After 35 years in Australia, the last plates of cheese toast will soon be served at Sizzler's nine remaining outlets across Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia. The family-friendly restaurant, famous for the all-you-can-eat salad bar and cheesy TV ads, was once a suburban dining stalwart. But Sizzler's closure on 15 November isn't just another consequence of COVID-19.


With the implementation of China's West to East Power Transmission Project,a growing number of transmission line towers will be built on the loess slope.The stability of the slope will change with the difference of the tower location.The tower reasonable location calculation process is expounded combined with the project in the loess area of Xining City on the base of limit equilibrium analysis and finite element analysis.By calculating the safety factor of the slope with different height and slope,the variation among the reasonable location,the slope and height can be obtained.


The new definition of arbitrary isolation between antennas is proposed according to the microwave network theory. The multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) with the near-field preconditioner is implemented to predict the isolation between multiple antennas on electrically large platforms over a wide frequency range. Experimental results show that the isolation defined in this paper is more practical than the traditional one. Finally the radiation pattern and the isolation results for the ultra-shortwave antennas mounted on full-scale models such as an aircraft and a ship are obtained and discussed, which can give significant instructions to the platform-mounted antennas design.


Network reconfiguration is the operating and controlling means of distribution system and is of importance in distribution management system.Considering the operation characteristics of distribution network,the model for distribution network reconfiguration is proposed in this paper,which intends to minimize the network loss with many restrictions such as power flow,voltage,power capacity and radial operation.To solve this complicate problem,a chaos genetic hybrid algorithm is employed,which possesses both the characteristics of wholeness and parallelism belonging to genetic algorithm and the characteristics of ergodicity and rapidness belonging to chaos search.The hybrid algorithm is used for the reconfiguration of IEEE33 bus network and proved valid and rapid by comparing with the reconfiguration results of single genetic algorithm.


MANET routing protocols show different performance in different mobile network scenarios. To know which protocol is better than another in different mobile network scenarios, four mobility models are proposed for simulating different scenarios of mobile ad hoc networks. Also a byte-based energy consumption evaluation methodology is introduced for the protocol assessment. The experiment built upon mobility models shows that TORA can cause too much energy consumption on large-sized network and is more fit for the mobile ad hoc network with low node mobility, while AODV, DSR, and especially DSDV performs well on energy consumption for the mobile ad hoc network with high node mobility.


The Predictable Execution Model (PREM) is useful for mitigating inter-core interference due to shared resources such as the main memory. However, it is cache-agnostic, which makes schedulabulity analysis pessimistic, via overestimation of prefetches and write-backs. In response, we present cache-aware schedulability analysis for PREM tasks on fixed-task-priority partitioned multicores, that bounds the number of cache prefetches and write-backs. Our approach identifies memory blocks loaded in the execution of a previous scheduling interval of each task, that remain in the cache until its next scheduling interval. Doing so, greatly reduces the estimated prefetches and write backs. In experimental evaluations, our analysis improves the schedulability of PREM tasks by up to 55 percentage points.


In the current years, due to the significant developments in technologies in almost every domain, the standard of living has been improved. Emergence of latest innovations, advanced machinery and equipment especially in the healthcare domain, have simplified the diagonalizing process to a wide extent. Smart techniques employed in medical applications resolved the detection and rectification of various diseases. This work involves analysing how usage of Artificial intelligence practice can improve patient experience across the gamut of the healthcare industry primarily in the Out Patient (OP) Segment. As per industry statistics 88% of the patients are willing to shift the healthcare provider without hesitation. A 2018 study by The Beryl Institute found that 91 percent of patients think patient experience is extremely or very important, and it has an impact on the healthcare decisions they make.


The article considers the questions reveal the quality of software products based on international standards of the International organization for standardization. The mathematical model allows us to determine the level of software quality using GOMS methodology


The great efforts of recent years to establish monitoring and diagnostic criteria have become increasingly effective in defi ning hepatocellular carcinoma (H...


Objective To discuss how to improve organization and management of first-aid nursing during the rescue work. Methods Data about the wounded patients in the Emergency Department of our hospital were collected from 12 to 21 May, 2008. The relevant information concerning the interventions and effects of the organization of first-aid nursing was analyzed. Results In the first ten days after the quake, 1 766 wounded patients were received and treated in the Emergency Department. The results of post-evaluation showed that the rescue work was successful including the first-aid path, rationality of the rescuer dispatch, management of the medical resources, collection of the patients information, and high-quality nursing. Conclusion Effective organization and management of first-aid nursing guarantee the rescue work.


The main reason for wheel tread peeling is pointed out.The application examples of shot-peening strengthening technic and rolling strengthening technic are presented,and the obvious functions of them for enhancing parts's fatigue strength are presented also.According to the reality of our works ,some measures to be used to strengthen wheel tread and enhance resistance to tread peeling are proposed.


We discuss a model for the integer quantum Hall effect which is based on a Schroedinger-Chern-Simons-action functional for a non-interacting system of electrons in an electromagnetic field on a mutiply connected manifold. In this model the integer values of the Hall conductivity arises in view of the quantization of the Chern-Simons-action functional for electromagnetic potential.


Our motivation is to utilize simulation technology to accelerate the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) by remote operated robots. We already developed several simulation functions in our previous work. Recently multi-copter was utilized for reconnaissance tasks at FDNPS. This paper described to design a simulation function for multi-copter operation training. Fluid dynamics affected to flying body are simulated by implemented function. We also attempt the demonstration of immersive operation environment based on a 3D projection system that provides virtual operation experience.


As an effort to synthesize new heterocyclic compounds, which would be expected to have a pharmacological and biological activities, we report here the reactivity of 1-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-aryl-2-propen-1-ones (Ia&b), as Michael acceptors under different conditions, towards different Michael donors namely, pyrazolin-5-one, 2-cyanomethylthiazolidin-4-one, thiobarbituric acid, cyclohexanone, and ethyl cyanoacetate affording the adducts bispyrazolo[5,4-b]-4H-pyranes III, 5-oxopyrazolin-4-yl-propan-1-ones IV, 2-(4-oxothiazolidine-2-yl)-5-oxopentano-carbonitrile XI, 4-oxo-4H-pyranol[2,3-d]tetrahydropyrimidin-2-thiones XVI, cyclohexano[b]-4H-pyran XVII, ethyl-5-oxo-pentanoate XVIII, and 1-aroyl-2-arylcyclopropanes XIX respectively. Fusion of XI with excess ammonium acetate yielded 2-aminopyridine derivative XII and 2-aminotetrahydropyridine derivative XIII. Diazotization of XII by treatment with HNO2 at 0°C produced the diazonium chloride derivative XIV which underwent coupling reaction with phenolic compounds to yield the azo-disperse dyes XV. Alkaline hydrolysis of XVIII afforded the corresponding acid XX which reacted with hydrazines by fusion to yield the diazapinone derivatives XXI. The structures of the products obtained were confirmed by elemental analysis, infrared, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and mass spectra. The biological activity for some synthesized products are screened.


The benefits obtained by using pulsed laser diodes with repetition rates much higher than the Doppler frequency are described and the advantages over cw- and long-pulse operation are shown.These benefits are achieved by several characteristics of pulsed laser operation. First, in pulsed mode the time-averaged number of photons may be considerably higher than in cw-mode. Second, for some of the LDA data acquisition systems the laser pulses can be synchronized with the sampling process of the acquisition systems, and third, in multiple-component systems the phases of the laser pulses in the emitter parts can be shifted with respect to each other so that one single receiver part is sufficient for all components and an identical wavelength can be used for all components.Experimental verification proves the feasibility of these conceptions.The benefits obtained by using pulsed laser diodes with repetition rates much higher than the Doppler frequency are described and the advantages over cw- and long-pulse operation are shown.These benefits are achieved by several characteristics of pulsed laser operation. First, in pulsed mode the time-averaged number of photons may be considerably higher than in cw-mode. Second, for some of the LDA data acquisition systems the laser pulses can be synchronized with the sampling process of the acquisition systems, and third, in multiple-component systems the phases of the laser pulses in the emitter parts can be shifted with respect to each other so that one single receiver part is sufficient for all components and an identical wavelength can be used for all components.Experimental verification proves the feasibility of these conceptions.


The structure and vibrational modes of CO adsorbed on Cu(001) have been investigated by helium atom scattering (HAS). Below coverages of θ=0.13, CO adsorbs as isolated molecules, and the time of flight (TOF) spectra of helium atoms scattered from the surface are characterized by energy losses and gains of 3.94 ± 0.07 meV. With the aid of isotope shift measurements, this mode is unambiguously assigned to the frustrated translation mode of the adsorbed CO. In the c(2×2) structure (θ=0.5) this mode is found to show dispersion in both the 〈100〉 and 〈110〉 azimuths with frequencies ranging from 3.9 meV at the zone origin to 5.6 meV at the zone boundary. A simple force constant model with a single nearest neighbor force constant within the layer is found to be sufficient to describe the dispersion. For coverages slightly less than θ=0.5 the angular distributions of scattered helium atoms show features characteristic of vacancies in the overlayer. In the TOF spectra an additional nondispersive mode at about 4 meV...


The  Effect  of Sowing  Rate   on   Yield  and   Yield Components of Bitter Vetch (Vicia ervilia (L.) Willd.) This research was carried out at the Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ankara in 1989. In this research, the bitter vetch line was used as the material which has reached to the last step of the selection breeding. 15, 30, 45 cm row distance, 3, 6, 9 cm with in the distance were applied and obtained maximum mean values were given as fallow: Plant height as 36.8 cm in 3x45 cm, the lowest pod height as 13.7 cm in 3x15 cm, main branch number as 3.53 cm in 9x45 cm, side branch number as 6.77 in 9x45 cm, pod number per plant as 63.87 in 9x45 cm, seed yield per plant as 6.04 g in 9x45 cm, straw yield per plant as 4.73 g in 9x45 cm, seed yield per m 2 as 309 g in 9x15 cm, straw yield per m 2 as 268.33 g in 6x15 cm and thousand seed weight as 45.04 g in 3x15 cm sowing densities.


This work presents a low intrusive system for identification of the parameters of a DC motor model to estimate an electrical machine efficiency during operation. A metallic base supports an electrical generator coupled to the motor. The generator output is connected to replaceable electrical resistances in order to control the mechanical load on the shaft. Also, a control system is implemented in a dedicated microprocessor in order to apply different excitation signals to the motor while the current and angular velocity signals are acquired by an ADC. The system communicates with a computer through an USB channel. The dynamic equations that describe the DC motor are discretized and rearranged in order to apply the iterative least squares algorithm, running in the computer. Finally, the electrical and mechanical parameters of the model: winding inductance L, resistance R, mechanical moment of inertia J, friction coefficient b and general torque constant K are estimated. Thus the system estimates the motor losses from parameters R and b and approximates the motor efficiency. The results are validated through the indirect measurement of the mechanical power: a load cell measures the reaction force produced on the generator and a tachogenerator measures the angular velocity. The estimated output power as well the estimated efficiency follow the measured mechanical power on the shaft and the results have shown that the system can be used as an alternative non intrusive method.


Stress‐dependent regulation of the immune response is a general repair and maintenance system. Members of the MHC class I superfamily serve as indicators of cellular stress. Nonclassical class I molecules such as H60, MULT‐1 and the RAE‐1 family are generally absent in normal tissues. We found that intracerebral infection with TMEV upregulated expression of these stress‐response molecules in the brain at timepoints that coincided with the control of viral load. Moreover, we found that about 50% of the brain‐ infiltrating cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) specific for the TMEV peptide VP2121–130 were positive for the NKG2D activating receptor at 7 days postinfection. NKG2D binds to RAE‐1, H60, and MULT‐1 and costimulates CTLs. When we blocked NKG2D using the CX5 function blocking antibody we found a significant increase in viral load in the brain. Therefore, we hypothesize that cellular stress associated with viral infection induces NKG2D ligand expression on target cells that in turn costimulates NKG2D‐bearing VP2‐specific CTLs to promote viral clearance. Our study may ultimately impact the health of people at risk from encephalitis and neurologic complications associated with picornaviral infections and may provide new ways to promote viral clearance in individuals suffering from persistent virus infections of the brain.


This paper presents an overview of methods to determine the state-of-health of maintenance-free aircraft batteries. The various failure modes of aircraft batteries are discussed, along with methods of detecting failed batteries. Specific examples of detection methods are presented for the F-16, F-18, AV-8B, B-1B, and B-52 aircraft batteries.<<ETX>>


SH2 domains prevent tyrosine dephosphorylation of the EGF receptor: identification of Tyr992 as the high-affinity binding site for SH2 domains of phospholipase CT Several cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases contain a conserved, non-catalytic stretch of-100 amino acids called the src homology 2 (SH2) domain, and a region of-50 amino acids called the SH3 domain. SH2/SH3 domains are also found in several other proteins, including phospholipase C-y (PLC-y). Recent studies indicate that SH2 domains promote association between autophosphorylated growth factor receptors such as the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and signal transducing molecules such as PLC-y. Because SH2 domains bind specifically to protein sequences containing phosphotyrosine, we examined their capacity to prevent tyrosine dephosphor-ylation of the EGF and other receptors with tyrosine kinase activity. For this purpose, various SH2/SH3 constructs of PLC'y were expressed in Escherichia coli as glutathione-S-transferase fusion proteins. Our results show that purified SH2 domains of PLC'y are able to prevent tyrosine dephosphorylation of the EGF receptor and other receptors with tyrosine activity. The inhibition of tyrosine dephosphorylation paralleled the capacity of various SH2-containing constructs to bind to the EGF receptor, suggesting that the tyrosine phosphatase and the SH2 domain compete for the same tyrosine phos-phorylation sites in the carboxy-terminal tail of the EGF receptor. Analysis of the phosphorylation sites protected from dephosphorylation by PLC-y-SH2 revealed substantial inhibition of dephosphorylation of Tyr992 at 1 ,tM SH2. This indicates that Tyr992 and its flanking sequence is the high-affinity binding site for SH2 domains of PLCy. Higher concentrations of PLC-y-SH2 also led to the protection from dephosphorylation of Tyrl068 (21 tnM), Tyrll73 (-6 ,uM) and Tyr1086 (2100 tnM). These results provide further support for the central regulatory role of SH2 domains in signal transduction pathways, and reveal a hierarchy in the interactions between tyrosine phosphorylation sites of the EGF receptor and PLCy-SH2.


Oil Palm Fronds can be used as alternative energy source by using torrefaction process. Oil Palm Fronds has a calorific value of 15439.39 kJ/kg. The calorific value can be increased by torrefaction. Torrefaction is a pre-treatment process of biomass into solid fuel within temperature range of 200 - 300 oC in an inert condition. This research aims to produce solid fuel from oil palm fronds and study the effect of variation in temperature and time torrefaction towards characteristic of solid fuel resulted. Torrefaction of oil palm fronds was using fixed bed horizontal reactor at temperature of 250 - 300 oC and time of 20 - 40 minutes. Product quality resulted was calorific value, mass yield, energy yield and proximate. The result obtained for calorific value in range was 18152.26 - 24060.32 kJ/kg, mass yield was 45.22 - 75.04 %, and energy yield was 70.49 - 88.23 %. Proximate analysis resulted in the form of moisture content was 3.42 - 5.44 %, ash content was 4.67 - 6.89 %, volatile content was 38.63 - 65.34 %, and fixed carbon was 24.55 - 51.06 %.


Recently, sub-picosecond pulses of High Order Harmonics (HOH) amplified in a dense plasma have been demonstrated [1]. In order to pump the amplifier, it is necessary to propagate an intense infrared (IR) laser through several milimetres of dense plasma. Deleterious effects, as overionization induced refraction, may appear hindering the propagation of the IR beam. A preformed plasma channel helps overcoming these effects [2]. However, critical parameters like the maximum propagation length of the IR beam, the maximum electron density at the centre of the channel and the degree of ionization vary in a fast timescale. In order to optimize the amplification scheme (i.e. Optimum pump time, optimum seeding time, etc ...) we have modelled the creation of the plasma channel with the 2D hydrodynamic code ARWEN [3]. The evolution of the plasma channel as given by the code can be compared with experimental results.


How did you get involved with the patient participation group? I got involved with the PPG initially because I went to some meetings early on in 2006 when access to patient records was being discussed. I met patients in the PPG doing a campaign to get a pharmacy attached to the practice, because for many patients it was a long way to walk into Hyde. The powers that be were saying we didn't need another pharmacy in Hyde but the point was about where they were sited. As a result of the campaign, we got a pharmacy next to the practice. I thought, this is patient power, this is interesting! And then the experience of having access to my records and seeing what a wonderful thing it is in terms of my own health, I thought I want other people to know what's possible and I want to try to persuade as many practices as possible to offer this too. I'm a bit evangelical about it, because I really firmly believe patients can't make good choices about their health without good quality information that's relevant to them. Why should patients have access to their medical records? You get a lot of cost savings. I can access all sorts of information without ringing the practice again and again to check on test results, for example. I can print off the results and take them down to rheumatology for prescribing and I don't have to repeat the blood tests. I was down at Manchester Royal some months ago, and my medical files were almost 2 feet high. One of my cardiologists was bemoaning the fact that one of the files was missing because he needed some information from it, so I got my mobile phone out and said, 'Well, I can pull it up for you on the app!' One of our patients with a broken shoulder once costed out the times she didn't have to get in touch with the surgery, and reckoned she saved the practice at least £200. We've got somebody who can keep an eye on his mum from his home in Australia and help her with issues because she has access to her patient records. We have a big Bengali population and many are signed up to access their records because sometimes their English isn't very good, so with access online they can get help with translation and discuss issues with their families.


David Albala (b. Belgrade 1886; d. Washington 1942) was an outstanding representative of the Serbian and Yugoslav Jewish community. His parents, Lea Malamed and Avram Kovu, were Sephardim who lived for a while in Rumania (Craiowa and Turnu Severin) and then in Serbia (Belgrade). David was born in Belgrade and was one of seven siblings in the fairly poor Kovu family. When both parents died, the children were transferred to the care of seven different families.1 Five-year-old David was adopted by his maternal aunt and her husband Isak Albala, whose last name he assumed and kept to the end of his life. The Albala family lived in Dorćol, the Sephardic quarter of Belgrade, where he completed his secondary education in the Prva beogradska gimnazija. "These schools provided David and his generation with something more than just knowledge: this was the unique and intensive feeling of patriotism, a special love for Belgrade, and the ideals Belgrade stood for."2 Although his adopted parents were far from wealthy, David was an ambitious student who dreamed of studying medicine at one of the best higher educational institutions in the region—the University of Vienna. He received a fellowship from Potpora, a benevolent Belgrade-Jewish organization supporting students abroad, and several well-to-do members of the Jewish community in Belgrade, to study in Vienna. He graduated from the Medical School at the University of Vienna in 1910.3 Albala was one of a number of Jewish students from the Balkan region, such as Serbia and Bosnia, who returned from Vienna


The work described in this paper presents a framework to track a moving target in sensor networks. The framework employs a method based on Bayesian classification to calculate the detection probabilities and proposes a tracking algorithm by defining the moving scope of a target, where the sensors have the higher values of detection probabilities. Experiment results show this scheme is effective.


by R. C. GREEN Department of Anthropology, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, New Zealand. 7 vi 78 In "More on Cultural Resource Management" (CA 18:749-52) I see that American archaeologists in the field continue in the vein of Schiffer and House to advise that Third World countries should develop programmes of a similar type, funded and staffed in the same way as those in America or Americandominated countries uch as Micronesia. My experience in the Pacific suggests that their advice is not altogether apt and that strategies other than those they advocate are necessary if even modest gains are to be made. Nearly every small country in the Pacific is concerned with, interested in, and keen to protect, conserve, develop, and manage its cultural resources. That question is not at issue. Moreover, they have had a stream of reports from outside "experts" on how to do this. There have been UNESCO conferences, training courses, and committee meetings devoted to the topic as well. As a result, many of these countries have or are currently adopting legislative measures to foster these ends. Frequently these measures include stringent controls over outside researchers who come there to work and demand a reasonable kind of quid pro quo to supplement the countries' own meagre resources, whether in the form of cash (research fees), training of indigenous counterparts, or lecturing in schools and other public institutions. In addition, there is a need to produce popular written materials that interpret he past, so that inhabitants can have a better understanding of their country's sites and artifacts and accept the need for museums and cultural-resource ntres with staff who can oversee their preservation. Under these conditions, one does not begin with idealistic schemes for "cultural resource management"; instead, one starts by selling archaeology and related kinds of research as one means to new and useful knowledge. This not only develops an interest in what are otherwise neglected cultural resources such as abandoned sites and the more mundane artifacts (vis-a-vis art objects), but in time also leads to some of the younger people's acquiring sufficient skills and training to take up jobs in the general field of ethnology/prehistory in their own countries. The problem then is to get the government to establish one or two such positions for them from its scarce resources and a museum or university context in which they can work. To do this among people whose whole experience of history has been the teaching of what outsiders did in their countries through years of European exploration, colonisation, missionisation, and administration, it is necessary to demonstrate in a straightforward and uncomplicated way that a kind of archaeology which includes the investigation, management, and maintenance of their cultural resources wil provide something they desire but have little access to-the culture history of their immediate ancestors and/or their predecessors in an island or island group. I realise this does not add up to fashionable projects in "new archaeology" or large-scale programmes of "cultural resource management" whose greatest interest is to other archaeologists. Still, it does mean some of the following: supporting and providing training in indigenous programmes of site recording and site management as part of one's own research efforts; identifying scholarships and other means of support on which people from these countries can draw to seek additional training in developed countries; finding sources to which they can apply for funding to carry out fieldwork more effectively than is possible on the limited resources provided by their own governments; and supplying information on a wide range of problems and advice and comments when asked (but not adding to the endless supply of unread "expert" reports). Finally, cultural resource management may in fact be a more appropriate term for the Pacific than for some other countries for the simple reason that it is not just the evidence in the ground that is at risk; it is also the traditional skills and practices responsible for its accumulation. In fact, people in the Pacific Islands seem more concerned about the latter than I can discover in any of the American literature on cultural resource management, perhaps because the skills and practices which produced the sites and artifacts there are already "lost." If so, some archaeological remains in the Pacific have an additional value for archaeologists in general, especially where the archaeological correlates of technological, economic, and social behavior in traditional societies can be monitored in ways no longer possible in other areas of the world.


The invention discloses a preparation method of diethyl acetamidomalonate. The preparation method comprises the following steps: adding diethyl malonate and sodium nitrite to organic solvent, dropwise adding acetic acid at the temperature of 0-5 DEG C, carrying out heat preservation on a reaction system for 10-15 h at the temperature of 35-45 DEG C after adding, filtering solid after the reaction, recycling the organic solvent after filter liquor is concentrated to obtain nitroso-diethyl malonate, adding the nitroso-diethyl malonate to acetic acid and acetic anhydride, slowly adding zinc powder to carry out reductive acylation reaction, carrying out heat preservation on feed liquid for 2 h at the temperature of 50-60 DEG C after the zinc powder is added, filtering zinc acetate generated by the reaction after the reductive acylation reaction, recycling the acetic acid after the filter liquor is concentrated, carrying out recrystallization on concentrate by using purified water, and drying to obtain the diethyl acetamidomalonate. The preparation method is low in production cost, sodium nitrite can react completely, and the sodium nitrite is not contained in byproduct sodium acetate generated by nitrosation reaction, so that subsequent treatment is facilitated.


Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) plays a major role in pathophysiology. Our previous studies demonstrated that the VIP sequence 6‐28 interacts with the N‐terminal ectodomain (N‐ted) of its receptor, VPAC1. Probes for VIP and receptor antagonist PG97‐269 were synthesized with a photolabile residue/Bpa at various positions and used to explore spatial proximity with VPAC1. PG97‐269 probes with Bpa at position 0, 6, and 24 behaved as high‐affinity receptor antagonists (Ki=12, 9, and 7 nM, respectively). Photolabeling experiments revealed that the [Bpa0]‐VIP probe was in physical contact with VPAC1 Q135, while [Bpa0]‐PG97‐269 was covalently bound to G62 residue of N‐ted, indicating different binding sites. In contrast, photolabeling with [Bpa6]‐ and [Bpa24]‐PG97‐269 showed that the distal domains of PG97‐269 interacted with N‐ted, as we previously showed for VIP. Substitution with alanine of the K143, T144, and T147 residues located in the first transmembrane domain of VPAC1 induced a loss of receptor affinity (IC50=1035, 874, and 2070 nM, respectively), and pharmacological studies using VIP2‐28 indicated that these three residues play an important role in VPAC1 interaction with the first histidine residue of VIP. These data demonstrate that VIP and PG97‐269 bind to distinct domains of VPAC1.—Ceraudo, E., Hierso, R., Tan, Y.‐V., Murail, S., Rouyer‐Fessard C., Nicole, P., Robert, J.‐C., Jamin, N., Neumann, J.‐M., Robberecht, P., Laburthe, M., Couvineau, A. Spatial proximity between the VPAC1 receptor and the amino terminus of agonist and antagonist peptides reveals distinct sites of interaction. FASEB J. 26, 2060‐2071 (2012). www.fasebj.org


In the problems of thin wire antennas, Hallen's integral equation is often used. Here we suggest an original method of transformation of Hallen's equation into Fredholm's integral equation of the second order having a symmetric singular kernel and a logarithmic feature.


Advanced analysis and optimal design of steel arch bridges is presented. In the design method using an advanced analysis, separate member capacity checks after analysis are not required because the stability and strength of the structural system and its component members can be rigorously treated in the analysis. The geometric nonlinearity is considered by using the stability function. The Column Research Council tangent modulus is used to account for gradual yielding due to residual stresses. A parabolic function is used to represent the transition from elastic to zero stiffness associated with a developing hinge. An optimization technique used is a modified section increment method. The member with the largest unit value evaluated by AASHTO-LRFD interaction equation is replaced one by one with an adjacent larger member selected in the database. The objective function is taken as the weight of the steel arch bridge and the constraint functions account for load-carrying capacities and deflection requirements. Member sizes determined by the proposed method are compared with those given by other approaches.


Adrenal cortical hormone seems to play an important role in de novo NAD biosynthesis from tryptophan. Therefore, the effects of prednisolone, a synthetic adrenal cortical hormone, on the urinary excretion of nicotinamide and such catabolic metabolites as N1-methylnicotinamide (MNA), N1-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide (2-Py) and N1-methyl-4-pyridone-3-carboxamide (4-Py) were investigated. Rats fed with a niacin-free diet were intraperitoneally injected with prednisolone (3 mg/rat) three times at 09:00, 13:00 and 17:00 hr on day 0. As a result, the urinary excretion of nicotinamide, MNA, 2-Py and 4-Py was each higher in the prednisolone group than in the physiological saline group (for control) after 1 day; however, each excretion was lower in the prednisolone group than in control group after 3, 4, 5 and 6 days. On around the 7th day, the urinary excretion in the prednisolone group was restored to the control values. The initial rapid increase and subsequent decrease in the urinary excretion of nicotinamid...


1. Adversive movements were induced by electrical stimulation and metrazol injection on area 4c of the cerebral cortex. 2. The adversive movement from area 4c does not pass through the thalamus, nucleus caudatus, nucleus lenticularis or superior collicuIus, but through direct efferent pathways in the internal capsule. 3. The adversive movement from area 4c passes through the pyramidal tract.


Cultural introduction has become one of the focuses in translation teaching. Translation teachers' inadequate comprehension, however, usually contributes to one-sidedness of the content and dullness of the approaches. Based upon constructionism and teaching experience, this research probes into several concrete approaches to cultural introduction.


Selective IgA deficiency is often connected with autoimmune diseases. However, autoimmune haemolytic anaemia has only rarely been demonstrated in IgA deficient patients. This paper describes a 70-year-old woman with Coombs' positive haemolytic anaemia and IgA deficiency. With single radial immunodiffusion no IgA was detectable in serum, saliva and jejunal secretion. IgA-containing plasma cells were not seen by indirect immunofluorescence on jejunal biopsy specimens. Saliva contained the secretory component. The IgE concentration in serum was at the lower border of the normal range. IgG was slightly raised whereas IgM was normal. The patient suffered from frequent loose stols and recurrent respiratory and urinary tract infections. Clinical examination revealed a malabsorption syndrome whereas the histology of a jejunal biopsy was normal. The indirect Coombs' test was positive, showing IgG, IgM and complement on the red cells. Antibody specificity of the eluted immunoglobulins could not be detected. Autoantibodies against other tissues were not found. The family history revealed an unusual accumulation of diseases in siblings and parents: rheumatoid arthritis, thyreotoxicosis, mental diseases and spina bifida congenita. The IgG, IgA and IgM serum concentrations in four siblings were normal. The karyotype of the patient's lymphocytes was normal.


This chapter considers topology, i.e. the shape and structure of networks of interacting organisms in ecological systems. Species often form the nodes of such networks, though life stages, age classes or functional groups are sometimes equally applicable. The links between nodes in ecological networks can have a variety of meanings, in particular they can represent transfer of energy or material, they can represent the net effect on fitness or population size (direct and/or indirect) of one species on another, or represent the exchange of information. These differences create at least three types of interaction networks: competition networks, mutualistic networks and food webs (consumption networks), all of which are subsets of the full network of interactions in any community.


This paper was developed for production of the humanized milk, comprising similarly to the composition and characteristic of human milk. Humanized milk of superior quality can be made directly from the fresh raw milk mixed vegetable oil, corn syrup, whey powder, , sugar, vitamin, and minerals showing formulation of the humanized milk at table 2. The improving effects of adding vegetable oil and corn syrup are both more reformed the chemical and physical properties of humanized milk. The former enhanced the essential fatty acid and energy source in this product, the latter has the most solving function in water and induced amount of emulsion and stabilizer. The products contain about 13% protein, 23% fat, 58.3% carbohydrate, 2% ash and ensue reasonably balance of essential amino acid, poly-unsaturated fatty acid for the requirement of infants and controlled component of the humanized milk such as human milk.


We derive the general conditions for the existence of symmetric and asymmetric (unconventional) lattice vortices in the form of coupled soliton bound states, and demonstrate novel types of dynamically robust rhomboid and triangular discrete vortices.


Government ownership may dominate private ownership under government failure. Such dom- inance disappears as product markets grow mature, giving rise to the need for privatization. Buyers' limited wealth imposes a constraint on how and when privatization takes place. In particular, firms may be underpriced during privatization, and privatization may take place at a sub-optimal timing which results in firm performances to deteriorate in the short run, and to improve only in the long run. Partial privatization may alleviate the constraint in some cases but exacerbates the e??ciency loss in others. When the government is lesser an interventionist or when the product market grows mature very rapidly, privatization is likely to take place at a sub-optimal timing. The analysis is applied to the dynamics of the Chinese non-state sector.


Self-Organizing Network (SON) has been introduced more than a decade by the Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) and later standardized by the 3rd Generation Partner-ship Project (3GPP). However, SON has ever never fully met the expectation from Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) since day one due to lack of suitable wireless based Machine Learning (ML) techniques which can empower SON with intelligence in the old days. The authors propose, validate, and productize a wireless ML based scheme ISO-SON to mitigate cell coverage and interference problems in 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks. ISO-SON algorithm portfolio targets at maximally optimizing cell weak coverage and over-coverage collectively. To scale ISO-SON from a single pain-point optimization in a silo to joint optimization for a problem cell group, a novel clustering methodology is also developed in ISO-SON to identify the social network of the targeted problem cell through modeling neighbor cell closeness rate, pair-wised handoff frequencies between problem cell and neighbor cell candidates, and traffic density of neighbor cell candidates. Finally Sequentially Unconstrained Maximization Technique (SUMT) is applied to converge the ISO-SON loss function in a specific conditional range which is feasible for engineering implementation in tuning antenna angles, due to which the gap between 3GPP SON standards and actual operations is bridged through ISO-SON. ISO-SON is productized and now up and running on a tier-1 MNO's 4G LTE networks. Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), the coverage performance indicator, has been improved by 15% for the problem cells after ISO-SON is deployed.


A TE-TM mode converter is reported in a single trench GaInAsP/InP waveguide. This type of TE-TM mode converter can be applied, in principle, to a variety of waveguides composed of other material than GaInAsP/InP.


A new inclusion called total inclusion relation has improved the existing dissimilarity measure for q-rung orthopair fuzzy sets (qROFSs). For qROFSs, the modified axiomatic definition of dissimilarity measure is proposed. The modified Hamming and Euclidean dissimilarity measures are defined. An algorithmic procedure for a robust VIKOR method based on modified dissimilarity measures is established. The application of the robust VIKOR method in Mass Vaccination Campaigns (MVCs) in the COVID-19 situation is given.


We present the clock architecture of the Stratix?10 FPGA, which uses a routable clock network rather than the fixed clock networks of previous generations. We describe the flexibility provided by this routable clock network and how arbitrarily sized clock trees can be synthesized and placed anywhere on the FPGA. We show how this capability to generate customized clock trees can provide better performance through reduced clock loss while maintaining the ability to handle the large number of clock domains that modern systems require. We experimentally demonstrate how a routable clock tree reduces the clock loss of the user design implementation by up to 6% of clock insertion delay.


As a high-precision standard signal source,satellite navigation signal simulator can provide simulation environment for development and test of navigation receivers. The technique characteristics and current status of the software simulator and hardware simulator are introduced and compared. The architecture and performance of traditional analog hardware simulator and current digital simulator are introduced and compared. Finally,the developing trends of the satellite navigation signal simulator are discussed.


On 3 March 2007 between 0920 and 1545 UTC the mesoscale structure of a mature lee cyclone SE of Greenland was successfully captured during a flight with the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurement's (FAAM's) BAE 146 aircraft. The cyclone formed under westerly flow over Greenland, two days prior to the flight. The development of the cyclone was highly influenced by an upper level soutward moving PV anomaly, associated with an outbreak of cold air over Greenland. This upper level forcing manifested itself as a deep tropopause fold with mixing of stratospheric air into the troposphere. Air of stratospheric origin revealed itself as a slot of extremely dry air with high potential temperature and high ozone concentrations, clearly visible in data from both dropsondes and in situ measurements. The tropopause fold was confirmed by the temperature profiles of the dropsondes released closest to Greenland, showing the tropopause at approximately 450 hPa. The mesoscale structure of the cyclone was in general consistent with Shapiro and Keyser's (1990) warm-core seclusion stage. Like Shapiro and Keyser's model, this cyclone had warm air in its centre, encircled by a relatively shallow front. Low level jets were observed on the cold side of the front, with wind speeds exceeding 34 m/s. These wind speeds were considerable higher than predicted by the NWP model. In situ measurements showing a combination of relatively warm and dry air in the centre of the cyclone indicated possible stratospheric origin of this air in contrast to the suggestion by Shapiro and Keyser of a low-level origin. The extent of the stratospheric intrusion indicates that successful modelling of cyclones in this area demands adequate handling of upper level forcing as well as high resolution of the Greenland orography.


Techno-pedagogical ability is a way and reasonable value education available to everyone. Indeed, although in the past it has been found that there are many benefits to using innovation in the classroom environment, there are still obstacles or experiences related to the use of innovation. The literature review was utilized to gather and choose the papers for this research. This article investigates the techno-pedagogical skills requirements of the science and art teachers of the Sukkur State Government College. In this paper, literature is collected from different real sites, such as Google, Google Scholar, Science Direct (Elsevier), Sage, Springer, Emerald, Taylor & Francis, and Eric databases. Ten themes emerged from the literature to analyze the techno-pedagogical skills of science and art educators and provide suggestions and solutions for improving educational institutions. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research papers are all included in this study. This research also identified the knowledge gap and methodological and implication gap in this research article as per the need for 21st Century Digital Classrooms. The results show that there is no significant difference in techno-pedagogical skills between science teachers and art teachers who use technology in teaching. This is because of the epidemic. Talking about the current scourge, COVID-19 has transformed traditional courses into digitization through ICT integration. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is seen as a tool that can help schools adapt to the transition from industry to information. It is also considered as a tool to provide, support, and strengthen educational reforms in accordance with the educational needs of the information society.


A new direct thrust balance has been designed, manufactured, assembled and tested at the University of Southampton. The balance design allows for reliable direct thrust measurements in steady state conditions on light, small, low power thrusters. The measurements procedure allows for the cancellation of the thermal drifts. Measurements have been carried out in a range 0.1 mN to 3 mN on a T6 hollow cathode thruster with an uncertainty of 9.7%. The same device was tested at Aerospazio Tecnologie with their thrust balance: the comparison is in good agreement being only 6% the maximum difference


This paper presents the application of a sequence-to-label network, in which an architecture with Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) is implemented, in a way that verifies if a user is chewing or waiting to receive food by means of the classification of 3 different states of the mouth that are: closed, intermediate closed-open and open. To develop this task, 2 databases were built, one of training with 260 sequences of 3 seconds of the states with 15 time steps, within which there are 2 characteristics: opening and the relationship between the height and width of the mouth, and another of test, of 145 sequences with the same parameters as the previous one. For the training of the network, it was first proposed that the network identified 2 states: chewing and waiting (open mouth), however, due to the large variations that exist in the state "chewing", because users tend to chew not only with their mouths closed, but also with their mouths open, this state was divided into two sub-states (closed and intermediate). With this, the neural network is trained, reaching an 84.8% accuracy by classifying the 3 states and 97.9% merging the two states belonging to "chewing", which verifies the ability of this type of network to recognize the states of the mouth through sequences over time.


The integration of optics for efficient light delivery and the collection of fluorescence from trapped ions in surface electrode ion traps is a key component to achieving scalability for quantum information processing. Diffractive optical elements (DOEs) present a promising approach as compared to bulk optics because of their small physical profile and their flexibility in tailoring the optical wavefront. The precise alignment of the optics for coupling fluorescence to and from the ions, however, poses a particular challenge. Excitation and manipulation of the ions requires a high degree of optical access, significantly restricting the area available for mounting components. The ion traps, DOEs, and other components are compact, constraining the manipulation of various elements. For efficient fluorescence collection from the ions the DOE must be have a large numerical aperture (NA), which results in greater sensitivity to misalignment. The ion traps are sensitive devices, a mechanical approach to alignment such as contacting the trap and using precision motors to back-off a set distance not only cannot achieve the desired alignment precision, but risks damage to the ion trap. We have developed a non-contact precision optical alignment technique. We use line foci produced by off-axis linear Fresnel zone plates (FZPs) projected on alignment targets etched in the top metal layer of the ion trap and demonstrate micron-level alignment accuracy.


Volume 23 • Number 3 • 2012 Neutron News 38 The University of Missouri has been awarded an Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation titled Neutron Scattering for the Science and Engineering of the 21st Century. Haskell Taub of the Physics and Astronomy Department is the principal investigator. The award is shared with Indiana University, North Carolina State University and Fisk University, who will partner with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Center for Neutron Research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The $3 million grant will primarily provide traineeships for graduate students who are pursuing a Ph.D. degree in fi ve different departments at the university, conductimg research that is interdisciplinary and utilizes neutron scattering in a fundamental way. There are 20–25 faculties participating in fi ve departments: 1) Biochemistry; 2) Biological Sciences; 3) Electrical and Computer Engineering; 4) Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; 5) Physics and Astronomy. The MU IGERT program has three subthemes: 1) biological macromolecules and biomaterials; 2) strongly correlated electron systems; 3) nanomaterials. The goal is to train future scientists to utilize the neutron facilities in the U.S. for interdisciplinary research and to be leaders and creative agents for change. Approximately $100,000 will be used to upgrade scattering equipment at the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR). At present, the triple-axis spectrometer TRIAX, which has recently been upgraded, and the powder diffractometer are in routine operation. The neutron refl ectometer is currently being recommissioned. U.S. Grant "Neutron Scattering for the Science and Engineering of the 21st Century"


Based on FPGA one-line reconfiguration technology of LUT structure of SRAM,this paper gives a method of implementing conversion of multi-task circuit structure by use of one-chip computer to control disposing data.


RESULTS: Fifteen patients with appropriate photos over the past year were analyzed of which 10 had pictures at all three timepoints, and 5 had only the last 2 timepoints and were excluded. All operative reports were reviewed verifying that the IMF was disrupted after mastectomy in all group. Fourteen had unilateral radiation and 1 had bilateral radiation, thus 16 breasts were reviewed separately. For the 10 patients with preoperative photos, the IMF ratio from timepoints 1–3 (preoperative to postradiation) was −12.5% + 5.2%, indicating a significant elevation of the IMF following radiation.


The Web-based Product Positioning Map (PPM) graphics package is an interactive online market segmentation analysis and positioning package that enables competing participant teams in the marketing simulation COMPETE to apply their knowledge of market segmentation analysis and positioning in strategic market planning. Participants with Web-access can use this package on a 24x7 basis to perform market segmentation analysis and positioning of their own brands relative to the brand positions of their competitors. This package enables participants to generate customized product positioning map graphic displays and to download and use them in their team reports and presentations at the end of the semester. They can create sophisticated build PowerPoint presentations to illustrate their own brand trajectories and the brand trajectories of their major competitors, as they cover the market segmentation analysis and positioning of their brands. This package facilitates the integration of computers, the Internet and the World Wide Web into the marketing curriculum.


Abstract Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men. Prostate cancer diagnosis and mortality differences between African American and Caucasian populations have been highlighted in the literature. Research has shown that African American males are at a biological predisposition for prostate cancer and that additional socioeconomic and physician-patient educational factors may contribute to the higher mortality rate among this group—over two times greater than that of Caucasian American males. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently concluded that there is insufficient evidence on the harms and benefits of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening to recommend that anyone should receive the test. However, the American Urological Association (AUA) emphasizes that the value of early detection should not be overlooked and that shared decision making should be integral to screening decisions. Parameters that can be used concurrently with PSA measureme...


Abstract A polynomial skew product of ℂ2 is a map of the form f(z,w)=(p(z),q(z,w)), where p and q are polynomials, such that f extends holomorphically to an endomorphism of ℙ2 of degree at least two. For polynomial maps of ℂ, hyperbolicity is equivalent to the condition that the closure of the postcritical set is disjoint from the Julia set; further, critical points either iterate to an attracting cycle or infinity. For polynomial skew products, Jonsson [Dynamics of polynomial skew products on C2. Math. Ann. 314(3) (1999), 403–447] established that f is Axiom A if and only if the closure of the postcritical set is disjoint from the right analog of the Julia set. Here we present an analogous conclusion: critical orbits either escape to infinity or accumulate on an attracting set. In addition, we construct new examples of Axiom A maps demonstrating various postcritical behaviors.


Valente,S. C.; Ellan R. M.; Fallick A. E.; Meighan I. G. The assessment of post-magmatic processes in the serra do mar dyke swarm, se brazil: proposals for acid leaching techniques and criteria for petrogenetic interpretations.Rev. Univ. Rural., SOr. CiŒnc. Exatas e da Terra.V.21, N"1 p.1-20. General field, petrographic and geochemical data on the Serra do Mar dyke swarm, SE Brazil will be presented in this paper but emphasis will be given on the effects of post-magmatic alteration in the elemental and isotopic geochemistry of the dykes. Finally, it is expected that the acid leaching techniques and criteria for petrogenetic interpretations presented in this paper may serve to similar research elsewhere.


Heart rate variability (HRV) is a tool capable of analysing and assessing the vegetative activity of the heart in various activities and situations. It consists of measuring the time that elapses between every two heartbeats over a period of time and expressing it in terms of mathematical and statistical equations. Other authors have analysed the influence of different stressors on HRV. In this work we are looking for the action of normobaric hypoxia (NH) on HRV. NH consists of breathing oxygen-depleted air simulating altitude training. The aim of the study is to determine the influence of HN on the time and frequency domains of HRV. We subjected 13 healthy subjects (recreational athletes) to two HN sessions. We used the iAltitude Trainer v2.7® simulator. The first was a hypoxia tolerance test (HTT) (10 minutes, 11% O2, equivalent to 5050m) and the second was an intermittent exposure (HNI) (14% O2, 3250m) in which periods of 4 minutes of hypoxia alternated with 4 minutes of normoxia for 64 minutes. For HRV analysis, a Polar H10® heart rate monitor, the HRV-elite® application and the Kubios-Standard® software were used. Data were taken 5 minutes before and after each session, and these values were compared using the Student´s t- test for paired data. None of the variables in the time (RRmean, SDNN, rMSSD, pNN50) or frequency (VLF, LF, HF, LF/HF) domains of HRV showed significant changes in either situation. HN did not cause changes in the stress levels of these subjects and was well tolerated, clinically and electrocardiographically. A tolerance test and a session of exposure to intermittent normobaric hypoxia are not sufficient stimuli to cause acute changes in HRV.


Many cyber security experts, organizations, and cyber criminals are active users on online social networks (OSNs). Therefore, detecting cyber security related accounts on OSNs and monitoring their activities can be very useful for different purposes such as cyber threat intelligence, detecting and preventing cyber attacks and online harms on OSNs, and evaluating the effectiveness of cyber security awareness activities on OSNs. In this paper, we report our work on developing several machine learning based classifiers for detecting cyber security related accounts on Twitter, including a base-line classifier for detecting cyber security related accounts in general, and three sub-classifiers for detecting three subsets of cyber security related accounts (individuals, hackers, and academia). To train and test the classifiers, we followed a more systemic approach (based on a cyber security taxonomy, real-time sampling of tweets, and crowdsourcing) to construct a dataset of cyber security related accounts with multiple tags assigned to each account. For each classifier, we considered a richer set of features than those used in past studies. Among five machine learning models tested, the Random Forest model achieved the best performance: 93% for the baseline classifier, 88-91% for the three sub-classifiers. We also studied feature reduction of the base-line classifier and showed that using just six features we can already achieve the same performance.


A simple one-dimensional non linear equation including effects ofinstability, dissipation, and dispersion is examined numerically. Periodic solution of a non linear dispersive equation is presented for different values of ct, 13, and y characterizing the constants for instability, dissipation, and dispersion respectively. In this paper, the growth pattern for the wave at different time intervals is discussed. Various equilibrium states with different initial configuration have been observed depending on initial conditions.


Purpose: The main reason to do the research of consumption of society in Europe is the ever- increasing consumption, not sorting enough, which leads to problems on a global scale. Responsible consumption can be described as the behaviors and attitudes of the consumers to consume or less consume products and services that have the potential to directly or indirectly harm to society, economy, the world, and all living and nonliving things. The aim of the paper is to investigate the habits and causes of responsible consumption in Europe. Design/methodology/approach: Analysis of research literature sources, systematization, synthesis, generalization, quantitative research and data processing methods was used. The collected empirical data were processed using the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) program. In the data processing, descriptive statistics was used, such as percentiles, mean, mode and standard deviation. Research was done using an online questionnaire. The questionnaire was compiled by the authors, based on the scientific literature. In the research, respondents participated from Lithuania (373 respondents) and other European countries (444 respondents from Latvia, Poland, Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, Bulgaria, France). Findings: Results showed that the main reason why people choose to consume responsibly are taking care of their own and their family's well-being and a sense of responsibility for what is happening in the world. The results of the study revealed that, in principle, the respondents who took part in the survey consume quite responsibly, but do not volunteer much and participate in community activities. These activities would help to share both food and other goods without throwing them away. Research limitations/implications: Only those respondents who use an internet connection could participate in the study. It was also a random selection of the respondents, so in the future it would be useful to do research that would cover all age groups and other demographical characteristics. Practical implications: Although there are no direct recommendations for consumers on how to use responsibly, the results show what kind of responsible consumption methods they use, what inspires them to be responsible. This should help readers change their consumption habits to be more responsible. Social implications: The results of this study will undoubtedly contribute to more responsible consumption and encourage people to act more responsibly. Research results shows that there is a relatively large part of people who care about the ecological situation of the whole world, volunteer, their answers give encouragement, even in small steps, but to be responsible consumers. Originality/value: The paper reveals the buying habits of consumers, which will help the readers of the paper (managers of organizations and, of course, consumers) to understand the meaning of responsible consumption in the world and encourage them to be more responsible consumers. This paper explains how sustainable consumption is compatible with the goals of sustainable development. The paper is also interesting that it compares the answers of respondents from quite different European countries. The results have both theoretical and practical implications for the search for measures for responsible consumption. Keywords: causes, habits, responsible consumption, sustainable development goals, Europe. Category of the paper: research paper.


Automatic image annotation has drawn much attention in the last two decades due to its application in social images organization. Most studies treat image annotation as a typical multi-label classification problem, which requires sufficient number of training samples with complete and clean tags to train reliable prediction models. Being aware of this drawback, we develop a novel graph regularized low-rank feature mapping for image annotation under semi-supervised learning framework. Specifically, our approach refers to the idea of matrix recovery and uses the matrix trace norm to capture the correlations among different tags. It also helps to control the model complexity. In addition, by using graph Laplacian regularization as a smooth operator, the proposed approach can explicitly take into account the local geometric structure on both labeled and unlabeled images. Moreover, considering the tags of labeled images tend to be missing or noisy, we introduce a supplementary ideal label matrix to solve the problems of missing tags and noisy tags for given training samples. A variety of experiments conducted on image datasets ESPGame, IAPRTC-12, and NUS-WIDE prove the effectiveness of the proposed approach.


This paper studies the performance of a noniterative subspace tracking algorithm in mobile CDMA, including mismatch loss, convergence speed and system capacity. The array response vector of the uplink channel can be estimated by computing the principal eigenvector of data covariance matrix, which can be decomposed into an one-dimension signal subspace and multiple-dimension noise subspace. By averaging the noise subspace, we convert the principal eigenvector update into a 2/spl times/2 eigen problem, which largely reduces the computation complexity. Simulation results show that real-time tracking for the mobile users can be implemented, and the SNR loss due to estimation error is less than 0.5 dB.


Aboozar oil field is located approximately 72 km west of Khark Island in offshore Iran. The main reservoir of this field is an Oligo-Miocene stratum called Ghar which is a member of Asmari formation composed of loose sand with thin beds of shale. The present study developed the application of simulated annealing to generate stochastic model of Ghar permeability. Simulation of permeability of Ghar is based on porosity model which can be considered as secondary variable. Ordinary Kriging was used to construct the porosity model. In order to perform ordinary kriging to determine spatial distribution of porosity, 10 experimental variograms were calculated. Variograms show that the porosity in Ghar sand has both zonal and geometrical anisotropy. Then by using porosity model and permeability data of available data, 100 realizations of permeability distribution was generated by simulated annealing. At the end 3D probability model was generated from all realizations. By this model high permeable zone which indicate high reservoir quality was determined.


TE/sub 0n/-TE/sub 0q/ circular waveguide mode converters such as the TE/sub 02/-TE/sub 01/ type typically have radius variations which increase and then decrease again. This provides the possibility for trapped higher order modes which can exist between the uptaper and the downtaper, but cannot escape the region of enlarged radius. Trapped modes can sometimes have a catastrophic effect on device transmission at certain resonant frequencies. The effect of trapped modes are considered in a few simple cases in this paper using the computer simulation programs HFSS and Cascade.


The most general form of the K 18 current matrix element in the Duffin-Kemmer-Petiau (DKP) formalism is deduced. This is done by two methods: (i) An explicit evaluation of the DKP covariants and (ii) by using only Lorentz invariance and the fact that· the incoming and outgoing meson states are solutions of the DKP equation. The formal reduction of the matrix element is facilitated by introducing particular properties of the spin-0 algebra and fully exploiting the DKP consequent equation. We emphasize that (a) there are only two independent DKP Ku vector form factors, (b) there is only one independent DKP scalar form factor and (c) in, for example, the DKP K*-pole model, there must exist a zero in the DKP current-divergence matrix element.


FIELD: process engineering. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to structured abrasive material with top layer and may be used with, for example, rotary tool. Said structured abrasive article comprises substrate with first and second opposed main surfaces, topographically structured abrasive layer attached to said substrate. Said structured abrasive layer comprises abrasive components with exact form. Note here that said components comprise abrasive particles in cross-linked polymer binder and feature parameter D 50 , and solid top layer arranged at, at least, portion of said topographically structured abrasive layer. Said top solid layer comprises eroding particles with Moos hardness of, at least, 4, and water soluble polymer. Note here that said eroding particles feature D 50 , smaller than or equal to that of said abrasive particles. EFFECT: structured abrasive material with top layer. 20 cl, 4 dwg, 1 tbl, 1 ex


The covalent incorporation of ethylenediamine ligands in the framework of periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) nanostructure via mixed surfactants self-assembly process has been described. Propyl ethylenediamine group was employed to functionalize the pore channels of ethane-bridged PMO by co-condensation of 1,2-Bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTSE) and (trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine (EDA-TES) in the presence of mixed surfactants (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and fluorosurfactant (FSN100)) under basic conditions. In order to elucidate the effect of EDA-TES concentration on their mesoscopic organization and pore structure of the final PMO structures, the morphology of PMO nanostructures was investigated in detail by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and N2 adsorption. FTIR and NMR results have confirmed that ethane bridging groups in the final framework have not been cleaved and EDA-TES functions have been covalently anchored to the pore wall of PMO. The structural regularity of mesopore decreases with increasing concentration of EDA-TES in the initial mixtures except for the samples with 15 and 30 wt% EDA-TES concentrations, which exhibits a highly ordered two-dimensional hexagonal symmetry, supported by XRD patterns and TEM. Overall, the increase of EDA-TES contents results in the decreased surface area and total pore volume, indicating that the framework of PMO is covalently functionalized with EDA-TES function.


There is a variety of methods available for applying data reconciliation techniques and it is quite difficult to select a proper one in actual process.In order to make the selection easier,several data reconciliation methods are studied and compared based on the theory and methods in this article,including Linearization method,Crowe's matrix projection method and QR decomposition method.An example of application is presented and the result shows that the precision of QR decomposition method is higher and the computation process is easier compared with Crowe's method and Linearization method.Therefore,QR decomposition method should be selected first for solving the bilinear data reconciliation problem.


We present a novel optical phase modulation scheme on a Si photonic platform that uses a III–V/Si hybrid metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) capacitor formed by bonding an n-type InGaAsP membrane on a p-type Si waveguide. We numerically revealed that the phase modulation efficiency was improved by a factor of 7–8 owing to electron accumulation at the InGaAsP MOS interface when the n-type Si layer in a Si MOS optical phase shifter was replaced by an n-type InGaAsP layer. To realize the III–V/Si hybrid MOS capacitor, we developed an Al2O3 bonding interface deposited by atomic layer deposition that enabled a low interface trap density of <1012 cm–2·eV–1 at an InGaAsP MOS interface, which was essential for electron accumulation. We demonstrated a modulation efficiency of 0.047 V·cm at 1.55-<italic>μ</italic>m wavelength owing to the electron-induced change in the refractive index of InGaAsP. Since no holes were induced in the III–V layer of the III–V/Si hybrid MOS capacitor, we avoided large hole-induced absorption in InGaAsP. As a result, when we had a π phase shift, we obtained optical absorption of 0.23 dB, approximately ten times smaller than that of a Si MOS optical phase shifter. We found by numerical analysis that the efficient low-loss III–V/Si hybrid MOS optical phase shifter improved markedly the optical modulation amplitude, indicating its suitability for high-speed modulation beyond 100 Gb/s. We also demonstrated a Mach–Zehnder interferometer optical switch using the proposed optical phase shifter with a switching time of less than 20 ns. We achieved an extremely low switching power of approximately 1 nW, enabling a large-scale optical switch and universal photonic integrated circuits. We also discuss the feasibility of a photonic neural network for deep learning.


ABSTRACT Digital natives and digital immigrants live and grow together navigating a world of media devices and inventing new media practices. As such, it is increasingly important to know about the role of media in the lives of families. Although much is known about the impact of media on children as individuals, far less attention has been given to the impact of media on the family as a whole. A great deal of the research on the family and media focuses on parent-child interactions, relationships, and media practices. While parenting is a key element in family life, other members of the family contribute to family practices and interactions, particularly siblings. This article proposes future directions for research about media and families, turning attention to expanding parenting research beyond media mediation, employment of more observational and ethnographic studies of families and media, and exploring media uses with siblings which continues to be an area of limited focus within the field. Moreover, future research should examine families with different lived experiences both in how their media practices and how they are portrayed within the media. Through research, scholars can serve families as media mentors—supporting families in their media practices in an informed way. We have the ability to be excellent media mentors to families and a key component of that is to continue to find answers to questions for families through research.


Abstract Invertebrate insulin-related peptides play key roles in growth and metabolism. Genes encoding these peptides are specifically expressed in neurosecretory cells. Bombyxin genes of the silkmoth Bombyx mori encode insulin-related peptides and are expressed in four pairs of the neurosecretory cells in pars intercerebralis of brain. No regulatory element has been identified to confer the neurosecretory cell-specific expression of bombyxin gene. By promoter-deletion analysis and in vitro electroporation, we identified a transcription element essential for the cell-specific expression of bombyxin F1 gene, one of the bombyxin multifamily genes. The element was localized in the region from −170 to −159 bp upstream of the translation start site of the F1 gene. We named the element as BOSE, BOmbyxin gene-Specific Element. No protein that would bind to BOSE was found by searching the transcription factors database. In addition, an activator element responsible for increasing the expression level was identified in the region from −185 to −181 bp. The activator element is similar to the core element in gut-specific enhancer region of the mosquito Anopeles gambiae trypsin gene and the element essential for expression of a Bombyx chorion gene.


The invention relates to a system for increasing the coverage, information and sturdiness of an automatic identification system of a ship. Said system incorporates standard AIS-type modules, satellite links, coastal stations and processing centers handling the coordination of the modules (maximizing the coverage of the system in time) and the processing of the data (merging of different information to create extended context information). It implements a scheduling algorithm for the resources mobilized, in order to optimize the coverage by ensuring a given level of redundancy for the purposes of reliability and responsiveness of the system.


This article involves the question about the Occupational Therapeutic Act, which is the role of the occupational therapeutist in the context of work process in the health area. It defines this work process like the act or the role in the way of production of the object. It advocates that the process of work in the health area must be performed in the way to produce a general work object: the human health; and a specific object: the object of the many professional specificities. It contests that to validate the Occupational Therapeutic Act, the professional must to impel to elucidate better its object of professional work, however, he must take care to doesn't define it at reducionist way, but integrate and contextualized one.


The problem of heat damage in coal mines is becoming more and more serious, and the implementation effect of cooling system has become a matter of concern. In order to objectively evaluate the implementation effect of the mine cooling system, a comprehensive evaluation index system of the mine cooling system is established, and each index is quantified by expert scoring. Applying the combination of AHP and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation to comprehensively evaluate the cooling effect of the specific working face of coal mine, and propose management suggestions based on the evaluation results. The results of calculation and analysis show that the evaluation result of a coal mine cooling system is "good", which meets the requirements of mine safety in production.


This chapter reviews key issues and questions raised by victimologists in the last 10 years, including in particular the rise of restorative justice, environmental victimisation, victim participation in the criminal justice system and 'critical' victimology.


A multicenter double-blind randomized trial was performed in 22 teaching hospitals to compare the clinical effectiveness of the combination of amoxicillin (CAQ 26787-78-0) plu bromhexine (CAS 3572-43-8) versus amoxicillin alone given 4 times a day for 5 to 7 days in the treatment of clinically diagnosed community-acquired bacterial lower respiratory tract infections. 392 adult patients diagnosed clinically to have acute bronchitis or pneumonia of bacterial etiology were recruited for the study with 192 subjects given amoxicillin (250 mg) plus bromhexine (8 mg) (Drug AB) and 200 receiving amoxicillin (250 mg) (Drug AA) alone 4 times a day for 5 to 7 days. Clinical response, improvement in symptom scores using a visual analogue scale, and bacteriologic response were monitored at Days 3, 5 and 7 of treatment. Results showed that although 180/192 (94%) given Drug AB and 185/200 (93%) given Drug AA had favorable clinical response at the end of treatment, the infection was completely resolved for 89/192 (46%) among the Drug AB group and in 67/200 (34%) of patients on Drug AA (p=0.022). Also, patients given Drug AB had significantly greater reduction of their symptom scores at Day 3 for symptoms of cough discomfort, cough frequency, ease of expectoration and sputum volume. Among the subset of patients with pneumoniae, the cure rates for Drug AB and Drug AA were 24/50 (47%) and 11/50 (22%), respectively (p=0.008). A respiratory pathogen was cultured in only 72/392 (18%) of subjects. This study has shown that compared to amoxicillin alone, the combination of bromhexine and amoxicillin produces a higher clinical cure rate and faster resolution of respiratory symptoms in patients with community-acquired bacterial lower respiratory tract infections


Based on the application of the fuzzy theory,we designed a state level fuzzy controller for the marine steam power system. Compared with the level PID controller and a single-stage cascade PID level controller about disturbance response, the state level controller is more suitable for marine supercharged boiler level control because of its Smaller overshoot, shorter settling time, and other characteristics.


The issue of electoral law in elections to the Senate of the Republic of Poland arouses great interest among lawyers, political scientists and representatives of exact sciences (especially mathematicians). Both the fundamental principles of electoral law and the principles guiding the basic elements of the electoral system were included in the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. These provisions are not numerous, although crucial for the construction of the electoral system. The wrong tendency and practice of making changes to the electoral law just before the election prompted the legislator to introduce single-mandate constituencies. The adoption of the Electoral Code was also aimed at avoiding the manipulation of changes in constituencies under the influence of poll results, and highlighted the problem of implementing the constitutional provisions in this matter. Unfortunately, the literature on the subject often underestimates the weight of the vote and the estimation of voting power, which translates into the construction of a fair electoral system. The authors tried to present in the article changes in the electoral system against the background of domestic and foreign experience, using methods characteristic of the humanities and sciences.


This paper discusses the initial boundary value Problems for a semilinear two-speed symmetric hyperbolic systems with the boundary conditions satisfying a dissipative condition about discontinuous data. By means of the method of prior estimates, we prove the local existencc of discontinuous solutions.


A wind tunnel simulation of the characteristics of sand drift over a nylon net barrier with a porosity of about 30%, a grass barrier, and Gobi and mobile sand surfaces has been conducted. The aim of this paper is to describe the relationship between different underlying surfaces and air current turbulence and how characteristics of the underlying surface affect the movement of wind-blown sand and the wind velocity profile in sand-laden layers. A attempt is made to establish a theoretical base for optimizing the design of sand-control engineering in the field. This study has found that, for different underlying surfaces, there is a relationship between sand transport rate the same height above the surface at different velocities. Thus, air current turbulence can be considered as an index to determine the distribution of sand in the sand-laden layer and an important criterion determining impacts of movement.


Spin based electronics or spintronics is a field having the electron's spin
degree of freedom as a subject. It is about how to write, transfer and read
information using the electron spin. The birth of spintronics is considered
to be the discovery of the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) in 1988 [1] and
since then a major progress has been achieved in the field [2, 3]. The best
example of this progress is the development of so called spin-valves. Modern
day spin-valves are based on the GMR and they are used for measuring small
magnetic fields. Their most common application is as sensors in hard disk
reading heads.
Spintronics can conceptually be divided in two parts. The first one is
about generating and detecting spin polarized electrons, which is normally
done using ferromagnetic materials, but can also be done using optical methods
[3]. The latter part is about coherent transfer of spin information. It
is of fundamental importance to understand how spin infomation can be
transfered coherently over larger distances.
In recent years new nanoscale allotropes of carbon have been discovered.
In 1985 the first fullerene, the buckyball was discovered [4] and 1991 carbon
nanotubes (CNT) were discovered by Sumio Iijima [5]. CNTs behave as onedimensional
conductors and the coherence length of the electron in them is
very long, especially in individual SWCNT, where the electrons have been
found to be coherent over the distance of 3 �m [6]. Moreover, carbon is believed
to have long spin coherence length, due to low spin orbit coupling and
no nuclear spin of its main isotope 12C . This all makes CNTs an interesting
platform for spin transport studies.
The first work on CNT spin-valve devices was done on multiwall carbon
nanotubes (MWCNTs) contacted by Co electrodes [7]. By applying magnetic
field to the device the magnetization of the Co electrodes can be changed between
parallel and antiparallel mutual orientation. The resistance for parallel

and antiparallel mutual orientation, RP and RA respectively, are measured
and the TMR, which is defined as follows
TMR = (RA - RP)/
is calculated. The TMR of this first CNT spin-valve was 9% at maximum
and it was positive (i.e RA > RP ) [7, 8].
Negative TMR signal was later measured in similar devices, i.e. MWCNTs
contacted with Co electrodes. The maximal size of the TMR signal in these
devices was 36% for a low current bias, but higher current bias resulted in
lower TMR signals [9]. The origin of the di�erent sign of the TMR was not
clear by then.
The first CNT spin devices fabricated in our lab wereMWCNTs contacted
by Pd1-xNix (x ~ 0:7) 1. These ferromagnetic contacts were transparent,
having room temperature resistance of 5:6 k[omega]. What was new about these
devices was that they were equipped with a back gate and could be tuned
between di�erent transport regimes [10]. More importantly it was shown that
TMR was dependent on the back gate voltage [11]. Further studies revealed
that the TMR signal was either negative or positive dependent on applied
gate voltage, but the origin of this behavior was not well understood [12].
When the signal changes in TMR were studied single wall carbon nanotubes
(SWCNT) grown in-house by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using
methane as a carbon source became available. The CVD growing process
had been optimize to produce individual SWCNT [13]. Individual CVD
grown SWCNTs were connected with PdNi contacts. In such device it was
shown that the TMR signal was correlated with the coulomb oscillations of
the quantum dot which is formed in the SWCNT between the contacts. In
SWCNT the quantum dot behavior is much simpler than in MWCNT and
the TMR could be tuned smoothly from positive to negative values by the
gate voltage [12, 14]. This work demonstrated for the first time the control
of spin transport in a three terminal device.
There are still many open questions concerning SWCNT spin devices.
There are mainly two issues that one should be concerned about when constructing
a SWCNT spin valve device. The first one is the switching characteristics
of the electrodes. The switching in the devices contacted with PdNi
contacts is not always clear indicating that the electrode consists of many
magnetic domains.
The latter one is due to spurious effects in the SWCNT spin-valves. Such
effects could be magneto-coulomb effect [15] or tunnelling anisotropic magnetoresistance
(TAMR). Spurious effects could cause a "false TMR signal",

i.e. a switching behavior in the signal as a function of applied field that that
does not originate from transport of spin.
The focus of the this work was mainly to address these issues but some
work was also done on how to process of individual SWCNT devices. PdNi
electrodes were studied in order to understand their switching behavior better.
We worked to optimize the switching characteristics of the spin-valve
devices, by trying other contact materials on the SWCNTs.
One way of avoiding spurious e�ects is to make multi-terminal devices.
It has been shown in metallic nanostructures that by measuring non-local
spin signals, artefacts can be avoided. Non-local spin transport measurements
have been done on SWCNT contacted by four Co contacts [16]. The
multiterminal devices made in this work have two normal contacts and two
ferromagnetic contacts. They are gateable with a back-gate enabling it to
study the behavior of the three quantum dots that are formed in each segment
of the tube between the contacts.
Outline of this thesis
- Chapter 2 is on the basics of spintronics. It includes a short description
on ferromagnetism and on anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR)
and for historical resons giant magnetoresistance (GMR) is briefly discussed.
The tunnelling magnetoresistance is explained and Julliere's
model.
- Chapter 3 is on carbon nanotubes. It is focused on single wall carbon
nanotubes (SWCNT), their structure and their electronic properties.
- Chapter 4 is on processing of SWCNT devices. The first part of the
chapter is on SWCNT production and characterization of the SWCNT
material. A lot of time was invested in the lab in finding the best way
to obtain individual SWCNT for our nanotube project. Both main
approaches tested, i.e spreading tubes from suspension solution and
CVD growth are described. In the latter part it is generally described
how to make SWCNT devices.
- Chapter 5 is on SWCNT based spin valves. The idea behind the
SWCNT is discussed (the statement of the problem) and then measurements
using different ferromagnetic contact materials are discussed.
Temperature dependence on TMR in SWCNT is discussed in the last
section of the chapter.
- Chapter 6 is on measurements on multiterminal devices. Non-local
and semi-nonlocal measurements are shown and discussed.
- Chapter 7 is a summary of the thesis.
Details on experimental setups and recipes can be found in appendices.


Adult patients (≥56 years old) with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) received induction therapy consisting of daunoruhicin (60 mg/m2). etoposide (80 mg/m2), and cytarahine (200 mg/ m2) daily for 5 days by continuous i.v. infusion (120 hours). The initial protocol was modified so that patients who were not hypoplastic after the tirst cycle of chemotherapy received a second cycle of treatment, utilizing 30 mg/m2 of daunorubicin/24 hours for 5 days plus etoposide and cytarahine as used in the first cycle. Two courses of consolidation with etoposide and cytarahine at the same dose and schedule were given. Patients were then maintained on cytarahine monthly. Twelve of 29 previously untreated patients (41%) achieved complete remission (CR). Excluding patients with secondary AMI., 48% of all patients (11/23) achieved CR. including 56% ≥ 70 years old. The median duration of CR was 41 weeks and median survival of CR patients was 54 weeks. Six of 13 patients (46%) with relapsed AML achieved CR. Toxicity in these older adult patients has been mild. Two patients (8%) had severe mucositis and one had severe (bloody) diarrhea. Most patients developed a mild transient asymptomatic rash. Triple infusion chemotherapy (TIC) may be as effective as other chemotherapy regimens for AML in older adults and has acceptable toxicity.


Abstract Convection is the mode of heat transfer which generally takes place in liquid and gases. Consider a fluid flow over a heated surface, the molecules of fluid adjacent to the surface, absorb heat and become hot, on heating the molecules become lighter due to decrease in density, they rise up and the cold molecules of higher density come down in contact of heated surface, in this way, motion of molecules sets up in fluid due to developed density gradient. The thermal protection system in many systems is widely accomplished applying natural convection process due to its low cost, reliability and easy maintenance. Typical applications include the heat exchangers, cooling of electronic equipment and nuclear reactors, solar chimneys and Trombe walls in building industry, etc. Experimental studies of natural convective flows in two dimensional channels, opened to ambient conditions at both end sections, are extensively reported in the literature but most of them are treated severely idealized experimentally.


The changing family structure and the evolving social trends with a breakdown in the traditional support system has created a gap for fulfilling the physical , psychological and social needs of the child stressing the need for an alternative support system to meet the needs of the child. Counselling in schools is definitely the bridge that might fill this gap. The area of school counselling in India is very young and needs to spread and establish itself. The norms for it's practice have to be laid down, the need for school counselling requires a proper recognition and all efforts need to be put together to utilize this very important psychological skill in preventing and in responding to the various psychosocial needs of the school children. The present paper seeks to review an emerging area of counselling in schools in India. The objectives of the paper are, to stress the need for counselling in schools in India, to trace the history of school counselling in India, to scrutinize the current position of counselling in the Indian schools, to analyse the norms to be laid down for the practice of counselling in the schools in India. The method adopted is a review of literature.


This article proposes an algorithm for automatic calculation of total cost of ownership (TCO) and server compute efficiency (ScE) metrics for data centers. The approaches described in the article allow to evaluate the efficiency of the data center. A comparative analysis of data sources is given, and, on its basis, information is presented on the possibility of calculating data center usage metrics. The developed algorithm was finalized to the software. The architecture of the software tool is presented, which allows calculating the TCO and ScE metrics. The results of the experimental application of a software solution are presented, which made it possible to calculate the ScE for a loaded machine and a machine operating in normal mode. And also with the help of the software tool, the results of TCO metric calculation for Dell server are presented.


A general analysis is presented for the scintillation index of a Gaussian beam wave propagating through a turbulent medium confined to a portion of the propagation path between input and output planes, the limiting case of which defines a thin random phase screen. For a plane wave incident on a phase screen located midway between input and output planes, the phase screen scintillation index agrees with that of a plane wave propagating through extended turbulence when the phase variance and spectrum for refractive index of the screen and extended medium are the same. However, for a finite Gaussian beam at the input plane, our analysis reveals that the distance from input plane to the phase screen must be many times greater than the distance from the screen to output plane to simulate a plane wave propagating through an extended medium.


Our aim is to model the frequency of certain behavioral acts, especially those that are likely to transmit communicable diseases between persons. We develop a generalized linear model on the basis of the beta prime distribution to model the responses to a survey question of the form, 'When was the last time that you engaged in this behavior?' Intuitively, individuals reporting more recent events are more likely to have greater frequency of the risky behavior. The beta prime distribution is especially suited to this application because of its long tail. We adjust for length‐biased sampling. We show how to use this distribution as the basis of a linear regression model that accounts for differences in demographic and psychological characteristics of the respondents. We discuss estimation of parameters, residuals, tests for heterogeneity of these parameters, and jackknife measures of influence. We apply the methods to a survey of alcohol abuse use among individuals who are at high risk for spreading HIV and other communicable diseases in a study conducted in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


In this work studies on photochromism for optics and photonics are reviewed. The versatility of organic chemistry gives photochromic materials wide opportunities for several applications that range from tunable filters and gratings, to refractive‐index modulators for optical fibers and communications, to optical memories and sensors. Moreover, novel results on amplified emission efficient modulation in a conjugated polymer/photochromic system are presented.


A new theoretical approach to 1:1 electrolytes at low temperature is developed, RPM and SAPM are studied with this approach, and their critical points of first order phase transition are calculated. The result is in very good agreement with that of recent MC simulations, in particular it shows that, for SAPM, both the critical temperature and critical density decrease with the increase of size asymmetry.


Scheduling multimedia applications over heterogeneous wireless networks is a challenging issue due to quality-of-service (QoS) requirements, different resource requests, and dynamically available network resources. Resource availability is an important constraint for the adaptive usage of limited network resources. However, it has not been well studied in the literature. In this paper, we propose a novel distributed availability-aware adaptive rate-allocation scheme for multimedia applications. A general distortion model is first proposed, which is highly dependent on the application's rate-distortion characteristics and the availability model. Then, a near-optimal rate-allocation approach is presented that jointly considers QoS, reliability, and availability. Numerical results indicate that the proposed scheme is able to achieve higher QoS under various environments compared with other reference approaches.


This study is part of an international three-country review of Integrated Child Development Programmes for Young Mothers sponsored by the International Child Development Centre Florence Italy and the UN Childrens Fund Kenya Country Office. It aims at identification and review of programs that directly or indirectly address the basic learning needs of adolescent mothers; assessment of their performance in terms of impact viability and potential; and identification of constraints with particular reference to the availability of learning materials. Section one of this paper presents the situation of adolescent mothers in Kenya. Section two provides an overview of the programs. The third section focuses on the findings while section four presents the profiles of selected programs. Section five is a literature review on the following: present state of adolescent mothers causes and consequences of adolescent pregnancies and Family Planning Association of Kenya Survey.


ABSTRACT In an attempt to apply traditional theory of barriers to new entries, a study for a new manufacturing firm was conducted which unveiled other forms of entry barriers: the decision-making behaviour exercised by buyers of large corporations and discriminatory measures used by large suppliers against smaller firms may obstruct smaller entrants. The result of approximately fifty marketing tests among potential buyers are described. It is found that a new entrant may concentrate its entry strategy on approaching owner/managers of small independent retail stores whose entrepreneurial decision-making behaviour is more likely to help the new firm to break the entry barriers.