The oxidative behaviors and relative reactivities of benzyl alcohol and some substituted benzyl alcohols (XC 6 H 4 CH 2 OH, where X=-NO 2 , -Cl, and -OMe) toward bis(dihydridotellurato)metallate(III) ions (where M=Cu III and Ag III ) in alkine medium have been investigated. The reactions are first order with respect to [XC 6 H 4 CH 5 OH] and [M III (H 2 TeO 6 ) 2 ] 5- . The rate is independent of [OH - ]. The activation parameters of the reactions have been computed. The mechanism of the reactions is discussed


It is now certain that dark matter exists in the Universe. However, we do not know its nature, nor are there dark matter candidates in the standard model of particle physics or astronomy However, weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) in models beyond the standard model are one of the leading candidates available to provide explanation. The dark matter direct detection experiments, in which the nuclei recoiled by WIMPs are sought, are one of the methods to elucidate the nature of dark matter. This chapter introduces an effective field theory (EFT) approach in order to evaluate the nucleon–WIMP elastic scattering cross section.


In "The Code Book", a history of cryptography, the author Simon Singh included ten encrypted messages with a prize of £10,000 for the first person or team to decipher all of them. Thousands of amateur and professional codebreakers took up the Cipher Challenge, but it took over a year before the messages were cracked. Simon Singh will be talking about how he constructed the Cipher Challenge and how the winners eventually cracked it. He will also be using the Cipher Challenge to give an introduction to the history of cryptography and to demonstrate why encryption is more important today than ever before. In particular, he will discuss what the Cipher Challenge can teach us about Internet security. The talk will include a demonstration of a genuine Second World War Enigma machine.


In this series of two papers we present results about the E-H transition of an inductively coupled oxygen discharge driven at radio frequency (13.56 MHz) for different total gas pressures. The mode transition from the low density E-mode to the high density H-mode is studied using comprehensive plasma diagnostics. The measured electron density can be used to distinguish between the different operation modes. This paper focuses on the determination of the negative atomic ion density and the electronegativity by two experimental methods and global rate equation calculation. As a result, the electronegativity significantly decreases over two orders of magnitude from about 25 in the E-mode to about 0.1 in the H-mode. The temporal behavior of the electronegativity in pulsed ICP shows that the negative atomic ion density reaches a steady state after 10 ms. Negative atomic ions are mainly produced by the dissociative attachment with the molecular ground state. The ion–ion recombination with the positive molecular ions and the collisional detachment with the singlet molecular metastables contribute significantly to the loss of the negative atomic ions.


Choosing a prime minister the transfer of power the prime minister the cabinet ministers and departments ministerial conduct the opposition constitutional monarchy the House of Commons the House of Lords the constitutional position of the judges.


Sprite generation is the process of aligning, warping, and blending of pixels that belong to an object in a video. The evaluation of the correctness of a sprite is usually accomplished by a combination of objective and subjective evaluations. Availability of ground-truth image would help mere objective evaluation. In this paper, the authors present video generation from an image based on various camera motion parameters to be used as ground-truth for the sprite evaluation. This paper introduces a framework for evaluation of sprite generation algorithms. Experiments under the proposed framework were performed on the synthetic videos of different camera motion patterns to reveal the components of the sprite generation algorithm to be improved. DOI: 10.4018/jmdem.2010040103 International Journal of Multimedia Data Engineering and Management, 1(2), 34-61, April-June 2010 35 Copyright © 2010, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. in the video. In the rest of the paper, we will use the term sprite for the background sprite unless stated otherwise. Since background scene may not be captured in a single frame of a video, sprite is generated by correctly overlapping between sequential frames. Sprite is usually generated when there is a significant global motion and the background regions eventually become visible. Therefore, sprite generation algorithms process every frame (usually in order) to incorporate occluded backgrounds as they become visible and newly visible backgrounds. Sprite generation is mostly applied in order sequentially for all frames in the video, since the global motion is limited for consecutive frames. The consecutive frames are aligned and the newer one is blended into the sprite. The three main steps of sprite generation are global motion estimation, warping and blending. Global motion estimation aims at calculating the motion between two (consecutive) frames. For background sprite, it is usually assumed that global motion estimation corresponds to camera motion if the moving objects are not too large. Global motion estimation is the most computation intensive component of sprite generation. Warping maps coordinates of pixels in one frame to coordinates of pixels in the other frame without changing pixel values. In other words, it aligns the frames that are processed. Blending determines what the pixel values should be after aligning the frames (e.g., averaging). Global motion estimation depends on the motion models used for the estimation. The most common motion models are 2D motion models, such as perspective, affine, or translational models, due to their performance. Since cameras capture 3D environments where object distances to camera vary and some local objects may move in a different direction from the camera motion, the 2D models may not be 100% accurate to model the environment. Hence, 2D global motion estimation algorithms can only approximate the actual global motion. If the estimated global motion is close enough to the actual motion, the sprite can still be generated by using enhanced methods such as long-term global motion estimation (Smolic, 1999). If the global motion is not estimated correctly, neither warping nor blending may produce satisfactory results. The evaluation of sprite generation is composed of subjective and objective evaluation steps. An expert looks at the sprite and the video and determines whether it is an appropriate sprite or not in the subjective evaluation. In the objective evaluation, the typical measure is peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) (Li, 2003). The PSNR (Smolic, 2003; Sheikh, 2006) is used to calculate the difference between the generated frame and original frame. The visual quality was maintained despite decrease in PSNR (Smolic, 2003). Sheikh et al. (Sheikh, 2006) state that the correlation of mean squared error (Li, 2003) and PSNR is not a tight indication of human judgment quality. The problem for sprite evaluation is that the PSNR value can be ∞ even for an incorrectly generated sprite if the frames are concatenated without any overlapping. In the objective evaluation, the original frames can be regenerated exactly the same although the sprite is not correct at all. However, the generated sprite is not correct. (To check the correctness of the sprite, we regenerated the original frames, and the original frames can be regenerated exactly the same although the sprite is not correct at all). It can be concluded that PSNR is not sufficient to determine the quality of sprite. Sprite generation has three main steps: global motion estimation, warping, and blending. The algorithms for these steps may be independent of each other. So, the reason for a better sprite may be due to an improvement in any of these steps. A sprite generation algorithm with good global motion estimation but with a poor blending algorithm may perform poorly. Therefore, just comparing the final result is not enough to compare two sprite generation algorithms. In the literature, the outputs of intermediate steps are not shared. Knowing that PSNR is not enough for evaluating sprites, the comparison of PSNR values is also doubtful. Since many researchers experimented on specific videos to prove their sprite generation, it is not strong enough to prove the strength of an algorithm. The major problem for sprite generation evaluation is the 26 more pages are available in the full version of this document, which may be purchased using the "Add to Cart" button on the product's webpage: www.igi-global.com/article/synthetic-video-generationevaluation-sprite/43747?camid=4v1 This title is available in InfoSci-Journals, InfoSci-Journal Disciplines Communications and Social Science, InfoSciCommunications, Online Engagement, and Media eJournal Collection, InfoSci-Knowledge Discovery, Information Management, and Storage eJournal Collection, InfoSciNetworking, Mobile Applications, and Web Technologies eJournal Collection, InfoSci-Surveillance, Security, and Defense eJournal Collection, InfoSci-Journal Disciplines Engineering, Natural, and Physical Science, InfoSci-Social Sciences Knowledge Solutions – Journals, InfoSci-Computer Science and IT Knowledge Solutions – Journals. Recommend this product to your librarian: www.igi-global.com/e-resources/libraryrecommendation/?id=2


Biological experiments which aim to study changes in the gene expression profile currently allow to detect only significant variations in RNA levels due to high variance of the signal in both biological and technical replicates. The variance of the signal has its source in the experimental procedure and in the laboratory in which the measurement was performed. Understanding factors that influence measured levels of gene expression, using individual platforms, will allow the development of bioinformatics tools correcting the impact of experimental methodology. In this study, we analyze the influence of selected factors (poly(A) and spacer-T motifs; GC content, transcript length) on the precision of gene expression measurements by RT-qPCR, oligonucleotide microarrays and RNA sequencing.


At the start of the 1996-97 school year, the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (the Commission or the NCTAF) released a report entitled What Matters Most: Teaching for America's Future. NCTAF is a "blue-ribbon" 26-member commission chaired by North Carolina governor James Hunt. An accompanying press release described the report as a "scathing indictment" of the current system for training and recruiting teachers. The Commission argued that public schools employ large numbers of "unqualified" teachers and proposed an extensive set of recommendations to "put qualified teachers in every classroom."


In this paper, the problem of primary user detection in cognitive radio networks is faced. To this end, a secondar y terminal equipped with multiple antennas is considered to e xploit the benefits offered by the spatial diversity. In particular, a two antenna terminal is considered for space and complexity rea sons. It is modeled as an enhanced serial network, a distributed detection technique with strong theoretical basis where th e processing performed at one antenna is influenced by the process ing performed at the other one is considered. The enhanced seria l network model is based on the identification of the sub-space s, denoted as stability region, where the decision problem is n ot SNR-variant. The analytical expressions for the probabili ty of correct detection and for the probability of false opportunity detection are derived. Numerical results show that the proposed scheme outperforms traditional two antenna terminal solut ions in multipath channel.


Courses, curriculum, and classrooms can be designed to affirm students in their adulthood, empowering them to draw on their experiences, interests, and self-motivation to learn. Starting at the introductory level and continuing through specialty courses and electives, critical thinking, learning contracts, self-directed learning, and sharing experiences and knowledge can be empowering and exciting experience for both student and professor. Examples of these methods are presented for an introduction to psychology course that is an interdisciplinary course on the meaning of life and social psychology. (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Adult Learning Styles, Critical Thinking and Psychology


High boron materials of high efficiency for thermoelectric power generation and capable of prolonged operation at temperatures over 1200 C are discussed. Background theoretical studies indicated that the low carrier mobility of materials with beta boron and related structures is probably associated with the high density of traps. Experimental work was mainly concerned with silicon borides in view of promising data from European laboratories. A systematic study using structure determination and lattice constant measurements failed to confirm the existence of an SiB/sub n/ phase. Only SiB/sub 6/ and a solid solution of silicon in beta boron with a maximum solid solubility of 5.5-6 at % at 1650 C were found.


model (CRA) to ensure that students make the connection between the concrete and symbolic mathematics. Larbi and Marvis warn that if students are not taught to use manipulatives using the CRA model, students may see math as two different worlds: concrete and symbolic.


The effect of such system parameters as structural characteristic, earthquake properties and different styles of stiff distribution, on the inelastic response of multi - story asymmatric reinforced masonry structures is analysed based on the real structures. It is concluded that the main parameters that influence the transverse displacement are number of stories height story, earthquake intensity, and story stiffness; The main parameters that influence the torsion response are: eccentricity, numbers of stories, and the properties of earthquakes. Some other qualitative conclusions drown from calculations are: the bottom stories are more liable to be de- stroyed, the vulnerability of the structure is always dependent on the transverse response, and the reinforced masonry structure is outstanding to stand earthquake.


Seismic attributes clustering is an important approach for seismic attributes analysis in reservoir prediction. K-means is one of the most popular method used in clustering analysis, but it is highly influenced by the initial centroids, and always converged to local optimum solution. Artificial bee colony is one of swarm intelligence methods, and proved to be converged to global optimum, was brought into seismic attributes clustering for optimization the cluster centroids. Through application of field data, the clustering method based on artificial bee colony could avoids the problem of unstable and local optimization, especially could provide more reasonable geological information about the carbonate reservoir feature, such as reef and shoal complex, fluids and fault, etc..


Desorption of alkali atoms from, and defects formed in, alkali halide crystals stimulated by low-energy electron bombardment were investigated simultaneously by optical absorption-, mass spectroscopy-, and depth-profile surface sputtering- techniques. These techniques not only provide important information about the type, amount, and the spatial distribution of the defects formed in the alkali halide crystals, but also indicate which processes govern the emission rate of neutral alkali atoms during and after bombardment. The results show that at temperatures near and lower than room temperature, F-centers, small F-center clusters, and alkali metal clusters are formed during electron bombardment of the crystals


Especially in the field of psychiatry, physical violence against medical professionals is not a rare phenomenon. Next to suicidal and self−mutilating behavior, this troubling aspect of psychiatric work represents a frequent source of concern for doctors and nur− ses. There is evidence that mental and practical preparation for difficult situations with aggressive patients can help to reduce potentially dangerous escalations of violence. In German speak− ing countries various institutional and private organizations offer different training programs for deescalation and self−defense techniques. Studies have shown positive effects on the professio− nals' knowledge and confidence to handle situations safelyand to be able to de−escalate them. However, the data is yet inconsistent about the question, whether the learned contents sufficiently put into practice in order to reduce violence in psychiatry. For psy− chiatric


Addiction treatment stresses heavily on the management of the withdrawal symptoms. Once the withdrawal symptoms are managed, the next step is to inculcate the life-skills that the addict needs to cope with a life without the reward-giving substance. Relapse, furthermore complicates the treatment. An average addict proclaims to be using the substance to evade frustration and seek temporary comfort while facing life situations. It is accompanied by a need to use the substance and inability to stop using it. Soon, the inability transforms into low self-esteem, dependency and loneliness. Another common reason addict gives for sustaining the substance-abuse is the need to get a kick or "lift". This sheds light on the pervasive sense of feeling low or self-pity that brings out the need to rise above.


People perceive cute expressions about situations or events positively or negatively. However, the conditions for how cute expression messaging would be received are less clear. In three studies, we investigated the influences of natural disaster cute expression messaging on audiences to determine the feelings the messaging engendered and perceptions of the content creator's humanity. Study 1 examined cute expression messaging effects of a natural flood disaster. Studies 2 and 3 examined cute expression messaging of the Coronavirus Disease 2019. Study 1 showed that audiences perceived someone using cute expressions to describe a natural disaster as having a lack of humanity. Studies 2 and 3 indicated that cute expressions about the pandemic caused audiences to feel disgusted, leading to a dehumanising perception towards the content creator. Moreover, Study 3 showed that dehumanising the author could further contribute to aggression. From these findings, we conclude that cute expression messaging to describe disasters could be aversive, disrupting perceptions of a shared sense of humanity, and risking aggression against the content creators.


Low mean heart rate at ambulatory ECG monitoring and low resting heart rate are both predictors of later incident atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study is to determine whether mean heart rate at ambulatory ECG is a predictor of paroxysmal AF that can be detected with extended ambulatory ECG registration.

 We included all patients who recorded 2–30 full days of ambulatory ECG using a full disclosure mobile cardiac telemetry device in USA 2019–2020, and without AF on the first full day of registration (n=18,220, mean age 64.4 years, 57.2% women). The association between mean heart rate on the first day and the occurrence of paroxysmal AF (≥30 seconds duration) during subsequent up to 30 day ECG recording was analysed using logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex and duration of ECG recording, according to tertiles of mean heart rate (39–66, 67–76 and >77 beats per minute) as well as modelled using restricted cubic splines.

 During a median registration duration of 16 days there were 1,290 cases of paroxysmal AF (7.1%). More paroxysmal AF occurred in the lower tertiles of mean heart rate (11.2% in tertile 1, 6.2% in tertile 2, and 4.4% in tertile 3). After adjustment, low mean heart rate was associated with a higher risk of AF (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.47–1.93 p<0.001 for tertile 1 vs tertile 2, and OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.58–2.15, p<0.001 for tertile 1 vs tertile 3). Cubic spline curves indicated that lowest risks of AF were seen among subjects with a mean heart rate ≈80 beats per minute.

 Low mean heart rate at 24hECG predicts detection of paroxysmal AF during extended ≤30 day ambulatory ECG monitoring.

 Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Swedish Heart Lung foundationSwedish Society for Medical Research


ABSTRACT Individual Placement and Support (IPS) improves competitive employment rates for those with serious mental illness (SMI) and is available through the Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA). IPS clients often have difficulty maintaining jobs, and various reasons for job loss have been identified for those with SMI. No study has yet investigated IPS job loss in a homeless and largely substance-using population. An analysis of data from a quasi-experimental demonstration examined the association of various reasons for job loss with the duration of the first IPS job and with veteran characteristics. This study also examined the relationship of job duration and reasons for job loss with subsequent employment. Veterans' most commonly identified reason for termination was drug/alcohol use; mental and/or physical health problems were uncommonly cited as reason for job loss. Those whose jobs ended due to drugs/alcohol were less likely to find subsequent employment. They also had greater scores on alcohol (but not drug) use measures and were more likely to have alcohol (but not drug) use diagnoses, highlighting a potentially unique role of alcohol in job loss in veterans who were homeless. These analyses reveal distinctive work-related challenges among homeless IPS participants. Suggestions to improve vocational services for homeless individuals are provided.


The human monocyte is an important member of the host defence system, but has been little studied in vitro. In this report, I describe a reproducible and simple method for monocyte chemotaxis in man, using a Boyden chamber. Monocyte suspension was prepared by Ficoll-Hypaque gradient sedimentation. The purity of the suspension was checked with Peroxidase-Giemsa staining. Chemotaxis assay was performed using a 5 μm pore sized Millipore filter(thickness:150 μm) and a Nuclepore filter (thickness:13 μm). When the Millipore filter was used, migrated cells stayed in the filter, while it appeared that cells detached from the filter when the Nuclepore filter was used. In the modified Boyden method using a Millipore filter, more than 3×10(5) monocytes had to be added to the upper room of the chamber, and the duration of 90 minutes was adequate for incubation. Zymosan activated human serum diluted 20 percent was used as the chemoattractant. To estimate chemotaxis in the Millipore filter, migrated cells in the filter were counted at 30 μm depth.


Background: A rotator cuff tear is a tear of one or more of the tendons of the four rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles that play an important role in function of the glenohumeral joint. Value of the clinical examination of a shoulder is often uncommonly exhibited; therefore, imaging modalities have valuable implications in the management of rotator cuff pathologies.
 Aim: the purpose of this study is to assess the diagnostic accuracy of MRI in diagnosis of rotator cuff tears.
 Materials and Methods: we examined 20 consecutive cases of shoulder arthroscopy, who had undergone preoperative investigation in the form of MRI. Comparing the accuracy of MRI for detection of full-thickness rotator cuff tears, using the operative findings as the 'gold standard' was used. All the patients presented to Radiology Department referred from Orthopedic Outpatient Clinic, El-Demerdash University Hospital and Nassir Institution, from January 2017 to October 2017.
 Results: 16(80%) were males, 4(20%) were females, with age range from (27y) to (57y) (mean range 42y) complaining of symptoms and signs of shoulder pain which go more with RCT the overall accuracy of MRI in diagnosis of RCT, was 99%, while sensitivity and specificity was 99%,98.8) respectively, with P value less than 0.05. Conclusion: MRI is an accurate diagnostic imaging method for RCT specially for the FTT, and considered to be best cost-effective, non-invasive imaging method for screening of rotator cuff tears. In patients who underwent surgery, MRI yielded comparably high sensitivity for detecting full-thickness RCT.


for an Invited Paper for the MAR10 Meeting of The American Physical Society Single Molecule Dynamics of the ribosome during translation JODY PUGLISI, Stanford University School of Medicine No abstract available.


A computer-aided performance evaluation (CAPE) tool to support the evaluation of graphical, hierarchical performance models used to design parallel/distributed real-time software systems is presented. It is a graphical interface for CAPE environments called GRAPE. GRAPE supports five different performance models: a queuing model, a state model, a computation structure model, a data flow model and a statistical model. Each of these models is contained in a separate subsystem, but they are linked together to represent multilevel hierarchical modeling, allowing the user to integrate the relationships between different performance metrics at different levels of analysis. The overall structure and graphic environment of GRAPE and the five models are described.<<ETX>>


Correspondence tables are a basic yet widely applied graphical/diagrammatical representation method. We investigate a certain type of reasoning with tables by exploiting local conditions, which specify the data in some table entries, and global conditions, which are constraints over every row and column. To formalize such a reasoning, we introduce a heterogeneous logic with tables by combining the usual first-order formulas in the framework of natural deduction. In order to formalize tables and formulas in the same framework, we apply the syntax and semantics of many-sorted logic.


Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy and safety of collagenase and oxygen-ozone intradiscal injection for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation in patients with Grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis. Methods Forty-nine patients who suffered lumbar disc herniation with grade I spondylolysis were therapeutically cured by the intervertebral disc injection of eollagenase and oxygen-ozone under the guidance of CT. Clinical effects were evaluated by observing the changes of visual analogues scales ( VAS ), the condition of taking painkillers and the distance of the sliding vertebrae and by using modified Macnab method on postoperative day and at final follow-up (6 months after surgery). Results Compared with preoperative clinical data, the VAS score and score of taking painkillers both dropped sharply, which reflected a significant difference compared to the previous data by statistical method (P〈0.05). At the same time, the distance of the sliding vertebrae had no significant transform during the whole observation period. 7 days and 6 months after surgery, the efficience rate of treatment that we evaluated by using modified Macnab was 85.71% and 87.76% respectively. There were no statistical significance between the two time point (P〉0.05). However there was significant difference to compare the excellence rate between the two time point as it was 65.31% and 71.42% respectively (P〈0.05). There were no serious postoperative complications or side effects in all the patients. Conclusions It is very effective clinically to get intradiscal injection of combined collagenase and oxygen-ozone guided by CT for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation in patients with Grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis as radicular symptoms were remarkably improved in most patients immediately after surgery. Meanwhile it can relieve painfulness of the patient and has no influence of sliding vertebrae, which means it is a safe, effective and minimally invasive method for treatment of lumbar disc herniation in patients with Grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis.

Key words:
Lumbar disc herniation;  Spondylolysis;  Collagenase;  Oxyen-ozone;  CT-guided


[We commemorate the personality and humanity of the entomologist Andrea Sabbadini (1970-2020) with the addition of a brief biography and notes on the activity he carried out in his field of specialization, the Coleoptera Cerambycidae].

[Article in Italian]


Labor export is an important way to increase income and get extra labor force employed.It has far reaching effect on the economic development in regions of minority nationalities.However,the lack of knowledge and work skills,and the traditions and religious belief of minority nationalities have prevented in some way the smooth going of labor export.In this paper,we probed into the status quo of human resources in Zhuoni County,Gansu Province,summarizing the problems in its export of labor services and putting forward corresponding solutions.


Abstract Conclusion: The polysomnographic (PSG) effects of nasal surgery on positional obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) patients (PPs) and non-positional OSAHS patients (NPPs) were different. Objective: We aimed to determine the PSG data changes after nasal surgery and evaluate the PSG effect of nasal surgery on PPs and NPPs, respectively. Methods: A total of 79 OSAHS patients with nasal obstruction were recruited. Preoperative rhinomanometry and overnight polysomnography were recorded. Patients were distributed into three groups based on the severity level of the apnea and hypopnea indexes (AHI) (mild, moderate, and severe OSAHS). Three groups were each subdivided into two subgroups (PPs and NPPs). Postoperative data were obtained at least 6 months later. Results: After surgery, although nasal resistance decreased significantly in all patients, the total rate of success and response in treating OSAHS was only 22.7%. Grouped on the basis of the severity level of AHI, the lowest SpO2 increased and AHI, supine AHI, and arousal indexes decreased significantly only in mild OSAHS (p < 0.05). Subdivided according to the presence or absence of positional dependency, the lowest SpO2 increased and supine AHI decreased significantly in both PPs and NPPs with mild OSAHS and in PPs with moderate OSAHS (p < 0.05). AHI significantly increased in PPs with severe OSAHS (p < 0.05). Supine sleep time was relatively prolonged significantly in PPs with moderate and severe OSAHS (p < 0.05).


Young people from Barnsley, Sheffield, Doncaster and Rotherham come together to discuss their experiences of being fostered, what they think makes a good foster carer and how their experiences have shaped them in to the people they are today.


In a recent publication (1), Nelskylä and colleagues have reported that titration of sevoflurane using the bispectral index (BIS) monitor decreased postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after outpatient gynecologic laparoscopic surgery (1). Although the authors' state that the "BIS helps to optimize the administration of volatile anesthetics," they failed to demonstrate any anesthetic-sparing effect in the BIS-guided group. Interestingly, the BIS group had a "shorter emergence time" which they attributed to more precise administration of sevoflurane. The author's were apparently unaware of a study published in 1997 by Song et al. (2) which demonstrated that titration of sevoflurane (or desflurane) using the BIS monitor produced an anesthetic-sparing effect which resulted in a faster emergence after ambulatory anesthesia. More disturbing, are the inconsistencies between the current study and an earlier study published in 1999 by the same group of investigators (3). Consistent with our earlier findings (2), Yli-Hankala and colleagues (3) reported that "BIS monitoring decreased consumption of both propofol and sevoflurane" and hastened the immediate recovery after anesthesia. While the investigators hypothesize that "patients receiving too large and too small concentrations of sevoflurane" were at increased risk of PONV, they failed to provide any data regarding difference in the intraoperative variability of the end-tidal anesthetic concentrations or the BIS values between the two study groups. Although the use of postoperative opioids was allegedly similar in the two study groups, they did not provide information on the exact dosages of parenteral (and oral) opioid analgesics used during the perioperative period. Without this information, it is unclear how these investigators ruled out this potentially confounding variable. They also dismissed differences in smoking history as an explanation for their findings. However, it is worth noting that 31% of the patients in the BIS group had a history of smoking compared to only 13% in the control group, and the incidence of PONV in the smokers was less than half that of the non-smoking patients. Given the well-known association between opioid usage, smoking history and PONV (4,5), it would seem that the authors' findings could have been explained by factors (e.g., opioid usage, demographic characteristics) unrelated to BIS monitoring.


Ethnic identity, scholars remind us, is only one among the wide repertoire of identities to which an individual has access. Still, the marginalized struggle to break free of a single stigmatized identity. This chapter returns to Dalits' choice of social identities. It argues Dalits' ability to adopt new social identities is highly constrained because their social exclusion and material deprivation are self-reinforcing. When Dalits are able to choose alternate social identities, other groups do not recognize these identities. Dalits' experience with stigma illustrates that it is difficult for a marginalized ethnic group to leverage political equality to remedy social inequality because the social stigma associated with a marginalized ethnic identity changes slowly.


Adaptive optics images of the human retina can be improved using wavefront derived point spread functions (PSF). Errors in these PSFs call for wavefront sensing constraints to be applied to a blind-deconvolution algorithm.


With the current nutrition transition occurring in low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs), incidences of both overweight/obesity and underweight/stunting are increasingly observed within the same population. This is an important phenomenon with regards to adolescent health, as poor nutritional status among adolescents may contribute towards susceptibility to both communicable and non-communicable diseases in adulthood. Research has shown that nutritional status can be affected by socioeconomic status (SES). The objective of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the anthropometric status of adolescents from two secondary schools in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa that differ according to the SES of the learners. The study was cross-sectional and descriptive; and was carried out in an urban and a peri-urban high school in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal. Grade nine to 11 learners (n=111) aged 14 to 21 years from the peri-urban high school and the urban high school (n=98) aged 14 to 17 years, volunteered to participate (N= 209). Anthropometric measurements including weight, height and mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Results showed a higher incidence of overweight (> +1SD - 25kg/m2) and obesity (>+2SD - BMI 30 kg/m2) among urban school boys compared to peri-urban school boys (p -3SD) was observed among peri-urban school boys (p<0.01) compared to their urban school counterparts. Albeit a small sample size, results from this study indicates that SES and gender may play a determinant role in overweight, obesity and stunting prevalence, as boys in urban areas and girls in peri-urban areas may be at a higher risk of overweight/obesity, whereas peri-urban boys may be at a higher risk of stunting. It can also be concluded that a double burden of stunting and overweight/obesity may exist among adolescents from peri-urban areas, who were considered to be of low SES.


Background On May 18, the Alaska Division of Public Health and the Anchorage Department of Health and Human Services received a report from the Anchorage Fire Department that a 28-year-old man (Patient A) with possible Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was being transported by ambulance from a local hotel to Providence Alaska Medical Center. Patient A was the co-pilot of an air cargo plane that originated in mainland China and arrived in Anchorage on May 16. Patient A reported spending one night in Guandong Province, China on May 15.


In the face of high cost of new road construction and maintenance, a large amount of money was required over the years by the Malaysia Government to spend on building new road and maintaining the quality of existing road pavements throughout the anticipated service lifespan. Many commentators pointed out that it is crucial to the road owners or clients, and related government agencies to give greater emphasize on optimising the total ownership cost on the new road pavement construction from the very early stage of the project life cycle. Life Cycle Cost (LCC) is a an economic assessment technique that is applied to calculate the total ownership cost of an asset, which can produce useful cost information to the clients and cost estimators in facilitating them to achieve the best value for money decision making on the investment of new road construction throughout the anticipated design lifespan. LCC compares the overall long-term economic efficiency between the competing road design alternatives over the anticipated lifetime to identify potential cost savings. The process of LCC estimation is divided into three main phases; i.e. data inputs, conversion, and outputs. However, the quality of data used in LCC analysis is significant to ensure the LCC estimation process can produce correct and reliable outputs to the clients and cost estimators. This paper presents the proposed methodology to investigate the quality of data used as inputs for LCC analysis of new flexible pavement construction. There are two types of road pavements, which are flexible and rigid pavements. The methodology proposed for the study is a qualitative research strategy that comprises of literature review and semi-structured interview. This paper is prepared as part of a two-year master programme of research undertaken by the first author to investigate the quality and readiness of the cost data as inputs for LCC analysis of new flexible pavement construction in the Malaysian construction industry.


The Traditional Behavioral Couple Therapy (TBCT) and the Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy Theraphy (IBCT) have been studied regarding about their effectiveness on marital satisfaction. The concept of marital satisfaction is multifaceted and the authors relate this with the understanding of the couple, behaviors for the benefit of the partner and skills to communicate and solve problems. To analyze the TBCT and IBCT about concerning the increase of satisfaction in relationships, this article presents studies that compared the effects of these therapeutic approaches in marital contentment. The studies submitted suggest that both therapies increase these rates. However, the changing process process of change seems to differ: while TBCT presents a higher bigger increase in marital satisfaction at the beginning of the therapy, theraphy, the IBCT indicated a more stable and gradual improvement. Couples who attended the IBCT were more constant as your as to long-term satisfaction. Furthermore, participants of TCCI IBCT decreased the pressure for changes in the partner and began to communicate in a less accusatory way. So, even if both approaches show similar effectiveness on the increasing level of marital satisfaction, it seems that the TCCI IBCT has benefits on how the couple relate to one another after therapy.


The stenotypic order Calobryales, with Haplomitrium (including Calobryum) and Takakia, includes ten species, all either very disjunct or endemic to small areas. Two additional species of Haplomitrium are described: H. chilensis, from southern coastal Chile, belongs to the H. gibbsiae complex, and H. ovalifolium, from Campbell Island, New Zealand, is related to H. hookeri and H. intermedium. H. ovalifolium is unique in Haplomitrium in its marked tendency to develop leaves bifid to the base, in this respect showing an approach to Takakia. The low chromosome number (of Takakia), the o~ften-scattered sex organs, and the gradation from acrogyny to anacrogyny, collectively suggest a very low phylogenetic position for the order, although this does not imply that the Calobryales "led" to any other order of Hepaticae. The order Calobryales, with suborders Calobryinae and Takakiinae, respectively, includes only the genera Haplomitrium (with 8 described species) and Takakia (with 2 species). The group has attracted a large amount of interest because of the unique morphological and phylogenetic significance of these two genera (Schuster, 1966), and has been recently monographed (Schuster, 1967). Haplomitrium is of extraordinary interest in that it includes several species which are essentially or quite isophyllous, e.g., H. gibbsiae (Steph.) Schust., H. indicum (Udar & Chandra) Schust., and H. intermedium Berrie. The other five previously described taxa show various degrees of reduction of one row of leaves which is oriented to the dorsal face of the plant-insofar as one can discern a dorsal face in plants that are generally almost or quite erect in growth. Only two taxa have been known from the Western Hemisphere: the imperfectly holarctic H. hookeri (Smith) Nees of boreal North America and northern Europe, and the tropical, South American-Caribbean H. andinum (Spr.) Schust. Both of these taxa are distinctly anisophyllous, although H. hookeri may be only slightly so (see Schuster, 1967, fig. VII:9). A third, previously undescribed, American species occurs on the coast of Chile, under subantarctic conditions; this species is almost perfectly isophyllous and belongs to the H. gibbsiae complex, i.e., to subgenus Calobryum (Nees) Schust. 1 Research sponsored by the Antarctic Research Program of the National Science Foundation, through grant NSF GA-10102. The material of H. chilensis was collected on Hero Cruise 69-4 in September-October, 1969. I was accompanied by Mr. John Engel. The material of H. ovalifolium was collected on the Campbell Island Expedition of December-January, 1969-70. 2 Department of Botany, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002. This content downloaded from 18.104.22.168 on Sat, 28 May 2016 06:49:45 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 132 THE BRYOLOGIST [Volume 74 I-?--?--; -I looo~?\~~ j 2


Rapid regeneration of the visual pigment following its photoactivation is critical for the function of cone photoreceptors throughout the day. Though the reactions of the visual cycle in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) that recycle chromophore for rod pigment regeneration are well characterized, the corresponding mechanisms that enable rapid regeneration of cone pigment are poorly understood. A key remaining question is the relative contribution of the recently discovered cone-specific retina visual cycle and the classic RPE-dependent visual cycle to mammalian cone pigment regeneration. In addition, it is not clear what role, if any, the abundant interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) presumed to facilitate the traffic of chromophore, plays in accelerating mammalian cone pigment regeneration. To address these issues, we used transretinal recordings to evaluate M/L-cone pigment regeneration in isolated retinas and eyecups from control and IRBP-deficient mice. Remarkably, the mouse retina promoted M/L-cone dark adaptation eightfold faster than the RPE. However, complete cone recovery required both visual cycles. We conclude that the retina visual cycle is critical for the initial rapid regeneration of mouse M/L-cone pigment during dark adaptation, whereas the slower RPE visual cycle is required to completetheprocess.WhilethedeletionofIRBPreducedtheamplitudeandslowedthekineticsofmouseM/L-conephotoresponses,coneadaptationinbright,steadylightandthekineticsofconedarkadaptationwerenotaffectedinisolatedretinaorinintacteyecup.Thus,IRBPdoesnotaccelerateconepigmentregenerationandisnotcriticalforthefunctionofmouseM/L-conesinbrightlight.


The emerging wireless power transfer technology provides a promising approach to address the energy problem in wireless sensor networks. Researchers construct the wireless rechargeable sensor networks (WRSN) by introducing mobile chargers (MC) with high capacity to replenish energy-hungry sensors. Most of the current studies on WRSN focus on scheduling the charging order of sensors based on the advised residual energies of sensors. However, the advised energies are obsolete when MC charge nodes, because of various energy consumption rates of sensors and travel latency of MC. As a result, the charging schedule algorithm may have a bad performance. Aiming to address this problem, this paper proposes a charging scheduling algorithm in WRSN based on the estimation of the residual energy boundary of the sensor node. In the proposed scheme, we first estimate the residual energy boundaries of each sensor to select the energy-critical sensors precisely. Then, we calculate the remain working time of the selected sensors. Thus, we convert the charging scheduling problem to a Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Deadline (VRPTD) and solve it by using the push-forward insertion algorithm. The simulation results show our proposed algorithm performs well under different network sizes.


Presents the experience of development and implementation of basic educational programs of new generation. The principal feature of the described experience is that the educational program is treated as a project that concentrates in itself «input» and «output» parameters of educational process


Significant attention has been focused on womens initiation of sexual contact with men and the point at which this initiation becomes sexual aggression. The purpose of this study was to examine possible predictors of the use of three conceptually distinct sets of sexual initiation tactics: seduction coercion and force. Relationships between womens personal characteristics future expectancies about sex and relationships the rehearsal behavior of telephone calling patterns in adolescence sexual self-esteem past abuse and past sexual abuse were related to measures of womens sexual initiation and aggression. Survey respondents were 272 mostly white women students with a mean age of 26 years. A complex relationship emerged between predictor and outcome variables. Social learning theory is utilized to interpret the findings and recommend future research directions. (authors)


Fine rolled twisted bars as the vertical prestressed reinforcement has been widely used in the prestressed concrete box girder, but it is hard to effectively control the loss of prestressed force in the practical engineering. Too much loss of prestressed force will lead to diagonal cracks in box girder webs. According to the dynamic theory, take the exposed segment of fine rolled twisted bars as the beam model, take the anchorage segment as a rigid arm and two elastic supports, this article establishes the plane elastic support model of vertical prestressed fine rolled twisted bar. The nonlinear relationship between vertical prestressed tensile force P and the plane stiffness of elastic supports K is established by an indoor experiment, and at the same time the anchoring section stiffness coefficient method is used to verify the effectiveness of this method and conduct an engineering application. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the test of vertical prestressed tensile force in box girder.


This study examines the effects of taxes on the real exchange rate through their marginal impacts on economic activity. We develop a model that shows that an increase in the capital interest tax rate leads to real domestic currency depreciation while an increase in wage or consumption tax rates lead to a real domestic currency appreciation. These theoretical findings are supported by an empirical study using panel data estimations of ten OECD countries over 17 years. JEL classification: C23, F31, F41, H30.


SUMMARYIn 1960 we attempted (ROSE and GEHY) a purely floristic comparison of the Pas-de-Calais with Kent and Sussex, following the earlier work of Good (1925). Here we have attempted a fuller comparison of the vegetation and the phytogeographical elements present in the two regions and we conclude that the Weald of S.-E. England has a far greater « atlanticity » phytogeographically than any part of France North and East of the Cotentin. This is largely explicable on geological, topographic and microclimatics grounds, but not entirely so. The more meridional and oceanic character of the coastal flora of S.-E. England can also he partly explained on grounds of topography, but the greater richness of the inland Kentish chalk Downs in southern-continental elements as compared with the chalk of Pas-de-Calais is less easy to explain.Probably a complex interaction of subtle climatic factors not yet fully appreciated plays its part; for it is quite clear that the Straits of Dover er in themselves have proved a ne...


A broadly accepted explanation for the 2007-09 financial crisis emphasizes the growth in lending to subprime households during the preceding boom. According to this view, the resulting rise in insolvencies and foreclosures caused the financial crisis, leading to a decline in housing values and a broad contraction in credit. This paper studies the evolution of household borrowing and delinquency between 1999 and 2013, using a large administrative panel of credit file data. Our findings suggest an alternative narrative that challenges the large role of subprime credit. We show that credit growth between 2001 and 2007 is concentrated in the middle and high quartiles of the credit score distribution. Borrowing by individuals with low credit score is virtually constant for all debt categories during the boom. We also find that the rise in defaults during the financial crisis is concentrated in the middle and upper quartiles of the credit score distribution, and the fraction of defaults to the lowest quartile of of the credit score distribution sizably drops during the crisis. We discuss the broader implications of these findings for the role of housing collateral in the propagation of the crisis.


Radiation therapy is one of the main treatments of malignant tumors.The radiation dose is often too large in the course of treatment and normal tissues around the tumor have lager reaction in the early and later stage affected by radiation.Traditional Chinese medicine combined with radiation therapy can significantly reduce incidence rate of the reaction in early and later stage,and it seems particularly important that using the radiation sensitizer will enhance the tumor-killing ability and improve radiation efficiency for some parts of the tumor with strong tolerance to radiation.The study of the mechanism of radiosensitization will contribute to the right direction in the guidance of the TCM synchronism therapy,improving radiation effect and providing a theoretical direction for the screening of more effective radiation sensitizer.


Dillow traces the development of Tascona's formal and geometric style and examines the artist's attitudes towards art and materials. Biographical notes. 70 bibl. ref.


The results of an experimental study of the effect of the pressure drop of the air filter pf on the operat-ing parameters and exhaust emissions of a modern CI internal combustion engine of a truck equipped with an electronically controlled power system are presented. The tests were carried out for an air filter with a clean filter cartridge Δpf0 = 0,58 kPa and with a cartridge contaminated after a service mileage (about 50 thousand km) ΔpfD = 2,024 kPa. In each test, engine performance, exhaust emissions and relative change in emissions were determined: CO, NOx, HC, CO2, H2O. It was found that an increase in the filter resistance pf causes a decrease in the filling degree by 12%, engine useful power by almost 10%, exhaust gas temperature by a maximum of 30oC and an increase in specific fuel consumption by almost 5%. Air filter resistance has no significant effect on NOx emissions and HC concentration. There is a reduction in H2O emissions by up to 7%, CO by up to 13% and CO2 by up to 4%, and an increase in oxygen emissions by 15%, depending on operating conditions.

http://www.combustion-engines.eu/pdf-161881-88153?filename=Empirical study of the.pdf


Stochastic model of migrations of individuals within the limits of finite domain on a plane is considered. It is assumed that population size scale is homogeneous, and there doesn't exist an interval of optimal values of population size (Alley effect doesn't realize for population). For every fixed value of population size number of interactions between individuals is calculated (as average in space and time). Correspondence between several classic models and numbers of interactions between individuals is analyzed.


A new species of tree frog, Phyllomedusa annae, is described from Tapanti, Cartago Province, Costa Rica. The new species has blue flanks and thighs and an orange eye; it is closely related to P. moreleti, which has orange flanks and thighs and a red eye. Eggs, tadpole development, and call are also described and illustrated


This chapter presents to the reader the state of the art of the preparation and investigation of 2D colloids: a general definition of the concept of a 2D colloid is provided, followed by a section that summarizes the most relevant instrumental techniques and experimental tools available for the investigation of these systems. The next sections extensively summarize several systems suitable for preparing 2D colloid dispersions, ranging from lipid–based systems (the first and most widely investigated), to short fluorinated amphiphiles and fluorinated and non–fluorinated polymer–based mixtures. The concepts of line tension and "lineactant" are then introduced and several examples, both experimental and theoretical, are presented, regarding both the different techniques used to measure line tension and the compounds that proved to act as lineactants. This review clearly shows that the polymer–based mixtures are a poorly explored research topic, when compared to amphiphiles of natural origin, and therefore a very promising subject for further investigations. Two-Dimensional Colloids – Preparation, Characterization and Research Perspectives 10 1. General introduction In 1861, Thomas Graham coined the term "colloid", by which act a new field of science was born. The term colloid was derived from the Greek word "κόλλα", meaning "gluten" or "glue", it of course covered materials with glue-like properties (among which one finds hydrophilic macromolecules and clusters of these), but various kinds of particulate organic and inorganic materials were also – given their behavior in dialysis experiments – considered as colloids. Later on, the definition of colloids was generalized to all sorts of materials consisting of particles in a particular size range (typically 10 to 10 m) dispersed in a medium. Nowadays, the notion "colloid" is often used in a more restricted sense, referring to systems consisting of two immiscible phases, one of which is finely dispersed into the other. In the classification introduced by Kruijt, these are the "lyophobic colloids", which must consist, at least, of a dispersed and a continuous phase. Research on colloids deals mostly with sols (solids dispersed in a liquid), emulsions (liquids dispersed in liquid), and foams (gas dispersed in a liquid). Since lyophobic colloids are by definition biphasic, they feature an interface between the phases. Moreover, because the dispersed particles are small, there is a lot of interface per unit mass. Not surprisingly, therefore, the properties of the interface have often a decisive effect on the behavior of colloids. Forces between colloidal particles can often be treated as originating from the particle interfaces; one speaks of "surface forces" and the study of such forces is almost a field by itself. The very existence of colloidal dispersions is largely determined by surface forces: for colloidal systems to survive, repulsive contributions to surface forces are a prerequisite. Given the importance of interfaces, it will come as no surprise that surfaceactive molecules, commonly called "surfactants" because they tend to accumulate or adsorb at interfaces, play a very important role in colloid science. The presence of these molecules at the interface, their shape, extension and mutual interaction affect the structure and free energy of the interface, and any perturbation of the structure by a second interface coming into close proximity will change the free energy and thereby induce a surface force. The study of interfaces, their structure and free energy (including the role of surfactants) is therefore considered as the logical counterpart of colloid science. Indeed, many textbooks discuss the combination of colloid science and interface science, e.g., the series "Fundamentals of Interface and Colloid Science", by Lyklema. Water-air interfaces have a special place in the domain of interface science, as they are so familiar to us. The water-air interface has a remarkably high tension (72


The aim of study was to investigate the perception of physical education teachers and students about the use, importance and adaptation of innovative teaching strategies in physical education at the degree college level of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The study was qualitative in nature but due to some limitation, the researcher adopted a quantitative method with a simple survey to carry out the research work. All the teachers and students at the degree college level at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were taken as a population. Multi-stage random sampling technique with stratified sample technique was used to investigate teachers and student's perception regarding the importance of innovative teaching strategies regarding health and physical education and the adaptation of innovative teaching strategies. Close ended questionnaire was for the data collection. Inferential statistics one sample T-test, was used for the data collection. It has been concluded that teachers and students agreed upon the importance of innovative teaching strategies regarding health and physical education at the college level. It was that the concerned authority may have repeated and systematic evaluation policy to maintain and further improve the quality of innovative teaching strategies to meet the information needs of users.


Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer and immune suppressive agent initiate sepsis, following chronic situation change in to septic shock. Sepsis is responsible for nearly 30% of the total neonatal deaths each year in developing countries. About 96% of infants had survived up to their first year of life, and 56% infant deaths took place within the first month after birth. Firstly, symptoms observed as abnormal body temperature, bradycardia, tachypnoea which needs common treatments for survival. Apoptosis, decreased anti insulin hormone, abnormalities in coagulation, fibrinolysis and immune suppressant are responsible for the generation of inflammation which induces sepsis and leads to dysfunction of vital organs such as; GIT, brain, kidney, liver, cardiac and other organs dysfunction. Treatment in sepsis include antibiotics to suppress the infection, fluids and medicines through i.v. to maintain the blood pressure and stabilize blood circulation, while oxygen, plasma or blood products which correct any clotting problems. The fluid therapy in severe sepsis, corticosteroids, nutrition, vasopressors, ionotropic therapy, selenium, bicarbonate therapy, deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis, stress ulcer prophylaxis, administration of immunoglobulins and renal replacement therapy are mandatory in chronic conditions.


Microgrids are a conglomeration of loads and distributed generators at a
distribution level network. Since this network is no longer a single source fed network, the typical protection
strategies may not be deployed. Reconfiguration is a topology changing feature that is visible in microgrid.
This is also another factor that is to be considered while protecting the microgrid setup.

To develop an optimized overcurrent relay coordination scheme for microgrid networks.

 Inorder to devise suitable overcurrent protection scheme for microgrids, initially the normal
and fault currents are captured for all topologies of the microgrid. For each topology, the optimized
time multiplier settings of overcurrent relays are computed using Dual Simplex Algorithm.
This aids in clearing the fault as fast as possible from the network.

A 21-bus microgrid system is considered and the optimized overcurrent relay coordination
scheme is realized for the same.

The proposed optimized overcurrent relay coordination was tested successfully on the
21-bus microgrid system. The proposed protection scheme was capable of identifying the optimized
Time Multiplier Setting values of the overcurrent relays in the path of fault clearance. It is evident
that the proposed scheme can be conveniently extended to larger networks.


Magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction(MAT-MI) is a new type technology for imaging the distribution of electrical impedance in biological tissue. It combines the electrical impedance tomography with the sonography. Organism has a complex structure, so it has important significance and practical value that the study of MAT-MI based on real model. We analyzed the principles of coupling problem of MAT-MI, reconstruct the real model of breast and study the forward problem of MAT-MI based on real model of breast. The results showed that compared with the ideal model of two-layer concentric spheres, the real model's eddy current density distribution and the amplitude of the sound source are changed greatly. Calculation methods in the paper is applicable to solve the forward problem of MAT-MI based on real model, and it has a high accuracy.


Leptocybe invasa Fisher et La Salle is a newly discovered dangerous pest in Fujian Province.For an offering of scientific basis for the monitoring and prediction of L.invasa,geostatistical methods were applied to measure and analyze the spatial pattern of the galls of L.invasa.The results showed that the galls spatial distribution was of aggregated type,spatial range of aggregation fluctuated from 7.377 8 m to 10.462 6 m in all the sampling sites.The galls individuals were exclusive,and evacuation in large plaque.The plots were measured and divided with different guadrat sizes at 1 m×1 m,2 m×2 m,3 m×3 m,5 m×5 m,and 6 m×6 m,combined with the result of Kriging spatial pattern of galls.It was found that the relative distances in the orientation from south to north were all more than thoes from east to west.The variation function value raised with the increase of distance between two eucalyptus galls,when it within 10 m.But the variation functoin value decreased wth the distance which was longer than 10 m.It has been proved that the pest population dispersed and aggregated mainly in south-north orientation.To abtain the best habitats and food supply for their offsprings living and multiplication,the adults oviposit clumped with a certain distance among them to balance the benefits of aggregation and the competions for food and other resources.


In the paper it is shown how by applying a partitioned Markov model to an error sequence obtained from field measurements, in this case a frequency hopped VHF channel, binary (BCH) and non-binary (Reed-Solomon) error correcting codes can be evaluated. Interleaving of the binary and non-binary error correcting codes can also be investigated, using the partitioned Markov model. In the paper it is also shown that when evaluating non-binary error correcting codes with a partitioned Markov model, the Markov model applied to the non-binary codes, must take into account the non-binary nature of the error correction code.<<ETX>>


Objective: This study aimed to develop validated targets to be employed in structure-based virtual screening (SBVS) to discover ligands for the human histamine H2 receptor (hHRH2).
Methods: The virtual targets construction was initiated by homology modeling with the reference compound ranitidine as the ligand followed by 100 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. During MD simulations, the snapshot with the lowest value of the free energy of binding was selected for further validation by re-docking simulations. All simulations were performed in YASARA-Structure.
Results: The research presented here resulted in one validated target for the SBVS. Additionally, by employing a clustering module in MD simulations analysis in YASARA-Structure, more than ten different virtual targets are also available for further uses.
Conclusion: The virtual targets resulted in this research offer possibilities to construct valid SBVS protocols to identify ligands for the hHRH2.


While existing face normal estimation methods have produced promising results on small datasets, they often suffer from severe performance degradation on diverse in-the-wild face images, especially for the high-fidelity face normal estimation. Training a high-fidelity face normal estimation model with generalization capability requires a large amount of training data with face normal ground truth. Since collecting such high-fidelity database is difficult in practice, which prevents current methods from recovering face normal with fine-grained geometric details. To mitigate this issue, we propose a coarse-to-fine framework to estimate face normal from an in-the-wild image with only a coarse exemplar reference. Specifically, we first train a model using limited training data to exploit the coarse normal of a real face image. Then, we leverage the estimated coarse normal as an exemplar and devise an exemplar-based normal estimation network to explore robust mapping from the input face image to the fine-grained normal. In this manner, our method can largely alleviate the negative impact caused by lacking training data, and focus on exploring the high-fidelity normal contained in natural images. Extensive experiments and ablation studies are conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of our design, and reveal its superiority over state-of-the-art methods in terms of both training data requirement and recovery quality of fine-grained face normal. Our code is available at \urlhttps://github.com/AutoHDR/HFFNE.


During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Hubei Power Grid will inevitably face the changes and challenges that are brought by power system transformation. This paper introduces basic situation of Hubei Power Grid during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, such as social economy, power grid structure, installed power capacity, total electricity consumption and load, electricity demand, power grid equipment and line loss rate, analyzes critical influencing factors during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, and puts forward the trend of line loss rate of Hubei Power Grid during the 14th Five-Year Plan.


Purpose
Aviation field requires a material with greater tribological characteristics to withstand the critical climate conditions. Hence, it is of paramount importance to enhance the wear resistance of material. AZ91D magnesium alloy is a light weight material used in the aviation field for the construction work. The purpose of this study is to augment the wear properties of AZ91D alloy by reinforcing with hard particles such as tungsten carbide (WC) and silicon dioxide (SiO2).

Design/methodology/approach
In this work, three types of composites were fabricated, namely, AZ91D – WC, AZ91D – SiO2 and AZ91D – (WC + SiO2) by ball milling method, and the tribological properties were analyzed using pin-on-disc apparatus.

Findings
Results showed that the hardness of AZ91D alloy was greatly improved due to the reinforcing effects of WC and SiO2 particles. Wear study showed that wear rate of AZ91D alloy and its composites increased with the increase of applied load due to ploughing effect and decreased with the increase of sliding speed owing to the formation of lubricating tribolayer. Further, the AZ91D – (WC + SiO2) composite exhibited the lower wear rate of 0.0017 mm3/m and minimum coefficient of friction of 0.33 at a load of 10 N and a sliding speed of 150 mm/s due to the inclusion of hybrid WC and SiO2 particles. Hence, the proposed AZ91D – (WC + SiO2) composite could be a suitable candidate to be used in the aviation applications.

Originality/value
This work is original which deals with the effect of hybrid particles, i.e. WC and SiO2 on the wear performance of the AZ91D magnesium alloy composites. The literature review showed that none of the studies focused on the reinforcement of AZ91D alloy by the combination of carbide and metal oxide particles as used in this investigation.


The paper presents studies regarding the water quality from the accumulation lake, characterised by higher turbidity in the studied period, and also the water treatment possibilities with pre hydrolysed coagulants and sodium aluminates, following the efficiency and inefficiency of these in the colloidal systems destabilization, in the purpose of a corresponding turbidity obtaining. To obtain the normal turbidity of the water, it was established the rapport between the aluminium bases poly chlorides and the aluminates and the best conditions of the coagulation process.


Removing the receiver ghost before migration provides better low and high frequency response as well as a higher signal-to-noise ratio. We recognize these benefits for preprocessing steps like multiple suppression and velocity analysis. In this paper, we modify a previously published bootstrap approach that self-determines its own parameters for receiver deghosting in a x t  window. Similarly to the x t  bootstrap method, the recorded data is first used to create a mirror data set through a 1D ray-tracing-based normal moveout correction method. The recorded and mirror data are then transformed into p   domain and used to jointly invert for the receiver-ghost-free data. We apply this new algorithm to two field data sets with: 1) constant streamer depth of 27 m; and 2) variable streamer depth from 10 to 50 m. Our deghosting method effectively removes the receiver ghost, and the resulting image has broader bandwidth and a higher signal-to-noise ratio.


With the rapid increase of data traffic the demand for high density optical interconnect is getting greater than ever. In this manuscript a few examples of the recent technologies and developments in the field are introduced.


Two enantiopure organic ligands integrating flexible proline units and rigid isophthalate units have been rationally designed and employed for the construction of four homochiral porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), respectively. One pair of these MOFs is used as heterogeneous catalysts to construct β-lactam derivatives by oxidative coupling reactions.


He article is devoted to the 245 Anniversary of the birth of the bright representative of German classical philosophy George Wilhelm Fredrick Hegel. His philosophy-educational views became the theoretical foundation of German pedagogy development of the end of the XVIII the beginning of the XIX century.


A CrN/Cr1−xAlxN coating comprised of an inner layer of CrN and an outer layer of Cr1−xAlxN with a gradient distribution of Al was deposited on two different alloys by a reactive sputtering method. Oxidation and hot‐corrosion tests of the gradient CrN/Cr1−xAlxN coating were performed at different temperatures. The phase compositions and morphologies of the as‐deposited coating and the corrosion products were investigated by using XRD and SEM/EDS. The results showed that the gradient CrN/Cr1−xAlxN coating exhibited good oxidation resistance at temperatures above 1000 °C owing to the formation of an α‐Al2O3‐rich oxide scale. The coating possessed good hot‐corrosion resistance in molten sulfate because the inner CrN layer could supply enough Cr to form a relatively protective Cr2O3 after the Al2O3‐enriched scale failed due to its dissolution in the molten sulfate.


%^ing various types of coding can provide pleasurable practice in mathematical skills at many levels of sophistication. This article provides many examples of possible ways to combine mathematics and coding, giving a wide variety of applications. At the most basic level, codes show a use of one-to-one correspondence. Two types of coding assign either a distinct letter or number to each letter of the alphabet. Primary grade students can practice sending and reading "secret messages" in simple codes. For the primary level, it is probably easiest to assign numbers to letters as follows: A «-> 1, В «-> 2, . . . , Z «-> 26. For a letter-to-letter correspondence, cyclic permutations of the alphabet may be used (e.g., A «-> В, В «-> С . . . , Y «-> Z, Z ~ A). If


Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) of the lateral skull base is a rare nonneoplastic inflammatory process of unknown cause often mistaken for malignancy or infection. This systematic review aims to analyze all reported cases of lateral skull base IPT to date in order to provide insight into the management of this uncommon lesion.


Part of the Upper Miocene-Lower Pliocene mudstone section at Blind River, northern Marlborough, which was the subject of a paleomagnetic study by Kennett and Watkins in 1974, has been resampled and...


The invention provides an automatic rock removing device with a triangulated round lip diamond-impregnated drill bit. The device comprises a hollow diamond drill bit and a hollow drilling rod which are connected through a connecting ring; the inner hole diameter of the hollow diamond drill bit is not greater than the inner hole diameter of the hollow drilling rod; the blades and a first diamond layer are arranged on the upper surface of the hollow diamond drill bit; a second diamond layer is arranged on the surface of each blade; at least one chipping removing guide groove is formed around the hollow diamond drill bit; the three blades are arranged like a triangle; axes of the chipping removing guide grooves are inclined toward the inside of the hollow diamond drill bit; at least one chipping removing opening groove is formed in the middle of the hollow drilling rod. The device is fast to drill, long in service life of the drill bit, quick to remove chippings, high in adaptability, and particularly applied to the core drilling industry.


For the tin whisker problem of lead-free devices,the formation mechanism,inducing factors and the risks in usage of the tin whiskers are analyzed.The effective measures for inhibiting the growth of tin whiskers and the risk mitigation strategies are discussed,which may provide some reference and guidance for the high reliable application of lead-free electronic components in the military and aerospace applications.


In the integral equation approach for solving electromagnetic (EM) problems, the Nyström Method (NM) and Point-Matching Method (PMM) could be the two alternative or competitive methods to the widely-applied method of moments (MoM). The NM has been increasingly applied to solve various EM problems in recent years, but it is thought of as the same as the PMM by some researchers. We clarify their similarity and difference and propose a hybrid scheme by combining their advantages. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and merit of the scheme.


With increased competition between brands in many product categories, companies may often use brand comparisons. The purpose of this research was to survey UK consumers (where comparisons are legal and frequently used) to examine the impacts of direct and indirect comparative advertising, message framing, and gender for their individual and joint impact on consumer response to advertising for analgesic painkillers. Research shows that the type of brand comparison, how comparisons are framed (prevention vs promotion) and the gender of the target market has significant effects on consumer response to messages (measured through claim believability, brand beliefs, attitude certainty and perceived ad fairness). Differences in the impact of advertising are noticeable according to what particular response is measured. Managerial implications in terms of advertising competitive strategies are highlighted.


ABSTRACT Building on S. Critchley's notion of humour as Superego II, this article proposes a model of comedy as social conscience as a generic classification within political comedy based on the function of comedy within the society in which it is produced and consumed. Considering Aristophanic comedy in terms of its function within Athenian society and extrapolating to Terry Pratchett's Discworld as a contemporary equivalent, this article defines comedy as social conscience as a comedic text in any medium, that is popular and accessible, that creates intertextual relationships and mobilizes contemporary discourses to create a reflexive awareness in the audience, recognizing the self as part of the society requiring growth and transformation.


The paper describes the results of compiling the Russian-Vietnamese-English dictionary as a component of the learners' concise terminology dictionary series that is being prepared for the main specialties MADI for its. It contains the aims of the dictionary, its structure and contents, the elements of the dictionary entry, the methods of terms selection, the prospects of the dictionary implementation in educational and professional activities.


The Sentence, that will be analysed in the following pages, determines, in a pioneer
way, the case of the pregnant woman who expressed the desire to access to the corresponding
tests for a public examination. The Supreme Court of Justice declares that the labour is
considered an enough cause, to not carry out the tests at the established time and place. It is
discussed whether the compliance with the fundamental equality principle, that is guaranteed by
the constitution and if the answer of the administration, in that context, is effective.


Land reclamation begins later in China and reconstruction soil is not enough studied which leads to the lower productivity of reclamation land and bad soil conditions. So systematically studying the change rule of the soil characteristic in reclamation area has an important role for land reclamation. The fractal method is used in this paper to study the distribution of reconstruction soil attribute in reclamation land, in order to provide a base for soil improvement. The research result shows that the fractal dimension value in surface layer is apparently different in different direction and different attribute has different distribution rule. The fractal dimension value in bottom layer has a certain rule and the spatial distribution is simple compared with surface layer. The research demonstrates that fractal theory is a good tool for describing the complexity of reconstruction soil in reclamation area and the result can provide a base for soil improvement.


The present invention is concerned with novel processes for the preparation of (+)-l-(3,4-dichlorophcnyl)'3-azabicyclo[3 1 0]hexane or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and (-)-l-(3,4-dichloroahenyl)-3-a2abicyclo[3 1.0)hegane or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. These compounds have pharmaceutical utility and are known to be usefi.il for treating e g, depression, anxiety disorders, eating disordeis and urinary incontinence.


Aim Are the psychosocial therapies: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Family Focused Therapy and group psychoeducation in adjunction with pharmacotherapy effective, in the management of relapses of manic and depressive episodes in Bipolar Disorder? Method Three studies were selected to assess the effectiveness on the following psychotherapies in adjunction with pharmacotherapy: CognitiveBehavioural therapy, Family Focused Therapy, Group Psychoeducation Relevant studies were collected by searching through databases. Databases used were SCOPUS, EBSCO and Google Scholar. The Inclusion/ Exclusion criteria were used to select relevant studies. Once articles were selected the studies were critically appraised to assess the strength of the study. Findings Cognitive Behavioural Therapy decreases recurrences of episodes in participants with less than 12 episodes per year, but this therapy was found to be ineffective in participants who have more frequent episodes. Group Psychoeducation was found to reduce the number of recurrences of episodes of mania/ depressive or mixed episodes in Bipolar Disorder Multifamily group therapy found no significant effect in decreasing recurrences of episodes in Bipolar Disorder. Conclusion Psychotherapies are found to be effective in preventing recurrences of episodes in mania/ depression in Bipolar Disorder, particularly Group Psychoeducation and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. However, Family Focused Therapy has found to have no significant effect in preventing recurrence of episodes in Bipolar Disorder.


In this paper, we describe an interaction design process and the challenges encountered during the development of LoOkie, a social mobile application, which enables members to request and receive live videos or pictures of desired locations from people who are present at the scene. The paper describes, from a human-computer interaction perspective, the development of the application from the birth of the idea through the design process encountered up to the point of the launch of the application for Beta at the beginning of 2011.


Surgical-orthodontic management of hyper divergent skeletal Class III malocclusions is often confronted with clinical challenges. Overeruption of the maxillary second molars during longer presurgical orthodontic decompensation phase usually results in occlusal interferences which hinder the setting of desired postsurgical occlusion in preparation for model surgery. Here, a simple, yet effective interim modification of conventional Goshgarian-type transpalatal arch is proposed which can be effectively used to intrude over erupted molars during orthodontic treatment.


In many previous low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks, intersatellite links (ISLs) are used to enhance the capability of the networks. The ISLs are continuously deleted and established since the visibility between satellites changes over time. These topological changes require rerouting of the traffic on ISLs, which unavoidably involves dropping of some ongoing calls. In general, such an ongoing call dropping degrades the quality-of-service (QoS) more severely than an initiated call blocking. We propose a call admission control scheme that allows a flexible tradeoff between dropped ongoing calls and blocked initiated calls. The call admission control scheme makes use of two techniques: traffic recasting and traffic projection. The traffic recasting maps the current traffic onto the network after the topological change whereas the traffic projection projects the recast traffic from the current time to the time of the topological change. The projected traffic is used to estimate the increase in ongoing call dropping whose QoS penalty is compared against that of increased newly initiated call blacking to make the call admission decision. Simulation results show that the proposed call admission control scheme significantly reduces the ongoing call dropping probability with only a marginal increase in the initiated call blocking and call completion probabilities.


Component-based software engineering (CBSE) represents an exciting and promising paradigm for software development. Software components are one of the key issues in CBSE. The software development community is continuously seeking new methods for improving software quality and enhancing development productivity. There is an increasing need for componentbased metrics to help manage and foster quality in component-based software development. The traditional software product and process metrics are neither suitable nor sufficient in measuring the complexity of software components, which ultimately is necessary for quality and productivity improvement within organizations adopting CBSE. In the software development process, scheduling and predictability are important components to delivering a product on time and within budget. Effort estimation artifacts offer a rich data set for improving scheduling accuracy and understanding the development process. In this paper, we survey few existing component-based reusability metrics. These metrics give a border view of component's understandability, adaptability, and portability. This paper is split into four sections. First section of this paper emphasize s on need of effort estimation in component based software engineering . Second section of this paper elabor ates concept of deriving a metrics using this concept of COCOMO Model. Third section emphasize on how to calculate adjustment factor for the software might be partly developed from software already existing. Fourth section elaborates conclusion and future work. Paper proposes metrics to evaluate effort and development time by conventional and component based software engineering approach and shows the result comparison.


A new design method for families of sequences with large linear span,low cross correlation and large sequences number is presented.The key idea of the new design is to use the analytical method of shift sequences to improve phase-controlled sequences in theory and use interleaved sequences to be basic sequences instead of the original sequences with the two-level autocorrelation function to construct a set of long sequences with the desire properties.The correlation property has also been analyzed,and the maximal correlation value is optimal with respect to the Welch bound.The linear span,the number of families and the number of sequences in each family of the new sequence families are all larger than that of any other sequence families,and some new sequences are balanced.


With the increase in the number of menu items and the menu structure complexity, users have to spend more time in locating menu items when using menu-based interfaces, which tends to result in the decrease of task performance and the increase of mental load. How to reduce the navigation time has been a great challenge in the HCI (human-computer interaction) field. Recently, adaptive menu techniques have been explored in response to the challenge, and menu item prediction plays a crucial role in the techniques. Unfortunately, there still lacks effective prediction models for menu items. This paper explores the potential of three prediction models (i.e., Absolute Distribution Markov Chain, Probability Summation Markov Chain and Weighted Markov Chain based on Genetic Algorithm) in predicting the most possible N (Top-N) menu items based on the users' historical menu item clicks. And the results show that Weighted Markov Chain based on Genetic Algorithm can obtain the highest prediction accuracy and significantly decrease navigation time by 22.6% when N equals 4 as compared to the static counterpart.


Jacques Feyder ranked among France's most critically acclaimed directors during the 1920s and 1930s. Over the course of these decades, he repeatedly illustrated tensions pertaining to class, gender and empire in Paris. Drawing on close textual analysis, historical contextualization and archival research, this article traces two developments in Feyder's vision of the capital and its shifting economic, political and cultural climate: first, the evolution of Paris from a locus clearly signposted by recognizable locations to a studio-built milieu that is heavily reliant on generic Parisian tropes; second, the city's transition from a site where the post-war national psyche and associated family structures can be optimistically redefined to a politically volatile environment replete with criminality and sexually disruptive women.


Newton's method is a well-known method for finding solutions to nonlinear equations. Beyond its root-finding capabilities, the chaotic nature of Newton's method has been widely explored in creating fractal images. This work presents extensions to, and variations from, the standard method, not for advancing the mathematics behind it, but for expanding its use in creating fractal art. Several examples of art using these methods are presented.


The quantitative evaluation of the chirality of macromolecule structures remains one of the exciting issues in biophysics. In this paper, we propose methods for quantitative analysis of the chirality of protein helical and superhelical structures. The analysis of the chirality sign of the protein helical structures (α-helices and 310-helices) is based on determining the mixed product of every three consecutive vectors between neighboring reference points—α-carbons atoms. The method for evaluating the chirality sign of coiled-coil structures is based on determining the direction and value of the angle between the coiled-coil axis and the α-helices axes. The chirality sign of the coiled coil is calculated by averaging the value of the cosine of the corresponding angle for all helices forming the superhelix. Chirality maps of helical and superhelical protein structures are presented. Furthermore, we propose an analysis of the distributions of helical and superhelical structures in polypeptide chains of several protein classes. The features common to all studied classes and typical for each protein class are revealed. The data obtained, in all likelihood, can reflect considerations about molecular machines as chiral formations.


A general quantum treatment of the collision dynamics of 2S+1Σ‐state diatomic molecules is developed, with particular emphasis given to the physical origin of the collisional propensity for conservation of the e/f molecular symmetry label. State‐resolved integral cross sections are expressed as a weighted sum of tensor opacities which are related to the probability that a collision will reorient the nuclear rotational angular momentum vector. Previous derivations of the propensity rules for collisions of 2S+1Σ‐state diatomic molecules were restricted to the sudden or Born approximations. Here a general derivation is developed that is free of dynamical approximations, and that clearly establishes the direct connection between the observed propensity for the conservation of the e/f molecular symmetry and the collisional propensity for the conservation of the orientation of the nuclear rotational angular momentum vector. A power‐law model suggested by previous semiempirical fits to cross sections for 1Σ+‐sta...


One interesting and as yet unremarked feature of the House of Lords' decision in A-G v Guardian Newspapers Ltd (No 2)' is the unexpected support it lends to a case which passed relatively unnoticed earlier in the year and yet which signalled a development more significant for press freedom than even Spycatcher itself. It now appears that a substantial shift in the balance between privacy and press freedom is in prospect. Such a shift may well be beneficial in curbing the excesses of 'exposure journalism' in the tabloid newspapers. However the extended judicial role of policing the boundaries between the private and public interest made necessary by this shift may appear decidedly sinister to some. The development is also important on quite another level. It affords us a fascinating glimpse of how doctrine is 'constructed' rather than simply developing organically to meet novel circumstances. It provides another example of how the mechanical neutrality of precedent can mask the most dramatic doctrinal changes. It presents us with the topical problem of the nature of legal obligations and how they may be differentiated from moral obligations, and raises the question whether the decision has blurred unacceptably the dividing line between the two. The case is Stephens v Avery,2 and the facts were as follows: The third defendants, a Sunday newspaper, published information disclosed by the plaintiff to Mrs Avery, the first defendant which related to a lesbian relationship between the plaintiff and a Mrs Telling. The background facts were that Mrs Telling was unlawfully killed by her husband apparently as a result of finding her and the plaintiff together in a compromising position. This information had been imparted by the plaintiff to the first defendant, allegedly in confidence. The plaintiff alleged further that, in breach of that confidence, the information was given to a newspaper journalist who worked for the third defendants. The plaintiff claimed damages for breach of confidence, alleging that the second and third defendants had published the information knowing that it was imparted to the first defendant in confidence and that the plaintiff had not authorised publication. The defendants applied to strike out the statement of claim on the ground that it disclosed no cause of action. Master Barratt refused the defendants' application. On appeal to the Vice-Chancellor, counsel for the defendants submitted, inter alia, that the law does not protect information relating to the sexual conduct or proclivities of an individual save to the extent that such conduct takes place between married parties. He submitted further that the circumstances of the communication were not such as to raise a duty of confidence, in that it was necessary to establish either a legally enforceable contract or a pre-existing relationship (e.g. marriage) for such an obligation to arise. In response to these submissions the Vice-Chancellor addressed himself to the principle established by the Court of Appeal in Saltman, summarised by Megarry J. in Coco v A.N. Clark (Engineers) Ltd.3


Heterotrophic bacteria play an important role in food web. The diversity  distribution of heterotrophic bacteria in the near shore habitats along Visakhapatnam coast   was carried out for two years from May 2014 to May 2016.   The  study recorded the occurrence of 46 species of  heterotrophic bacteria in the near shore waters and sediments along Visakhapatnam coast.  They belong  to  Bacillus (16 species), Vibrio (11 species), Pseudomonas (9 species),  Staphylococcus  (6 species) and Micrococcus  (4 species)  genera of the heterotrophic bacteria.  The heterotrophic bacteria  diversity distribution is compared with  similar investigations carried out elsewhere.


The key to realize transformation of habit when studying university ph ysics is an advance of connotation, and depends on the methods offered by advanc ed mathematics. We must strike up some physics views with dialectical materialism, impenetrated all the while, which include those concepts from invariable to vari able, from macrostructure to microstructure and from approximation to exactitude .


Factory-produced pipeline systems with medium pipes of polymer materials and a heat insulation layer in jacket pipe construction (PMP) are also suitable for use in district heat networks with low operating parameters. According to AGFW Direction 421, this is to be classified as suitable laying procedure. Instruction Sheet FW 420, which is currently in preparation, will define further-reaching and detailed requirements for the method of laying and deal with the marginal conditions for planning, construction and operation. This AGFW activity is seen as supplement to the on-going standardization work in CEN TC 107.


Masonry structures are probably the most popular and ancient type of buildings all over the world. Easy access of its constitutive materials, which are basically stones, bricks, and mortar (which varies from region to region), makes masonry one of the everlasting construction methods from small residential buildings to the most important ancient and historic monuments.
Some masonry buildings have proved to be resistant structures even in seismic prone areas, due to some specific structural characteristics that have been observed throughout the years and after many destructive earthquakes. In this chapter, an effort will be made to refer to and describe the most characteristic deficiencies in unreinforced and reinforced masonry buildings under seis-mic actions. Design recommendations for new earthquake-resistant structures will follow, and some retrofitting and strengthening strategies for existing masonry buildings will be proposed.