1M. Tech Scholar, Electronics and Telecommunication Department, GCOE, Amravati (MH), India 2Assistant Professor, Electronics and Telecommunication Department, GCOE, Amravati (MH), India ---------------------------------------------------------------------***--------------------------------------------------------------------Abstract Underwater images affect due to poor color contrast and poor visibility. These problems emerge due to the scattering of light and refraction of light while penetrate into rarer to denser medium. The problems result in limited usage of the images. In terms of detection, the objects in the image hardly seen and not detectable while having a low possibility of tracing. A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a reconfigurable hardware, providing better features than DSP and other hardware devices due to their product fidelity and sustainable advantages in digital image processing. FPGA has a large impact on image and video processing; this is due to the potential of the FPGA to have parallel and high computational density as compared to a general purpose microprocessor. This paper proposes underwater images enhancement by wavelet decomposition based image fusion implementation on FPGA. The color corrected and contrastenhanced images are fused which are withdrawn from an original underwater image.


Solution and solid-state Silicon-29 NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (WAXS), infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetric were used for the characterization of organic–inorganic hybrids, obtained from 4-[[5-dichloromethylsilyl]pentyl]oxy]-cyanobenzene (DCN) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). Presence of reaction intermediates during chemical reactions was characterized by NMR. The hybrids are mainly composed of a siloxane copolymer with silicate units. Copolymer has pendant groups of pentyl-oxy-cyanobenzene that behave as chromophores. The nature of ordered–disordered phases was analyzed by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. Ordered phase has a mesogenic structure containing the siloxane copolymer. The disordered phase is mainly silica glass. Molecular modeling for an idealized section of the copolymer suggests that pentyl-oxy-cyanobenzene side-chains align as rigid mesogens along the polymer backbone. Hybrids present self diffraction patterns in coherent luminous rings forms. These patterns indicate the presence of nonlinear optic (NLO) properties. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009


On the 28th of December 1384, John Wyclif died of apoplexy while hearing mass in his own church at Lutterworth. He had braved papal displeasure and had survived the hatred of his enemies among local ecclesiastics. Supported by public approval, defended by noble friends—notable among them being John of Gaunt—he had passed through life serenely until his death. His body remained buried in consecrated ground for forty-four years. On May 4, 1415 the Council of Constance decreed that his bones should be disinterred, burned, and the ashes cast into Swift Creek. This sentence was delayed, however, until 1428. Up to 1413, at least, the world had heard relatively little about Wyclif's heresy. By this time papal vengeance was aroused by the alleged dissent of Wyclif's disciple in Bohemia. Perhaps Wyclif became the victim of the circumstance that required authority for action against John Huss. Until Huss' sources were condemned, his enemies had very little evidence upon which to bring him into prominence at Rome as a dangerous man.


Ionization measurements are reported on the ?- and ?-ray emission from iodine-124. The ratio of the ?-ray dose in r/g of solution at 1 cm to the ?-ray dose in rads at the centre of a large volume of the same solution was found to be 0.0200?0.0016 compared with values deduced from published decay schemes which range from 0.011 to 0.017. By estimating particle disintegration rate from counting measurements, a value of 8.1?1.4 was deduced for the ? factor of iodine-124. The clinical implications of these results are briefly discussed, and the discrepancies between published decay schemes are considered.


The development of InGaAs pseudomorphic high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with state-of-the-art power performance at millimeter-wave frequencies is reported. Results given include maximum power-added efficiencies of 44% at 35 GHz and 36% at 44 GHz, output power of 100 mW with 22% efficiency and 3-dB gain at 60 GHz, and output power of 9 mW at 94 GHz. Preliminary reliability data are presented, and prospects for further improvement in performance-the realization of multifinger HEMTs capable of higher output power and reduction of gate length to 0.1 mu m-are discussed.<<ETX>>


This paper presents high speed direct digital frequency synthesizer (DDFS) based on pipelining phase accumulator (PA). The proposed 12-bit PA contains three pipelining stages with 4-bit carry-lookahead adder (CLA) with the carries ripple between these stages. Comparing results between similar phase accumulator designed with ripple carry adder on, Cyclone III FPGA platform reveals that the proposed phase accumulator runs approximately 10.5% and 13% faster than conventional phase accumulator in approximately for 12-bit and 18-bit respectively.


The study of oil-slime properties in the construction of road bases has been carried out. Dependence of quality of the road bases from the content of oil-slime has been defined. Based on these results 12 km of road was constructed in Mogilev, Republic of Adygea.


Collapsible soils are unsaturated soils which present a potential for large deformation and a complete change to the whole particle structure after wetting, with or without loading. These soils are characterized with loose structures composed of silt to fine-sand-size particles. Collapsible soils are deposited in arid and semi-arid regions. Due to the expansion of human activities, these regions are occupied aggressively leading to the use of large quantities of water, which creates favorable conditions for soil collapses. Theses soil failures lead to severe damage and large distress to man-made structures. The objective of this experimental study is to illustrate that the mechanical resistance of collapsible soil can be improved. This study demonstrates that it is possible to minimize the collapse potential Cp to an acceptable level after chemical treatment with salts (ammonium sulfates (NH4)2SO4 and potassium chlorides KC1) at different concentrations (i.e., 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mole/liter) and under different compaction energies. The method used in this study is based on oedometric tests with variable normal stresses.


Objective To study the correlation between the negative mood and social support in patients undergoing heart valve replacement and to seek corresponding nursing strategies.Methods Self-ratingAnxiety Scale(SAS),Self-rating Depression Scale(SDS),Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS)were used to assess the effectiveness of psychological intervention and social support intervention.Results The anxiety and depression of cardiac valve replacement group were significantly higher than the normal control group (P<0.05) and their social support for the factor score and total score were lower than the control group (P<0.05).In addition,anxiety,depression and social support was negatively correlated(P<0.05)and after nursing intervention,the patients'anxiety,depression score and social support total score were significantly improved(P<0.05).Conclusions The cardiac valve replacement patients with anxiety and depression are obvious and their social support is low.Negative psychology and social support are closely related.Psychological intervention can improve the effect of care.

Key words:
Cardiac valve replacement; Anxiety; Depression; Social support; Nursing care


Background:Particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) is associated with exacerbation of pediatric asthma. Objective: To investigate the association of indoor PM2.5 of in...


The effects of agricultural and industrial wastes on soil physicochemical properties of a sandy clay loam soil in the Western farm of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU) was conducted in the green house. Samples were collected at a depth of 0-15cm of soil and amended with agricultural wastes (poultry manure) and industrial wastes (palm oil mill effluents (POME), cassava mill effluents (CME), and sawdust (SD)) at five application rates (0,100, 200, 300 and 400 grammes per 10kg soil). Each treatment was replicated three times. Soil was incubated after waste application for six weeks and selected physical and chemical properties were analyzed. Laboratory results were subjected to analysis of variance using a 4 x 5 factorial in completely randomized design. Significant treatment means were separated using FLSD 0.05. Results indicate that the agricultural and industrial waste applied influenced soil physicochemical properties, the level of effect varied with rate of application. Soil organic matter, soil pH and total nitrogen increased with application of poultry manure, while the industrial wastes did not affect total nitrogen. Statistically, the palm oil mill effluent and saw dust had a significant effect on pH, total nitrogen, exchangeable acidity and bulk density, while cassava mill effluent had significant effect only on total nitrogen at P<0.05. All the application rate of the agricultural waste had statistically significant effect on the soil pH (P<0.05). The highest rate of application of the wastes gave the best or highest effect on organic matter and soil pH. Generally, the agricultural waste gave the overall best performance on physico-chemical properties of the soil.


The use of solar collectors has grown in Sweden during the last 20 years. At the present the fastest growing collector applications are Domestic Hot Water (DHW) systems. The life performance of the ...


For the completeness of the eigenvectors of non-self-adjoint operator,there isn't a unified solving approach until now.To research into the topic,first,Hamilton system to a class of partial differential equations which can be solved by traditional method of separation of variables is introduced.Then,the completeness and summability of the eigenvectors in Abel means,Cauchy principal value are proved and the conclusions of Abel means toθsummability are extended.Especially,a sufficient and necessary condition of the given series is obtained under which both the Abel means and the Cauchy principal value converge.Finally,an example is given to illustrate the correctness of the analytical results.


Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) is an important method for designing and prioritising preventive maintenance activities and is often used as the basis for preventive maintenance planning. Although FMEA was studied extensively, most of the published work so far covers FMEA concept design. Little detailed comparison to industrial practice regarding the application of FMEA can be found in the literature, which is the contribution of this study. This paper summarises the main descriptions and assumptions found in the literature on FMEA into six postulates, and compares the postulates to industrial practice. This was done in a multiple case study conducted at six companies in the process industry. Some postulates were supported by empirical evidence, whereas for others, limited or no support could be found. The results suggest a fundamental problem in the FMEA procedure, namely, the reliance upon expert judgement in general and the reliance upon design engineering expertise for keeping the FMEA up-to-date in particular. Also, a number of operational and information management problems that companies suffer from when conducting an FMEA were identified. Practitioners can use this paper to assess their potential for implementing FMEA and to learn from the insight into the identified pitfalls. Researchers can use the findings to guide further work on improving and developing the FMEA procedures.


Article 51(1) (Supervisory authority) and Article 52 (Independence of supervisory authorities) (see too recitals 117–118 and 120–121); Article 64(2) (Commission right to request the Board concerning an opinion) (see too recitals 135–136); Article 68(5) (Participation of the Commission in the activities and meetings of the Board).


– This research aims to compare website-based investor relations (WIR) in developed and developing economies, represented by the US, UK, Hong Kong and mainland China. , – A WIR level evaluation index consisting of 82 items was constructed, based on website content analysis. Item discrepancies caused by local contexts were considered in order to make the items applicable to all economies. Data were collected from the websites of companies listed in the Dow Jones Industry Average, the biggest 30 companies on the FTSE100, Hang Seng Index and China CNINFO40. The WIR levels of developed and developing economies were evaluated and compared under the index system. T-tests of differences between means were used to evaluate significance. , – Listed companies' WIR levels were very similar between Hong Kong and mainland China as well as between the US and UK, but companies listed in the US and UK have a much higher level of WIR. The differences of WIR between developed and developing economies were very significant. Developed economies' WIR show many advanced features such as using real-time and being more complete, convenient, user-friendly, accurate and fair. , – As a comparative study of WIR between developed and developing economies, the study is among the first in this field, especially in including mainland China.


Objective To learn the status of AIDS health education in junior middle schools in Hedong district in 2010,and provide scientific basis for preventing AIDS.Method Randomly selected 2 middle schools from urban and rural areas,and then selected 1 teacher and 1 class of each grade of 2 schools to carried out questionnaires investigation,collected the data and analyed.Results The awareness rate of AIDS prevention and control knowledge of junior middle school students was 95.88%.Age sensitivity could affect the awareness rate.Conclusions It's necessary to set up health education about AIDS in middle schools,it is an effective method to enhance the awareness rate.At last,we should set up an long-term mechanism too.


The authors developed an inexpensive FM radar for polarimetric scattering measurements., The system was designed for collecting polarimetric data at 5.3 and 10 GHz over incidence angles from 0 degrees to 60 degrees . The unique features of the system include fine range resolution, phase stabilization, and linearization of the RF oscillator and digital signal processing capability. The system is used for collecting polarimetric scattering data from artificial sea ice at the US Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, New Hampshire. The authors discuss the design, construction, and performance of the polarimetric radar and present results from the CRREL experiments.<<ETX>>


The present performance of the AA ri ng is reviewed and the factors whi ch currently l imit its stacking rate discussed. Means to raise the stacki ng rate by a factor of two are suggested.


THE RELATIVE EFFICIENCIES OF SPECTROGRAPHS OF MODERATE DISPERSION AT THE PRIME, CASSEGRAIN, AND COUDÉ FOCI OF LARGE REFLECTORS Harold F. Weaver Lick Observatory


Abstract Corrosion fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior of alloy 600 (UNS N06600) sensitized at 1,100°C/0.5 h + 700°C/5 h in 0.1 M sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) solution at room temperature under app...


An acute reduction in the concentration of plasma free amino acids was observed in normal, hypophysectomized, pancreatectomized, and doubly operated (Houssay) dogs following a single injection of bovine growth hormone (NIH, lots B8, B12, and B13, 1–5 mg/kg). The reduction obtained with administered growth hormone in diabetic animals was abolished by dihydroergotamine (2 mg) or 2-brom-d-lysergic acid diethylamide (BOL-148, 1 mg). Pharmacological blockade of the adrenergic and serotonergic systems partially counteracted the growth hormone effect in normal and hypophysectomized dogs; complete suppression was achieved only in combination with puromycin (200 mg). These results indicate that the reduction in the concentration of plasma free amino acids following a single injection of growth hormone has at least two components. It is suggested that one is protein anabolic in nature and the other involves hepatic gluconeogenesis caused chiefly by serotonin.


In this paper,the improvement issues of Gray - Markov chain model was studied,it may eliminate the grey bias and improve anti-jamming performance of the standard Grey-Markov forecasting model,the unbiased grey theory and fuzzy classification are introduced into the Grey-Markov forecasting model and a new method of named the Unbiased Grey-Fuzzy-Markov Chain Method is proposed. Finally,we apply the model to the problem of the per capita GDP of Gansu Province,the accuracy and reasonableness of the result is significantly better than the traditional Gray - Markov model.


A number of theoretical models describing the transport and kinetic processes involved in heterogeneous redox catalysis of solution phase reactants at electrode surfaces coated with redox active monolayers (such as self assembled alkane thiols containing a ferrocene group) is presented. These models are : simple bimolecular outer-sphere, generalized Koutecky-Levich, and substrate binding/ adduct formation . For each model a general expression for the steady state reaction flux is derived. Simplified analytical expressions for the net reaction flux under steady state conditions, are derived for experimentally reasonable situations, and kinetic case diagrams are constructed outlining the relationships between the various approximate solutions. The theory developed enables simple diagnostic plots to be constructed which can be used to analyse experimental data.


The technology and performance overhaul of prefabricated green rubber track series products are in full compliance with the construction of sports venues and the development trend of green concept advocated in current society, which indicates the broad market prospects of the product. This paper mainly applies the methods of documentary, mathematical statistics, field surveys and so on, to analyze the development background of prefabricated green rubber track products and Tongxin series products of Guangzhou in China. The research results show that compared with traditional polyurethane plastic track, prefabricated green rubber track series have five significant advantages over technology and performance, which can help gain more benefits; Tongxin series products of Guangzhou have advantages in content, attribute, scope, type, and cost performance; Tongxin products performance is excellent and outstanding, thus the products have obvious advantages and the team has strong strength.


Despite the fact that music provides a wide array of benefits for dementia care dyads (persons with dementia and family caregivers), the increased attention to music for stress reduction in dementia care dyads has sparked questions about whether and how to effectively measure changes in stress throughout the interventions. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of collecting salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA‐S) as stress biomarkers to assess the short‐term effects of music among dementia care dyads living at home.


PROGNOSIS OF LOESS BEHAVIOUR ON BASIS SLOPES – EXAMPLE OF PLANNED WATER RESERVOIR ON ŚWIŚLINA RIVER

Summary
The paper presents prognosis of loess behaviour on slopes of planned water reservoir on Świślina river. Loess samples were analyzied to determinate: granulometric and aggregate composition, consistency, swelling, soaking, compressibility, settlement shear resistance, angle of internal friction and cohesion. High loess susceptibility for water was found reflecting mainly as rising possibilities of swelling, soaking, fluidization and settlement during moistening (quick reservoir infilling). Growing activity of these processes could involve scouring of reservoir shore deposits. Only slow and gradual reservoir infilling could avoid


Raising and Control have been central concerns of Generative Grammar since 1960s.Based on The Grammar of Raising and Control by W.D.Davies and S.Dubinsky,this paper,with reference to other relevant literature about Raising and Control,introduces the distinction between Raising and Control,the studies of Raising and Control from Standard Theory to Minimalist Program and the separation or unification of Raising and Control.


Despite the importance of field control and data acquisition, careful planning of power distribution to and protection of the 24 V DC sensor/actuator field is sometimes neglected. Selectivity and limitation of power are playing a major role in deliberately securing the field level. A further aspect is the "holistic" approach with systematic planning of current supply and distribution of over current protection as well as integrated fault reporting and directly responding from the power plant control room.


Abstract Many languages contain apparently arbitrary word classes, of which the best known examples are the gender classes of languages such as French, Hebrew, and Italian. However, a number of phonological or semantic similarities typically exist among subsets of class members which could assist the language learner in discovering the class distinction. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the possibly facilitative role of phonological similarities among a subset of class members in the acquisition of otherwise arbitrary word classes, using artificial miniature languages. The learning of an experimental language in which a subset of the members of each noun class shared a set of phonological features (i.e., a common ending) was compared with the learning of a control language in which phonological similarities were randomly distributed between the two noun classes. Many adult subjects learning the experimental language acquired the word classes while no one learning the control language did. The results were replicated with nine- and ten-year-old children. These findings support an acquisition model in which inherent similarities among words are the means by which the classes are discovered; they cast doubt on models with mechanisms for acquiring completely arbitrary classes.


An experiment was carried out to assess the impact of Paper and pulp mill effluent effluent on physiological and biochemical parameters of three varieties (Pusa Karishma (LES-39), Pusa Agrani (SEJ-2), Pusa Mahak (JD-6) of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.). The seed germination ,shoot and root length, dry matter production, total chlorophyll (Chl a & Chl b) and total protein content increased on application of Paper and pulp mill effluent effluent at 25 and 50% concentration but higher concentrations of effluent, i.e. 75 and 100%, an inhibitory effect was observed. Among the three varieties studied, LES-39 (Pusa Karishma) variety performed better (tolerant) and JD-6 (Pusa Mahak) variety was proved as susceptible under the effluent treatments. The order of tolerance was Pusa Karishma (LES-39) > Pusa Agrani (SEJ-2) > Pusa Mahak (JD-6).


1. Preface VII INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FUNCTIONAL NANOMATERIALS AND HIGH-PURITY SUBSTANCES OCTOBER 01-05, 2018, RUSSIA, SUZDAL International Conference and Scientific School for Young Scientists, Functional nanomaterials and high-purity substances traditionally organized every two years already for the fifth time, is a major international scientific forum, which covers fundamentals of designing functional nanomaterials, including metallic, high-purity, ceramic, polymeric and composite ones, technological basis for creation of nanomaterials, problems of analysis, assessment of functional nanomaterials and their applications, as well as innovative technologies for preparation and plastic working of inorganic materials. List of committee members/participants are available in this PDF.


The permeation-controlled transport (or lack of transport) of cations of various size through thin films of the molecular square compound, [Re(CO)3(Cl))(μ-pyrazine)]4, was studied using cyclic voltammetry. Cations smaller than the available cavity in the square molecules were found to permeate the film, while cations larger than the cavity showed no appreciable permeation. The permeation by the redox-silent cations was indirectly observed by monitoring the oxidation of iodide or chloride counter ions. These results indicate that the available cavity size in the title compound is between 4. 1 and 6.1 A, which, as expected, is smaller than the ca. 7.2 A Re…Re distance observed by X-ray crystallography.


We apply the product impact measurement framework of the Impact-Weighted Accounts Initiative (IWAI) in two competitor companies within the pharmaceuticals industry. We design a monetization methodology that allows us to calculate monetary impact estimates of accessible product provision and efficacy, among other factors. Our results indicate substantial differences in the impact that competitors have through their products. These differences demonstrate how impact reflects corporate strategy and informs decision-making on industry-specific areas.


Leptin acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to reduce appetite and body weight, improve glucose regulation, and increase energy expenditure and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity. Central leptin has also been shown to exert antisteatotic effects on non‐adipose tissues. However, in severe obesity there may be resistance to leptin's anorexic, antidiabetic and antisteatotic effects but sustained effects to increase SNS activity, blood pressure (BP), and heart rate (HR). Our previous studies showed that POMC neurons are important for mediating the BP, HR and glucose effects of leptin but the role of POMC neurons in mediating leptin's effects on liver lipid accumulation remain less well defined. In this study we examined if deleting PTP1B, a negative regulator of leptin signaling, specifically in POMC neurons or in the entire forebrain, would protect mice against the adverse metabolic effects of a high fat diet (HFD). Male and female mice with forebrain (PTP1Bflox/flox/CamK2R5‐Cre) or POMC specific (PTP1Bflox/flox/POMC‐Cre) PTP1B deficiency and littermate controls (PTP1Bfox/flox) were fed a HFD from 6–20 weeks of age. Compared to PTP1Bflox/flox mice, mice with PTP1B deficiency in POMC neurons or in the entire forebrain had reduced body weight gain between 6 and 20 weeks of age when fed a HFD (Δ19.1 ±1.7g vs. Δ13.7±1.1g and Δ15.3±1.4g, respectively), and attenuated increase in fat mass (Δ13.3±1.2g vs. Δ7.3±0.7g and Δ10.2±1.0g, respectively). PTP1B deficiency attenuated food intake in forebrain specific PTP1B deficient mice compared to PTP1Bflox/flox and POMC specific PTP1B deficient mice (2.0±0.1g, 2.7±0.1g and 2.5±0.1 g, respectively). Glucose tolerance, expressed as area under the curve (AUC), was improved by PTP1B deficiency in forebrain and POMC specific neurons compared to PTP1Bflox/flox mice fed a HFD (AUC 19016±1172, 23207±1534 and 27561±3088, respectively). Liver fat mass, assessed by EchoMRI at 29±0.5 weeks of age, was reduced and liver lean mass was increased in mice with PTP1B deficiency in POMC neurons or in the entire forebrain (Fat: 8.8±1.8 and 6.0±3.3 mg/g, Lean: 93.6±2.8 and 97.2±5.6 mg/g, respectively) compared to PTP1Bflox/flox mice (Fat: 14.2±2., Lean: 79.4±10.3 mg/g), indicating a healthier liver profile. These findings indicate that PTP1B signaling in POMC neurons plays an important role in regulating body weight, fat mass, glucose tolerance and liver lipid accumulation in response to a chronic HFD but effects of PTP1B on food intake are mediated mainly in forebrain neurons other than POMC.


The purpose of this study is to determine the restoration activities of textual static archives in maintaining information treasures at the Surabaya City Library and Archives Office and the factors that become challenges in its implementation. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach that will describe the factual situation contained in the form of narrative text. Data were collected through participatory observation, interviews, and documentation. The collected data is selected based on the focus of the research, analyzed, and then concluded based on the problem studied. The results of this study show that the restoration of textual static archives at the Surabaya City Library and Archives Office is very effective in maintaining or preserving the wealth of information contained there because its implementation is in accordance with Law No. 43 of 2009 concerning Archives and Regulation of the Head of ANRI No. 23.


We present a new high-level synthesis methodology for using large language model tools to generate hardware designs. The methodology uses exclusively open-source tools excluding the large language model. As a case study, we use our methodology to generate a permuted congruential random number generator design with a wishbone interface. We verify the functionality and quality of the random number generator design using large language model-generated simulations and the Dieharder randomness test suite. We document all the large language model chat logs, Python scripts, Verilog scripts, and simulation results used in the case study. We believe that our method of hardware design generation coupled with the open source silicon 130 nm design tools will revolutionize application-specific integrated circuit design. Our methodology significantly lowers the bar to entry when building domain-specific computing accelerators for the Internet of Things and proof of concept prototypes for later fabrication in more modern process nodes.


Two thought experiments are described in which ruler measurements of spatial intervals are performed in different reference frames. They demonstrate that such intervals are frameindependent as well as independent of the nature of the space-time transformation equations. As explained in detail elsewhere, the 'length contraction' effect of conventional special relativity theory is therefore spurious and unphysical. PACS 03.30.+p The concept of a 'ruler measurement' of a spatial interval is a very familiar one in the everyday world. A 'ruler' is a flat object with a rectilinear boundary furnished with equally spaced 'marks', M, specifying positions along the boundary, labelled by ordinal numbers: M(I), I = 1, 2, 3, ... . In order to perform a length measurement, 'pointers' on the objects, the spatial separation of which is to be determined, are placed against the ruler and the closest marks to the pointers M(I), M(J) (J > I) are noted. The ruler measurement of the spatial separation of the pointers is then J − I in units of the intermark separation, with a maximum uncertainty of one unit. A mathematical calculus to rigorously specify such measuremenrs, in terms of pointer-mark coincidences (PMC), was proposed in Ref. [1], but for the purposes of the present paper the simple definition just given is sufficient. In the case that the to-be-measured objects are at rest relative to the ruler, time plays no role in the measurement. However if they are in uniform or accelerated motion, with the same or different velocities parallel to the edge of the ruler, the times at which the PMCs, constituting the raw measurements, are observed are important. Two distinct situations are possible: (1) The objects have different velocities. (2) The objects have the same (possibly time-varying) velocity at all times. In the first case, the spatial interval between the objects changes with time and a measurement of the spatial separation at any epoch a requires the simultaneous recording of two PMCs. In case (2), which is that of the examples to be discussed in this paper, simultaneous observation of PMCs is also required to define the spatial separation of the aThe word 'epoch' denotes a particular instant of time in some reference frame. It can be operationally defined as a particular PMC corresponding to a spatial coincidence between the moving hand of an analogue clock at rest in the frame (the pointer) and a mark on its dial.


We report results on the reactions $\overline{p}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}K+\overline{K}+n\ensuremath{\pi}$ ($n=1, 2, \ensuremath{\cdots}$) at 2.7 GeV/c. The cross section for this process is estimated to be 4.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.6 mb. Comparison of 2.7-GeV/c partial cross sections with data at 3.0 and 3.7 GeV/c indicates that these partial cross sections either are relatively constant or slowly decrease with energy. ${K}^{*}(890)$ production is observed in all the four-, five-, and six-body final states. The production of ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}$ and ${\ensuremath{\omega}}^{0}$ is also observed. The $K\overline{K}$ mass spectra show enhancements near threshold as has been seen in other $\overline{p}\ensuremath{-}p$ experiments. The present data cannot distinguish between a resonance or $S$-wave scattering-length interpretation of these enhancements. No significant evidence for resonances decaying into $K\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}$ or $K\overline{K}\ensuremath{\pi}$ was observed.


This paper presents a closed-form polynomial equation for the path of a point fixed in the coupler links of the single degree-of-freedom eight-bar linkage commonly referred to as the double buttery linkage. The revolute joint that connects the two coupler links of this planar linkage is a special point on the two links and is chosen to be the coupler point. A systematic approach is presented to obtain the coupler curve equation, which expresses the Cartesian coordinates of the coupler point as a function of the link dimensions only; i.e., the equation is independent of the angular joint displacements of the linkage. From this systematic approach, the polynomial equation describing the coupler curve is shown to be, at most, forty-eighth order. This equation is believed to be an original contribution to the literature on coupler curves of a planar eight-bar linkage. The authors hope that this work will result in the eight-bar linkage playing a more prominent role in modern machinery.


Actigraphy monitors are used to monitor sleep and scratching. Previous studies have implemented these monitors to evaluate behavior in adult patients with atopic dermatitis. However, such monitoring devices have been implemented in a paucity of studies involving pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of actigraphy monitoring in children with mild‐to‐severe atopic dermatitis.


The low-temperature properties of the (2 + 1)-dimensional quantum XY model are studied within the framework of effective Lagrangians up to three-loop order. At zero temperature, the system is characterized by a spontaneously broken spin rotation symmetry, O(2) → 1, where the corresponding Goldstone bosons are the spin waves or magnons. Even though there is no spontaneously broken order at finite T, the low-temperature behavior of the system is still governed by the spin waves. The partition function is evaluated and various thermodynamic quantities, including the order parameter, are derived in the presence of a weak external field. In particular, we show that the spin-wave interaction is repulsive at low temperatures, its magnitude depending on the strength of the external field. We compare our results with those for the (2 + 1)-dimensional antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model, which, at T = 0, exhibits the spontaneously broken spin rotation symmetry O(3) → O(2).


The introduction of bucket dredges from New Zealand in the 1890s provided a much-needed boost to the mining industry in south-eastern Australia. More than 50 dredges operated in Victorian river valleys each year during the peak of the industry between 1908 and 1913, with a subsequent revival from the 1930s to the 1950s using larger plant. At least 101 bucket dredging installations worked in Victoria during the 20th century. The dredges, however, had a major effect on river valleys and soon became widely known as 'desolating dredges'. This paper presents a general synthesis of the bucket dredging industry from an environmental perspective. In particular we consider the effect of dredging on waterways, and efforts by local communities and authorities to limit adverse effects.


The influence of steric factors on the activity of 2-cyanoacrylic esters as inhibitors of the Hill reaction was examined. The spatial arrangement of the different groups in the inhibitor molecule was found to be an important factor in determining potency. The positioning of the phenyl ring in aralkylamino derivatives and the steric properties of the β-substituent are particularly significant in the interaction of molecules with the) hydrophobic domain of the receptor site. The difference in activity observed with optically active α-methylbenzylamino derivatives confirmed the importance of the orientation of the phenyl ring and indicated an interaction with a specific hydrophobic region.


Lithium-Ion batteries are becoming the favorable selection for most portable electronics and more recently electric and hybrid-electric vehicles. This is mainly due to their high energy density and low self-discharge rate. On the other hand, lithium-ion batteries require supervision while charging and discharging to maintain the voltage and current within safe limits. This paper presents a real-time programmable approach to charge lithium-ion batteries with multiple cells. Mathwork's Simulink environment is used in real-time to control a current source to charge the battery. The control logic monitors the battery cells voltages that are read through an A/D converter and then calculates the desired charging current levels. The proposed system allows engineers and researchers to easily implement and test different lithium ion battery charging methods. Furthermore, the Simulink environment allows real-time monitoring and permits charging profiles to be implemented at ease. The system is demonstrated through two different charging methods. The variations of the charging current and cell voltages are presented and compared, demonstrating the flexibility of the system.


Photobiocatalysis is an interesting approach to use light to perform specific chemical transformations in a selective and efficient way. The intention is to couple a photoredox cycle with an enzyme performing multielectronic catalytic activity. Laccase, a robust multicopper oxidase, can be envisioned as a tool to use dioxygen as a clean electron sink when coupled to an oxidation photocatalyst. Here, we provide a detailed study of the coupling of a [Ru(bpy)3]2+ photosensitizer to laccase. We demonstrate that efficient laccase reduction requires using an electron relay like methyl viologen. In the presence of dioxygen, electrons transiently stored in superoxide ions (O2●–) are scavenged by laccase leading to formation of water instead of H2O2. The net result is the photo accumulation, in an essentially irreversible way, of highly oxidizing [Ru(bpy)3]3+. This study provides a global scheme for the future use of laccase, in tandem with a light-driven oxidative process, using O2 as both a one-electron transfer relay and a 4-electron substrate to become the sustainable final electron acceptor in a such a hybrid photocatalytic process.


We present a study on the transient operation of a microcavity under a coherent excitation. Through appropriate shaping of the incident signal, the coupling efficiency and the enhancement of the non-linearities are shown to be increased.


Sinfonia is the most important part of Beethoven's composition, and symphony takes the first place in it. The second movement of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, which has a description of inner mind, is quite different from the first movement that has a tragic characteristic. Beethoven's Fifth Symphony developed the hero character of The Second Symphony, which is also named Hero. It's a brilliant lyric and it shows the complexity of human being's emotion.


The invention discloses a turn-back flow high-efficiency rectangular double-layer settling pond. In the settling pond, the body of the pond is divided into an upper layer and a lower layer by a partition board which is arranged horizontally, wherein a high-efficiency lateral flow inclined plate is arranged in a lower layer settling area so as to strengthen the suspended matter trapping efficiency according to a shallow pond principle; sewage mixed solution enters an upper layer settling area from a water hole in one end of the partition board for further solid-liquid separation by tranquilflow settling, and the effluent is collected in and flows out from a water collection tank arranged at a water outlet end; and the settled sludge is scraped and absorbed by a chain-plate type mud scraper or mud scraper and absorber which can adapt to the unique structure of the settling pond, and at the same time, scum is scraped into a scum collection device. Compared with the prior part, the settling pond has the advantages of avoiding the phenomena such as short flow, obvious dead water area and sludge floating in a common settling pond, along with high settling efficiency, smaller floor area and lower operation cost.


Abstract : Special Operations Command-Africa, SOCAFRICA, a theater special operations command (TSOC), executes the full spectrum of Special Operations in complex environments, emphasizing the indirect approach to operations. The operational emphasis on preventive activities in a steady-state environment provides access, awareness, and options to the United States and its partners in the event of crises. Special Operation Forces (SOF) have doubled in size over the past decade, and SOCOM has built tremendous capabilities in that time, but TSOCs -- the regional-level SOF organizations -- have not shared in these capability increases. Because TSOCs are under-manned and under-resourced, they are not capable of effectively applying the indirect approach to achieve long-term effects for Geographic Combatant Commanders and Chiefs of Mission. Change is needed to improve TSOC effectiveness. This thesis will analyze the organizational shortfalls of TSOCs through the lens of the newest TSOC, SOCAFRICA, and will examine USSOCOM's Global SOF Network (GSN) concept, which intends to provide authorities, capabilities, and resources to TSOCs to make them the force of choice at the regional level. SOCOM has established a road map to optimize TSOCs. However, the GSN alone is not capable of implementing the necessary changes; it will require commitment and continued support from the individual services, the Geographic Combatant Commanders, and from Congress.


The stylet penetration activities of Peregrinus maidis (Ashmead) (Homoptera: Delphacidae), vector of Maize mosaic virus (MMV) and Maize stripe virus (MStV) were studied by electrical penetration graphs (DC-EPG) on resistant and susceptible maize inbred lines. Multivariate analyses were applied to two sets of data obtained by manual and automated methods of waveform recognition from digital EPG recordings. For both methods, the variables, which mostly explained the resistance-susceptibility status of the maize lines, appeared to be related to the passive ingestion in phloem vessel and stylet pathway and to a lesser extent to active ingestion in xylem and to non-penetration. In spite of a great variability within each plant genotype, plants could be divided in three classes, susceptible, slightly resistant and resistant to the virus transmission. These results are discussed in relation to the possible mechanism of maize resistance to P. maidis and the usefulness of automated waveform recognition with the software "EPG soft" for plant breeding. (Resume d'auteur)


The relevance of solving the technological problem of guaranteed inactivation of microflora by heating in liquid media and the preservation of their useful components, in particular, in wine materials, is substantiated. Traditional heat treatment with heating up to 70...75 °C leads to a deterioration in the properties of the medium due to the thermal decomposition of its useful components. Newer is the technology of heating by the energy of the microwave field in the working chamber. But its significant drawback is the formation of standing waves in the metal chamber, causing local zones of overheating in places of maxima and underheating in places of wave minima. The consequence of this is the deterioration of the chemical composition of products and unsatisfactory inactivation of microflora.
The elimination of these disadvantages of microwave processing of media is proposed to be carried out in a non-resonant chamber developed by the authors. Selective heating in the new chamber is produced by the energy of a uniform microwave field. At the same time, there are no local overheating and underheating of products. The technical implementation of a non-resonant type chamber involves the concentration of field energy in the volume of production, the conversion of the ballast field energy into thermal energy and its utilization.
The work includes theoretical substantiation and experimental confirmation of the advantages of the new technology compared to the traditional one. Selective heating of products in a non-resonant working chamber entails the possibility of reducing the temperature required for guaranteed inactivation of microflora by 25...30 °C. This helps to preserve the components of the product due to the absence of overheating and reduce energy costs. In addition, it provides: exclusion of harmful radiation from the working chamber; prevention of self-overheating of the generator and exclusion of the dependence of the energy efficiency of the chamber on the level of its loading with products.


In the present study drinking water samples were collected from selected districts of four provinces of Pakistan. About 800 drinking water samples were collected from the four provinces of Pakistan randomly and analyzed for the trace metal i.e. Ar, Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn using Atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results of KPK province of Pakistan showed that maximum mean concentration of Ar 0.00268 mg/kg in sample collected from Mardan district whereas the highest mean contents of Pb 0.0005447mg/kg was recorded in the sample from Peshawar regions followed by Abbottabad 0.00009380mg/kg. The results of Punjab province revealed that the highest maximum mean concentration of Ar was 0.0338 mg/kg in the samples collected from district Gujranwala and the lowest maximum mean concentration of Ar was detected in the samples of Faisalabad 0.0002021 mg/kg. The maximum mean conctration of Pb was found high 0.00360 mg/kg while the lowest was recorded 0.001956 mg/kg in the samples collected from the district Faisalabad. In the samples collected from Sind province the highest maximum mean concentration of Cu 0.1888 mg/kg was observed in the samples of Karachi while the lowest was recorded 0.0000 mg/kg in the samples of Hyderabad. The Samples collected from Balochistan province showed the highest maximum mean concentration of Ar 0.0116 mg/kg in the samples of Zhob while the highest concentration of Pb was detected 0.000608 mg/kg in the samples of Jaffarabad.


Embodiments of the present invention provide a Domain Name Service (DNS) resolution method and apparatus in a terminal of a wireless communication system. According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a DNS resolution method in a terminal of a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving a DNS (Domain Name Service) inquiry signal for a host from a URL protocol handler; Comparing the stored DNS cache information with DNS inquiry information included in the DNS inquiry signal; And transmitting IP address information corresponding to the host to the URL protocol handler according to a result of comparison between the DNS cache information and the DNS inquiry information.


In turboprop aircraft, vibration of the fuselage frame (typically a thin-walled beam) has been identified as the main cause of interior noise. Passive methods, based essentially on the use of DVA (Dynamic Vibration Absorbers) have been shown to be not entirely satisfactory, due to the significant weight increase. The use of active control systems based on piezoceramic sensors and actuators integrated into the frame seems to be a valid alternative to attenuate interior noise. In this paper, the use of a MIMO feedforward active control system with piezoceramic actuators is proposed, in order to reduce the vertical vibration levels of a rectified, typical fuselage frame. A numerical FEM model of the rectified frame has been experimentally validated and has been used in order to evaluate the dynamic response of the beam, both with regard to piezoceramic actuators and to a point force, representing the primary disturbance. A neural network (NN) controller has been used to simultaneously compute amplitudes and phases of the control force for the 6 piezo actuators, so as to minimize the accelerometric responses acquired in 30 points of the beam (6 at each of 5 different transversal sections).


Objective To realize types and changing trends of multi-drug resistant organism(MDROs)infection,so as to provide reference for preventing and controlling MDRO healthcare-associated infection(HAI).Methods Bacteria and MDROs isolated from patients in a general hospital from October 1,2010 to September 30,2013 were analyzed.Results A total of 5 223 bacteria strains were isolated,1 213(23.22%)of which were MDROs.χ2 trend test showed that the percentage of MDROs increased year by year(χ2=16.885,P0.001).Of all MDROs,rate of HAI strains,community-associated infection(CAI)strains,colonized strains,and contamination strains were37.51%(n=455),50.54%(n=613),9.23%(n=112),and 2.72%(n=33)respectively.From2010 to 2013,the percentage of MDRO HAI showed decreased trend(χ2=13.477,P0.001),CAI and colonization showed increased trend(χ2=4.536,P=0.033),the main infection site was respiratory tract(84.49%,n=997),followed by urinary tract,skin and soft tissue,and bloodstream.Conclusion MDRO infection become more and more serious,management of patients with MDRO CAI and colonization has become the focus of HAI prevention and control.


A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the School of Geosciences University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017


Objective To determine if initial emergency department (ED) laboratory parameters in children with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can predict the minimum duration of continuous insulin therapy and aid in ED triage. Design Retrospective chart review, over a four-year period. Setting Tertiary care pediatric center ED. Patients All patients in DKA, managed with a standard hospital protocol were included. Standard therapy consisted of an intravenous infusion over an hour of normal saline or Ringer's lactate, followed by 0.45% saline (potassium acetate/ phosphate added) at 1.5 tunes maintenance and insulin infusion (0.1 units/kg/h). New-onset diabetic patients were excluded. Main results One hundred thirty-two visits (45 patients, 55.5% female) were reviewed. Three of 60 (5%) patient-visits with moderate to severe DKA (serum pH < 7.20 and serum bicarbonate concentration < 10 mmol/L) had their acidosis corrected (serum pH ≥ 730 or serum bicarbonate concentration ≥ 15 mmol/L) within four hours compared to 33 of 72 (46%) patient-visits with mild DKA (serum pH ≥ 7.20 or serum bicarbonate concentration ≥ 10 mmol/L) (P < 0.0001). The acidosis was corrected within six hours in 69 and 11% of the mild and moderate-severe DKA group, respectively (P < 0.0001). Conclusions Initial laboratory presentation can help predict the minimum necessary duration of therapy in pediatric patient with DKA, aid early triage decision hi the ED, and select a subgroup of patients who may be considered for outpatient management


China's National Quality Course Project is a large-scale project in its higher education.The project taps into Open Educational Resources(OER) to improve the quality of undergraduate education.From the western perspective,this project is one type of Open Courseware inspired by the MIT OCW movement.In this article,the authors focus on the targets,operational implementation,history,background,the similarities and differences between the MIT OCW and China's National Quality Course Project.It will be useful to think of the development of Open Educational Resources(OER) as a way to fulfill four broad objectives: transformative production,direct use,reuse,and transparency/consultation.China's National Quality Course Project is a response to the domestic challenges of independent decision-making,rather than the introduction of the OCW or OER model.China and North America's understanding of university teaching is very different.China's higher education system learns from the research university model from France and Germany.In addition,it emphasizes the use of "examples",focusing on team building to enhance its quality and tradition.This makes Quality Course a unique institutional advantages,and other open educational resources projects to distinguish,and difficult to perform in North America,but also help inspire us to rethink the reform of university teaching in North America.


This article looks at the challenges and opportunities we have encountered while teaching a short course on gender, health, and communicable disease. The course is aimed at health policy-makers, planners, and managers from national ministries, international and national health organisations, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). It ran for the first time in April 2000, with participants from Asia, Africa, and Europe. In this article, we explore some of the gender issues that arise in working to prevent and treat communicable disease, and discuss the process, materials, and concepts used in the course.


Universal architecture of network examination system and the procedure of students network test by using UML sequence diagram are introduced in the paper. The module's function of whole system is described in detail. What's more ,there is a recovery resolution given in case of computer systems exception, at last, the network examination software is developed.


ion from all these sources meant selective examination of most Phase 1 information available at 'county' scale in England (several thousand individual maps were consulted, together with hundreds of aerial photographs). Drawing boundaries on to maps required precision and concentration at all times, especially in edge-checking to ensure that information continuing on to another map sheet did in fact join exactly with that on the other map. All mapped grassland within Step I boundaries was considered to be lowland wet grassland. It was mapped at 1:50,000 as follows. In the early project stages maps on tracing paper and drafting film were reduced by superimposing a 250 metre grid pattern on clear acetate (at correct map scale 1 : 10,000, 1 : 10,560 or 1 :25,000) and copying boundaries on to an equivalent 250 metre grid at 1:50,000 printed on thick tracing paper. This proved to be very time-consuming and prone to errors in complex cases involving blocks crossing several map edges (e.g. presence on two or more 1:10,000 sheets). The second method involved reducing all maps using an accurate zoom photocopier. Even using thick tracing paper and four successive reductions of a 1:10,000 map to achieve a 1:50,000 result, the final distance between 1 kilometre grid intersections was lass than 0.2 mm deviation fiom the correct 20 ~llfn distance (an error of 1% in position) and this was judged adequate for this study and was free fiom the gross errors which occasionally occurred with the grid method, At this stage areas <10 ha in extent were excluded unless prior evidence on grassland quality (e.g, many ditches, entirely made up of unimproved grassland or marsh/marshy grassland) indicated that it deserved inclusion. Exclusion initially used 10 ha templates of different shapes but this system was replaced by Romer dot grids supplied by English Nature. The boundaries on tracing paper were then transferred to 1 :50,000 maps and marked as a continuous line. The exterior was highlighted in blue for rapid visual location of blocks. Inliers for exclusion (e.g. farms, small settlements, woodland blocks, swamp, open water) were marked with a continuous black line boundary without any coding (except in the pilot South-East Region where an 'e' was written to indicate exclusion). Each block was given a unique code to indicate its English Nature region and sequence number. 2.4 Step IU Accuracy checks Spot-checking was only employed for the pilot exercise in South-East Region of English Nature where 201 blocks of lowland wet grassland had been delimited by work in January and February 1992, distributed as follows: Kent 92 blocks (1 -6 1, 72, 167196) East Sussex 51 blocks (62-71, 73-1 13) West Sussex 53 blocks (1 14-166) Greater London 5 blocks (197-201) surrey Nil A spot-check of accuracy was made by randomly selecting 10 blocks fiorn each of the Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex sets (using a three digit random number table) and including all Greater London blocks. These 35 locations were visited and assessed as lowland wet grassland from adjacent roads or public footpaths. It was impossible to make a thorough check of the complete area of each selected block due to restricted access and time. All Greater London sites were confirmed. Only three other random blocks were not lowland wet grassland. All 'errors' were very small areas now converted to winter wheat they probably were pasture until recently, especially since two were derived from the current Kent Phase I survey. Accuracy in terms of number of correct blocks was therefore 90.0% for the 30 randomly-selected samples, or 91.4% for all visited sites (i.e. including Greater London). The spot-check survey included a rough evaluation of grassland and ditch habitat quality, though this information must be treated with great caution as it was collected in midFebruary1992 (too early in the year to be fully reliable, and after a very dry winter). Full details of the spot-check are given in Dargie (1 992). Spot-checking was not employed inthis all-England project. A very large number of sites would have required visiting and, to be accurate, all boundaries would have to be checked and compared with those mapped from Phase 1 information. For very large sites (those >100 ha) the time involved would have been prohibitive, both in terms of seeking access permission and field checking of boundaries. An alternative check was made using, where available, recent aerial photography. Maps produced from such aerial photography enabled changes in extent of lowland wet grassland to be calculated between date of Phase 1 survey and air photo flight. This was done only for areas with some form of Phase 1 information and very recent air photo cover (Cumbria, Humberside, Staffordshire). Other areas had more dated air photo coverage, often close to the time of Phase 1 survey and it was felt that any change data calculated would have been of much less relevance, given the perceived rates of arable expansion in some regions in the midand late 1980s. No rigorous assessment of change could therefore be made for the majority of counties/districts and 'guesstimates' have instead been used to adjust county/district grassland area for change since Phase 1 survey (see sections 3.4 and 4.1). 2.5 Problems encountered A range of difficulties was experienced during the project, requiring some changes in approach for various 'county' areas in England. Some have been briefly alluded to in earlier sections (see section 2.2). These problems are organised here in the following sections: habitat definition; Phase 1 survey quality; map scale and date difficulties; map archiving problems; map legend problems; no coverage and partial coverage; block definition; use of COWDATA database. 2.5.1 Habitat definition A subtle problem encountered throughout this exercise is the range, terminology and definition of habitats included within lowland wet grassland (e.g. grazing marsh, water meadow, culm grassland, semi-improved and improved grassland). No matter how precise a definition is made (e.g. that employed in the brief, see section l . l ) , previous work has employed a range other definitions based on habitat limits which vary within and between studies, and this is firther complicated by the varied perceptions of staff in English Nature, county wildlife trusts and organisations such as RSPB. A first example is the varied definition in previous studies of one type of lowland wet grassland, coastal grazing marsh. Much of this work has focussed on South-East England and the following difficulties exist. First, the phenomenon is as much a land use and landscape type as a habitat set. Precise boundaries and emphasis of approach will therefore vary with the perceptions of researchers (agricultural, landscape, biological the latter divided between the main interests of grassland botany, entomology, ornithology and ditch ecology). Second, the main thrust of grazing marsh study in South-East England has been documentation of change over time in grazing marsh extent. This has required extraction of information from First and Second Land Utilization Surveys and Ordnance Survey topographic maps of different ages, plus aerial photographs. These sources therefore have different scales, contour intervals and land use categories (Green 1971; Sheail & Mountford 1984; Williams & Hall 1987; Thornton & Kite 1990). The definition of 'grazing marsh' necessarily varies according to the information content of each type of data source (e.g. contour interval). This second difficulty affected this study because the most recent boundaries (1989) of Thornton and Kite (1990) were used in the pilot exercise for north Kent (in locations not yet surveyed, in early 1992, as part of the ongoing Kent Phase 1 survey) and south Essex (Dargie 1992), areas which were defined on different criteria from those employed in abstracting data from Phase 1 maps of Kent and Essex. Thornton & Kite (1990) used the 25 foot contour as the inland limit (as opposed to the 5 m contour for Kent in this study). The result, in comparison, is a larger extent for some areas mapped by Thornton & Kite, though these include a marked break of slope and usually a loss of ditches in the higher zone between 5 m and the 25 foot contour. This larger area probably does not include the lowland wet grassland habitat. A review of pilot maps for north Kent by Sandy Toy (English Nature, Wye, Kent) identified two locations which would not be considered grazing marsh, both included on maps from Thornton and Kite (1990) data (on grounds of being too high and too disturbed). The area affected by this problem is comparatively small and is only of local importance. Second, English Nature staff in different regions have their own different perceptions of what is meant by the term lowland wet grassland. An initial briefing meeting in Peterborough in late October 1992, for example, queried the general definition on two main


Maya Blue-like pigments were prepared by two routes using a palygorskite from the Maya region. Synthetic indigo was used as a dye in one case, while the other used the anil plant (Indigofera suffructicosa). Both synthetic and natural Maya Blue pigments were aged and characterized in order to clarify the interaction of the dye-palygorskite. Natural and synthetic fresh Maya Blue pigments were very different; the synthetic ones obviously stabilized the indigo molecule probably at the clay surface and may be in the grooves, but the natural ones stabilized indoxyl molecules in the tunnels and over time oxidized to indigo. The presence of indigo, originating from the anil plant, into palygorskite tunnels was evidenced in aged natural pigments by 29Si, 27Al, 13C, and 129Xe NMR. The persistence of color was evaluated as a function of leaching dye under acidic conditions.


ABSTRACT Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a multi-purpose legume crop widely cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, yield levels of the crop has remained relatively low in SSA owing to a range of biotic, abiotic and socio-economic constraints. A dedicated groundnut improvement programme integrating new tools and methodologies to breed varieties suitable for current and emerging agro-ecologies and market needs is essential for enhanced and sustainable groundnut production in SSA. The objective of this review is to highlight breeding progress, opportunities and challenges on groundnut improvement with regard to cultivar development and deployment in SSA in order to guide future improvement of the crop. The review analysed the role of new tools in breeding such as, high-throughput and automated phenotyping techniques, rapid generation advancement, single seed descent approach, marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, next-generation sequencing, genetic engineering and genome editing for accelerated breeding and cultivar development of groundnut.


Ambitious engineering projects, such as NASA's International Space Station (ISS), require dependable modeling, analysis, visualization, and robotics to ensure that complex mission strategies are carried out cost effectively, sustainably, and safely. Learn how Booz Allen Hamilton's Modeling, Analysis, Visualization, and Robotics Integration Center (MAVRIC) team performs engineering analysis of the ISS Configuration based primarily on the use of 3D CAD models. To support mission planning and execution, the team tracks the configuration of ISS and maintains configuration requirements to ensure operational goals are met. The MAVRIC team performs multi-disciplinary integration and trade studies to ensure future configurations meet stakeholder needs.


Objective To explore the effects of first aid experience sharing in improving ICU nurses' first aid ability. Methods According to working year and working ability,nurses were hierarchically managed,the communication times,scope and content of different levels were clearly determined,and the nurses of N3 and above analyzed,commented,guided,at last the head nurse reviewed,summarized,selected the excellent to give an honor. Results The pass rate of nurses' first aid theory and skills,the doctors' satisfaction degree of cooperating were increased( P 0. 01). Conclusion First aid experience sharing can stimulate the nurse to learn actively,and improve the first aid ability of ICU nurses.


A water that is not scale-forming will not precipitate minerals that would adhere to the boiler wall and reduce the heat transfer from the hot gas to the water. Such a reduction in rate of heat transfer would not only result in loss of heat to the flue gases, with consequent reduction of efficiency, but might also cause excessive increase in the temperature of the boiler metal. The water temperature in a boiler is determined by the pressure at which it operates. At 100 psiof pressure, the temperature is 328 F ; at 200 psi, 382 F ; and at 400 psi, 444 F. As the water temperature cannot decrease, the metal temperature must increase. The practical temperature limit of boiler steel currently used is approximately 900 F. If the scale is thick enough, the metal temperature may exceed this limit, and a failure will result. In extremely high-pressure boiler work, a scale thickness of 0.010 in. is sufficient to cause a failure. Noncorrosive water is water that will not destroy metal. In general, there is little trouble with corrosion in the boiler itself, but if steam is returned as corrosive condensate, condensate lines can be severely damaged. Water that will not carry over is water that has no solids which can be entrained in the steam bubbles and pass out of the boiler with the steam. If solids are carried over, they deposit on valves, piping, and turbine blades. A heavy deposit on turbine blades can reduce the efficiency of the turbine and may even cause an unbalance that can destroy the machine. Caustic embrittlement is similar to corrosion, but acts in the boiler and causes intercrystalline cracking of the metal. This condition will develop more readily on riveted joints and small cracks such as those around the tube holes or around a leaking manhead. If not checked, it can cause complete failure of the boiler. The present approach to the problem consists of maintaining a certain ratio of sulfate to carbonate, depending on the operating pressure of the boiler. A ew approach the maintenance of simultaneous control of the pH and phosphate content has been suggested.


Objective:To understand the contents of copper,iron,zinc and calcium in whole blood in each period of gestation,explore the effect factors.Methods:Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to detect the contents of copper,zinc,calcium,magnesium and iron in blood samples of 728 pregnant women during different pregnancy weeks,the contents of trace elements were analyzed and compared between experimental group and control group.Results:The pregnant woman mainly lacked iron,calcium and zinc,there was significant difference in the deficiency rates between the two groups.The deficiency rates of iron,zinc and calcium increased with gestational weeks.Conclusion:The contents of trace elements in blood samples of pregnant women change to a certain extent,iron,calcium and zinc should be supplemented reasonably according to gestational weeks.


AbstractThe AAP is a professional society dedicated to the advancement of psychiatric education and of professional development, scholarship, and leadership in academic psychiatry. The AAP serves to foster excellence, commitment, and interest in academic psychiatry through educational innovation, research, and collegial dialogue and collaboration.The Mission Statement of the Association for Academic Psychiatry (AAP)


[© Brookings Institution] In the absence of special rules, workers or spouses with extended careers outside Social Security would gain unfair advantages from the program's rules. Congress has therefore enacted rules -- the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision?to limit the extent to which Social Security provides unwarranted subsidies to workers with pensions based on non-covered work. Some advocates and policymakers, however, have expressed dissatisfaction with the workings of these rules. We propose a modification to the rules to preserve their basic role while better tailoring them to individual circumstances.


Line loss will increase if three-phase system is in unbalanced operation state,thus it is needed to make the system to be in balanced state through reactive power compensation.The paper analyzes theoretically the extent to which the loss will increase,also performs simulation for verification by applying the theory and approach of instantaneous reactive power.The simulation result shows that the full compensation to unbalanced load current can be realized,and in this way line loss will be greatly reduced and power quality will be improved.


In this study the compressive strength and durability of soft clay soil stabilized with halloysite nanotubes are investigated. Halloysite nanotubes are novel 1D natural nanomaterials which are widely used in reinforcing polymer, pollution remediation, and as nanoreactors for biocatalyst. The wide use of halloysite nanotubes is due to their high aspect ratio, appropriate mechanical strength, high thermal stability, nature-friendly and cost-effectiveness. However, the use of halloysite nanotubes as a stabilizing agent for improving the durability of soil is not clear. In this research, halloysite nanotubes was used in the amounts of 2 %, 5 % and 10 % by the weight of dried soil. Unconfined compressive strength, wet/dry cycles and freeze/thaw cycles tests were performed to evaluate the strength and durability of stabilized soft clay soil. Experimental results showed that halloysite nanotubes considerably improves the compressive strength and durability of soft clay soil. The optimum amount of halloysite nanotubes for soil stabilizing in terms of compressive strength and durability was 5 %. The compressive strength of soft clay increased as much as 129 % by applying 5 % halloysite nanotubes. Also, the specimen containing 5 % halloysite nanotubes showed the least strength loss after wet/dry and freeze/thaw cycles. The soil sample containing 5 % halloysite nanotubes lost 20 % of its initial compressive strength after 8 cycles of freezing and thawing, while the soil sample without any halloysite content lost 100 % of its compressive strength after the same number of freezing and thawing. Based on the obtained results, the use of halloysite nanotubes in order to enhance the strength and durability of soft clay is strongly recommended.


Summary The results of a year-long prospective study of the epidemiological factors associated with acute infec tious infantile diarrhoea in Cape Town are reported. Many coloured infants had a low birth weight, which was a risk factor for subsequent malnutrition. The parents were young, often unmarried, had 1 - 3 children and below average living conditions. How ever, coloured parents were better, educated and had smaller families than their black counterparts. The incidence of breast-feeding was low, especially in the coloured population group. Black families originated from a largely migrant population and generally came from a squalid environment and had ?higherincidence of sibling de.aths. ~hypome advanced: coloured infants with·infectious diar a come from a deprived subgroup of their community while black patients come from a society that is generally disadvantaged and impoverished. In both groups financial pressures exacerbate the' situation. erjorities are an improvement in living conditions  particularly for the black community§and the pro motion of breast-feeding among coloured mothers. Oral rehydration programmes are advocated for both groups. days. Not more than 15 patients were studied in any week. This study group was made up of a systematically selected non-random sample2 of 545 infants. These infants represented a 17,2% sample of the 3 163 infants aged 6 weeks - 1 year admitted during the year-long study. Parents {usually the mother) or escorts were questioned regarding the curtent illness, past medical history, feeding practices and the family socio-economic status according to a standard questionnaire. Data storage, counting and analysis were undertaken using a computer. Standard methods of statistical analysis 3 ,. were employed and the specific test is designated in the text.


"Promoting gender equality is smart development policy," says the World Bank. In line with this narrative, many companies have promoted gender equality in terms of bridging the gender digital divide. In Argentina, a growing number of grassroots initiatives sponsored by corporations have emerged and provide training in digital and soft skills as well as entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities. Without denying the efforts, importance, and value of the work of these groups, this paper studies some of the contradictions inherent to the increasing power that corporations have in the discourse and practice of reducing the gender digital gap. My argument is that these projects contribute to reinforcing current economic, social, and geographical divides, to discriminating against gender non-conforming people, and to further limiting government intervention in this area.


In this paper, we discuss how data-driven approaches using emerging IoT and machine learning based analytics can revolutionize the resilience and efficiency of urban water systems. Key challenges in creating a next generation water infrastructure includes issues of how and where to place instruments to gather a wide variety of information useful for improving operational efficiencies and for damage detection after major disasters. We discuss how an understanding of deployed infrastructure in diverse geographies and the dynamics of interconnected systems can help design more effective placement of technology solutions. We showcase recent work illustrating how knowledge of network structures and their behavior can help to more effectively instrument and gather operational data and how AI-based approaches utilizing geospatial data more effectively can help to maintain real-time awareness of system states which allows decision makers to more effectively monitor and control their systems.


Key classes are excellent starting points for developers, especially newcomers, to comprehend an unknown software system. Though many unsupervised key class identification approaches have been proposed in the literature by representing software as class dependency networks (aka software networks) and using some network metrics (e.g., h-index, a-index, and coreness), they are never aware of the field where the nodes exist and the effect of the field on the importance of the nodes in it. According to the classic field theory in physics, every material particle is in a field through which they exert an impact on other particles in the field via non-contact interactions (e.g., electromagnetic force, gravity, and nuclear force). Similarly, every node in a software network might also exist in a field, which might affect the importance of class nodes in it. In this paper, we propose an approach, iFit, to identify key classes in object-oriented software systems. First, we represent software as a CSNWD (Weighted Directed Class-level Software Network) to capture the topological structure of software, including classes, their couplings, and the direction and strength of couplings. Second, we assume that the nodes in the CSNWD exist in a gravitation-like field and propose a new metric, CG (Cumulative Gravitation-like importance), to measure the importance of classes. CG is inspired by Newton's gravitational formula and uses the PageRank value computed by a biased-PageRank algorithm as the masses of classes. Finally, classes in the system are sorted in descending order according to their CG values, and a cutoff is utilized, that is, the top-ranked classes are recommended as key classes. The experiments were performed on a data set composed of six open-source Java systems from the literature. The results show that iFit is superior to the baseline approaches on 93.75% of the total cases, and is scalable to large-scale software systems. Besides, we find that iFit is neutral to the weighting mechanisms used to assign the weights for different coupling types in the CSNWD, that is, when applying iFit to identify key classes, we can use any one of the weighting mechanisms.


Summary Ceramic refractory fibres ("Fiberfrax") were tested for carcinogenicity by a single intraperitoneal injection at doses of 10, 5, 1 and 0 mg in water, on groups composed of the same number of male and female Sprague-Dawley rats (40 animals for each treated group and 100 animals in the control group). The fibres caused mesotheliomas at all doses tested, with a clear-cut dose related incidence: 32.5% at the highest dose, 10% at the middle dose, 2.5% at the lowest dose, and none in the controls.


In this paper, we present a unified study of the moduli space of tropical curves and Outer space which we link via period maps to the moduli space of tropical abelian varieties and the space of positive definite quadratic forms. Our work is a first step towards exhibiting Outer space and the space of positive definite quadratic forms as analogues of Teichm\"uller space and Siegel space, respectively, in tropical geometry. All these spaces and the maps among them are described within the category of ideal stacky fans, which we describe in detail.


Several studies have shown that gram-negative bacilli infection can cause acute lung injury, and that consequent pulmonary fibrosis is caused when alveolar type-II epithelial cells undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the mechanism underlying this change remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate whether the main toxin of gram-negative bacteria, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), can induce EMT in human alveolar epithelial cells, and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Human alveolar type-II epithelial cells (A549) were used in EMT induction experiments. Cells were collected after LPS exposure, and changes in the expression levels of epithelial and mesenchymal cell markers were determined. Further, the effect of LPS exposure on the expression of Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4), Transforming Growth Factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) and Smad2/3 was assessed. The expression level of a mesenchymal cell marker was also assessed after pharmacological inhibition of TLR4 and TGF-β1 prior to addition of LPS, to identify downstream pathways involved in EMT induction. Results showed that LPS exposure caused significant downregulation of epithelial marker E-cadherin, and upregulation of mesenchymal marker vimentin, together with increased expression of TGF-β1 and activation of the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway. Furthermore, pretreatment with TGF-β1 and TLR4 inhibitors suppressed EMT, and treatment with the latter also reduced the expression level of TGF-β1. Overall, we conclude that LPS directly induces EMT in A549 cells through upregulation of TLR4 and activation of the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signalling pathway. Our results suggest that LPS-mediated pulmonary fibrosis may occur in ALI patients even if the LPS-induced inflammatory response is inhibited.


A better exploration of human decision making is a necessary condition to understand individual activity-travel choices. With the advent of mental model theory a conceptual framework of individuals' causal knowledge of the environment and its links to the behavioural choice outcome was available. Accordingly, interview techniques had been developed in order to elicit mental representations from individuals' mind. Although these techniques delivered reliable and useful results, it turned out quickly, that they could not be applied to large-scale surveys. Hence, this paper will report on the development of three IT-based interview techniques, which are promising avenues to measure mental representations in an efficient and flexible way.


The present study aims to propose and validate a concept of scale for measuring the Learning Orientation in small and medium private Higher Education Institutions, from the perspective of organizational models discussions. It is an empirical research with a descriptive-quantitative approach, initiated from a literature review to identify the indicator used on the operationalization of Learning Orientation. Thus emerged the proposal of a scale to measure the Learning Orientation, which was validated through a process involving specialists' reviews, using the coefficient of content validity, pretest survey, and statistical analysis of internal consistency and discriminant validity, field research to a sample of 161private directors PMIES the State of São Paulo. All data were subjected to exploratory factor analysis with confirmatory purpose, providing adjustments, and finally, the validity of the scale, which became a model for measuring the Learning Orientation, consolidated as a one-dimensional construct (α = 0.79). It was implemented for four variables, which are presented in this article.


The land damage in mineral resource utilization made up 30% of the total land,and it had wasted the land resources enormously.So caused land restoration and the ecology reconstruction become one urgent problem to our country and even to the world.In the paper,the characteristic and method of each land reclamation were discussed and the microorganism function during the process of reclamation soil in mining area was emphatically introduced.


This special issue on linking and equating with small samples, guest edited by Michael R. Peabody, was based on presentations from a coordinated session at NCME 2018 in New York. Linking and equati...


The aim of this investigation was to evaluate some physicochemical properties, the antioxidant activity, the aroma components and resveratrol and quercitin contents of 8 Peruvian wines. We found that the density of the selected wines was in the range of 0,9916 – 1,0174 g/mL, while the pH values were between 3,18 and 3,97. Spectrophotometric methods were used to determine the concentrations of total phenolics (2374,25 – 3610,43 mg/L), flavonoids (1869,19 – 3138,85 mg/L) and anthocyanins (102,64 – 317,50 mg/L). The compound trans- resveratrol was detected by means of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) on 6 of the 8 Peruvian wines selected for the present study. The Tabernero Malbec-Merlot wine had the highest concentration of this compound (0,56 ± 0,03 µg/mL) and the best antioxidant activity on the DPPH test. GC-MS studies on the aroma of the


The Theory of Industrial Ecology (Korhonen, 2004a) classified the properties and characteristics of industrial ecosystems: • the physical flows of matter and energy • the structural and organisational properties. I focus on the theory of the concept of diversity, an important concept in ecology, biology and sustainable development research. Can the concept of diversity be valuable and useful for developing industrial ecosystems, if yes, how, and if not, why not? A case study from energy and forest industry is analysed against diversity and other key industrial ecology principles. Furthermore, six arguments from the literature arguing for the value of the concept of diversity are evaluated. The article contributes by identifying and analysing the many different dimensions that the concept of diversity has. The definition, understanding and perception of the concept strongly affect its value. This suggests that the dominant engineering and natural science aspects of industrial ecology need to be bridged to business, management, organisational and policy studies, to social sciences and cultural studies.


Given a cooperative mission consisting of multiple tasks spatially distributed, an aerial robotic swarm's decision-making issues include team formation, team-to-task assignment, agent-to-work-position assignment and trajectory optimisation with collision avoidance. The problem becomes even more complicated when involving heterogeneous agents, tasks' minimum requirements and fair allocation. This paper formulates all the combined issues as an optimisation problem and then proposes an integrated framework that addresses the problem in a decentralised fashion. We approximate and decouple the complex original problem into three subproblems (i.e. coalition formation, position allocation and path planning), which are sequentially addressed by three different proposed modules. The coalition formation module based on game theories deals with a max-min problem, the objective of which is to partition the agents into disjoint task-specific teams in a way that balances the agents' work resources in proportion to the task's minimum workload requirements. For agents assigned to the same task, given reasonable assumptions, the position allocation subproblem can be efficiently addressed in terms of computational complexity. For the trajectory optimisation, we utilise a Model Predictive Control and Sequential Convex Programming algorithm, which reduces the size of the problem so that the agents can generate collision-free trajectories on a real-time basis. As a proof of concept, we implement the framework into an unmanned aerial vehicle swarm's cooperative stand-in jamming mission scenario and show its feasibility, fault tolerance and near-optimality based on numerical experiment.


The article presents the monitoring of physical aspects of choices hall objects before reconstruction, which are in poor technical condition. The content of this contribution is the comparison of energy savings in selected hall object, which can be achieved by the refurbishment of envelope structures as against the present state. The article is trying to solve the problem of alternative creating envelope structures for an industrial hall depending on the activity performed inside respective plants, its reconstruction in relation to year energy consumption for heating, taking into account necessary thermal and humidity microclimate of a real workshop.


This study referred to the findings regarding the empowerment of mindset, values and mental attitudes, mentorship, and expertise communities to develop expertise in Communication Science. More specifically, the study aimed to explore the capacity development of Communication Science students through the empowerment of mindset, values and mental attitudes, mentorship, and expertise communities. A qualitative approach was utilized to investigate the phenomenon. The data source consisted of the Communication Science students of Social and Political Sciences Faculty at the University of Veteran Bangun Nusantara Sukoharjo. The data included the description of mindset, values and mental attitudes, mentorship, and expertise communities. The analysis proved: (1) a relatively low rate of capacity development process among the Communication Science students through creative mindset empowerment in double/multiple disciplines; (2) a relatively low rate of values and mental attitude perception among the students in supporting the Communication Science capacity development; (3) the urgent requirement to involve relevant experts and experienced mentors to provide guides for the students; and (4) a relatively low rate of the students' involvement in relevant expertise communities related to Communication Science.


Watermark is pattern of bits inserted into a digital image that identified the file's copyright information. The name watermarking is derived from the faintly visible marks imprinted on organizational stationery. In this work a robust and novel strategic in-visible approach for insertion-extraction of a digital watermark in color images are presented. Unlike printed watermarks, which are intended to be somewhat visible; the digital watermarks are designed to be completely invisible: Invisible insertion of the watermark is performed in the most significant region of the host image such that tampering of that portion with an intention to remove or destroy will degrade the esthetic quality and value of the image. One feature of the algorithm is that this user defined characters are used as a region of interest for the water marking process and eliminates the changes of watermark removal. Specifically dithering techniques are developed and intended to embed color water marking into color image. A new technique is proposed and implemented using dithering techniques in various color spaces like RGB, HSV, and CMY. An attempt is made to develop full color water marking scheme using those techniques.


Collagen Antibody-Induced Arthritis (CAIA) has been widely used since 1998 when Chondrex started distributing 4-clone cocktail (Arthrogen-CIA® arthritogenic monoclonal antibodies) kits. In order to induce consistent arthritis more effectively in various mouse strains including CAIA low responder C57BL/6 mice, and a variety of unpredictable knockout and transgenic mice with C57BL/6 (H-2b) or 129/Sv (H-2b) backgrounds, Chondrex developed new 5-clone cocktail kits by adding a new clone to the 4-clone cocktail.


The electrostatic fields induced by an intense laser field around an ion in a solid density plasma are investigated. In a plasma produced by irradiating an intense ultrashort pulse laser on a solid target, the electron and ion temperatures are not in thermal equilibrium, and the electron temperature is higher than the ion temperature. For such a plasma, the dynamical form factor of a plasma electron is derived. By using the dynamical form factor, the screened potential and the induced oscillating electrostatic field around an ion are obtained. As a result, the plasma screening effects on the direct ionization by the laser are clarified.


Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating disease that causes significant disabilities. Latest MS epidemiological data in Australia reveal rising prevalence. No epidemiological study of MS has been conducted so far in the Illawarra region.


This paper considers the problems of determining the stability and computing the bounds for maintaining the stability of limit cycles of linear systems under relay feedback. It derives a stability criterion and presents a region such that every trajectory starting from this region will converge to the limit cycle. The deduction is based on the estimation on the Poincare map which appears as a non-linear function.


Shanlax International Journals are meant especially for the Research Scholars. The Journals are brought out with a view to encouraging the blooming and prospective writers. Our ambition is to bring to lime light the current trends and latest development in the concerned disciplines.


Cipta Mandiri is a small and medium-sized business engaged in plywood, located in Sidowayah Village, Polanharjo District, Klaten Regency. The production process consists of 8 work stations with 23 activities. The purpose of this study is to study and utilize potential hazards, using the HIRARC method. Responded in this study, all workers in Cipta Mandiri received 17 people. The steps in this study are risk detection, risk, risk control and SOP. The results of this study are known to involve 12 sources of danger that occurred from 23 work activities, namely muscle damage, slipping, facing wood powder, facing the blade, noisy room, dusty room, crushed material, punctured, hammer, smell of stinging glue, chemical hazards and pinched. The results of the risk assessment analysis obtained a low risk work risk of 80%, a moderate risk of 16% and a high risk of 4%. Risk controls that can be carried out are improving work layout, protective personal protective equipment (masks, goggles, gloves, safety shoes and earplugs), making SOPs for companies, supporting loans for operators who do not use PPE and not related to SOP, trying to open K3


Flexible delivery of educational resources must take account of cultural variables and recognise the specific learning needs, preferences and styles of learners. In designing instruction, there may be a tension between the need to ensure access for a multicultural student population, while at the same time taking into account the need for localisation to accommodate learners' cognitive styles and preferences. Considering the micro and macro cultural levels of instructional design is therefore essential if appropriate learning environments are to be created. The acceptance, use and impact of WWW sites is affected by the cultural perceptions, values, needs and preferences of learners (Chen, Mashadi & Ang, 1999). One of the limitations in current instructional design models is that they do not fully contextualise the learning experience, and are themselves the products of particular cultures. The design of Web-based instruction is not culturally neutral, but instead is based on the particular epistemologies, learning theories and goal orientations of the designers themselves. Recently, theorists have argued for a cultural dimension in the design process and the need to provide culturally sensitive learning environments (Reeves & Reeves, 1997; Collis, 1999; McCahill, 1998). In this paper, we trace the design processes involved in the development of an on-line unit for Indigenous Australian learners preparing to enter university, and account for the cultural issues that impacted on creation of learning tasks and styles of communication. The paper argues for cultural localisation, which means incorporating the values, styles of learning and cognitive preferences of the target population. It also means going beyond surface-level design considerations to achieve a meaningful constructivist learning environment. It is recommended that when creating WWW-based course support sites for maximum flexibility, systematic attention must be given to particular design guidelines, which include cultural contextualisation.


THE USE OF chlormerodrin mercury-203 was described by Blau and Bender1 as a brain tumor localizing agent, and a number of reportsz--16 have since appeared in the literature describing the use of this agent for the detection and localization of intracranial lesions. Chlormerodrin mercury-203 has several advantages over I131 albumin, one of the earliest and still used radioactive brain tumor localizing agents. (1) Mercury-203 has a monoenergetic gamma ( 100% of disintegrations) of 279 kev. This makes it suitable for modern rectilinear scanners and minimizes tissue absorption. 1131 has a principal gamma energy of 365 kev., but only 87% disintegrations. This higher gamma energy increases shielding and collimator septum penetration. (2) Since chlormerodrin mercury-203 is cleared rapidly from the vascular compartment, the scan may be started one to eight hours after the intravenous administration of the agent. 1131 serum albumin has a relatively long effective blood half-life necessitating scanning at twenty-four, forty-eight, or seventy-two hours after the injection, thus introducing an inconvenience and time delay both to the patient and his physician. The! high blood level of 1131 serum albumin at twenty-four hours tends to obscure lesions in the posterior fossa. (3) For some lesions, chlormerodrin mercury-203 has a higher tumor-to-background ratio than that obtained with 1131.8 Although chlormerodrin mercury-203 is cleared quickly from the vascular compart-


We describe a multi-modal software system for executing navigation missions in an urban environment, focusing on the robust treatment of anomalous situations such as blocked roads, stalled vehicles and tight maneuvering. Various recovery mechanisms are described relative to the nominal mode of operation, and results are discussed from the system's deployment in the DARPA Urban Challenge.