The studies on geo-hazards in the area of the Three Gorges reservoir rarely take the water-rock interaction into account currently as a factor in the development of geo-hazards.As a typical example,the mini-structure of loose rock-soil sampled in the accumulation body of Zhaoshuling slope was studied on the basis of scanning electron microscope(SEM) photos with the amplification of 1500 times and the result of ion-test under the condition of water-rock interaction,via the simulation experiments in the laboratory.The study shows that the influence of water-rock interaction to soil mini-structure does exist,the interaction between water and loose rock-soil is mainly the action of ion exchange,corrosion and adsorption,and the soil mini-structure turns from plaque-like structure into flocculent structure as the saturation time increases,during which the overhead pores of karst cave occur,the porosity increases obviously,and the degree of cluster granulation decreases,which will cause the final decrease of structure strength.


Theorists have noted that cognitive processing and personality are essential in explaining television viewing behaviour, but evidence has been difficult to obtain. The present investigation employed a new cognitive-personality approach to the intriguing question why do we watch what we do? Because self is central to personality, concept of self was measured in addition to concepts of television genres. In two studies, university students rated self and various television genres on several bipolar constructs in a computerized grid test. They also indicated their viewing behaviour for each genre and their viewing hours per week. Indices of congruence between concept of self and concept of each genre (self—other distance scores) were calculated and correlated with genre viewing behaviour. The findings support the conclusion that similarity of constructions of self and genre predicts selective viewing and demonstrate the relevance of viewer's genre concepts and personality to television viewing behaviour.


INTRODUCTION: Spatially selective excitation finds wide applications in MR imaging/spectroscopy experiments. One popular example is slice selective excitation, which is often achieved using constant gradients and frequency-selective RF pulses. Multidimensional, spatially selective excitations can also be achieved using time-varying gradients and frequency-selective RF pulses [1-2]. However, to ensure sufficient coverage of excitation k-space, the RF pulses may be impractically long. Recent efforts to address this problem include the use of multiple RF transmit coils for parallel excitation [3-4]. This work investigates the use of high-order gradients for multidimensional, selective excitation. This work is complementary to the existing work on using nonlinear gradients for RF pulse design and for encoding in imaging [5-9]. METHOD: In source-free regions, magnetostatic fields are governed by Laplace's equation and can be decomposed as linear combinations of spherical harmonics (referred to as gradients) [10]. A zero-order gradient is a uniform field, and first-order gradients are linear gradients. In MRI, higher order gradients are usually available through shimming coils. For instance, the second-order gradients vary as f = (γ/2π) [GZ2(z(x+y)/2)+GX2-Y2(x-y)+GXY xy+ GYZ yz +GXZ xz], where GZ2, GX2-Y2, GXY, GYZ, and GXZ are control variables. Note that a pure x+y term does not exist since it does not satisfy Laplace's equation. Different from a linear gradient, a high-order gradient changes the resonance frequency nonlinearly in more than one spatial direction. Therefore, multidimensional, spatial selectivity can be achieved by a 1D frequency-selective RF pulse along with constant high-order gradients. In this work, we focus on using second-order gradients and spatial-spectral pulses to excite a thin disk for reduced FOV imaging. We first illustrate the basic idea through a simple example. Suppose the target disk has a radius R and a thickness d (i.e. |Mxy(x,y,z)|=1, if x+y≤R,|z|≤d; 0, otherwise). Conventional excitation approach would use multidimensional pulses with time-varying linear gradients to cover 3D excitation k-space (e.g. along a spoke trajectory), which could lead to a long pulse. In the proposed method, we adopt a spatial-spectral pulse approach to excite the disk in the presence of a constant second-order gradient (GZ2). The spatial-spectral pulse is selective in two dimensions, i.e. selecting a thin slice in the sliceselection direction, z, and having a bandpass frequency response in the frequency direction, f. The corresponding 2D excitation k-space is covered by an oscillating linear gradient, Gz (kz), and the constant second-order gradient GZ2 (kf). In the selected slice (|z|≤d), the resonance frequency offset is a function of the distance to the origin: f=-(γ/4π)GZ2r, r=(x+y), which holds well as along as the slice is a thin slice. As a result, the frequency selectivity of the spatial-spectral pulse is translated into the spatial selectivity in the radial direction, i.e. a bandpass frequency response results in a circular excitation region. In the design process, one needs to specify a constant second-order gradient (GZ2) and a spatialspectral pulse (Fig 1a.) The RF waveform is in the form of b1(t)=bspec(t)bspat(t) where bspec(t) is a minimum-phase SLR pulse that defines a bandpass spectral response, and bspat(t) is a chain of subpulses that define spatial selectivity [1]. The design process includes three sequential steps: 1) the oscillating gradient waveform of period T and the subpulse of bspat(t) are designed to satisfy the slice selection requirement; 2) since the magnetization response to a spatial-spectral pulse has a main peak at f=0 and periodic replicates at f=±n/T, n=1,2, [11], the magnitude GZ2 is chosen such that no excitation replicate would appear in the imaging object; 3) a minimum-phase SLR pulse bspec(t) of bandwidth (γ/2π)GZ2R and length N×T (resulting an oscillating linear gradient waveform of N periods) is designed. More generally, it can be shown that arbitrary thin elliptical disks at arbitrary locations can be achieved with an appropriate combination of zero-, firstand second-order gradients. The proposed method can also be easily extended to the case of using time-varying second-order gradients (if available), where common multidimensional RF pulses [2] need to be designed instead of spatial-spectral RF pulses. RESULTS: The proposed method was used to design an RF pulse (shown in Fig. 1a) that excited a thin disk of 4 cm radius and 0.9 cm thickness in a cylinder phantom of 10 cm radius with a 30° flip angle (shown in Fig. 2a). The slice gradient waveform was an oscillating triangle waveform of 8 periods, resulting in a 7.9 ms RF pulse. With GZ2=4 mT/m, the bandwidth of the desired spectral response was 273 Hz. For comparison, a spoke trajectory based RF pulse of the same length was designed using a recently proposed method [12] that jointly designs the RF pulse and spoke locations. Bloch equation simulation was used to calculate the resulting magnetization for the designed RF pulses. Compared to the spoke trajectory based RF pulse (Fig. 2c), the proposed method (Fig. 2d) produced much smaller excitation outside the desired excitation region, which is more desirable for reduced FOV imaging. The difference can be better appreciated in the excitation profile plot (Fig. 2b), where the proposed method produced a more accurate profile with much sharper transition and smaller side lobes. CONCLUSION: This paper presents a method to design RF pulses for reduced FOV excitation using second-order gradients and spatial-spectral pulses. The benefits lie in the fact that using second-order gradients, a 2D spatial-spectral pulse can be used to excite a thin disk (a 3D pattern). This dimension reduction leads to significantly improved excitation accuracy (for a given RF pulse length) and/or much shorter pulses compared to conventional 3D multidimensional RF pulses. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This work was supported by the grant NSF-CBET-07-30263 and Beckman Institute Graduate Fellowship. REFERENCES: [1] M. Bernstein, et al., Handbook of MRI pulse sequences, Elsevier Press, 2002. [2] J. Pauly, et al., JMR 81, 43, 1989. [3] U. Katscher, et al., MRM 49, 144, 2003. [4] Y. Zhu, MRM 51, 775, 2004. [5] C.H. Oh, et al., MRM 18, 63, 1991. [6] E. X. Wu, et al., MRM, 32, 242, 1994. [7] R.A. de Graaf, et al, ISMRM, 1350, 2007. [8] M. Hass, et al., ISMRM, 4929, 2010. [9] J. Henning, et al., Magn Reson Mater Phy 21, 5, 2008. [10] J. Jin, Electromagnetic analysis and design in MRI, CRC Press, 1998. [11] C. Meyer, et al. MRM 15, 287, 1990. [12] C. Ma, et al., ISMRM, 170, 2009. Fig. 1: a) Spatial-spectral pulse. b) Contour plot of the resulting excitation magnetization. The main peak 1 is centered at f=0 Hz. The maximum resonance frequency offset in the slice plane 2 is located at f=-852 Hz. The first replicate 3 is centered at f=-1075 Hz.


Thank you very much for reading dynamic water system control design and operation of regional water resources systems. Maybe you have knowledge that, people have search numerous times for their chosen novels like this dynamic water system control design and operation of regional water resources systems, but end up in malicious downloads. Rather than enjoying a good book with a cup of coffee in the afternoon, instead they juggled with some malicious bugs inside their desktop computer.


Apresentamos um panorama de debates sobre a questao migratoria brasileira, focando mobilidade espacial ou territorial da populacao. Discutimos contribuicoes teoricas e tipologias daquele campo, alem do papel do planejamento na reproducao do mesmo. Explicitamos os limites dos troncos neoclassico e historico-estrutural a partir da abordagem da mobilidade do trabalho e problematizamos a ultima por sua perspectiva ontologica do trabalho. Apontamos, por fim, o carater fetichista de uma sociabilidade assentada no trabalho e no tautologico processo de valorizacao do valor, na qual pesquisador e producao de conhecimento se reproduzem como partes constitutivas da relacao. ABSTRACT From 1990s reviews of theoretical perspectives on migratory studies we here propose an analysis and a critique of one of them. With this paper, we highlight the decisive contributions of the theory of the labor mobility enabling to question the separation between the structural determinations claimed by the so-called historical-structural approach and the subjective will claimed by the neoclassic approach, besides the role performed by the discourses over migration and the mechanisms played by them as forms of controlling the space, the labor and the worker. However, we aim at moving the controversy further by proposing a critical reading of this very perspective in order to reveal its limits concerning the ontological conceptualization of labor in which its stands. Finally, we reflect upon the contemporary critical conditions of labor mobility and upon the position of crisis administration undertaken by the State planning together with the scientific production that supports it, what makes essential the critique even of those subjects who produce migratory studies. Keywords : Mobility of Labor; Critique of Labor; Fetishism.


Mentoring and induction programs are popular within the public school system in the United States. Additionally, content–based mentoring programs exist, such as those within agricultural education. A number of studies yielded results that showed a relationship between mentoring/induction participation and teacher retention. The importance of the abilities and beliefs the mentor teacher contributes to the mentoring process cannot be neglected. An understanding of how mentor teachers perceive themselves in their abilities and beliefs is critical in the selection and training of mentor teachers. The purpose of the study was to describe mentor teachers' abilities and beliefs related to the mentor – novice teacher relationship. The design of the study was descriptive in nature. Survey research methods were utilized in the data collection process among cooperating (mentor) teachers for the student teaching experience of an agricultural education teacher preparation program. Data were collected on participants' perceptions of their abilities and beliefs related to the mentoring relationship. Overall, mentor teachers strongly agree with the statements related to their abilities and beliefs. A substantial relationship emerged between the two variables. The items utilized in the instrument can be used to guide the selection and training of mentor teachers, hopefully resulting in positive mentoring relationships.


We consider fast algorithms of wavelet decomposition of a function f when discrete observations of f (suppf [0; 1]) are available. The properties of the algorithms are studied for three types of observation design: the regular design, when the observations f(xi) are taken on the regular grid xi = i=N , i = 1; :::; N ; the case of jittered regular grid, when it is only known that for all 1 i N i=N xi < (i + 1)=N ; the random design case: xi i = 1; :::; N are independent and identically distributed random variables on [0; 1]. We show that these algorithms are in certain sense e cient when the accuracy of approximation is concerned. The proposed algorithms are computationally straightforward: the whole e ort to compute the decomposition is order N for the sample size N . 2


An optimal maximum-likelihood technique for computing point-source image centroids from many, slightly offset, CCD frames is presented. The method is especially useful for measuring stellar proper motions from data taken with the Wide Field and Planetary Camera on board the Hubble Space Telescope, and also provides a means to identify very compact nonstellar sources. We work though the example problem of obtaining image centroids of objects in the Hubble Deep Field.


In this essay I propose an analysis of Lumperica, first novel of the Chilean writer Diamela Eltit, like a response originated in the right to look to question biopolitical strategies of the neoliberal regime. In the performances of the vagabond, L. Iluminada, main character of the novel, I analyze space, citizenship, and territoriality categories to accentuate the concept of autonomy in dispute to the repressive cleaning of the neoliberal society...


The subject of this research is the problem of technicalization of human nature studied in the works of an American historian, sociologists and philosopher of technology Lewis Mumford.  The Western philosophical tradition marks the existence of the traditional juxtaposition of technology and nature, technology and human. The impact of scientific and technological progress upon human mind and his corporeal nature is incontestable. However, the evolution of technology itself reflects the intentions of development of intellectual culture. Thus, technology is initially ambivalent with regards to human, producing disintegrating and organizing influence simultaneously. Technology separates human from nature and forms new subject and value systems. The article applies a descriptive method of research, gives characteristics to the most significant works of L. Mumford, as well as utilizes hermeneutic approach and method of structural analysis of his writings. The author's main contribution consists in versatile analysis of L. Mumford's interpretations of the philosophical problems of technology. Multiple existing research emphasize his negative evaluation of technology: he correlates process of technicalization with dehumanization, militarization and strengthening of totalitarian means of social organization. Nevertheless, it is worth mentioning that throughout his path, L. Mumford has substantially modified the context of studying technology: in his early work "Technology and Civilization (1934) Mumford optimistically determines the modern "neo-technological" type of social development. The conclusions are made on the sociocultural and socioeconomic meaning of technology, with focus on the anthropological problem of the impact of technology upon human nature.


This paper presents a nonisolated multilevel step-up dc-dc converter suitable for high power and high output voltage application. The main features of proposed converter are: reduced voltage across the semiconductors; low switching losses; and reduced volume of input inductor. This paper focuses on the five-level structure of the proposed converter, in which the theoretical analysis is carried out and discussed. The five-level proposed dc-dc converter has four capacitors and their voltages should be balanced for its correct operation. Therefore, a capacitor voltage balancing active control is presented and analyzed in detail herein. In order to demonstrate the performance of this converter, experimental results were obtained for an output power of 5kW. The results attest the advantages of the proposed dc-dc topology and it is reported herein.


When presenting an articulation of contemporary Catalanism, it is common to mention the statement assigned to Josep Torras Bages, bishop of Vic, that the Catalonia of the future will be Christian or it simply will not be.In this respect, I have attempted to underline the traditional links between the Catalanist movement and the clergy of the country. The words of the prelate would probably be without content if science had not proved that these links have really existed. We may even go as far to say that they have been formed in a mutual way. Briefly, this concerns the debate arising in the international sphere on the wish to delimit the points of contact between culture and Christianity, a debate to which pope John Paul II has contributed. In the matter that concerns us, biblical studies carried out from a philological approach not only prove the reality of the connections, but also point out at what level of depth these connections take place. When I say that the country that expresses itself in the Catalan language (i.e. the country that stretches from Salses to Guardamar and from Fraga to L'Alguer) is not a country without a Bible, I am talking exactly about the level of depth of these connections. And, to prove the involvement of Christianity in the culture of the country, I suggest that we take a tour of the Catalan translations of the Holy Scripture throughout history. The tour begins in the 14th century and, in view of the vitality of present-day translations, is still open to the future.


The rapid development of vehicle cooperative control technology has greatly accelerated the process of "intelligent city" all over the world. This paper studies string stability control for the nonlinear vehicle platoon via vehicular networks. A nonlinear vehicle cooperative control model is established by considering the influence of cyber-attack. Based on the research of resilient controller ensuring the stability of platoon system under the influence of cyber-attack, the string stability condition of platoon system is proposed, and the string stability of platoon system under this condition is proved. The algorithms are compared and analyzed in Matlab. It is verified that under the influence of cyber-attack, the vehicle spacing error of the platoon system can quickly converge to zero, and the platoon system can drive safely and stably.


The present degree work is based on research about coaching and its influence on the management of human talent, as well as on the personal and professional leader. only for the benefit of the organization but also its own.


In order to accelerate the learning process and reach the best results and attract the learner to the proposed exercises was used learning method by playing directly on the research sample of (80) players of specialized schools for the year 2019 and in two control and experimental groups (10) players for each group, where researchers introduced a method Learning to play direct in the proposed exercises in order to accelerate the process of learning the skill of passing football and after conducting the pre-test and the application of the proposed exercises and conduct tests after the results proved that there is a positive impact of this method, which lasted (8) weeks (3) units per week and The researcher concluded that the method of learning by playing directly to the sample had a prominent role in learning the skill of passing among the sample members.


The canted‐paramagnetic phase boundary and the bicritical point of NiCl26H2O were investigated down to T=0.45 K by differential magnetization measurements. The canted‐paramagnetic boundary obeys a T3/2 law below T∠1.3 K and yields Hc(0) =144±1 kOe. The boundaries near the bicritcal point are well described by the scaling theory with n=2.


Purpose
This paper aims to analyse the effect of technology acceptance variables on customer attitude and customer engagement behaviours (CEB) with social tourism websites (STWs).

Design/methodology/approach
An empirical study was carried out with 346 customers. A model was developed to analyse the relationships between CEB and their determinants. Partial least squares – structural equation modelling was used to test the model.

Findings
Customers' perceptions of enjoyment, ease of use, usefulness and trustworthiness positively influence their attitude towards STWs and their subsequent engagement behaviours [purchases, word of mouth (WOM) and referrals].

Originality/value
This study develops and empirically tests a model that analyses the impact of technology acceptance model variables on CEB, both transactional (customer purchases) and non-transactional (customer WOM, referrals and feedback), in the context of STWs.


When writing can change your life, when writing can enrich you by offering much money, why don't you try it? Are you still very confused of where getting the ideas? Do you still have no idea with what you are going to write? Now, you will need reading. A good writer is a good reader at once. You can define how you write depending on what books to read. This borderline and narcissistic patients in therapy can help you to solve the problem. It can be one of the right sources to develop your writing skill.


Fast semiconductor shutters based on coupled wells were designed in the search for reliable, compact and cheap key element of GHz repetition rate NIR lasers passive mode-locking. Stable 0.98 GHz repetition rate 200-fs Yb:KYW laser pulses were demonstrated for SESAM including semiconductor reflector and a layer of quantum wells. The damage threshold estimate for the SESAM is ∼ 8.87 mJ/cm2. Other type of shutter – DSAM – was developed with dielectric reflector and the layer of quantum wells transferred over reflector. The measured recovery time was about 2-3 ps for both types of saturable absorbers. The efficiency relative to the incident pump power was 57% for the SESAM and 19% for the DSAM. Average output power of 2.54 W for the all-semiconductor shutter (SESAM) and of 0.92 W for the dielectric mirror with a saturable absorber (DSAM) were obtained. Actual state of the art for the shutters design is considered.


Peer mentoring of undergraduates is increasingly being used in higher education to reduce first year attrition by aiding transition to university. We propose that peer mentoring may also be a means of transmitting the values and ethics which reflect academic and personal integrity and underpin graduate and professional identity. In a qualitative study, we examined students' expectations and subsequent experience of a psychology undergraduate pilot mentoring scheme, together with the process and content. Mentors and mentees felt that mentors had a unique part to play in aiding transition to university. Mentors' advice reflected implicit academic values rather than strategic short cuts and mentoring cued reflection on their own development. The implications for encouraging student participation in mentoring schemes are discussed.


The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of economic adjustment programmes during the global financial crisis in the European Union. The analysis is based on two approaches: the presence of recidivism and a comparative analysis of the countries' economic performance before and after the crisis. The macroeconomic performance of the EU Member States is examined and compared in four groups: eurozone countries with and without external funding, and non-euro countries with and without external funding. The analysis concludes, that while the international bailouts were able to prevent sovereign default, the countries which received loans are still showing significantly worse performance and slower recovery in general than their non-funded counterparts. Aside from several exceptions the countries of the euro area show the best results during the crisis as well as in the after-crisis recovery, and the countries with a bailout package are left behind in almost every aspect of the economy both inside and outside the area of the common currency by the self-financed Member States.


We have studied the effect of hole doping via Li substitution in La 2 CuO 4 and La 2 NiO 4 . The response to hole doping of the Ni (S=1) sublattice is distinct from that of the Cu (S=1/2) sublattice. These effects are seen most clearly for La 2 Cu 0.5 Li 0.5 O 4 and La 2 Ni 0.5 Li 0.5 O 4 in which the Li ions form an ordered superlattice. It appears that Ni is in a low-spin d 7 configuration whereas Cu is in a d 9 -ligand "Zhang-Rice" configuration. Despite this difference, the response of both La 2 CuO 4 and La 2 NiO 4 to hole doping is surprisingly independent of whether Sr (which substitutes out of plane for La) or Li (which substitutes in the plane for Cu/Ni) is used as the dopant.


We are interested in the challenging problem of modelling densities on Riemannian manifolds with a known symmetry group using normalising flows. This has many potential applications in physical sciences such as molecular dynamics and quantum simulations. In this work we combine ideas from implicit neural layers and optimal transport theory to propose a generalisation of existing work on exponential map flows, Implicit Riemannian Concave Potential Maps, IRCPMs. IRCPMs have some nice properties such as simplicity of incorporating symmetries and are less expensive than ODE-flows. We provide an initial theoretical analysis of its properties and layout sufficient conditions for stable optimisation. Finally, we illustrate the properties of IRCPMs with density estimation experiments on tori and spheres.


This article puts forward a mathematics morphology detection method of moving vehicles' improper route after detecting traffic video moving object.As the important component of intelligent system and substitution for monitor ways based on hardware such as vehicles' monitor,the method can examine the abnormal automobile drive and has a very broad prospect.


This study untangles the social processes and inter-organizational mechanisms underlying human resource management (HRM) knowledge networks. The research questions serve to advance understanding of how HRM knowledge flows between firms under contractual relationships and in the absence of formal relationships. The study analyzes data from a complete network of 51 high-technology firms located in a science and technology park to report the structural properties and relational dimensions of inter-diffusion of HRM knowledge. The results from this social network analysis show that the firms in the study actively engage in the diffusion of HRM knowledge. Specifically, the results not only indicate the preeminence of formal ties but also of relational factors relating to firm legitimacy, prestige, and reciprocity. Participation in inter-organizational knowledge networks appears to be an effective tool for obtaining HRM knowledge as well as for enhancing trust between firms and establishing legitimacy and prestige among participating firms.


Migration is a survival strategy that is applied in situations of poverty, to lighten the problem of low salaries and ine ciently managed family needs. The purpose of this study was to compare the technological management of farming activities, applied by families before and after migrating, from 1979 to 2008 in the municipality of Jamapa, Veracruz. A survey was applied to 45 families with migrants, with a questionnaire of 115 closed questions, during the year 2009. Statistically signi cant changes were observed (McNemar, Chi = 18.91 and p < 0.001) with negative results for all technology used in activities related to maize, beans and cattle. The de nition of a negative change was based on the fact that the technological elements that the producers used before migrating and no longer used afterwards were 265; the group of technological elements with a positive change, that is, which they did not use before and did use afterwards was 173. It may be concluded that migration has had a negative e ect on maize (Chi = 122.49, p < 0.001) and bean (Chi = 98.09, p < 0.001) crops, and a positive e ect on cattle ranching (Chi = 116.48, p < 0.001). Thus, the economy of families with migrants, in the agroecosystems of Jamapa, has improved, but the diversity of farm activities has decreased.


Introduction Nurses specializing in maternal and child health are poised to play a pivotal role in the early identification and prompt treatment of perinatal depression. Postpartum period it is well-known for presenting high-risk for the appearance of a mental illness. Objectives This study has been carried out with the aim of investigating the level of knowledge of the nurses and their role in the management of post-partum depression. Methods 73 participants (n=73) were selected which are professional nurses. The data were collected through a questionnaire formed out of 16 questions. The questionnaire is structured on three parts: general information about the participants, the nurse's knowledge about the postpartum depression, and the identification and the management of the patient's cases. Results 73 of the nurses questioned, consider that they were not properly prepared for this role and they were not able to identify and manage the patients with post-partum depression. They also consider that the ideal training should contain more theoretical information. Amongst these (32, 87%) do not know the symptomatology, and 38, 35% are not aware of the risk factors of post-partum depression. Conclusions Postpartum depression is seen in approximately 10% of women who have recently given birth, but also in 3, 3% of men. Despite of this numbers, the Romanian medical staff is not yet well prepared in facing this affection. Disclosure No significant relationships.


Thinking about development as a universally desirable goal has led to the construction of a debate about what is the fastest and most efficient way to achieve development, presented in the form of a dialectical tension between orthodox economics and heterodox economics. As result of the experience of industrialized countries has developed "recipes for development" considered universally valid and imposed on developing countries. Notwithstanding, the failure of these in the new territories has shown that development is not a homogeneous or objective process. Instead, experience in development and less developed countries and the current global economic crisis has shown that achieving development involves a combination of complex social phenomena, understandable only through interdisciplinarity, where institutions play the role of structure communicating between the various scientific disciplines.


Image processing algorithms that automatically locate patterns in digital images have application to medical image enhancement processing and computer-aided diagnosis (CAD). A flexible and computationally efficient detection and classification algorithm has been developed that can be readily adapted for any specified anatomical structure or imaging modality. The algorithm makes use of image pattern filters and eigenvector analysis. The algorithm was optimized and tested for the detection of the class of cylindrical bones in digital projection radiography. Gradient-based edge detection is used to locate candidate bone edge pixels. For each candidate pixel, the bone image profile (i.e., the code values on a line segment that cross the bone perpendicular to the bone edge) is analyzed to identify indicators of bone location. Shape constraints of the image profile are used to refine the selection of candidate profiles. An eigenvector representation for the cylindrical bone profiles is then constructed. The algorithm then automatically classifies structures in the imagery that matches the eigenvector representation of the cylindrical bone profile. Using an eigenvector representation of a cylindrical bone profile constructed from a set of training images, the algorithm correctly classified 91 humerus bone profiles that were tested.


This is a proposal for the English text to Indian Sign Language translation model wherein the system will accept the input text and then translates the given words in sequence by making an avatar to display signs of each word. The translation here is corpus based. There is direct mapping between the English and ISL text. Since it is very inefficient to make signs for each word our domain is bounded by certain criteria for which the translator translates the given text. Like, the system which we propose is for railway reservation counters for enquiry. Keywordsavatar; ISL


OBJECTIVE:To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of succinic acid adenosine methionine in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B overlapping acute hepatitis E.METHODS:30 patients with chronic hepatitis B overlapping acute hepatitis E in our hospital were randomly divided into 2 groups,i.e.16 cases in group A were given succinic acid adenosine methionine 1 000 mg added into 10% Glucose injection 250 ml,i.v.qd and Entecavir combined with the basic protect liver therapy(reduced glutathione) orally;14 cases in treatment group B were given Entecavir combined with the basic protect liver therapy(reduced glutathione).The duration of treatment was 3 weeks;the changes of TBIL,ALT,ALP,GGT,ALB and PTA were observed in 2 groups,and adverse drug reactions were also observed.RESULTS:After treatment,the TBIL,ALT,ALP and GGT of group A were lower than those of group B(P0.05),while PTA and ALB were higher in group B(P0.05);the total effective rate of group A was 93.75%,and that of group B was 64.29%,that of group A was significantly higher than that of group B(P0.05);clinical symptoms of 2 groups were improved to different extent,and there was no severe adverse effects in 2 groups.CONCLUSIONS:Succinic acid adenosine methionine have synergy in promoting jaundice subsidise,improving liver function in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B overlapping acute hepatitis E,and the safety is also better.


Abstract: Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) offers significant potential for studying chemical changes that occur in a battery electrode at a spatial resolution approaching atomic dimensions, provided a representative specimen can be prepared. The purpose of this paper is to show that it is possible to examine an electrode in the charged condition using TEM, while avoiding major changes in chemistry from specimen preparation. We also demonstrate the power of electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) for phase identification at high spatial resolution. The origin of "fading" of an electrode after repeated charge-discharge cycling is also discussed.


During the last decade a number of numerical computations based on the finite volume approach have been reported studying various aspects of heat transfer near the critical point. In this paper, a Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) has been developed to simulate laminar free convection heat transfer to a supercritical fluid in a square enclosure. The LBM is an ideal mesoscopic approach to solve nonlinear macroscopic conservation equations due to its simplicity and capability of parallelization. The Lattice Boltzmann Equation (LBE) represents the minimal form of the Boltzmann kinetic equation. The LBE is a very elegant and simple equation, for a discrete density distribution function and is the basis of the LBM. For the mass and momentum equations, an LBM is used while the heat equation is solved numerically by a finite volume scheme. In this study, inter-particle forces are taken into account for non-ideal gases in order to simulate the velocity profile more accurately. The laminar free convection cavity flow has been extensively used as a benchmark test to evaluate the accuracy of the numerical code. It is found that the numerical results of this study are in good agreement with the experimental and numerical results reported in the literature. The results of the LBM–FVM combination are found to be in excellent agreement with the FVM–FVM combination for the Navier-Stokes and heat transfer equations.Copyright © 2009 by ASME


This study analyses the changes in the runoff of forested experimental catchments in south-central Chile, to determine to what extent observed trends can be attributed to effects of intensive forestry and/or climate change. For this, we applied the distributed TETIS® model to eight catchments (7.1−413.6 ha) representative of the land uses and forestry activities in this geographical area. Rainfall and runoff data collected between 2008 and 2015 were used for modelling calibration and validation. Simulation of three land uses (current cover, partial harvest and native forest) and 25 combinations of climatic scenarios (percentage increases or decreases of up to 20% of rainfall and evapotranspiration relative to the no-change scenario applied to input series) were used in each calibration. We found that changes in land use and climate had contrasting effects on runoff. Smaller catchments affected by the driest climatic scenarios experienced higher runoff when the forest cover was lower than under full forest cover (plantations or native forests). In contrast, larger catchments under all climatic scenarios yielded higher runoff below the full forest cover than under partial harvest and native forest. This suggests that runoff can be influenced, to a great extent, by rainfall decrease and evapotranspiration increase, with the model predicting up to a 60% decrease in runoff yield for the dry's climatic scenario. This study proves to be relevant to inform ongoing discussions related to forest management in Chile, and is intended to minimize the impact of forest cover on runoff yield under uncertain climatic scenarios.


NADPH-dependent superoxide generation was activated by anionic amphiphiles plus GTP+ in a cell-free system consisting of plasma membranes plus recombinant p47-phox, p67-phm, and the small GTP-binding protein Racl. Racl was expressed in Escherichia coli both as the native form and as a  mutant  form (Racl(Cl8BS)) lacking the prenylation site. When preloaded with GTPyS, both Rac proteins supported activity to a level comparable to that seen using cytosol. A peptide corresponding to the carboxyl-terminal region of Racl was used to investigate oxidase assembly and activation. Rac1(178-188), but not several control pep tides, inhibited activity. The peptide inhibited competitively (& = 15 p ~ ) with respect to Racl(ClBBS), while inhibition was noncompetitive or mixed with respect to p47-phox and p67-phox. This indicated specific inhibition of the interaction of the Rac protein with its target, possibly cytochrome b55s. The peptide was effective only when added prior to activation with arachidonic acid, suggesting that it affects assembly rather than activity. Consistent with this possibility, the peptide prevented translocation of p47-phor and p67-phor to the plasma membrane. Thus, Rac plays a central role in the assembly of the neutrophil NADPH oxidase.


The invention discloses a wall-mounted flat-panel display bracket. Hooks on each hanging arm of the wall-mounted flat-panel display bracket are set into two groups, and different hooks can be selected to regulate the height of each hanging arm according to different specifications or models of flat-panel displays, therefore, the aim of regulating the height of the flat-panel display is achieved; in addition, as a first barb, a second barb and an insert piece are arranged, the hanging arm can not be separated from a wallboard when the flat-panel display suffers an upward or obliquely-upward acting force, therefore, the flat-panel display is further avoided from falling off; when the hanging arm needs to be detached from a fixed bracket, the insert piece just needs to be pulled out, and then the display or the hanging arm is supported upwards and flatly; and when a padlock is locked in a padlock hole in the insert piece, the insert piece can not be pulled out so that the hanging arm cannot be disassembled from the fixed bracket, thereby playing an anti-theft role.


The article raises the problem of the relationship between fashion as a phenomenon expressing a change in aesthetic preferences in the field of image, leisure and temporality. It also analyzes the previous experience of considering this problem by European thinkers - Simmel, Tarde, Benjamin, Lipovetsky, whose statements about fashion act as the subject of research.


Introduction: The evolution of the SIDA epidemic in Brazil, affects women
increasingly. A considerable number of diagnoses in the female population occur during
pregnancy. According to the recommendations of the Ministry of Health (MS),
serological screening for the virus in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy is
recommended to all pregnant women. The indication to the rapid testing for HIV at
birth is restricted to specific situations.
Objectives: Analyze the use of rapid test for diagnosis of HIV in pregnant women in
maternity hospitals of the Unified Health System in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Estimate
the socio-demographic profile and the proportion of these women. Compare the practice
observed in the study with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health. Estimate the time
that could be avoided in the rapid testing of HIV unnecessary in hospitals in the city of
Rio de Janeiro.
Methods: Cross-sectional study in four hospitals between July and December 2013,
which included the calculation of avoidable time in conducting this examination in
pregnant women who have no indication to perform it according to the guidelines of the
MS. The study included 384 pregnant women. After collecting the information,
classification of pregnant women was carried into categories, based on the
recommendations of MS for the rapid test for HIV at birth. The first group was
considered reference and was formed by pregnant women who took the test with
indication of MS. All the other three groups included women with no indication of the
exam.
Results: In total, 351 women (91.4%) interviewed had received prenatal care. 297
women underwent HIV testing during pregnancy. Only 31.3% (n = 93) of pregnant
women received HIV testing in the first and third trimester of pregnancy. 54 (15,4%)
women who underwent prenatal care were not tested for HIV. Were classified in group
01, 14.6% (n = 56) of the total study participants. 85.4% of participants were included
in the other groups, with 12.2% (n = 47) in group 02, 70.3% (n = 270) in 3A and 2.9%
(n = 11) in group 3B. The results indicate an over-use of rapid tests in public hospitals
in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The rapid test for HIV performed in hospitals is a great
alternative to prevent vertical transmission of the virus to the newborn, but this practice
should be used when indicated.


This paper presents the analysis of the landing gear configurations and the proposal of a solution for a military training aircraft. The paper presents both landing gears: nose and main because they are inextricably linked. The nose landing gear of military aircraft is a complex system composed of structural elements, electric and hydraulic components, energy absorption components, aircraft tire wheels etc., which is dimensioned according to the weight of the aircraft. Additional components attached to the nose landing gear include a landing gear extension and retraction mechanism and a steering system. The landing gear must withstand the weight of the aircraft in all phases of take-off (maximum weight: fuel, armament, ammunition, other equipment, flight crew etc.) and landing (impact from landing and a lower weight after completing the mission due to fuel consumption and ammunition use).


Warm temperatures are associated with healthcare encounters for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Temperature affects the spread of infectious diseases and increases air pollution levels, pollen counts, and allergenicity—all elevate risks of asthma exacerbations—resulting in hospitalisations. Rising global temperatures possibly escalate effects on respiratory health worldwide. Yet, mapping synergetic effects of daily temperatures, air pollution, allergens, and virus spread is fundamental for understanding causal pathways and mechanisms. Such mapping helps identify vulnerable groups—an essential activity for planning structural and behavioural interventions for minimising climate change effects on respiratory health. However, available literature on warmer summer temperature effects on respiratory morbidity remain deficient with many open questions. Some findings suggest higher risk of asthma hospitalisation with higher mean temperatures, others disagree ; studies differed regarding temperature metrics, confounder selections, mediators, effect modifiers, and outcome definitions.


Free radicals have been thought to be the leading cause of radiative harm to the genome. In recent years, interest has grown in the role low energy electrons play in radiative damage to DNA. In this thesis, examples are given of milestone discoveries regarding reductive DNA damage. From initial surface and gas phase experiments to the aqueous phase. The current contribution to the field is to measure the low energy electron reactivity of two chemicals; dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethylformamide. These chemicals have shown comparable radioprotective effects in cell culture experiments. DMSO is a more potent radical scavenger than DMF but the hypothesis put forth states that DMF makes up for this with high reactivity towards low energy electrons. This is based on the molecular structure of dimethyl formamide. To test the hypothesis dissociative electron attachment experiments were performed on the two chemicals. It was found that both chemicals showed low reactivity towards electrons with energy in the range of 0-10 eV. Six different fragments were recorded for DMSO. Most of which formed through a resonance at 5.5 eV. DMF did not fragment in the predicted manner but was found to be more reactive than DMSO as was anticipated.


In this essay, we propose that the Deleuzoguattarian rhizome offers a map and metaphor for the field of disability studies, especially as it develops outside the boundaries of a defined program or curriculum. As an example of rhizomatic growth, we discuss a series of events in the Philadelphia area in fall 2012 that focused on disability studies and disability arts and culture, including an art exhibition entitled What Can A Body Do? and a scholarly residency sponsored by the Greater Philadelphia Women's Studies Consortium. We suggest that the art gallery offers a generative space for the growth of disability studies, disability aesthetics, and new models of access, and we emphasize the importance of cross-institutional collaboration in the development of disability studies not only as a field but as a field of energy . Keywords: rhizome, Deleuze and Guattari, art gallery, contemporary art, curator, access, audio description, multisensory, collaboration, consortium, disability aesthetics, What Can A Body Do?


Oak woodlands are being documented to be declining in southern Europe. In order to verify and quantify this phenomenon, 34-year trends of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were calculated and mapped at 30-meter pixel scale for all cork oak (Quercus suber) and holm oak (Quercus ilex) areas of continental Portugal. NDVI is considered a good proxy to monitor trees health and productivity along years. Landsat 5, 7 and 8 imagery from 1984 to 2017 were used to derive a long-term NDVI time series. MODIS 250-m spatial resolution NDVI product was used to compare values for the period after 2000. All imagery were freely available and treatable on Google Earth Engine. NDVI values of Landsat 5 and 8 were adjusted to Landsat 7 values. Only July and August NDVI were used to minimize the spectral contribution of understorey vegetation and its phenological variability, thus focusing on the tree layer. Signs and significance of trends were calculated by Mann-Kendall (MK) and contextual MK tests, and their slopes using Theil-Sen (TS) estimator. The methodological approach was first tested on six cork oaks stands. Linear models revealed the effect of annual cumulated precipitation and debarking on NDVI variations. All trends were found significant. A Pettitt test showed significant change-points around the year 2000. At country scale, a spatio-temporal trend analysis was performed on stable cover areas of holm and cork oak. Thirty percent of woodlands area presents declining trends, mainly located in Centro region, and interior and littoral of Alentejo.


BACKGROUND/AIMS
Although the XELOX regimen has been recommended as first-line adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer (AGC), its role in a neoadjuvant setting is not well established. Therefore, we aimed to assess the clinical effect of XELOX neoadjuvant chemotherapy on AGC when combined with laparoscopic surgery.

METHODOLOGY
We compared the effects of perioperative XELOX (neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, NCG) with the effects of adjuvant XELOX (direct surgical group, DSG) in patients with locally AGC. The response to chemotherapy was assessed according to Recist criteria and pathological changes. The Kaplan-Meier log-rank test was used to calculate and compare survival differences.

RESULTS
Seventy patients were included (neoadjuvant=35). The rate of effective neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 62.9%, and the disease control rate was 91.5%. In the NCG, 32 (94.7%) of the patients underwent laparoscopic-assisted D2 radical gastrectomy. The R0 resection rate was 100%. However, rates were 26 (74.3%) and 85.7% in the DSG, respectively (P<0.05). The 3-year overall survival (OS) in the NCG was 77.1% vs. 62.3% in the DSG (P=0.119). The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 74.3% in the NCG, and the DFS was 59.3% in the DSG (P=0.033).

CONCLUSIONS
XELOX can enhance the R0 resection rate, increase potential for laparoscopic surgery with rather good safety and improve the 3-year DFS of patients with AGC.


A general construction method of diphenyl-substituted carotenoids has been developed through the stereoselective synthesis of dienyl sulfones with a phenyl substituent. Systematic synthetic pathways to the dienyl sulfones were delineated starting from readily available acetophenone with para substituent X of various electronic natures, which would eventually provide diverse physiochemical characteristics to the carotenoids. The sulfone olefination method together with Ramberg-Backlund reaction produced 9,9′-cis-10,10′-diphenyl-carotene and all-trans-9,9′-diphenyl-carotene. Conductance measurement of all-trans-carotenoids by STM break junction method revealed a positional effect of the phenyl groups as well as a polar effect of the phenyl substituent X according to the electronic nature.


Introduction In a dynamic society, laws will need to change as economic relationships change, as technological innovations take place, as social customs evolve. old laws, broadly defined to include legislation, custom, and judge-made law, become increasingly inefficient in the new environment. The question then is: what is the optimal timing of lawmaking? Customary law, by definition, changes by an endogenous process, and will not be addressed here. The focus of the discussion will be legislation, where the element of choice is substantial, and the agency problem consequently a matter of importance. In common law jurisdictions, judge-made law remains an important source of law making. While judges have far less discretion than legislators in the matter of the hearing of a case, they do exercise some control over the scope of the decision rendered, and therefore have some control of the timing of lawmaking. nonetheless, legislation remains the type of lawmaking where timing matters the most, and will be the focus of the discussion here, including the inherent agency problems and the timing rules that emerge to address these issues. The process of lawmaking is analogous to investment (Parisi, Fon and ghei 2004; Parisi and Ghei 2005). More specifically, lawmaking shares three critical characteristics with investments in physical assets: irreversibility in investment (sunk costs); uncertainty about future returns; and discretion with respect to the timing of investment. once enacted, the costs sunk into legislation cannot be recovered if it turns out the legislation proves to be ineffective or worse. In fact, repeal comes with additional costs. The ability to delay an irreversible investment profoundly affects the logic of whether and when to invest (see e.g. Pindyck 1991; dixit and Pindyck 1994). In particular, ignoring the value of the option in the optimization calculation will result in the investment being undertaken too soon. The application of the traditional net present value rule would dictate investment when the present expected value of the investment, the legal rule in this case, is equal to or greater than the cost of enacting the legislation. This rule, however, fails to take into account the value of the option when the costs of the legal intervention are irreversible and the innovation can be


This paper presents empirical estimates of human-capital augmented growth equations for a panel of 21 OECD countries over the period 1971-98. It uses an improved dataset on human capital and a novel econometric technique that reconciles growth model assumptions with the needs of panel data regressions. Unlike several previous studies, our results point to a positive and significant impact of human capital accumulation to output per capita growth. The estimated long-run effect on output of one additional year of education (about 6 per cent) is also consistent with microeconomic evidence on the private returns to schooling. We also found a significant growth effect from the accumulation of physical capital and a speed of convergence to the steady state of around 15 per cent per year. Taken together these results are not consistent with the human capital augmented version of the Solow model, but rather they support an endogenous growth model a la Uzawa-Lucas, with constant returns to ...


Polyscias guilfoylei, commonly called 'geranium aralia', is an erect shrub
with dark green leaves. P. guilfoylei has been introduced to tropical countries and is generally cultivated
in gardens for ornamental purposes. There are no previous studies on the essential oil of P.
guilfoylei and its biological activities.

In this study, we report the chemical profile of P. guilfoylei leaf essential oil and its anticancer
activity tested by various in vitro and in vivo assays.

The chemical profile of P. guilfoylei leaf oil was elucidated by Gas Chromatographic
analyses (GC-FID, GC-MS). Anticancer activity of P. guilfoylei leaf oil was tested by MTT, morphological
observations, DNA ladder, comet, caspase, flow cytometry and in vivo assays.

Gas chromatographic profiling of P. guilfoylei leaf oil identified 50 constituents (β-selinene
49.59%, α-selinene 21.68%, (Z)-falcarinol 11.65%). In MTT assay, P. guilfoylei leaf oil at 50, 25,
10, 5 and 1 μg/ml showed 98.6 ± 1.2, 95.3 ± 0.78, 76.8 ± 1.59, 43.6 ± 0.99 and 39.8 ± 1.17% DLA
cell death, respectively (CD50 5.96 μg/ml). In flow cytometry, the majority of P. guilfoylei leaf oil
(25 μg/ml) treated DLA cells showed an accumulation/cell arrest in G2M phase (61.7 ± 2.6%). In P.
guilfoylei leaf oil treated mice (40 days), 5 animals (83.3%, each) were protected in 25, 50 mg/kg
groups.

P. guilfoylei leaf oil, with minimal toxicity to normal cells, exhibited significant anticancer
activity against lymphoma cells enhancing its potential as an anticancer agent.


The deterministic logic of strict cause-and-effect, the thinking that something leads to another thing, runs through narrative cinema and its spectatorship. Cognitivist theories on film narration and narrative comprehension characterise the film as a mystery to be solved and the spectator the detective. In providing cues and clues, film narration follows a cause-and-effect logic so that the spectator can follow similar logic to piece the puzzle together. Such logic is most apparent in time travel films: Marty McFly has to return to 1955 for the second time because it is the only way to save his father ( Back to the Future Part II (1989)); Kyle Reese and the Terminator travel back in time because it is the only way to ensure the victory of their respective armies in the future war ( The Terminator (1984)). However, cause-and-effect is also deeply challenged when the "grandfather paradox" and causal loops become inevitable in time travel. Therefore, time travel in films implies a new way of thinking about film narration and spectatorship that has long been adopted in science — statistical thinking that focuses on the chaotic and stochastic. Under such thinking, something happens not because something else happened, it just happens . Whereas in It's a Wonderful Life (1946) a heaven sequence explains the plot and a guardian angel explains the protagonist's purpose in life, Groundhog Day (1993) ultimately does not provide any reason behind Phil's predicament of temporal loops; any reason ascribed to Phil's experience by the spectator is purely speculative. I argue that statistical thinking can open up new ways of thinking about film, one that advocates that "Rosebud" ( Citizen Kane (1941)) ultimately does not mean anything.


Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: The Oedipus Complex Chapter 1: Freud's Oedipus Complex: Shibboleth or Canard?, by M. Andrew Holowchak Chapter 2: The Oedipus Complex: Then and Now, by Joel Kupfersmid Chapter 3: Reply to Dr. Holowchak Chapter 4: Reply to Dr. Kupfersmid Part II: Dreams as Wish-Fulfillments Chapter 5: The Puzzle of Dreams, by Michael Michael Chapter 6: The Unhappy Fate of Freud's Dream Theory, by Rosemary Sand Chapter 7: Reply to Dr. Michael Chapter 8: Reply to Dr. Sand Part III: Religion as Illusion Chapter 9: Freud's Critique of Religion, by John Cottingham Chapter 10: Freud and the Psychology of Atheism, by Paul Vitz Chapter 11: Reply to Dr. Cottingham Chapter 12: Reply to Dr. Vitz Part IV: Free Association Chapter 13: On Behalf of Free Association, by Michael Lavin Chapter 14: Epistemological Liabilities of Free Association, by Adolf Grunbaum Chapter 15: Reply to Dr. Lavin (M. Andrew Holowchak) Chapter 16: Reply to Dr. Grunbaum Part V: The Unconscious Chapter 17: The Unconscious as a Neural Palimpsest, by Grant Gillett Chapter 18: Freud's Greatest Failure: The Unconscious, by Edwin Erwin Chapter 19: Reply to Dr. Gillett Chapter 20: Reply to Dr. Erwin Part VI: Psychoanalysis as Weltanschauung Chapter 21: Freud's Project for a Genuinely Scientific Psychology?, by Andreas De Block Chapter 22: Psychoanalysis as Weltanschauung, by Douglass Kirsner Chapter 23: Reply to Dr. De Block Chapter 24: Reply to Dr. Kirsner Further Reading


Abstract— Discussions are given of a variety of experimental methods that have been found useful for studying the mechanisms by which laminar flames spread over combustible solid materials. These include motion-picture and still photography, thermocouple measurement of gas-phase and solid-phase temperatures, interferometric temperature measurements, radiometer measurements, gas sampling and analysis by gas chromotography, particle-track photography and pulsed-wire velocity measurements. The paper contains some new and previously unpublished results obtained by these techniques.


It is weIl established that nitrogen in austenitic stainless steels causes a remarkable high strengthening by solid solution as weIl as an increasing in corrosion resistance. For these reasons nitrogen as an aIloying element has been successfully used to develop a number of commercial steels in which it stabilizes the austenitic phase (High Nitrogen Austenitic stainless Steels HNASS). Presently these steels are manufactured by ingot metallurgy carried out under high nitrogen partial pressure in order to achieve sufficient high nitrogen solubility, or by powder metallurgy. Both production routes are "expensive" and quite "exotic", and this explains why in spite of a good knowledge on favourable effects by nitrogen aIloying in austenitic stainless steels, high nitrogen austenitic stainless steels have not been extensively used and adopted in large quantities yet. This thesis describes the development of new Ultrahigh Strength High Nitrogen Austenitic Stainless Steels with very low nickel content, designed to be made by "ingot metallurgy without overpressure", i.e. using conventional steel making facilities. These new steels are interesting candidates for structural application in car industry, building industry and ocean engineering, due to high mechanical strength, high resistance to corrosion and low cost of production. By means of laboratory experiments combined with thermodynamic calculations suitable alloy compositions were designed in order to increase the nitrogen solubility at atmospheric pressure in the liquid and solid phase, avoiding porosity formation into cast ingots during solidification. On these new alloys the effect of: • solid solution hardening; • grain boundary hardening; • dislocation hardening (during cold working); • dislocation hardening (during hot working); • precipitation hardening (strain ageing); on yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation to fracture were investigated in a systematic way. A high level of strength was achieved combining different strengthening mechanisms following the rule: nitrogen in solid solution as high as possible, grain size as small as possible and cold deformation as high as possible. Solid solution hardening was optimised choosing "the right" amount of carbon and nitrogen taking in account that high nitrogen austenitic stainless steel undergoes to a ductile to brittle transition at room temperature as the sum of nitrogen and carbon content in solid solution approaches one weight percent. The dependence of the ductile to brittle transition upon aIloying elements and grain size was explored. The introduction of strong nitride former elements, mainly vanadium and niobium, able to form nitrides more stable than those based on chromium and molybdenum, was investigated in order to achieve small grains in bulk materials. The role of nitrogen on dynamic recrystallization and dislocation hardening during hot rolling was investigated. Nitrogen in solid solution was found to have profound influence on the temperature of dynamic recrystallization and hence on the thermo-mechanical processes such as hot rolling, where an improved hot workability of the austenite becomes the first target to


In this paper we consider the design of coordinated multi-point transmission and reception schemes for the fourth generation cellular downlink, wherein a set of disparate transmission points serve multiple users on an available spectrum. For efficient resource allocation the set of transmission points is partitioned into several clusters and each cluster is pre-assigned a separate set of users that it should serve. Our focus in this paper is on joint resource allocation (joint scheduling) using all the transmission points in a cluster. We adopt a two-step approach for this joint resource allocation problem. The first step determines a feasible user selection using a suitable approximation algorithm after making certain simplifying assumptions on the transmit precoders that can be employed. In the second step, which is also our main contribution, the transmit precoders are fine tuned for a given user selection and per-antenna transmit power constraints are enforced.


Exposed! The story of swimwear , Curator, Penny Cuthbert. Australian National Maritime Museum, July – October 2009; West Australian Maritime Museum, 21 November 2009 – 7 February 2010; South Australian Maritime Museum, 20 February – 9 May 2010; Queensland Museum, 22 May – 8 August 2010; Museum of Riverina, 21 August – 7 November 2010; Newcastle Regional Museum, 20 November 2010 – 6 February 2011. Entry: Free. Exhibition website: http://anmm.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=1558


(473) The P^yc1uological Weiglht Curve ii Phtli9s4s, WOLFF-IMMERAIANN (Munch. med. Woch., June 2ISt, I898) draws attention to the importance of recognising slight alterations of the body weiglht in cases of phtllisis. He gives the results of some of hiis observations in the hospital at Reiboldsgrtin. At first the patient's clothes are weighed independently, and the exact weight is mnarked on a board beside his bed. On all future occasions the patient must wear the same clothes, so that the amount may be subtracted from the general body weight. It is also impoitant to weigh the patients always at the same time of the day, and to note how muclh food is being coilsumed. Cases occur in which a definiite increase or diminution in weiglht takes place, and whliere the patient's appetite and general conditioni remain the same. Immermann has foun(d that these fluctuations in weight are, in the majority of cases, to be attributed to psychical causes. Anything producing annoyance or excitement is sufficient to cause a definite lowering of the body weight for a day or two, without interfering witl the satisfactory progress of the case. Curvecharts are given which demonstrate these points. The increase of weiglht which accompanies a change of treatment is also very noticeable. At tile commencemiient of the milk cure there is a steady rise in weight, which however does not continiue after tlhe first two or three weeks. A similar rise in weighit is seen to commence witlh the administration of iron. The author suggests that the element of lhope accorded to the patient by an alteration of treatmenit is sufficient to explaini the rat ler rapid rise of bodly weialgt which takes place at the comrmencement of the new treatment. Immermann conisiders that the weight curve in plithisis shows the progress of convalescence most surely, and in this respect resembles the temperature curve in acute infectious diseases.


To clarify changes in body temperature during endurance exercise in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), we measured tympanic temperature (Tty) and skin temperature in the head, arm, chest, thigh, shin and calf in 5 patients with SCI (T6-T 12) and 7 normal controls during 30 minutes arm cranking exercise (20 watts) from 10 minutes before the initiation of exercise until 10 minutes after the termination of exercise in an artificial climate room at a temperature of about 25•Ž with a relative humidity of about 50%. The Tty in the SCI group was lower than that in the control group from 10 minutes before the initiation of exercise to 10 minutes after the termination of exercise with a significant difference only at the initiation of exercise. The difference in Tty slightly decreased with continuation of exercise. The Tty in the SCI group at rest was 36.05•`37.15•Ž. Four patients in this group showed a decrease of 0.04•`0.12•Ž in the early stage and an increase of 0.66•Ž•}0.19 (mean•} SD) at the end of exercise over the value at the initiation of exercise. The skin temperature was lower in the SCI group than in the control group in all sites excluding the arm. Significant differences were observed in the head in the early stage of exercise and after exercise, in the chest from 10 minutes before the initiation of exercise to 5 minutes after the termination of exercise, in the thigh from 10 minutes before the initiation of exercise to 10 minutes after the termination of exercise, in the shin 10 minutes and 5 minutes before the initiation of exercise, and in the calf from before to 15 minutes after the initiation of exercise. In the SCI group, marked individual differences were observed in the skin temperatures in the thigh, shin, and calf, suggesting specificity of the skin temperature response in and near the paralysis area. Results in Tty in this study suggested no heat retention in the SCI patients. Therefore, the risk for heat disorders seems to be low during moderate or mild exercise under moderate temperature environment at a temperature of about 25•Ž with a relative humidity of about 50% even when the skin temperature is low, and thermolysis is not marked. (Jpn. J. Phys. Fitness Sports Med. 1995. 44 : 447•`456) key words : spinal cord injury, exercise, thermoregulation


Code-switching poses a number of challenges and opportunities for multilingual automatic speech recognition. In this paper, we focus on the question of robust and fair evaluation metrics. To that end, we develop a reference benchmark data set of code-switching speech recognition hypotheses with human judgments. We define clear guidelines for minimal editing of automatic hypotheses. We validate the guidelines using 4-way inter-annotator agreement. We evaluate a large number of metrics in terms of correlation with human judgments. The metrics we consider vary in terms of representation (orthographic, phonological, semantic), directness (intrinsic vs extrinsic), granularity (e.g. word, character), and similarity computation method. The highest correlation to human judgment is achieved using transliteration followed by text normalization. We release the first corpus for human acceptance of code-switching speech recognition results in dialectal Arabic/English conversation speech.


Objective : Stress plays important role in effecting the cardiovascular disease and most of the risk factors with hypertensive disease in pregnancy [HDP] is caused by stress. Main objective of the study is to find connection between stress and risks for HDP during pregnancy. Place and duration of study : Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department Rajab Tayyep Erdogan Indus Hospital, Muzaffargerh. From August 2018 to August 2019.   Material and method: A controlled examination contrasting obstetrical and psychosocial  was conducted by 724 patient and 879 matched control for ages, equality, and educational level. Results: Emotional stress during pregnancy was linked with 1.6 times increase risk for hypertension during pregnancy. Conlusion : Psychosocial involvement to decrease emotional stress during the period of pregnancy can aid to reduce the risk to emerge HDP. Keywords: Hypertensive, Pregnancy, Emotional Stress DOI : 10.7176/JMPB/60-04 Publication date :October 31 st 2019


This article describes and critically analyses the abuse of anabolic steroid hormones by adolescents and adults. A review study was performed using Medline and Cinahl databases from 1995 to 2010. Beyond, older articles indexed in Medline were also used. Self-prescription of these hormones has been associated with drug dependence, aggressiveness, anxiety, depression, stress, low of self-esteem, and low approval of self physical shape. Therefore, these hormones induce liver hemmorhage, hepatitis, and hepatic adenomas. The chronic using of anabolic steroid hormones cause hypogonadism and anospermia. Many clinical cases of patients that suffered of atrial fibrilation, cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, alopecia, female virilization, gynaecomastia, and rhabdomyolysis have been described. Thus, in respect of their high acute and chronic toxicity these hormones should be strictly prescribed for medical and not for esthetic purposes.


An ion chromatography method with ultrasonic extraction has been developed to simultaneously determine the water solubility of fluoride,chloride,bromide and nitrate in iron ores.The sample solution was extracted ultrasonically and precipitation separation was carried out by centrifugation.The clarified solution was passed through IC-RP,IC-Na and a 0.22 μm filter membrane.The anions were separated and data were collected by using AS-19 type anion separation column and ASRS 300-4 mm self-electric chemistry suppressor with the 25.00 mmol/L NaOH as eluent.The organic matter in the sample solution was absorbed by IC-RP column and the heavy metal ions were replaced by IC-Na column,which is the same cation as that in eluent.Based on the study of the extraction efficiency for water solubility anions,the extraction time was 30 min.In order to eliminate the effect of a negative peak from water,a certain amount of eluent was added into the standard and sample solutions to make the conductivity in each solution match each other.Under optimal conditions,the detection limits of F-,Cl-,Br-and NO-3 were 2.1,3.5,2.5 and 2.0 μg/g,respectively.The linear correlation was good for the work curve,and the linearly dependent coefficient was greater than 0.999.The accuracy and precision of this method was verified by iron ore standard material GBW 07218a and the results were consistent with certified values.The RSD(n=10) was less than 5% and recovery rates with interior standard were 96%-104%.The results for the actual samples were consistent with those obtained by ion selective electrode method.The method has the benefits of applying to a wide linear range,is simple and has rapid and high efficiency,making it suitable for routine lab inspection work.


Honey bees (Apis mellifera Linnaeus) are used extensively for lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) (Ericaceae) pollination, yet recent bee health concerns coupled with rising hive rental costs have led to increased interest in a diversified pollinating force, including bumble bee (Bombus) species (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Bumble bees are effective pollinators of lowbush blueberry but require floral resources for the duration of the season, preand postblueberry bloom. Five Bombus species were observed along field margins at three commercial lowbush blueberry sites on New Brunswick's Acadian Peninsula from 25 May to 22 August 2012. We determined relative abundance of the five bee species as well as floral visitation and the duration bees foraged on each flowering plant species. Based on average visits per hour, Bombus impatiens Cresson was most abundant, followed in decreasing abundance by Bombus ternarius Say, Bombus vagans Smith, Bombus borealis Kirby and Bombus terricola Kirby. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) (Polygonaceae), goldenrod (Solidago spp.) (Asteraceae), brambles (Rubus spp.) (Rosaceae), and rhodora (Rhododendron canadense (L.) Torr.) (Ericaceae) received the most Bombus visits per hour while red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) (Fabaceae), vetch (Vicia spp.) (Fabaceae), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) (Fabaceae), and St. John's Wort (Hypericum spp.) were visited for the longest duration by bees. This information can be used to guide management decisions to retain and implement flowering plants that support bumble bees in lowbush blueberry field margins.


The Editor

Current Oncology

15 September 2015

We thank Drs. Ibrahim Elghissassi, Saber Boutayeb, Hanane Inrhaoun, Hind Mrabti, and Hassan Errihani for their comments on our paper.

The results of our practice review1 on the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (tki) at a single tertiary centre are not intended to diminish the important findings of prospective trials (delta and tailor)2,3. Yet the popular belief that randomized controlled trials inherently produce "gold standard" results and that all observational studies are inferior or noncontributory does a disservice, in some circumstances, to patient care, clinical investigation, and education of health care professionals. As an example, real-world data can be a useful aid for decision-making; assessing the value of a drug or technology often requires an understanding of its impact on current management in a practical, real-life setting.

We acknowledge that the results from the above-mentioned trials demonstrate that, in patients with wild-type EGFR, chemotherapy is superior to erlotinib in the second-line setting in terms of progression-free survival. Unfortunately, little or no benefit in overall survival was observed, which is far from the result that we would like to achieve for our lung cancer patients.

Additionally, it is important to recognize that a better toxicity profile for epidermal growth factor receptor tki therapy compared with chemotherapy was clearly demonstrated. That finding is not to be minimized, given the palliative nature of both treatments. Our study was not meant to challenge prospective data, but rather to push forward the notion that, in the real-life setting at least, tki therapy is still an acceptable option for some individuals —particularly when selecting therapy for patients with a poor or borderline performance status.

For the purpose of our analysis, wild-type EGFR was defined as negative for the classical mutations at exons 18–21. Mutations were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction using the standardized U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved EntroGen kit (Woodland Hills, CA, U.S.A.). The possibility of patients having rare activating mutations cannot be excluded. We agree that that possibility could have led to better progression-free survival in patients treated with tki compared with patients receiving docetaxel treatment. However, such an analysis was beyond the scope of our study, considering its retrospective nature. Future prospective studies might want to explore that hypothesis.

A very valid point was raised concerning the concept of treatment-free interval as reported by Odabas et al.4 We will consider re-evaluating our published results to determine if that parameter did indeed affect the success rate of second-line treatment in our study population.

Finally, Dr. Elghissassi and colleagues are correct to state that neither docetaxel nor erlotinib are ideal second-line treatments. Fortunately, novel therapies are actively being developed, although they have yet to be integrated into common clinical practice. The major drivers of change will include more comprehensive genetic testing platforms, the identification of additional molecular subtypes of non-small-cell lung cancer, and advances in drug development. As already mentioned, studies evaluating two antiangiogenic drugs, nintedanib and ramucirumab, yielded positive results in this setting. Finally, promising new drugs targeting the immune checkpoint pathways are also being tested. The exciting results emerging from those tests will open tremendous possibilities for future research studies and offer hope that cures can be achieved for at least a subset of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.


Spectral analysis of a Uvigerina proboscidea time series from DSDP Site 214 using the Lomb‐Scargle method for unevenly sampled data, exhibits two dominant power peaks at 412 and 94 kyrs over the last 2 million years, which correspond to the Earth's eccentricity cycles. The results indicate that the SW monsoon varied at about 100 kyr and 400 kyr periodicities within Earth's eccentricity domain (Milankovitch range) over the past 2 million years. Wavelet transform analysis reveals the non‐stationary nature of monsoon upwelling over this interval. The amplitude of the 400 kyr cycle in the U. proboscidea time series began to increase at ∼900 kyrs as has also been observed in few recent studies. We do not see a strong relation between eccentricity highs and intense summer monsoons over the studied interval.


Invasive cervical cancer (ICC) is the second leading cause of cancer related mortality among women in India. Human papillomavirus (HPV), the etiological agent of cervical cancer is widely prevalent worldwide. Persistent HPV infection, particularly with HPV 16, is essential for progression to cervical cancer. Human papillo mavirus 16 and 18 are the most common genotypes detected among Indian HIV-infected and uninfected women, although their relative contributions vary. HIV-infected Indian women experience a higher risk for HPV infection compared to the general population. Although cervical screening and vacci nation to protect against HPV infection are the two main strategies for prevention, there are significant challenges to their implementation in India. Scaling up of cervical screening using simple, rapid tests followed by colposcopy and treatment within a minimal number of visits is essential to prevent loss to followup. Increasing the uptake of the HPV vaccine combined with cervical screening can greatly reduce the burden of ICC in India.


The objective of this study was to obtain a 6‐month natural history of motor function performance in individuals with RYR1‐ related myopathy (RYR1‐RM) by using the Motor Function Measure‐32 (MFM‐32) and graded functional tests (GFT) while facilitating preparation for interventional trials.


Technical obsolescence represents a process whose causes and total dynamics are still not well understood. Consequently; means for preventing and combating it have been identified more in an intuitive fashion than based upon firm knowledge. This study seeks to increase the leveI of understanding of the problem, beginning with reflections on the concepts of what  obsolescence is, then going on the analysis of its origins, responsibilities, and methodological approaches for its study. A review of the literature shows the continuing unavailability of a reasonably articulated theory, minimally accepted for understanding and analyzing the problem. In the same way, definite conc1usions cannot yet be drawn from studies and research carried out conceming the relationships between aging and performance of researchers in their work, thus recommending further investigation.


A dual-metal-planar rectifier on 6H–SiC was fabricated using Ti and Ni2Si as Schottky metals. The forward current voltage (I–V) characteristic of the dual-metal devices was comparable with that of Ti diodes. On the other hand, under reverse bias, almost the same leakage current of the Ni2Si rectifiers was achieved, i.e., a factor 1000 lower than that of Ti diodes. The fabricated diodes allowed to obtain a power dissipation of 0.37 W/cm2, significantly reduced with respect to the Ti and Ni2Si diodes dissipation. Moreover, the breakdown voltage was the same as in the planar Ni2Si diode, thus indicating that the planar structure is very efficient in avoiding electric field crowding at the titanium stripes edges.


Summary Two-year-old container-grown Castanea sativa Mill. and Quercus frainetto Ten. seedlings were planted at a field site on four different planting dates. Root electrolyte leakage (REL) and root growth potential (RGP) of seedlings were determined before planting while net photosynthesis, leaf area and leaf water potential were monitored during the first growing season. The pre-planting stock quality testing showed no significant differences for REL and RGP of C. sativa and REL of Q. frainetto while differences were found for RGP of Q. frainetto. Midday leaf water potential, on seven dates during the first growing season, of C. sativa seedlings planted in December and January was significantly higher than those of seedlings planted in February and March. Both species sustained high photosynthetic rates throughout the first growing season and no significant differences between planting dates were observed. The total plant leaf area of December- and January-planted Q. frainetto seedlings were significantly higher than those of seedlings planted in February and March. There was a general trend for seedlings planted in December and January to have higher survival than ones planted in February and March.


The roping phenomenon was investigated in two alloys of 6016 aluminum. In one case the material (GR) is more resistant to roping. In the other (BR), the material is less resistant to roping. Roping lines are therefore more pronounced in the BR material compared to the GR case. One significant difference between the processing of these materials is that the GR material underwent intermediate annealing (IA); the BR material did not. Through‐process characterization of the BR and GR materials by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) revealed that the IA step transformed the texture of the GR material compared to the BR case, where the evolution was typical of Al alloys. It was found that the IA step set the stage for the ensuing differences in texture evolution, spatial distribution of {1 0 0} ⟨0 0 1〉 Cube grains and ultimately, the different roping behaviors exhibited by the BR and GR materials.


In 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact ("Great Lakes Compact" or "Compact"). The Compact is a legally binding instrument between all the Great Lakes states that manages all water diversions out of the Great Lakes. The Compact sets a general prohibition on diverting water out of the Great Lakes and delineates a few exceptions to that ban. Under the Compact, a community in a "straddling county" is eligible for a diversion out of the Great Lakes if it demonstrates, among other things, that it does not have a "reasonable water supply alternative," and receives approval from all members of the Great Lakes Council. To date, the Great Lakes Council has not defined "reasonable water supply alternative," leaving it up to the Compact member states to develop their own definitions. The Great Lakes Council's failure to define "reasonable water supply alternative" leaves the Council's decisions to approve or deny a community in a "straddling county's" diversion application vulnerable to legal challenges. This Note suggests that the Great Lakes Council should define "reasonable water supply alternative" with a focus on the alternative's effectiveness in terms of public health and environmental effects as opposed to the alternative's costs because this formulation will help avoid litigation and effectuate the purpose of the Compact.


Background: Platelets are the richest source for cytokine and growth factors which are two important components of regeneration and Platelet
Rich Fibrin (PRF) has gained popularity in the past two decades. PRF and bioactive glass (BG) have shown effective results in the reduction of
Probing pocket depth (PPD), Gain in clinical attachment level (CAL) and defect ll in intrabony defects.
Materials and Methods: Electronic searches were performed in PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar and EbscoHost for the
identication of relevant studies, till 30 September 2020 in English language. Additionally, hand search was also carried out in the relevant
journals. The review protocol followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020211755). The risk of bias of the
studies was independently evaluated using Cochrane Risk of Bias tool.
Results: Five RCTs were included, which investigated the effects of PRF as an adjunct to bioactive glass comparing with Bioactive glass alone in
the treatment of intrabony defects. In all the included studies it was found that PRF as adjunct had better results in the outcomes measured when
compared with Bioactive glass alone.
Conclusion: The current review has shown evidence suggesting that platelet rich brin can prove to be effective as a regenerative material, for the
treatment of intrabony defects, in combination with bioactive glass.


Nearly forty years ago, the City of Berkeley's progressive activists and elected officials began an effort to use city government to develop democratic, community-controlled housing that would not be subject to the market and would assist in building a movement for social justice. Although progressives gained long-term control of the city government, over the years they largely abandoned the goal of economic democracy due to a combination of limited local resources, changing political priorities, and the need for professionalism in housing production and management. Today, most of the City's housing funding goes to two highly professional regional nonprofit housing organizations headquartered in Berkeley, which maintain a landlord–tenant relationship with residents but are part of a broader nonprofit housing movement.


Purpose: To develop and validate a dissolution test method for tablets containing 80 mg of drotaverine hydrochloride (DRT) and 250 mg of mefenamic acid (MEF). Methods: Sink conditions, drug stability and specificity in different dissolution media were tested to optimize a dissolution test method using a USP paddle type dissolution test apparatus set at a speed of 50 rpm. The dissolution medium consisted of 900 ml of phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) containing 0.25% w/v cetrimide at 37 ± 0.5 o C and 45 min time-point. To determine both drugs simultaneously, a first derivative UV spectrophotometric method was developed and validated. Drug release was analyzed by first derivative UV method at 253.8 nm and 304 nm for DRT and MEF respectively. The dissolution method was validated as per ICH guidelines. Results: The two brands each showed 98% of drug release for both drugs when the developed dissolution method was used. The regression plot was linear in the concentration range 4 - 24 µg/mL for each of the drugs and regression coefficient (r 2 ) was greater than 0.999 for each drug. Relative standard deviation (% RSD) for precision and accuracy of proposed method was < 2. Conclusion: The proposed dissolution method is simple, cost-effective, precise, accurate and specific. It can be successfully employed in routine quality control of DRT and MEF combination tablets.


The cultivation situation of Carya illinoensis in Jianshui County was introduced,the cultivation methods including selection of orchard,planting time and main planting techniques,and the management techniques including management of soil,fertilizer and water,interplant,pruning and training etc. were analyzed.At last,the main diseases and insect pests and controlling methods of Carya illinoensis were summarized.


Accurate acquisition of camera position and orientation is crucial for realistic augmentations of camera images. Computer vision based tracking algorithms, using the camera itself as sensor, are known to be very accurate but also time-consuming. The integration of inertial sensor data provides a camera pose update at 100 Hz and therefore stability and robustness against rapid motion and occlusion. Using inertial measurements we obtain a precise real time augmentation with reduced camera sample rate, which makes it usable for mobile AR and See-Through applications. This paper presents a flexible run-time system, that benefits from sensor fusion using Kalman filtering for pose estimation. The camera as main sensor is aided by an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The system presented here provides an autonomous initialisation as well as a predictive tracking procedure and switches between both after successfull (re)-initialisation and tracking failure respectively. The computer vision part performs 3D model-based tracking of natural features using different approaches for yielding both, high accuracy and robustness. Results on real and synthetic sequences show how inertial measurements improve the tracking.


ABSTRACT Mountain tapir and Andean bear are the two largest mammals in the tropical Andes, both charismatic, survivors of old lineages of mammal evolution, and threatened with extinction. Their current distribution is montane cloud forest and paramos (high-altitude grasslands) in South America, where they feed on fruits and vegetative parts, having an important role as seed dispersers. The distribution and population size of both species was analyzed based on expert opinion and a rule-and-base model within a GIS context. A gap analysis was performed to determine the animals their conservation status within National Parks. Areas of past and present distribution for the mountain tapir were 205 000 km 2 and 31 400 km 2 , respectively. Based on existing suitable habitat, the population of mountain tapirs in their current range was estimated at 5700 individuals at the most. The overall population of Andean bears ranges between expert estimates of 5000–10 000 individuals. Several conservation recommendations emerge from the present analysis and review for the two species. INTRODUCTION The tropical cloud forests of the Andean region support some of the greatest plant and animal species diversity on Earth (Rahbek and Graves 2001; Barthlott et al ., 2005; Brehm et al ., 2005; Kromer et al ., 2005), with a remarkable number of endemic and rare species (Duellman, 1988; Kessler, 2002; Kattan and Franco, 2004). At the same time, the tropical Andes is one of the most endangered biodiversity "hot spots" (Myers et al ., 2000; Brooks et al ., 2002; cf. Mosandl et al ., 2008) due primarily to the conversion of forests to agriculture and cattle ranching, a process that continues today (Kattan et al ., 2004).


The influence of solid particle on erosion characteristics of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) – alumina (Al2O3) hybrid epoxy nanocomposites has been investigated in this work. Tests were carried out to investigate the influence of hybrid nanofillers and impingement angle during solid particle travel over the surface. The erosive wear was evaluated with various five weight fractions of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 (by wt.%) of hybrid nanofillers filled with pure epoxy and at three different impingement angles: 30o, 60o and 90o. The erodent used is irregular silica sand particles (with size range of 100±20μm) with an impact velocity of 70m/s and the flow time of 5 min. The experimental results exhibit the maximum erosion rate at 60o impingement angle and the material removal was semi-ductile in nature. The lowest wear rate was observed in pure epoxy filled with 1.5 (by wt.%) hybrid nanofillers due to debonding of fiber and matrix restricts by the fillers. The pure epoxy without any hybrid nanofillers exhibits highest erosive wear due to weak bonding strength. The morphology of eroded surface was examined by field emission scanning microscope and possible mechanisms were discussed.


The information in this paper is intended to provide a brief overview of Air Core Systems and review, from a practical side, the construction detailing and control systems utilized in wall and floor type Air Core Systems.


We present a composite Compressed Sensing system for the acquisition and recovery of compressible signals, where a sparse Binary Sensing Matrix aids Sparsity Order Estimation, and a Gaussian Sensing Matrix aids reconstruction. The Binary Sensing Matrix is deterministic and is adapted according to the varying nature of the sparsity order. We estimate the sparsity order by exploiting the sparse structure of the Binary Sensing Matrix and the statistics of the obtained measurements. We refine the estimates of the sparsity order using a Kalman filter with a discrete Markov model that characterizes the sparsity order variation. A Binary Sensing Matrix-Aided Orthogonal Matching Pursuit is developed for faster recovery of compressible signals. Simulation results on real-world and synthetic data demonstrate the merits of the proposed sparsity order estimation and recovery methods compared to other existing methods. Our proposed methods are practical and recover compressible signals at least 25% faster than the existing methods.


A new theoretical approach that enables to deal with missing values attributes as inputs is introduced. The Neural network inputs are now treated as random variables, possibly with large variances in the case when the input variable knowledge is not complete. An automatic diagnosis system is used to illustrated this new technique


As the capabilities of industrial automation are growing so is the ability to supplement or replace the more tacit, cognitive skills of manual operators. Whilst models have been published within the human factors literature regarding automation implementation they neglect to discuss the initial capture of the task and automation experts currently lack a formal tool to assess feasibility. The definition of what is meant by "human skill" is discussed and three crucial theoretical underpinnings are proposed for a novel, automation-specific skill capture methodology: emphasis upon procedural rules, emphasis upon action-facilitating factors and taxonomy of skills.


a simple technique of inhalational anaesthesia which, among other advantages, safely reduces operative bleeding, and, coupled with the intelligent use of posturing the patient, makes the use of drugs to lower the arterial blood pressure unnecessary on most occasions, since such bleeding as does occur is insufficient materially to influence the surgeon's operating conditions. The technique described is a development of the T-piece technique of Ayre (1937a, 1937b), which was intended, among other things, to reduce vascular congestion during operative surgery. My technique differs from Ayre's in several respects. no additional apparatus is required, endotracheal intubation is unnecessary but may be used, nitrous oxide is the main agent used, air is excluded from the inhaled mixture, only nminimal quantities of the volatile agents are used, a change to a semi-closed circuit can be accomplished in a matter of seconds, and the passage of gases through the "T" is different.