ( n = 13). When the three highest samples were removed, mean TEQ declined dramatically from 840 ng/kg ( n = 13) to 2.2 ng/kg ( n = 10) with a corresponding fall in standard deviation from 3000 to 2.0 ng/kg. Two TEF methods (WHO vs . U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA]) were compared and three ND methods were evaluated (denoted by N1, N2, and N3 corresponding to ND = 0, ND = 0.5 DL, and ND = DL, respectively). Although TEQ was significantly correlated (Bonferroni P <0.05) across the three ND methods, median TEQ differed significantly ( P <0.05) among the ND methods with N1<N2<N3. For N2 and N3 methods, median PCDD/PCDF TEQ was significantly higher (Bonferroni P <0.05) when calculated with TEFs employed by WHO vs . USEPA. When wood ash is used as a liming agent or soil amendment, modeled steady-state soil TEQ may be in the range of regulatory benchmarks, depending on wood ash TEQ content and application rate. Overall, these data illustrate the high variability in wood ash TEQ, the notable impact of TEF and ND methods on reported TEQ, and the potential human and ecological concern associated with land application of wood ash and increased soil TEQ.


In ancient time, yellow colored glass which used for luxury art glass was actually silver nanotechnology at work by the addition of silver compound into the molten glass. In this work, the lead-alkali silica glass which fabricated using local quartz sands as the silica raw material was added with various concentrations of silver nitrate. Scanning electron microscope coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) was used to characterize their morphology. Physical and optical properties such as density, refractive index and optical absorption were also measured. After the complete conventional melting process, the bubblefree yellowish glasses were yielded. SEM micrographs showed the presence of silver nanoparticles in the glass matrix that confirmed by EDS. The refractive indices and densities were increased as the increase of the silver contents. It was also showed that the more brilliance on the surface of the glass products was obtained after fired.


This study investigates the Korean linguistic features and significance focused on National Treasure No. 1960 『Bumoeunjunggyeong-Eonhae』 woodblocks which were made from Seshimsa temple in Asan, Chungcheongnamdo in the Joseon Dynasty King Myungjong 18th years (1563). In particular, it examines the value of the Korean language history in 『Bumoeunjunggyeong-Eonhae』 woodblocks from Seshimsa temple, comparing with 'Hwabongmungobon' published in 1545, which is called 'the first translation copy' in the academic circles.
After the careful analysis of the contents in『Bumoeunjunggyeong-Eonhae』woodblocks of Seshimsa temple, the findings of this study were as follows. First, there are about 57 omitted words and about 35 wrong carvings. Second, the most distinctive feature of orthography is that there are many examples used with yeoncheol (orthography of moving consonants to the beginning of the next syllable), buncheol (orthography of part fragments), and jungcheol (mix of buncheol and yeoncheol) together when writing the same vocabulary. Third, phonological features include 'ㅿ' sound and the final consonant 'ㆁ' sound, and 'consonant assimilation' and 'mixed spellings of vowels'. Particularly, the use of the final consonant 'ㆁ' sound is almost perfect. Fourth, the engravers carved 『Bumoeunjunggyeong-Eonhae』 woodblocks in Seshimsa temple do not know how to write and read the eonmun (vernacular script). Fifth, it is likely to be different from the original copy with 'Woodblocks of Seshimsa temple' and 'Hwabongmungobon', as a result of comparing and analyzing the orthography, phonology, and the original text of the translation aspect with 'Hwabongmungobon' (오식 , ·아기 , □호온 , □□ , 디 , □니 , 양□□ , 어엿비 ). Sixth, the result of comparing and analyzing the original copy of 'Woodblocks of Seshimsa temple' and 'Hwabongmungobon' showed that the original copy of 'Woodblocks of Seshimsa temple' is possible to be published at the end of the 15th century or the early 16th century, and there would be a separate original copy of 'Hwabongmungobon'.


The purpose of this study is to analyze the temporary equipment for activation of appling the External Insulation and Finish System(EIFS) in the high-rise apartment. Currently, scaffolding and gondola are adapted to the EIFS, and there are analysed the limitation of the high-rise apartment. The temporary equipment which is used in high-rise buildings should be suggested to the apartment. The result of this study is as follows; Work Plat Form or Auto Climbing System?Rail Climbing System for constructing the EIFS in the high-rise apartment is possible to secure safety of work space and improve workability.


A previous study of particle segregation in bins led to the formulation of a theory of segregation based on the assumption of a constant velocity ratio of one species relative to another for binary mixtures. An apparatus has since been constructed to enable feed rate and bin size to be investigated as variables and this work has now been extended to mixtures with severe segregation properties. It has been found that the constant velocity ratio does not apply though for all cases the bin has been found to be divided sharply into two regions, a region at the wall of the bin of high concentration of faster particles, the other is of lower concentration. It was discovered that segregation patterns were largely independent of feed rate while the effect of increasing the size of the bin was an increase in the wall region. Experimentation was also extended to cover quaternary mixtures and it was found, taking pairs of particle species, considered independently of other species present, that again a sharp separation into two regions occurred.


Plastic deformation comes into being with structural elements under earthquake,and in the process of plastic hinge formation,it sucks up a lot of energy.If the position of plastic-hinge formation can be designed just right and used properly,then it is effective to reduce seismic damage and to avoid swift collapse.


The objective of this article is to show that (1) various types of lingual forms containing infidelity are written with beautiful dictions as a result of the writer's language creativity and (2) all lingual forms used in the song lyrics kesaktianmu (Your Spiritual Power) possess a sexism nuance. This present research is the resultsof the study of a text, namely song lyrics with the title of kesaktianmu popularized by a band group "Winner". The data collection methods adopted were listening, reading and recording. The research results were as follows. 1) There were many lingual forms, which are implicitly or explicitly written in words, phrases, clauses or sentences with infidelity content. Most of them are well and beautifully rhymed aimed at hiding negative lexical meanings (infidelity). 2) The fact of the choice of the lingual forms in the song lyrics showed the existence of inferior position of women experience as the objects or the receivers of men's activities. The lingual forms starting fromclithics, pronouns, verbs and adverbs show the evidence of the existence of sexism.


Purpose – due to the constant increase of cyber-attacks not only the measures of identifying and controlling cyber risks are created, but also the methods of estimating possible cyber-attacks financial costs should be developed to increase business preparedness. The purpose of this research is to forecast potential costs of cyber-attacks in Baltic countries.

Research methodology – to achieve the aim of the article and prepare a prognosis of possible cyber-attacks costs the Estimation the Global Costs of Cyber Risk Calculator V 1.2 tool was used.

Findings – estimated costs of cyber-attacks in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are highest in the public business and ser-vices sector and also in the defense sector. According to conducted calculations the costs of cyber-attacks in Lithuania will reach 1% of GDP of Lithuania by 2026.

Research limitations – in this research the costs of cyber-attacks are estimated regarding industries of business but not excluding specific cyber threats. Therefore, for the future research possibilities could be the analyses of specific cyber risks and their impact to various business sectors.

Practical implications – the results of the research may be useful in practical approach for preparing the risk manage-ment tools, evaluating possible damage and effect of cyber-attacks to business, also increasing preparedness level and business resilience.

Originality/Value – this estimation model has been not used to evaluate and discuss cyber-risks costs in Lithuania among previous researches, therefore the topic and conducted results are original and significantly relevant for further analyses of cyber security issues in Lithuania.


Steering one's own course by mastering own destiny is one of the powerful theorems often used to motivate individuals' power to elating their future. Academic and career preparedness among undergraduate students in the twenty-first century is strengthened by student possible selves. While the American educational culture upholds this concept in higher education institutions, ethnic marginalization may explain why African undergraduate students in the United States have limited individual choice and control. The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of student possible selves among undergraduate students in the United States with attribution to their academic and career future. This study was undertaken using descriptive and multiple regression methods in the Spring Semester of 2007. The study involved undergraduate students registered in any of the semesters in the Spring semester, 2007 and the year 2006. They had to be African students with both parents having been born in Africa and have a willingness to participate in the study. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) Version 12.0. The found out that during the middle school years, students and teachers in the United States focused on performance goals and less on mastery goals than in other years, however, the case was not the same for African students enrolled in college. This study informs educators and policy makers about African undergraduates in USA whose minority status may affect their achievement in school and stereotypically may group them into one of the marked identities that elicit vulnerability to academic under-achievement. School admission administrators and officials need to be cognizant of the motivators and future beliefs of the students they admit. It would help in providing the support and counseling required as the students move along the academic and acculturation trajectory in the United States. Key words: Academic achievement, Career, Goal orientation, Possible selves, African undergraduates


The backward school child, so misunderstood and nonunderstood, so mistreated and non-treated, so unconsciously and unintentionally encouraged and compelled to grow continually more backward is a comparatively new human product. As a rule, the children of this class have lingered in the lower grades without making the customary advancement. Moreover, they often drop to still lower grades when thecauses of their backwardness are not removed, and many show traits of abasement and disgrace which are due not alone to physical or anatomic causes, but are, as a rule, of the nature of deteriorations or non-developments of functional, physical, moral or intellectual characteristics. These discriminations are fundamental and to be borne in mind if we are to set these children right in school and, more than that, in life. Because, in the young especially, we have still to learn that functional disease precedes and causes structural abnormalism, aberrant physiology degenerates into


Following an initial purification step on silica gel,preparative high speed countercurrent chromatography(HSCCC)with a two-phase solvent system composed of n-hexane-methanol-water(volume fraction 7∶6∶1)was used to isolate and separate first schisanhenol and then deoxyschisandrin,γ-Schisandrin and schisantherin A from Schisandra chinensis with the upper organic phase system as the stationary phase and the lower phase system as the mobile phase.Yields of 122 mg Schisanhenol,86 mg deoxyschisandrin,93 mg γ-Schisandrin,and 114 mg Schisantherin A were obtained.


This paper presents an analysis and experiment of centrifugal force for microfluidic Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) on a compact-disc (CD) platform. The ELISA CD was designed based on the centrifugal force as a driving force while capillary force acts as preventing barrier. The CD composed of 2 layers: the substrate layer is made of PMMA and the top layer is laminated with an Adhesive Sealing Films (ASF) or thermal seal. The PMMA substrate was fabricated by CNC micromachining. The ELISA CD consists of 7 reservoirs: waste, detection, serum, conjugate, washing solution, substrate and stopping solution. In the experiment, the reservoirs were filled with colour liquid and the fluid flow behaviour of the liquid in the CD was studied and monitored by a customized CD spin stand system equipped with visualization system. The experimental test results show an average of 9% error when compared with the theoretical calculation of burst frequency for all the reservoirs.


This work aims to investigate the performance of a new design for CPV/T system using 3D flat sided (3D V-trough) concentrators named squared (SAC), Hexagonal (HAC), Octagonal (OAC) and Circular (CAC) inlet and exit Aperture concentrators, with an effective cooling facility that keeps PV temperature within the Normal operating range. Novel mathematical optical models were generated, to the HAC and OAC geometries and validated using OPTISORKS software, to calculate the geometrical concentration ratio (\(GCR\)) and actual concentration ratio (\(ACR\) by the inlet aperture area
(A\(_i\)\(_n\)) a function of aperture width (W\(_i\)\(_n\)) and number of reflections (n), and material reflectivity (\(p\)) and at any concentrator side angle (Ψ), consequently the optical performance. Results showed that the optimum concentrator side angels for GCR of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 are 35°, 30°, 20°, 20° and 15°, respectively for all investigated geometries. Also COMSOL Multiphysics software was used for thermal modelling. Optical, thermal and electrical investigation results highlight that the designed CPV/T system is beneficial enough and feasible to be used in generating electrical and thermal powers for domestic use, as one useful package of energy with high output compared with the flat PV modules which generate only electrical power.


Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from petals of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. (Chinese Rosa) was extracted and partially purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation. Its physical and chemical properties such as optimal pH and temperature, substrate specificity, and effects of inhibitors and activators on the enzymatic activity were investigated. The total protein contents of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis petals crude extract and partially purified extract were found to be 425 µg and 122 µg /100 g fresh petals respectively. The enzyme activity and its kinetic parameters, (K m and V max ) were determined using 4- methylcatechol and catechol as substrates. The optimum pH and temperature for Hibiscus PPO activities were 6.0 and 45 °C respectively. Ascorbic acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid sodium salt were found to be potent inhibitors and copper sulphate was found to be activator for Hibiscus PPO.


Amylases are starch degrading enzymes which are produced by plants, animals and microorganisms. Amylases produced by microorganisms have a wide range of industrial applications such as in pharmaceutical, food, textile and paper industries. However, there are still limitations in the isolation of amylase producing microorganisms. The objective of this study was to isolate the potent amylase producing Bacillus sp. from soil samples and evaluate their abilities for inhibiting the aflatoxin producing Aspergillus flavus. In this study, 30 soil samples were used. For the screening and identification of Bacillus strain, morphological and biochemical tests were performed. Iodine assay was done to screen the potent amylase producers. Two parameters (pH and temperature) were used to optimize the cultural conditions for the production of amylase. To determine the total reducing sugar, dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) assay was used. Altogether 29 colonies were selected and identified as Bacillus spp out of which 16 were selected to determine enzyme activity by cup plate method. Four isolates (DK9, DK10, IM4 and KD7) showing highest amylolytic activities (16 mm, 12 mm, 14 mm and 14 mm zone of hydrolysis) were subjected for further study. Isolate KD7 showed the highest amylolytic activity (0.19 U/mL) compared to other isolates. Maximum amylase production was found at pH 6 and temperature 50° C (0.19 U/mL). Among these 4 isolates, DK9 and KD9 showed strong antagonistic activity against Aspergillus flavus while DK10 and IM4 showed moderate antifungal activities. Thus, the bacterial isolate KD7 was identified as the most potent strain for maximum amylase production.