KAGRA is a laser interferometric gravitational-wave detector with a 3 km arm length. It is to be constructed in the tunnels of the Kamioka mine in Hida, Gifu, Japan. The use of an underground site for small seismic motion is a key feature of KAGRA, as well as the use of a cryogenic technique to reduce any thermal noise. The KAGRA tunnels will have a total length of 7697 m and a total volume of 156 301 m 3 ?> . Tunnel excavation work began in May 2012, and continued until the end of March 2014. The construction of the experiment rooms in the tunnels is currently ongoing, and installation of the vacuum system was planned to begin in July 2014. KAGRA will then start observations in 2018.


CD22 is a glycoprotein that associates with the B cell antigen receptor and acts as a negative regulator of receptor signaling; its extracellular domain binds α2,6‐linked sialoglycoconjugates. Here we show that B cell activation by antigen displayed on the surface of a target cell is depressed if the target co‐expresses α2,6‐sialoglycoconjugates: this inhibition is dependent on CD22. Since sialylation is largely a feature of higher eukaryotes with α2,6‐sialyltransferase increasing during inflammation, we propose that the CD22 / sialoglycoconjugate interaction allows context‐dependent B cell activation, possibly acting as a crude discriminator of self in order to dampen B cell autoreactivity and the initiation of autoimmunity.


In order to get an accurate knowledge regardingthe actual mode of mechanical action of the otter board of the trawl net in moving through the water, a theoretical consideration was made, togetherwith a series of experiments with a small simple model net. To make possible the mathematical analysis, a simple otter trawl, which lacks its cod end, was designed as shown schematically in Fig, 1. A long narrow rectangular strip of a net of length 2s and constant width h, which


In this article we investigate the uniqueness of transcendental meromorphic function dealing with four shared values in one angular domain instead of the whole complex plane.


In this chapter, the authors discusses the travelling wave transmission line models. The frequency dependent transmission line model was presented. Details of transmission line geometry and conductor data are required in order to calculate accurately the frequency-dependent electrical parameters of the line. The simulation time step was based on the shortest response time of the line. The chapter also presents the phase-domain models which is the most accurate and robust for detailed transmission line representation. Calculation of electrical parameters for overhead power transmission lines and underground power cables were also demonstrated.


Piezoelectric copolymer film of vinylidene fluoride (VDF) and trifluoroethylene (TrFE) is successfully used as a transducer material in a highly sensitive miniature hydrophone. Two types of highly sensitive and low noise miniature hydrophones, a needle type and a cylindrical one, were made of VDF-TrFE copolymer with a comonomer ratio of 78/22. The miniature hydrophones were constructed using a Semi-rigid Coaxial Cable and allow easy access to the field to be measured. Absolute sensitivity measurements were carried out by a three transducer reciprocity calibration for three hydrophones with copolymer of different thicknesses.


Induction of nitric oxide synthase and generation of nitric oxide in pancreatic islet β-cells may mediate cytokine-induced dysfunction leading to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Nitric oxide generation can be regulated by availability of arginine substrate which, in turn, may be affected by substrate utilization in competing pathways such as the arginase-catalysed formation of ornithine and urea. In this study we have investigated the activity of arginase in the rat insulinoma-derived cell line RINm5F and the effect on this of interleukin 1β, the nitric oxide synthase reaction intermediate NG-hydroxy-l-arginine and the nitric oxide-generating compounds 3-morpholinosydnonimine and S-nitrosoglutathione. Cytosols from RINm5F cells treated with or without interleukin 1β (0.1nM, 18h) were incubated (45min, 37°C) with [U-14C]arginine. Radiolabelled products ([14C]citrulline from nitric oxide synthase, [14C]ornithine and [14C]urea from arginase) were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography or ion-exchange chromatography. Interleukin 1β increased citrulline production (from 0.01±0.002 to 0.58±0.03 pmol/μg cell protein), indicating induction of nitric oxide synthase, and significantly decreased production of both ornithine (from 4.60±0.20 to 3.40±0.20 pmol/μg) and urea (0.93±0.05 to 0.69±0.04 pmol/μg) (P<0.001), indicating decreased activity of arginase. Arginase was significantly inhibited by NG-hydroxy-l-arginine (IC50=50 μM), S-nitrosoglutathione (500 μM: 69±7% of control) and 3-morpholinosydnonimine (1 mM: 57±7% of control) (P<0.05). We conclude that during cytokine-directed β-cell assault nitric oxide synthase-catalysed production of NG-hydroxy-l-arginine and nitric oxide may inhibit arginase thereby increasing the availability of arginine for nitric oxide production.


OBJECTIVE To analysis 12 kinds of trace elements (Al,Ba,Ca,Cu,Fe,K,Mg,Mn,Na,Sr,Ti and Zn) content in the Pogostemon cablin Benth.METHODS A method was developed for the determination of the trace elements by ICP-AES using wet digestion.RESULTS The linear correlation coefficient of the content of 12 kinds trace elements was 0.9993-0.9999,and the precision was less than 2.5%,and the recovery was about 97.6%-107.1%.CONCLUSION The detection method of trace elements of Pogostemon cablin Benth.is established.This method proved to be easily operational,rapid,and accurate,and can be adopted as the method of determining many elements simultaneously.


STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), have the particular feature of being based on theoretical and practical skills. Learning in the laboratory naturally focuses on the student who must do or create something, alone or in a small group, while benefiting from the teacher's supervision to gain good practices. In this context, the project's status at the end of the session enables the students to assess the quality of their works themselves. During the project's development process, they face the resistance of the problem that requires a solution. They use their know-how, mobilize the knowledge acquired in all areas of life, and solicit the resources of their group to optimize cognitive resources. Discoveries during the process and the project's completion, together with the repetition of the exercises, provide intense pleasure and boost self-esteem. The next challenge is to transpose the dynamics from the laboratory to the hall. This challenge is reinforced by the emergence of a new generation of students, for whom interacting with the Internet and virtual agents is a natural part of their lives. In this perspective, Whitehead's thinking remains a resource that reminds us of what is essential in the educational process. It allows us to preserve this essential in today's societal change. We show that the educational process has two important dimensions. The first relates to a crucial event in the individuation process, namely, the advent of a phenomenon of synesthesia in the subject, in the form of an acute awareness of what is important to her or him. This event is a turning point in the student's life. The second relates to the methodology, which, in Whitehead's case, takes the form of the ternary rhythm of education. We illustrate these two dimensions in a biology teaching project we call inverted funnel. Inspired by Whiteheadian pedagogy, the project takes advantage of the dynamics of romance-precision-generalization, and we hope that it will contribute to the emergence of the turning point in the student. This event is the very starting point of the educational process, the one that leads to the very nature of the learner. Such watershed not only purports to determine the direction of her or his educational process, but also that of his or her entire life.


Aseptic bone necrosis of the femoral condyle has been reported few so far. This is a case-report of a patient, 28 years old female, with aseptic bone necrosis of her right medial femoral condyle, who were operated by the method of pedicled patellar transplant. She had a history of taking steroid therapy for 2 years because of systemic lupus erythematosus and complained of gradually increasing pain of her right knee joint, showing bone destruction at the medial condyle in X-ray. Pedicled Pateller transplant reported by Merle d'Aubigne was done. After surgery the results was satisfactory. She is now able to walk without using a stick.


This research aims to utilize zirconia (ZrO ) as a reinforcement of aluminum matrix composite (AMC). ZrO 2 2 powder of 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 12,5%, and 15% wt were added to fine aluminum powder (dimension of particles are smaller than 40 μm). Each composition was mixed using a turbula mixer for 2 hr. The mixture was uniaxially pressed with a pressure of 300 MPa to produce green bodies. They were pressure less sintered in argon atmosphere at temperature of 600oC. Relative density, Vickers hardness, and bending strength of the AMC were tested. The results show that the hardness increases with increasing the ZrO content up to 5% wt whereas wear rate decrease. Relative density and Vickers hardness of composite containing 5% ZrO2 are 89%, 34 HV15 and 0.076 mg/(MPa.m), respectively. Maximum bending strength was reach on 7,5% ZrO adding on 37,66 MPa. Keyword : Aluminum Matrix Composite, zirconia, uniaxial compaction 2 2


The only child families are simple and vulnerable facing various risks and attract the attention of academia and governments.Using the data of the sixth national census in 2010,the paper establishes a life table of the only child family,to estimate the evolution of the families losing child,widowed families and single families.Among the only families,the proportion of losing child family is when the child gets to 60 years old,it can be as high as up to 3.1%,the single families of the losing child families can be as high as 2.6%.The empty-nest families among the losing child families can be as high as 1.1% when the only child gets to 50 years old.The proportion of single parent family among the only child families is going to as high as 50% when the only child gets to 55 years old.The different types of such only child families have different demanding of elderly supports,government should work up proper pension scheme accordingly to meet their needs of elderly supports.


WASHINGTON — A modified amino acid can quickly and dramatically improve cerebellar ataxia in some patients with Niemann-Pick disease type C, according to the results of a case series that were presented here at the 2015 AAN Annual Meeting in April. In an observational study of 12 patients, the researchers found that the amino acid, acetyl-DL-leucine, produced significant improvements in median scores on the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA; p<0.005), the Spinocerebellar Ataxia Functional Index (SCAFI; p<0.05), and the modified Disability Rating Scale (mDRS; p<0.005) — all of which measure functional disability associated with the condition. Scores on these scales rose to previous levels once the drug treatment ended after a month, said Michael Strupp, MD, a professor of neurology


In this paper we construct a non‐commutative geometry over a configuration space of gauge connections and show that it gives rise to a candidate for an interacting, non‐perturbative quantum gauge theory coupled to a fermionic field on a curved background. The non‐commutative geometry is given by an infinite‐dimensional Bott‐Dirac type operator, whose square gives the Hamilton operator, and which interacts with an algebra generated by holonomy‐diffeomorphisms. The Bott‐Dirac operator and the associated Hilbert space relies on a metric on the configuration space of connections, which effectively works as a covariant ultra‐violet regulator. We show that the construction coincides with perturbative quantum field theory in a local limit. Questions concerning Lorentz invariance and the fermionic sector as well as the issue of existence are left open.


This paper presents the results of a technological analysis of the lithic assemblage of Test Pit 4 at Fern Cave, southeast Cape York Peninsula. My specific aims are to investigate David's (1991) claim that deposition rates of stone artefacts at Fern Cave increased during the peak of the last glacial maximum (ca. 20,890-1 7,200 BP). Deposition rates of other cultural components (mussel shell, faunal remains, burnt earth, ochre) are argued by David (1991) to have also increased at this time, but will not be further investigated here. David (1991) attributes this period of peak deposition and sedimentation to more intensive use of the cave. Both Hiscock (1981) and Ross (1985) have questioned the use of stone artefact densities to infer intensities of site use, arguing that increased rates of deposition may be due to factors unrelated to occupational intensities, such as changes in manufacturing processes. Because of this, they argue that lithic analyses should attempt to determine the nature of lithic production systems. The present analysis was thus designed to test a number of issues that were associated with the increased production of flaked stone artefacts at Fern Cave (see Lamb 1993 for a more detailed assessment).


An RFID chip (CM) is flip-chip mounted and connected to a surface of a substrate (MT), such as for a 6- pad ISO smart card antenna module (AM). A winding core (WC) for an antenna (MA) stiffens, stabilizes and planarizes substrate (MT) to enhance reliability of the connections. The flip-chip antenna module (FCAM) interfaces with a contactless reader. Contact pads (CP) on the opposite side of the substrate (MT) provide a contact interface. Also disclosed is first forming an antenna (MA) on an antenna substrate (AS), then joining it to the module substrate (MT). Such an antenna may be an embedded wire, or an etched metal layer.


The amount of research that has been done on the effects of free trade is extensive to say the least. Even though free trade creates winners and losers, there has almost been a unanimity among economists that free trade leads to a large net gain for the society which is in the best interest of all countries in the world. This thesis investigates the effects of free trade agreements on exports by a case study on Namibia's exports to the EU market. We use the duty-free and quota-free access that Namibia obtained to the EU market in 2008 to study if the absence of trade barriers leads to increased trade. This is done by examining the quantity exported from Namibia to the EU during 1999-2015 with an OLS fixed-effects model and a Difference in Differences approach. The results obtained from our two different models indicates that the dutyand quota-free access led to increased exports. However, our empirical methods did not produce enough significant estimates to make a reliable or convincing assessment of the dutyfree and quota-free market access.


A lightweight back-packable field-tested filtration unit is described. The unit is easily cleaned without cross contamination at the part-per-billion level and allows rapid filtration of boiling hot and sometimes muddy water. The filtration results in samples that are free of bacteria and particulates and which resist algae growth even after storage for months. 3 figures. (DDA)


This document analyzes the Bidirectional Forwarding Detection protocol
(BFD) according to the guidelines set forth in section 4.2 of KARP
Design Guidelines [RFC6518].


Biotic interactions perform an important role in structuring freshwater communities; however, these are rarely considered during stream restoration. Degraded stream communities are often dominated by organisms with shell or case protections, such as snails, which are less vulnerable to predation than desired organisms, such as mayflies. Unprotected organisms may be preferentially eaten, limiting biotic restoration success after the physical restoration of degraded stream communities. We investigated whether restoration success depended on differences in vulnerability to predation by testing whether consumption‐based interaction strengths (IS) between vulnerable colonizing Deleatidium spp. mayflies and upland bullies (Gobiomorphus breviceps) changed with different densities of protected Potamopyrgus antipodarum snails and whether snails affected Deleatidium behavior. Deleatidium and fish IS were stronger with fewer Deleatidium present, a destabilizing effect on vulnerable prey populations, and less total prey biomass was consumed with higher densities of protected relative to vulnerable prey, potentially having long‐term negative effects on predators. Furthermore, mayflies appeared less on surfaces with high snail densities, potentially due to altered resource use. The combination of these biotic interactions could form a barrier to successful biotic restoration by preventing colonization of desired vulnerable prey, through priority effects within the established community. Therefore, considering biotic interactions in stream restoration is important to overcome biotic restoration barriers.


In this volume the contributions of the 2nd International EBSA (European Biophysical Societies Association) Symposium devoted to the biophysical and biochemical aspects of the structure and interaction of cytoskeletal and extracellular proteins are presented. Topics such as supramolecular structure and organization, thermodynamics and kinetics of assembly, as well as the basic mechanisms of protein-protein interactions are discussed, and special emphasis is given to applied biophysical techniques.


The present invention relates to a display and operating device having a housing in which an LCD display having predetermined dimensions in X and Y direction of an X, Y plane is arranged and which is closed with an upper frame, the LCD display comprises an active area, which is surrounded by an edge region of the LCD display, which in each case has at least in a direction X, Y of different dimensions, wherein the upper frame above the display parallel to the X, Y plane is arranged, and in X-direction and Y-direction each have an identical width and wherein the housing and the frame are formed such that the frame covers the entire edge region of the LCD display, and also covers the housing and in addition the active area of the display within the frame is recognizable. A display and operating device of the invention further comprises a touch screen of predetermined dimensions in X direction and Y direction, which is arranged above the LCD display and is also covered by the frame, wherein the touch screen comprises an active area, of a the edge region of the touch screen is surrounded, which in each case at least has different dimensions in a direction X, Y, where the touch screen is disposed in the housing above the LCD display in that the frame covers the entire edge area of the touchscreen, and also the active area of the touch screens can be operated within the frame.


A new QoS mechanism with effective multicast supporting in high performance routers—QoSRESM is presented and studied in this paper.Based on multi-threshold mechanism,it considers the congestion information of remote forward engines by introducing the mechanism of global control information feedback.It ends with a description of the implementation method of QoS_RESM in the core router on the basis of network processor.


In order to maintain comfortable life environment around railroad site, noise from train itself, and to train & rail interaction, and the vibration transmitted through the ground should be controlled to the extent of permissible level. In order to achieve this, the basic railroad noise & vibration data such as magnitude and frequency characteristics of them are necessary to establish the counterplan for railroad noise & vibration. In this study, we measured and analysed the characteristics of time variation, frequency, direction and distance attenuation of noise and vibration of the railroad between Seoul and Pusan.


In this paper, we study nilpotent matrices over bounded distributive lattice from the point of Graph. We will give some necessary and sufficient conditions for a nilpotent matrix over bounded distributive lattice A: h(A)=m,( h(A)=inf{m|A^m =O}), establish some important properties and give a method on how to determine a matrix is a non-nilpotent matrix.


The present invention is a color image including a color sensor for detecting a non-concentration sensor for detecting the light reflecting characteristics of a fixed toner image, the light reflecting characteristics of a fixed toner image formed on the transferring material formed on an image carrier or a transfer material carrier It relates to a forming apparatus. The inspection image is formed on the transfer material according to the detection result of the density sensor, a detection result of detecting an image for inspection by the color sensor is controlled according to a concentration control process of the image forming condition embodiment. A color matching table and the color separation table, the density correction table, the PWM table, and the color sensor


Abstract We investigate large sieve inequalities such as $$\frac{1}{m}\underset{j=1}{\overset{m}{\mathop{\sum }}}\,\,\psi \left( \log \,|P({{e}^{i\tau j}})| \right)\,\le \,\frac{C}{2\pi }\,\int_{0}^{2\pi }{\psi }\,\left( \log [e\,|P({{e}^{i\tau }})|] \right)\,d\tau ,$$ where $\psi$ is convex and increasing, $P$ is a polynomial or an exponential of a potential, and the constant $C$ depends on the degree of $P$ , and the distribution of the points $0\,\le \,{{\tau }_{1}}\,<\,{{\tau }_{2}}\,<\,\cdots \,<\,{{\tau }_{m}}\,\le \,2\pi$ . The method allows greater generality and is in some ways simpler than earlier ones. We apply our results to estimate the Mahler measure of Fekete polynomials.


This paper analyzes the performance of a robotic system with two machines in which machines are configured in a circular layout and produce non-identical parts repetitively. The non-destructive testing (NDT) is performed by a stationary robotic arm located in the center of the circle, or a cluster tool. The robotic arm integrates multiple tasks, mainly the NDT of the part and its transition between a pair of machines. The robotic arm cannot complete the transition if it identifies a fault in the part. The main feature of the NDT technology is that its required time is changed by altering the testing cost. This generates a trade-off between cost and cycle time. Initially, the problem of robotic arm scheduling and part sequencing is jointly solved to supports the decision making for reliability improvement of small-scale robotic systems with NDT technologies. We show how the case of non-identical parts can be converted into a travelling salesman problem (TSP). Then, we provide a generalization of the framework based on three characteristics: pickup criterion, layout and travel time metric. The results are extended for the interval and no-wait pickup criteria, and then some notes are provided for travel time saving of different layout and travel time metric. It is shown whether circular systems are equivalent to linear systems, or they dominate linear cases in general terms.


The Monte Carlo technique is applied to model the radiation transfer in a radiometric system, consisting of a cavity radiator, a stray radiation trap with two apertures, and a cavity radiometer. The algorithms for the statistical simulation of the non-isothermal black body, the cavity detector, and the radiation trap are described. The method is used for the numerical simulation of the radiative heat transfer in the radiometric system for the precise determination of the Stefan-Boltzmann constant.


The invention relates to a plug-in connector (1) having a receiving sleeve (2) which encloses an insulation for the contacts (4), and a plug-in portion (3) which can be assembled with said sleeve and which also encloses an insulation (5) for counter contacts (6), wherein said plug-in connector can be coupled and attached in the inserted position without requiring a threading having a counter threading or having a counter nut. For this purpose, the outer side of the plug-in portion (3) and the inner side of the receiving sleeve (2) each have a non-round cross section in some regions on a rotating sleeve (7) which is rotatable relative to the receiving sleeve (2). Said non-round cross sections of the plug regions that can be inserted into one another fit together in a form-fit manner in the peripheral direction, and thus enable assembly in the position of use thereof. In the position of use, said regions are axially offset with respect to each other, so that the non-round region of one portion engages axially behind the other portion, if the rotating sleeve is twisted into the locked position thereof.


This paper presents a study on the electromagnetic damper (EMD) with nonlinear damping force characteristics for automobiles and its road tests. The authors proposed EMD for automobiles for improved ride comfort and compatibility between stability and isolation. General dampers for automobiles have nonlinear damping force characteristics to satisfy this compatibility. The power electronic circuits for the EMD were developed to achieve any nonlinear damping force characteristics. These circuits have the following characteristics: (1) No external power source is required for circuits because the EMD regenerate power, and (2) High controllability and tuning of nonlinear damping characteristics were made. The experiments with shaker and road tests proved that the proposed EMD system achieves the nonlinear damping force characteristics for automobiles, and has suitable ability for automobiles dampers. For the covering abstract see ITRD E122482.


Sixty first and second graders with /s/ misarticulations were divided into two groups, each group receiving one of two ear training procedures: analytical or creative dramatics. Auditory discrimination and articulation performances were assessed before and after an 18 week therapy program using the Wepman Auditory Discrimination Test and a deep test of articulation. At posttherapy testing, both groups improved significantly in discrimination and articulation proficiency. Both ear training procedures were equally effective in reducing discrimination errors. Greater gains in articulation were found in the creative dramatics group. In both groups, discrimination and articulation abilities were highly related; however, improvement in auditory discrimination was unrelated to articulation improvement.


'Throughcare' is a coordinated and integrated approach to reducing re-offending by people who are the responsibility of the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Corrective Services. Central to the concept of throughcare is the assessment of offenders' risks and needs and the concomitant provision of appropriate programs that target needs and account for various levels of risk. Throughcare also involves the establishment of links between the NSW Department of Corrective Services and other government and non-government agencies that support the successful return of ex-offenders to the community. Education programs support throughcare by providing offenders with opportunities to develop the basic education and the employability and vocational skills needed to gain and maintain employment. The work experience and vocational training provided within Corrective Services Industries further enhance the likelihood that offenders will successfully reintegrate into the community post-release. The NSW Department of Corrective Services also implements a range of pre-release transitional support strategies. Education programs and education staff are integral components of many of these strategies. In addition, community-based programs, such as the NSW Corrective Services' Community Offenders Services and the TAFE NSW initiative the Pathways to Employment Education and Training Program, enhance throughcare by supporting offenders to re-engage with training and develop the skills to enter employment and/or vocational training.


As the new type of adenovirus has been found in recent years, adenovirus pneumonia becomes more and more popular among domestic and international investigators. The signs and symptoms of adenovirus pneumonia are similar to those of other viral respiratory diseases. Type B55 adenovirus pneumonia is characterized by acute fever, dry cough and obvious pharyngeal hyperemia. The definite diagnosis is mostly based on the evidences of pathogenic laboratory examination and virus isolation. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT- PCR) is a common method for detecting virus nucleotide. Until now, there are no specific therapies, therefore nutritional support, immune regulation and symptomatic treatment are major choices. Drugs, such as ribavirin, ganciclovir and cidofovir,have various effects against viral activity in vitro. The effect of cidofovir is better. The clinical therapeutic efficacy is still unsure, so further clinical studies are required.


From the correlative and principal-components analyses of the thirteen original variables, this paper concludes a comprehensive target to assess the department effects in the hospital nursing.


In this paper, a new method that called the Stepped Cut at Four Corners is introduced to design a multi-mode/broadband modified rectangular microstrip patch antennas (MRMPAs). In order to become acquainted with the new method, the design process of a monopole broadband MRMPA suitable for multifunctional wireless communication bands is explained. The methodology of the proposed broadband MRMPA design is presented in six stages. The first stage is designing a single-mode RMPA. Subsequently, by creating a step at the corners using the proposed method a dual-mode antenna is obtained at the second stage, while the triple-mode and multi-mode antennas are designed, at the third and fourth stages respectively. Two types of broadband antennas are obtained, the stepped line and straight line antennas. By increasing the number of steps, the antenna's operating bandwidth (BW), with return loss less than -lOdB, covers the frequency range from 900 MHz to 2.6 GHZ, which is suitable for GSM (900 MHz and 1.5 GHz), WiFi (2.4 GHz) and LTE (2.6 GHz) applications. In addition, the antenna prototype has been fabricated and measured in the all stages, in order to validate the simulation results, and there is a close agreement between the simulated and measured results


1. The correlation between climatic variables and past (up to 20 years) growth was studied in seven circumarctic populations of the moss Hylocomium splendens, using retrospective analyses of growth. We hypothesized that relationships between growth and climate would be simpler in an ectohydric moss than in higher plants and that the moss could provide high signal-to-noise ratios of responses to climatic variation.

2. Growth parameters of the moss were strongly correlated with early summer temperatures and with the length of the growing season. Annual segment mass, growth rates and degeneration rates were highest at the mildest subarctic sites and lowest at the high arctic site. In contrast, 'longevity' (age of the oldest segment) increased at the climatically harsher sites.

3. Between-year growth variations at two contrasting sites were significantly correlated with June and July temperatures and, to a lesser extent, with early-season precipitation at one of the sites.

4. The moss currently tolerates a wide range of climates and large interannual variations in temperature and is likely to be at risk from climatic change only at the southern edge of its range.

5. The climate-change component most likely to affect the growth of H. splendens in the Arctic and Subarctic will be a lengthening of the growing season and in increase in early summer temperatures provided that moisture is not limiting.

6.Hylocomium splendens is a suitable species for monitoring climatic change at a circumarctic scale.


The rate of post-exposure polymerization and the effects of initial polymerization on the final polymerization of visible light-activated composite resin were studied. The extent of polymerization, as indicated by hardness values, was influenced by the exposure time to the photo-activating radiation and by the post-exposure time. The timing of testing is critical when studying the properties of visible light-activated composite resins.


Conceptualization (AC) Thinking about, analyzing, or systematically planning, rather than using sensation as a guide Diagrams; maps Active Experimentation (AE) Ability to engage with objects or materials through testing or trial and error Material demonstration A second coder independently coded a sample of 42 interviews (two interviews from each community and four cross-cutting interviews) and inter-rater reliability scores, in the form of Cohen's Kappa coefficient, were calculated in order to ensure robust construct validity. Kappa values of 0.4 were used as a threshold for acceptable agreement (Landis and Koch 1977). In the case that any interview did not meet this threshold, both coders revisited coding until consensus could be reached. Using interview codes, in combination with documentation and observations, we developed a typology of construction training methods used across shelter projects.


The concentrating solar power services (CSPS) energy sector management assistance program (ESMAP) project tier two meteorological station CSPS.MT.14.216 has been installed and tested for its correct operation by CSPS scientific staff on October 22nd, 2014. The station has been installed and commissioned on the roof of the Center of Energy Research at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) campus in Kala Shah Kaku near Lahore, Pakistan. Station maintenance will be done by local staff of UET. The local personnel have been briefed on how the maintenance has to be done. The main task is to clean the irradiance sensors on a weekly basis. Data retrieval will be done by CSPS via general packet radio service (GPRS) data transmission on a daily schedule, starting with the first day after installation; data will be provided to Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB), World Bank (WB), and approved stakeholders on a daily basis by email in excel format as well as on a data publication platform provided by WB.


I Civilization has come to a parting of the way. We are passing, half unconsciously, some with ominous forebodings, others with hope, into a new world whose features no man can clearly trace. Humanity has been hurled into a roaring, seething caldron, where old forms-social, political, and religious-are being submerged, perhaps lost. Ancient bonds that have bound down one vast section of the human family, dwarfing their powers and impoverishing their lives, have been rent asunder, and church and state are now struggling wildly and passionately toward something different from the old and better. Over another kingdom whose history is black with crimes and whose rulers have blocked the course of human progress for many centuries we are hearing, through the gloom and above the clash of arms, the sound of the death knell. Across Central and Western Europe stretch two almost interminable battlefields whereon the youth of a dozen nations have laid down their lives not by the thousand merely but by the million-a sacrifice so appalling in its magnitude and so costly in its victims that nothing can ever atone for its occurrence in a moral universe save a new, vital, and enduring international brotherhood. And this sacrifice is still in the making. Wider and ever wider grow the fatal currents which are engulfing both the fruits of toil and the toilers themselves. The republics of the New World are appearing for the first time on Old World battlefields. The life of our nation is being suddenly militarized. Our thoughts, our prayers, our energies, have been diverted to new and strange channels. From every hamlet in the land some youth has gone to the war or is going presently. Universal military training, long regarded as unAmerican, is being advocated as a necessary part of our educational system. If it is adopted, the business of wardefensive war, at least-may remain prominent in our national life for years or generations. Nor can one safely forecast the significance of other nationwide changes incident to the war. How is it to affect woman ? Modern Amazons form "battalions of death" and other thousands form battalions of life, to care for the wounded, the sick, and the dying. A million women in England are doing man's work in the manufacture of the means of war, to say nothing of those who have entered other new fields of labor. Perhaps two million women in Europe have already been doomed by the war to live out their lives without children of their own. How may such dislocations in the social system affect the future of women ? And what of men's thoughts and purposes ? Are the multitudes to come out of the fires of the war with vision clarified and with ideals ennobled ? Are


The article provides an overview of sulfonylureas and meglitinides as second-line agents for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Implications for occupational health clinicians who work with these individuals when they take either of these medications to achieve target glycemic indices are emphasized.


Objective To explore the relationship between postgraduate students' personal striving and life satisfaction.Method An investigation was performed among 223 postgraduate students by questionnaires.Results 1.More male students had a clear personal striving compared to female students as well as students from one-child family compared to those from non one-child family.2.The level of life satisfaction was low both in male and female students,and female students had relatively higher levels on life satisfaction.3.There were significant correlations between life satisfaction,and personal striving clarity,probability of success,past achievements.Conclusion Probability of success and past achievements can influence students' life satisfaction.


In the present study we have targeted Matrix Metalloproteinase MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 overactivation in diabetic rats by combination of minocycline and aspirin to attenuate cardiovascular complication of diabetes. Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by streptozotocin (55 mg/kg i.p.). Three weeks after diabetes induction, rats were treated with minocycline (50 mg/kg, p.o.), aspirin (50 mg/kg, p.o.), or minocycline (50 mg/kg, p.o.) plus aspirin (50 mg/kg, p.o.) for a period of next three weeks. At the end of sixth week, ischemia/reperfusion injury was induced by ligating left anterior descending coronary artery for 30 min followed by 2hr reperfusion. Percentage infarct volume, arrhythmias, mortality, collagen level and MMP‐2 & MMP‐9 level were significantly increased in vehicle treated diabetic group when compared with normo‐glycemic rats. Treatment with combination of minocycline and aspirin decreased percentage infarct volume, arrhythmias, mortality & collagen level when compared with vehicle‐treated diabetic controls and showed reduced level of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9. Results of the present study suggest that minocycline potentiates cardioprotective effect of aspirin in diabetic rats by enhanced MMP‐2 & MMP‐9 inhibition.


A plasma sprayed graded layered ceramic/metallic (ZrO2/CoCrAlY) seal was evaluated for JT9D turbine application by rig and engine tests. Four cyclic thermal shock rig tests were conducted during the program. Three completed 1000 simulated engine thermal cycle tests and the fourth completed 500 cycles without severe cracking or spalling. Three ceramic seals were installed in a JT9D experimental engine to evaluate the effect of the engine thermal environment on the seals. All three seals completed the test successfully without severe cracking or spalling. The three seals did have slight laminar cracks at the 85/15-40/60 ZrO2/CoCrAlY interface. The second engine test evaluated the rub capabilities of the seal. Six ceramic seals were installed in the engine with fourteen abrasive tip blades. Three of the six seals rubbed to a depth of 24 mils. Eight of the fourteen abrasive tip blades showed evidence of wear. Three of the eight blades wore a maximum of five mils. Engine rub test results demonstrated the potential of reducing turbine clearances and thereby improving engine performance by use of sprayed ceramic seals.


A syringe assembly (20) comprising: a cylinder (21) including a cylindrical wall (22) having an inner surface (23) defining a chamber (25) for retaining fluid, an open proximal end (27) and a distal end (28) including a distal wall (29) with a tip (31) extending therefrom having a passageway (32) therethrough in fluid communication with said chamber (25); a plunger (37) including an elongated body portion (38) having a proximal end (39) and a distal end (40), a plug (41, 141, 241) slidably positioned in fluid-tight engagement with said surface internal (23) for conducting fluid out of said chamber (25) by movement of said stopper (41, 141, 241) relative to said cylinder (21), said elongate body portion extending (38) outwardly of said open proximal end (27) of said cylinder (21); a discontinuity on said plunger (37) for coupling said cylinder (21) to stop distal motion of said plunger before said stopper fully delivers all of the lipid from the chamber (25). characterized in that said cap (41, 141, 241) includes a proximal stopper portion (61, 161, 261) connected to said distal end (40) of said plunger (37) and a distal stopper portion (62, 162, 262 ) separated from said proximal stopper portion (61, 161, 261) by spring means for moving said distal stopper portion (62, 162, 262) in a distal direction to drive more liquid out of said chamber (25) after said discontinuity on said plunger (37) engages said cylinder (21) to stop distal motion of said plunger (37).


In most literature on human cultural evolution and the emergence of large-scale cooperation, the main function of cultural conventions is described as providing group-markers. This paper argues that cultural conventions serve another purpose as well that is at least as important. Large-scale cooperation is characterized by complex division of labour and by a diversity of social roles associated with cultural institutions. This requires ubiquitous 'role-interaction coordination' – as it will be labelled. It is argued that without cultural conventions this type of coordination would be cognitively intractable. Thus, apart from functioning as group markers, they are first and foremost important group-makers.


A procedure to evaluate exact union bound on the error decoding probability for a wide class of memoryless channel models is proposed. Namely, an exact expression for the pairwise error probability is used for the union bound instead of the conventional upper bound. To this end a new integral expression obtained using characteristic functions of the symbol log-likelihood ratios (LLR) is derived. The resulting integral expression for the union bound turns out to be very convenient for numerical calculation with excellent accuracy.


Ensuring reliable engine operation with minimal friction losses is one of the primary design tasks for a piston design. One of the effective ways to solve this problem is piston skirt profiling. Profiling is aimed at creating conditions for fluid friction in the "piston skirt-cylinder" interface with minimal mounting clearances. We present a mathematical model for studying the influence on the hydrodynamic characteristics of friction and the dynamics of the movement of the piston of the main parameters characterizing the design of the details of the crank mechanism. This model includes a coupled solution of interrelated problems: determining the characteristics of the transverse movement of the piston, the deformation of the piston skirt under thermal and mechanical loads, and the calculation of the hydrodynamic forces acting from the oil layer in the fit. The results are obtained for a two-piece piston with a diameter of 130 mm. We study the influence of the profile of the two-piece piston skirt on the hydrodynamic characteristics and the transverse movement of the piston is studied and present the results for the considered design. Lastly, we give recommendations for profiling.


Perovskite-based solar cells are a promising photovoltaic technology capable of offering higher conversion efficiency at low costs compared with the standard of the market. They can be produced via a thin film technology that allows for considerable environmental sustainability, thus representing an efficient, sustainable, flexible, and light solution. Tandem solar cells represent the next step in the evolution of photovoltaics (PV). They promise higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) than those currently dominating the market. The tandem solar cell design overcomes the limitations of single junction solar cells by reducing the thermal losses as well as the manufacturing costs. Perovskite has been employed as a partner in different kinds of tandem solar cells, such as the Si and CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) based cells that, in their tandem configuration with perovskite, can convert light more efficiently than standalone sub-cells. This brief review presents the main engineering and scientific challenges in the field. The state-of-the-art three main perovskite tandem technologies, namely perovskite/silicon, perovskite/CIGS, and perovskite/perovskite tandem solar cells, will be discussed, providing a side-by-side comparison of theoretical and experimental efficiencies of multijunction solar cells.


The phenomenon of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) makes people very worried. Pros and cons of the LGBT happen in the mass media; print media and electronic media. In medical science, there are four major categories of mental disorder diagnosis, namely: gender identity disorder, sexual deviation, psychosexual dysfunction, and other psychosexual disorders such as homosexuals. The LGBT issue should get a good handle on all aspect, especially the family. Parenting and monitoring the development of children from infancy to adolescence need to be improved so that children develop well.


Limited geometric sensitivity and activity outside the field-of-veiw (FOV) may reduce lesion detection accuracy by reducing noise performance in breast PET (BPET) systems. In this work, the effect of scanner geometry and coincidence window (0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4.5 ns) on noise performance characteristics has been evaluated for breast phantom models using GATE Monte Carlo simulation techniques. Cylindrical BPET systems with 25 cm transaxial FOV and 20, 15 and 11 cm axial FOV have been modeled to evaluate their noise characteristics. The detector was modeled with LYSO crystal of 2×2 mm2 tangential dimension and 2 cm depth for improved sensitivity. The sensitivity in detecting point sources at different axial extent were evaluated. A breast volume of 14 cm diameter and 11 cm axial length was modeled analytically using a cylindrical-spherical geometry for noise performance evaluation. Contribution of counts from non-breast anatomy such as heart and torso has been incorporated. The effect of detection timing resolution for singles (176, 354, 760, 1061 and 1591 ps) and activity concentration (0.01–0.05, 0.1–1.0 uCi/cc) on noise performance has been evaluated. Increasing the axial extent of the detector produced improved detection sensitivity for lesions away from chest wall. Reducing the coincidence window (CW) improved the NECR by reducing the randoms rate (randoms rate decreased by 77% at 1 ns CW compared to 4.5 ns CW). The primary contribution to the scatter rate was observed to originate from activity inside the FOV, while the primary contribution to the randoms rate originated from activity located outside the FOV.


In the article, the authors reveal the role of internal control in improving the efficiency of enterprises, and also substantiates the need to create a national regulatory framework for internal control in accordance with international professional standards. It is emphasized that their implementation will create conditions for improving the activities of internal control and countering risks, developing popular recommendations for the modernization of enterprises' activities, which will ultimately lead to the development of the country's economy. This article discusses the role of internal control in improving the efficiency of an enterprise, also gives a definition of internal control, and sets its objectives. In addition, the article explains the need to implement national professional standards of internal control. An important condition for the effectiveness of the internal control system is the competence and professionalism of its employees, when no employee can commit a significant mistake or unauthorized action without timely detection, which requires further training and skills, employees.


Objective: Our aim was to determine whether the level of plasma total ghrelin varies with the menopause stage (pre-, peri-, and postmenopause). Participants and interventions: women were divided in three groups: premenopausal, perimenopausal and postmenopausal. All participants had bone mineral densitometry and blood assay of plasma ghrelin, estradiol E2. Correlation between plasma ghrelin levels, their reproductive status and BMD was done. Results: The mean plasma level of ghrelin was significantly decreased in the perimenopausal and postmenopausal groups in comparison to the premenopausal group. A significant positive correlation was found between ghrelin and each of E2 and BMD (at one or more of the three sites assessed) in all subjects, as well as, in peri- and postmenopausal women, whereas a significant negative correlation was found between ghrelin and FSH. Conclusion: It may be assumed that ghrelin can affect BMD. Whether ghrelin and estrogen work independent or through convergent mechanisms needs further studies.


Flexible loads, i.e. the loads whose power trajectory is not bound to a specific one, constitute a sizable portion of current and future electric demand. This flexibility can be used to improve the performance of the grid, should the right incentives be in place. In this paper, we consider the optimal decision making problem faced by a flexible load, demanding a certain amount of energy over its availability period, subject to rate constraints. The load is also capable of providing ancillary services (AS) by decreasing or increasing its consumption in response to signals from the independent system operator (ISO). Under arbitrarily distributed and correlated Markovian energy and AS prices, we obtain the optimal policy for minimising expected total cost, which includes cost of energy and benefits from AS provision, assuming no capacity reservation requirement for AS provision. We also prove that the optimal policy has a multi-threshold form and can be computed, stored and operated efficiently. We further study the effectiveness of our proposed optimal policy and its impact on the grid. We show that, while optimal simultaneous consumption and AS provision under real-time stochastic prices are achievable with acceptable computational burden, the impact of adopting such real-time pricing schemes on the network might not be as good as suggested by the majority of the existing literature. In fact, we show that such price responsive loads are likely to induce peak-to-average ratios much more than what is observed in the current distribution networks and adversely affect the grid.


Norway spruce used for afforestation of drained peat soils frequently has low productivity and decay in a long-term, which could be related to soil chemical composition and nutrient status. The research aim was to elucidate the effect of PSM on new Norway spruce plantings (1st experiment) and 20-year-old spruce stands (2nd experiment) on drained peat soils by evaluating: (1) nutrient accumulation in soil-plant system, (2) soil microbiological activity, (3) health status of spruce individuals, (4) growth intensity and productivity of spruce, (5) changes in composition of vascular plant and moss species. The study was conducted at two forest (Myrtillosa turf.mel.) sites in Latvia, each consisting of two plots: control and treated with PMS (100 g m-2 in September 2007, 50 g m-2 in April 2008). During 2008 2016, regular analysis of soil, spruce needles, soil microbiology, assessment of tree crown vitality, stand productivity, inventory of vascular plant and moss species were done. The results showed that the fertilization with PMS resulted in a significantly improved K, Ca, Zn, and N status of trees, crown vitality and up to three times increased tree growth parameters at both experiments during the study period. The average count of bacteria and fungi in soil of fertilized plots, accompanied by a remarkable variability in the study years, was significantly higher only for the 1st experiment. Fungi: bacteria ratio for the fertilized and control plots differed significantly only for the 1st experiment. Significant increase of cover with nitrophilic plant (Urtica dioica, Antriscus sylvestris, Rubus idaeus) and moss (Plagiomnium cuspidatum, P. ellipticum) species at both fertilized sites were stated.


ABSTRACT The wavelet transform is a well-known tool for the multiscale processing of geophysical data. Previous work has shown how it also could be used as a semi-automatic interpretation method for potential field data. This article demonstrates how to reduce the noise-sensitivity of the method when used in this manner, by using wavelets based on analytic signal amplitudes of different orders, and by using Hilbert transforms rather than horizontal derivatives. Although both the first horizontal derivative and the Hilbert transform of a data set change its phase by 90°, because Hilbert transforms do not boost the high-frequency component of a data set the method is less sensitive to noise. The method is applied to aeromagnetic data from the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa, with geologically reasonable results.


A co-rotational total Lagrangian formulation for the non-linear analysis of reinforced concrete beams under severe thermo mechanical loads is presented. The advantage of the proposed procedure is its ability to consider realistic constitutive relations for concrete and steel including wide range phenomena such as transitional thermal creep, plasticity, cracking, and degradation of material properties within the framework of large displacements and small strains theory. Results have indicated that the model predictions compare well with experimental data obtained on beams tested in severe fire environments.


In his paper, "Spanish American and Brazilian Literature in Inter-American Perspective: The Comparative Approach," Earl E. Fitz argues that although Latin American literature has gained international acceptance and acclaim steadily since the 1960s, it is still underrepresented in the primary research journals of comparative literature. This situation is both troubling and puzzling: troubling because Latin American literature has much to contribute to discussions of world literature and puzzling because only the most narrow and nationalistic of reactionaries would deny that Latin American literature has produced some of our most beautiful and powerful works of literary art. By any criteria, Latin American literature is one of the world's most important area literatures, one that deserves a more central place in the scholarly deliberation of the discipline's leading journals. Fitz offers three suggestions for the future of comparative studies of Latin America. First, Latin Americanists should attempt to include the exceedingly rich cultural production of Brazil in critical studies, thereby comparing texts written in more than one language. Second, Latin Americanists should learn to think more in terms of "inter-American" literature, the study (inherently comparative in nature) of the literatures and cultures of North, Central, and South America. Third, Latin Americanists should provide studies of Spanish American literature and culture that stress the crucial differences that exist between the various cultures of Spanish America. Earl E. Fitz, "Spanish American and Brazilian Literature in Inter-American Perspective: The Comparative Approach" page 2 of 14 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 4.2 (2002): <http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/clcweb/vol4/iss2/6>


Anthocyanin biosynthesis determines the leaf color of Acer palmatum as a widely-planted landscape tree. Previously, ApMYB1 has been characterized as a positive regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis. To further elucidate the mechanism of leaf coloration, the present study identified a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor (ApbHLH1) through the phylogenetic analysis of 156 putative bHLH proteins in Acer palmatum and eight reference bHLHs which were known to be involved in the anthocyanin biosynthesis of selected plants. Protein structure comparison showed that ApbHLH1 has a conserved bHLH domain, and its N-terminal contains an MYB-interacting region. The expression of ApbHLH1 in leaves was found to not be correlated with anthocyanin contents either in green, semi-red leaves or during leaf autumnal senescence when anthocyanin content increased. ApbHLH1 expression in detached leaves was induced by exogenous senescence-promoting chemicals, including H2O2, SA, MeJA, ACC and ABA, with certain durations. In particular, either high light or low temperature induced ApbHLH1 expression significantly, and combination of high light and low temperatures seemed more effective in inducing ApbHLH1 expression. Luciferase complementation imaging assays confirmed the physical interaction between ApbHLH1 and ApMYB1, which could be abolished by either the truncating MYB-interacting region of ApbHLH1 or the deleting bHLH interacting domain of ApMYB1. The transient expression of ApbHLH1 could not induce anthocyanin production, while the co-expression of ApbHLH1 and ApMYB1 resulted in a higher accumulation of anthocyanins compared to the expression of ApMYB1 alone in tobacco leaves. Collectively, our results revealed that ApbHLH1 participated in leaf coloration through binding with ApMYB1 and enhancing the ApMYB1 function of promoting anthocyanin biosynthesis during leaf autumnal reddening in Acer palmatum. ApbHLH1 could have the potential for breeding color-leafed plants through co-transformation with ApMYB1.


The present study was aimed in assessing the heavy metal pollution of the soils around Kajaran Town, Armenia and related environmental risks. The investigations showed that the soils around the mining complex near Kajaran Town were highly polluted with heavy metals (Mo, Cu, Pb, As, Zn, Ni) and this was conditioned by Zangezur copper and molybdenum combine activity. Such heavy metal pollution degree in the soils may pose risks to agricultural production and the health of population especially children in this territory.


A theoretical model is suggested which describes the transformations of grain-boundary dislocation walls and their influence on diffusion processes in nanocrystalline materials fabricated under highly non-equilibrium conditions. It is shown that the decay of boundary dislocation walls of finite extent, occurring via the climb of boundary dislocations and the corresponding emission of vacancies, is capable of highly enhancing the grain-boundary diffusion in nanocrystalline materials. The enhanced diffusion, in turn, strongly affects the deformation behaviour of nanocrystalline materials. In the case of nanocrystalline films deposited on to substrates, the effects of misfit stresses on the transformations of boundary dislocation walls and the diffusion are analysed. It is demonstrated that the mean diffusion coefficient in a nanocrystalline film may increase by approximately several orders of magnitude owing to misfit stresses.


Drawing upon his 50 years of experience dealing with the correlation of early Christianity and classical culture to demonstrate that Christian "heretics" were the first to apply literary criticism to Christian books, Grant shows that the heretics' methods were the same as those of pagan contemporaries and that literary criticism derived from the Hellenistic schools.


The emerging concept in culture tourism is creative tourism, which allows visitors to grasp themselves in local traditions and culture. It is a way that can be utilized for the growth and development of communities. Creative Tourism can be seen as means of promoting prosperity and well-being in different countries. Although, (UNESCO, 2017) assessed the alteration of cultural tourism into creative tourism as it addresses more to the Sustainable Development Goals. The Structured Questionnaire was formed and a survey was conducted and 50 samples from each village were collected from for analysis and interpretation. To exert the influence, this research paper has been designed to pertain the scope of creative tourism resources and to understand community willingness, awareness, and perception of the development and growth of tourism in the prospect of creative tourism destination. It has been unearthed that three villages (Puja, Garode, and Kashpo) in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur region require consciousness for creative tourism implementation. The residents with high education qualifications have shown a positive approach. The state of Himachal Pradesh is well notable of its community hidden treasure and represents it as a creative place making although it doesn't have any region that represents itself as a creative tourism destination.


The research conducted to produce a physics-based learning module vocational industry the 4.0 era to improve vocational students learning skills — research techniques implemented by the research development research method and. The results of the study include the development of physics modules based on industry era learning skills 4.0. The feasibility standard for the results of physics learning modules based on industrial vocations in the 4.0 era can be seen from the validators assessment and student response to improving student learning skills. Improvement of students learning skills can be seen based on a questionnaire and observation of learning activities students in physics. Research on the development of physics learning modules based on industrial vocational era 4.0 can be used to improve student learning skills in physics material in Vocational High Schools (SMK). The application modules based on the industrial vocational industry 4.0 era is a media solution and a reference for physics teachers in vocational high schools. The results of the study show that industrial vocational-based physics learning modules in the 4.0 era can improve responses and improve student concentration in learning physics material in vocational high schools.


ON THE LIFE OF THE LARGE INGOT MOULDS MADE OF DUCTILE CAST IRON (Some Considerations on the Comparison Test) Tetsuo Kitashima and Tadanobu Kono Synopsis: The experimental and practical results of the small ingot mould made of ductile cast iron were reported by many authors. However in the case of the large ingot mould, it seems to be not yet reported in detail. Therefore, the authors made the experiment on the large ingot mould, i.e., C-61 type (weight: 5,230kg, wall thickness 130mm) and C-56 type (weight: 4,900kg, wall thickness 125 mm) which are used at Yawata Iron & Steel Works, for the purpose of comparing ductile


The first mention of death in hypothermic coma due to myxoedema appeared in 1879 in St. Thomas's Hospital Reports. The patient was under the care of Dr. William Ord, who in 1877 had coined the term " myxoedema." In 1888 the Report on Myxoedema of the Clinical Society of London drew attention to the subnormal tempcratures found in myxoedematous subjects and the importance of the environmental warmth for their welfare. G. R. Murray (1899), describing in the Goulstonian Lectures the treatment of myxoedema by extract of dried thyroid, stated: " One of the earliest signs of improvement is in the return of the temperature to the normal level." This rise in temperature could first be observed during the second week of treatment. Since then relatively little attention has been paid to the severe hypothermia in myxoedematous subjects until the papers of Le Marquand et al. (1953) and Summers (1953) appeared describing hypothyroid patients who had low temperatures before death. The fact that Summers could quote five instances in the space of two years suggests that the condition is not too uncommon. This communication reports three further cases of hypothermic coma in myxoedema.


This is an approach to the political situation during the elections carried out in 1939 under Oscar R. Benavides dictatorial conditions. The dictator tried to find out an official exit to the crisis of his military regime. At the end, he got the continuity of such officialist exit by using in a fraudulent way to the business man Manuel Prado.


Cardiorespiratory and analgesic effects of intravenous analgesia with pentobarbital, meperidine, and scopolamine were investigated in healthy volunteers not undergoing operation. Relief of anxiety and tension attendant on the dental experience were achieved with minimal physiologic upset. The lack of analgesia to tooth stimulation indicated the need for local anesthesia in conjunction with this technique.


In this paper, we design a farm machine integrating the functions of chopping field straw, pressing field straw into soil, breaking stubble, and cleaning up plastic film, in order to improve the efficiency of plastic film cleaning, enrich the function of straw chopping equipment, reduce the noise generated at work, and further realize the intelligent harmony. The remote control button is used to control the work of the entire system, and the bluetooth remote control module and matrix keyboard are used to control the vehicle. With STM32 microcontroller as the main control chip, the machine controls the motion of the electric motor by relay, and employs LCD screen to realize real-time display of system work. It is convenient and easy to operate, with good human-computer interaction.


Background Cytokine storm syndrome (CSS) is a life-threatening condition, observed in several rheumatic diseases, and a well-known complication of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) (1). Defects in T cell cytotoxicity leading to their excessive activation are major contributors to CSS development. However, dysregulated innate immune responses are also observed (2). The role of monocytes and macrophages as drivers of CSS, regardless of T cells, and the signaling pathways regulating monocyte/macrophage responses, have not been formally investigated. Objectives The goal of this study was to determine the contribution of monocytes/macrophages to the development of CSS and analyze the signaling pathways that lead to aberrant monocyte/macrophage pro-inflammatory responses using animal models of the disease and patient samples. Methods To study the involvement of monocytes/macrophages in a T cell-dependent model of CSS we treated LCMV-infected Perforin-/- mice with clodronate-liposomes or neutralizing anti-CSF1Ab prior to disease initiation. Similar depletion experiments were performed in a T-cell independent CSS model consisting of five injections of the TLR9 agonist CpG-1826 into WT mice. Myeloid cell contribution to CSS was assessed in mice with LysMCre-driven deletion of Plcγ2 or global deletion of Tmem178, a downstream Plcγ2 target gene specifically expressed in macrophages. Presence of immune infiltrates in liver and spleen was evaluated by FACS analysis and immunohistochemistry, circulating inflammatory cytokine levels were detected by ELISA, multi-organ damage was evaluated by histology. Results Depletion of monocytes/macrophages during early stages of CSS reduces mortality and inflammatory cytokine levels in both T-cell dependent and independent CSS models. Activation of Plcγ2 in myeloid cells controls CSS development by driving macrophage pro-inflammatory responses. Intriguingly, the Plcγ2 downstream effector Tmem178 acts in a negative feedback loop to restrain inflammatory cytokine production and protect from CSS development. Highlighting the clinical relevance, Tmem178 levels are reduced in macrophages from mice with CSS or exposed to sJIA patient plasma with active disease. Conclusion Macrophages are key drivers of CSS initiation. We identified a novel Plcγ2/Tmem178 axis as a modulator of inflammatory cytokine production by monocytes/macrophages in CSS. Reduced Tmem178 levels are observed in sJIA and might be responsible for the increased macrophage pro-inflammatory responses. References [1] Canna SW, Behrens EM. Making sense of the cytokine storm: a conceptual framework for understanding, diagnosing, and treating hemophagocytic syndromes. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2012;59:329-44. [2] Grom AA, Horne A, De Benedetti F. Macrophage activation syndrome in the era of biologic therapy. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2016;12:259-68. Acknowledgement This work was supported by R01 AR053628 and R01 AR066551 from National Institute of Health (NIH) to Roberta Faccio and Shriners Hospital 85100 to Roberta Faccio. Disclosure of Interests Sahil Mahajan: None declared, Zhengfeng Yang: None declared, Elisabeth Mellins Grant/research support from: Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline., roberta faccio: None declared


The MHC-restricted TCR consists of a 90-kD heterodimeric glycoprotein composed of an a and a (3 chain that are encoded by somatically rearranging gene segments (for review, see references 1-3). Receptor diversity and antigen/MHC specificity are generated by rearrangement ofthe known variable elements (variable [V], diversity [D], and joining [,J] segments), as well as by the addition of N-region nucleotides. While the a/(3 receptor confers both antigen recognition and MHC restriction (4, 5), no general rules for the relative contribution ofspecific variable elements to antigen or MHC specificity have emerged. Early work demonstrated that the same Va andV(3 gene segments can encode a receptor with specificity for antigen plus a class II MHC gene product or with specificity for a class I alloantigen (6) . The same V/3 domain has been shown to participate in a TCR specific for cytochrome c/1-Ek as well as in a TCR reactive to hen eggwhite lysozyme/I-Ab (7). On the other hand, surveys of sperm whale myoglobin-reactive T cells (8) and ofcytochrome c-reactive T cells (9, 10) have been consistent with the idea that the Va gene segment encodes a TCR's antigen specificity while the Vo domain confers its MHC specificity. However, studies of additional cytochrome c-specific T cells have shown that in some cases, the a chain influences the MHC specificity of a particular TCR (11) . Thus, no simple correlation has emerged. Even though it has been difficult to establish a precise relationship between a V domain and a pattern of MHC restriction, TCR V region domains have been shown to confer an affinity for MHC-encoded gene products . Blackman et al . (12) found that the random pairing of a BW5147-derived a chain and a a chain derived from a normal T cell generates an MHC-reactive (anti-Dd) TCR. Kappler et al . (13) have shown that the participation ofthe V017a domain in aTCR predisposes to I-E reactivity and that T cells bearing V017a+ TCRs are eliminated in I-E+ strains of mice (14) . Two other V(O elements (Va8.1 and V06) have been shown to confer broad specificity to the Mls-la gene product (15-17). We report here the production of an


Since the 1980s public investment expenditures have been cut back in many OECD democracies. One explanation is a priority for fiscal stringency in order to curb big government in the context of neo-liberal ideas, which is reinforced by EMU requirements in the 1990s. Another is the potential impact of left and right partisan politics on investment policies. The main finding here is that the overall decrease in public investment expenditure appears to be caused by collateral damage due to the downsizing of total government outlays. This is particularly the case where there is a policy legacy of the Left with high levels of total public spending on the welfare state prior to the 1980s. Where the Right in government has been dominant after 1980, this downward development in public investment is particularly noticeable. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010.


When most people think of immersion programs, language immersion programs and summer- long trips to Europe or South America come to mind. However, when the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) does immersion, it speaks the language of information literacy and helps academic librarians become fluent. Now in its 13th year, the ACRL Immersion Program represents a respected learning opportunity for instruction librarians.


A health-care instant dish 'full-nutrients young dove' is prepared from young doves with (25-30)-day age, Chinese angelica root, wolfberry fruit, ginseng, orange peel, cinnamon bark, dried ginger, anise, cloves, etc through frying the pre-treated doves in hot oil, adding them in the liquid prepared from other raw materials, stewing and packing.


Research low energy operation of sewage pumping station.Wastewater discharge process is complex and has many changes.This paper put forward a pump station energy saving control algorithm based on extended time automaton.According to the changes in collector well water level,the working state of the pumping station was controlled.The semantic of traditional time automaton was expanded to ETA time automation.The experiment results show that the improved algorithm can reduce energy consumption.


A problem in radiotherapy planning is solved by applying the following search algorithms: artificial genetic search, with fixed crossover probability, with variable crossover probability, and with cut-point distribution; simulated annealing, serial and parallel; stochastic hill-climbing; next-ascent hill-climbing; and steepest-ascent hill-climbing. Given a number of points at each of which a predetermined dose of radiation is required, the problem is to optimize the settings of the radiation sources present in each of three directions (X, Y, and Z) in a three-dimensional selection device such that the sum-squared dose variation is minimized.<<ETX>>


Although persons of Spanish-American and Mexican-American descent constitute a significant ethnic group in Southwestern United States, some of their demographic characteristics, such as patterns of mortality, are little known. Prior to 1950, basic population data upon which to base death rates were lacking or unreliable. Moreover, classification at death did not permit separation of Latin Americans from other whites. Students of public health have noted special health problems among Latin Americans and have investigated some of them.1 The mortality differences which may result from these problems have not been intensively investigated.


In this essay I claim that Alice in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a character who reflects the early feminist movement in the 19th century. By reading Alice in terms of a resemblance to the e ...


SOME EFFECTS OF SPANWISE AILERON LOCATION AND WLG STRUCTURAL RIGIDITY ON THE ROLLING EFFECTIVENESSOF 0.3-CHORD FLAP-TYPE AILERONS ON A TAPERED WINGHAVING 63° SWEEPBACK AT THE LEADING EDGE ANDNACA 64A005 AIRFOIL SECTIONSBy H. Kurt Strass, E. M. Fields, and Eugene D. SchuJ.t Langley Aeronautical LaboratoryLangley Field, Va.


Background Intensive early neurorehabilitation is required after severe Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), usually necessitating in-patient care. Adult in-patient Specialist Neurorehabilitation services have been commissioned by NHS England since 2013, but there is no consistent provision and standard for specialist neurorehabilitation services for children. Aims To survey arrangements for ABI children requiring in-patient neurorehabilitation across England. Methods A questionnaire was sent to Lead Clinicians at all paediatric Regional Neuroscience Centres (RNSC) and two stand-alone specialist neurorehabilitation units in England. Centres were asked about neurorehabilitation clinical practice and demographic details of in-patients treated 2012–2015. Results 17 centres responded, 15 RNSC, 2 stand-alone units. Only 29% had neurorehabilitation funding arrangements separate to acute neurology/neurosurgery tariffs. Only 10% had ring-fenced neurorehabilitation beds. Total patients receiving in-patient neurorehabilitation were estimated at 1589 over 3 years (mean/year=530). Numbers increased over time (464 (2012/13); 530 (2013/14); 595 (2014/15)). Estimated mean number of patients treated per centre/year=40 (range 2–98). 18% of centres accepted external neurorehabilitation referrals, 82% did not. 47% had a process for care transfer from ?A3B2 re 3,j?>acute services to neurorehabilitation, 53% did not. Proportion of total neurorehabilitation in-patients classed as severe ranged from 25%–90%. 6% of centres reported having >7 neurorehabilitation in-patients at any time; 41% 2–7; 41%<2. Length of neurorehabilitation stay ranged from 7–375 days. Percentage of cases with distance from centre to home >45 min by road ranged from 3%–100%. Many centres reported staffing deficiencies; 40% had protected time for multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings for all members, 20% for some, 40% for none. 86% of MDTs included non-NHS funded members. Most patients were discharged from RNSCs to home, but some were discharged as in-patients to district hospitals or specialist neurorehabilitation unit. Conclusions Considerable neurorehabilitation in-patient activity is taking place in RNSCs, despite general absence of secure funding or dedicated beds. Inter-centre variations in funding, clinical practice and discharge destinations indicate absence of clear and consistent pathways for children with ABI and other conditions requiring neurorehabilitation. Care is inequitable across England and compared to adults. Neurorehabilitation is an integral part of the neuroscience clinical pathway and should be commissioned as a specialist service.


Sixty four cross combinations were produced by a complete diallel-mating system with eight varieties (Laokra5.5, DPL-7340-424, Fregobract, Glandless 4195-220, SA100, Stoneville-857, S-14 and B-557). The results showed that non-additive over dominance type of gene action governed the inheritance of number of bolls per plant (Wr + Vr) 30.31 ns and boll weight (Wr + Vr) 0.063 ns in F 1 generation. Additive with partial dominance was operative in the inheritance of seed index (Wr + Vr) 1.30** in F 1 generation. Estimates of narrow sense heritability for boll number (0.373 F 1 and 0.751 F 2 ), boll weight (0.238 F 1 , 0.230 F 2 ) & seed index (0.695 F 1 , 1.042 F 2 ) along with expected genetic gain because of selection, a potentially useful advance in these characters seems possible to achieve by selecting individual plants showing better qualities. Biparental mating in early generation among the selected lines, or diallel selective mating can be adopted in breeding programs for the improvement of the characters studied.


Summary Rats fed a diet containing either a saturated or an unsaturated fat were depleted of α-tocopherol (whole body) at comparable rates. Upon depletion to an average tissue α-tocopherol level of 2.4 μg/g wet weight of tissue, the group fed the unsaturated fat showed a significant creatinuria. Depletion of the saturated fat-fed group to an average tissue α-tocopherol level of 0.4 μg/g did not produce creatinuria.


Kevlar fiber reinforced polymer composites are rapidly growing in manufacturing applications such bicycle tires and racing sails to body armor, bullet proof vests, military helmets, walking boots etc. Kevlar epoxy composite material using the Kevlar fiber and epoxy resin LY-556 was fabricated with manual hand layup procedure. The mechanical characteristics like tensile, impact strength and flexural rigidity were evaluated. With the results obtained it is found that kevlar epoxy composite provides better mechanical characteristics than aluminum. In this work, the possibility of replacing aluminum with Kevlar reinforced epoxy composite material is investigated for various applications viz. manufacturing of bus body frame, bullet proof vests, automobile body, sports applications, fire proof clothing, military helmets etc. Also, the FE analysis is carried out with MIDAS NFX software to correlate the test results with FEA.


Treatment of the Proteaceae for Flora Neotropica, currently in progress, has revealed several new species in the three large endemic South American genera Euplassa, Panopsis and Roupala. Revision of Panopsis (Edwards & Prance in prep.) and of Roupala (Edwards & Prance in prep.) has led to the discovery of five new species in each genus. The new species of Panopsis were described by Edwards & Prance (1993). The genus Euplassa was last revised by Sleumer (1954) who recognized twenty species and two varieties. The current revision of the genus (Plana & Prance in prep.) will recognize most of these species, but has resurrected a subspecies placed in synonymy by Sleumer and identified a new species described here. Both these taxa are from the central mountain systems of Minas Gerais, which are part of the main centre of species diversity of the genus Euplassa. In 1954 Sleumer described a new variety of the species Euplassa legalis (Vell.) I. M. Johnst. and gave it the varietal epithet villanovae. This variety differed from other specimens of E. legalis in possessing a more or less densely ferruginous-pubescent ovary in contrast to the glabrous ovary of E. legalis var. legalis. In his notes Sleumer wrote "an species propria" (p. 190) of this new variety, expressing his uncertainty as to the appropriate ranking of this new taxon. Although Sleumer's brief description of the new variety adequately fitted most of the cited specimens (which possess a pubescent ovary), he designated the one specimen lacking the diagnostic pubescent ovary as the type specimen. Not only does this type specimen (Glaziou 3734, isotype K!) have an entirely glabrous ovary (see Fig. iF), but the midrib clearly reaches the apex of the leaflets (Fig. 1G), which is not the case in the other cited specimens. Ovary pubescence, fusion of the nectaries and whether the midrib reaches the leaflet apex are important characters for species delimitation in Euplassa. In highly geographically restricted species of this genus such as E. semicostata, strong deviations from the diagnostic combination of states of these characters can rarely be attributed to simple intraspecific variation, although this is commonly the case in more widespread species. Therefore, the original specimens cited in Sleumer's description need to be reassigned as follows: 1) The variety E. legalis var. villanovae is


Ancient practices, Eastern medicine, and nonconven- tional treatments, including music as therapy and as medicine, are being reexamined for the wisdom that they can contribute to modern methods of enhancing health. By introducing the Western approaches of alternative, complementary, and mind-body medicine, the Eastern approaches of traditional Chinese medi- cine and Ayurvedic medicine, and worldwide practices in shamanism, this article offers a model for the integration of music therapy into integrative medicine. The philosophies underlying these approaches have intrigued the Western medical community, who are now using traditional medical research methodology to understand the effects of these treatments. Simi- larly, the effect of music has been studied by nurses, physicians, and other medical professionals as well as music therapists. Their combined efforts have provided convincing evidence that music therapy should be included as a modern, integrative medical treatment.


Dynamical properties of a logistic equation with delay and delay control are studied by asymptotic methods. It is shown that effective control of characteristics of relaxation cycle is possible. A new method for studying the dynamics in the case of suffitiently large delay control coeffitient is worked out. It is found that the original problem of the dynamics of equations with delays is reduced to the problem of non-local dynamics of special nonlinear boundary value problems of parabolic type.


Reliable knowledge of in vivo joint kinematics is fundamental in clinical medicine. Fluoroscopic motion tracking theoretically permits a millimeter/degree level of accuracy in 3-D joint motion analysis, but the reliability of the local optimization algorithm [Levenberg-Marquardt (LMA)], typically used for the pose estimation, is highly operator dependent. A new memetic algorithm (MA), hybridizing global evolution and a local search metaphor for learning, is proposed to automate the analysis and improve its reliability and robustness. The performance of MA was assessed for in silico and in vivo elbow kinematics, with and without user supervision. The best learning strategy between Lamarckian and Baldwinian evolution was identified. MA's accuracy and repeatability was quantified and compared with LMA's. The algorithm performed best using a partial Lamarckian learning strategy. The geometric symmetry of analyzed bony segments influenced the accuracy, whereas the absolute bone pose with respect to the projection geometry affected the repeatability. In contrast to LMA, MA provided robust, repeatable, and operator independent pose estimations, even for in vivo analyses. The pose can be automatically estimated with errors lower than 1 mm and 1° for all the pose parameters except the depth position, if the investigated motion task avoids symmetric bony projection silhouettes.


The allegorical expression "manhood factories" was allegedly coined by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in 1909, in reference to the numerous YMCAs which burgeoned then and afterwards in the Unite...


This paper mainly introduces the automatic control and measurement system of the TGP's double line five consecutive model. The water valve of locks must have multiple forms of open/close function, the control system uses microcomputer control multi-channel power stepping motor driven system, accomplish precise control according to the model test for the requirements of the valves open means .Measurement system, the real-time monitoring method, from all kinds of measuring sensor signals collection, for lock chamber filling drain hydraulic characteristic parameters and other parameters are automatically synchronized measurement. The test results show that the system is reliable, control and measurement accuracy satisfies the requirement of test.


Analysis of age changes in physical characteristics of mouse limb bones requires a sensitive, consistent and relatively simple apparatus for determination of transverse breaking strength. The developed instrument is essentially a one meter counter‐balanced 4‐to‐1 lever with a tracked, motor‐driven weight on its upper surface. At the beam's short end a loading tool impinges upward on a bone mounted in an adjacent holder; at the opposite end is a mercury switch connected to a relay halting the weight motor when fracture occurs. Bones, with proximal ends embedded in convex securing blocks of impression medium, may be positioned in a standard relationship to the holder, loading tool edge, and the balanced beam.


Preface - S Anandalakshmy, Nandita Chaudhary and Neerja Sharma How Independent is the Independent Variable? - S Anandalakshmy Methods for a Cultural Science - Nandita Chaudhary Cultural Networks, Social Research and Contact Sampling - Mila Tuli and Nandita Chaudhary Research as Intervention - Neerja Sharma Responsive Engagement as Method - Priti Joshi Lived Experience as Theatre - Lakshmi Krishnamurty Interviewing in Qualitative Research - Shraddha Kapoor Making Sense of What They Say - Indu Kaura Unravelling the Mystery of Creativity - Rekha Sharma Sen and Neerja Sharma Mapping the Self and the Family - Sujata Sriram and Nandita Chaudhary Field Observations from Rural Gujarat - Monika Abels End Notes - S Anandalakshmy, Neerja Sharma and Nandita Chaudhary


Aim: The study aimed to determine the variations of salivary levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG) during the different stages of orthodontic tooth movement. Materials and Methods: A sample of 24 patients was taken up for the study. Salivary samples were collected from each of the patients at the following intervals: T(0) – before start of the appliance therapy, T(1) – 24–48 h following treatment initiation, T(2) – after 2 weeks of appliance insertion, and T(3) – 5 weeks of appliance insertion. At all times, whole unstimulated salivary samples were collected. ELISA-based assay was used to determine the levels of OPG in the salivary samples. The results were statistically analyzed using ANOVA with Bonferroni t-test. The significance value of P< 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: According to the results, there was an insignificant decrease and increase of OPG levels. Salivary levels in the alternate stages of treatment. P value for this particular study was found to be 0.05. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the variations in salivary concentrations of OPG might be linked to various stages of orthodontic tooth movement. The site specificity of OPG collection requires further studies in the long run.


We describe an accurate and convenient method of determining the relative mass spectrometric sensitivities of various species by using surface decomposition reactions to generate these species in known stoichiometric ratios in situ in vacuum systems. In particular, we have used the decomposition reactions of formaldehyde and formic acid on Ru(001) to determine the relative mass spectrometric sensitivities of H_2, HD, D_2, and CO.


AbstractProton magnetic resonance (PMR) spectra and terahertz IR spectra of Vectra A950 fibers and granules and Armos fibers before and after heat treatment were obtained and analyzed in order to understand the molecular mobility mechanisms that ensure the self-organization and restructurization of these rigid-chain liquid-crystal polymers, as well as their similarity and difference. It is shown that large-scale thermal (quasi-segmental) mobility in such LC polymers is due to the reptation of macromolecules with respect to each other and the conformational transitions necessary for the motion of chains in them are the result of random accumulation of displacements that occur during local bending and torsional-vibrational movements in the links of polymer chains according to the Bresler–Frenkel mechanism.


After the success of the transformer networks on natural language processing (NLP), the application of transformers to computer vision (CV) has followed suit to deliver unprecedented performance gains on vision tasks, including image recognition and object detection. The multihead self-attention (MHSA) is the key component in transformers, allowing the models to learn the amount of attention paid to each input position. Despite its strong modeling capability, MHSA involves complex operations that make transformers prohibitively costly for hardware deployment. Existing acceleration efforts with conventional hardware platforms are challenged by the memory wall. To alleviate the memory wall problem, compute-in-memory (CIM) is a promising solution by storing all model parameters on-chip in compute-capable memory arrays. The footprint of 2-D CIM designs must, however, expand to accommodate the increasingly larger model sizes. In this work, we present a heterogeneous 3-D integrated (H3D) accelerator to target the MHSA workloads in vision transformers. H3D allows the proposed H3DAtten architecture to combine the merits of resistive random access memory (RRAM)-based analog CIM (ACIM) in 40 nm and static random access memory (SRAM)-based digital CIM (DCIM) in 16 nm. We perform comprehensive signaling and thermal analyses to examine the effects of 3-D stacking on the accelerator. Compared to iso-capacity 2-D baseline designs, the proposed 5-tier H3DAtten accelerator achieves $8.4\times $ compute density without experiencing accuracy loss on the ImageNet-1k dataset.


A microscopic bubble of soluble gas always dissolves in finite time in an under-saturated fluid. This diffusive process is driven by the difference between the gas concentration near the bubble, whose value is governed by the internal pressure through Henry's law, and the concentration in the far field. The presence of neighbouring bubbles can significantly slow down this process by increasing the effective background concentration and reducing the diffusing flux of dissolved gas experienced by each bubble. We develop theoretical modelling of such diffusive shielding process in the case of small microbubbles whose internal pressure is dominated by Laplace pressure. We first use an exact semi-analytical solution to capture the case of two bubbles, analyse in detail the shielding effect and show that hydrodynamic effects are mostly negligible except in the case of almost-touching bubbles. In order to tackle the case of multiple bubbles, we then derive and validate two analytical approximate yet generic frameworks, first using the method of reflections and then by proposing a self-consistent continuum description. Using both modelling frameworks, we examine the dissolution of regular 1D, 2D and 3D bubble lattices. Bubbles located at the edge of the lattices dissolve first, while innermost bubbles benefit from the diffusive shielding effect, leading to the inward propagation of a dissolution front within the lattice. We show that diffusive shielding leads to severalfold increases in the dissolution time which grows logarithmically with the number of bubbles in 1D-lattices and algebraically in two and three dimensions, scaling respectively as its square root and 2/3-power. We further illustrate the sensitivity of the dissolution patterns to initial fluctuations in bubble size or arrangement in the case of large and dense lattices, as well as non-intuitive oscillatory effects.


In recent decade, containers become an important part of the world's economy. With the growth in offshore trade, problems about container and port are attention by research scholars in many countries. In the study on the problem in container ports, Berth Allocation and Quay Crane Scheduling problem are very important; optimization of the two problems can improve the efficient of container ports. In this paper, we describe and classify the main Berth Allocation Processes and Quay Crane Scheduling and present a survey of methods for their single optimization and integrate optimization.


We carried out the intensive observation for the GPM/DPR ground validation at Mt. Zao during 2014-2015 winter season, targeting the melting layer. For the better understanding of microphysics in the melting layer, we developed Ground-based Particle Image and Mass Measurement System (G-PIMMS). It can capture particle images by CCD cameras and measure particle weight by the electronic balance. G-PIMMSs were installed at two different altitudes on the hillside of Mt. Zao between two confronting Ka radar sites. We often experienced sleet or wet snow on the ground in early/late winter season, and succeeded in observation of the melting layer. Rain and snow, including sleet, were discriminated at 1.5-2.1°C in wet-bulb temperature. It was also found the density of precipitation changing with temperature between 0°C and 2°C.


In the realm of economic science,analysis by institutionalism has been an important pattern of observing and understanding human economic activities and behaviors.Analyzing insurance intermediaries through the theories of institutional economics is conducive to our understanding of the internal restraining power of insurance intermediaries as an institutional arrangement from a broader view of economics,sociology,history,civilization,etc.In this way we can determine more scientifically the developing form and path arrangement of insurance intermediaries in China.


In this article a component method is used to examine the effects of migration on population projection in Hong Kong. We assume no migration and use the reported fertility and mortality patterns to simulate the population distribution for the period 1998–2016 It is shown that the ageing phenomenon would be serious if there was no migration. In 1996, the elderly dependency ratio would have been 153 per 1,000 population aged between 15 and 64, as computed with 141 as observed. Similarly, the elderly dependency ratio in 2016 would he 216 as projected instead of 184 estimated on the basis of existing immigration policy. The median age was estimated to be 45 years of age. Possible effects of ageing are discussed.


The combination of nonorthogonal multiplex access and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can improve the energy efficiency (EE) for Internet of Things (IoT). On the condition of interference constraint and minimum achievable rate of the secondary users, we propose an iterative optimization algorithm on EE. First, with a given UAV trajectory, the Dinkelbach method-based fractional programming is adopted to obtain the optimal transmission power factors. By using the previous power allocation scheme, the successive convex optimization algorithm is adopted in the second stage to update the system parameters. Finally, reinforcement-learning-based optimization is introduced to obtain the best UAV trajectory.