In a recent work, the authors provided the first-ever characterization of the values bm(n) modulo m where bm(n) is the number of (unrestricted) m-ary partitions of the integer n and m ≥ 2 is a fixed integer. That characterization proved to be quite elegant and relied only on the base m representation of n. Since then, the authors have been motivated to consider a specific restricted m-ary partition function, namely cm(n), the number of mary partitions of n where there are no "gaps" in the parts. (That is to say, if mi is a part in a partition counted by cm(n), and i is a positive integer, then mi−1 must also be a part in the partition.) Using tools similar to those utilized in the aforementioned work on bm(n), we prove the first-ever characterization of cm(n) modulo m. As with the work related to bm(n) modulo m, this characterization of cm(n) modulo m is also based solely on the base m representation of n. 2010 Mathematics Subject Classification: 05A17, 11P83


Unsafe water and poor sanitation may negatively affect brain development, however few studies have examined the long‐term impact on children's cognitive function.


Hydrogen‐terminated Si(111) was patterned on the nanometer scale by field‐induced oxidation using a biased conducting‐probe scanning force microscope. The kinetics of oxide growth as well as its dependence on doping are investigated. Field‐induced oxidation is observed for voltages exceeding a doping dependent threshold above which oxidation kinetics follows a power law.


Duality transformations, i.e., rotations of electric and magnetic fields into each other, are implementable by a time-local generator for source-free Maxwell theory in an arbitrary spacetime metric. The Maxwell action $\ensuremath{\int}({E}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{B}^{2})$ as well as the stress tensor components, e.g., ${E}^{2}+{B}^{2}$, are duality invariant and the generator is conserved. In the formally analogous Yang-Mills case, duality transformations cannot even be consistently implemented.


Silicon carbide metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) and methods of fabricating silicon carbide MOSFETs are provided. The silicon carbide MOSFETs have an n-type silicon carbide drift layer, spaced apart p-type silicon carbide regions in the n-type silicon carbide drift layer and having n-type silicon carbide regions therein, and a nitrided oxide layer. The MOSFETs also have n-type shorting channels extending from respective ones of the n-type silicon carbide regions through the p-type silicon carbide regions to the n-type silicon carbide drift layer. In further embodiments, silicon carbide MOSFETs and methods of fabricating silicon carbide MOSFETs are provided that include a region that is configured to self-deplete the source region, between the n-type silicon carbide regions and the drift layer, adjacent the oxide layer, upon application of a zero gate bias.


The study presents the investigations of the torsional behavior and crack resistance of a sustainable lightweight oil palm shell (OPS) concrete. In the comparison between the OPS concrete (OPSC) and normal weight concrete (NWC), the torsional failure of the NWC was sudden and brittle, while the OPSC exhibited post-cracking behavior. The second part of the study examines the effect of steel fibers of 0.25–1.00% in the OPSC to produce OPS fiber-reinforced concrete (OPSFRC). Improved mechanical properties and reduced brittleness were reported in the OPSFRC mixes. The addition of 1% steel fibers in the OPSC-100 mix produced the highest compressive and flexural strengths of 47 MPa and 8.2 MPa, respectively. The steel fibers up to 1% enhanced the ultimate torque, torsional toughness, and twist at failure of the OPSFRC specimens by 60%, 1000%, and 550%, respectively. The addition of steel fibers significantly improved the crack resistance of the OPSFRC specimens.


The High-Repetition-rate laser-driven Gas-based High-order Harmonic Generation (HR GHHG) beamlines of the Extreme Light Infrastructure Attosecond Light Pulse Source (ELI ALPS) have started their operation in the recent years. Both beamlines, one designed for gas-phase targets – the HR GHHG Gas beamline –, and one for condensed-phase samples – the HR GHHG Condensed beamline –, now provide high-flux, extreme ultraviolet (XUV) radiation with pump-probe capabilities at 100 kHz repetition rate. The HR GHHG Cond beamline is equipped with a time-compensated XUV monochromator, allowing for tuning the spectral properties while maintaining short, close to Fourier-limited pulse duration in the femtosecond regime. Cutting-edge experimental end stations are also available, for example a Reaction Microscope and a NanoESCA device. Both beamlines are past their first commissioning user experiments. In this presentation the capabilities along with some recent developments and latest experiments will be presented for these two unique attosecond sources.


Objective To investigate the application of the bedside blind interpolation technique of the spiral nose gastrojejunal tube to prevent mistake aspiration in patients with severe stroke. Methods 140 elderly stroke patients were collected in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit of Ji′nan Military Region General Hospital of PLA from September 2011 to September2012. The patients were divided into observation group and control group, 70 cases in each group, observation group of 70 cases were given blind interpolation technique setted tube through the pylorus, control group of 70 cases were given routine nasogastric tube placement. The study mainly researched the differences of mistake aspiration in the two groups. Results The success rate of the bedside blind interpolation technique of the spiral nose gastrojejunal tube was 89.85%. The observation group(4 cases, the incidence was 5.7%) was significantly lower than that in the control group(28 cases, the incidence was 12.9%) in patients with mistake aspiration(P 0.05). The duration and expenses of hospitalization of the observation group[(14±3) d,(9823.45±19.89) yuan] were significantly lower than the control group [(18±4) d,(15 850.56±20.35) yuan](P 0.05or P 0.01). Conclusion The bedside blind interpolation technique of the spiral nose gastrojejunal tube has high success rate and greatly reduces the incidence of mistake aspiration in patients with severe stroke.


In some of the patristic writings, Polycarp of Smyrna is explicitly linked with the Apostle John. These writings also include the implication that he was taught by John or installed in his office by John. In contrast (or seemingly), there is a substantial literary (and to a lesser degree, theological) connection to the Apostle Paul in the only surviving letter written by Polycarp himself. The question that concerns us in this study is as follows: Should Polycarp be viewed as standing in the tradition of the Apostle John, as he has been viewed throughout church history, or should he be viewed as standing in the tradition of the Apostle Paul, as one might suppose simply by reading the letter Polycarp himself wrote?


Quality control is an essential issue for manufacture, especially when the manufacture is towards intelligent manufacturing that is associated with "Internet of thing"(IOT) and "Artificial Intelligence"(AI) to speed up the rate of product line automatically nowadays. To monitor product quality automatically, it is necessary to collect and monitor the data generated by sensors, or to record parameters by machine operators, or to save the types (brands) of materials used when producing products. In this study, it is assumed that the sequences of the traceability of unqualified products are different from that of qualified ones, and these different values (or points) within the sequences result in these products qualified or unqualified. This approach extracts maximal repeats from the tagged sequences of product traceability, and meanwhile computes the class frequency distribution of these repeats, where the classes, e.g. "qualified" or "unqualified", are derived from the tags. Instead of inspecting all of the sequences of product traceability aimlessly, quality control engineers can filter out those maximal repeats whose frequency distributions are unique to specific classes and then just check the corresponding processes of these repeats. However, from the practical point of view, it should be estimated as a big-data problem to extract these maximal repeats and meanwhile compute their corresponding class frequency distribution from a huge amount of tagged sequential data. To have this work practical, this study uses one previous work that is based on Hadoop MapReduce programming model. and has been applied for an U.S.A patent (US Patent App. 15/208,994). Therefore, it is expected to be able to handle a huge amount of sequences of product traceability. With this approach that can narrow down the range for identifying false points (processes) within product line, it is expected to improve quality control by comparing tagged sequences of product traceability in the future.


We report the results of a survey of criminology and criminal justice (CCJ) scholars asking their responses to the same questions posed annually to the general public in Gallup public opinion polls. We found CCJ scholars to be more likely to hold more liberal positions on these issues than the general public. The findings indicate a disconnect between popular crime and justice perspectives (and resultant crime policy formation) and the "experts" presumably best trained and informed on how to go about crime policy. We argue for a renewed discussion among CCJ scholars regarding the relevance and role of academic expertise in crime policy formation and offer suggestions for how CCJ scholars might "go public" in influencing policy decisions.


ogenesis of SLE has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, searching for the mechanisms involved in the development of SLE and targeting potential mechanisms for treatment remain topics of investigation. Absent in Melanoma 2 (AIM2) is a member of the pyrin and hematopoietic interferon (IFN)–inducible nuclear domain proteins. This protein has wide-ranging, propyroptotic properties. Regarding innate immunity, AIM2 serves as a cytoplasmic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) sensor, regulating the initiation of innate immune responses (2). The recognition of dsDNA by AIM2 results in the assembly of a large multiprotein oligomeric complex known as the inflammasome, which regulates interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 generation and induces cell death. In the cytosol, sensing of dsDNA by AIM2 is important for protection against invading pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Conversely, the response of AIM2 to dsDNA released by damaged host cells may lead to the production of different cytokines that are involved in the pathogenesis of sterile inflammatory diseases, such as skin and kidney diseases. AIM2 contributes to lung tumorigenesis through the inflammasomedependent release of IL-1β and the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics. The AIM2 inflammasome becomes activated in the presence of atherosclerotic plaque, abdominal wall aortic aneurysm, and injured myocardium. To date, the findings of studies on AIM2 in the setting of lupus have been inconsistent. In a recent study by Dr. Lu and colleagues (1), it was found that Aim2 gene–deficient mice developed lupus, demonstrated by high histologic scores and high serum levels of dsDNA, myeloperoxidase, proteinase 3, albumin, and urea nitrogen, after pristane treatment. Increased infiltration of dendritic cells, macrophages, neutrophils, B cells, and T cells as well as high type I IFN signatures were also found in the kidneys of Aim2 gene–deficient mice treated with pristane. Aim2 deficiency resulted in elevated expression of type I IFN–induced genes in the kidneys, suggesting that AIM2 inhibits the development of lupus (1). Similarly, Panchanathan et al predicted that Aim2 deficiency contributed to increased susceptibility to lupus (2). In their study, Aim2 gene–deficient mice had high expression of p202 protein, which correlated with increased expression of IFNβ, STAT1, and IFN-inducible genes (2). In contrast, Huang et al evaluated Aim2 expression in lupus nephritis patients and found that Aim2 was highly expressed in the glomerular cells of patients with lupus nephritis class II (3). Yang et al found that in SLE patients, Aim2 expression was increased in germinal center B cells and plasma cells from peripheral blood, and in tonsil memory and skin lesions (4). Proportions of CD19+ cells were down-regulated in the lymph nodes and spleens of mice with lupus and Aim2 gene-deficient B cells. Aim2 deficiency in B cells attenuated the development of lupus, as shown by reduced glomerulonephritis, lower proportions of germinal center B cells, T follicular helper cells, and plasma cells, up-regulated secretion of B lymphocyte–induced maturation protein 1 (BLIMP-1), and reduced expression of Bcl-6 (4). Interestingly, knockout of the genes for BLIMP-1 and Bcl-6 did not affect Aim2 expression. These findings suggest that AIM2 promotes lupus pathogenesis by regulating BLIMP-1/Bcl-6 axis–mediated B cell differentiation. Additionally, Zhang et al found that Aim2 expression was related to severity of disease in SLE patients and mice with lupus (5). Aim2 expression was elevated in apoptotic DNA–induced macrophages and was related to macrophage activation. Knockout of Aim2 blunted apoptotic DNA–induced macrophage activation and suppressed lupus development by impeding macrophage activation and reducing inflammatory responses (5). Based on the findings reviewed above, it is uncertain whether AIM2 is able to inhibit lupus development or promote SLE pathogenesis. Therefore, more studies with Aim2 gene deficiency or conditional knockout are needed to further clarify the role of AIM2 in lupus. Supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81701606). Author disclosures are available at https:// onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1002%2Fart. 42084&file=art42084-sup-0001-Disclosureform.pdf.


Writers have always had a fascination for history and employ historical aspects in their works as well, knowingly or unknowingly. They attempt to convey the spirit, manners, and social conditions of their time. And Qurratulain Hyder is not an exception. The majority of her works deal with India and its history. All of Qurratulain Hyder's wonderful works addressed a collection of experiences with a small amount of heartfelt substance. She takes the content from the past and uses it in her novels with imaginative reconstruction. The present paper deals with the reconstruction of the past reflected in Qurratulain Hyder's well-known works like River of Fire, Fireflies in the Mist, and My Temples too. This is a qualitative research work based on the content and textual analysis of selected novels of Hyder. The aim is to enquire into the ways how Hyder has incorporated the process by which she reconstructed or recreated history in her novels.


Abstract The Upper Cretaceous shales in the Washakie Basin below a depth of 9000 ± 1000 feet typically are overpressured. The change of pressure regime from normally pressured to overpressured coincides with marked changes in the geochemical and geophysical properties of the Upper Cretaceous rock/fluid system, as reflected in increases in acoustic transit time, hydrocarbon production index, vitrinite reflectance, aromaticity of kerogen, progressive clay diagenesis, displacement pressure, and sealing capacity of the fine-grained rocks. The Upper Cretaceous shale section in the Washakie Basin below 9000 ± 1000 feet is overpressured on a basinwide scale. The driving mechanism of the pressure compartmentalization is the generation and storage of liquid hydrocarbons that subsequently react to gas, converting the fluid-flow system to a multiphase regime in which capillarity controls permeability. Sandstone bodies within the overpressured shale section are subdivided stratigraphically and diagenetically into relatively small, isolated, gas saturated, anomalously pressured compartments. The major difference between pressure compartmentalization in the Upper Cretaceous shale and the sandstone bodies is one of scale. In both cases, the major driving mechanism of compartmentalization is hydrocarbon generation, storage, and subsequent reaction. In the Washakie Basin, the abnormally pressured sandstones are gas saturated. The most significant aspect of developing prospects in the gas saturated portion of the basin is the delineation of gas storage capacity and deliverability in the potential reservoir target.


The purpose of this study was to get the best composition of okaraflour and ambonbanana sale for makingsnack bars.The study used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 5 treatments and 3 replications.The treatments wereokara flour and ambonbanana sale 90%:10%,80%:20%,70%:30%, 60%:40%, and 50%:50%. Data were statistically analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and followed by Duncan's New Multiple Range Test(DNMRT) test at 5% level. Results of the analysis showed that increase of okara flourand ambon banana sale significantlyaffected on moisture, ash, fat, protein, carbohydrate, and crude fiber content as well as descriptive and hedonic sensory tests, such as of color, aroma, flavor, taste, texture, and overall assessment of the snack bars.Based on this research the best treatment wassnack barsfrom okara flourand ambon banana sale 50%:50%which hadmoisture 10.67%, ash 2.47%,fat 24.60%, protein10.25%, carbohydrate52.01%,and crude fiber content 15.77%. Result of the descriptive test of the snack bars from the best treatment was a brownish yellow, ambon banana sale taste and aroma, and densely and softly texture. Result of thehedonic test on color, aroma, taste, texture, and overall assessmentwere liked by panelists.


This paper addresses the challenging problem of multishot person reidentification (Re-ID) in real world uncontrolled surveillance systems. A key issue is how to effectively represent and process the multiple data with various appearance information due to the variations of pose, occlusions, and viewpoints. To this end, this paper develops a novel subspace learning approach, which pursues regularized low-rank and sparse representation for multishot person Re-ID. For the images of a person crossing a certain camera, we assume that the appearances of those subset images with similar viewpoints against a camera draw from the same low-rank subspace, and all the images of a person under a camera lie on a union of low-rank subspaces. Based on this assumption, we propose to learn a nonnegative low-rank and sparse graph to represent the person images. Moreover, the recurring pattern prior is integrated into our model to refine the affinities among images. Extensive experiments on four public benchmark datasets yield impressive performance by improving 22.9% on imagery library for intelligent detection systems video re identification (iLIDS-VID), 42.4% on person RE-ID (PRID) dataset 2011, 39.7% and 30.6% on speech, audio, image, and video technology-SoftBio camera 3/8 and camera 5/8, respectively, and 1.6% on motion analysis and re identification set compared to the state-of-the-art methods.


Purpose To explore the diagnostic value of 64-slice spiral CT curved planar reconstruction (CPR) on acute appendicitis. Materials and Methods 82 cases with clinically suspected acute appendicitis underwent 64-slice spiral CT scanning. MPR and CPR were analyzed retrospectively. Sixty of 61 cases diagnosed as appendicitis by CT were confirmed by surgery and pathology. Results Satisfactory CPR images were obtained in 91.67%(55/60)of the cases.The discrimination rate of appendix and detection rate of appendix mesentery edema and ileocecum wall edema were improved. The accuracy was 98.78% with sensitivity 100%, specificity 95.45%, PPV 98.36%, and the NPV 100%. Conclusion 64-slice spiral CT CPR could accurately identify appendix and diagnose appendicitis.


The use of supervised learning with various sensing techniques such as audio, visual imaging, thermal sensing, RADAR, and radio frequency (RF) have been widely applied in the detection of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in an environment. However, little or no attention has been given to the application of unsupervised or semi-supervised algorithms for UAV detection. In this paper, we propose a semi-supervised technique and architecture for detecting UAVs in an environment by exploiting the RF signals (i.e., fingerprints) between a UAV and its flight-controller communication under wireless inference such as Bluetooth and WiFi. By decomposing the RF signals using a two-level wavelet packet transform, we estimated the second moment statistic (i.e., variance) of the coefficients in each packet as a feature set. We developed a local outlier factor model as the UAV detection algorithm using the coefficient variances of the wavelet packets from WiFi and Bluetooth signals. When detecting the presence of RF-based UAV, we achieved an accuracy of 96.7% and 86% at a signal-to-noise ratio of 30 dB and 18 dB, respectively. The application of this approach is not limited to UAV detection as it can be extended to the detection of rogue RF devices in an environment.


The Model Investment Agreement (2017) of the Republic of Colombia presents a desirable starting point for the negotiation of investment treaties, featuring numerous improvements vis-a-vis the 2011 version. Notwithstanding the foregoing, some of the draft provisions contained therein present, ab initio, considerable difficulties and complex challenges in the context of investor-State arbitrations. In order to transform the Model into a real –not only a formal– paradigm, the present document extends an invitation to examine and reconsider such draft provisions, inter alia, regarding international instruments not governed by public international law; the margin of appreciation of the State's right to regulate; challenges to arbitrators; and authentic interpretation of treaties.


MANUEL FRAGANTE IMMIGRATED TO HAWAII AT THE AGE OF 60.1 Upon arrival, he began searching for a job.2 He applied for a clerk position at the City of Honolulu's Division of Motor Vehicles and Licensing.3 The position required taking an exam that tested "among other things, word usage, grammar and spelling."4 Fragante scored the highest out of 721 test-takers.5 Shortly after, he was interviewed for the position.6 During the interview, the interviewers had a difficult time understanding Fragante due to his accent.7 The employer concluded that Fragante's accent "would interfere with his performance of certain aspects of the job."8 As a result, Fragante dropped from the first to the third position on the list of applicants qualified and eligible for the position.9 Fragante subsequently filed a Title VII claim alleging accent discrimination.10 At the trial, two expert witnesses testified that, even though Fragante spoke with a heavy accent, his speech was comprehensible, however due to a history of discrimi-


The topic of context awareness has often been addressed, but rarely in a content delivery setting. In this article the authors present the architecture of a context-aware content delivery system prototype. After introducing the system, the techniques used in the implementation of content ingestion and metadata enrichment for both professional and user generated content are described. Finally, the implemented content selection mechanisms using context information are presented and a comparison to work in recommender systems is drawn.


A kinetic analysis of the global energy confinement time for neutral beam heated Heliotron E plasmas has been performed with a 1-D, time independent transport analysis code, PROCTR-Mod. From a regression analysis of a representative sample selection of the presented data sets, the global energy confinement time, , is found to scale as , where α = 0.53 ± 0.10, β = −0.71 ± 0.09, and γ = 0.35 ± 0.14; the error bar indicates the 95% confidence region deduced from the limited data points; is the line average electron density; Pheat[MW] is the neutral beam heating power; and B[T] is the vacuum magnetic field at the magnetic axis. The data analysis shows that the favourable density dependence partially offsets the unfavourable power dependence and that anomalous electron transport loss becomes dominant in the overall energy balance as the beam power and the plasma density are increased. An alternative scaling law is also presented, which is to fit by an 'offset linear' law, , where ζ = 1.1 ± 0.33 and η = 15.0 ± 1.9; ⟨ne⟩[1014 cm−3] is the volume average electron density. The latter scaling is found to provide a better fit to the presented data sets, in spite of its simple form. The parametric scaling of the local electron thermal diffusivity, χe is also discussed on the basis of the kinetic analysis.


Spontaneous abortion is unintentional pregnancy loss before 20 weeks of gestation. This study was done to find out the association between one spontaneous pregnancy loss and adverse pregnancy outcomes in the subsequent pregnancy and to compare these pregnancy outcomes in patients with prior one full term normal delivery.: It is a case control study. 70 G2A1 were taken as cases, 70 G2P1L1 were considered as Control. The adverse pregnancy outcomes like preterm labour, PROM, IUGR and oligohydramnios and neonatal outcomes like poor Apgar score, low birth weight, NICU admissions and neonatal complications were noted compared and analysed between the two groups. Chi-square was used to find association between clinical variables. Independent t-test was used to compare the outcome measures between the groups.: Comparing the pregnancy outcomes of the case and control groups case group had a higher number adverse pregnancy or neonatal outcome, compared to the control group (p value = 0.05), adverse outcome were higher in case population, adverse outcomes which were independently associated with initial spontaneous abortion were oligohydramnios (p = 0.02), GDM (p = 0.05), LSCS (p = 0.01), low birth weight (p = 0.03), low Apgar scores 1 minute (p = 0.009), low Apgar score at 5 minute (p = 0.03) and babies requiring NICU care (p = 0.001).: Study shows that there is increase in adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes in pregnancies which are following a single spontaneous abortion. Hence a prior spontaneous miscarriage is a risk factor for the adverse outcome in subsequent pregnancy, therefore careful prenatal care in such pregnancies are mandatory to avoid adverse pregnancy outcomes.


The adsorption of CO2 on TiO2 rutile (110) surface in room-temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIM+/PF6−), is studied by molecular dynamics simulation. Due to the strong electrostatic interactions between the O atom of CO2 with the unsaturated Ti atom of the rutile (110) surface, CO2 is adsorbed on the rutile (110) rather than dispersing in the IL bulk. At the interface, CO2 arranges itself in a highly ordered manner, with its D∞h symmetric axis parallel to the rutile (110) surface normal, and the C═O bond is elongated for the coordinating O atom. The interfacial packing pattern is CO2, PF6−, and BMIM+, in sequence, starting from the rutile (110) surface. Thus, the adsorbed CO2 molecules are confined in the narrow neighborhood adjacent to the rutile (110) surface.


Despite numerous studies emphasizing the benefits of using background knowledge and vocabulary in EFL listening courses, there is a lack of rationale for implementing top-down strategies that holistically integrate prior knowledge, vocabulary enhancement, and self-assessment. In order to address the issues, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the teacher's top-down strategies in improving students' listening skills. Therefore, we utilized pre-experimental research, particularly a one-group pretest-posttest design, to ascertain the strategies' effectiveness. Twenty-one participants in this study were selected randomly. We used paired sample T-test with SPSS software to figure out if there was a statistically significant difference between the pretest and post-test scores after repeated intervention encounters. The statistical analysis showed that the average post-test score (M= 77.8571) was considerably higher than the average pretest score (M= 63.5714). The findings indicated that the students' listening proficiency improved after being addressed with top-down strategies. This finding suggests that the teacher's top-down approach helps students raise their listening comprehension skills. The study's results call for using top-down strategies to stimulate students' listening comprehension, to learn more effectively, and increase their listening consciousness.


Two new ternary barium chromium sulfides, BaCr 4 S 7 and Ba 2 Cr 5 S 10 , were synthesized by reactions of barium sulfide, sulfur, and chromium metal under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions. Single crystals of BaCr 4 S 7 were obtained from a starting mixture with a molar ratio of Ba:Cr:S = 2:5:10 after reacting at 1200°C and under a pressure of 5 GPa. It crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2 1 /c (No. 14) with a = 6.739(4) A, b = 22.665(9) A, c = 5.907(3) A, β = 90.1(4)°, V = 902.2(7) A 3 , and Z = 4. It contains CrS 2 sheets composed of edge-sharing CrS 6 octahedra. The sheets are connected by wall-shaped subunits composed of face-sharing CrS 6 octahedra to form a tunnel structure. Ba atoms are situated in the tunnels. Single crystals of Ba 2 Cr 5 S 10 were synthesized by heating a mixture with a molar ratio of Ba:Cr:S = 1:1:3 under a pressure of 5GPa at 1200°C. It crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 (No. 2) with a = 5.940(4) A, b = 6.645(5) A, c = 17.39(2) A, a = 95.19(3)°, β = 91.67(3)°, γ = 90.16(2)°, V = 683.1(9) A 3 , and Z = 2. The structure is composed of CrS 2 sheets and the wall-shaped subunits, like as in BaCr 4 S 7 , but the subunits do not connect the adjacent CrS 2 sheets. It has a two-dimensional structure, and Ba atoms are situated in interlayer regions.


Shape matching methodologies of generic 3D objects are conventionally preceded by a pose normalization stage, that transforms objects to a canonical coordinate frame wherein feature extraction and shape matching is performed. Arguably, the canonical pose of a 3D object depends not only on its geometry but also on its semantic meaning, a characteristic that generally complicates the extraction of ground truth data.

This paper introduces the first ground-truth dataset of 3D objects that allows an objective evaluation of methods which obtain the canonical pose of objects within extrinsic space. By virtue of the protocol that was followed to assemble the dataset, 3D objects of the same class share a fixed pose in terms of object center, scale and rotation while undergoing diverse shape deformations. The dataset is publicly disclosed and relevant use cases are discussed.


Purpose: To compare demographic factors and radiologic parameters between metaphyseal fracture and physeal fracture of distal radius in children. Methods: Forty-five children who visited our orthopedic clinic for distal radius fracture were included in this study from May 2010 to February 2017. Patients were divided into 2 groups which are metaphyseal fracture group and physeal fracture group. Demographic factors and radiologic parameters were compared between two groups. Mean age of all patients was 10.18±2.66 years old. There were 39 boys and 6 girls in all patients. Results: Among all patients, 26 patients were diagnosed with metaphyseal fracture, 19 patients with physeal fracture. Complete fracture was most frequent in metaphyseal group and Salter–Harris type II fracture was most frequent in physeal group. Between simple metaphyseal group and physeal group, mean age, weight and height were significantly larger in physeal group. Ratio of patients over 10 years old was significantly higher in physeal group than metaphyseal group (p=0.036). There was no significant difference in radiologic and clinical results. Conclusion: Physeal fracture occurs more frequently more than 10 years old. Postoperative radiologic result was not significantly different between two groups. In children with distal radius fracture over 10 years old, evaluation for the injury of growth plate are recommended.


to study medicine. Following an older classmate's lead, McMichael spent a summer volunteering at a leprosy colony in New Delhi, India. The patients in the colony were outcasts, he says, even though they were no longer contagious.


QconCAT is a tool for quantitative proteomics, consisting of an artificial protein, expressed from an artificial gene, made up of a concatenated string of proteotypic peptides selected from the proteins under study. Isotopically labeled QconCAT (usually containing (13)C6-arginine and (13)C6-lysine) provides a standard for each proteotypic peptide included in its sequence. In practice, some QconCAT proteins fail to express at sufficient levels for the purpose of quantitative analysis. Two complementary methods are presented to express recalcitrant QconCAT proteins intended to quantify human hepatic enzymes and transporters.


A conceptual model that uses labral-fan structure to predict the distribution of black fly species within a catchment is proposed. The model is based on water flow, seston availability, and the structure of the primary labral fans of mature black fly larvae from southern Africa. The model predicts that black fly larvae found in fast-flowing (>1.0 m/s) seston-rich (>50 mg/L) water will tend to have strong fans with a porous ray structure, whereas larvae found in slow-flowing (<0.5 m/s) seston-poor (<10 mg/L) water will tend to have weak fans with a complex structure and larvae found in water with moderate water velocities and moderate seston levels will tend to have a standard fan structure. The model was tested against black flies from other parts of the world, particularly Polynesia, and provides a useful framework for predicting the distribution of black fly species within a catchment. Exceptions to the model were found among phoretic species. The model should predict changes in black fly species in are...


Using fibers as nonlinear media allows one to observe interesting effects associated with the mutual influence of parametric and Raman processes.1 In previous papers1,2 we have shown experimentally that parametric interaction among pump, Stokes, and anti-Stokes waves can suppress stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) in fibers for a single-mode case (when all waves are in the same polarization mode). We have utilized this effect to increase the degree of fiber-grating pulse compression.2


The present study comprised a comparison of the effectiveness of hot air drying versus freeze drying to determine the antioxidant activities of five types of apple blossoms-i.e., from apple varieties 'Hongno', 'Aori', 'Fuji', 'Jonathan', and 'Myanmar'. Comparisons were made between the total polyphenol content, the total flavonoid content, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging ability, and the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) activity of each type of apple blossom. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were carried out on 11 phenolic substances (caffeic, cinnamic, m-coumaric, p-coumaric, ferulic, 4-hydroxybenzoic, salicylic, sinapic, syringic, vanillic, and gallic acids) and six flavonoid substances (apigenin, isoquercitrin, luteolin, quercetin, quercitrin, and rutin) by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Freeze-drying resulted in total polyphenol content, total flavonoid content, DPPH radical-scavenging ability, FRAP activity, phenolic acid substances content, and flavonoids content values that were 3.6, 2.7, 3.8, 3.4, 2.4, and 5.7 times higher, respectively, than those resulting from hot air drying. However, hot air drying resulted in higher content values among the following phenolic acids: gallic, sinapic, and ferulic acid. The freeze-dried 'Aori' apple blossoms exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, phenolic acid content, and flavonoid content. They had total polyphenol content of 500.6 mg GAE/g, total flavonoid content of 123.8 mg QE/g, DPPH radical-scavenging ability of 83.3%, FRAP activity of 117.4 mg TE/g, total content of the 11 phenolic acid substances of 737.9 mg/kg, and total content of the 6 flavonoid substances of 105.8 mg/kg. Therefore, among five types of blossoms investigated in the present study, freeze-dried 'Aori' apple blossom was the most suitable for use as natural antioxidant materials, such as functional health foods and cosmetics.


agricultural productive units that currently grow cocoa, 50% are small producers with areas smaller than 10 hectares of cocoa, 18% with an area of 10 to 20 hectares, 20% with an area of 20 to 50 hectares and 12% with surfaces greater than 50 hectares of cocoa. In other words, most of the production is in the hands of small producers, considering approximately 90 thousand producers registered in Ecuador. The production of cocoa, in greater quantity, is carried out by small producers with farms of less than 5 ha. These farmers are poor, they do not have a good technology transfer service and they only cultivate a little more than one hectare inside their farms.

On the other hand indicate the largest group of farmers are those who have farms between 5 to 50 ha, but only cultivate a little more than 4 ha of cocoa, which allows to conclude that these producers do not depend on monoculture of cocoa and only produce to sell the product immediately and use the money for subsistence. These small and medium producers are those who can not handle properly the post-harvest of cocoa, they deliver to the primary traders an unfermented cocoa, drying on the roads, which distorts the quality of it.


The solid dispersions of Bilastine with HPMC, PVP K30 and HPC have been prepared in different weight ratios by using solvent
evaporation method. DSC was used to characterize the samples of solid dispersions and pure drug. Drug found compatible with the
excipients. The highest improvements in solubility and in-vitro drug release were observed in solid dispersion prepared with HPC
(F14) by solvent evaporation method. The increased dissolution rate of drug from solid dispersion may be due to surface tension
lowering effect of polymer to the medium and increased wettability and dispersibility of drug. Hence, F14 Solid dispersion with the
HPC carrier considered as most satisfactory among all solid dispersions.


Threat of nuclear attack and accidents at nuclear power plants increase our risk of radiation exposure. Radiation effects on immune homeostasis are well-studied, but their effect on memory CD4 T cells is poorly defined. To explore that, we adoptively transferred naïve Thy1.1 TCR-Tg SMARTA CD4 T cells specific for LCMV-derived gp61 epitope into naïve Thy1.2 C57BL/6 mice before LCMV-Armstrong infection. At memory time point, infected recipient mice were subjected to 0Gy (non-radiated, control group) or 5Gy of total body radiation. We found that naïve CD4 T cells suffered significant numerical loss post radiation, but they numerically recovered in few weeks through increased proliferative expansion. However, radiated SMARTA and endogenous GP61-specific memory CD4 T cells sustained a prolonged loss in number that fail to recover even after 3 months. Radiation also leads to transient impairment in the ability of memory CD4 T cells to produce cytokines (IFNγ, TNFα) in response to cognate antigen stimulation, or to proliferate upon adoptive transfer into new hosts in response to secondary LCMV infection. Interestingly, the endogenous 'effector-like' CD4 T cell numbers recovered faster than SMARTA memory T cells. We hypothesized that virtual memory T cells (CD4 Tvm) are contributing to the recovery of this effector like CD4 T cells in the radiation mediated lymphoreplete conditions. Tetramer enrichment of CD4 T cells specific to the gp66 and 2W1S epitope showed that radiation increases the representation of gp66 specific CD4 Tvm in naïve mice. Together, these data suggest that radiation poses long-lasting defects to virus specific memory CD4 T cell responses, and it facilitates CD4 Tvm proliferation to overcome the lymphopenia.


Cornelia Reil, Liebe und Herrschaft. Studien gum alIrantosischen und mittelhochdeutschen Prosa-Lancelot, Hermaea Ns 78 (Tubingen: Niemeyer, 1996). 268 pp. ISBN 3-484-15078-5. DM 128.00 Cornelia Reil's study of the Old French and Middle High German Prose Lancelot marks a relatively new trend in the development of German doctoral theses: it is short, incisive, and with the courage to be selective. At the same time, it is truly comparative, treating the MHG text of the Heidelberg manuscript P as a redaction of the French romance while reading it in the context of French literature in which it originates. The two aspects which are considered central for a study of this massive prose romance are highlighted in the title: love and the question of rulership. Of these, love is the one which has traditionally caused controversy for the Prose Lancelot, critics have variously seen the narrative as defending `courtly love' or as a text propagating `fin amors', as a parallel to the Tristan romance or on the contrary as a kind of anti-Tristan. Reil concludes that in the Prose Lancelot, the metaphor of love service as used in the rhetoric of `fin amors' is translated into a relationship with concrete political implications. Moreover, love is not absolute, but rather dependent and relative, subject to dangers from within and not just threatened by external vicissitudes. Adventure is therefore no longer a means of winning the beloved, but a mode of communication between the lovers who require reassurance. One of the consequences of this transformation is a shift in the function of the `charette suite'. Whereas for Chretien this episode is seen as a test of Lancelot's capacity as a lover, the Prose Lancelot highlights his role as the best knight, despite the fact that the narrative has always been read predominantly as a love romance It is the merit of Reil's study to focus on the importance of this public role, in which Lancelot as a lover ends up in potential conflict with his position as the best knight and defender of the Arthurian court. A brief survey of the French literary tradition pre-dating the Prose Lancelot serves to situate the text. Reil highlights those features which the narrative shares with other influential texts of the period, most importantly perhaps the triangular constellation into which the role of the male protagonist is split: on the one hand, Arthur represents the ruler who lacks heroic virtue, on the other hand Lancelot, a hero without immediate prospects of rulership, for the sake of his love agrees to stabilize and support the position of the ruling couple. …


When plankton production in the feeding areas decreases in the fall, adult Norwegian spring-spawning herring migrate into two fjords in northern Norway. In these wintering areas the herring occupy deeper water. Lacking the ability to refill the swimbladder they are constantly negatively buoyant. This leads to different adaptive behaviour during the day and at night, behaviour which is reflected in swimming angle. Split-beam tracking methods and still-frame photography have been used to study the herring behaviour inside the dense wintering schools. Negative buoyancy seems to be controlled through constant swimming at speeds between 0.25-0.42 ms −1 because these are sufficiently high to generate lift when the pectoral fins are used as spoilers. During the day, when the layers aggregate, the average swimming angle is close to horizontal while positive average swimming angles of up to 40° were recorded at night. A bimodal distribution of tilt angles, with one positive and one negative component, indicating a "rise and glide" swimming strategy was also observed at night. Vertically undulating split beam tracks confirmed this particular type of swimming behaviour. As adult herring are directional targets at the echo-sounder frequency used for acoustic assessment of the stock, the possible impact of the observed tilt angles on average acoustic target strength is discussed.


Improving the level of primary school class management can effectively adapt to the development of modern basic education in China; as an efficient means of class management, educational incentives are effective for students' academic progress, teacher professionalism, class management efficiency, friendly teacher-student relationship, and school innovation and development. There's important meaning. Through the analysis of the current situation of the application of educational incentive mechanism in elementary school class management, in view of the problems of teachers who have not fully mastered the incentive mechanism, the incentive strategy does not meet the needs of students and the single incentive model, etc. It is proposed that re-education improves teachers' comprehensive ability in class management, teaching students in accordance with their aptitude to strengthen communication between teachers and students, changing the way of thinking to promote the diversification of incentive methods.


A new technique for high quality syntheses of musical voices (instruments) is presented, it is a harmonic synthesis method based on weighted window function "pulse" sequences. The technique eliminates the problem of aliasing in its discrete-time implementation. High fidelity emulations of "natural" instruments are achieved at a greatly reduced cost in multiplies per sample time. In addition, parameter update rates can be as much as an order of magnitude lower than those required by competing methods.


Wholistic health care is a concept that has apparently come of age. Wholistic health centers now exist in significant numbers and in various forms around the country. A major concern of those in the wholistic health care movement traditionally has been acceptance of the philosophy of wholistic health care by the medical community. Recently, however, a new concern has arisen; namely, acceptance of the philosophy of wholistic health by the theological community. Theological Roots of Wholistic Health Care attempts to provide a theological apologetic for the work being done in wholistic health centers. The existing need for such an apologetic has become even more acute as some wholistie health centers have moved out of their traditional theological setting of a church building to such potentially secular settings as hospitals, medical clinics, and individual physician's offices. In his new book, Westberg, one of the founders of the wholistie health movement, has brought together five writers who are deeply involved in various phases of the practice of wholistie health. While each writer appears to be qualified in the area discussed, there is a variance of quality in the five articles presented. By far the most helpful article is "The Religious Roots of Who listie Health Care" by Thomas A. Droege. Droege reclaims the historic healing function of the church. Jesus is seen as one of the first great wholistic healers. Citing scriptural references, Droege concludes, "Jesus met the person at the point of the particular need, with the intent of bringing wholeness where there was brokenness, integration where there was disorder, peace where there was dis-ease." The question of the meaning of health from a theological perspective is also addressed. While the common tendency is to perceive health only in terms of a good electrocardiogram or an MMPI profile showing little pathology, Droege suggests that this kind of health is never an end in itself, but rather a means to an end. As he says, "If health were an end in itself, then Jesus could never have voluntarily taken up the cross himself or invited his followers to do the same." Health, says Droege, needs to be considered in the context of a value system where questions of the meaning and purpose of life are to be taken seriously and included in one's health goals. Ofless value than Droege's chapter are the rest of the articles in Westburg's book. However, significant points do occasionally arise from these. One such point is Ralph Underwood's response to Droege's article where he states his fear that wholistie health could become a doctrine which a follower might question only at the risk of excommunication from the true believers in wholistic health. Underwood appropriately calls for openness and creativity in the formulation and evolution of wholistic health. In addition to the reservation about the varying quality of the articles in this book, I would add my feelings of disappointment that wholistic health centers are narrowly defined here as only those existing in church building. With many new


For an engineer, 'zero' means a quantity less than the relevant tolerance; the size of this quantity is usually unimportant, but the sign may be critically important. The notion of 'absolute zero' lacks information about sign and belongs, with other conceptual ideas like 'irresistible' forces, to the world of metaphysics or theology, not mathematics or science. Statements about the real world should always be made in terms of inequalities, not equations, unless it is convenient to express the same entity in two different but equivalent forms, or the absence of critical comparison permits procedure as if exact equalities were possible. In mathematics, the relevant tolerances may be regarded as arbitrarily small, but they must not be forgotten. Adequate attention to tolerances and residual quantities in fact simplifies mathematics by removing ambiguities which are invariably associated with border‐line cases which occur with zero probability.


Objective: During the last years in Italy, contrast media (CM) use increased. An increase of monitoring activities on CM-induced adverse drug reaction (ADR) is necessary, also in our regional territory. The main aim of this study was to give a preliminary evaluation of all Spontaneous Reports of ADRs (SRA) attributed to CM sent to Campania Pharmacovigilance Regional Center (CRFVC) from 01 January 2001 to 31 October 2014. Research design and methods: For each SRA we evaluated: frequency and source, ADRs onset (time to event, seriousness and outcome), socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors of cases, the most reported CM (checking for pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interactions). Results: A total of 111 SRA were sent to CRFVC; specialist in radiology was the main source of reports. Ninety-seven SRA (87.3%) were referable to hypersensitivity reactions. Thirty-four SRA (30.6%) reported serious ADRs. The most reported CM were iopamidol, gadobenic acid and gadoteric acid. We identified two SRA induced by pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic interactions. Conclusions: During 14 years of post-marketing surveillance, only few SRA concerning CM-induced ADRs were sent to CRFVC probably due to underreporting. We aim to improve monitoring activity on CM-induced ADRs especially in hospitals. Most reported ADR and CM were in line with current body of literature.


In the present study formulation and characteristic of microspheres of Deflazacort using gelatin in a sustained release form, to overcome drug resistance and dosing non–compliance in patients. Deflazacort is used as an antiinflammatory belonging to a systemic corticosteroid and it was successfully encapsulated into carrier polymer gelatin and crosslinked with glutaraldehyde. The effect of gelatin concentration and crosslinking agent was evaluated with respect to surface characteristic particle size, entrapment efficiency, micromeritics study and in vitro release study. Infrared spectroscopic analysis confirmed the absence of any drug polymer interaction. Drug entrapment efficiency for deflazacort F4 formulation reached to highest level of 86.5% and percentage yield to 89.0%. The formulated microspheres gave 84.94% drug release in a sustained manner for 12 h. This gave hope for the possibility of single dose treatment for patients. The kinetics analysis of the drug release from the gelatin microspheres follows first order and anomalous transport mechanism.


Tiejing7 was used to research the effects of different nitrogen application on yield and its component factors of rice, with three treatments of nitrogen application which was based on the different proportion of basal, tillering, panicle and granular fertilizer at the different nitrogen level. The results showed that actual yields of the variety Tiejing7 were highest, reaching 9 270.1 kg/hm2, on the condition that application amount of Nitrogen fertilizer is 255 kg/hm2 and the ratio of basal fertilizer and tillering fertilizer is 8:2. The higher number of productive ears and number of grains per ear lead to the high yield. However, actual yields of the variety Tiejing7 were higher, reaching 9 131.5 kg/hm2, on the condition that application amount of Nitrogen fertilizer is 210 kg/hm2 and the ratio of basal fertilizer and tillering fertilizer is 6:4. The higher number of grains per ear and thousand-grain weight contribute to the high yield. The yield variance of both treatments is almost indiscriminate.


The aim of the dissertation is to examine the analytical potential of  the "material turn" within the field of literary studies. In particular, it explores how theoretical perspectives associated w ...


486Background: There is an unmet clinical need for new drugs able to delay or avoid cystectomy in patients with CIS unresponsive to BCG. Here, we report the safety and efficacy of Oncofid−P-B, is a...


Introduction. The search, development and introduction of new drugs with an immunotropic effect are one of the priority tasks of modern immunopharmacology. Numerous studies have proven the immunotropic activity of individual substances isolated from medicinal plants (flavonoids, polysaccharides, ecdysteroids, terpenoids, etc.). In the present study, it is of interest to determine the immunomodulatory effect of individual substances isolated from Silene jeniseensis Willd.The aim of the study. Determination of the immunomodulatory activity of individual substances isolated from Silene jeniseensis: flavonoid isoorientin-2"-O-rhamnoside, polysaccharide arabino-3.6-galactan and ecdysteroid 20-hydroxyecdysone under conditions of cyclophosphamide induced experimental immunosuppression.Methods. Experiments were carried out on F1 (CBAxC57Bl/6) mice. Immunodeficiency was modeled by intraperitoneal administration of cyclophosphamide to control group animals in the dose 250 mg/kg once. Experimental groups of mice received the test substances intragastrically once a day for 14 days against the background of immunosuppression in the following doses: isoorientin-2"-O-rhamnoside – 10 mg/ kg, arabino-3.6-galactan – 3 mg/kg, 20-hydroxyecdysone – 3 mg/kg. The effect of substances on cellular immunity was determined in a delayed hypersensitivity reaction, humoral immunity was determined in an antibody formation reaction by local hemolysis according to A.J. Cunningham. The phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages was studied in relation to colloidal ink particles.Results. With the introduction of isoorientin-2"-O-rhamnoside, arabino-3.6-galactan and 20-hydroxyecdysone in experimental animals, there was an increase in the index of delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction by 1.3–1.4 times, the absolute and relative number of antibody-forming cells by 1.4–1.7 times, phagocytic index by 1.2–1.5 times compared with the data in the control group, which indicates the leveling of the suppressive effect of cyclophosphamide on cell-mediated immune response, antibody genesis and phagocytosis of macrophages.Conclusion. Isoorientin-2"-O-rhamnoside and arabino-3.6-galactan have the most pronounced immunomodulatory effect. The obtained data allow us to consider the studied substances as promising plant immunomodulators.


for approximately 0.2% of all genital tract malignancies.1 Although their incidence is approximately 2 per million women, the incidence of endometrial cancer is 700 per million women.2 It is composed of cells closely resembling normal proliferative endometrial stromal cells. The tumor is classified into a low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LGESS) and high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (HGESS) based on mitotic rate. Nuclear atypia or pleomorphism is not demonstrated in LGESS which has less than 10 mitoses per 10 high-power fields (HPF). HGESS is characterized by more than 10 mitoses per 10 HPF and shows a more aggressive be-


Based on 0.13,μm technology a two-stage operational amplifier was designed which is used to 10-bit 83MSPS pipelined ADC of 1.2,V low-voltage power.The amplifier used a folded-cascode as first input stage,and common source as second output stage.The design procedure of the operational amplifier,parameter setting methods,simulation problems and solutions were introduced.Analogy simulation shows that,the open loop DC gain of the operational amplifier is 79.25,dB,and the unity gain frequency is 838,MHz when the load capacitance is 2 pF.In the low voltage of 1.2,V,output swing meets the design requirements,and up to 1V,it fulfills the requirement of ADC which is 10-bit low-voltage,high speed and high precision.


During the learning process students tend to be passive and learning is centered on the teacher, so activity and learning outcomes are low. One of the efforts that can be done is the provision of rewards and punishments during the learning process. The purpose of this study was to increase student activity and learning outcomes through the provision of rewards and punishments. This type of research is classroom action research using a qualitative approach, which is supported by a quantitative approach. This research consists of four stages, namely planning, action, observation, and reflection. This study involved 33 students of class XI MIPA 3 SMAN 8 Padang. Research data obtained through observation sheets, quizzes, learning outcomes tests, and field notes. The data analysis technique used is descriptive analysis. Based on research data in first and second cycles, it shows that the activities and learning outcomes of students have increased. This is indicated by an increase in learning outcomes from 40% in the first cycle to 67% in the second cycle. So, it can be concluded that learning by giving rewards and punishments could increase students' activities and learning outcomes.


The Jiangjiaya Pb- Zn deposit, located on the southeastern margin of the Yangtze craton and along the axis of the Hongyanxi anticline, is an important Pb-Zn deposit in the western Hunan-western Hubei metallogenic belt. The orebody exhibits stratabound and veined forms and is controlled by strata and faults, and the deposit occurs in the Ordovician(Early Paleozoic)Nanjingguan Formation. The ultra- low procedural blanks and Rb- Sr dating of quartz separates yielded an isochron age of(372 ±9.8) Ma, with n(87Sr)/ n(86Sr) equal to(0.709409±0.000058) for the deposit, which represents the main stage ore-forming age of thedeposit. Geological setting indicates that the formation of the deposit was probably related to the late Devonian mass movement of basin fluids resulting from extensional and fault depression in South China. Initial Sr isotope ratios show that the ore materials of the deposit were derived from the host rocks, and the influence of continental crust was obvious in the ore-forming process.


Carolan Club officers B i l l Barrett . Miles O'Connor. Joe DePaolo and Bob Crowley together wi th committee members Mark Riley. Dick Rice, Gene Ziur is . J i m McLarney. Ed Dugan and Shaun Marriman are endeavoring to bring this year's Dorm Weekend up to the standards set in past years. Bids now on sale in Aquinas Ha l l , are priced at $12.00. Dee Francis and his orchestra w i l l highlight this year's Mil i tary Ba l l , it was announced by co-chairman James Santaniello anil Robert Dugan The orchestra is widely known for its excellent brand of music and promises to do a great deal towards making the dance the most successful MilitaryBal l held at Providence < allege.


Increased interest in research in the field of international education, typical for the most of the world, is largely due to trends of interdependence and mutual influence of nation-states in a period of rapid development of the processes of globalization and integration, including in public life and in education. The current stage of the modernization and consolidation of the national educational systems in the world educational space, the impact of the global structures of the integration features that determine educational policies, employment, training, strengthening the role of international organizations in setting priorities for education in the world and regions, is an objective and dynamic phenomenon. The results are related to the further development of education, international project activities covering all stages of education, the availability of the results of international comparisons and the national reports on education (PISA, OESD, CEDEFOR, ETF etc.). Currently, the established cross-cultural communication is of particular importance; it allows scientists, teachers-practitioners to present comparative picture of education systems operating in different countries with different political, economic and social systems. The international contacts in the field of scientific and pedagogical research among public universities in the region of Basilicata (Italy) and Aktobe oblast (Kazakhstan) were concluded as a part of the summer school working on "The humanities and social sciences: current problems and research directions", held in Massafra (Italy) organized by the Research Center of Eastern Europe, the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (Poland), Higher School of Foreign Languages (Poland / Italy). The purpose of research to conduct a chronological study of the educational systems of Kazakhstan and Italy based on the study and analysis of the legal, educational, archival documents (on an example of the Aktobe region (Kazakhstan) and the Basilicata region (Italy)). Material and methods: methods of data collection the study, the analysis of the legal, educational, archival documents; Expedition to Italy and Kazakhstan were used to obtain the necessary data. Pedagogical research criteria are: Main criteria: 1. Legal framework. 2. School types. 3. Profile of the school (link with the choice of profession), an individual trajectory of students in high educational institution. 4. Requirements for teachers teaching in high school. 5. The social situation of students. 6. Psychological support of high school students. Special criteria: 1. General information on education systems in the region of Basilicata (Italy) and Aktobe oblast (Kazakhstan). 2. The local coordination department of the educational process. 3. Total number of students – separately, number of secondary schools in the region separately. 4. The dominance profile in the region and their causes. 5. Basic methods and learning strategies used by teachers in the school. 6. Social and psychological aspects of the selected area. 7. Communication with universities. The results show the conceptual system of institutions of student socialization allowing to determine the level of acquired knowledge that forms the basis of their functional literacy.


It has recently been confirmed that some species of decapod crustacean retain their gastric mill and calcified region of the eyestalks throughout their moults. It had previously been assumed that crustacea lost all growth structures that could potentially record age information, such as the bones and otoliths in fish, through moulting. In this study, a novel preparation method was used for observing growth increments within these calcified structures of Nephrops norvegicusand Cancer pagurus(Linnaeus, 1758). This method involved: boiling, drying, resin embedding, sectioning, and polishing the gastric mill and eyestalks. Clear and readable growth increments were observed in longitudinal sections of the mesocardiac ossicle of the gastric mill for N. norvegicus, and longitudinal sections of the zygocardiac ossicle of the gastric mill for C. pagurus. Growth increments were also observed in longitudinal sections of the calcified region of the eyestalk for N. norvegicus. Validation is needed to confirm the periodicity of these growth increments.


Speculation is not very important at a time in which experience means everything. The language of the present day defines speculation as a way of thinking and attitude that ignores the experience of reality. This essay intends to show that theology must not try to avoid this usage. Proceeding in its proper speculative way, it will help people to make their own experience in their world, an experience which will be theologically justified. There is the thesis that only going speculatively beyond reality will lead to the experience of what is real. Speculative is derived from the Latin word speculum. Speculum, mirror, in which reality is experienced in a biblical sense is developed from the understanding of kabod jahwe-in the Old Testament and doxa theou in the New Testament. By the doxa theou as it is obvious at its highest tension in the events of Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection the mirror becomes transparent and shows us reality in a way theology has to reflect about. This essay develops the way of theological perception first bei the λeγeν of Jesus words and deeds as collected in the Gospels. It then turns to face the task of theology, as a way to teach people how to see and talk in the direction of this clearing and draws finally conclusions for the perception of history.


Adequate proficiency at object control skills, which is influenced by biological and environmental constraints, underlies the development of more complex sport-specific skills. This study describes proficiency at six object control skills and demographic correlates associated with each skill and each skill criteria in 9- to 10-year-old children who were randomly selected from 20 schools (N = 826) and tested with the Test of Gross Motor Development–2. Cross-tabulation and hierarchical linear models were used to analyze the effects of sex (433 boys, 393 girls), ethnicity (619 Black, 207 White), and high (n = 312) and low (n = 514) socioeconomic school environments. Twenty-three percent of the sample showed below average proficiency. Significant sex and socioeconomic school environment differences were found favoring boys and children from higher socioeconomic environments, although kicking showed significant interaction effects. It is concluded that environmental opportunities are the primary cause of differences across skills and the rates at which the skills are learned.


A simulation package for CNT memory cells is developed, based on computational modeling of both the mesoscopic structure of carbon nanotube films and the electrical conductivity of inter-CNT contacts. The developed package enables the modeling of various electrical measurements and identification of a range of operation conditions delivering desirable device characteristics. This approach opens the path for optimization of the CNT fabric to meet performance requirements.


" Saccharin : Its Place in Pharmacy, with Formulae," is the title of a pamphlet by Professor Attfield, F.R.S. The Professor states that saccharin will be of good service in pharmacy in four ways. First, it gives patients an opportunity of taking medicines in smaller bulk, a very minute proportion of saccharin being equal to a large bulk of sugar as regards sweetness; secondly, the intensity of the sweetness masks the taste of nauseous medicines ; thirdly, patients who are obliged to avoid sugar may take saccharin; fourthly, saccharin does not ferment like sugar. Saccharin, it may be mentioned, is a substance comparatively recently brought into use, and obtained from the destructive distillation of


The present success of online retrieval is well known. The future is dependent on several factors including technological developments (computers, communications, terminals and storage), progress in information with science research, availability and use of funds for employing and coupling the available technology and the useful results of research, and finally the nontechnical exterior factors, such as political, psychological, legal and legislative constraints. Research is under way to pave the way for the development of transparent systems for retrieving references, facts and information contained in textual material. Such systems will greatly increase the useability of computer‐readable databases by professionals and laymen alike. Really significant changes will depend on research that progresses towards fact retrieval and ultimately towards knowledge retrieval.


ABSTRACT In the strategic management course, students select, analyze, and present viable future alternatives based on information provided in cases or computer simulations. Rather than understanding the entire process, the student's focus is on the final presentation. Chickering's (1977) research on active learning suggests students learn more effectively when participating in analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. The authors highlight instructional changes with students, gathering primary data independently and later comparing findings in a team-based scaffolding process. Statistical analysis of students' self-reported understanding scores both before and following the experiential intervention support the benefits. Qualitative comments by the students, embedded librarian, faculty, and business practitioners also indicate improved learning resulted from course modifications.


PurposeThis research investigates the detailed mechanisms of how gamification affordances influence intrinsic and internalized extrinsic motivation and ultimately improve the quality and quantity of knowledge contribution.Design/methodology/approachSurvey responses from 154 users of Stack Overflow in Portuguese were analyzed by the partial least squares–structural equation modeling approach to validate the research model.FindingsChallenge and goal setting influence individuals to reach the flow state, which increases the quantity of knowledge contribution. Rewards enhance the quality of knowledge contribution through perceived self-worth. Social comparison increases perceived reputation, but its impact does not ultimately lead to knowledge contribution.Originality/valueThe current study differentiated types of motivation and dimensions of knowledge contribution when exploring the effects of gamification affordances. This perspective was proven helpful to understand the various gamification affordances' influence on knowledge contribution.


As aircraft magnetic interference is much larger than the resolution of magnetic sensors, aeromagnetic compensation is increasingly important with the development of modern airborne magnetometers. Due to the ill-conditioning of Tolles-Lawson model, some regularization method, instead of ordinary least-squares (OLS), has to be employed to predict the magnetic interference caused by aircraft's motion. This paper aims to provide a candidate method to reduce such interference. The truncated singular value decomposition (TSVD) is used as a main tool to estimate compensation coefficients. In order to select an appropriate regularization parameter for TSVD, an improved parameter-choice method, L-curve criterion with defined origin algorithms (LO) is proposed in this paper to locate the global corner of the discrete L-curve rather than small local ones. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed combined method (TSVD-LO) can reduce the magnetic interference to a large extent.


This paper illustrates the risk assessment on electricity price forecast uncertainty. The high-risk periods under different time have been indicated. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques are introduced to forecast electricity prices in UK electricity market. Also, this paper investigates the risk index of electricity prices due to forecast uncertainties in the competitive power market through two aspects — daily and seasonal. This risk index is calculated using the errors of short-term electricity price forecast. The input data of forecasting models is divided into weekday and weekend profiles and this is done to observe the different electricity price dynamic risks between weekdays and weekends.


The technique of finding a finite number of first natural frequencies for geometrically nonlinear vibrations of layered elongated cylindrical panels at discrete consideration of components is proposed and verified. The influence of the radius of curvature on the natural frequencies of three- and five-layered panels is investigated. The dependence between the volume of filler three-layer panels and the lowest natural frequency has been established. Keywords Nonlinear vibrations, elongated layered panel, perturbations method, natural frequencies


Finger-knuckle-print is one of the emerging biometric traits. The region of interest is the area where the maximum information is centered, for a finger knuckle it is the area surrounding the knuckle region. In this method we present a novel approach for segmentation of Region of interest (ROI) of a finger-knuckle-print using gradient field orientation & its local field strength. The finger knuckle print refers to the inherent skin patterns that are formed at the joints in the finger back surface. Recently it has been found that the finger knuckle print is highly rich in textures and can be used to uniquely identify a person. This is a new approach for personal authentication using Finger-Knuckle-Print through a novel texture descriptor, Local Directional Pattern (LDP). The image is encoded with Local Directional Pattern, which enhances the information as each pixel is represented as a binary code. The Finger-Knuckle-Print is divided into smaller areas and LDP histograms are extracted from each block, which are used to graphically represent the information. Keywords— Finger Knuckle, Local Directional Pattern (LDP), Contour extraction, Region of Interest, Minutiae


A formulation of a class of inverse Riemann boundary value problem for bianalytic functions along open arcs is proposed,its normal and non-normal cases are also proposed.On the basis of the theory of bianalytic functions and the Riemann boundary value problems for analytic functions along open arcs,the solvable conditions and the representations of the solutions for the normal case are obtained.


Path planning is crucial in the automatic navigation of USVs (unmanned underwater vehicles), which directly affects the operational efficiency and safety of USVs. In this paper, we propose a path-planning algorithm based on DDPG (Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient) and make a detailed comparison with the traditional A-Star algorithm and the recent Actor–Critical algorithm. Through a series of simulation experiments, it can be observed that the optimal path for USVs found by the DDPG-based path planning algorithm is faster and more accurate than that found by the other two methods. The experimental results show that the DDPG algorithm has a significant advantage in processing time and better performance in terms of path quality and safety. These results provide a strong reference for future research on automatic navigation for USVs and demonstrate the potential of DDPG-based path planning for USVs.


There are two sets of obstacles to agricultural development in the Eastern Cape Province. This report differentiates between the overarching structural constraints on agricultural production and the specific obstacles in particular development initiatives and agricultural practices. The first set refers to the apparent dualism (which survives as a grim reminder of the legacies of colonialism and apartheid) between the commercial farming sector and the communal areas of the former reserves or bantustans of Ciskei and Transkei. A whole range of barriers to development are related to this abiding regional segregation of the province which structured the reserve areas to be suppliers of labour rather than areas for agricultural production. The reality of this dualism continues to shape the nature of rural social relations and any serious effort at development must take it into account. The other set of obstacles relates to more immediate obstacles which impede specific agricultural systems or projects. There is obviously no Chinese wall separating these two sets of obstacles. They penetrate and feed off each other but the overarching structural obstacles form a context within which the more immediate constraints may be aggravated. Similarly, if local conditions are not conducive to development they contribute to an overall syndrome of poverty and backwardness. Against all the odds of these structural constraints and local obstacles there are many examples of human ingenuity which have created the conditions for survival and even enrichment. Any plan for agricultural revival must overcome both sets of obstacles. This report provides recommendations on how the provincial and national governments may contribute towards a resolution of the problems of poverty and inequality through economic growth. The land question forms an extremely important backdrop to the report. It locates the structural constraints within a context of unequal access to and ownership over land. Over and above this inequality, there is undoubtedly a very high potential for agricultural development especially in the former Transkei, and to a lesser extent iii in the Ciskei, and there are sufficient natural resources to cater for the needs of the people. Yet there is a food crisis. It is imperative that any plan for the regeneration of agriculture in the province should start from an understanding of this paradox. The most compelling questions are: · Why has this potential not been spontaneously realised? · What can be done to boost agricultural output? · What intervening factors continue to prevent the …


The agricultural sector today presents a situation of low growth and retention, problems of communities and in this case the producers of trout (rainbow) in different regions, is the search for alternative solutions through a decisionassertive decisions, what it requires in-depth analysis. The objective of this project is to identify geographic areas that have the physical and geographical conditions for the production of this product, through the application of multimethod and with the support of Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The main result is the identification of optimal variables for the production of rainbow trout: Altitude, climate, vegetation, annual rainfall, and land use.


In 2007, I was a member of a taskforce empanelled by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and charged with creating a proposal to ethically confront what was expected to be a major, worldwide pandemic of influenza. It was feared that it could create havoc, panic, and deaths that might equal, if


The invention discloses a synthesis process of a low-density polyurethane sole stock solution, which comprises the following steps of: carrying out a polyesterification reaction, subjecting diacid and polyalcohol to a polyesterification reaction under the action of a composite catalyst to obtain polyester polyol, wherein the composite catalyst comprises acetate, triethylene diamine and stannous octoate/silicon catalyst; mixing the obtained polyester polyol with auxiliary materials to obtain a component A; and prepolymerizing the obtained polyester polyol with isocyanate to obtain a component B. The invention has the advantages of obvious energy-saving and emission-reduction effect and high raw material utilization ratio.


The invention discloses an environment friendly gas phase corrosion inhibitor used for a direct air cooling system, which consists of the following materials in percentage by weight: 30-40% of organic amine, 20-30% of inorganic ammonium, 20-30% of sodium benzoate and 10-20% of sodium D-isoascorbate, wherein the organic amine is hexamethylentertr-amine, thiourea or carbamide, and the inorganic ammonium is diammonium phosphate, ammonium bicarbonate or ammonium carbonate. The sodium benzoate is commonly used for food preservatives; the diammonium phosphate is used for medicine, feed additives and the like; and the sodium D-isoascorbate is a novel food anti-oxygen and antiseptic fresh-keeping auxochromic agent; and the other components have very low toxicity or have no toxicity. The corrosion inhibitor has no harm on the environment and human body, has the advantages of convenient manufacturing and use, environment protection, high corrosion inhibition efficiency, long-lasting efficacy and the like, and can effectively prevent the direct air cooling system from being corroded.


Due to the complexity and redundancy of molecular processes governing the development and function of haematopoietic cells, experimental procedures allowing simultaneous alteration in gene expression of multiple genes in vivo are needed. Here, we describe a protocol allowing for simultaneous transduction of haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) with two different replication incompetent retroviral expression vectors followed by transplantation of lethally irradiated recipient mice. These bicistronic retroviral vectors carried genes for the enhanced green and yellow florescent proteins (EGFP and EYFP) respectively. Spleen cells from reconstituted animals were stained for common lymphocyte and myeloid markers, then analysed on a two‐laser, 488 and 635 nm, flow cytometer equipped with a 510/20‐nm bandpass filter for FL1, a 550/30‐nm bandpass filter for FL2 and a 530‐nm short‐pass dichroic mirror. It was demonstrated that cells expressing EGFP, EYFP or combinations thereof could be distinguished and analysed for staining with PerCP‐ and APC‐conjugated reagents. We found that a sizable proportion of cells (70%) from reconstituted animals expressed EGFP and/or EYFP and that expression of these genes did not affect lymphoid or myeloid development. We also demonstrated that the alternative optical configuration allowed for conventional multiparameter flow cytometric analyses.


The time division-synchronous CDMA TD-SCDMA uses time division duplex (TDD) for unsymmetrical data rate transmission, making conventional closed-loop automatic gain control (AGC) schemes impractical for TD-SCDMA receiver. An improved analog AGC algorithm used in TD-SCDMA receiver is presented, the general model is given and an equivalent linear system is proposed. Finally, the simulation and test results are given. The validity of the algorithm is verified by simulations and experiments.


This dissertation concerns the foundations of epistemic modality. I examine the nature of epistemic modality, when the modal operator is interpreted as concerning both apriority and conceivability, as well as states of knowledge and belief. The dissertation demonstrates how phenomenal consciousness and gradational possible-worlds models in Bayesian perceptual psychology relate to epistemic modal space. The dissertation demonstrates, then, how epistemic modality relates to the computational theory of mind; metaphysical modality; deontic modality; logical modality; the types of mathematical modality; to the epistemic status of undecidable propositions and abstraction principles in the philosophy of mathematics; to the apriori-aposteriori distinction; to the modal profile of rational propositional intuition; and to the types of intention, when the latter is interpreted as a modal mental state. Examining the nature of epistemic logic itself, I develop a novel approach to conditions of self-knowledge in the setting of the modal μ-calculus, as well as novel epistemicist solutions to Curry's, the liar, and the knowability paradoxes. Solutions to previously intransigent issues concerning the first-person concept; the distinction between fundamental and derivative truths; and the unity of intention and its role in decision theory, are developed along the way.


The incidence of spontaneous clearance of hepatic C virus (HCV) infection in the acute phase (infected <6 months) is high (estimated at 20%–40%) but is


Abstract According to international nutritional standards, plant selenium (Se) concentrations in Belgium are too low. To correct this situation, adding Se in fertilizers for pastures and grasslands is suggested, similar to activities in Finland. However, there is a lack of data on meadow plant species' ability to absorb Se. Therefore, a pot experiment was initiated using 24 meadow plant species cultivated on a Belgian cambisol receiving standard fertilizer treatment, with or without the addition of 9 g Se ha−1 yr−1 as sodium selenate. Soil Se analysis confirmed the low Se status of the native soil. Mean foliar Se concentration in the control group was 0.05 mg kg−1. Because plant deficiency may occur at levels less than 0.10 mg Se kg−1, data provided further evidence for Se deficiency in Belgium plant production. When grown with Se, plant species showed wide variations for Se concentration, ranging from 0.08 to 0.49 mg Se kg−1. All values were less than 2 mg Se kg−1, the suggested threshold toxicity level for dairy cattle. There were two different types of plants in terms of response to Se fertilization. Most of the tested plants were known as nonaccumulators. There were also two probable secondary accumulators: Sinapis arvensis and Melilotus albus. Finally, one has to question the reliability of plant Se enhancement using this method when floristic composition is poorly controlled.


Europe is the epicentre of what has been described as an all out war over the acceptance of genetically engineered foods. Controversy over health effects has centred around simple and complex models of transgenic modifications. Proponents of the simple models emphasise familiarity with the host plant and the well-characterisation of the transgene. Advocates of the complex models consider the genome to be more like an ecosystem than a set of Legos. They emphasise the indeterminacy and unintended outcomes of foreign gene insertions. Evolving concepts of health that embrace health promotion and sustainable agriculture set additional standards for transgenic crops that transcend reductionist approaches to risk assessment based on contested genomic principles.


Over the past two decades – in response to mounting pressure for accountability and performance – the nonprofit sector has grown, professionalized, and broadened its range of stakeholders. This has, in effect, complicated issues of accountability, and emphasized the
need for performance measurement within nonprofit organizations (LeRoux & Wright, 2010). While research related to performance measurement in nonprofits has escalated in recent years, there remain "many significant gaps in the literature, particularly related to performance-based management and performance information use" (LeRoux & Wright,
2010, p. 572-73). This study addresses this gap by investigating individual, organizational, and environmental factors which influence performance information use by nonprofit executives.

The study extends current performance information use research by grounding
hypotheses in organizational theory, exploring information use in a new context, validating a new scale measuring support capacity, and comparing results across two operationalizations of performance information use. Prior studies have almost uniformly explored purposeful
performance information use (i.e. use which is intended to improve an organization) in medium to large size governments. This study includes an additional type of information use,
political performance information use. Political use is advocacy-based, geared at garnering additional resources and legitimacy on behalf of an organization. As such, primary research questions for this study are: What drives nonprofit executives to use performance information, and are different drivers more likely to promote specific types of use?

This study utilizes an online survey to collect data. After contacting 1,496 individual youth development organizations via email, the study yielded 260 useable responses for a
response rate of 17.4%. These responses were analyzed using multiple regression and structural equation modelling. The results of the analyses show several interesting findings. First, while the interaction of public service motivation and perceived social impact has a net negative effect on political use, perceived social impact does mitigate the larger negative influence of public service motivation. This interaction does not significantly impact purposeful use. Second, of the forms of stakeholder involvement explored in this study,
activity level in a community partnership is the only consistently significant and positive influence on both purposeful and political information use. Third, an exploratory
investigation of information use and performance shows that political information use mediates the relationship between purposeful use and perceived organizational performance. Combined, these findings demonstrate that nonprofit executives are unique in their information use patterns, suggesting an acute need for contextually diverse research that
includes multiple operationalizations of information use.

Keywords: Executives; Nonprofit Management; Performance Information; Performance Management; Performance Measurement

Dissertation Chair: RaJade Berry-James


In the conditions of existing world financial crisis the most urgent problem is the development of enterprises making agricultural production. In economy of our country they have very great value: the majority of people spends more than half of incomes, both for a foodstuff, and on the other agricultural goods. Now country (farmer) economy becomes urgent again, and, hence, it is possible to conclude that the given sector of agricultural production helps to survive crisis.


The study examines the widely held assertion that unemployed managers will possess the characteristics traditionally associated with managerial ability to a lesser degree than managers in employment. In contrast to conventional wisdom the unemployed appear to possess many of the attributes traditionally associated with managerial ability. These results are discussed in terms of the stability of personality over time, the influence of organisational factors in the causes of job loss and the possibility that the unemployed managers studied had a greater than average preference for risk‐taking. The implications of these results for personnel management are explored.


A multiaxis three-dimensional (3D) flat woven preform and a weaving method have been developed. The structure has five yarn sets, which are bias(+) and bias(—), warp, filling and Z-yarns. The weaving method has been introduced to form the structure. An experimental prototype was constructed to trial the method. In this technique, called "tube-carrier weaving", bias(+) and bias(—) yarns are closely laid all over the surface. The preliminary study shows that the structure and weaving method seem feasible under the test conditions.


Through studying sludge disintegrate results by pre-alkaline hydrolysis-electrochemical method under different alkaline and electrochemical conditions,the optimum condition w as determined,and sludge disintegration effects w ere analyzed. By changing of alkaline substance species,investment quality and voltage gradient,the disintegration effect of sludge w as observed and analyzed. Results show that w hen the reaction is carried out w ith dosage of 16 mmol Na OH and7 V / cm voltage gradient,a significant sludge disintegrate result in a relatively low energy consumption is obtained. It is found that alkaline substance species,investment quality and voltage gradient significantly affect the disintegration effect. After 60 minutes reaction,ρ( SCOD) increases from 86. 9 mg / L to 1 151. 1 mg / L,the removal rate of ρ( M LSS) reaches 15. 8%,andρ( M LVSS) / ρ( M LSS) ratio decreases from 83. 3% to 69. 5%. Conclusion is that the floc structures of sludge are gradually broken by pre-alkaline hydrolysis-electrochemical method. And disintegration and settling performance of sludge can be w ell realized.


In this paper, we analyze the effects of the Russian agricultural import ban in 2014, i.e. sudden access of the Serbian pork traders to the Russian market, on price and margin developments along the Serbian pork value chains. We use a regime-switching long-run price transmission model to investigate possible changes in market integration between Serbian and Russian pork markets, and at the same time identify if their newly established trade relation affect already existing integration of the Serbian market with the EU. Furthermore, we use the price transmission model to assess the effects of surge in Serbian pork export on transmission of price changes along the pork value chains. Our results indicate a significant improvement of market integration between Serbia and Russia after 2014 characterized by 80% reduction in transaction costs and almost complete transmission of price changes from the Serbian market towards Russian pork market. Also, the results of the domestic price effects indicate complete transmission of price changes from processors towards retailers after 2014, which means that Serbian consumers bore the biggest burden of significant domestic pork price changes caused by the surge in pork exports. Acknowledgement : This study was conducted within the DAAD PPP Serbien project, financially supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).


Ricardo Soares de Oliveira has written a book that is set to become the next definitive account of Angola's post-war political and economic landscape. Its publication is timely and most welcome, as despite its growing economic importance and increasing subregional and international influence, Angola remains sorely under-researched. Because of the gap in research during the years of war, and due to current difficulties of access (costs, visas, and everyday logistics), it is an exceedingly difficult place to conduct in-depth research; thus, it is a testament to the author's decadelong, sustained engagement with Angola that this book presents the reader with such a wealth of new information. In many ways, Magnificent and Beggar Land does for Angola's postwar years what Tony Hodges's Angola: Anatomy of an Oil State 1 did for the 1980s and 1990s (though in a style that is even more accessible and simply a pleasure to read): it charts the trajectory of Angola's ruling elite in parallel to the country's transition from war to peace. By analysing in great detail the various elements that make up the Angolan political economy, Soares de Oliveira demonstrates how President José Eduardo dos Santos (JES) and the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) have, over the 36 years of his rule, extended their tentacles into virtually every domain of social life, keeping a vice-like stranglehold on all institutions. As the author very cogently argues throughout the book, politics and economics – as well as party, state, and government – are inseparable in contemporary Angola. This is not the result of an accident of history but, rather, by design, as the regime evinces a highly adaptive strategy of maintaining and consolidating power through periods of dramatic and rapid change. The richness of the material presented and the highly revealing quotes of his informants throughout the book paint a vivid picture of the machinations at the top level of economic and political power in Angola. There are mind-boggling accounts of overt corruption, blatant incompetence, and base manipulation, as well as a necessary, repeated emphasis on the tacit or open complicity of foreign investors and governments in establishing and maintaining the current clientelistic dispensation. And


Laser apparatus comprising a radiation source (1), the radiation with a spectrum in the form of a frequency comb with a plurality emitted from equidistant spectral lines, and a difference frequency generator (5), which converts the radiation such that the spectrum of the converted radiation in turn the shape of a frequency comb has, wherein the frequencies of spectral lines in the spectrum of the converted radiation are harmonics of a fundamental frequency, characterized by a the difference frequency generator (5) in the radiation path downstream frequency multiplier (6).


This procedure reduces the problem of the treatment of certain fractures of the patella from one in which there is an effort to attain bony or fibrous union of fragments that normally exhibit very little osteogenic resourcefulness, to one in which only union of tendinous structures is involved, and in which there is assurance of success if meticulous asepsis is observed and adequate sustaining suture of soft structures is carried out. Such a procedure allows early use of the extremity, decreases the period of disability, and relieves much of the possibility of refracture.