Methods in Comparative Functional Ecology C.M. Duarte Opportunistic Growth and Desiccation Tolerance: The Ecological Success of Poikilohydrous Autotrophs L. Kappen and F. Valladares Ecological Significance of Inherent Variation in Relative Growth Rate H. Poorter and E. Garnier The Architecture of Plant Crowns: From Design Rules to Light Capture and Performance F. Valladares and U. Niinemets Structure and Function of Root Systems R.B. Jackson, W.T. Pockman, W.A. Hoffmann, T.M. Bleby, and C. Armas Water Relations and Hydraulic Architecture M.T. Tyree Responses of Plants to Heterogeneous Light Environments R.W. Pearcy Acquisition, Use, and Loss of Nutrients F. Berendse, H. de Kroon, and W.G. Braakhekke Functional Attributes in Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems R. Joffre, S. Rambal, and C. Damesin Tropical Forests: Diversity and Function of Dominant Life-Forms E. Medina Plant Diversity in Tropical Forests S.J. Wright Arctic Ecology, S.E. Hobbie Plant Life in Antarctica T.G.A. Green, B. Schroeter, and L.G. Sancho Facilitation in Plant Communities R.M. Callaway and F.I. Pugnaire Plant Interactions: Competition H.L. Reynolds and T.K. Rajaniemi Plant-Herbivore Interaction: Beyond a Binary Vision E. Baraza, R. Zamora, J.A. Hodar, and J.M. Gomez Ecology of Plant Reproduction: Mating Systems and Pollination A. Traveset and A. Jakobsson Seed and Seedling Ecology K. Kitajima Biodiversity and Interactions in the Rhizosphere: Effects on Ecosystem Functioning, S. Rodriguez-Echeverria S.R. Costa, and H. Freitas Resistance to Air Pollutants: From Cell to Community J. Barnes, A. Davison, L. Balaguer, and E. Manrique-Reol Canopy Photosynthesis Modeling W. Beyschlag and R.J. Ryel Ecological Applications of Remote Sensing at Multiple Scales J.A. Gamon, H.-L. Qiu, and A. Sanchez-Azofeifa Generalization in Functional Plant Ecology: The Species-Sampling Problem, Plant Ecology Strategy Schemes, and Phylogeny M. Westoby


you could be employed on either a permanent or temporary contract. Make sure you know the differences and see which is most suitable for you.


Through an intensive examination of the development and diffusion of a new legal device—the shareholder rights' plan or poison pill—this article demonstrates the entrepreneurial, lawmaking role of corporate lawyers. This study case suggests that corporate lawyers may act as legal entrepreneurs, developing and promoting new legal devices and strategies on behalf of actual and potential clients. If affirmed by the courts, these devices or techniques are rapidly diffused thereby contributing to the creation of new legal knowledge. The creation and successful defense of the shareholder rights' plan led to both new caselaw and statute law. In this way, corporate practitioners contribute to the creation of new legal knowledge, suggesting a bottom-up approach to knowledge creation rather than the conventional top-down view. It is suggested that legal innovations like the shareholder rights' plan are more likely to be developed in newer firms than in established firms and in specialized firms than general service law firms.


Auden's rejection of his inherited anti-Semitism progressed over the years to an extraordinarily active philo-Semitism not limited to his relationship with Kallman, whom he met after his emigration to America in 1939. From the early 1940s on, Auden engaged intensely with Judaism on intellectual, emotional, and social levels, to the extent that during a conversation with Alan Ansen, he announced, "I've been increasingly interested in the Jews," and after describ ing a book he had been reading about Hasidism, he mused, "I wonder what would happen if I converted to Judaism" (32).1 In addition to studying Jewish religion and culture, Auden actively supported Jewish causes?he pulled a flier for the United Jewish Appeal out of his pocket during one of his conversations with Ansen (59)?and during his service as a member of the postwar bombing survey team in Germany he met with concentration camp survivors, asking a friend to wire him a hundred dollars for a woman who had been in Dachau


ABSTRACT This special issue has two main aims: to examine the contribution of political economy analyses of the sovereign debt crisis and to relate these findings to longstanding debates in the sub-disciplines of comparative political economy, international political economy and European economic governance. This introduction begins by reviewing the comparative political economy literature on national financial systems in order to account for the playing out of the crisis. It then examines the international political economy literature on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and financial (sovereign debt) markets that played such a key role in the unfolding of the sovereign debt crisis. Finally, it outlines longstanding academic debates on the main 'asymmetries'; in European economic governance, and provides a critical overview of the three main policy and institutional reforms adopted by European Union governments in response to the crisis.


Bougainvilleas are important ornamental climbing shrubs grown all over the world for their colourful bracts. For developing improved varieties it requires knowledge of their genetic variability for selection of parental generation. Here, we examined the genetic variability among 48 Bougainvillea varieties using two DNA fingerprinting methods viz., Directed Amplification of Minisatellite DNA (DAMD) and Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR). Out of total 290 bands obtained with 15 (5 DAMD and 10 ISSR) primers, 266 bands were polymorphic, accounting for 91% polymorphism amongst Bougainvillea varieties. The polymorphic information content (PIC) value varied from 0.07-0.27 in DAMD and 0.13-0.34 in ISSR primers, respectively. The cumulative genetic distance calculated by Jaccard's coefficient method showed a distance range from 0.17-0.60 with an average value of 0.41 among all the varieties of Bougainvillea. The maximum inter-varietal average genetic distance (0.60) was found between varieties 'Mary Palmer Special' and 'Kumbiegel' while the corresponding least genetic distance (0.17) was between 'Silver Line' and 'Feathery Fantasy'. Wide range of pair-wise genetic distances and percentage of polymorphism revealed that Bougainvillea varieties are genetically much diverse. These results suggest that the current collection of Bougainvillea germplasm have vast genetic variations. DAMD and ISSR analyses have identified the diverse Bougainvillea varieties ('Mary Palmer Special', 'Kumbiegel', 'Gopal', 'Vithal Variegata', 'Mataji Agnihotri', 'Manohar', and 'Palekar'), which could be further utilized in various genetic improvement programmes including conventional as well as marker assisted breeding towards development of new and desirable Bougainvillea varieties.


This article examines court cases brought by clients against private health insurance companies and against Brazil's public health system. When clients take private health insurers to court, they successfully claim that the insurer violated their dignity, which entitles them to a moral damage payment. Similar cases against the state did not include moral damage claims. In relation to public healthcare, it is somehow not possible to equate dignity with economic value. One might conclude that the dignity of consumers in the market is worth more than that of citizens vis-à-vis the state. Instead, I argue for a more subtle approach by concentrating on the ethics of incommensurability. What legal and ethical considerations lead to such a fundamental incommensurability between personhood and economic value? How do the actors involved in court proceedings (claimants, prosecutors, judges, and insurers) perceive the differences between cases against insurance companies and against public health authorities? What can we make of the differences between the legal and everyday understandings of dignity and morality?


A survey of four old grasslands near London, Ontario, showed that different legumes formed consistent relationships with different grass species. Each legume was strongly associated with a particular combination of grass species. It is suggested that each legume–grass combination is selected through the ability of the combination to utilize the soil environment more efficiently than random combinations of species. The ability of species to combine as well as compete is an important factor in maintaining the dynamic stability of grasslands.


Ag–TiO2 composite film was supported on indium–tin oxide glass (ITO) by a dip-coating and subsequent photodeposition procedure. The composite film was employed as the photoanode for photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation of Acid Orange II. The degradation efficiency for the PEC process on the Ag–TiO2/ITO electrode with a 0.8 V anodic bias is significantly higher than that for a photocatalytic process on Ag–TiO2/ITO film or for a PEC process on a neat TiO2/ITO photoanode. A new PEC technology with a pulse anodic bias was also proposed in order to solve the problem of the loss of deposited Ag from the Ag–TiO2/ITO. It was found that the PEC process with a 4.2 V pulse anodic bias could much more efficiently degrade Acid Orange II than that with a constant anodic bias of 0.8 V or 4.2 V. Moreover, when the duration of the open and close circuit time was identical, the treatment efficiency was observed to be optimal. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry


Methods The German Guideline 'Diagnosis, Treatment and Follow-up of Melanoma' is supported by the German Guideline program in Oncology (GGPO) which was launched in 2008 under the auspices of the German Cancer Society, the German Cancer Aid and the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies. A major goal of this program is to foster and independently fund the development, implementation and evaluation of oncological guidelines. First working steps are a systematic search of existing international melanoma guidelines, setting up the basic structure including scope and key questions for the guideline and forming an interdisciplinary guideline development group. Within the first consensus meeting the guideline development group is faced with the selection of key questions, the determination of the methodic approach and the formation of different working groups. Subsequently a systematic literature review and assessment of the evidence provide the basis for the development of recommendations by the working groups. In a second consensus conference these recommendations have to be discussed and processed by a formal consensus technique. After compilation of the final text of the guideline additional materials for health professionals and patients will be generated to indorse dissemination and implementation of the guideline. Finally, quality indicators will be extracted from the guideline recommendations to create a base for evaluation of the guideline's effect on health care.


Eaters and farmers are beginning to understand that the actions they take today can have long-lasting effects—both positive and negative—on a variety of social, economic, and environmental levels. A successful sustainable food system, one that not only meets the food needs of the population but also promotes public health and protects future generations, is paramount to ensuring a future for everyone, including young and old, rich and poor, farmers and eaters, policymakers and investors.


Presents a framework that facilitates the development of multi-criteria decision-making software for redundant manipulator control. This software architecture is based on object-oriented design and it meets the requirements of generality, extensibility, computational efficiency, and reduction in program development time. Analysis, design, and implementation were the three steps in the development of this architecture. Analysis involved the study of the multi-criteria decision-making domain. This included the information flow between different criteria and also their fusion. The design phase involved extracting the commonalties of various criteria and the specification of abstractions that could best model these criteria. The application of this philosophy led to the development of an architecture that is robot independent, scaleable, supports standardized interfaces, and is applicable to real-time control and simulation. This architecture is demonstrated using a sample application for controlling a 10 DOF manipulator.


The Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association ("ILMA" or "Association") submits the following comments, along with a review ("Review") of the National Toxicology Program's ("NTP") draft Technical Report ("Report") on toxicological studies of TRIM® VX for which the peer review panel will meet on February 16, 2016. Dr. Wally Dalbey, M.A. Ph.D., D.A.B.T., DalbeyTox, LLC, West Chester, PA performed the Review. The Review contains comments and suggestions, which ILMA requests NTP consider as it finalizes its Report.


The manuscript Antarctic snow-covered sea ice topography derivation from TanDEM-X using polarimetric SAR interferometry by Huang et al. presents the development and validation of a new two-layer plus volume sea ice model with the aim to correct for the height bias associated with InSAR penetration into the snow pack. This model is able to represent the sea ice/snow stratigraphy and associated scattering, and, when simplified and inverted, allows for the estimation of the sea ice plus snow surface topography from TanDEM-X. This retrieval technique shows strong agreement to an Operation IceBridge optical (DMS) DEM that was collected contemporaneously as part of the OIB/TanDEM-X Coordinated Science Campaign.


This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction to Power Electronic Converters and Models A Closer Look at Sampled-Data Models for Power Converters


Objective To establish a method for the quantitative determination of mangiferin and anemarrhenasaponin B Ⅱ in Zhimu(Rhizoma Anemarrhenae) simultaneously by HPLC.Methods The HPLC procedure was performed on the chromatographic column of Hypersil GOLD(250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm) at 30 ℃,and the mobile phase was acetonitrile-0.01% phosphoric acid solution in gradient elution program.The flow velocity was 1 mL/min and detection wavelength was,respectively,191 nm and 258 nm.Results Mangiferin showed a good linear relationship at range of 2.944-6.624 μg(r=0.999 8),and the average recovery was 101.06%(RSD=1.61%,n=6).Anemarrhenasaponin B Ⅱ showed a good linear relationship at range of 18.080-40.680 μg(r=0.999 4),and the average recovery was 103.43%(RSD=1.43%,n=6).Conclusion The determination results of 3 batches of samples showed that the method was simple and accurate and can be used in the quantitative determination of 2 constituents in Zhimu.


back again. The Scots, especially the Highlanders, showed great boldness and physical strength and moved amazingly quickly over bad roads in very bad weather. Going south, they maintained good discipline, travelling light and supporting themselves largely with public money taken from tax-collectors and donations forced from known contributors to the Hanoverian defence. McLynn mentions not only places passed, difficulties and incidents on the march and halts, but whose houses were quarters for which higher officers. His details are very full, showing study of many manuscript and printed sources. He describes the tasks performed by the various units, including the clans, disagreements among the officers, and measures taken to mislead the enemy about planned routes and the smallness of the army. After telling of the pivotal council of war on 5 December, the arguments of the two sides and Charles Edward's efforts to change the decision, McLynn relates in like detail the return journey to Scotland. Aware that the Scots were retreating, the civilian population grew more resistant, capturing and even killing stragglers. Money was harder to get. Cumberland followed, but he never came close enough to force a battle, delayed by his government's fear of a French descent. Besides, the Jacobites were led by skillful commanders and moved swiftly. McLynn compares this successful retreat with that of Xenophon's 'Ten Thousand' from Persia. (Of course, Xenophon's march covered 1500 miles.) There was some disorder, and discipline weakened. This book should be useful to readers concerned with the rebellion or with Jacobitism in general. It should also correct the assumption that study of Jacobitism needlessly complicates eighteenth century political history. Unfortunately, McLynn often fails to give full names of some of his characters, and his sketchy index gives little help. He does avail himself of his 'what if' privilege, particularly contending that a march on London would have had a good chance of success, thrown away by the decision made at Derby. I disagree. Support was lacking. Panic at London, being panic, was prone to exaggerate the real situation. The French had always failed in the past. We cannot really be sure. What we do know is that the Jacobites turned back, and that Cumberland later defeated them on their own ground, at Culloden. One of McLynn's notes mystifies me. It appears on page 32, and no identification of the author or work cited appears anywhere: 'Jones, pp. 199–211'. Who might this be?


Dr. C. N. Johnson: We often find faulty preparation of proximal cavities in molars and bicuspids where they come to the grinding surfaces. They are left too narrow at the opening. The enamel should ordinarily be cut well back toward the cusps at the angel between the proximal and grinding surfaces. We thus avoid leaving a sharp edge of enamel which will eventually be broken down by mastication, and we provide better access to the cavity. The enamel can be trimmed away quickly and accurately with sandpaper disks, and I have found nothing that will answer so well in my hands. I can give the edge any shape I wish with them, and make the outline symmetrical and true. Of course, they will not do for the cervical margin?I refer to that part of the cavity approaching the grinding surface. Dr. Black: I want to say a few words in regard to polishing margins of cavities with disks. Dr. Johnson may do this very nicely, but he may have unintentionally conveyed a wrong impression to some of the members by speaking of rounding the margins. I will ask you to stop and think what rounding margins means. If we polish the margins with anything that is soft, with any form of polishing powder used on soft material, on wood, rubber, or what not, we will round the margin. Suppose I have


The hazardous waste is harmful to the human health and the living environment of human being.The harm is persistent in character.Researchers have to confront with such new difficulties as how to take effective treatment of the waste or even change waste into valuables.This article holds a discussion on the normal treatment technology of the hazardous waste today in our country,and put forward the method to deal with the waste by using particular technology in the new type dry cement creation.


The functions of the supply chain in a production industry and trading colours for painting rooms, are a specific condition due to the great variety of products which are exported from such an industry.As a field o f sientific study is chosen enterprise VECHRO, which is located in Petra Voiotia. The main goals of present study is the promotion of the strong points through out the storage and delivery processes of the enterprise's products, which is based on the correct application of the supply chain management and the localization of the weak points that affect the productivity and hence reduce the service level of clients and also the yield of that enterprise and its viability.For achieving of the goals that mentioned and analysed elements primary and secondary research. the primary reasearch was completed gradually and orderly through out personal interviews, completion of a data from the business executives and also through out personal observation in the due time where i was in the enterprise's facilities and in its storages.The secondary research is refer to the theoritical-literature review of the subject.The analysis results of the supply chain management showed that the implementation of a completed supply chain management requires the ecolaboration of other sectors such as research and developement and the use of computer systems. Taking into consideration the methological labour constraints, the results can be used from enterprises which target to cover weaknesses in the logistics application and others which intent to enhance even more the supply chain management.


In laws,the abuse of market ascendancy refers to the action of the enterprises that have market ascendancy should be charged with legal liability because of hurting the competition and harming the public and personal interest by using the market ascendancy.There are four important legal features about the action: the legal person of the action is the enterprise that has the market ascendancy;the purpose of the action is to gain monopoly benefit;the objectivity of the action is a series of unfair running methods;and the result of the action is anti-competition.The legal reliability of the action is to bear the corresponding criminal,civil or administrative reliability.


The utility model belongs to the field of construction. The purpose of the utility model is to provide a novel multipurpose miniature window wiping machine for community. The utility model comprises two loop wheel machines and one hanging cage and is provided with a chassis seat, a running wheel, a transmission device, a speed reducer, an electric controlled box, a reel drum, a supporting rack, a pulley wheel, a wall clamping plate and a balancing weight. The utility model mainly and effectively solves the problem that hanging cages do not swing during high-level work. Thus, the utility model is especially suitable for perforation on outer walls, repair, advertisement decoration and cleaning work, has variable amplitude, can rotate and can work in doors, out of doors, at the tops of buildings and under buildings in multiple orientations. The hanging cage and the loop wheel machines can be combined to be assembled into an indoor work platform which can be lifted and lowered. The utility model has the advantages of small volume (the length and the width do not reach 1 meter), light weight (less than 200 Kg), flexible and automotive performance, fast move, safety, reliability and simple manufacture technology.


Accurate hydrological simulations in high-altitude mountainous basins are important for optimizing reservoir operations in hydropower production and flood control. However, the simulations experience substantial uncertainties from the sparse precipitation measurements over complex mountainous topography and the imperfect hydrological process representations over the heterogeneous surface. At the Daduhe river basin, which is a high-altitude mountainous river basin located in the eastern slope of the Tibetan Plateau, daily streamflow over the 2-year period of 2014 and 2015 is simulated using the Noah land surface model with multi-parameterizations (NoahMP) and Routing Application for Parallel computation of Discharge (RAPID) coupled model driven by the Chinese Meteorological Forcing Dataset (CMFD). Two different runoff parameterization schemes of NoahMP are used for the simulations: SIMGM, which is derived from TOPMODEL and parameterizes surface runoff using water table depth, and NOAH, in which surface runoff is parameterized using soil moisture content based on the Philip infiltration model. The simulated streamflow is evaluated at two mainstream gauges on the Daduhe river, Tongjiezi and Longtoushi, in terms of Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), correlation coefficient, bias, and standard deviation. The uncertainty of the simulated streamflow is attributed to different runoff parameterization in NoahMP, the flow wave celerity parameter of RAPID, and the forcing CMFD precipitation data. Results show that the NOAH runoff parameterization scheme outperforms the SIMGM scheme. NOAH satisfactorily reproduced the observed streamflow anomaly and flood timing at the two mainstream gauges, and the correlation coefficients between the simulated and observed streamflow are above 0.85. The NSE for NOAH is approximately 0.3. The mathematical decomposition of NSE reveals that the relatively low NSE value is mainly attributed to the significant streamflow bias. Without the bias, NSE can be improved to approximately 0.7. The bias shows little dependency on the flow wave celerity parameter of RAPID and the runoff parameterization of NoahMP, whereas it closely corresponds to the forcing CMFD precipitation data bias. Comparing the estimated precipitation from Budykos curve and the observed streamflow, CMFD significantly underestimates the basin-averaged precipitation, which leads to the significant streamflow underestimation in the hydrological simulations. CMFD does not correctly represent the orographic effects on precipitation in the Daduhe river basin. Comparing the rain gauge measurements located in low-altitude river valleys, the CMFD precipitation is significant underestimated, suggesting a significantly underestimation in high-altitude precipitation. This study shows that streamflow bias can be reduced by densifying rain gauges at high altitudes. Despite the bias, the NoahMP RAPID coupled model can satisfactorily reproduce streamflow anomalies and flood timing in mountainous basins. As a dam model is already included, the coupled model can be further used to optimize reservoir operations for hydropower production and flood control.


This paper presents a new system for the security evaluation of power networks. The proposed system named ASCPN evaluates the security of power network operations based on the magnitude of changes between the voltage and power values of nodes resulting from a power flow analysis and the corresponding values of node-based perturbation estimation algorithms. The system computes the relative significance of power nodes, the power transfer between nodes, the amount of loading of lines, the dynamic changes of the power flow during perturbations and the availability of alternative lines for contingency. Results of the system implementation on an IEEE 57-bus system and on the 10-Machine New England 39-bus system show that the proposed system could be used to evaluate the vulnerability of nodes in a power network and lead up to 48% improvement in the security of the cyber power networks.


In this paper, a homotopy method for locating all the poles of a parallel plate waveguide with the perfectly matched layer is proposed. As is well known, the Green's functions for an open multilayered medium can be approximated by those for a parallel plate waveguide with the perfectly matched layer, while the latter Green's functions can be theoretically expressed into series expansions of their own eigenmodes without involving any numerical integrations. The homotopy method here is applied for finding the desired mode poles. In this method, the Newton-Raphson iteration is employed to solve every node equation except the start node equation, while the dichotomy method is used to solve the start node equation. The roots of the end node equation are just the desired mode poles. With the proposed method, the Green's functions for a lossy or lossless multilayered medium can be efficiently calculated by the corresponding series expansions. Some numerical examples are provided to examine the robustness and accuracy of the proposed method.


Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affects the lives of nearly 24 million people in the United States, nearly 6 million of whom are unaware that they even have the disease. In 2007 alone, 1.6 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people aged 20 years or older. The disease is marked by the inability to manufacture or properly use insulin and impairs the body's ability to convert sugars, starches and other foods into energy. The long-term effects of elevated blood sugar (hyperglycemia) are damage to the eyes, heart, feet, kidneys, nerves and blood vessels.


Acute lung injury (ALI) is a one of severe manifestation and remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) based therapy is a promising and novel treatment, it has been considered to be a potential treatment of acute lung injury. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) has been associated with the pathogenesis of several diseases, that can be a potential therapeutic target. In the current study, we were focused on the possible enhancement, regulatory mechanism of MSCs therapy, what improves the outcome of cell treatment, so that we explored the role of inhibiting GSK-3β with a selective inhibitor of LiCl during treatment of MSCs in the acute lung injury, in vivo. Experiments were carried out on 40 adults, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, those were randomly classified into 4 groups: 1. Control group (treated with normal saline (NS) 5 mg/ kg), n = 10. 2. Acute lung injury (ALI) group (treated with lypopolysaccharide (LPS) 15 mg/kg), n = 10. 3. ALI+ MSCs group (treated with MSCs via tail vein, after LPS administration 2 h) n = 10. 4. ALI+ MSCs + Lithium chloride (LiCl) group (treated with MSCs and LiCl 20 mg/kg after LPS administration 2 h). The blood serum was collected at 12 h to determine inflammatory cytokines, lung tissues were harvested and analyzed on the 7th and 14th day of study. It was revealed that MSCs with inhibition of GSK-3β (LiCl) treatment group was more effectively suppressed systemic inflammation, inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, pulmonary edema, pathological impairment and protect pulmonary epithelial cells in the acute phase of acute lung injury. In conclusion, in the present study suggested that inhibition of GSK-3β likely to play an enhancement role to improve outcome of MSCs treatment in the acute phase of acute lung injury in vivo.


Real life case study of a Livingston man, who has battled for decades with a painful foot condition, Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, who has turned his life around with help from Remploy and Marks & Spencer (M&S).


The purpose of the work is to increase the effectiveness of treatment of patients with atopic dermatitis by improving phototherapy methods as part of complex therapy. Materials and methods. 48 patients with atopic dermatitis, who were divided into two groups of 24 people each, were included in the study. I group of patients received basic therapy using the cream with ceramides and phototherapy with broadband ultraviolet radiation. Patients included in the II group received basic therapy using the cream with ceramides and narrow-spectrum phototherapy UVB311 nm. Results. In patients of the I group the level of hydration before treatment was (24.3 ± 2.4) conventional units and did not differ by this indicator in the II group – (21.4 ± 2.3) conventional units, which characterized the skin before treatment in both groups as dehydrated. The moisture of the epidermis after 15 procedures of the complex of medical measures improved to the normal level and amounted to (28.1 ± 1.4) conventional units in the I group, and in the II group – (34.7 ± 1.3) conventional units. Thus, patients who received baseline therapy and narrow-spectrum UVB311 nm phototherapy had better rates of skin hydration recovery compared to patients who did not receive it. Conclusions. The use of narrow-spectrum UVB311 nm phototherapy has been proven to be more effective, including in patients with a severe form of atopic dermatitis, compared to the use of broadband phototherapy.


Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels that result from defects in insulin secretion, or action, or both. Herbal medicines have been highly effective source of medicine throughout the human history. They are widely used today indicating that herbs are a growing part of modern high-tech medicine. The herbal plants fenugreek seed and cinnamon seed which have a role in the management of diabetes mellitus are compiled here are discussed in this review. K e y w o r d s Insulin, Hyperglycemia, Diabetes mellitus, Gestational diabetes mellitus


Contact address: Alexandru B. Chicos, MD Associate Professor, Cardiac Electrophysiology, Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA. E-mail: email@example.com 1 Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA. sis was 1.3% for women and almost 1% for men. However, the disease is encountered worldwide and is probably more prevalent than thought, including in Central and Eastern Europe. Deubelbeiss et al4 found a prevalence of sarcoidosis in Switzerland that was higher than assumed based on previous international estimates. The prevalence of lifetime and currently active sarcoidosis were 121 and 44 per 100.000 inhabitants, respectively. The mean annual incidence of sarcoidosis was 7/100.000. An Italian study5 found a prevalence of sarcoidosis estimated at 48/100,000 in the Parma region for the years 2010-2013, much higher than previously thought, and as high as 196/100,000 in some areas. A study6 in Columbus, Ohio, found an unexpectedly high prevalence, at least 50/100,000 and possibly as high as 200/100.000, in population that was predominantly Causian (White, 74%). In the Romanian Registry for Interstitial Lung Diseases (REGIS)1,2, 144 patients were enrolled over 3 years, of which 28 were diagnosed with sarcoidosis, most with mediastinal and/ or pulmonary involvement. Authors concluded that, in Romania, interstitial lung diseases, including sarcoidosis, are under-diagnosed and under-reported, and that diagnosis is often made in advanced stages of disease despite availability of diagnostic tools, such as bronchoalveolar lavage and biopsy, in dedicated centers.


Next Generation Lithography (NGL) reticle inspection poses some difficult problems. The masks dictate that reflection images, rather than the more usual transmission images, be used for inspection. The smaller linewidths and feature sizes of NGL will require the optical inspection images to have better resolution than has been needed for conventional masks. In this paper we present inspection images and inspection results for EUV and EPL programmed defect test reticles using both UV and DUV reticle inspection systems. Our emphasis has been on providing feedback to the mask manufacturing process to help optimize the inspectability of NGL masks, as well as determining whether the required sensitivity for the 100 nm and 70 nm nodes can be met with optical inspection. Simulated and actual images of NGL masks have proven useful in identifying the important factors in optimizing image contrast. We have found that image contrast varies markedly with inspection wavelength, and that the inspection wavelength must be considered in the design of NGL masks if optimum defect sensitivity is to be obtained. This research was sponsored in part by NIST-ATP and KLA-Tencor Cooperative Agreement #70NANB8H44024.


The location of freight terminals in a territory is a key factor for their performance and competitiveness. Nowadays, several factors led to the implantation of a freight terminal in an area and then different possible micro-locations are evaluated. Micro-location considers several pieces of land in the same region depending on prices, availability, and transport connections. However, the macro-location is not normally considered in current analysis, that is to say, that flows among regions are not considered before deciding where the terminal should be located. In this article, we present the development of a methodology to locate strategic areas for freight terminals taking into account the interaction of freight flows. The methodology is based on Hub and Spoke networks which are extended to accommodate a new network structure: the arborescent allocation formulation. The new structure proves to be suitable for freight network, providing savings but not being extra rigid. The methodology presents an optimal configuration of freight terminals according to the goods flow, transport costs and node connections. A case study is devoted to the Spanish network.


Abstract : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the gamma ray dose rate from an infinite homogeneous ground plane source of fission products from U-235, U-238, and Pu-239. In this study a Monte Carlo method was used to model the contribution to dose resulting from gamma scatter in the air and in the ground. This was accomplished by using the MORSE code. Two intermediate parameters which were used to determine the dose rate are the Source Conversion Coefficient (SCC) and Source Normalization Constant (K). The mono-energetic SCC was calculated from morse and then used to determine the time dependent SCC for a variety of spectra. Both the energy spectra and the gamma emission rates which were used in this study were determined by DKPOWR. The time dependent SCC's and K values are presented for the three fuels. The K values at one hour after burst were 8064 (rads-tissue/hr) (kt/sq km) for U-235 fission products, 8467 (rads-tissue/hr)/ (kt/sq km) for U-238 fission products, and 7666 (rads-tissue/hr)/(kt/sq km) for Pu-239 fission products. The values of K as a function of time was compared to the WAY-Wigner approximation, t to the 1.2 power and found to differ by as much as 94% within 6 months. In addition to these results, the MORSE code was also used to compute a transport matrix which will permit the use of any other source spectrum and any other response function to be converted to a ground dose rate. This transport matrix is also presented.


Skin cancer is the most common disease in Caucasian all over the world. The non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is responsible for more than 90% of all skin cancer. Data presents that the incidence of NMSC is currently increasing each year, especially among young people. The squamous cell carcinoma represents 25% of all NMSC and the basal cell carcinoma is more often diagnosed, corresponding 70% of the cases and may affect more than 1 million people every year. These estimates are increasing worldwide, and in Brazil this is not different. Only for this year, it has been estimated almost 200.000 new cases of NMSC, detecting an increase of 88% in the risk of developing NMSC after four years. Therefore, the physicians must be alert to identify a lesion of NMSC and to treat it correctly in order to avoid recurrence and persistence of the tumor. Considering that each NMSC lesions is one of a kind and its treatment must be directed to each patients, surgical and non-surgical techniques are been developed to reach the complete remission of the tumor, preserving the normal tissue, the function of the area committed by the tumor and to achieve a better aesthetic outcome. Therefore, learning about the NMSC development, diagnostic and treatment could impact in health system and contribute to prevent new cases.


In this paper, we report the results of our investigation into the transmission of a detonation from a gas-filled section of pipe into a water-filled portion. Experimental studies were performed using a detonation in a H2 -N2 O mixture within a 2-inch, Schedule 40 pipe. The detonation wave impinges on a vertical column of water just downstream of a 90-degree bend. A shock wave is transmitted into the water-filled section and propagates slower than the sound speed in the water due to the coupling of flexural waves in the pipe with pressure waves in the liquid. Incident, transmitted, and reflected pressures in the gas are monitored, along with hoop and longitudinal strain throughout the pipe length. Results are presented for a both prompt initiation of an ideal (Chapman-Jouguet) detonation and deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) occurring just upstream of the gas-liquid interface. The results of the experiments are analyzed using computational modeling and simulation with an Eulerian hydrodynamic code as well as classical wave interaction methods. For a Chapman-Jouguet (CJ) detonation, the reflected and transmitted pressures agree with the classical one-dimensional theory of wave interaction. The values of the peak reflected pressure are close to those that would be obtained considering the water as a perfectly reflecting boundary. The transmitted wave propagates at a speed consistent with the Korteweg speed of classical water hammer theory and little to no attenuation in amplitude over ∼ 1.5 m of travel. In one DDT event, peak pressures up to 11 times the CJ pressure were observed at the end of the water-filled section.© 2009 ASME


In this paper, we present a new group iterative linear ZF receiver for a MIMO-OFDM system. The signals of all layers are firstly grouped and the signals in every group are detected by linear ZF detection method. The successive interference cancellation detection is applied between the different groups. Computer simulation results state the proposed algorithm achieves marked performance improvement compared to standard linear MIMO ZF detection algorithms. When convolutional encoding is applied, the proposed scheme may almost obtain the same performance of conventional ZF-VBLAST while the complexity of proposed algorithm is reduced by about 25%.


Compact and highly wavelength selective microring resonator add/drop filters [1-4] are attractive building blocks for dense integration of WDM components.


The radial shearing interferometer that is immune to vibration and the spatial phase modulation technique that can retrieve the phase from a single interferogram can be used for precise measurement of aspheric surfaces. However, as a carrier is needed to be introduced in the system to keep the fringes open, the spatial phase modulation technique generally leads to a great increase in the density of the fringes. A novel method that uses just one frame of the interferogram and need not introduce any spatial carrier in the interferometer is proposed in the paper. To demodulate the closed interferograms generated in the system, a regularized phase-tracking technique that can be used for a single open or closed fringe pattern is employed to recover the phase map. Actually the presented method can also be applied in many other cases, for example flow visualization. Both computer simulation and experimental result have demonstrated the validity and efficiency of the proposed method.


An orbital period derivative for the PSR 1957+20 system has recently been reported, which indicates orbital contraction over a time-scale of 10 15 s. The angular momentum loss of the light companion is probably indicative of heavy mass loss, too high to be explained by previous evaporation scenarios. In addition, an eclipse was reported in the time-integrated component of the pulsar emission at 1400 MHz at a phase of 0.23 to 0.24, slightly before the middle of the eclipse at lower frequencies, implying that the wind is shot out asymmetrically from the companion star's surface. It is suggested that the companion has a magnetosphere which allows for extremely efficient and possibly uneven heating of the companion's surface, and partial collimation of the outflow


This paper studies the constructive nature of social welfare orders on infinite utility streams defined on X=Yⁿ, satisfying the Pigou-Dalton transfer principle (PD), which are known to be representable (see Alcantud (2010) and Sakamoto (2012)). We describe the restrictions on domain Y for explicit representation or construction of the social welfare orders satisfying (i) PD and monotonicity; or (ii) PD only. We show that the restrictions on Y for either (a) construction; or (b) explicit representation of the social welfare orders are identical in both cases.


Abstract: An objective rating scale was developed to evaluate the extent of sewing done by homemakers of Boseman, Montana. With the aid of committees of homemakers and professional home economists, rating scales were formulated to measure three major aspects of sewing and from them a score was derived for 47 articles of sewing. These values were then applied to the sewing reports of 276 homemakers. The resultant scores were used as a basis for the study of factors thought to influence the amount and kind of home seeing.


The present invention relates to the field of aircraft manufacturing, there is provided an aircraft nacelle inlet cowl, comprising: a frame 3, on the inlet cover, the sealing tape, the front seal plate, screen assembly, box 9, the truss, 10 frame, the skin component, oblique beam, the end block, a rear lip, the lock assembly, engine assembly inlet, oil inlet assembly, oil radiator cowling, ice separation channel assembly, the joint reinforcement member, connected to joints. The present invention effectively solves the inlet cowl and the blade interferes flight icing ice, snow small space separation channel, oil cooler inlet complex shape difficult technical difficulties other rows fully meet the new aircraft engine installation requirements.


Purpose. Сonsider the Khmel'nitskiy nuclear power plant (KNPP) with the scope of its impact on the environment as a single paradynamic anthropogenic landscape system (PALS). Methods: field, literary and cartographic, analytical and cartographic analysis, logic, finding of empirical relationships, theoretical generalization. Results. The processes of formation and functioning of the paradynamic anthropogenic landscape system are described based on the KNPP. The influence of power plant on the air, surface and ground water, the soil, living creatures is analyzed. The paradynamic anthropogenic landscape zones of air, climatic, hydrological, hydrogeological, mineral and biotic effects of Khmel'nitskiy nuclear power plant on the environment are defined and characterized. Conclusions. Found that due to the construction and functioning of Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant the PALS was formed. The paradynamic anthropogenic landscape zones of air, climatic, hydrological, hydrogeological, mineral and biotic effects of nuclear power plant on the environment are defined in its structure. Power station carries out differently effect on the components of nature.


[Objective] The aim was to analyze volatile substances from Psophocarpus tetragonolobus D.C seeds, so as to provide a basis for the better utilization of this resources. [Method] Volatile substances extracted from Psophocarpus tetragonolobus D.C seeds were identified by GC-MS, and their relative contents were determined by area normalization method. [Result] A total of 125 kinds of compounds were identified from 4 varies of P. tetragonolobus seeds, which belonged to alkanes, alkenes, acids, aromatic compounds, esters, ketones, ethers and heterlcyclic compounds. Moreover each variety of seeds had 42 volatile substances, which were mainly ketones, alcohol, esters and so on. There were no significant differences in the types and total amount of volatile substances from P. tetragonolobus seeds among different varieties, but their relative contents differed obviously. [Conclusion] The differences of volatile substances formed their own characteristic flavors, which could contribute to products variation in the processing of P. tetragonolobus.


The invention relates to a bio-controlling bacterial strain AT31 for preventing and curing greenhouse vegetable root knot nematode disease and rice sheath blight disease, belonging to the technical field of plant protection. The bacterial strain AT31 is shaking cultured in PDA culture solution at 37 DEG C and 180rpm for 20-24 hours, then is subject to centrifugation at 6000rpm for 10min, a finished bactericide product thereof has a total viable bacteria concentration of 1*10 -1*10 cfu/ml, can be used by pouring at roots when transplanting vegetable seedlings after being diluted by 100 times, or be manufactured into microbial fertilizer to be used a week before the vegetable seedlings are transplanted, and has a prevention effect of 58-82% for root knot nematode disease of tomato, loofah, cucumber and other vegetables. The bactericide is diluted by 100 times to be used in spray treatment on rice stem base, has a prevention effect of 64.7% for rice sheath blight disease, and can increase the yield by 22.33%. And the bactericide can also cure vegetable bacterial wilt and epidemic diseases, and can improve soil hardening phenomenon.


We study structured and unstructured Pc1 pulsations observed at a high-latitude station (Sodankyla; L = 5.1) and a midlatitude station (Nurmijarvi; L = 3.3) during 18 storms occurring in low solar activity years (1976–1978 and 1984–1988). Pc1 activity was studied from the day of storm sudden commencement (denoted by day 0) onward during six consecutive days. While unstructured pulsations are only weakly affected, structured pulsations are greatly dependent on storm evolution. During the storm main phase they nearly vanish on the ground, despite strong wave activity in space. Structured Pc1 activity increases from day 0 to day 4 by a factor of about 4–5, reaching maximum occurrence on day 4 at both stations. Also, the average daily frequency of structured Pc1s increases from day 0 to a maximum on day 3 at Nurmijarvi or day 4 at Sodankyla. The diurnal distribution of structured Pc1s suffers a dramatic change during the storm. On days 1 and 2, structured pulsations are strongly concentrated in the evening sector, but during the later recovery (days 3–5) the activity shifts to the morning sector. The latitudinal similarity of structured Pc1 occurrence and the daily evolution of wave frequency argue against the model according to which the outward expansion of plasmapause causes the maximum wave occurrence on the ground on day 4. We also note that the strong maximum of structured Pels during the late storm recovery phase is not supported by the model calculations of the magnetospheric wave source or by direct observations of waves in space. Instead, we argue that the ionospheric resonator and propagation conditions which strongly affect wave observations on the ground are deteriorated during the storm main and early recovery phases, impeding wave propagation to the ground. The subsequent recovery of the ionospheric conditions leads to the maximum occurrence of structured Pc1s on the ground during the late storm recovery phase.


We address the problem of automatically constructing basis functions for linear approximation of the value function of a Markov Decision Process (MDP). Our work builds on results by Bertsekas and Castañon (1989) who proposed a method for automatically aggregating states to speed up value iteration. We propose to use neighborhood component analysis (Goldberger et al., 2005), a dimensionality reduction technique created for supervised learning, in order to map a high-dimensional state space to a low-dimensional space, based on the Bellman error, or on the temporal difference (TD) error. We then place basis function in the lower-dimensional space. These are added as new features for the linear function approximator. This approach is applied to a high-dimensional inventory control problem.


We present the next‐to‐next‐to‐leading order post‐Newtonian (PN) spin(1)‐spin(2) Hamiltonian for two self‐gravitating spinning compact objects. If both objects are rapidly rotating, then the corresponding interaction is comparable in strength to a 4PN effect. The Hamiltonian is checked via the global Poincaré algebra with the center‐of‐mass vector uniquely determined by an ansatz.


Wireless Ad Hoc networks,also known as mobile Ad Hoc networks,does not require fixed infrastructure.This widely used network has good mobility and can be flexibly deployed.Wireless communication module and routing protocol are the foundation and key property for mobile multi-hop Ad Hoc Networks.To meet the actual requirements,this paper used WM-G-MR-09 chip,designed and implemented WiFi communication module to set up a mobile network environment based on Windows CE operating system platforms and IEEE 802.11b/g wireless network interface.This approach obtained AODV routing algorithm module by calling the API of NDIS.Then,the function of the module for multi-hop routing preliminary was verified,and the video transmission performance was tested.It lays the foundation for the further research and improvement.


Special volume: Preaching the Word in Manuscript and Print in Late Medieval England: Essays in Honour of Susan Powell, ed. by Martha Driver and Veronica O'Mara


This paper comments on the poems by some poetesses of South China's Bai,Zhuang and Tujia Nationalities in the Qing Dynasty.During the almost three-century long era some minority women formally found their way into the circle of verses and a number of them even left for us their anthologies.Based on the material available,this paper gives an introduction to the life experience of Su Zhuchuang,Zhou Fu,Lu Xiaogu,Zhang Miaoquan and peng Chunzhi with a focus on their works.


Nonnegative matrix factorization is gaining popularity in speech and audio processing applications. Performing nonnegative matrix factorization on a complex-valued short-time Fourier transform, however, makes assumptions on the signal, such as additivity in the magnitude domain, potentially degrading the results. One application where these assumptions can cause a problem is in single-channel source separation of overlapping speech. In this paper, we present how this problem can be solved by incorporating phase estimation via complex matrix factorization. Another challenge in source separation is how to select reconstruction bases for optimal separation. In this paper, we compare the most common method with a new, simpler method of finding bases that does not share many of the challenges of the current, established method. The paper will conclude by comparing nonnegative with complex matrix factorization as well as the previous and new methods for finding bases on the task of automatic speech recognition of single-channel two-talker overlapping speech.


We report on experimental investigations of the hole spin coherence in ZnO by time-resolved optical orientation experiments in a magnetic field perpendicular to the growth direction. We observe periodic oscillations of the circular polarization of the donor-bound-exciton luminescence in both ZnO epilayer and nonintentionally doped bulk ZnO. The measurement of these quantum beats, which originate from the Larmor precession of hole spins, yields an accurate determination of the transverse Lande g factors of the hole in both the ground and excited states of the donor-bound-exciton complex.


I am challenged and gratified to find myself on this podium before an audience of social scientists, although I must confess I feel somewhat like an atheist confronting a group of theologians. The gap that separates us is not to be measured by the distance from the podium to the front row, but rather by differences in scientific orientation, vocabulary, and habits of thought that give rise to differences in our very perception of common problems. I hope, on this occasion, to build some bridges of understanding across this gap by describing some of our methodologies and findings in the context of the actual researches without the usual professional verbiage. Undoubtedly they would be more impressive if dressed in more technical trappings; however, it is not my objective to impress, but to communicate. When I have finished, you will have seen examples of some of the methodologies of the behavior geneticist and of the kinds of findings that emerge from the application of these methodologies. If you have ever harbored an envy of the ability of the biologist to achieve precise control over experimental situations in the laboratory, and the impressive hardware by means of which he can identify and measure a great variety of structural, biochemical, and physiological changes, I suspect that most of you will prefer your own problems, once you know ours. Since both kinds of approaches are essential to our


Offline Tamil Handwritten character recognition system using a combination of Zernike moments and diagonal features of Zones are proposed in this paper. The proposed recognition system yields higher rate of recognition accuracy compared to the systems developed using the conventional feature extractions using horizontal and vertical methods. Since, Zernike moments are known as better descriptors of shape of an image, 32 moment based features and also 69 diagonal features from zones of the character image are considered as feature vector. Thus the feature vectors containing 101 features generated from the dataset is considered as training set. The recognition was performed using the classifiers such as Neural Network (NN), Euclidean Distance and SVM. Finally, NN was proved to produce better recognition accuracy of 93. 8%.


Abstract : The objective of the study was to determine how supervisors of Associate degree completion program graduates felt participation in the program affected the graduates' on-the-job performance, and general attitude toward the Navy.


employed both sample and longitudinal weights for the analyses in this cycle. However, only cross-sectional and longitudinal weights are calculated in the NLSCY file; bootstrap methodology is not used. In a forthcoming follow up study of hunger in NLSCY families we compared adjusted prevalence rates of hunger in 1994 and 1996. The population estimates of child hunger in Canada using weights were 1.4% (53 995 children) and 1.6% (75 615 children) for 1994 and 1996 respectively. Bruce Leistikow's argument is based on the presumption that the associations observed are causal; of course, such a relationship cannot be inferred from cross-sectional data. We offer another analysis: smoking in the primary caregiver is associated with hunger in the primary caregiver. Smoking is a coping mechanism for the physical and psychological stress of hunger. 2 That being said, high tobacco taxes can be viewed as regressive taxes that target the tobacco-addicted poor, 3 reducing family resources for food and other es-sentials. We can all agree on one thing: sensitive supports for tobacco cessation must be offered to low-income care-givers who smoke. Cessation will improve health and reduce the financial stress on households. A lthough the principles mentioned in the CMAJ editorial commemorating Remembrance Day are certainly commendable, 1 the article in the same issue by Jennifer Leaning reads like an apology for the real instigators of the miseries inflicted on the world since 1939. 2 Leaning writes about the death toll resulting from the bombing of Tokyo and various German cities without a word about the slaughter of the civilian populations in London, Coventry, Portsmouth and other areas by the Nazis, who started this abominable escalation , and the list of references leans heavily toward pro-Soviet apologists. References 1. Remembrance of things present [editorial]. B y nature of its focus, a review of the most serious recent impacts of war on environment and health will deal with a very particular set of concerns. Many of the worst atrocities of recent wars have not been associated with specific environmental effects or specific environmental causes. Hence the topics I covered in my article did not include gross human rights abuses or violations of international law (such as torture, rape and mass killing of civilians, or even genocide) where environmental destruction was not also at issue. 1 A review of the impacts of war on environment and health must cross all political boundaries to follow environmental …


Mobility and portability of wireless communication devices in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks have introduced data security threats. This is due to the utilization of multiple hops as a result of limited transmission ranges between source and destination nodes. The performance of MANETs under Black Hole attacks can be improved by accurately detecting and eliminating black hole nodes. That is, there are indications to suggest that inaccu-rate Black Hole attack detection and elimination in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks have led to a low network performance. This paper aims to prove the impact Black Hole attacks can have on Mobile Ad Hoc Networks implementing AODV as a routing protocol via simulation. The simulation is conducted using NS3 and NetAnim. This involves the use of a base implementation of AODV as a benchmark for the effects that black hole nodes introduce into a network. Similarly, the AODV implementation that has black Hole nodes present in the network is also performed, to measure the effects black hole nodes introduce. Results indicate that the encounter of a black hole node during transmissions has a devastating effect on the network functionality. The closer the black hole node is to the source node requesting the transmission, the worse the impact. Fortunately, there are few scenarios where the black hole nodes are in the network, but the routing protocol chooses a path that does not include the malicious node. The paper concludes that, even with the introduction of relatively few black hole nodes to the network, there still exist a potential to bring significant disruptions to communication.


Portal vein aneurysms are extremely rare and intrahepatic variety is the rarest. It is often an incidental, asymptomatic finding or may be associated with portal hypertension. Recognition of this finding can help to avoid potential confusion with abdominal masses of other aetiologies. In this report, we present a case of large intrahepatic portal vein aneurysm measuring approximately 7.7x6.4 cm. till date this is the largest intrahepatic portal vein aneurysm ever reported.


INTRODUCTION: The theoretical quality of medical education is consolidated through adequate affective skills that can be taught and learned. Such learning, however, requires distinctive curricular approaches that help build an effective professional bond. OBJECTIVE: To assess how well students adopt and develop the attitudes of the teachers at the Higher School of Health Sciences (ESCS). METHODOLOGY: The sample group was formed by 120 students (25% from each year). The data collection instrument was a structured and validated questionnaire, with 52 Likert-type items. Evaluation was made of the psychological aspects of organic diseases, death-related situation, primary health care, mental illness, the contribution by the physician to the scientific advance of medicine and aspects of medical practice. RESULTS: Positive attitudes were predominant, with the particular importance of maturity in death-related matters and difficulties in approaching mental illness. Primary health care obtained the highest positive percentage. CONCLUSION: The study reveals indicative evidence that problem based learning (PBL) can support quality medical practice, with the use of active, experience-based and dynamic methodologies.


Nitrogen deficiency increases the initial saturated rate of ammonium and urea uptake by three green and three blue-green algae. The increase caused by N deficiency is greater in darkness than in th...


Due to the problems of the European rural environment, the European Union introduced territorial development strategies called the Leader Method (LEADER Initiatives and the now extinct PRODER Operational Programs implemented only in Spanish territory). The objective was to activate the economic development of these areas, to maintain the population and to slow down the migration and aging processes. During the last 25 years, these initiatives have been implemented in European rural areas, and more particularly in Extremadura, establishing new activities such as rural tourism, which has become the economic backbone of many families, complementing agricultural incomes. The development of rural tourism has led to the implementation of accommodation and catering services throughout Extremadura, adapting to the new tourist demands. However, after 25 years, its sustainability has been very different, with contextual variables that have conditioned its success. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the economic sustainability of the tourism offer financed by Leader and the extinct Proder in order to identify the factors that have determined its success in a territory with very diverse characteristics. For this purpose, a methodology based on two statistical analysis techniques (principal component analysis and cluster analysis) has been designed to establish behavioral patterns through the different context variables used. The results obtained have shown that factors such as investment, location, the presence of protected resources and accessibility are determining factors for the survival of the tourism offer.


The format contracts' advantages lies in two aspects: economizing the business cost and making people reach the goal of gaining money. However, its disadvantages are that it may violate the principle of freedom of making contract and infringe opposite party's interests. So we must regulate and control the format contract by means of legislation, judicature and administration to protect consumers and social economic order.


Study design: A retrospective study Objectives: To study the socio-psychological adaptation through the psychoanalysis in the patients with spinal cord injury. Materials and Methods : From May 1998 to Aug. 2003 we chose the 15 patients who have been undergone surgery for spinal cord injury after spinal fracture. Psycological analysis were based on the Korean version of Beck Depression Index(K-BDI), Hamilton Anxiety Scale, and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory(MMPI), and valuation of quality of life. R e s u l t s: K-BDI applied results showed an average of 33.5±10.3, having a higher average than normal. Hamilton Anxiety Scale resulted with an average of 32.4±9.4. 4 patients were taken intensive care psychologically beause of depression. The Lie score out of the MMPI's suitability scale showed 43.3±9.7, Validity score as 75.4±23.6, and Defensiveness score with 47.7± 10.6 as average and standard deviation, resulting a higher as to normal. Further more, clinical scales of Hypochondriasis scale was 69.9±12.6, Depression as 65.5±15.3, Hysteria scale as 67.9±11.5, Psychopathic deviate as 65.6±12.1, Paranonia as 71.9± 17.6, Psychasthenia scale as 67.9±12.3, Schizophrenia as 70.4±17.8, Hypomania scale as 54.0±11.3, and social introversion scale as much as 60.1±15.0 higher than normal. In evaluation the quality of life, there was a prominent issue in the occupation(0.1) and economic independence(0.5) out of the total 6 items, difference was 0.6, social adaptation was 0.8, physical independence was 0.7 and orientation(1.6) was similar to normal person. Conclusion: As the physical and the psychological changes abrupt at the same time with the spinal cord injury, it is important to encourage the patients to have a strong ego to have an optimistic confidence of recuperation.


The railway undertaking is often presented as an unprofitable undertaking and the road undertaking as a profitable one. The reasons behind this is that traditional accounting methods provide a truncated view of costs. Modes of transport should be compared in order to direct demand towards the most economical mode for society as a whole, and in doing so, all costs must be taken into account. On the one hand, those costs resulting from an obligation imposed by the State, such as military transport or the operation of unprofitable lines should be deducted. On the other hand, certain costs should be added, such as the cost of using an infrastructure (when it is provided by the State), costs of pollution and noise, and in particular the cost of accidents. This is not meant to be a complete list, it can be added to, according to each country's requirements. The development of a "social" form of accounting should enable governments to make informed investment choices. The first attempts in this field revealed some of the advantages of rail transport, in particular with regard to safety, capacity and energy. These findings arouse the hope that rail transport will be favoured by a wave of investments in the future.


Although every effort is made to make performance tests comparable, implementing the same test or test battery on a different computer in a different program language can produce only approximately identical tests because of differences in hardware and software. Therefore, comparability of the tests is an empirical as opposed to theoretical issue. The present paper examined a battery of six performance tests implemented on two computers, a NEC laptop programmed in N82-BASIC, and a COMPAQ laptop programmed in TurboC. The asymptotic performance levels differed somewhat, as did the rate of approach to asymptote in some cases. More important, after correction for reliability attenuation, the cross-correlations between the two different implementations of the same test approached unity, which supports the conclusion that what was measured after the tests had stabilized was identical for the two different hardware and software configurations. Furthermore, comparison of intercorrelations among tests on the diffe...


OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between Mycoplasma genitalium and recurrent genitourinary tract infection.METHODS Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was adopted to performed to detect Mycoplasma genitalium from genitourinary tract secretion specimens from 322 patients with genitourinary tract infection and 101 healthy people in control group,and the positive rates of patients,healthy people,newly diagnosed and repeated infected patients were respectively compared.RESULTS The positive rate of Mg in genitourinary tract secretion from the 322 patients was 15.8%(51 cases),and from the newly diagnosed patients was 9.9%(16 cases) and from the repeated infected patients was 21.8%(35 cases);The positive rate of control group was 2.0%(2 cases).The differences of positive rates among the patients and healthy people in control group,newly diagnosed and repeated diagnosed were statistically significant(P0.001).CONCLUSION Mycoplasma genitalium is closely related to the permanent existence and recurrence of genitourinary tract infection.


Abstract Disclosure: C. Izzi-Engbeaya: None. P. Eng: None. A. Dunin-Borkowska: None. R. Forlano: None. B.H. Mullish: None. G. Sigon: None. V. Lin: None. T. Tan: None. M. Yee: None. P. Manousou: None. W.S. Dhillo: None. Background: Up to 30% of adults worldwide are estimated to have Non-alcoholic Liver Disease (NAFLD), ranging from hepatic steatosis alone to steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. Due to underlying metabolic and hepatic pathology, patients with NAFLD require specialist input from Endocrinologists and Hepatologists. Worryingly, postmenopausal women with NAFLD are more likely to progress to advanced fibrosis and experience more frequent liver decompensation events than men, but the causes of these disparate outcomes are incompletely understood. Methodology: We performed a retrospective cohort study utilising a database of consecutive patients managed in the multidisciplinary Metabolic Endocrinology and Hepatology Clinic at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (London, UK) who had their first clinic review between January 2009 and December 2020. NAFLD was diagnosed clinically or histologically. Clinical, biochemical and histological data were collected up to December 2022. Postmenopausal women were defined as women aged ≥55 years at their initial clinic visit. Cirrhosis was diagnosed based on a combination of clinical and radiological features or based on histology, when available. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify variables independently associated with cirrhosis. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: 739 patients were included in this study (n=286 female, n=244 White, median (IQR) age: 52 (42-60) years), with a median follow-up of 6 (3-8) years. All-cause mortality was highest amongst postmenopausal women (proportion who died during follow-up: men <55y 2% vs men ≥55y 9% vs women <55y 0.8% vs women ≥55y 14%, p<0.0001). Postmenopausal women (n=153) had increased risks of cirrhosis when compared to age-matched men (cirrhosis: OR 2.8 (95%CI 1.1-7.2), p<0.05). Postmenopausal women had lower ALT levels at initial clinic review (median (IQR) ALT IU/L: women ≥55y 48 (30-73) vs men ≥55y 54 (41-77), p <0.05), and lower alcohol intake than age-matched men (p<0.0001). Similar proportions of postmenopausal women and age-matched men had a baseline fibrosis stage ≥2 (82% vs 78% respectively, p=0.55). Initial prevalence of obesity (p=0.63), type 2 diabetes (p=0.15), cardiovascular disease (p=0.21), as well as use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (p=0.17) and SGLT2 inhibitors (p>0.99) were similar between these two groups. There were insufficient data on reproductive hormone use for this variable to be included in the analyses. Conclusions: Despite presenting to a specialised secondary care clinic with similar co-morbidities, liver fibrosis stage, and receiving similar treatments, being a postmenopausal woman in our diverse cohort is associated with worse outcomes than being a man aged ≥55years. Therefore, tailored and/or personalised management strategies may be required to improve outcomes in postmenopausal women with NAFLD. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023


The article discusses methods for providing concreting of transport objects without defects using the example of the construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait. It is shown that through the use of modern calculation and analytical methods, it is possible to obtain high-quality structures and operational reliability under the conditions of the necessary construction pace. These methods are based on the construction of a thermophysical model of the processes that occur in hardening concrete during heating and cooling. The existing experience in the construction of similar facilities is also taken into account. The problem posed today is relevant in connection with the development of bridge building in our country. It has important economic and geo-political significance, and its solution is not possible without taking into account the temperature factor of hardening concrete. The proposed methods made it possible to ensure the required operational properties of the structures of this type and to withstand the established deadlines for the construction of the Crimean bridge. They can be used in the construction of other objects of this type.


In the sex-role reversed pipefish Syngnathus typhle males search for mates, and prefer to mate with large rather than small females. When mate density was experimentally manipulated, males exerted ...


ABSTRACT The petrography of a dominantly limestone succession is interpreted in terms of three depositional environments--deep shelf (or upper slope), lagoonal, and shallow shelf. Special attention is paid to the composition of the limestones, their grain size and their depositional fabrics, all of which have been studied in thin section. Additional evidence is derived from a study of the associated shales and quartzose sandstones. Point-counter analysis of the four main components in the limestones (calcite-mudstone, crinoidal debris, "other detritus," and calcite-siltstone) has led to a five-fold natural classification into (1) shelly calcite-mudstone, (2) shelly calcite-siltstone, (3) coquina-lutite, (4) bioclastic calcarenite, and (5) crinoidal calcarenite. The coquina-lutites are again divided into three types on a basis of grain size and planar shape orientation of the skeletal particles. The classification is further supported by the results of grain size analysis. Types 1, 2 and 3 and the clay shales are interpreted as lagoonal, types 4 and 5 as deep-water shelf (or possibly upper slope), and the quartzose sandstones, calcareous sandstones, sandy limestones and silty shales as shallow water shelf deposits. Possible fungal objects are recorded for the first time from the limestones.


U.S. Ser. No. 07/521,100, May 9, 1990, Schmitt, Halpern, Microwave Plasma Assisted Gas Jet Deposition of Thin Film Material. "Handbook of Deposition Technologies for Films and Coat ings", by Rointan F. Bunshah, et al. Noyes Publishing Company, Park Ridge, New Jersey, 1st edition. 1982. 2nd edition, 1994. H. Kogelnik and C.V. Shank. Applied Physics Lett. 18 152 (1971). U.S. Ser. No. 07/670.693, Mar. 18, 1991. Schmitt, Halpern, An Evaporation System for Gas Jet Deposition of Thin Film Materials. III USOO5759634A


In this paper sustainable analysis is performed due to the increasing demand for fuel efficiency. Current research focuses on high strength-light weight components in automobile which lead to the development of advance material parts with improved performance. A specific class of advanced material which has gained a lot of attention due for its potential is aluminium based metal matrix composites (Al-MMCs). Al-MMCs have some prospects for several applications in automobile parts. The analysis in this paper is a part of product development which plays a crucial role in determining a product's environmental impact. The objective was accomplished and thus to identify the potential of Al-MMCs rake disc for replacement of the conventional cast iron brake disc. The result indicated that the Al-MMCs have the potential to substitute the cast iron brake disc.


Through many years of practice and exploration,colleges strengthen the party-joining work of teachers with high ideological and professional level.But there are many problems.Taking Xinyu University for example,we know the ideological state of college teachers with high ideological and professional level through issuing questionnaire and panel discussions and analyse the reasons for their not joining party and make the new mechanism for their joining party.


The cartilages of the larynx are subject to a variety of diseases and traumatic influences of endogenous and exogenous origin. Infection may extend to the larynx from adjacent inflammatory processes in the lingual or faucial tonsils, the pharynx, the nasal sinuses or the deep tissues of the neck through the blood vessels, the lymphatics or by direct continuity. Ballin1and S. Cohen2have commented on the rarity of abscess of the larynx, considering the universal occurrence of infections of the upper respiratory tract which frequently terminate in localized abscesses in the tonsillar, peritonsillar or retro-pharyngeal regions. Suppuration of the larynx also occurs as a secondary infection superimposed on syphilitic, malignant or tuberculous infiltration; following necrosis of cartilage due to excessive radium or roentgen therapy or to pressure of tracheotomy or intubation tubes; after perichondritis complicating typhoid, influenza, pneumonia, diphtheria or the exanthems; as a metastatic lesion in ulcerative


Abstract Here we will first define what the concept of 'tragedy of commons' is. Secondly, we will discuss about various manifest and latent assumptions of the tragedy of commons thesis, especially its text and context. Thirdly, we will critically analyse these assumptions in the light of various theoretical perspectives and issues put forward by the various social scientists: viz. the theory of property rights, theory of assurance problem and theory of environment entitlements. Fourthly, we will test this thesis against the empirical evidence through various case studies from different pans of the third world. Finally, we will suggest some conclusive findings on the theoretical and empirical lines.


A multidisciplinary and multi-method longitudinal study that investigates how the immigration process impacts on young children's identities, and the consequence for their well-being and social acceptance. The study specifically focussed on British Asian and White English children aged 6-8 and 9-11 years, who were 1st generation immigrants (N=40), 2nd generation immigrants (N =178 ) and white English (N =180 ). This research aimed to further our understanding of social developmental processes involved in the acculturation of young immigrant children and consisted of a 12 month longitudinal study, with three testing points at 6 month intervals. This allowed us to track identity and acculturation changes developmentally. It also allowed us to examine causal relationships between variables. Both qualitative and quantitative interview techniques were used. Children completed quantitative measures of ethnic and English identification, acculturation strategy, perceived acculturation strategy of the ethnic out-group and experience of racist discrimination. The relationship between these variables and reported ethnic in- and out-group friends, in-group bias, peer acceptance and self-esteem were also examined using quantitative techniques. Two qualitative studies were also conducted, the first examining Social Capital (N=32) and the second examining Social Capital and acculturation in refugee children (N=8). This research informs our theoretical understanding of children's social development, and their attachment to their ethnic groups, and also social policy concerned with improving the integration of immigrant children into schools.


3. Joel A. Tarr, ed., Devastation and Renewal: An Environmental History of Pittsburgh and Its Region (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2003). 4. Long a subject of scholarly attention, urban renewal has recently come under renewed consideration. See the "Special Section: Thinking through Urban Renewal," Journal of Urban History 39, no. 3 (May 2013): 359–453; and "Forum: Urban Renewal," Journal of Urban History 40, no. 4 (July 2014): 631–47. 5. Jon C. Teaford, The Rough Road to Renaissance: Urban Revitalization in America, 1940-1985 (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990), 46 and 216. 6. Roy Lubove, Twentieth Century Pittsburgh: The Post-Steel Era, vol. 2 (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1996).


Let G be a compact Lie group. Then Borel-Segal-Quillen-Hsiang localization theorems are known for any G-space X where X is any compact Hausdorff space or a paracompact Hausdorff space of finite cohomology dimension. The Conner conjecture proved by Oliver and its various generalizations by Skjelbred are also known for only these two classes of spaces. In this paper we extend all of these results for the equivariant category of all finitistic G-spaces. For the case when G = Zp or G = T (torus) some of these results were already proved by Bredon.


Condition monitoring programs form the basis of predictive maintenance technology which is used by many major companies worldwide to reduce costs, enhance reliability and improve safety. This paper discusses how these techniques could be beneficially applied to scientific environments and plants, such as observatories.


ABSTRACT An automated set-up is described which permits the fast determination of the composition limits of isotropic microemulsion phases of ternary (water/oil/surfactant) systems. It is especially well suited for the investigation of systems including nonionic surfactants, which are very sensitive to temperature changes. Four systems have been tested including hydrogenated as well as fluorinated surfactants and oils. Both direct and inverse microemulsion phases have been chosen for these investigations. The results obtained and their comparison with previously reported diagrams are used to draw some general conclusions concerning the advantages and limits of an automatic procedure. It appears that the recordings obtained with such procedures are particularly easy to interpret for certain types of systems for which very neat turbidity changes are observed (case of reverse fluorinated systems for instance). For other systems (those for which there exists a liquid-crystalline phase for instance) care must ...


Electrical machines will always be a subcomponent in a larger system and should therefore be designed in conjunction with other major parts. Only a limited set of parameters, such as weight, size, or speed, is often relevant at a system level, but accurately determining those parameters requires performing a time-consuming detailed design of the electrical machine. This conflicts with a top down system design approach, where initially many different system topologies need to be considered. Hence, there is a need for a consistent and detailed description of the dependency of the interface parameters on machine properties. This paper proposes a method to obtain detailed design trends of electrical machines with a very high level of detail, based on large-scale application of multiobjective optimization using finite element models. The method is demonstrated by quantifying the power density of surface-mounted permanent magnet (SPM) machines versus rotor surface speed, power level, and cooling approach. It is found that power density strongly depends on cooling approach, followed by rotor surface speed, but barely on power level. Ultimately, this paper can be used both as an example when performing a similar design study and as a reference on detailed high-level and low-level machine design trends.


"The study is undertaken in Tripura on a macro framework based on secondary data. There are eight districts in Tripura and potato is cultivated in all districts. Two districts viz., West Tripura and South Tripura districts are selected purposively based on higher and lower production. Accordingly, an effort is made in this study to examine the behaviour of arrivals and prices of potato in Tripura. Production of potato and the seasonality in production are the two important factors affecting the price. It observes that the area of potato has increased at the rate of 3.14 percent and 2.04 percent per annum in West and South Tripura districts respectively. Similarly,


Mechanisms of metal protection systems can help memlilih systems effective and economical in providing protection layers. According to function, the protection layer is a layer of separation between the metal and its environment. There are several ways in providing layers of protection, in this paper will discuss the process of granting protected by organic coating using paint, the discussion is limited to the coating base paint, paint between, and the paint finish, as well as devices that support during the painting process a case like dyeing, equipment spray, and ovens at. By PACIFIC PAINT.


1 Previous research on drug abuse and its prevention among school children.- 2 A survey of the extent of use of "Double Take" in schools and teachers' evaluations of the package.- 3 An observation and evaluation based on "Minder".- 4 A second evaluation of "Double Take" in a local school.- 5 An experimental investigation of pupils' responses to "Minder" and "Thinking Twice".- 6 The impact of "Double Take" as a function of region and extent of use.- 7 Attitudes, attributions and persuasion: How young people's ideas about drugs relate to their preferences for different strategies of prevention.- 8 Analysis and synthesis: the status of "Double Take" in the school curriculum.- Appendix A: Questionnaires used by teachers.- Appendix B: Questionnaires used by pupils.- References.


The present invention discloses a structure and a method for obtaining the value of the capacitor array substrate, wherein the structure comprises: a first conductive region, which is provided with the first conductive layer with the array substrate layer; a second conductive region, which is provided with the array substrate layer with the second conductive layer, a second conductive region and the first conductive region partially or wholly overlap; a first measurement area, which is connected to the first conductive region; a second measurement area, connected to the second conductive region. With this structure can be realized to detect the corresponding value of the capacitor of the sub-pixels, which provides the basis for determining the data sub-pixel and the performance and quality of the liquid crystal panel.


The volatile oil of the roots of Vetiveria nigritana (Benth.) Stapf was extracted by hydrodistillation for 36 h to yield 1.35%. The physical and chemical properties were determined according to international standards and were not compatible with published data. Analysis of the oil by gas liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (GLC-MS) technique revealed that the oil was composed of 50 compounds of which 9 compounds were not identified. The main constituents were longifolene D (25.1%), 2-hydroxycyperol (9.7%) and aromadendrene oxide (1) (8.8%). The different and extremely complex composition of vetiver oil from different geographic regions of the world prompted us to add that the Sudanese vetiver oil is also different and do not comply with the "finger print" of the oil in the literature (α- and β- vetivone plus khusimol).

 Key words: Vetiveria nigritana, essential oil, composition, gas liquid chromatography (GLC),mass spectrometry (MS).


Notopleura (Bentham & Hooker f.) Bremekamp is a Neotropical genus of about 100 species that was formerly included in Psychotria, but differs from that in its low succulent habit, stipules with a single usually glandular interpetiolar appendage, and terminal or often pseudoaxillary inflorescences. Notopleura is widely distributed in wet habitats and includes two subgenera: subgenus Notopleura, which comprises terrestrial, usually unbranched plants and includes most of the species in the genus, and subgenus ViscogogaS which comprises epiphytic, usually branched plants. In subgenus Notopleura here the new combination N. madida (Standley) C. M. Taylor is made based on Psychotria madida Standley of Ecuador, and 21 new species are described and illustrated: N. amicitiae C. M. Taylor of eastern Costa Rica and western Panama, which has been confused with N. aggregata (Standley) C. M. Taylor; N. biloba C. M. Taylor of northwestern Colombia, which has been confused with N. macropodantha (Standley) C. M. Taylor; N. bryophila C. M. Taylor of montane Ecuador, which has been confused with N. marginata (Bentham) Bullock; N. capitata C. M. Taylor, found from Nicaragua to Panama and previously confused with N. aggregata; N. corniculata C. M. Taylor of western Colombia and Ecuador, which has been confused with N. anomothyrsa (K. Schumann & Donnell Smith) C. M. Taylor; N. corymbosa C. M. Taylor of Ecuador, which has been confused with N. micayensis (Standley) Bremekamp; N. costaricensis C. M. Taylor of montane Costa Rica, which has been confused with N. aggregata; N. hurtadoi C. M. Taylor of Ecuador, which has been confused with N. Ieucantha (K. Krause) C. M. Taylor; N. hypolaevis C. M. Taylor of Ecuador, which has been confused with N. uliginosa (Swartz) Bremekamp; N. Iongiflora C. M. Taylor of northwestern Colombia, which has been confused with N. macropodantha; N. montana C. M. Taylor of montane Costa Rica to Venezuela and Peru, which has been confused with N. macrophylla (Ruiz & Pavon) C. M. Taylor; N. NOVON 13: 228-260. 2003. multinervia C. M. Taylor of montane western Panama, which has been confused with N. aggregata; N. obtusa C. M. Taylor of Ecuador and northern Peru, which has been confused with N. aequatoriana C. M. Taylor; N. pacorana C. M. Taylor of central Panama, which has been confused with N. panamensis (Dwyer) C. M. Taylor; N. parvifolia C. M. Taylor of western Panama, which has been confused with N. aggregata; N. pendulifora C. M. Taylor of western Panama, which has been confused with N. plagiantha (Standley) C. M. Taylor; N. sanblasensis C. M. Taylor of central Panama, which has also been confused with N. panamensis; N. spiciformis C. M. Taylor of western Colombia and Ecuador, which has been confused with N. Iongipedunculoides (C. M. Taylor) C. M. Taylor; N. torrana C. M. Taylor of western Panama, which has been confused with N. macropodantha; N. tubulistipula C. M. Taylor of Ecuador, which has again been confused with N. aggregata; and N. zarucchiana C. M. Taylor of montane Colombia, which has also been confused with N. macropodantha. Also in subgenus Notopleura, the correct names and their authorship are discussed for the species N. Iongipedunculoides (the formal new combination made here), N. Iongissima Bremekamp, and N. micayensis. In subgenus Viscagoga five new species are described and illustrated: N. bahiensis C. M. Taylor, which is similar to N. multiramosa (Steyermark) C. M. Taylor; N. cocleensis C. M. Taylor from western Panama, which has been confused with N. guadalupensis (DC.) C. M. Taylor; N. elegans C. M. Taylor from Costa Rica and western Panama, which has also been confused with N. guadalupensis; N. episcandens C. M. Taylor & Lorence from eastern Panama, which has been confused with N. maxonii (Standley) C. M. Taylor; and N. vargasiana C. M. Taylor from Ecuador, which again has been confused with N. guadalupensis.


Long after-glow luminescent composites were fabricated by embedding phosphor SrAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+ powders into polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) using solution casting and hot-press methods. In the first method, PMMA were dissolved in chloroform forming a homogenous solution and the phosphor powders were doped into the solution with different volume fractions. Transparent samples were obtained by air drying the solution in a container. Their optical properties were studied by transmittance measurement and emission spectroscopy. For tensile and impact tests, samples were obtained by pressing mixed phosphor and PMMA powders at 190°C. Based on these studies, the mechanical and optical properties of these composite were investigated.


We report on characterization of an uncooled infrared (IR) detector set-up which serves as a low-cost IR camera technology platform. The imaging detector consists of a passive microsensor and a simple optical readout. IR radiation is detected by a microcantilever focal plane array (FPA) which working principle is described. The cantilever serves as a thermo-mechanical transducer, converting photon energy in a reversible mechanical deflection on the micro-level. The mechanical deflection is captured by a visual imager (CCD / CMOS) which is part of the simple optical readout and converted into changes of gray scale intensity. Finally, we present first results of real-time thermographic imagery taken by the uncooled IR detector.


Part I begins with an introductory chapter that explains the purpose of the book. Put succinctly, the book seeks to compare the common law systems of the United Kingdom and the United States in the area of commercial contract law at the levels of theory, doctrine, and practice. The ultimate goal of the book is to highlight the differences between the two systems and to suggest areas that would benefit from law reform. Part I explores the core concepts of what makes certain promises legal or moral commitments. It also reviews the coherence of the views or roles of contract law as facilitator of the exercise of private autonomy versus contract as a regulatory regime that controls the free exercise of such autonomy. This analysis concludes that the dichotomy between immutable and default rules is a false one. Finally, this part analyzes the issue of whether a legal obligation under contract law is equivalent to a moral obligation to honor the contract. This analysis is done in the context of strategic mortgage defaults. Chapter 2 reviews six theories of contracts – exchange of promises, agreement in fact, reliance, assumption of legally binding obligations, relationshipor status-based, and transfer of rights. The chapter concludes that a number of these theories do not adequately explain contract law as currently practiced and should be discarded. The remaining theories can be subsumed under an "agreement plus intention" model. It also suggests that European contract law has moved more actively in the direction of this model, while American contract law has yet to make a full commitment. In the end, the chapter asserts that a pure form of such a model requires a reassessment of the doctrine of consideration and the Part I


The classification and intension of "business model" are viewed differently and motivate the researcher to integrate a set of systematic framework of the "business model". This research widely analyzes framework of entrepreneurial management and business model, recombine the new key elements from different views. Through iterative process of induction and deduction from grounded data of deep interview, we establish a framework of "business model". The framework is divided into the core element and the execution element. The former includes the environment and value proposition. The constant dynamic changes and interaction between them is the source of sustainable innovation. The latter consists of resource and capability, corporate structure, execution of value chain, value network, customer's real value and financial structure, which is the action and result of embodying the core element. These two are concrete connotation with systematic business model after combination.


A novel 1,2,4-thiadiazolidine-3,5-dione compound is provided to show excellent activity and enzyme selectivity on Lck SH2, thereby being usefully used for treating and preventing inflammation related diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis with high selectivity without side effects. A pharmaceutical composition for treating and preventing a disease induced by inflammation comprises a 1,2,4-thiadiazolidine-3,5-dione compound represented by a formula(1) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an effective ingredient. In the formula(1), A is linear or branched saturated or unsaturated C1-7 alkyl, indenyl, (C1-7)alkoxycarbonyl(C1-7)alkyl, phenyl, benzyl or C2H5(C=O)HR2R3(wherein A may be substituted by halogen, carboxyl, C1-7 alkoxycarbonyl, C1-7 alkoxy, nitro or hydroxy when A is alkyl, phenyl or benzyl); R1 is H, linear or branched saturated or unsaturated C1-7 alkyl, (C1-7)alkoxycarbonyl(C1-7)alkyl, phenyl, phenyl(C1-5)alkyl or phenylcarbonylmethyl; and each R2 and R2 is independently H, linear or branched saturated or unsaturated C1-7 alkyl or phenyl, or R2 and R3 may form a ring together with C1-5 alkylene. A pharmaceutical composition for treating and preventing rheumatoid arthritis comprises the 1,2,4-thiadiazolidine-3,5-dione compound of the formula(1) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an effective ingredient.


The present invention relates to new anticholinergics, novel pharmaceutical compositions based on corticosteroids, and β mimetics, their preparation, and to their use for the treatment of respiratory diseases.


In this paper,the GNSS-R ground-based experimental campaign is discussed.The direct and reflected GNSS signals are received with the receiver at L1 frequency on a constant platform;the average height of the sea surface,significant wave height(SWH) and sea level can be retrieved.The experimental principle,instruments and the inversion method of observed data will be given.