Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic immune-mediated disease characterized by esophageal inflammation and dysfunction. Among the top ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated with EoE susceptibility, approximately one third are in genes that encode proteins involved in transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling. Patients and mice heterozygous for a mutation in the kinase domain of TGFβR1 (TGFBR1M318R+/−) exhibit cardiovascular, skeletal, pulmonary, and immune manifestations of Loeys-Dietz Syndrome (LDS). Immune manifestations of LDS include elevated serum IgE against food antigens and an increased likelihood of developing EoE that is characterized by esophageal dilation, food impaction, basal cell hyperplasia, and an inflammatory infiltrate composed of eosinophils, mast cells, T cells, type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2), and antigen presenting cells. How altered TGFβ signaling leads to EoE is unknown. We made bone marrow chimeras to determine which cells are responsible for the development of EOE. We found that altered TGFβ signaling in radio-resistant non-hematopoietic cells was both necessary and sufficient to cause EoE. Moreover, the development of EoE was not predicated on altered TGFβ signaling in the hematopoietic effector cells. Using RNASeq and immuno-histochemistry analyses we show that altered TGFβ signaling in esophageal epithelial cells results in the expression of cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules that facilitate the recruitment, activation, and accumulation of eosinophils, mast cells, T cells, and ILC2. Targeting these inflammatory mediators in vivo should have therapeutic potential for patients suffering with EoE.


There is described a sub-assembly (12) for an electromechanical brake actuator (10). The subassembly (10) comprises a drive means (16) for generating a torque and a transmission means (18) for transmitting the torque, with the transmission means (18) comprises in succession a first, a second and a third gear stage (22, 24, 26) , The second gear stage (24) is constructed as a planetary gear. Further, the narrowing Apparently relates to an electromechanical brake actuator (10) with such a sub-assembly (12).


By D. P. D. WILKIE, M.D., F.R.C.S., Late House-Surgeon, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh. The whole subject of vaccine therapy and opsonic estimation has of late been so freely discussed and such varied opinions have been expressed on the value of the one and the accuracy of the other that one approaches the subject in a critical, if not a somewhat sceptical mood. With regard to opsonic examination this much, however, may be said?that in the hands of a practised worker sufficiently accurate results can be obtained to detect any considerable rise or fall in the opsonic power of the blood of any given case for certain micro-organisms. Moreover, the administration of a suitable vaccine in suitable dosage to a patient with an infective lesion


We present different kinds of monolithic DC to DC converters for two main applications : first, low voltage (1.2 V) to standard voltage (5 V) ; and second, standard voltage to high voltage (30 V). A comparison is done in terms of efficiency and complexity. Technologies are GMOS/SOS and E/D P channel MNOS/SOS.


such meetings. This article explores the possibility of proclaiming the Gospel in the context of home visits. Specific sections indicate references from the Bible where Jesus' home visits are mentioned. In the same context, the article also presents situations from the lives of chosen saints. Finally, the article also attempts to define a methodology of home visits.


Anterior cervical osteophytes are common in the geriatric population. Dysphagia can occur in individuals suffering from these spinal abnormalities. Surgical intervention is an uncommon course of treatment for these patients, but is often utilized as a last resort with the hope of swallow recovery. The purpose of this article is to highlight a unique case study documenting the required treatment course for dysphagia associated with osteophytes and subsequent osteophytectomy. We review current literature of both conservative and surgical interventions, as well as discuss the rehabilitation course for a complex patient with persistent dysphagia. Various outcome measures were utilized during the patient's inpatient stay to track progress including the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), the Bolus Residue Scale (BRS), Penetration Aspiration Scale (PenAsp), Dysphagia Outcome Severity Scale (DOSS), and a Modified Barium Swallow Study (MBSS). The patient received rehabilitative training including oral motor and pharyngeal strengthening exercises, respiratory strengthening, speech instruction, cognitive retraining, and instrumental assessment. Following osteophytectomy and dysphagia rehabilitation the patient did not show any change based on a repeat MBSS which revealed the necessity for the patient to remain nothing per oral (NPO). The patient demonstrated an inability to manage his secretions, requiring continual suctioning. Upon discharge the patient remained NPO with the exception of ice chips, utilized a PEG for nutrition, and had a red capped tracheostomy. He was on room air and independently utilized oral suction as needed for secretion management. Our patient's clinical course was not aligned with typical osteophytectomy recovery as progress after his 25-day inpatient stay was limited. The goal of this case study is to contribute information to the limited and variable data available regarding treatment options, outcome measures and timelines for recovery as it pertains to patients who undergo an osteophytectomy.


— A method for determination of food contaminants, including pesticides, is described in this document. Using Visible Near InfraRed spectroscopy results obtained from food samples with different levels of pollution, the creation of pesticides free food filters were realized. Methodology and data extraction are meticulously addressed. Finally, implementation of these filters in an embedded device, communicating with smartphone application is discussed allowing users to monitor food contaminants.


Natural gas hydrates are clathrate hydrates that consist of water molecules and natural gas molecules (major constituent: methane). They are mainly distributed along continental slopes of the oceans or permafrost regions on land. Highly saturated hydrate reservoirs may be ideal alternative energy resources, which makes them an important target area for the exploitation and utilization of natural gas hydrates. Influenced and restricted by the grain size of the sediments, natural gas hydrates are mainly found in the coarse sands, while in fine-grained sediments, the hydrate rarely occurs, or the saturation of the gas hydrates would be relatively low. However, among drilling projects in 2007 in the Shenhu area, South China Sea (SCS), the average sand content in the hydrate reservoir was only around 1.4 to 4.24 percent, and the hydrate saturation was as high as 20 to 40 percent. While related to the supply of gas sources and tectonic activities, this result may also be attributed to the abundant foraminifera shells in the SCS sediments


Working from home while managing seemingly endless virtual conference meetings and the anxiety and stress over the COVID‐19 pandemic might have made it difficult to focus during the last few months, or to feel productive. At a virtual session for the annual conference for the Society for College and University Planning, Beth Ziesenis, owner of Your Nerdy Best Friend, shared tips for making working from home more productive, fun, and focused. Read on for her suggestions.


Abstract The new specific metal sensors for copper, zinc, nickel, cobalt, iron, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, vanadium, molybdenum, selenium, and lead were synthesized by using N-phenyl[1,2 methane fullerene C60]C61 complexes. The metal sensors were characterized by pH range, electrode response, response time, and associated metals. The limit of detection of the sensors was found to range between 3×10-7 and 5×10-7, with lifetime between 6 and 8 months. These metal sensors were used for the detection and quantitative determination of trace metal impurities in drugs and pharmaceuticals.


Background : Mother's position during labor has been a major of concern for faster, easier and more tolerable birth. In fact, changing of the position during labor can be introduced as a solution for dystocia, prolonged labor and labor arrest. Furthermore, pregnancy outcomes including post partum bleeding is affected by upright delivery position . Objective: To investigate the effect of sitting position on the following variables: duration 3rd stage of labor; bleeding volume of the 3rd and 4th stages of labor. Design: Controlled-Randomized clinical trial . Sample: One hundred women including 50 subjects in Sitting position group (Case group) and 50 subjects in Lithotomy position group (comparative group).selected by consecutive sampling method. Results: The duration of the 3rd stage of labor was significantly lowered in case versus comparative group (P= 0.015). The volume of blood loss during the 3rd stage of labor was significantly greater in the case group in comparison with the comparative (p= 0.004). However, the volume of blood loss during 4th stage of labor was not significantly different in 2 groups. Conclusion: Although, sitting position was found shorten the 3rd stage of labor in this study, it is suggested that mothers be given the chance to choose their own position of delivery.


We study the time evolution of non-axisymmetric linear perturbations of a rotating magnetized neutron star, whose magnetic field is purely poloidal. The background stellar configurations are generated self-consistently, with multipolar field configurations and allowing for distortions to the density distribution from rotational and magnetic forces. The perturbations split into two symmetry classes, with perturbations in one class being dominated by an instability generic to poloidal fields, which is localized around the 'neutral line' where the background field vanishes. Rotation acts to reduce the effect of this instability. Perturbations in the other symmetry class do not suffer this instability and in this case we are able to resolve Alfven oscillations, whose restoring force is the magnetic field; this is the first study of non-axisymmetric Alfven modes of a star with a poloidal field. We find no evidence that these modes form a continuum. In a rotating magnetized star, we find that there are no pure Alfven modes or pure inertial modes, but hybrids of these. We discuss the nature of magnetic instabilities and oscillations in magnetars and pulsars, finding the dominant Alfven mode from our simulations has a frequency comparable with observed magnetar quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs).


Objective To evaluate the relationship between the hepatitis B markers and intrauterine infection in pregnant women. Methods Hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers and HBV DNA loading in pregnant women were detected by ELISA and fluorescence quantitative PCR methods respectively. HBV DNA loading in newborns' umbilical blood was detected. Results 46.03% of pregnant women with positive HBeAg and 90.48% with positive HBV DNA had intrauterine infection respectively; 3.97% of pregnant women with negative HBeAg and 32.54% with negative HBV DNA had intrauterine infection respectively, there was significant difference in intrauterine infection and the positive rate of HBV DNA between two groups of women (P 0.01). HBV DNA loading was positively correlated with the occurrence of intrauterine infection. Conclusion The detection of HBV DNA loading for analyzing the relationship between the hepatitis B and intrauterine infection in pregnant women is more reliable than the detection of HBeAg, the overloading of HBV DNA is one of the major factors for intrauterine infection.


This thesis examines the toxicity of the herbicide glyphosate (two formulations iV technical grade and Roundup Biactive RB) and the insecticide chlorpyrifos CPF to a model freshwater food chain of a producer and consumer. The importance of study


This paper proposes an observer for approximating the temperature inside a heating slab in a furnace. The observer is established based on Galerkin method to solve the heat transfer equation and Fuzzy technique to estimate the temperature-dependent material parameters of heating slabs. Numerical simulations for observer performance verification is subsequently conducted in virtual reality environment using Simscape. The simulation results affirm good temperature observation of the developed observer.


We study the two-way communication problem for the relay channel. Hereby, two terminals communicate simultaneously in both directions with the help of one relay. We consider the restricted two-way problem, i.e., the encoders at both terminals do not cooperate. We provide achievable rate regions for different cooperation strategies, such as decode-and-forward based on block Markov superposition coding. We also evaluate the regions for the special case of additive white Gaussian noise channels. We show that a combined strategy of block Markov superposition coding and Wyner-Ziv coding achieves the cut-set upper bound on the sum-rate of the two-way relay channel when the relay is in the proximity of one of the terminals


Alkenes, unsaturated saturated carboxylic acids, saturated carboxylic acids and their higher analogues are prepared directly from corresponding alkanes using a mixed bed catalyst in a short contact time reactor at flame temperatures. Unsaturated carboxylic acid, the mixed metal catalyst, an oxide


It is becoming increasingly urgent to address the health of the urban environment and the aging population as cities increasingly absorb the majority of the world's population. Efforts to promote "healthy cities" continue to garner interest as a means of empowering local communities to improve residents' access to healthcare and encourage them to adopt more preventative practices. Due to the confluence of urbanization and population aging in China, the country's cities must be designed and constructed to accommodate a wider range of residents and improve the quality of life for residents of all ages. A policy intervention evaluation model for the sustainable city index system is introduced after briefly reviewing the historical progression of sustainable city construction and the policies around the world. Then, six main pilot cities are selected to analyze their unique characteristics and trends across various dimensions. Finally, the dynamic simulation model is used to simulate the operation status of the pilot city system according to different dynamic factors. Two main conclusions are reached. (1) In different areas, the implementation of the sustainable city pilot strategy has had varying degrees of encouraging effects on building projects. (2) Overall, the pilot cities' observed value is quite near to the control value calculated here. This suggests the synthetic control unit closely resembles the actual pilot city in terms of layout and design. (3) The healthy city pilot policy has a promotion effect on healthy city construction, as measured by its effect size of 0.015. This work can serve as a theoretical reference for promoting healthy city growth and as a guide for the city's benign operation.


Objective To study the effects of clozapine on lipometabolism in schizophrenic patients.Methods Using self-control method,blood-lipid levels were measured at the baseline and the end 8 weeks in 45 schizophrenic patients treated with clozapine.Results After clozapine treatment TG levels were increased significantly(P0.01),and HDL levels decreased(P0.05);HDL levels in male patients low(P0.05).The dosage of clozapine and positive correlation with plasma TG(P0.01),and had no correlation with HDL levels, TG levels in patients with abnormal ECG (electrocardiogram) were higher than with normal ECG.Weight gain had no correlation with plasma TG and HDL(P0.05).Conclusion Clozapine treatment may cause abnormal blood-lipid level and then myocardial damage,but no weight gain in short term.


The invention discloses a clamping and rotating device for ceramic machining. The clamping and rotating device comprises a rack. A rotating servo motor is fixed to the bottom face of a top plate of the rack. An output shaft of the rotating servo motor stretches out of the top plate of the rack vertically upwards and is fixedly provided with a rotating and clamping bottom plate. Annular grooves are formed in the bottom face of the rotating and clamping bottom plate. Annular convex rings are fixed to the top face of the top plate of the rack. The annular convex rings are nested in the annular grooves. At least four connecting plates are fixed to the top face of the rotating and clamping bottom plate. Clamping air cylinders are fixed to the connecting plates. Push rods of the clamping air cylinders penetrate the connecting plates and are fixedly provided with arc-shaped clamping blocks. An upper connecting frame is fixed to the top face of the top plate of the rack. An upper clamping air cylinder is fixed to a top plate of the upper connecting frame. A push rod of the upper clamping air cylinder penetrates the top plate of the upper connecting frame vertically downwards and is fixedly provided with an upper press plate. A pressing plate is hinged to the middle portion of the bottom face of the upper press plate. A ceramic product can be firmly clamped and rotated through the clamping and rotating device, manual painting or mechanical spraying is facilitated, the effect is good, and efficiency is high.


Mobile technology offers advertisers not only an evergrowing global audience of "always-on" multifunctional smartphone capability but also instantaneous access to their contextual information. Location-based, environmental, and behavioral data are increasingly being used to apply novel targeting and creative strategies for the development of new forecasting models. The available evidence suggests there is widespread dissemination and broad acceptance of mobile technology in the marketplace, as well as very promising opportunities for advertisers to engage with their customers in novel ways. In 2021, over 6 billion people worldwide had smartphone subscriptions (Statista 2022b). Not surprisingly, almost 60% of web traffic is accounted for by mobile devices (StatCounter 2022). Accordingly, the evidence suggests that advertisers spend about two-thirds of their digital advertising budget on mobile advertising (eMarketer 2019). Nevertheless, such proliferation in mobile technology has not received significant attention from the advertising research community in comparison to the attention it's received from marketing scholars. For example, during the past two decades, the Journal of Advertising has published only a few articles that investigated the topic (e.g., Baek and Yoo 2018; Okazaki, Li, and Hirose 2009; Peters, Amato, and Hollenbeck 2007). Moreover, a recent meta-analysis of mobile advertising research includes only three articles published by major advertising journals between 2012 and 2021 (Maseeh et al. 2021). In our view, such a lack of scholarly attention in our community can be attributed to at least two main reasons. First, a shift in mobile advertising research methods from more conventional survey or experimental approaches to a big-data and field experimental approach may have played a role. Over the past decade, mobile (advertising) scholars have increasingly focused on large-scale field data as the backbone for their research. Yet collecting these types of data comes with its own challenges because it usually requires collaboration with industry partners. Field data are also susceptible to increasing consumer privacy protection legislation. Hence, the threshold to obtain high-quality data for mobile advertising research is high. Indeed, according to a methods survey among major advertising journals, only a little over 6% of publications between 2011 and 2015 used market data, such as sales or media ratings (Chang 2017). To sum up: The unique features of mobile technology (e.g., portability, granular location targeting, dynamic environmental factors) are hard to capture with survey or experimental methods, as are commonly used by advertising scholars. Second, while it is widely understood that exposure to mobile advertising and the creation of user-generated content work differently than in nonmobile online media (e.g., Grewal and Stephen 2019; Melumad, Inman, and Pham 2019), our theoretical understanding of mobile advertising remains underdeveloped. Most studies are grounded in theories from existent online advertising research without fully accounting for the complexities of the mobile advertising landscape. This is also reflected by commentators from industry who have indicated that new contextual insights such as location data are among the most misunderstood areas in marketing (Adweek 2018), with advertisers still struggling to harness insights effectively (Forbes 2019). This Journal of Advertising special section, Mobile Technology and Advertising, intends to address some of the issues related to the underrepresentation of mobile advertising research in advertising journals by kickstarting the conversation around this exciting field of research. In doing so, this special section aims to extend our current knowledge of the topic by taking a broader and more current approach to these newly


In the color image compression field, it is well known by researchers that the information is statistically redundant. This redundancy is a handicap in terms of dictionary construction time. A way to counterbalance this time consuming effect is to reduce the redundancy within the original image while keeping the image quality. One can extract a random sample of the initial training set on which one constructs the codebook whose quality is equal to the quality of the codebook generated from the entire training set. We applied this idea in the color vector quantization (VQ) compression scheme context. We propose an algorithm to reduce the complexity of the standard LBG technique. We searched for a measure of relevance of each block from the entire training set. Under the assumption that the measure of relevance is a independent random variable, we applied the Kolmogorov statistical test to define the smallest size of a random sample, and then the sample itself. Finally, from blocks associated to each measure of relevance of the random sample, we compute the standard LBG algorithm to construct the codebook. Psychophysics and statistical measures of image quality allow us to find the best measure of relevance to reduce the training set while preserving the image quality and decreasing the computational cost.


This study was undertaken to determine the important features, advantages and disadvantages of PDA-based/web-based clinical-log for PBL-based medical curriculum at the Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong for the incorporation of personal digital assistants (PDAs) in the future. Method: The in-depth interviews were designed and conducted with medical faculty, clinicians and medical education technology specialists. Results: Four major features, benefits and limitation of PDA-based/web-based clinical-log were identified. Conclusion: PDA-based/web-based clinical-log is a vital learning tool to be incorporated as a in PBL-medical curriculum in particular while offsite.


The generalized frequency hopping (GFH) OFDMA system developed in this paper permeates FH benefits to multicarrier CDMA transmissions through unknown frequency-selective multipath channels. No single user suffers from consistent fading effects and multiuser interference is eliminated by design. Constellation-irrespective channel identifiability is guaranteed, and a host of blind channel estimation algorithms are developed, trading off complexity with performance. An important variant corresponding to fast-hopping is also addressed. Performance analysis and simulation results illustrate the merits of GFH-OFDMA relative to conventional OFDMA and long code CDMA with RAKE reception.


A long lossless bulge tube interacts with waves in a rectangular lossless channel. For any wave period and bulge speed, there are two persistent modes, both combining a bulge pressure amplitude Ab1 or Ab2 with a wave pressure amplitudes Aw1 or Aw2, in phase in mode 1 and out of phase in mode 2. These modes travel at different speeds c1 and c2, and either pure mode will continue unchanged along the channel. If they are both present they will beat, with the result that the combined amplitudes Aw = Aw1 +Aw2 and Ab = Ab1 + Ab2 change with distance; energy is transfered from wave to bulge and vice-versa. The beat between the modes allows us to calculate the capture width in any situation. We give exact solutions for the persistent modes, which satisfy the Laplace equation for the channel with the correct boundary condition at the tube. To achieve this, the tube is modeled as a narrow vertical structure with width varying vertically to correspond to the attenuation of the wave motion with depth.


In order to evaluate the interference of prolactin (PRL) on some aspects of pituitary‐gonadal derangement observed in patients with hyperprolactinaemic amenorrhoea (HA), a GnRH stimulation test (100 μg i.v.) was performed on twenty‐one patients with hyperprolactinaemia without evidence of pituitary tumour and in nine subjects with Turner's syndrome (TS) before and after sulpiride administration (200 mg/day orally, for 3 months). In patients with HA an enhanced response of gonadotrophins to GnRH was observed. In patients with TS a further increase of the gonadotrophin hyper‐responsiveness to the releasing hormone occurred when hyperprolactinaemia was induced by chronic sulpiride administration. Since, in these patients, appreciable ovarian steroido‐genesis is lacking, a direct effect of the increased plasma PRL at the hypothalamo‐pituitary level is likely. In hyperprolactinaemic amenorrhoea pituitary hyper‐responsiveness may not be due to PRL effect on ovarian steroidogenesis.


Both in terms of volume and toxic pollutants, drilling muds and drill cuttings are the most significant waste streams from exploratory and development activities in the oil and gas industry. Under the Clean Water Act, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates discharges of all contaminants, including drilling muds, into the waterways and offshore areas of the United States. EPA employs technology-based effluent standards in issuing discharge permits to both onshore and offshore operators. This paper examines the regulatory approaches used by EPA to limit toxicity in drilling muds at offshore drilling platforms and discusses other measures EPA has adopted to reduce toxicity of drilling muds discharged offshore. This effort focuses on an innovative approach that emphasizes pollution prevention used by EPA Region X for offshore Alaska, which is contrasted with a more traditional command and control regulatory approach used by other EPA regional offices. The Region X approach includes collection of influent and effluent data, development of a comprehensive data base of technical information, and prescription of specific mud formulas. This influent-effluent approach reduces uncertainty and guesswork, enhances use of innovative technology, and lowers toxic discharges compared to the standard EPA command and control approach. The influent-effluent approach providesmore » a model for future efforts to incorporate pollution prevention into regulatory development and implementation. While this investigation found no evidence that toxicity limitations promulgated by EPA were having a deleterious impact on offshore developments, it identified major improvements in technology application, process management, and selection of raw materials which reduce toxicity of spent muds.« less


In a recent NBER paper, Cutsail and Grubb argue that North Carolina's colonial bills of credit were valued like discount bonds, with a current market value largely determined by the discounted value of the bills when paid into the treasury in taxes or other public payments. Grubb has previously published several papers making similar claims about other colonies. This comment argues Cutsail and Grubb's methodology, history, data series, and econometrics, as applied to North Carolina, are all seriously flawed.


In this paper Xian 4th tube line is selected as the research target, the earth surface deformation is evaluated based on the soil surface deformation model, and the influence of construction of Xian 4th tube line on the city wall of Ming dynasty is investigated, the protection scheme and rules are proposed when the tube pass through the city wall, the influence on the wall is evaluated during the tube operation and the protection technique is also proposed, which will reduce the influence from the construction and operation of tube, and the friendly development between the railway transportation and environment is realized.


Purchasing a product or shopping in an Islamic supermarket or store is something that is unique with many factors which will affect the consumer. One of the factor that influences consumer when choosing to shop in a certain store is the image that arises and attaches to that store. A good image of the store will affect the consumer to keep shopping and become loyal to the store. Consumer satisfaction when shopping in a store is also a factor that influences the loyalty of the consumer to that particular store. Furthermore, a good image plays an important on making the consumer satisfied, and together will influence the consumer to become loyal to that store.


Timber-to-timber connections and composite timber-c oncrete connections have, and continue to be, thoroughly studied by several resea rchers in different laboratories due to their efficiency and variety of advantages. Connections a re mostly achieved using dowel-type fasteners, such as nails or screws. Up until today, the design of nailed or screwed connections is mainly based on experiments and on some practica l rule of thumb proposed by the Eurocode 5. However, it has been shown that the acc ur y of the Eurocode 5 is not satisfactory especially when evaluating the slip mo dulus of single or double shear connections [1]. On the other hand, experimental studies would be very time and main-powerful consuming. It appears then of primary importance to develop appropriate numerical models for analyzing and predicting the behaviour of naile d or screwed connections. In this paper a novel approach based on the finite element method i s proposed to simulate the behaviour of nailed and screwed connections.


The purpose of this study was investigated on the effect of sports centers servicescape on relationship quality and relationship behavior. To accomplish such research purpose, researcher identified the causal relationship through regression analysis after having established relationship models among sports centers servicescape, relationship quality and relationship behavior on precedent research works and hypothetical model. 439 participants were sampled from the sports centers customer in Seoul and Gyeonggido region by using convenient sampling method. The resulting data were processed by means of frequency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis and path model analysis using SPSS 18.0 program. Results derived from the researches based on the aforementioned methods and data analyses are as follows: First, sports centers servicescape had positive influence on relationship quality. Second, sports centers servicescape had positive influence on relationship behavior. Third, relationship quality had positive influence on relationship behavior.


The electrical persistence and regularity of 143 chick embryo whole heart explants during nine days in culture is described. Details are given of culturing and surveillance of explants and handling of data. Over 90% of explants showed continuous electrical activity for nearly all of the first three days in culture. This percentage fell 6 % by the end of day three, 6 % during day four, 17 % on day five and more slowly thereafter. These changes possibly reflected inadequacies in the supernatant. The frequency and magnitude of change in the number of active cultures from one 15 second survey to the next slowly increased with a maximum of 1.2 cultures. It seemed that the failure of hearts to produce potentials was usually temporary and occurred in a rhythmic fashion. The difference between consecutive half-hour averages of the number of cultures showing activity during 15 out of every 20 seconds was relatively high initially, dropped during the second day then rose again. It was always small compared to the total number of cultures involved. Comparisons between the persistence of electrical function in whole heart explants in various supernatants showed that the one used in this study was least inadequate.


This Article presents a new historical account of Stump v. Sparkman, one of the most controversial Supreme Court decisions in the past fifty years. Stump is the 1978 judicial immunity opinion in which the Supreme Court declared that judges are absolutely immune from liability for their official judicial acts. The case involved the involuntary sterilization of a fifteen-year-old girl pursuant to an ex parte court order issued by a state judge. The basic project of the Article is to show why this largely overlooked case is important in American constitutional law beyond the narrow issue of judicial immunity, recovering it as a canonical decision relevant to contemporary debates about constitutional reproductive rights and procedural due process. Stump emerged from an ongoing set of discussions about the nature and scope of then-nascent constitutional protections for reproductive rights, as well as access to the federal courts by civil rights claimants. These issues continue to be a matter of intense debate, as states and courts reign in the scope of reproductive rights, and as federal judges increasingly employ procedural rules limiting the ability of civil rights victims to pursue their claims and receive a decision on the merits in federal court. This Article's close examination of the historical antecedents to these trends, as reflected in Stump, can help courts envision more just alternatives to the present course on these fundamentally important procedural and substantive questions.


Measuring academic achievements is never an easy task. This is particularly so when individuals are assessed for promotions in several fields with differing job descriptions. Assessment by peers is time-consuming and may be prone to bias; thus, objective criteria are required to minimise these concerns.

The Medical Council of India (MCI) has laid down guidelines for appointments and promotions of teachers in medical institutions in India. Among the criteria used for promotions, publication of research is an essential requirement. Though the need for this requirement has been debated, it is believed that the quality of teaching improves when medical teachers are involved in research. Many countries have made it mandatory for their medical faculty to do research; some other countries incentivise the conduct and publication of research. Reports have also lamented that the physician–scientist might become an endangered species.[1,2] Thus, linking publications with promotions might benefit both the individual and the society. The flip side is that the time spent on research might take teachers away from teaching or clinical duties, particularly in under-staffed speciality departments. Further, the quality of research is likely to be poor when the resources and training in research are lacking.[3] Poor quality may even discredit research as a professional activity. Insistence on a certain amount of published research to maintain teaching credentials may lead to the phenomenon of 'publish or perish'.[4] Finally, it is important to consider that biomedical research may, at times, be relevant to non-biomedical journals and criteria for awarding credit to such publications should also be devised.

The MCI requires that the medical faculty engages in research. One measure to achieve this goal is the mandatory 'thesis' for postgraduate (Masters; MD/MS/DNB) and post-doctoral (DM/MCh/DNB) courses. Each student, regardless of speciality, is required to undertake a research study with a faculty member as the guide and often one-to-a-few faculty members from the same or related subjects as co-guides. Apart from providing training in doing research, the thesis is expected to inculcate an aptitude for research methodology and critical analysis. This experience is relevant to students who will become full-time researchers and is also beneficial to medical practitioners who may never conduct further research but should be able to discern the merits of newer management options for their patients.

The MCI's initial guidelines for promotion to the position of Associate Professor and Professor required publication of at least two research papers by the candidates.[5] In September 2015, the MCI issued a 'clarification' on what constitutes 'research publications' for the promotion of teaching faculty of medical colleges/institutions in India [Box 1].[6] This 'clarification' raises the following issues.

Box 1
Guidelines for counting research publications for promotion of teaching faculty of medical colleges/institutions in india as laid down in an order by Medical Council of India in September 2015

Indexing agencies: Scopus, PubMed, Medline, Embase / Excerpta Medica, Index Medicus and Index Copernicus

Types of articles to be considered: Original research articles and original research papers

Criteria for National/International journal: Published by a National/International – specialty journal/journal of a national/international society provided it is included in one of the indexes mentioned above

Authorship: First author, second author

e. E-journals: E-journals not included.

The above would also be applicable for 'accepted for publication' papers/articles.


The features of the influence of genotypes of kappa-casein and prolactin on milk production of cows Tatarstan type. At the Tatarstan type of cattle a certain connection of genotypes a kappa casein and prolactinum is established with dairy efficiency of cows. Genotypes a kappa casein are associated with quality indicators of dairy efficiency (the content of fat and protein), and prolactinum – with the size of a yield of milk. Thus desirable genotypes are VV a kappa casein, prolactinum AA.


The study presents an analysis of mortgage market of the Russian Federation for 2011-2014.The material for the study are the data provided on the websites of the Rosstat and the Agency for housing mortgage lending. The result of this study highlights the main trends in mortgage market of the Russian Federation: significant growth of commissioning of residential real estate, especially in 2014; growth of housing prices in primary market simultaneously with growth in per capita incomes in the Russian Federation; reduced housing affordability index; growth of number of mortgage loans in the Russian Federation and their decline in monetary terms.


SFP(sulfite-formaldehyde AQ pulping) lignosulfonate was modified with hydrogen peroxide and urea to prepare slow-released nitrogen fertilizer.The effect of changes in reaction temperature,reac-tion time,hydrogen peroxide dosage,catalyst dosage and pH value of reaction medium on the amount of the organic-bound nitrogen in the modified lignosulfonate was studied.The results showed that higher nitrogen contents were obtained when oxidation and modification were simultaneously occurred and the nitrogen content was increased by 50% in comparison with that of the product only modified with urea without oxidation.Under those reaction conditions of reaction temperature 75 °C,hydrogen peroxide 15%,initial pH of the reaction medium 4,reaction time 3 h and the dosage of FeSO4·7H2O 0.05%,8.6% of nitrogen(based on lignin) could be fixed in the lignin macromolecule,the ammonium nitrogen in modi-fied products was 1.13% and the organic bound nitrogen reached 87% of total nitrogen which would be released slowly through lignin degradation.


Moment resisting stub columns (MRSCs) have increasingly adopted in special moment-resisting frame (SMF) systems in steel building structures, especially in Asian countries. The MRSCs typically provide a lower deformation capacity compared to shear-panel stub columns, a limited post-yield stiffness, and severe strength degradation as adopting slender webs. A new MRSC design with cored configuration, consisting of a core-segment and two side-segments using different steel grades, has been proposed in the study to improve the demerits mentioned above. Several full-scale components of the cored MRSC were experimentally investigated focusing on the hysteretic performance of plastic hinges at the ends. The effects of the depths of the core-segment and the adopted reduced column section details on the hysteretic behavior of the components were examined. The measured hysteretic responses verified that the cored MRSC enabled to provide early yielding, great ductility and energy dissipation, enhanced post-yield stiffness and limited strength degradation due to local buckling of flanges. A parametric study upon the dimensions of the cored MRSC was then conducted using numerical discrete model validated by the measured responses. Finally, a set of model equations were established based on the results of the parametric analysis to accurately estimate strength backbone curves of the cored MRSCs under increasing-amplitude cyclic loadings.


The decision to use Thermographic Nondestructive Testing (TNDT) for a particular application is frequently made on an empirical basis using flat bottom hole test samples. In many cases, results are interpreted using subjective, non- quantitative criteria that cannot be generalized to apply to a broader range of applications. Although sensitivity is generally considered an important indicator of TNDT system performance, subsurface spatial resolution is rarely discussed. We present a methodology for TNDT system performance characterization that is loosely modeled on the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) used in visual imaging. Once a TNDT system has been characterized using this approach, system performance for other applications can be accurately predicted. Examples including a steel resolution target and flat bottom holes in a CMC panel are discussed.


Polymerized para-octylphenol, SP, is an efflcient extractant of alkali metals. However, separation of a solid phase is observed on extracting with a solution of SP in kerosene. Samples of the polymer SP-1047 consisted mainly of the tetramer (99.8%). Analysis for the alkali metals was carried out by flame photometry. No separation of solid phase occurs when an alcohol is used as a diluent. The distribution coefficiert increases with increasing dielectric constant of the alcohol diluent. A technical mixture of C/sub 7/-C/sub 9/ alcohols was found to be the most effective diluent for extracting alkali metal with a 0.l mol solution of SP. Cesium extracts better than rubidium and potassium at concentrations of <0.035 mol/liter. At high concentrations of organic extractant SP the viscosity of the organic phase increases, and phase separation is slow. The solvation number is 2, that is, two molecules of cesium react with one molecule of organic extractant. A sulfate solution of the following composition was subjected to extraction with equal volumes of organlc and aqueous: Rb- 0.36 g/l; Cs-0.026; Li--0.34; K- 15.7; Ca-0.2 and Na- 0.32 g/l. The alkali metals were back-extracted from the organic phase into 1.0 N HCl. The extractions of Cs, Rb, andmore » Li were 100, 30 and 30% respectively. Separntion coefficients were 31.6 for Cs/Rb, 52.4 for Cs/K and 1.7 for Rb/K. Cesium is partially separated from the other alkali elements. (SJR)« less


CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1. Asymptotic methods of integrating partial differential equations Chapter 2. The imposition of boundary conditions Chapter 3. Eigenvalue problems in shell theory Chapter 4. Momentless shell theory and its connexion with the theory of infinitesimal deflections Chapter 5. Asymptotic integration of differential equations in the moment theory of shells Chapter 6. The effect of fixed edge conditions on the stressed state of a shell References


ARTICLE INFO Background and Aim: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accu- racy of direct digital radiography with and without sharpening enhancement €lter of digital radiography software in detection of proximal dental enamel caries in premolar teeth.


We address the problem of spatiotemporal human action detection in videos. Our proposed model is able to classify and localise (in space and time) multiple co-occurring action instances in temporally untrimmed videos. Action detection in video has several practical real world applications such as human-robot interaction, autonomous driving, autonomous robotic assistant surgeon, VR (virtual reality) gaming to mention a few. In this context action detection reduces to solving three different sub-problems: 1) action classification, 2) spatial detection and 3) temporal detection. Given an input video the detection model is supposed to classify each action instance, localise them spatially using bounding boxes and detect the temporal extent of each action instance by inferring the start and end times. Inspired by the overwhelming success of R-CNN (regions with CNN features) object detectors [1], previous approaches [2, 3] adopted the R-CNN framework for action detection. Although the use of R-CNNs triggered a significant performance improvement, the downsides of relying on them are that: 1) this is computationally expensive, 2) it requires multistage training and 3) relies on unsupervised region proposal algorithms such as Selective Search [2] or EdgeBoxes [3]. Unlike [4, 5], R-CNNs do not share computation and perform a separate forward pass for each object proposal, which is expensive in terms of both time and computing resources. For example, during training this requires to execute 2000 conv forwards passes for 2000 Selective Search proposals, amounting to relatively longer training time and more GPU resources than [4,5]. Besides, the R-CNN framework follows a multistage training pipeline which includes (a) finetuning a CNN, (b) extracting CNN features, (c) caching features to disk, and (d) training a number of one-vs-all SVMs, resulting in a very computationally expensive pipeline. Furthermore, the detection accuracy of R-CNNs is limited by their relying on unsupervised region proposal algorithms [2,3] which, besides being resource-demanding, cannot be trained for a specific detection task and are disconnected from the overall classification objective. To overcome these issues we propose a novel action detection pipeline [6] which adopts, instead, the Faster R-CNN [7] network. Faster R-CNN is computationally less expensive than R-CNN as it shares computation during the forward pass, avoid multistage training and thus eliminating the need for feature extraction, caching and SVM training. In addition, it uses a Region Proposal


The influence of Gaston Bachelard's studies of the 'poetic' or 'material imagination' on the 'nouvelle critique' has long been acknowledged. Similarly, the importance of Bachelard's work in the history of science to social theorists such as Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault and Pierre Bourdieu has received considerable critical attention. What has been largely unexplored, however, is the impact of Bachelard's studies of the 'material imagination' on social theorists such as Henri Lefebvre, Jean Baudrillard, and Roland Barthes, in their analyses of the advent of mass consumerism in post-war France. This article examines the use made by these theorists of Bachelard's concept of the 'material imagination' as an index of everything authentic that risked being lost in France's embrace of mass consumerism. It also shows how Bachelard's 'material imagination' could serve as a powerful tool for explaining the affective appeal that the new spaces and mass-produced commodities of post-war France possessed for French consumers.


In this paper, the dynamics of spring-block models are studied. A brief overview of the history of spring-block models relating to earthquakes is presented, along with the development of friction laws. Several mathematical topics relating to dynamical systems are also discussed. We consider two spring-block models; one with Dieterich-Ruina rate and state dependent friction and another with a modified Dieterich-Ruina style friction. For each system, the qualitative behavior and numerical solutions are presented. In the first case, we find that the system undergoes a Hopf bifurcation from a stationary solution to a periodic orbit, and eventually transitions to chaos. In the latter case, we find that a stationary solution exists along with the conditions for a Hopf bifurcation to occur. We develop the mathematical framework to compute periodic and chaotic behavior for the system. Future work will be to develop more efficient algorithms to perform the actual computations.


In classical literature a ruled surface means a surface F in some projective space with a one dimensional family of lines lying on it. An elementary transformation then is a linear projection with a smooth point of the surface s center. Considering only nonsingular non-embedded models, every ruled surface is of the form P (E) with a vector b ndle E of rank 2 on a nonsingular projective curve X say of genus g over a field k which we assume to be algebraically closed. Abstractly an elementary transformation is the composition of the blowing up of a point P of P(E) and the blowing down of the proper transform of the fibre π"" (π (P)), where π: Ρ(Ε)-+Χ means the natural map. The resulting surface again is a ruled surface which we denote by elmp (P (E)). Inductively we define elmFl. ..Pn (P (£")):= elmPn(elmFl...Pn _{ (P (E))). It is easy to see that every ruled surface over X can be obtained by a finite number of elementary transformations starting with the trivial ruled surface XxP. Hence it makes sense to consider the following invariant (cf. [1], [2], [3]): n(P(E)):= the minimum n such that there are points P!,..., P" with P(£)^elmPi...Pn( r x P). In [1], [2], and [3] Nagata and Maruyama proved the following


Based on the concept and composition of MVC design pattern,this paper puts forward a general structure of WEB development model,and applies it to the professional degree management information system design and imple-mentation.Practices show this model not only makes software developers can division of labor,improving development efficiency better,but also realizes the application of the modular,reducing the difficulty of post-maintenance.


A highly diastereoselective synthesis of substituted pyrrolidines has been achieved starting from nonchiral molecule, allyl bromide, or cis-but-2-ene-1,4-diol. The method involves the asymmetric epoxidation and endo-mode epoxide opening with azide nucleophile as the key steps. The method has been applied for the formal synthesis of (―)-bulgecinine.


Knowledge of formulation liquid properties is beneficial when modelling internal transient flows of pMDI HFA 134a and ethanol binary mixtures during atomization1, 2. Non-linear expressions are available that correlate saturated vapor pressure, density and surface tension to HFA 134a-ethanol composition3, 4 2. In this study, experimentally determined dynamic viscosity is presented for ethanol-HFA 134a mixtures at 20.4 ± 1.2°C.


! Based on recently published phase II data, intra-tumoral thermotherapy with nanoparticles is increasingly being advocated as a novel treatment option for glioblastoma. Careful assessment of this report, however, reveals that neither safety nor efficacy were demonstrated. The registration as a medicinal product per se is not associated with a confirmation of efficacy. Controlled clinical trials are necessary to demonstrate efficacy of this treatment strategy


In view of the sparsely populated areas in remote areas, low network coverage, limited transmission resources, and difficult equipment maintenance, in order to realize basic regional video surveillance and ecological monitoring with the problems which are seriously lack of conditions and means, based on the analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of video surveillance systems in remote areas, this paper proposes a remote video surveillance system based on NB-IoT. By adopting LTE BC20 NB-IoT module and camera to form NB-IoT terminal, based on cellular network, the collection, return and presentation of temperature and humidity data, smoke data and mobile cameras' positions' data of Louguantai were completed. The simulation verification of the smart video surveillance system in low-power area under narrow-band conditions showed that the system achieves the expected goals well.


The purposes of this study are to examine the level of satisfaction among the teachers and students of Arabic Colleges those who were involved and participated in the learning and teaching activities carried out through online learning during the period of restriction due to covid-19 pandemic and also to identify the factors that hindered the process of online education. The number of 270 students were selected from the Arabic Colleges situated in the Ampara district of Sri Lanka those who are currently (2022) pursuing shari'ah education therein and questionnaires were distributed among them. All the obtained data were subjected to the descriptive analysis method with the help of SPSS software (Version-26). According to the results of this study, the teachers (84%) and students (66.6%) have expressed their dissatisfaction with the online education activities carried out during the period of restriction where various factors have contributed to such dissatisfaction. Such as Lack of access to appropriate internet communication devices due to poverty experienced by the family (70.5%), Unable to obtain clarifications regarding the subject matter (59%), Internet tracks (81.6%), Importance provided only for certain subjects (63.3%), lack of payment of incentive as additional allowances for Teachers for the service and utilizing the internet facilities (60%), Dropout rates among students have increased (76%), lack of enough attendance of students (76%). Also, it would be worth notifying at this juncture that both parties are in the mode of reluctant on recommending the trend of online education in the event of such a situation if it will be re-emerging in the future. This study is important in exploring alternatives for the effective implementation of online education in Arabic colleges in the future and the findings of this study can be a remarkable starting point for future researchers and policymakers.


Explosive growth of the World Wide Web as well as its heterogeneity call for powerful and easy to use search tools capable to provide the user with a moderate number of relevant answers. This paper presents analysis of key aspects of recently developed Web search methods and tools: visual representation of subject trees, interactive user interfaces, linguistic approaches, image search, ranking and grouping of search results, database search, and scientific information retrieval. Current trends in Web search include topics such as exploiting Web hyperlinking structure, natural language processing, software agents, influence of XML markup language on search efficiency, and WAP search engines.


The study presents the results of obtaining regenerated plants of asparagus from seeds. Surface sterilizing the seeds by 0,75% sodium hypochlorite for 30 min is effective, during this obtained 83% viable sterile plants. The Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 6‑benzylaminopurine (2 mg/L), inositol (100 mg/L) and thiamine (0,4 mg/L) was found to be the best for seed germination. The expediency of using kinetin (1 mg/L) as a growth regulator to obtain a homogeneous plant material was established. The reproduction coefficient was 6,0. Only 11% of the explants formed callus. For the selection needs and production of somaclonal variants, the use of the culture medium with indole-3-acetic acid (0,2 mg/L) and 6‑benzylaminopurine (1 mg/L) is justified. In this condition reproduction coefficient was 3,7, and the level of different intensity callusogenesis was 59%. The rooting of obtained plants was performed in Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with a half dose of macro- and micronutrients and growth regulators. Rooting frequency was up to 63%. The knowledge of hormonal requirements helps to promote isolated tissue and cells technologies of asparagus with purpose of rapid propagation and obtaining healthy, high-quality planting material.


In this study, I analysed the influence of the Korean Export Insurance System upon Improvement for Korean Export Industry, investigated Korean Export Insurance system focussing on the Post-Shipment Credit Guarantee since Korea Export Insurance Coporation(KEIC)'s establishment and sought for the measures overcoming problems therewith. In my research I started from a basic model analyzing post-shipment credit guarantee using added several variables that have effect on export such export relative price, world income and the amount of post-shipment credit guarantee. As a result, amount of post-shipment credit guarantee, world income and export relative price showed expected responses and post-shipment credit bank guarantee were significant. In case of amount of post-shipment credit guarantee was statistical significance.


The rough lemon group was investigated as to its coherence and affinity to the true lemon group. The probable affiliation of the Moroccan rough lemon was scrutinized. The possible origin of the true lemons were studied with the help of genetic and essential oil analysis. A divergence diagram of these groups and of a few old-line species is presented based upon an essential oil discriminant computer analysis.


Thermospheric wind can be measured by observing the attitude motion of aerostable spacecraft when allowed to freely react to the aerodynamic torques. Estimates of the spacecraft aerodynamic properties, of the other disturbance torques and of the atmospheric density are required to determine the wind magnitude and direction. Aerostable spacecraft behave as undamped oscillators with their natural frequency depending on the dynamic pressure and their aerodynamic stiffness. The achievable spatial resolution is proportional to the natural frequency and smaller spacecraft, having higher cross-section area to inertia ratio, exhibit higher frequencies and are particularly suited for this method. The method described in this paper can provide global cross-track and in-track wind measurements. The measurements accuracy and spatial resolution with respect to the system parameters are analyzed and discussed for an ideal one rotational degree-of-freedom case.


This article explores how national executives in Serbia and Bulgaria address European Union (EU) rule of law conditionality by framing it within the populism/technocracy dichotomy. The rule of law remains one of the main problems of EU relations with the two countries. While acknowledging the nuances of pre- and post-enlargement Europeanisation, this article explores the technocratic and populist narratives exploited by the national executives in their interactions with the EU and their domestic public. Rather than positioning the current executives unequivocally either as populist or technocratic, we argue that the political elites act strategically in using both populist and technocratic techniques towards their publics when explaining interaction with the EU. We explore the extent this type of executive behaviour is determined by the countries' formally different status. While we look for the levels of possible similarity and distinction in the two cases/countries stemming from their different EU membership status, our findings confirm the existence of strategic defensive populist and technocratic techniques applied towards the EU and the national public in both countries The aim of this strategy is to mitigate the impact of the EU rule of law pressure and to secure the persistence of the existing rule of law shortcomings within the process of European integration. Interestingly, our research did not identify substantial impact of the formally different status towards the EU of the two countries.


Abstract Experimental results for the magnetoelectric (ME) effect in the tetragonal antiferromagnet Gd2CuO4 in magnetic fields up to 20 T are reported. This is the first observation of the ME effect in the new class of tetragonal crystals with the general formula R2CuO4 (R — rare earth) which are basic compounds for high temperature superconductivity. The ME effect is shown to exist below the ordering temperature of the rare earth magnetic subsystem at TN (Gd) = 6.5 K in accordance with results based on a symmetry analysis. The field and temperature dependence of the effect confirm the magnetic structure revealed recently in this compound.


In recent years, a variety of surgically-induced nociceptive monitoring systems have been proposed to maintain optimal analgesic balance. Surgical pleth index(SPI) is a monitoring tool obtained from finger photo plethysmography signals used to detect the balance between nociceptive and analgesic administration during general anesthesia. In this review, we summarized the application of SPI monitoring in clinical anesthesia in recent years. SPI monitoring improved the judgment of nociceptive sensation in anesthesia and provided reference for the analgesic level of anesthesia.

Key words:
Anesthesia; Monitoring; Surgical pleth index; Analgesia


With attempt of using all-ceramic fixed partial denture (FPD) on posterior teeth region while the high-strength ceramics themselves cannot be guaranteed for the strength of the FPD, the length of pontic of FPD is considered to be one of the significant factors that influence the FPD strength. This study was therefore aimed to use FEA to simulate the actual laboratory test in investigating whether a 3-unit all-ceramic FPD on posterior teeth could tolerate the maximum normal bite force, which is approximately 665 N. The FPD was designed to be fabricated with In-Ceram® zirconia and have pontic length of 11 mm. The simulation was performed using a 2-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) on ANSYS software. Lower second premolar and second molar teeth were placed at 11 mm apart in acrylic resin block. The teeth were prepared to be abutments of FPD. The result of the FEA showed that the FPD could tolerate the force exceeded the maximum normal bite force on molar region in human. This is corresponding with the previous study performed in the laboratory presenting that the FPD can withstand the load of greater than 1000 N. As the FEA has given the relevant result to that of the laboratory test, further investigations are anticipated to be performed to achieve the optimum length of a 3-unit all-ceramic FPD on posterior teeth fabricated in various systems.


The present project deals with the analysis of G + 7 multi storied building subjected to effect of earthquake loads. The application of earthquake load effect was considered using IS : 1893 (Part 1) : 2002 and a nominal wind load of 33m/s was also included in the analysis. The paper presents the comparison of effect of earthquake load in ZONE II, III, IV and V for rocky and medium soil conditions. The use of reinforced concrete shear wall and reinforced masonry shear wall was considered. The parameters like seismic drift, seismic moment, base shear, lateral load distribution on each floor was also discussed in this project. The comparison for reinforced concrete shear wall and reinforced masonry shear wall was made using a soft ware named RESIST which was developed by NICEE government of India organization for the development of understanding capacity of effect of earthquake on multi storied buildings in Indian condition with application of wind effects also. ordina ry foundation condition which can be effect with earthquake load was assumed in the complete analysis of building.


This paper discusses application of nonlinear decoupling algorithm for a permanent magnet synchronous motors with adaptive control, capable of combining the inputoutput linearization technique and Lyapunov stability theory. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory, the adaptation law of the proposed controller is derived along with the verification of the overall system's stability. Computer simulation results demonstrate that the proposed controller is robust and it can ensure transient stability of permanent magnet synchronous motors, under the occurrence of the disturbance caused parameter variations such as load and stator resistor. Keywordsnonlinear control; PMSM; decoupling control; adaptive control


In this paper we address the development of a single-rotor tail-sitter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), whose configuration provides structural benefits for flight stabilization. The mathematical model of the vertical take-off landing (VTOL) aircraft is obtained through the Newton-Euler approach. In order to stabilize the vehicle we employ a control algorithm based on separated saturation functions. To perform an on-board control, we have designed and manufactured a customized embedded system. The simulation and experimental results show the good performance of the aircraft in autonomous hover flight, even in the presence of external perturbations.


The impact of national innovation policy on small and medium enterprises are evaluated by Heckman two step methods with sample from companies listed on Shenzhen Stock Exchange.The empirical analysis shows that the longer the company enjoys preferential policy,the more significant the impact appears.Also,significance level of various factors affecting the recognition of sharing preferential policies and its impact on company performances are analyzed.


In a recent paper, Jones et al. (2020a) claimed that we recommended the use of mowing for the "landscape management of invasive knotweeds" in an article we published earlier this year (i.e. Martin et al. 2020), a recommendation with which they strongly disagreed. Since we never made such a recommendation and since we think that, in order to successfully control invasions by Japanese knotweed s.l. taxa (Reynoutria spp.; syn. Fallopia spp.), stakeholders need to acknowledge the general complexity of the management of invasive clonal plants, we would like to (i) clarify the intentions of our initial article and (ii) respectfully discuss some of the statements made by Daniel Jones and his colleagues regarding mowing and knotweed management in general. Although we agree with Jones et al. that some ill-advised management decisions can lead to "cures worse than the disease", our concern is that the seemingly one-sided argumentation used by these authors may mislead managers into thinking that a unique control option is sufficient to tackle knotweed invasions in every situation or at any given spatial scale, when it is generally admitted that management decisions should account for context-dependency (Wittenberg and Cock 2001; Pyšek and Richardson 2010; Kettenring and Adams 2011).


The objective of this work was to verify alterations on the amounts and storage of organic carbon and total nitrogen of the soil, and on the nitric and ammonium forms, in management systems implemented in an area under native cerrado. Samples were collected at Morrinhos, Goias, Brazil, in a clayey, typic, dystrophic Red Latosol (Oxisol), from five depths, in the systems: native cerrado, Brachiaria sp. pasture, irrigated no-till with corn-beans crop rotation, irrigated no-till with corn-beans and rice-tomato for industry crop rotation, long-term conventional till and recent conventional till following pasture. There were no significant differences on the level, and on carbon and total nitrogen storage of the soil. However, the long-term conventional till presented negative variations on carbon storage in relation to the native cerrado system up to 20 cm depth, unlike the systems with less soil movement. The ammonium predominated in the native cerrado and pasture systems through the soil profile, whereas the nitrate amounts were higher in the superficial layer of the soil in the systems with annual crops. The pasture and no-till, on condition of diverse crop rotation, are prominent systems in terms of increasing the organic carbon storage of the soil.


The trust management,starting from the real requirement of network environmental security and trust,collects,analyses and processes the trust information of network environment.In the paper,the rule and model have been established,the trust level has been evaluated and identified,and the management strategy has been proposed.The "Softman" model and technology are helpful to break through key technologies link of network trust management.The trust relationship in network environment has been studied,the trust management framework based on "Softman" is proposed and its formalization representation is given in this paper.


Landscape construction at the recreational park is one of the facilities that the Local Authority (PBT) has to provide for the community in a city. Construction of recreational park landscapes in the country still does not reach the level of satisfaction desired by consumers and visitors. Therefore, this study was conducted to study the landscape construction, referring to the case studies at Darulaman Lake Recreational Park, Jitra. The objective of this study is to identify the importance of landscape building to consumers, and to study consumer perceptions on the construction of landscapes in Darulaman Lake Recreational Park. The methodology used in the study were interviews and questionnaires. This study involved 80 respondents from users who visited Darulaman Lake and interviewed with the management of Darulaman Lake (BDB Land Sdn Bhd). The findings show that respondents agree with the construction of landscapes in recreational parks as it brings importance to consumers and consumer perceptions of Darulaman Lake Recreational Park in terms of management and preparation of landscape elements.


I had already visited Mali briefly the year before, on a short fieldwork trip with an American museum. The best adjective I could muster up after a three -week journey for Mali was colourful - Mali was one of the most colourful places I had ever visited, full of wonderful people, great varieties of cultures and languages, and strong traditions of art and music. I admit that the process of settling in Bamako for nine months was a little daunting, especially when I had not even come close to mastering French. Bamako was to be my base location and primary residence in Africa, but there were also plans to continue gathering anthropological research in other countries throughout the continent.


Today, use of the Web 2.0 technologies and applications (e.g. text messaging, wikis, personal web pages, social networks, blogs) in many different areas of education have been increasing, and this can be seen as an important development. However, teaching candidates from specific subject matters, such as physical education, still appear unaware of the potential benefits of such tools in a teaching and learning environment. The purpose of this study was to assess pre-service teachers' perceptions about Web 2.0 technologies and to explore the awareness of this technology among students using the Technology Acceptance Modal (TAM). In this context, the descriptive survey method was used and a questionnaire was applied to 79 pre-service students (53 male and 26 female) enrolled in the physical education department in Dokuz Eylul University. The data for this study was collected by the researcher through a questionnaire after 2017-2018 fall semester of the course including weekly web 2.0 activities based on the lesson topic. The results of the study indicate that gender was an important factor that affected the implementation or use of this technology. Accordingly, male students had higher levels of awareness about web 2.0 applications than female students had. The study also showed that usefulness and ease-of-use are two significant factors that affect students' attitude towards this technology. Article visualizations:


The Strategic Computing Object-directed Reconnaissance Parallel-processing Image Understanding System (SCORPIUS) program was successfully completed in September 1990. Initiated in 1985, the program was known then as the Strategic Computing Image Understanding Program (SCIUP). SCORPIUS was a research program that combined emerging technologies from DARPA's Image Understanding (IU) and Strategic Computing Initiative (SCI) programs in a real world application. This application demonstrated the automated image exploitation of aerial imagery to extract intelligence from image data.


How to determine a melt's inclusion content prior to pouring continues to trouble metalcasters. Here's a status report on assessment methods.


In this paper, an example is built to tell that a conclution is wrong which is used in the proof process of theorem 2.2 in . Moreover a right proof of the theorem is given.


Clove is commonly used in Ayurveda, which is traditional system of Indian medicine. Clove is the prominent source of eugenol. Eugenol is reported for various pharmacological activities like anaesthetic activity, antioxidant potential, antimicrobial activity, anti-inflammatory activity, anti-cancer effects, neuroprotective action, hypolipidemic efficiency and anti-diabetic action. Therefore, in current study we investigated the effect of eugenol against the increased current electroshock model of epilepsy. Eugenol at dose levels of 0.20 ml/kg and 0.40 ml/kg, i.p. increased the threshold current significantly. The results demonstrate that Eugenol can be used for the treatment of generalized type seizures.


Due to the variability of wind energy and its inaccessibility in vitro condition, the use of Wind Turbine Simulator (WTS) is essential for research and development in the field of wind systems. With the assistance of WTSs, the performance of wind energy conversion systems can be investigated under different circumstances without the need for ambient conditions for each wind turbine. This paper is part of a research project to design and fabricate a grid-connected 3 kW WTS which is coupled to an Axial Flux Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (AFPMSG); intending to model, design and fabricate a wind energy conversion into a mechanical torque simulator based on real-time power electronics converters. The interface system of wind energy conversion to mechanical torque includes the data collection system, the calculation of the corresponding reference values for the three-phase inverter, the induction motor (IM) drive system (three-phase inverter), and the IM with the step-down gearbox. The purpose of this part is to generate power and speed in the rotor shaft of the IM equivalent with that of the real wind turbine rotor. As a result, the performance of the wind turbine is reasonably replicated by the IM, the drive system, and the developed software.


Small regulatory RNAs are essential and ubiquitous riboregulators that are the key mediators of RNA interference (RNAi). They include microRNAs (miRNAs) and short‐interfering RNAs (siRNAs), classes of ∼22 nucleotide RNAs. miRNAs and siRNAs bind to Argonaute proteins and form effector complexes that regulate gene expression; in animals, this regulation occurs primarily at the post‐transcriptional level. In this review, we will discuss our current understanding of how miRNA and siRNAs are generated and how they function to silence gene expression, focusing on animal and, in particular, mammalian miRNAs.


Methane (CH4) is a climate‐relevant trace gas that is emitted from the open and coastal oceans in considerable amounts. However, its distribution in remote oceanic areas is largely unknown. To fill this knowledge gap, dissolved CH4 was measured at nine stations at 75°S in the Ross Sea during austral summer in January 2020. CH4 undersaturation (mean: 82 ± 20%) was found throughout the water column. In subsurface waters, the distribution of CH4 mainly resulted from mixing of water masses and in situ consumption, whereas the CH4 concentrations in the surface mixed layer were mainly driven by air–sea exchange and diapycnal diffusion between the surface and subsurface layers, as well as consumption of CH4. With a mean air–sea CH4 flux density of −0.44 ± 0.34 μmol m−2 d−1, the Ross Sea was a substantial sink for atmospheric CH4 during austral summer, which is in contrast with most oceanic regions, which are known sources.


In epidemic septic sore throat due to Streptococcus epidemicus the tendency to complications, particularly to otitis media, has been described.' During our investigations of sporadic cases of septic sore throat due to the same streptococcus," an interesting group of infections was encountered. The organisms were found in the exudates of acute otitis media and mastoiditis. The patients were observed at the Lutheran Deaconess Hospital and the Children's Memorial Hospital from February to May, 1930, as representing sporadic cases. During this period hemolytic streptococci were recovered from twenty-three patients with otitis media. Six of these cultures of streptococci on ascitic blood agar, gave the characteristic colonies of S. epidemicus.3 Four of the eight cultures of hemolytic streptococci from cases of acute mastoiditis were of the epidemicus variety. All of the patients infected with S. epidemicus recovered. In the table the observations on these patients are summarized. Three groups are evident. In the first two cases the infection was primarily a sore throat, complicated later by otitis or by mastoiditis. The second group consisted of four patients in whom the primary infection was indefinite. In the three children, as described by the parents, there were mild symptoms of the upper part of the respiratory tract, not severe enough to cause striking illness. The fourth, an adult, had a vasomotor rhinitis


Abstract The first result in partition relations topic belongs to Ramsey (1930). Since that this topic has been still explored. Probably the most famous partition theorem is Erdös-Rado theorem (1956). On the other hand in 60's of the last century Efimov introduced strong sequences method, which was used for proving some famous theorems in dyadic spaces. The aim of this paper is to generalize theorem on strong sequences and to show that it is equivalent to generalized version of well-known Erdös-Rado theorem. It will be also shown that this equivalence holds for singulars. Some applications and conclusions will be presented too.


The parametric decay of large amplitude non-resonant beating mode of counter-propagating lasers (having a frequency difference ≥2ωp) into a pair of upper hybrid waves is studied in magnetized plasma. One of the excited upper hybrid waves (known as fast wave) having phase velocity close to c, can be utilized for electron acceleration. The coupled mode equations of fast and slow upper hybrid waves are modelled by solving equation of motion and continuity equation simultaneously (using the density perturbation technique) to derive the dispersion relation for two plasmon decay process. The growth rate of the present excitation process using right circularly polarized beating lasers is higher as compared with the growth rates of the excitation processes using ordinary and extraordinary beating lasers. However, the growth rate is not significant in the case of left circularly polarized beating lasers. The growth rate ∼0.15ωps−1 is achieved for right circularly polarized beating lasers having v1,2/c=0.1 for scat...


The Unusual Gaze of Apollo. Rainer Maria Rilke – the "Great Hyperboles of Art" as the Sourceness of Creative Transformation

The author of the sketch aims to present the role of creative experience in the aesthetic thought and poems of Rainer Maria Rilke. According to the author, this experience is the foundation of the poet's creative task and an important theme in his poetry. The centre of this experience is what the author calls creative transformation. He attempts to define its nature, stressing that it is tied to the symbol of the source. He introduces the distinction into traits and instants into the creative characteristic. The traits take root in the very experience of it, whereas instants relate to the reflective approach to it.
In the first two sections, the author engages in a reflection upon the poet's aesthetic thought found in his letters and in his book on Auguste Rodin. This leads to the conclusion that the poet indicates three instants of creative transformation: the secret life of the works of art, the self-creation of the works, and the transformation of the subject.
The second section is focused on two poems by Rilke, the "Archaic Torso of Apollo" and "Music". The author demonstrates that, in parallel to the instants above, the three main traits of the experience of creative transformation are expressed in them. He uncovers and reveals significant links between these contexts, that is, the instants of creative transformation in aesthetic thought and the hidden traits of this transformation in Rilke's poetry. He also discovers a fourth trait of the experience of this transformation in the "Music" poem, which he construes as the maximally transcending opening. It encompasses and permeates its whole sourceness sphere, and therefore is the deepest foundation of its remaining traits and reflective instants.
In the conclusion, the author states that this sourceness sphere shows the dynamics of the poet's creative process. It can be called the dynamics of becoming through the source. It means there is a hidden pulse of a creative source. It is in the dynamics of creative transformation that the "great hyperboles of art", described by Rilke, are seen.

Key words: Rainer Maria Rilke, August Rodin, creative experience, creative transformation, creative source, sourceness of the creative transformation, trait of creative transformation, instant of creative transformation, sphere of creative transformation.


This article focuses on the main drivers of the distribution of the Rural Development Policy expenditure throughout the European Union (EU). Ex-post funds distribution across EU NUTS3 regions is considered. Three effects are considered as major drivers: a 'country effect'; a 'rural effect' (i.e. the more rural a region the larger the amount of support); a 'pure spatial effect' (i.e. the influence of bordering regions and of their degree of rurality). These effects are estimated adopting alternative spatial model specifications: Spatial Durbin Model, Spatial Error Model, Spatial AutoRegressive Model and Spatial Lag of X Model. Results slightly differ across alternative specifications and definitions of rurality, but prevalent evidence suggests that rurality matters in a counterintuitive direction while also spatial spillovers play a role.


British Council libraries support development in their respective countries. Their users want to follow developments in their profession, find business and trade information, and read for recreation. The varied uses to which periodicals are put in these libraries in West Africa are described, along with some discussion of the problems faced by those libraries.


We read with much interest the article by Benabou et al. "Laparoscopic Posterior Versus Lateral Transversus Abdominis Plane Block in Gynecology." It found that laparoscopic-assisted transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks were a safe and viable regional anesthesia technique for laparoscopic surgeries. Importantly, patients who underwent the posterior TAP block utilized fewer narcotic pain medications. Expanding the armamentarium of multimodal, nonopioid-based analgesia is especially critical to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic.


This thesis reports an electron spin resonance absorption study of the hyperfine interaction between nuclei and a single "nearly-free" electron in dilute solutions of the benzophenone phenylhydrazone free radical in tetrahydrofuran.


We should treat the argument on Chinese medicine in a dilemma with science and dispassion and therefore we must exactly use the crucial concept and noun emerging in the argument and correctly understand related questions.They are premise conditions in this argument.For the sake of positively exploring the relations between modern and traditional medicine systems,we have to understand the related questions correctly.


Objective To explore the application of digital imaging of mammography in the differntial diagnosis of breast cancer.Methods 144 cases of breast cancer diagnosed by surgery and pathological results were all examined by high-frequency mammographybefore operation.Results Of the 144 cases confirmed by surgery,102 were benign,31 were fibromas,54 were hyperplasia of mammary glands,17 were benigh lesions,42 malignant lesions including I case of ductal carcinoma in situ,25 were infitrating ductal carcinoma,12 were adenocarcinoma and 4 were special malignant lesions.The agreement rates of high-frequency ultrasonography and mammography for breast cancer were 71.5% and 87%(P0.01) within the 144 cases.Conclusion Digital imaging of mammography has special advantages in the differential diagnosis of breast cancer.


Background Asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions worldwide, with a substantial individual, societal and healthcare burden. Digital apps hold promise as a highly accessible, low-cost method of enhancing self-management in asthma, which is critical to effective asthma control. Objective We conducted a fully remote trial to assess the efficacy of juli, a commercially available smartphone self-management platform for asthma. Methods We conducted a pragmatic single-blind, randomized controlled trial of juli for asthma management. Our study included participants aged 18 and above with asthma and had an asthma control test (ACT) score of 19 or less (indicating poorly controlled asthma) at the beginning of the trial. Participants were randomized (1:1 ratio) to receive juli for eight weeks or a limited attention-placebo control version of the app. The primary endpoint was the difference in ACT scores after eight weeks. Secondary endpoints included eight-week remission (ACT score greater than 19), minimal clinically important difference (an improvement of three or more points on the ACT), worsening of asthma, and health-related quality of life. The primary analysis included participants using the app for eight weeks (per-protocol), a secondary analysis used modified intention-to-treat. Results We randomized 411 participants between May 2021 and April 2023: 152 engaged with the app for eight weeks and were included in the per-protocol analysis, 262 completed the week two outcome assessment and were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. In the per-protocol analysis, the intervention group had a higher mean ACT score (17.93, standard deviation = 4.72) than the control group (16.24, standard deviation = 5.78) by week eight (baseline adjusted beta-coefficient 1.91, 95% confidence intervals = 0.31 to 3.51, p=0.020). Participants using juli had greater odds of achieving or exceeding the minimal clinically important difference at eight weeks (adjusted odds ratio = 2.38, 95% confidence intervals = 1.20 to 4.70, p=0.013). There were no between-group differences in the other secondary outcomes at eight weeks. The results from the modified intention-to-treat analysis were similar. Conclusions Users of juli had improved asthma symptom control over eight weeks compared with users of a version of the app with limited functionality. These findings suggest that juli is an effective digital self-management platform that could augment existing care pathways for asthma. Trial Registration The trial was pre-registered (ISRCTN87679686).


The lattice parameters and crystal structure of ramsayite, NarTirSirOr, have been redetermined from a specimen from the Kola Peninsula. The space group is Pbcn v/rth Z : 4; a : 8.7128(10), b : 5.2327(5), and c : 14.481(2) A. ttre anisotropic refinement of the data using 778 reflections produced an R value of 0.026. The coordination polyhedron around Ti is a markedly distorted octahedron with no center of symmetry. Around Na there are seven oxygen atoms (Na-O distances in the range 2.307-2.602 A); these polyhedra form dimers by sharing three oxygens. The SiOo tetrahedra form pyroxene-type chains in the direction ofthe b axis by sharing two oxygens with the neighboring tetrahedra. The two remaining oxygens are shared by two Ti atoms. Two vicinal TiOu polyhedra also share two oxygens (common edge), and the third facial oxygen is shared with the third TiOu polyhedron. These pairs of polyhedra lie approximately parallel to the a-b and a-c planes, respectively.


Background & Objectives: Due to the increasing trend of extensive antibiotic resistance among bacterial strains and side effects, seeking novel methods such as nanoparticles (NPs) is promising for infection eradication.
Materials & Methods: Eighteen Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) clinical isolates were collected from dental plaques. Moreover, S. mutans ATCC25175 standard strain was obtained from Pasteur institute of Iran. Following preparation of nanoparticles, their antibacterial effects were assessed compared to chlorhexidine. The nickel NPs (Ni-NPs) was prepared and its antibacterial effect was compared to the 12% chlorhexidine. The minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC, respectively) of Ni-NP (dilution range: 0.125- 64µg/mL) were measured using broth microdilution method.
Results: The nickel NPs (Ni-NPs) was prepared and its antibacterial effect was compared to the 12% chlorhexidine. The minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC, respectively) of Ni-NP (dilution range: 0.125-64µg/mL) were measured using broth microdilution method. The MIC and MBC levels of Ni-NP against the clinical isolates ranged 2-16µg/mL and 4-16µg/mL, respectively. These values against the S. mutans ATCC27175 standard strain included 4 and 8µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the MIC and MBC of chlorhexidine against clinical isolates ranged 8-64 and 32-64µg/mL, respectively, while both included 64µg/mL against standard strain (p<0.001).
Conclusions: The results of this study outlined that Ni-NPs exert efficient antibacterial effect at nontoxic concentrations compared to 12% chlorhexidine.


Mass unemployment has returned to Europe, and we know precious little about its causes and effective remedies. There is, however, a clear connection with the breakdown of the postwar boom. In the 1970s a long period of rapid stable growth abruptly gave way to sluggish, unstable growth and financial insecurity. The general consensus among economists is that classical unemployment increased rapidly during the 1970s. There are, however, manifest problems on the demand side. The international economic system is intrinsically geared toward contraction. The classical remedy—that is, lower real wages—could work in theory. In practice, it is too painful and wasteful to be politically feasible. The obvious measures are lower payroll taxes and social service charges in order to reduce labor costs without reducing wages; internationally coordinated demand management; and more employment-focused priorities.


Tests in dosage series were conducted comparing" population of apple maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh)) flies from a sprayed orchard with one from unsprayed trees. The tests showed a difference in the two populations, with the flies from the sprayed orchard less susceptible to DDT. The degree of difference was not large. However, both populations exhibited an ability to recover from tremors induced by DDT. More flies from the sprayed orchard were able to recover, but since this recovery also occurred in the population from unsprayed trees, it is suggested that genetic mixture has occurred between populations. Since the susceptibility to DDT of the "original population" of the apple maggot is not known, the level of resistance brought about by the ability to recover from DDT-poisoning cannot be determined.

The possible effect of the recovery mechanism in the field is theorized. The increased tremors may cause the insect to leave the sprayed surfaces. If the affected insect reaches a surface uncontaminated with DDT, recovery is possible.


The invention discloses a microfiber closed-loop laser and a preparation method thereof. The preparation method comprises the following steps of: outputting single pulses to converge at a point through a ZnSe lens by using a CO2 pulse laser under the modulation of an arbitrary waveform generator; bending a doped microfiber until the head is overlapped with the end, and setting the overlapping point as the focus of the lens; fusing and welding the microfiber by using single pulse laser to form a closed-loop resonant cavity; and tangentially combining the closed-loop cavity with a biconical microfiber at the cone waist to form the microfiber closed-loop laser. The method for fusing and welding the microfiber by the single pulses of the CO2 laser has the characteristics that: the device is simple, the cost is low, the process is controllable, the microfiber fusing and welding loss is low, and the like. The laser has the characteristics that: the laser is simple to prepare and easy to integrate, along with miniaturization, firm structure, stable output characteristics and the like. The maximum power output obtained by the conventional erbium-ytterbium co-doped single longitudinal mode microfiber closed-loop laser at the working waveband of 1.5 mu m is 2.3 mu W, and the threshold power is only 2.4 mW.


Initially the method and apparatus for a wireless communication system, with an increase of for example physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or a physical uplink shared channel resources allocated to the shared data channel (SDCH), such as (PUSCH), ACKCH increasing the resources allocated to. As a result, resources allocated to ACK is limited to a predetermined amount.


Over 50 million persons worldwide are affected by epilepsy. It can affect equally young babies as well as old people. Epilepsy is a brain disorder characterized by the neurobiological, cognitive, psychological and social consequences. It is known for sudden, unexpected transitions from normal to pathological behavioral states called epileptic seizures. Epilepsy poses a significant burden to society due to associated healthcare cost to treat and control the unpredictable and spontaneous occurrence of seizures. There is a need for a quick screening process that could help neurologists diagnose and determine the patient's treatment. Electroencephalogram has been traditionally used to diagnose patients by evaluating those brain functions that might correspond to epilepsy. This research focuses on developing new classification technique and the prediction of pre-ictal states that announce epileptic seizures, from the online EEG data analysis. The idea is to place electrodes on critical regions on the patient's head that would wirelessly communicate with the EEG recorder and the unit that performs online automated pre-ictal state detection based on obtained EEG signal. The patient should get timely alert about the possible seizure attack so that she/he can stop with its activities and take safety precautions.


Real and complex Ritz vector bases for dynamic analysis of large linear systems with non-proportional damping are presented and compared. Both vector bases are generated utilizing load dependent vector algorithms that employ recurrence equations analogous to the Lanczos algorithm. The choice of static response to fixed spatial loading distribution, as a starting vector in recurrence equations, is motivated by the static correction concept. Different phases of dynamic response analysis are compared with respect to computational efficiency and accuracy. It is concluded that the real vector basis approach is approximately eight times more efficient than the complex vector basis approach. The complex vector basis has some advantages with respect to accuracy, if the excitation is of piecewise linear form, since the exact solution can be utilized. In addition, it is demonstrated that both Ritz vector bases, real and complex, possess superior accuracy over the adequate eigenvector bases.


Congratulations are due to students at the high technology subcontract plater South West Metal Finishing, a division of EIC group, one of the largest independently owned metal finishing businesses in the UK. All have recently gained awards at the Institute of Materials Finishing's prestigious Technician and Advanced Technician levels. The awardees were: N Technician Certificate: Peter Giles, Matthew Rose, Agnieszka Gryglowska, David Coombe and Clover Glanville N Advance Certificate: Leigh Cox and Chris Mayer. The presentations were made by Barry Gay, the IMF's Secretary General, at SWMF's Exeter facility in February. Also present were Allen Turner (the course tutor), and Kevin Baker (Group Director).


This chapter makes an effort to highlight the challenges faced and strategies adopted by businesses in India. An effort has been made to describe the economic condition of the economy before the onset of the COVID pandemic and the resulting outcome of the havoc so created by the pandemic and resulting lockdowns. An analysis has been done to clarify how large corporations and small businesses faced the combined blunt of poor economy and COVID. Case story-based approach has been adopted to highlight responses of few large corporations and how they turned the pandemic into an economic opportunity to churn out super normal profits. The chapter also highlights how the number of billionaires in India has increased during this time. Struggles of small businesses are also highlighted, and how they struggled for survival and sustenance and changes they have made in the way they function or carry out day-to-day business operations have also been discussed. A very small proportion of businesses did stand up for the welfare of the public and made an effort to facilitate their workforce.