2005 9. Tentori F, Blayney MJ, Albert JM, Gillespie BW, Kerr PG, Bommer J, YoungEW,AkizawaT,AkibaT, Pisoni RL,RobinsonBM,Port FK:Mortality risk for dialysis patients with different levels of serum calcium, phosphorus, and PTH: the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS).AmJKidneyDis 52:519–530, 2008 10. Shinaberger CS, Greenland S, Kopple JD, Van Wyck D, Mehrotra R, Kovesdy CP, Kalantar-Zadeh K: Is controlling phosphorus by decreasing dietary protein intake beneficial or harmful in persons with chronic kidney disease?AmJClin Nutr 88:1511–1518, 2008 11. Noori N, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Kovesdy CP, Bross R, Benner D, Kopple JD: Association of dietary phosphorus intake and phosphorus to protein ratio with mortality in hemodialysis patients. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 5:683–692, 2010 12. Kalantar-Zadeh K, Gutekunst L, Mehrotra R, Kovesdy CP, Bross R, Shinaberger CS, Noori N, Hirschberg R, Benner D, Nissenson AR, Kopple JD: Understanding sources of dietary phosphorus in the treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 5:519–530, 2010 13. Barreto FC, BarretoDV,Moysés RMA,NevesKR,CanzianiMEF,Draibe SA, Jorgetti V, Carvalho AB: K ⁄DOQI-recommended intact PTH levels do not prevent low-turnover bone disease in hemodialysis patients. Kidney Int 73:771–777, 2008 14. Ferreira A, Frazao JM, Monier-Faugere MC, Gil C, Galvao J, Oliveira C, Baldaia J, Rodrigues I, Santos C, Ribeiro S, Hoenger RM, Duggal A, Malluche HH; Sevelamer Study Group: Effects of sevelamer hydrochloride and calcium carbonate on renal osteodystrophy in hemodialysis patients. JAmSocNephrol 19:405–412, 2008 15. Dukkipati R, Kovesdy CP, Colman S, Budoff MJ, Nissenson AR, Sprague SM, Kopple JD, Kalantar-Zadeh K: Association of relatively low serum parathyroid hormone withmalnutrition-inflammation complex and survival inmaintenance hemodialysis patients. J RenNutr 20:243–254, 2010 16. BhuriyaR,Li S, Chen SC,McCullough PA,Bakris GL: Plasma parathyroid hormone level and prevalent cardiovascular disease in CKD stages 3 and 4: an analysis from the Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP). Am J KidneyDis 53(suppl 4):S3–S10, 2009 17. Schluter KD, Piper HM: Cardiovascular actions of parathyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone-related peptide.Cardiovasc Res 37:34–41, 1998 18. Rostand SG, Drueke TB: Parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, and cardiovascular disease in chronic renal failure.Kidney Int 56:383–392, 1999 19. Ejerblad S, Eriksson I, Johansson H: Uraemic arterial disease (An experimental study with special reference to the effect of parathyroidectomy). Scand JUrolNephrol 13:161–169, 2008 20. Meytes D, Bogin E, Ma A, Dukes PP, Massry SG: Effect of parathyroid hormone on erythropoiesis. J Clin Invest 67:1263–1269, 1981 21. Massry SG, Alexiewicz JM, Gaciong Z, Klinger M: Secondary hyperparathyroidism and the immune system in chronic renal failure. Semin Nephrol 11:186–201, 1991 22. Kestenbaum B, Andress DL, Schwartz SM, Gillen DL, Seliger SL, Jadav PR, Sherrard DJ, Stehman-Breen C: Survival following parathyroidectomy amongUnited States dialysis patients.Kidney Int 66:2010–2016, 2004 23. Trombetti A, Stoermann C, Robert JH, Herrmann FR, Pennisi P, Martin PY, Rizzoli R: Survival after parathyroidectomy in patients with end-stage renal disease and severe hyperparathyroidism. World J Surg 31:1014–1021, 2007 24. Fukagawa M, for the GuidelineWorking Group, Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy: Clinical practice guideline for the management of secondary hyperparathyroidism in chronic dialysis patients. Ther Apher Dial 12(6):514–525, 2008 25. Shantouf R, Kovesdy CP, Kim Y, Ahmadi N, Luna A, Luna C, Rambod M, Nissenson AR, Budoff MJ, Kalantar-Zadeh K: Association of serum alkaline phosphatase with coronary artery calcification in maintenance hemodialysis patients.Clin J AmSocNephrol 4(6):1106–1114, 2009


There is no consensus on how to evaluate and grade pin site infection. A precise, objective and reliable pin site infectious score is warranted. The literature was reviewed for pin site infection classification systems, The Modified Gordon Score (MGS) grade 0-6 was used. The aim was to test the reliability of The Modified Gordon Infection Score. The observed agreement and inter-rater reliability were investigated between nurse and doctors.MGS was performed in the outpatient clinic at Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark on 1472 pin sites in 119 patients by one nurse and one of three orthopaedic surgeons blinded to each other's judgement. The data was stored in a Red Cap Database for further statistical analysis. The observed agreement between the nurse and the 3 orthopaedic surgeons was evaluated with a one-way random-effect model with interclass correlation with absolute agreement. Furthermore the observed agreement for each of the 3 surgeons with the nurse was calculated.The distribution of MGS infection grade in the 1472 pin sites was: Grade 0; n=1372, Grade 1; n=32, Grade 2; n=39, Grade 3; n=24, Grade 4; n=5, Grade 5; n=0, Grade 6; n=0.The observed agreement between the nurse and the surgeons was calculated as 98%. The ICC estimated between nurse and the surgeons was 0,8943 (ICC >0,85 = reliable). The grading was done by three different doctors with an agreement with the nurse as follows. Rater1 (n=416) =99,5 %, Rater2 (n=1440) =97,4%, Rater3 (n=1440) =96,6%.A limitation to this study is that the dataset represents mostly clean pin sites with MGS 0. Only 100 pin sites had signs of superficial infection MGS 1-4 none above 4. We found that the MGS infection score is highly reliable for low grade infections but we cannot conclude on reliability in severe infections.


Objective To investigate the relationship between miR-34a expression and the irradiation-sensitivity of cells and tissues.Methods RT-PCR was used to detect the miR-34a expression in different cells and tissues before and after irradiation;flow cytometry was employed to examine the apoptosis of cells and MTT assay was used to observe the cell viability.The U87MG tumor cells were transfected with miR-34a mimics to promote miR-34a expression and the cell viability was observed 24 h later.The HEK293 renal epithelial cells were transfected with miR-34a inhibitors to decrease miR-34a expression and the cells apoptosis was observed 24 h later.Results The expression of miR-34a was higher in highly irradiation-sensitive cells than in lowly irradiation-sensitive cells before irradiation;the increase of miR-34a expression was greatly higher in highly irradiation-sensitive cells than in lowly irradiation-sensitive cells 24 h after irradiation.The up-regulation of miR-34a decreased the viability of U87MG tumor cells,and down-regulation of miR-34a decreased the apoptosis of HEK293 cells.Conclusion The irradiation-sensitivity of cells is positively associated with miR-34a;cells with high irradiation-sensitivity have a greater up-regulation of miR-34a expression after irradiation.Increased miR-34a expression can noticeably increase the irradiation-sensitivity of U87MG tumor cells and decreased miR-34a expression has a irradiation prevention effect on normal HEK293 cells.


The method of two-dimensional control and assurance of data integrity with the possibility of their recovery for information systems operating under conditions of random errors as well as errors generated through deliberate actions of the attacker is proposed. The data recovery procedure is based on the application of the mathematical apparatus of redundant residue number system codes, and the control (verification of the recovered data validity (reliability, accuracy)) of data integrity is performed by means of cryptographic methods.


The next generation wireless communication system will likely be heterogeneous networks, as various technologies can be integrated on heterogeneous networks. A mobile multiple‐mode device can easily access the Internet through different wireless interfaces. The mobile multiple‐mode device thus could switch to different access points to maintain the robustness of the connection when it can acquire more resources from other heterogeneous wireless networks. The mobile multiple‐mode device therefore needs to face the handover problem in such environment. This work introduces Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)‐based cross‐layer scheme to support seamless handover scheme over heterogeneous networks. The proposed scheme consists of a battery lifetime‐based handover policy and cross‐layer fast handover scheme, called the SIP‐based mobile stream control transmission protocol (SmSCTP). This work describes the major idea of the proposed scheme and infrastructure. The proposed scheme has been implemented in Linux system. The simulation and numerical results demonstrate that the proposed SmSCTP scheme yields better signaling cost, hand‐off delay time, packet loss and delay jitter than SIP and mSCTP protocols. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Most lung perfusion models use very low flow rates to minimize edema. We tested the effect of flow rates on pulmonary function and cellular oxidative metabolism. Isolated rat lungs were perfused with a bloodbased solution containing 13C-labeled substrates. Pulmonary artery flow rates were set at either 5, 10 or 20 mlimin. "C enrichment of glutamate C4 (reflecting substrate oxidation) was determined by I3C and 'H spectroscopy. Oxygenation was worse at 20 mlimin. Glutamate I3C-enrichment was reduced at 5 d i m i n , implying inadequate substrate delivery for normal metabolism. Data derived from perfusion models incorporating low flow rates should be interpreted with caution.


This work evaluates the performance of a triple-frequency operating circularly polarized wearable jute textile antenna in a human body sweat environment. The propounded antenna is designed to operate on the human body. So, contact with human skin allows the antenna to absorb the eccrine gland-rich mineral secretion (sweat) in regular use. The absorbed fluid alters the fabric substrate's dielectric properties, ultimately leading to changes in the antenna performance. For that purpose, the antenna's jute fabric is examined in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and optical electron microscope to observe its water absorption characteristics in the wet state. An artificial sweat solution that closely mimics natural human sweat was taken in all the experimental conditions (The Pickering Laboratories'-Artificial Eccrine Perspiration). The present work addresses the antenna's performance regarding operating frequencies, axial ratios, efficiency, and gains in three different sweat absorbency environments, i.e., exposure to light spray, partial exposure, and complete absorbency conditions. The antenna's lifetime in the sweat environment was also inspected in an electrochemical workstation. The antenna's conformal analysis shows that it retains its optimal performance both in normal and bending conditions. The results from all these analyses confirm the robust functionality of the textile antenna in human sweat conditions.


(57) Abstract: The present invention is an adenosine kinase inhibitors and relates nucleoside analogues, in particular, have activity as adenosine kinase inhibitors, such orally active, substituted 5-aryl-pyrrolo [2,3 d] pyrimidine and 3-aryl pyrazolo [3,4-d] pyrimidine nucleoside analogs related. The present invention also relates to the production of these and other adenosine kinase inhibitors, as well as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, inflammation, and of these inhibitors in the treatment of other diseases which can be regulated by increasing the local concentration of adenosine on use.


It provides a distributed context-aware firewall program. The task is to streamline the collection of a set of firewall rules address provides firewall protection for a group of network addresses and application firewall engine and associated machine-related. Filter hypervisor implementation allows each virtual machine to quickly identify the structure of search rules from all the received rule. Search structure is configured as a binary prefix tree, each node corresponds to IP CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) block. IP address query based on the rules of the search query node traversal and traversing the structure and collect all of the rules associated with the node.


Post-natal care and traditional post-partum practices have important bearings in maternal and child health outcomes. A study was conducted to understand the traditional post-partum practices by the tribal mothers in rural areas of Vikramgad taluka, Maharashtra, India. A qualitative methodology has been adopted by using data collection methods like focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews. Key informant interview methods were adopted to understand the mother's post-natal diet, personal hygiene, physical activity and rest, neonatal feeding and care practices during pregnancy. Respondents reported that the mother in the post-partum period, locally called balantini , has to follow certain specific practices regarding diet, hygiene and rest to keep herself and her baby healthy. The study reflects on how traditional beliefs and practices affirm gender biases, traditional beliefs and practices when it comes to new mothers and their care. To address the health needs of these 'last women', the government and civil society have to work for the reduction of poverty, removal of harmful practices, gender equity and empowerment.


Türkderm-Deri Hastalıkları ve Frengi Arşivi Dergisi, Galenos Yayınevi tarafından basılmıştır. Turkderm-Archives of the Turkish Dermatology and Venerology, published by Galenos Publishing. A 37-year-old male patient was admitted our clinic with the complaints of edema and mild pruritus of the eyelids, ears, and the neck. On dermatological examination, there were edema and pale erythema on the eyelids and ears as well as coarsening of the facial features and lines grooving the forehead. His medical history revealed that the patients received systemic corticosteroids, antihistamines and epinephrine treatments for about two months with the diagnosis of urticaria and angioedema, however, he did not benefit from these treatments. A diagnosis of atypical scleromyxedema without monoclonal gammopathy was established according to the clinical, histopathological and laboratory findings. Acitretin treatment with a dose of 35 mg/day was started. Marked regression in the lesions was observed two months later. (Turkderm 2015; 49: 81-4)


Most language teachers are familiar with students such as these and agree that intelligible pronunciation is vital to successful communication. Similarly, most students see pronunciation as an important part of learning to speak, and therefore ask that more class time be devoted to pronunciation. Despite the recognized importance of pronunciation, teachers often remain uncertain about how to incorporate it into the curriculum. Given that most courses emphasize general oral communication over pronunciation (Murphy, 1991), teachers must seek creative ways to integrate pronunciation into speakingoriented classes in a manner clearly related to the oral communication goals of the course. We assume that it is desirable to address pronunciation teaching in the context of speaking (Firth, 1993), and that a speaking-oriented approach serves the communication needs of students more effectively than approaches focusing on either fluency or articulatory goals alone (Morley, 1991). Murphy (1991) echoes this belief by saying that pronunciation instruction "needs to be integrated with broader level communicative activities in which speakers and listeners engage in . . . meaningful communication" (p. 60). Although we believe it is best to achieve this integration without shifting the focus of the class to pronunciation, we acknowledge that implementation remains a work in progress. Approaches favoring the integration of pronunciation into oral communication have been espoused for more than 10 years, but teachers have received little clear direction about how to accomplish this integration. In this article, we address the practical challenges related to integrating pronunciation into oral communication. First, we describe the central difficulty in integrating pronunciation into the speaking classroom. Next, we suggest all-skills principles to guide the incorporation of pronunciation into oral communication courses. Finally, in the context of four typical classroom activities, we explore possible implementation strategies that can be applied to a wide variety of instructional settings. For the most part, the activities focus on suprasegmental features such as stress, rhythm, and intonation, not because segmentals (i.e., consonants and vowels) are unimportant in communication, but because suprasegmentals are more clearly connected to functions of spoken English.


Resumen en: Objective: Visceral artery aneurysms, despite being uncommon, are important vascular diseases, since they frequently are lifethreatening, and often fatal...


Objective To compare the effect of various types of newborn bovine sera on culture in vitro of BHK-21 cells.Methods BHK-21 cells were cultured with six kinds of newborn bovine sera,manufactured by various manufacturers or of different batches manufactured by the same manufacturer,respectively,and observed for morphology,increased fold in quantity,and survival time after subculture.Results The cells cultured with serum No.6 grew well,of which the increased fold in quantity was high and survival time was long as compared with those cultured with other newborn bovine sera.The culture efficacy of cells with serum No.3 was only second to that with serum No.6.However,no monolayer was formed in the cells on day 4 after culture with sera No.2,4 and 5,and little growth was observed in the cells cultured with serum No.1.Conclusion Significant differences were observed in culture efficacies of BHK-21 cells with newborn bovine sera manufactured by various manufacturers or of different batches manufactured by the same manufacturer.


The development of a novel actuator driven laparoscopic instrument with parallel kinematic instrument tip serves to overcome the workspace restrictions of classic laparoscopic instruments and provides the surgeon multiple degrees of freedom (DOF) inside the patients body.


Today the culture of medium by the superiority of the internet has become  the most dominating and the most influential culture in the society. The focus of this influence is on the growing generation that is the adolescents. It means that a remarkable part of today's life of youth is attributed to communicating by the internet. The aim of this study is to examine the rate of internet dependence and its relationship with sincerity in the family among the high school students ( boys and girls) of Qum. this study is conducted by descriptive – survey method. The statistical population consisted of all the students ( girls and boys ) studying at the high school in Qum. They were 38754 and the sample volume with respect to cochran's formula was 380 people who were chosen by stratified – random sampling. 194 of them were female students and 186 of them were male. To collect the data the questionnaire of internet dependence and the scale of sincerity in the family was applied .In order to analyse the data X 2 test ( chi – squared test ), correlation coefficient and independent T- test were used. The conclusions of independent T- test showed that on the rate of internet  dependence there is a meaningful difference between girls and boys. It means that boys are more dependent on the internet than girls. From the viewpoint of sincerity in the family also there is a meaningful difference between boys and girls. Among girls the concept of sincerity in the family is more valuable and they pay attention to it more than  boys. The results of X 2 test and correlation coefficient indicated that as the students grow up their dependence on the internet become less and it clarified as well that if the internet dependence is more the sincerity in the family will be less.


As organizational contexts are increasingly dynamic, the extent to which employees take initiative to facilitate success has become more important. We examine how employee motivation to get ahead (status striving) and get along with others (communion striving) predicts their proactive work behaviors, in the form of personal initiative, over and above employee accomplishment striving. Data collected from 165 employees indicates status striving has a positive and communion striving has a negative relationship with employee personal initiative. More importantly, the interaction between status and communion striving shows increased employee initiative when both status and communion striving increase from low to high levels. Altogether, our results suggest that employees' initiative is increased when they are motivated by both getting ahead of and getting along with others at work.


Leaflet thrombosis was an unexpected finding after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The clinical significance of this phenomenon is not yet completely clear; however, it has raised questions about the optimal periprocedural and long-term anti-thrombotic strategy. So what can we learn from surgical bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement (BAVR)? An et al are to be congratulated for shedding some light into this black box with the article published in this issue of the journal.1 Surprisingly, the question which anti-thrombotic regimen after BAVR is best for the patient, an anti-platelet-based therapy or an anticoagulation-based therapy, is still unresolved after decades of BAVR. Balancing the risks of bleeding and thromboembolic events is getting more important for BAVR patients, since especially patients at younger age and with low operative risk are candidates for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Most recent guidelines of the European Society of Cardiologygive recommendations about the treatment strategy with regard to the selection of SAVR or TAVI.2 Besides anatomical and technical considerations, age and Society of Thoracic Surgery (STS) risk score are key factors helping the interdisciplinary heart team to decide whether SAVR or TAVI are more suitable for the patients with aortic valve stenosis. For now, in patients with low STS risk score and younger age, SAVR is still the therapy of choice. After successful SAVR, these patients have an average remaining live expectancy of more than one decade—thus, safe and effective long-term anti-thrombotic therapy is of utmost importance. The systematic reviewbyAn et al summarizes all available data that address this crucial question. The authors performed a rigorous systematic review, which could only be based on two randomized controlled trials (RCTs; n 1⁄4 397 patients) and five observational studies (n 1⁄4 2,012 patients). The mean follow-up for all outcomes was only 3 months in RCTs, and 10 months for observational studies. Anti-platelet compared with anticoagulant therapy demonstrated a trend toward fewer major bleedings in RCTs (p 1⁄4 0.06), and significantly fewer major bleedings in observational studies (p < 0.0001), while stroke, thromboembolism andmortality did not show a significant difference in either RCTs or observational studies. As a conclusion from this review, anti-platelet therapy demonstrated reduced bleeding risk with no negative effects on stroke, thromboembolism or mortality compared with anticoagulation therapy after surgical BAVR. As the authors emphasize, their confidence in the results was reduced by the low quality of the available evidence. We recently described the situation of SAVR in Germany in the context of increasing numbers of TAVI procedures.3,4 While the number of TAVI procedures continuously increased from 2009 to 2015, especially in patient groups of intermediate and high operative risk, the number of SAVR was only slightly decreasing (2009: 8,259 SAVR; 2015: 6,226 SAVR)—with the highest proportion of SAVR in younger patients below 75 years of age. So, especially in the context of a largelymissing and shaky database: how are patients actually treated? The authors report on an interesting international survey from 2008, conducted in 48 centres. Clinicians prescribed warfarin in 43% of centres, aspirin (ASA) in 33% of centres, the combination of warfarin and ASA in 20% of centres and no antithrombotic therapy in 4% of centres.5 What can we then learn from most recent clinical trials? First insights from the GALILEO study, although not yet published at the time this editorial was written, are now available. Patients after TAVI were either treated with a rivaroxaban-based strategy of 10 mg rivaroxaban þ 75 to 100 mg of ASA for 3 months, followed by ASA only, versus a


Investigated 45 children between the ages of 3 and 6 years—ranging widely in degree and type of problem behavior—via parent ratings, teacher ratings, and objective observations of social behavior in play groups. The goal was to ascertain cross-informant correspondence for preschool-aged children, with a separate examination of internalizing versus externalizing, behavior patterns. Regarding internalizing behavior, parent ratings (but not teacher ratings) independently predicted observed isolation and withdrawal. As for externalizing behavior, however, teacher ratings were far more strongly associated with play group observations than were parent reports; only the teacher information independently predicted observed noncompliance and aggression. These differential patterns of cross-informant convergence across internalizing versus externalizing domains are discussed in light of the need for accurate identification of behavioral/emotional risk in preschoolers.


A double-faced pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet for use in fixing a removing member for removing a given gaseous ingredient present in a space in an EL element. The double-faced pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet comprises a base sheet and pressure-sensitive adhesive layers formed respectively on both sides thereof. Each pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is made of a pressure-sensitive adhesive comprising a product of the crosslinking of an acrylic copolymer containing no carboxy group and comprising (A) units of an alkyl (meth)acrylate in which the alkyl has up to four carbon atoms and (B) units of an ethylenic monomer having a reactive functional group. This double-faced pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet is reduced in outgassing and has high tackiness. This adhesive sheet is used for fixing a removing member for removing a gaseous ingredient which is present in a space in an EL element and adversely influences the EL element.


The paper deals with the problems of labour efficiency growth in Russia. The reasons for the backlog in the Russian economy regarding this rate at both the state and individual enterprise levels are outlined. An approach to building a modern model of efficient personnel administration based on labour productivity is suggested.


We have read with great interest your comments on the definition of the correspondence factors (CF) used to verify the output of Leipzig and Valencia Nucletron applicators. After reviewing our work and calculations, we agree on the revised definition of the correspondence factor, CFrev. We incorrectly used the chamber calibration factor in our original works. The CF methodology must be applied for the same well chamber model having a traceable calibration. CF were obtained for the most widely available well chambers: HDR 1000 Plus from Standard Imaging (USA) and the TM3304 from PTW (Germany). CF is not applicable to the HDR 1000 well chamber model. Fortunately, the CF reported to us from HDR-1000Plus and Valencia applicator users show that they are very close to the values we calculated. CF deviations obtained by users with respect to the reference values falls (k1⁄4 1 confidence interval) within the 5% tolerance we assumed in our publication. These well-to-well chamber CF deviations are justified by the 2% variations in the calibrations factors as you reported for 833 chambers. Anyway, the CF definition must be updated to CFrev according to your comments to be coherent and more accurate when chamber variations are taken into account. We have calculated the CFrev for the Leipzig applicators (Table I) and the CFrev for the HDR 1000 Plus and TM3304 well chambers for the Valencia applicators (Table II). From our point of view, the other issue pointed out in the letter is more suitable for discussion. The authors question whether, for well chambers of the same model, the ratio of readings at the entrance of the well and at the center is the same, independent of the chamber calibration coefficient. For the three well chambers with the same HDR Ir source, we measured CF and verified that this ratio is the same within 1%. Our plan is to check this conclusion with other users. Finally, we would like to add that other alternatives to determine the Valencia applicator output factors are not as simple as the well chamber method we have proposed. Another issue being that we recommended verifying the output with respect to measurements taken with a parallel-plate chamber of adequate active diameter calibrated with a Co beam in a solid phantom. In conclusion, the letter clearly identifies a wrong use of the well chamber calibration factor in our publications and we thank the authors for their observations.


In an attempt to better elucidate the material–cytoskeleton crosstalk during the initial stage of cell adhesion, here we report how suspended cells anchored to point-like bonds are able to assemble their cytoskeleton when subjected to mechanical stress. The combination of holographic optical tweezers and digital holography gives the cell footholds for adhesion and mechanical stimulation, and at the same time, acts as a label-free, force-revealing system over time, detecting the cell nanomechanical response in the pN range. To confirm the formation of the cytoskeleton structures after the stimulation, a fluorescence imaging system was added as a control. The strategy here proposed portends broad applicability to investigate the correlation between the forces applied to cells and their cytoskeleton assembly process in this or other complex configurations with multiple anchor points.


Recently Genetic Algorithms (GAs) have frequently been used for optimizing the solution of estimation problems. One of the main advantages of using these techniques is that they require no knowledge or gradient information about the response surface. The poor behavior of genetic algorithms in some problems, sometimes attributed to design operators, has led to the development of other types of algorithms. One such class of these algorithms is compact Genetic Algorithm (cGA), it dramatically reduces the number of bits reqyuired to store the poulation and has a faster convergence speed. In this paper compact Genetic Algorithm is used to optimize the maximum likelihood estimator of the first order moving avergae model MA(1). Simulation results based on MSE were compared with those obtained from the moments method and showed that the Canonical GA and compact GA can give good estimator of θ for the MA(1) model. Another comparison has been conducted to show that the cGA method has less number of function evaluations, minimum searched space percentage, faster convergence speed and has a higher optimal precision than that of the Canonical GA.


The scorpion Centruroides vittatus (Say) was exposed to various insecticides in the laboratory. Chlordane, at 76 milligrams per square foot, gave 100% kill to 2 to 24 hours. Doubling these rates three times did not greatly reduce the exposure time required to give 100% kill. Malathion was ineffective at 11, 21, and 43 milligrams per square foot. At 86 milligrams per square foot 100% kill was obtained in 72 to 96 hours, and at 172 milligrams per square foot the exposure time was reduced to 24 to 48 hours. At double this rate of application the exposure time required to give 100% kill was not reduced. In tests in which scorpions were exposed to chlordane, lindane, or malathion at 100 milligrams per square foot, lindane gave 100% kills 20 times quicker than chlordane and 180 times quicker than malathion.


This thesis is structured around four empirical chapters examining related issues in corporate governance. The sample of FTSE 350 companies 1995-2005 has unique properties which are exploited to advance our understanding of the executive pay-setting process; the turnover of Chief Executives (CEOs); the market's reaction to shareholder activism and voting behaviour; and the distribution of pay within the boardroom.

Chapter two assesses whether remuneration committees facilitate optimal contracting or whether CEOs are able to capture the pay-setting process and inflate their own remuneration. The findings of prior research, which have been mixed, are shown to be sensitive to the econometric specification employed. A comprehensive assessment of non-executive directors' independence is undertaken. Little evidence is found to support a rents capture model.

Chapter three applies duration analysis within a competing risks framework to model the tenure and mode of exit of CEOs. The likelihood of forced departure is found to decrease sharply from the fifth year of a CEO's tenure. Some evidence is found to suggest that this is because CEOs who survive beyond year four entrench themselves in their position.

Chapter four considers the impact of shareholder activism. Voting dissent appears inconsequential in terms of increasing shareholder returns, reducing CEO pay or increasing the likelihood of CEO dismissal. However, firing the CEO of a poorly performing company improves shareholder returns soon after the CEO's dismissal.

Chapter five examines the structure and distribution of pay amongst board members. As a test of tournament theory, the impact of a rival's succession to CEO on the incumbent directors' compensation and likelihood of exit is examined. A rival's succession has a greater impact on the existing directors' likelihood of exit than it does on compensation.


Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) features a prominent stromal microenvironment with remarkable cellular and spatial heterogeneity that meaningfully impacts disease biology and treatment resistance. Recent advances in tissue imaging capabilities, single-cell analytics, and disease modeling have shed light on organizing principles that shape the stromal complexity of PDAC tumors. These insights into the functional and spatial dependencies that coordinate cancer cell biology and the relationships that exist between cells and extracellular matrix components present in tumors are expected to unveil therapeutic vulnerabilities. We review recent advances in the field and discuss current understandings of mechanisms by which the tumor microenvironment shapes PDAC pathogenesis and therapy resistance. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease, Volume 18 is January 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.


In analyzing the reactions following blood transfusion by any of the different methods now in vogue, all figures should be based on cases in which donor and recipient have been properly matched prior to the operation. By means of the methods for grouping and direct matching given us by Moss1and others it is possible to exclude a certain number of gross hemolytic reactions which used to be inevitable. It is also a very simple matter to list a number of Group 4 donors, and with this done no emergency transfusion need ever become a completely reckless venture. In our experience it would appear possible to use carefully classified Group 4 donors for all cases, relying on the fact that the high dilution to which the incompatible plasma is brought nullifies its toxic effect. While this statement is in agreement with the views of Lee,2it is interesting to find


The video game industry is billionaire and overcomes the traditional entertainment industries such as film and music together. Estimates made by Newzoo in 2017 indicate the market of electronic sports (e-sports) will exceeds the mark of one billion dollar in 2020. However, the games market suffers from outdated cliches. The games suffer with the statement that "this is kid stuff" and players (or gamers) are stereotyped as socially inept, reclusive, with an obsession for gaming. This paper examines to show that the e-Sport have the potential to move billions of dollars and millions of people. Investigates the electronic sports in the light of creative economy and how it fits in this context. A little comparison was made between traditional sports and electronic sports. A Data Envelopment Analysis is done in order to evaluate the efficiency or productivity of the international regions in promoting games events, with data base from the "2017 Newzoo's Global Esports Market Report". The difficulty in collecting data is reiterated, not because of lack of data, but because the high price found. It's concluded that e-Sport has economic, social and cultural value, showing its multidisciplinarity.


The system configuration and design process of low-medium voltage DSTATCOM based on voltage source inverter is introduced.The main circuit of DSTATCOM consists of IGBT and the intelligent integrated driving module is used for driving circuit of DSTATCOM.The direct current control based on synchronous reference frame coordinates is employed in DSTATCOM control system.The schematics of driving circuit and reset circuit are presented in detail.In order to improve the reactive power compensation performance of DSTATCOM,the DC voltage closed loop control is adopted.The realization of the control system based on DSP is presented in this paper and the experimental results of DSTATCOM used for improving the voltage quality are given too.


This paper develops a methodology to determine effective values of the aerodynamic parameters required for performing simplified three-degree-of-freedom debris impact analyses rather than utilizing more complex sixdegree-of-freedom analyses. For all of the debris types, six-degree-of-freedom mass property and aerodynamic data are computed. Using the results of many six-degree-of-freedom trajectory simulations, standard deviation range values are calculated. With three-degree-of-freedom trajectory matching, these range values are used to determine the effective ballistic coefficient and the range of lift-to-drag ratios for each of the External Tank debris types defined.


In this paper we deal with the problem of real-time virtual view synthesis, which is crucial in practical immersive video systems. The majority of existing real-time view synthesizers described in literature require using dedicated hardware. In the proposed approach, the view synthesis algorithm is implemented on a CPU increasing its usability for users equipped with consumer devices such as personal computers or laptops. The novelty of the proposed algorithm is based on the atomic z-test function, which allows for parallelization of the depth reprojection step, what was not possible in previous works. The proposal was evaluated on a test set containing miscellaneous perspective and omnidirectional sequences, both in terms of quality and computational time. The results were compared to the state-of-the-art view synthesis algorithm – RVS.


Two forgery attacks presented on a proxy multi-signature scheme based on elliptic curves discrete logarithm problem proposed by Ji and Li. Using these forgery attacks, anyone of original signers can produce a valid proxy multi-signature. Furthermore, a new modified and secure proxy multi-signature scheme based on elliptic curves discrete logarithm problem were proposed.


Chapter 4 focuses on the formal and informal rules that determine who is eligible and qualified for inclusion in cabinets (ministrables). Emphasizing that cabinets are formed as teams, the chapter identifies three different types of qualifications that cabinets as collectivities must include: qualifications involving experiential criteria (political experience and policy expertise), affiliational criteria (membership in a selector's personal network of friendship, trust, and loyalty), and representational criteria (membership in a relevant political, territorial, or social group). The chapter also challenges the concept of "merit" as a qualifying criterion for cabinet appointment, identifying merit claims as a political strategy to defend the status quo, rather than an objective criterion.


In order to investigate the characteristics of C1 cyclone in a 5000t/d cement production system, the gas flow velocity, pressure and raw particles movement trajectory in this cyclone was simulated on the basis of Fluent 6.3. The RNG k-ε turbulence model and the stochastic trajectory model were proposed. The results indicate that the gas flow velocity and pressure distribute symmetrically, the raw meal particles revolve along with the whirling flow and can be separated more efficiently from the gas in this cyclone.


The Raman spectra of thin films of a nematic liquid crystal, p-methoxybenzylidene-p′-n-butylaniline (MBBA), have been measured for the samples aligned on glass (or quartz) surface homogeneously and homeotropically, respectively. The results confirm the molecular arrangements suggested by the observation with a polarizing microscope. The intensity changes and polarization components of the Raman bands are useful for the vibrational assignments.


With the advent of technology, video has become a prominent entity that is shared over networks. With easy availability of various editing tools, data integrity and ownership issues have caused great concern worldwide. Video watermarking is an evolving field that may be used to address such issues. Till date, most of the algorithms have been developed for uncompressed domain watermarking and implemented on software platforms. They provide flexibility and simplicity, but at the same time, they are not suited for real-time applications. They work offline where videos are captured and then watermark is embedded in the video. In the present work, a hardware-based implementation of video watermarking is proposed that overcomes the limitation of software watermarking methods and can be readily adapted to the H.264 standard. This paper focuses on an invisible and robust video watermarking scheme, which can be easily implemented as an integral part of the standard H.264 encoder. The proposed watermarking algorithm involves Integer DCT-based watermark embedding method, wherein Integer DCT is calculated with a fully parallel approach resulting in better speed. The proposed video watermarking is designed with pipelining and parallel architecture for real-time implementation. Here, scene change detection technique is used to improve the performance. Different planes of the watermark are embedded in different frames of a particular scene in order to achieve robustness against various temporal attacks.


The paper presents the results of a work carried out by the Department of Mechanics of Politecnico di Torino, concerning the study and development of a six degrees of freedom force reflecting master structure for teleoperation (haptic device) to be controlled by an operator. The latter imposes the six-dimensional linear and angular displacement of a handle, controlling a remote slave robot or interacting with virtual reality. On the other hand, the operator receives a force feedback related to the environment in which the slave robot or virtual device operates. Since the actuators must be force controlled in order to generate a resultant corresponding to the desired wrench, pneumatic actuation has been chosen because it is particularly suitable to the application and quite economical.Copyright © 2006 by ASME


This paper introduced the digital multi-meter instrument adopting MC68HC11E9 single chip microcomputer as the main chip and fewer periphery circuits,It was carried on going deep into studying to the intelligent calibration technique and the realization methods,and realized A/D change of high accuracy.It not only can accomplish the measurement of ACDC voltage and current,also can measure resistance,time and frequency,the measure data can be auto-calibrated.It can communicate with other instrument such as a microcomputer though a RS-232C port.


This paper explores the use of the standard approach for proving runtime bounds in discrete domains---often referred to as drift analysis---in the context of optimization on a continuous domain. Using this framework we analyze the (1+1) Evolution Strategy with one-fifth success rule on the sphere function. To deal with potential functions that are not lower-bounded, we formulate novel drift theorems. We then use the theorems to prove bounds on the expected hitting time to reach a certain target fitness in finite dimension d. The bounds are akin to linear convergence. We then study the dependency of the different terms on d proving a convergence rate dependency of Θ(1/d). Our results constitute the first non-asymptotic analysis for the algorithm considered as well as the first explicit application of drift analysis to a randomized search heuristic with continuous domain.


This leads us to regard the patient does not suffer from To the Editor: We were interested in the article, which reported a woman with calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomePCH. non, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly and telangiectasia (CREST) syndrome who developed progressive dyspnea on exertion and was later diagnosed with pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis (PCH) that was confirmed by an open lung biopsy. We would like to remark that the diagnosis of PCH is inconclusive from just history, treatment, and histological changes. This case also does not specify a clear connection between PCH and CREST syndrome; therefore, we believe we need to explore another possible disease association.


There exist several applications in image processing (eg: video compressed sensing and color image demosaicing) which require separation of constituent images given measurements in the form of a coded superposition of those images. Physically practical code patterns in these applications are non-negative and do not obey the nice coherence properties of other patterns such as Gaussian codes, which can adversely affect reconstruction performance. The contribution of this paper is to design code patterns for video compressed sensing and demosaicing by minimizing the mutual coherence given a fixed dictionary. Our method explicitly takes into account the special structure of those code patterns as required by these applications: (1) non-negativity, (2) block-diagonal nature, and (3) circular shifting. In particular, the last property enables for accurate patchwise reconstruction.


Affi liations: From the Chest Department, Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Financial/nonfi nancial disclosures: The authors have reported to CHEST that no potential confl icts of interest exist with any companies/organizations whose products or services may be discussed in this article. Correspondence to: Kun-Ta Chou, MD, Chest Department, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Section 2 Shih-Pei Rd, Taipei 112, Taiwan; e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com © 2011 American College of Chest Physicians. Reproduction of this article is prohibited without written permission from the American College of Chest Physicians ( http :// www . chestpubs . org / site / misc / reprints . xhtml ). DOI: 10.1378/chest.10-1821


The paper describes several digital signal processing (DSP) techniques used in the development of a computer-based speech trainer for hearing impaired children. Children with congenital hearing impairments have difficulties in speaking, and even in making the basic sounds associated with speech. Speech therapists use specialized training methods to train such children. The dearth of qualified speech therapists, and other facilities hinder the speech development of many children in need of such training in Sri Lanka. The speech trainer described in this paper was developed as an alleviation to the above problem. The training tool developed, will aid a child with initial guidance from an adult, to master the pronunciation of initial sounds taught in a speech therapy programme, in a game-like environment. In its current status, the training tool can guide children in pronouncing the five vowel sounds, the first step in a speech therapy course.


realities have to be represented in the language that is not the language of the camps. (Her remarks, following Ilya Kukulin's research, on the discussion of Sergei Eisenstein's film in Solzhenitsyn's "Ivan Denisovich" are important in this and other respects.) Mikhailik's well-informed analysis demonstrates, among other things, that Shalamov's intertextual agenda offers something to every reader, from those whose knowledge of literature is confined to the Soviet school curricula to those in the intellectual "inner circle" of twentieth-century poetry and prose. Her study is well grounded in literary theory but shows constant awareness of the human suffering and the injustice of the dystopian system of the camps as represented in Shalamov's stories. She has avoided both the pitfalls of emotional gut response and those of intellectualization abstracted from the record of human pain. With close attention to detail, Mikhailik discusses Shalamov's late work "Vishera: Antiroman," and, in contrast with Josefina Lundblad Janjić, who reads "Vishera" as a Bildungsroman, represents it as an artistic failure owing to a too complete blending of the authorial position with that of the still insufficiently-experienced first-person protagonist. This controversial view is in tune with Mikhailik's analysis of the nature of Shalamov's dokumental ́nost ́—her occasionally polemical statements should be read in context. Their courage, along with the non-exhaustiveness of her insightful analyses, stimulates further discussion. Indeed, the conversation about Shalamov's complex axiology must continue—the constantly changing cultural realities will further deepen and modify the appreciation of his work.


Purpose – The paper has two objectives. First, it seeks to present a procedure for exploring web site development using the Internet archive (www.archive.org). Second, it aims to test the assumption that over time a progression in web site numbers and interactivity is visible within an industry sector.Design/methodology/approach – The Internet archive was used to view web site activity from 1998‐2004 for 21 randomly selected organisations generating a final sample of 106 web sites. Content analysis was used to gather information on web site numbers and functionality. Web sites were evaluated using existing models of web site evolution adapted for the financial services sector.Findings – This paper produces meaningful data on patterns of web site development. Results indicate that UK pension provider web sites have increased in sophistication but remain underdeveloped.Research limitations/implications – In this paper there is no qualitative web site assessment and thus no information on web site quality. T...


AIR POLLUTION AND OUTDOOR RECREATION ON URBAN TRAILS: A CASE STUDY OF THE ELIZABETH RIVER TRAIL, NORFOLK, VA James E. McCann Old Dominion University, 2020 Director: Chris A. B. Zajchowski, PhD Poor air quality represents a significant health risk, especially when recreating outdoors in urban parks and trails. It is important for managers of urban parks and trail to understand how potential visitors' perceptions of air quality and health risks and benefits may affect visitation. The goal of this study was to investigate temporal variance in air quality along the Elizabeth River Trail, an urban trail located in Norfolk, Virginia, as well as trail users' perceptions of air quality and of health benefits in relation to trail use. The researcher rode a bicycle with a Dylos DC1700-PM mobile air quality monitor mounted to it along the 16.9-km (10mi) trail for 10 weeks to collect PM2.5 and PM10 data. The following spring, a visitor use survey was conducted with ERT users, measuring perceived health outcomes and perceived air quality, as well as other experiential factors. Two repeated-measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were used to determine whether there were significant differences in average PM density at different times of day or days of the week. PM was higher (p < .001) between 11am-1pm and on weekends. Perceived air quality and health outcomes were regressed onto self-reported trail use. Perceived health outcomes, but not perceived or preferred air quality, significantly predicted trail use, p = .006. Results suggest that whereas motivation directly predicts recreational choices, experiential factors may do so only under specific circumstances, such as when air quality is very poor. Further research is merited to determine how experiential factors can best be integrated with other theories of motivation to understand recreational decision-making.


We present a method for lossless compression of contours in images using a specific crack-edge representation, where each horizontal binary crack-edge is bundled together with a vertical binary crack-edge in a new symbol, having four possible values. One can represent all contours in an image using an auxiliary quaternary image, which has bundled at each pixel the value of the north and west crack-edges. We use context coding for the quaternary image with the coding tree optimally pruned to obtain the most relevant bi-dimensional contexts. The coding using bi-dimensional contexts of the crack-edge information contrasts with the coding using chain codes, where the contours are represented by one-dimensional sequences of (differential) angles, telling how one can travel from starting points towards ending points in the bi-dimensional image grid. The code length for encoding the starting and ending points (which are referred to as anchors) is large when the contours are very dense, because the representation with chain codes needs specifying many anchor points, while the newly proposed bi-dimensional context coding does not need such information. In the case of images with very dense contours the quaternary representation can be efficiently encoded by context coding. We present experiments with depth images, where using various quantization steps one can obtain a multitude of images of geodesic contours, having a decreasing density of contour links as the quantization step increases. We illustrate the two coding methods for encoding the contours in fractal images, showing a better performance of the quaternary representation as compared to chain code representation.


People who are exposed to mercury at levels below the threshold considered safe by the World Health Organization (WHO) may still suffer some neurological damage, according to a study involving people in the Tapajos River region of Brazil. The study, which also revealed that deforestation is their primary source of exposure to mercury, was conducted by researchers at the Universite du Quebec a Montreal (UQAM) and the Federal University of Para in Brazil.


In this paper we want to share some thoughts and reflections about the relationship between teacher education, teachers professional development and teacher professionalization. These are part of a research (Eirin, 2005) about the professional lives of physical education teachers. Based on this work, we review the theorethical framework who had conducted the research, showing the sense and meaning from different point of view. As a result, we are building up our


Background: Light freckles and lentigines are common pigmentary disorders that are often refractory to treatments. Objectives: We aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (QSNY) combined with Erbium: YAG micropeel (QSNY + micropeel) with Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (QSNY) alone for the treatment of light freckles and lentigines in Asian skin. Methods: This was a prospective split-face study, in which 15 patients (1 male and 14 females) were treated for light freckles and lentigines. One side of the face was treated with QSNY (RevLite®, Cynosure Co., Fremont, CA, 532 nm, 1.2-1.4 J/cm2 fluence, 2 mm spot size) on the specific pigmented lesion followed by a single pass of micropeel (Contour TRL®, Sciton Inc., Palo Alto, CA, 2940 nm, level 1 with 10 μm depth of ablation (2.5 J/cm2), 30% overlap and 30 x 30 mm scanner) on the whole area. The contra-lateral side of the face was treated with QSNY 532 nm, 1.2-1.4 J/cm2 fluence, 2 Hz, 2 mm spot size) on the individual pigmented lesions followed by 1064 nm toning, 1.4 J/cm2 fluence, 10 Hz, 8 mm spot size for 2-3 passes on the whole area. Treatment efficacy was evaluated through both the patients` subjective global assessment and the physicians` global assessment at 2 weeks and 1 month follow-up. The patient`s subjective global assessment was described by a 4-point scale (1: not satisfied, 2: somewhat satisfied, 3: satisfied, 4: very satisfied). The physicians` global assessment was described by a 5-point scale (1: aggravation of pigment, 2: no change, 3: 25-50% improvement, 4: 51-75% improvement, 5: 76-100% improvement). At the follow-up visits patients were asked of their preferred mode of treatment. Safety was evaluated by reporting adverse events. Results: All 15 patients completed the study. Patients had a Fitzpatrick skin type of 3-5 and a mean age of 42.1 (. The average pain scores by the visual analogue scale (VAS) was 6.4 (range: 2-10) for the combination side, and 4.2 (range: 1-8) in the QSNY alone side. Nine patients chose combination therapy, and four patients selected monotherapy at 2 weeks follow-up. One patient did not have any preference between the two therapies. At 4 weeks follow-up, the different survey results were shown with more preference over the QSNY alone side. According to the subjective global assessment, the average score of the combination side was 2.8 (at 2 weeks follow-up) and 2.3 (at 4 weeks follow-up). The average score of the QSNY alone side was 2.6 (at 2 weeks follow-up) and 2.5 (at 4 weeks follow-up). In terms of the physician`s global assessment, the scores for the combination side was 3.1 (at 2 weeks follow-up) and 1.8 (at 4 weeks follow-up). The QSNY alone side had an average score of 3.5 (at 2 weeks follow-up) and 2.5 (at 4 weeks follow-up). Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation was more frequently observed over the overlapping skin lesion in the combination group. Conclusion: Our study did not support the hypothesis that QSNY + micropeel combination therapy was superior to QSNY monotherapy.


Research in collaborative learning has supported the hypothesis that dialogue between peers and between peers and teachers facilitates learning by the participants in the dialogue. Examples of these dialogues show dozens of turns (individual utterances by participants) in a single learning session. In contrast, measurements of interaction from computer-supported collaborative learning environments show that on-line dialogue looks much different, with an average of approximately one posting or less per student per week. Measurements of learning in these environments do suggest learning is occurring, but presumably, not based on the same kind of dialogue described in research on face-to-face collaboration. We explore explanations for how the learning is arising in CSCL environments based on the Vicarious Learning Project (Lee, Dineen, McKendree, & Mayes, 1999; McKendree, Stenning, Mayes, Lee, & Cox, 1998), but in the course of this explanation, two additional hypotheses emerge. We believe that some of the learning in CSCL environments occurs from the observation of the dialogue, the reflection induced by the potential of submitting, and in the interaction between the face-to-face and on-line environments.


Linearity of response "day-to-day" and "within-day" variation of a simple method for serum monoaminoxidase (SMAO) activity have been evaluated. SMAO determination in 209 clinically healthy subjects was performed to find out the "reference values" for the method.


hands of adults. Historical and comparative studies inform us that such activity is by no means a feature specifically of bygone times and neither is it culture specific. Enlightenment historians such as Ariès have nevertheless supported and thus encouraged the view that our relations with children in western society have continued to develop on a gradient of increasing nurture and kindness. Indeed, it would be a depressing prospect to contemplate the view that the quality and texture of our intergenerational relations have not improved since the 18th and 19th centuries in line with our great steps forward in health, education, technology, democracy, social policy and the quality of life in general. Nevertheless, psychological, physical and sexual abuse of children persists. It may not be commonplace but it is by no means exceptional. Occasionally, but regularly enough, a case becomes public and of such prominence that our ideas and thoughts about the issue are crystallized and focused. In the UK, through late July and August 2002, a sorry tale unfolded of the disappearance of two young girls, the eventual discovery of their bodies and the subsequent apprehension of the suspected felons, a man and woman both in their twenties. This case is marked out by hyperbole and pressed all of the buttons that alert a nation and its collective consciousness to a state of shock. The children were under 10 years old; they went missing in a quiet English countryside village; no one could produce any evidence of them having been abducted, in fact they left one of their family homes together, secretly, while their parents were having a barbecue party including them. The main implication drawn from this is that they may well have had an assignation with their killers or they at least colluded in their meeting with them. The motive for the killing appears to have been sexual; the children's bodies were so badly mutilated it was impossible for a post-mortem to determine the particular cause of death. The alleged killer and his partner were a young couple in a steady relationship; he employed as school caretaker and she as teaching assistant at the murdered girls' school. Both were employed on the basis of sound references and both had satisfactory employment records. He, however, suffered from such an unstable personality disorder that his arrest precipitated a complete psychological collapse such that he


A process for the preparation of a production mask (600) for the lithographic projection of a pattern (210) on a product wafer (700), comprising: a) providing the pattern (210) stored in electronic format; b) decomposing the data stored in electronic format pattern in a number of partial patterns (214-220); c) producing a respective intermediate mask (230-236) (for each of the partial patterns 214-220) (in a mask-writing device 240), comprising: ca) forming the respective partial patterns (214-220) representing the structural elements (on a front side 32) of the corresponding intermediate mask (230-236); cb) subsequently successively projecting the intermediate masks (230-236) for assembling a common pattern on a test mask (200) in a first projection apparatus (250); cc) determining a distribution of line widths LB (x, y) of the structural elements formed of the common pattern on the test mask (200), and comparing with predetermined nominal linewidths for determining a distribution of deviations respectively ΔLB (x, y) of the line widths; cd) specifying a function (550) which the line width depending upon the in ...


Adoption, State Department of Public Welfare and. Mary Ruth Colby ......... 352 Adoption Laws and Procedures, Better .... 119 Aged, Growing Problems of the. John J. Grif-fin ................. 506 Association of Schools of Social Work . . . . 126 Attlee, Prime Minister Clement ....... 426 Beveridge Report and the British Government. Joan Simeon Clarke .......... 171 Blanchard, Florence H., 1877-1945 ..... 431 Bowen, A. L., 1869-1945 .......... 428 Bridges, Harry, Unfinished Case of. Max Rodin 485 British Government and the Beveridge Report. Joan Simeon Clarke .......... 171 British Plans for Social Reconstruction. Mary E. Murphy .............. 75 Burchard, Edward L., 1867-1944 ...... 264 Case Work in the Treatment of Delinquency. Kenneth L. M. Pray .......... 235 Case-Work Needs in Our Penal Institutions. Nathan Berman ........... 516 Case-Work Principles and the Maxims of La Rochefoucauld. Mary W. Housman . . . .532 Chicago Welfare Administration and Civil Service ............. 254,558 Child Labor Must Be Reduced after the War . 261 Child Labor and the State Legislatures . . . . 415 Child Labor and Youth Employment, Postwar ................ 556 Children in the A.D.C. Program in Chicago, Employed Mothers of. Ruth A. Kasman . . 96 Children, Chicago, Receiving Grants from A.D.C, Health Needs of. Martha C. Hardy 201 Children, Fate of Germany's ........ 552 Children, Injuries to Working ....... 121 Children in Our Jails and Prisons, 255, 557; Getting Them Out, 420 Children, School, Illinois Legislation for Health and Medical Care of. Mary Zahrobsky . . . 343 Children, School, Medical Care for ..... 419 Children of the United Nations?U.N.R.R.A.'s Responsibility. Martha Branscombe . . . . 310 Children in Wartime, National Commission on 412 Children and Youth, Europe's ....... 543 Children's Bureau, England Needs a ..... 250 Children's Charter and the I.L.0 ...... 122 Children's Responsibility for Massachusetts Aged, 260; Letters to Editor on, 129, 432 Children's Responsibility in the Massachusetts O.A.A. Program. Alton A.Linford.di, 218, 391 Civil Service and Chicago Welfare Administration ......... 254,558 Community and Emotional Needs of Returning Soldiers. Maxwell Gitelson, M.D ..... 93 Community Organization in Chicago?1945. Wayne McMillen ........... 157 Community Organization for Social Welfare . 559


The low ability of Indonesian students is related to the science learning process which has not fully provided opportunities for students to develop critical reasoning skills. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the E-Scrapbook media containing HOTS questions on the learning outcomes of fourth grade elementary school students. This research is an experimental research using a quantitative approach. The research design used in this study was a one group pre-test post-test design. The subjects of this study amounted to 30 elementary school fourth grade students. The effectiveness of using E-Scrapbook media with HOTS questions can be measured using the test method. The data analysis method used in this research is descriptive and inferential analysis. The analytical technique used to test the hypothesis is Paired Sample T-Test. Hypothesis testing using the help of the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows version 21.0 program. There is a significant difference in the learning outcomes of students' science before and after participating in learning using the E-Scrapbook media containing HOTS-Based Questions. Thus, the application of E-Scrapbook media containing HOTS-based questions in the learning process effectively has an influence in improving student learning outcomes.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the drivers of e-banking entrepreneurship. The impact of e-banking entrepreneurship on banks' performance in the banking industry is also investigated.

Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was developed to collect data from 16 banks with a sample of 214 respondents. Structural equation modeling using PLS was conducted to analyze the data.

Findings
The results reveal a significant impact of top management support, organizational context, technological context and social capital on the degree of e-business entrepreneurship. The findings also reveal a direct impact of e-banking entrepreneurship on achieving a competitive advantage, financial performance and customer performance.

Originality/value
The present empirical study contributes to a better understanding of the existing theories and practices of banking entrepreneurship and e-innovations in today's banking industry. This study also provides insights into the drivers and the role of e-entrepreneurship in this industry for improving the opportunities of competitiveness and growth. The findings of the present study are of importance to both academic and practitioner audiences. The present study provides empirical evidence to bolster e-banking technology as an enabler of banking entrepreneurship and improving performance. Additionally, these findings provide directives to managers regarding the untapped opportunities and potential that innovative e-banking technology can offer in a highly volatile and rapidly changing environment.


Single-User Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) transmissions are possible since Rel. 10 of 3GPP LTE-A. The Closed Loop Spatial Multiplexing (CLSM) transmission mode enables up to a four fold increase in spectral efficiency compared to Rel. 8, yet it requires complex User Equipment (UE) hardware supporting more than one transmit antenna. The closed loop spatial multiplexing transmission mode enables up to a four fold increase in spectral efficiency compared to Rel. 8, yet it requires complex UE hardware supporting more than one transmit antenna. As it is likely that the Base Station (BS) has more receive antennas than the UE transmit antennas, employing Multi-User (MU) MIMO transmissions in the uplink can lead to significant improvement in cell throughput. We formulate MU MIMO transmissions with linear receivers as a compact matrix system model. Based on our model we present a post-equalization SINR equation, allowing the calculation of a quantized feedback parameter, the Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) value. Within this framework we reveal possible MU gains through known scheduling algorithms although the frequency selective channel is approximated by its arithmetic mean.


In this article, we present a monocular visual reactive navigation system capable of navigating at high speeds, without GPS, in unknown complex cluttered environments. The system, called R‐ADVANCE (Rapid Adaptive Prediction for Vision‐based Autonomous Navigation, Control, and Evasion), consists of a set of biologically inspired visual perception and reactive control algorithms that provide low‐computation reactive obstacle avoidance while navigating at high speeds in search of a goal object. These algorithms, along with basic planning, and augmented with low‐precision visual odometry, were implemented on a micro unmanned aerial vehicle and tested in a number of challenging environments. While each of the individual algorithmic and hardware elements has been previously studied in limited environments, this work is the first time that these novel components have been integrated and flight‐tested. To achieve fast flight, an NVIDIA Tegra TK1 was used as the main processor, allowing us to parallelize the system to process 1280 × 720 video streams at 40 fps, reaching flight speeds up to 19 m/s (≈68 km/h) or 42 mph.

publisher-specific, author manuscript: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#am


petition and testimony, and missionary correspondence, among others— but her election of Greenblatt over Butler enables her to sidestep accusations of anachronism while still demonstrating that honor affords individual subjects a means to negotiate with and authorize themselves to institutional power, and to claim agency within its sphere of control. The book's most significant contribution revolves around this dynamic of negotiation and exchange between soldier and sovereign, providing valuable new insight into the popu lar understanding of sovereignty in the early modern Spanish Empire. The notion of meritorious ser vice implies that certain conditions or forms of ser vice exceed the general pact of subjection— that is, the idea that sovereigns owe their subjects something (order, protection, wellbeing) in exchange for their compliance— and therefore require additional recognition. Harden shows us that, at least in the military context, the concept of honor cuts both ways; it is the common currency between soldier and sovereign, insofar as it codifies the norms of be hav ior for both parties to this unspoken agreement to exchange extraordinary ser vice for extraordinary reward (loyalty and re spect from the soldier, and timely and proportionate recognition from the sovereign). Arms and Letters may prove most useful to researchers working on military textual production— life writing, petitions and probanzas, testimony, correspondence, and historiography—in the early modern Spanish Empire, but will certainly also be of interest to anyone studying autobiography, selffashioning and identity formation, and conceptualizations of sovereign power during the period.


This chapter explores the economic roles of women of color in the port cities, discussing in particular the unusual set of opportunities and challenges the ports of Saint-Domingue created for the free women of color who resided in them. The author evaluates the social repercussions of the dynamic role played by free colored women, with particular attention to the examples provided by two wealthy widows, Anne Rossignol and Marie Scipion, who both traced their path to Saint-Domingue from Africa, one by way of voluntary migration from Goree and the other by way of forced migration via the transatlantic slave trade. The chapter concludes the case of Saint-Domingue suggests that whether they were comfortable, rich, or more modest in means, Dominguan women of color appear to have been eminently dynamic actors in the economic life and social structure of the colony's port cities. Keywords:economic role; port cities; Saint-Domingue; slave trade; women of color


It is still unclear whether zidovudine is beneficial for asymptomatic HIV-infected patients with CD4 cell counts over 500/mm3. This American multicenter trial compared immediate versus deferred zidovudine therapy among 1637 asymptomatic patients with a median CD4 count …


Background We recently reported an association between Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and prior nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection which was defined as having a diagnosis of NTM with concurrent combinational antibiotics therapy for NTM infection. However, whether the increased risk of SS was attributed to NTM infection or antibiotics used to treatment NTM infection was unknown. Objectives To address the association between use of antibiotics which can be used to treat NTM infection and the risk of newly diagnosed SS. Methods Using a nationwide, population-based, claims dataset, 5751 newly diagnosed SS were identified, and we further excluded those (n=198) having a history of confirmed or suspected mycobacterial infection to avoid the confounding effect of NTM infection-associated incident SS as we previously identified. A total of 5,553 SS cases were enrolled and compared them with 83 295 non-SS controls matched (1:15) for age, sex, and their year of first SS diagnosis date. The association between the risk of incident SS and antibiotics was determined by calculating odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using conditional logistic regression analysis. Results After adjusting for potential confounders, the risk of SS was increased in patients treated with new macrolides (aOR 1.95, 95% CI 1.80–2.11), fluoroquinolones (aOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.41–1.64), and tetracyclines (aOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.59–1.79) compared with those in non-SS controls after adjusting for CCI, bronchiectasis and Helicobacter pylori infection. Notably, we found that the association was consistent among each antibiotic in these three groups of antibiotics. In contrast to these three groups of antibiotics, usage of amikacin was found to have a negative association with incident SS (aOR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53–0.87). Model A Model B aOR (95% CI) aOR (95% CI) New macrolide 1.95 (1.80–2.11) Clarithromycin 1.84 (1.69–2.01) Azithromycin 2.07 (1.71–2.51) Aminoglycoside 0.68 (0.53–0.87) Amikacin 0.58 (0.41–0.81) Streptomycin Kanamycin 0.83 (0.58–1.19) Fluoroquinolone 1.52 (1.41–1.64) Ofloxacin 1.15 (1.01–1.32) Ciprofloxacin 1.34 (1.17–1.54) Levofloxacin 1.50 (1.22–1.85) Moxifloxacin 1.43 (1.30–1.56) Tetracycline 1.69 (1.59–1.79) Doxycycline 1.59 (1.49–1.70) Minocycline 1.48 (1.35–1.62) Conclusions New macrolides, fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines were associated with a higher incidence of SS, whereas usage of amikacin had a negative correlation. These findings indicated the need for vigilance of SS in prescribing these antibiotics to treat NTM and other infectious diseases and warrant further mechanistic studies. References [1] Mor A, Pillinger MH, Wortmann RL, Mitnick HJ. Drug-induced arthritic and connective tissue disorders. Semin Arthritis Rheum2008;38(3):249–64. [2] Chao WC, Lin CH, Lia TL, Chen YM, Chen DY, Chen HH. Association between a history of mycobacterial infection and the risk of newly diagnosed Sjogren's syndrome: a nationwide, population-based case-control study. PLoS ONE2017;12(5):e0176549. Acknowledgements We thank for the statistical work by Biostatistics Task Force of Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC. Disclosure of Interest None declared


AbstractExperimental measurements of the reach-averaged bed-load particle velocity Vp on smooth and rough plane surfaces were analyzed for particles of different shape, size ds, and density G. Particle types included natural quartz particles (1.2  mm<ds<13.6  mm at G=2.65), spherical glass marbles (14.5  mm<ds<29.3  mm at G=2.6), and spherical steel ball bearings (1.6  mm<ds<19  mm at G=8.02). The velocity of 9,739 individual bed load particles continuously rolling on aluminum plates coated with a layer of sand/gravel (roughness 0<ks<3.4  mm) was measured for 356 different conditions. For each flow condition, the reach-averaged particle velocity measurements over a 2 m test reach were repeated at least 15 times to provide mean values and standard deviations. For bed load particles rolling on smooth surfaces (ks=0), it was concluded that (1) Vp is within ±30% of the calculated flow velocity from the vertical velocity profile at the top of the particle; (2) Vp for spheres does not vary much with particle de...


This paper presents experimental results of friction factors for air flow in micro rectangular channels with different aspect ratios and with d}, of 0.2 ̄1.1 mm at different wall temperatures. The results show that the air flow can be divided into four flow regions f laminarflow, transition flow, turbulent flow and accelerating flow regions. The range of each region is different from that for macrochannel. For the later three regions, variation of friction factor has new features, and for the laminar flow region, the friction factor is about the same as that for a macrochannel.


In order to improve the accuracy of the automatic parking system, this paper puts forward a minimum turning radius method for path planning. At first, we establishes the car kinematic model and gives out the parking process, then, the parking trajectory is planned into four stages based on the car kinematic model. Meanwhile, the starting point and constraints for parking are discussed. Finally, the fuzzy control algorithm is adopted for tracking the trajectory. The simulation results show that the vehicle can complete parking operation well by using the path we planned. And compared with using PID control method, the tracking error is smaller and the response speed is faster.


New chiral polysiloxanes have been prepared as stationary phases for gas chromatography, with (S)-(–)-t-leucine-t-butylamide, (S)-(–)-t-leucine-(S)-(–)-1-phenylethylamide, (S)-(–)-t-leucine-(S)-(–)-1-(α-naphthyl)ethylamide, (S)-(–)-t-leucine-(R)-( + )-1-phenylethylamide, and (S)-(–)-t-leucine-(R)-( + )-1-(α-naphthyl)ethylamide as selectors. Immobilization is achieved by radical-induced cross-linking with 1,3,5,7-tetravinyl-1,3,5,7-tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (V4) and dicumyl peroxide (DCUP) as cross-linking reagents and cured at 170°C. Under these conditions, racemization of (S)-(–)-t-leucine is less than 4.5% (R) for 1 h curing, while for polysiloxanes with the conventional (S)-(–)-valine selectors about 20% of R-enantiomers are formed by racemization. In the presence of 5% (w/w) V4 and 6% of DCUP with regard to the phases, 70–80% immobilization is achieved; without V4, the degree of immobilization is about 50% for both the (S)-(–)-t-leucine and (S)-(–)-valine selectors. As the size of the amide moieties of the selectors increases from t-butyl to 1-(α-naphthyl)ethyl, the degree of immobilization decreases. If the curing time is prolonged to 2 h, the extent of racemization increases. The selectivity factors achieved for amino acid enantiomers and similar pharmaceuticals are generally higher than those obtained with the corresponding non-immobilized Chirasil-Val phases.


ing the following routine ultrasonographic screening. Although we are unable to determine with certainty whether HCC was already present when DAA treatment was initiated, in 3 cases the diagnosis occurred when the patients were still on DAA treatment and, in the other cases, the short interval between DAA endof-treatment and HCC diagnosis allowed us to presume that unknown active HCC was already present during the course of DAA. In the same cohort of 155 patients with cirrhosis we described 5 patients with past diagnosis of HCC who responded to DAAs, thus providing indirect evidence that active HCC and not HCC per se could hinder virologic response, as concomitantly and independently found by Prenner et al. One possible explanation of this phenomenon is the reduced uptake of DAA into HCC cells: Chtioui correctly argues that only paritaprevir and simeprevir are substrates of OATP1B1; thus, its possible downregulation on HCC cells could be involved in treatment failure in just 1 or 2 among the 5 patients. We agree that this hypothesis, although plausible, could not be the exclusive mechanism to justify our observation, though altered expression of other membrane transporters (down-regulation of P-glycoprotein, overexpression of breast cancer resistance protein) could also contribute to reduced DAA uptake in liver cells. Further increasing the complexity of this issue, other factors adding to the already postulated explanations are possible different levels of hepatitis C virus replication in HCC, as suggested by Chtioui, and a sort of hepatitis C virus segregation into HCC cells, with different viral evolution, favored by possible different penetration of drugs and immune cells due to capillarization of liver sinusoids. In vitro studies should be performed to test these complex and intertwined hypotheses.


Type I X-ray bursts are the most common explosions in the Galaxy; however, the nucleosynthesis that occurs during the thermonuclear runaway and explosion is poorly understood. In this proceedings we discuss current experimental efforts and techniques that are being used to study X-ray burst nucleosynthesis in the laboratory. Specifically, radioactive ion beam techniques that have recently been developed have allowed the study of some of the most important (α, p) reactions in X-ray bursts for the first time.


The paper generalizes previous works of the authors by revisiting the concept of temporal consistency of hypermedia documents. This generalization relies on the distinction of internal and external non-deterministic events.


The accurate measurment of CD34 positive cells is importance for successful hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Until now, flowcytometric assay is the standard method for enumerating CD34+ stem cells it has some limitations. Microscanner C3(Biozentech, Korea) is noble image based cell counter for blood components adopt microscopy based cell counter with disposable plastic microchips. This system is composed of the staining solutions, the microscopic instrument and the image analysis software. We developed 0.5 um sized filter paper imbeded plastic microchip for enrichment of rare cells. and applied it to image based-immunofluorescence cell counter for CD34+ cells.

 Leukocyte and CD34-positive cells were stained by CD45-BB515 and CD34-PE (Becton Dickinson, USA). We compared the reproducibility and linearity between the standard flowcytometric method (Beckman Coulter Cytomics FC500 ) and image based-immunofluorescence cell counter with filter paper imbeded microchip by using CD34 positive leukocyte quality control materials (300, 100, 50, 25,10 cells/μl).

 CD34 measurement by image based-immunofluorescence cell counter with filter paper imbeded microchip was performed within 5 min. The repeatability was within the range of 10–300 cells/μ, and the coefficient of variation was 8.2–20.3%. The correlation with the CD34 measured by flow cytometry was (R2> 0.9746, P <0.0001).

 CD34 measurement by image based-immunofluorescence cell counter with filter paper imbeded plastic microchips is fast, simple and reliable, it could be used as simple measuring tools for rare blood cells in the blood.


The fault current of the distributed generators(DG) with voltage source converter(VSC) is determined by its control scheme.However,the traditional equivalent model for DGs didn't distinguish the DGs from common source.Thus,the effect of control scheme was neglected and this caused significant limitations on fault analysis of distribution network with DGs,especially in the case of unsymmetrical fault analysis.For this reason,this paper analyzed the control scheme and fault characteristics under phase-to-phase short-circuit faults,then put forward a voltage control current source equivalent model for DGs under positive sequence control.Based on this,the equations between the positive,negative sequence voltages of the point of common coupling(PCC) and DGs' currents were built.The solving equations for the positive voltage of PCC were built under different phase-to-phase short-circuits.Thus,the precise method for fault analysis under phase-to-phase short-circuit faults was obtained.A 10 kV distribution network case was built in DIgSILENT and the proposed method was verified to be correct.


The efficacy of supercritical carbon dioxide in the deodouring of soy-protein isolate was studied. The favorable condition was 27.5MPa,45℃ .The extracts was the mixture of ethanols,aldehydes,ketones and aromaticities. The functional properties of the control and the deodorized soy-protein isolate were also analysed.


China Pakistan Economic Corridor would link Gwadar (one of the deepest seaports on the southwestern coast of Pakistan) with China, Central Asian States, Russia, Turkey, and several other countries. Pakistan appears less prepared in so far as international logistics is concerned. Analysis of the focus group and archival records suggested that the quantity and quality of the intermodal containers are not sufficient to fulfill the exponentially rising trade needs. We found Pakistan does not produce intermodal containers locally. This area needs immediate attention from both public and private sectors, as a shortage of intermodal containers can potentially disrupt the regional trade.


Beginning April 1990, frontal collision simulations with middle- and compact-class cars have been performed. For these crash tests a new experimental technique was developed using Electronically Controlled Vehicles. All tests were conducted at a collision velocity of 55 km/h and 50% offset against a rigid barrier. The main task of this test series was to achieve an estimation on the vehicle-specific injury potential (crashworthiness). In the vehicles, dummies of type Hybrid II/50% male were positioned on the driver's and co-driver's seats. The measured vehicle and dummy data (accelerations, forces, deformations) and injury criteria were used to calculate this injury potential. The results of both the high-speed films, and of the vehicles' structure behaviour gave further basic data. Finally, results of Heidelberg long-term investigations gave basic knowledge for the injury mechanisms. Another future aim of this collision series is to discuss the problems of rating individual passive safety levels of different vehicles in accordance with realistic main accident types, and with respect to optimized injury criteria in dummies. (A) For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 864606.


The purpose of this special article is to record and to share the dispatched experience in Armed Forces Daegu Hospital due to the spread of COVID-19. The special article was described the situation and the review by experience after the dispatch. It comprises ambivalence that I felt, mission itinerary, importance of readiness, systematized nursing organization, nursing leadership etc. In this special article, I have suggested that Nurse officers may be willing to be experts in any kind of disasters based on readiness. Furthermore, I have suggested that nurse officers need to be prepared to provide psychological support mutually for their colleagues and patients in any disasters and pandemics situation such as COVID-19.


Objective: Reporting a case of omphalocele.Method: Case report.Result: A case of a 24 years-old woman, diagnosed with G1P0A0H0 37-38 weeks of term pregnancy + omphalocele. According to ultrasonography, biometric measurements of the fetus were: BPD: 8.4 cm, FL: 6.7 cm, HL: 5.9 cm, AC: 30.5 cm, AFI: 8.7 cm, there were no image of abdominal wall, but a membrane surrounding the abdomen was visible. From the USG examination, the conclusion was Omphalocele. Chromosomal analysis was done using G-Comparative technic, with result 46, XY, which means the amount of the chromosomes was 46, and sex chromosomes were XY. There was no major structural defect. Mostly, the disorders causing these conditions are 13, 18 and 21 trisomy, and Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome.Conclusion: Omphalocele is a genetic disorder marked by failure of the abdominal organs to return into the abdominal cavity. It requires thorough and accurate prenatal examinations to establish a diagnosis.Keywords: Omphalocele, prenatal diagnosis


In this paper,the current status and outstanding problems of lightening protection administrative enforcement are analyzed.The relationship of four major tasks of lightening protection is discussed with practice and a series of methods for raising the level of law enforcement of lightening protection enforcement of grassroots meteorological departments are listed,such as establishing and improving the meteorological law enforcement administrative institutions,strengthening the overall quality of law enforcement personnel,establishing law enforcement coordination mechanism,arranging the basis of law enforcement,regulating law enforcement procedures and penalties range,intensifying the investigation and so on.


Small retail business is more sustainable compared with the large business. In Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, there are some retail businesses, and they need to be more competitive to survive. The study intended to analyze the influence of service orientation, entrepreneurial, market, location and product selection on the performance of small retail businesses and their influence on the performance of small retail businesses on competitive advantage. This is a descriptive study. The researcher collected data by interview and questionnaire using a sample of 120 respondents. Using SEM analysis, data were treated through the AMOS program. The results showed that the service orientation, market orientation, location and selection of products had a significant positive effect on the performance of small retail businesses. Besides that, this study showed that the performance of small retail businesses significantly and positively affected the retail businesses' competitive advantage.


Magnetic graphene–Fe3O4@carbon (GFC) hybrids with hierarchical nanostructures have been synthesized and their application as an adsorbent for the removal of organic dyes has been investigated. Graphene–Fe3O4 hybrids were first prepared via a facile one-pot solvothermal process, then carbonaceous coatings on Fe3O4 nanoparticles of nanometer thickness were synthesized by a hydrothermal carbonization process using eco-friendly glucose as a carbon source. Graphene sheets acting as two-dimensional (2D) substrates can effectively prevent the Fe3O4 nanoparticles from aggregating and enable a good dispersion of these magnetic nanoparticles. The carbonaceous layer protects the Fe3O4 nanoparticles in acidic environments and greatly enhances the specific surface area of the hybrids which is beneficial for the removal of organic dyes, such as methylene blue (MB). The resultant GFC hybrids exhibit great adsorption properties not only in water but also in acidic environments, and about 86% and 77% of the dye removal efficiency can be retained after five adsorption–desorption cycles in water and 1 M HCl, respectively. The rapid and efficient adsorption of organic dyes from water as well as acid suggests that the GFC hybrids have potential environmental applications as alternatives to commercial materials in wastewater treatment for the removal of organic dyes.


The invention discloses a loading and unloading jig used for loading and unloading a carrying seat in a cavity of a semiconductor rack. The carrying seat is provided with multiple first fixing holes. The loading and unloading jig comprises a combination device, multiple fixing pieces and at least one handle. The combination device is provided with multiple second fixing holes aligned with the first fixing holes. The fixing pieces are used for penetrating into the second fixing holes and the first fixing holes which are aligned, so that the combination device and the carrying seat are combined. The handles are connected to the combination device.


A sheet spray model is proposed to simulate the atomization processes of pressure-swirl hollow-cone fuel sprays which are widely used in gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines these days. Breakup of the liquid sheets is modeled by using the surface wave breakup theory. Improved Spalding-type evaporation and drop drag models are used to calculate drop evaporation and drop dynamic drag, and an initial spray slug module is introduced into calculation. All models are implemented in a multidimensional computer code KIVA3 and used to study hollow-cone fuel sprays for different injection conditions in a constant pressure chamber. Detailed comparisons of computed and experimental spray characteristics such as spray contour structures, spray tip penetrations, drop sizes(SMD) are made. A single droplet evaporation processes are also simulated. The computational result from these models coincides with the experimental one very well.


This article presents a study of the participation pattern within two online programmes which aim to facilitate tertiary students to practice their oral English in China. The programmes are conducted in bi-modal channel where text chat and voice chat are parallel. Three levels of analysis are conducted: participation balance, language output and exchange structure. The findings reveal that bi-modal chat provides learners with the opportunity to interact. However, there is no difference in their learning performance in the traditional F2F classroom. Generally speaking, they are reluctant to participate. In the meanwhile, it must be remembered that some individuals may be active, even aggressive. The degree of participants' activeness is greatly subject to teachers' performance. And the facts that affect participation pattern are complicated and perplexing. Therefore, it presents the warning that it may not be reasonable to expect that computer-mediated communication (CMC) can change the traditional perspective in China. Rather, it is teachers and learners who must make efforts to incite participation. The adoption of CMC in language learning must recognize the influence of traditional Chinese culture, as well as individual differences.


Objective To establish a method of dissolution determination of salidroside in Tianqiqixue micronized Tablet.Method The content of salidroside was determined by HPLC.The determination condition of dissolution were selected,and accumulation dissolution curves were calculated and drawn.Result The determination condition of dissolution included paddle method with the rotating speed of 100 r/min and water-ethanol solution(70:30) as dissolution medium.Conclusion The method is simple,accurate,and provides good guarantee for the quality control of the preparation.


As a microwave remote sensing imaging radar, SAR has been widely used in military and civilian fields due to its advantages such as all-weather and all-day imaging. However, due to the exponential growth of image data, new SAR image target detection techniques are needed. Convolutional neural network provides a good idea for SAR target detection technology. For SAR images, the traditional target detection algorithm based on constant false alarm rate (CFAR) is firstly analyzed; then the target detection algorithm based on convolutional neural network is combed, including several algorithms based on candidate regions such as R-CNN and R-FCN, and several algorithms based on regression models such as YOLO and SSD. Finally, other target detection algorithms are introduced, the characteristics and the existing problems of various algorithms are analyzed. On this basis, the problems existing in SAR image target detection technology and further research are prospected.