Romania, as part of the EU, develops new projects based on renewable sources in the supply of electricity and heat for small communities, in remote areas, or residential complexes. This paper presents a hybrid solution for partial supply of electricity to a school located in an area with solar potential, from the southeastern part of Romania. The school has an annual electricity consumption of 1,174 GWh with a peak electric load of 335 MW. At the beginning, some data referring to the geographical conditions of the area, based on environmental measurements and the energetic conditions, as the building structure, number of windows and walls, and scheme of the school operation are presented. Considering the existing electrical equipment and the lighting of the building, the total electricity consumption was estimated. The numerical simulation and tests of the elaborated mathematical model was realized for a school with 20 classes, on two levels, with two entrances and an inner courtyard. Some solutions to reduce electricity consumption and peak demand are mentioned. An optimization was performed based on the created model, taking into account the solar radiation available annually for this area of approximately 1500 kWh/m2/year. The results of these analyzes indicate that the implementation of the cost-effectiveness method for this building reduces electricity consumption by 18%, maximum demand by 21% and CO2 emissions by 11%, taking into account the minimization of consumption during the periods when the school is not functional (holidays, weekends.


We present dynamical models of the star-forming galaxy NGC 5474 based on N-body hydrodynamical numerical simulations. We investigate the possible origin of the compact round stellar structure, generally interpreted as the bulge of the galaxy, but unusually off-set by ${\simeq} 1\, {\rm kpc}$ in projection from the visual and the kinematic centres of both the star and the gas discs. We argue that it is very unlikely that the putative bulge is in a coplanar orbit in the disc plane, showing that such a configuration would be hardly compatible with its smooth and regular spatial distribution, and, in case its mass is above $10^8\, \mathrm{ M}_{\odot }$, also with the regular ${\rm H\,{\small I}}$ velocity field of NGC 5474. Instead, if the putative bulge is in fact an early-type satellite galaxy orbiting around NGC 5474, not only the off-set can be easily produced by projection effects, but our simulations suggest that the gravitational interaction between the two systems can explain also the warped ${\rm H\,{\small I}}$ distribution of NGC 5474 and the formation of its loose spiral arms. As a by-product of the simulations, we find that the peculiar overdensity of old stars detected in the south-west region of NGC 5474 may be explained with the interaction between NGC 5474 and a smaller stellar system, unrelated to the putative bulge, accreted in the disc plane.


It's a key problem to search for affine invariant with respect to translating,scaling,rotation and skewing in multiresolution analysis.Based on affine invariants defined in Affine Invariants for Object Recognition Using the Wavelet Transform,the original absolute affine invariants are improved in this paper.After the analysis of the invariants,their limitation is pointed out and a new kind of absolute affine invariants is defined.Both experimental results and analysis show that the proposed invariants can be easily applied to image recognition.


Early on, the Partnership was constantly and consistently portrayed in dualistic terms. It was either a failure to proceed with enlargement or it was aa prudential way of proceeding with it. Ken Myers, a key aide of Senator Richard Lugar, one of the most influential proponents of enlarging the Alliance, argued that PFP started out as simply a diplomatic device but was taken in hand by the NATO authorities to become more than initially intended, that is a vehicle for enlargement. In a different analysis, the weakness of PFP resided in that it gave all the countries of Europe and the former Soviet Union the same potential relationship with NATO which is absurd. Thus, the result of


The present invention relates to an LED-lens-shaping injection mould adapted to improve product quality by using a heater to rapidly increase the temperature of the mould and maintain same at a constant temperature when an LED lens is formed by means of an injection method. To this end, the LED-lens-shaping injection mould of the present invention comprises: a fixed-side template for forming a surface on one side of the LED lens; a core for forming the surface on the other side of the LED lens and for forming a cavity corresponding to the LED lens in association with the fixed-side template; a sprue bush provided in the fixed-side template and formed so as to have a runner passing through to the cavity; a fixed disk positioned on the upper side of the fixed-side template and having the sprue bush linked thereto; a location ring provided in the fixed disk so as to link with an injection apparatus of which the nozzle passes through to the sprue bush; a moving-side template supporting the core and provided so as to be able to move vertically; a receiving plate supporting the moving-side template; a spacer block provided on the upper side of a lower support plate, and supporting the receiving plate; and a plurality of heaters respectively provided in the receiving plate and the fixed disk linked to the fixed-side template.


A representative collective signature is a signature created by a collective of multiple signing groups. The basic requirement for this signature is that it must include information about all participants involved in the signing process of a given document. The U component in the 3-component collective signature (including U, E, S) is used to satisfy this requirement. In this paper, we propose a new form of representative collective signature consisting of only two components (e, s), then, the information of all signers is contained in the pseudo-random parameter R. The purpose of this is both to reduce the size of the signature, as well as ensure that the manager of the signing group has enough information to identify the signer and to prevent "disclaimer" during a dispute. In the proposed collective signature scheme, we use the GOST R34.10-2012 digital signature standard to develop a consensus group signature scheme based on the discrete logarithm problem on the Elliptic curve. This scheme allows the generation of a representative collective signature: i) Only 512 bits in length, but still achieves security level 2512 and ii) Significantly reduced computational performance (in comparison to the representative collective signature that represents the three components).


The evaluation of rice disease severity is a quantitative indicator for precise disease control, which is of great significance for ensuring rice yield. In the past, it was usually done manually, and the judgment of rice blast severity can be subjective and time-consuming. To address the above problems, this paper proposes a real-time rice blast disease segmentation method based on a feature fusion and attention mechanism: Deep Feature Fusion and Attention Network (abbreviated to DFFANet). To realize the extraction of the shallow and deep features of rice blast disease as complete as possible, a feature extraction (DCABlock) module and a feature fusion (FFM) module are designed; then, a lightweight attention module is further designed to guide the features learning, effectively fusing the extracted features at different scales, and use the above modules to build a DFFANet lightweight network model. This model is applied to rice blast spot segmentation and compared with other existing methods in this field. The experimental results show that the method proposed in this study has better anti-interference ability, achieving 96.15% MioU, a speed of 188 FPS, and the number of parameters is only 1.4 M, which can achieve a high detection speed with a small number of model parameters, and achieves an effective balance between segmentation accuracy and speed, thereby reducing the requirements for hardware equipment and realizing low-cost embedded development. It provides technical support for real-time rapid detection of rice diseases.


Ideology and Political Science Curriculum is the main battle field for political education in China,undertaking the task of arming students with Marxism,bringing up the successors of socialist construction.This Course has made a great achievement in reform,and good experiences have accumulated,so we have won a lot of energy in political education reform. The future curriculum will focus on the humanity,keeping up with times,meeting the need of our students in order to derive some top-quality courses.


The genetic effect of quantative traits of 13 maize inbred lines from different heterotic groups were analyzed according to GriffingⅡ.The cluster analysis of the 13 inbred lines and 5 control inbred lines was done by using SSR markers.The results concluded that the inbreeds CML162,S181,HN06-10,S147,Ye478 showed high combining ability; the main gene effects of axes diameter,rows per ear,kernel thick,100-kernel weight,ear yield rate and barren ear tip length were additive affect;and the main gene effects of plant height,ear height,ear lenght,ear diameter,kernels per rows,kernel length and kernel weight per ear were non-additive effect.According to the results of polymorphism analysis,18 maize inbred lines have been classified into 7 groups:(i) Dan340,Yu5,HN06-10;(ii) B73,Ye478,Jingtian, CML162;(iii) Mo17,Tai191o2,Qingzhu,S147;(iv)HZ4;(v)Qi319,S181,Zhengbaolie;(vi) GY302,GY923;And(vii) Taitian.


This book aims to help readers prepare to deal with, and become a part of, the business community. Retaining popular features from the previous edition, this full colour book features business briefs, career focuses, impact of technology and basic life skills.


A method for disabling temporarily preset alarm in a mobile communication terminal for one day, or periodically, or on a designated date, as a user wishes, is disclosed. The method comprises determining whether the temporal disabling button has been pushed by a user while the mobile communication terminal is in receive wait mode, and temporarily disabling the alarm upon pushing the temporal disabling button by the user. The method further comprises determining whether the temporal disabling menu button has been pushed by a user while the mobile communication terminal is in receive wait mode, displaying the temporal disabling menu items upon pushing of the temporal disabling menu button by the user, and temporarily disabling the alarm of the date designated by the corresponding menu item based on the temporal disabling menu item selected by the user.


The physical appearance and hematology of seven Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis), captured in the Tongling section of the Yangtze River was examined. It was found that two were healthy, two were obviously sick. The other three suffered from malnutrition due to different degrees of anaemia, probably related to declining fish resources.


Presentation attacks pose a threat to the reliability of face recognition systems. A photograph, a video, or a mask representing an authorised user can be used to circumvent the face recognition system. Recent research has demonstrated high accuracy in intra-dataset evaluations using existing face presentation attack detection models. Nonetheless, these models did not achieve similar performance when evaluated across datasets due to limited generalisation. Consequently, this article presents task-specific feature learning using deep pre-trained models. Model performance was evaluated using three public datasets: the SiW dataset was used for intra-dataset evaluation, while CASIA and Replay Attack were used for cross-dataset evaluation. Custom task-specific feature learning, compared to deep and hybrid models, demonstrated improved cross-dataset performance and exhibited more generalisability. The results suggest future direction for further research toward improving the model's generalisation using custom task-specific feature learning.


Purpose- The goal of this study was to understand how the economic climate during the United States Great Recession affected businesses in the heart of the recession. Methodology - Fifteen interviews with CEOs, Presidents, and Founders from the Capital Region were conducted in order to determine how businesses were affected during this time period. These leaders represented companies which ranged in size from new start-ups to established small businesses to hundred-million dollar plus companies. Findings- The data suggests that economic repercussions from the Great Recession was not distributed evenly among businesses in this region. A pattern emerged that showed that two general types of companies felt the repercussions differently. Companies selling predominantly to the private sector navigated the financial crisis by being focused on cost-reduction of either their own operating costs or of their products and services delivered to their clients. Whereas, companies selling predominantly to the federal government were largely insulated from the Great Recession. Conclusion- The findings suggest practical implications for business growth include cost-reduction of operations, price reductions on their products and services, and expansion into the federal public sector. Rather than looking at economic downturns as a negative for the small business, small businesses can creatively outmaneuver these downturns with the aforementioned methods.


The question of the logical connection between the content of the Plato's different dialogues is interesting both from the point of view of the history of philosophy and from the point of view of the history of culture and education. The unity of the theoretical and practical-educational sides of Plato's activity becomes an actual theme today. Article's author sees the reason of this theme's actuality in the needs of the modern educational system and gives his answers to the questions about the goal of studying Plato and about the size of his dialogues' audience today.


This empirical study analyzed the vocabulary learning strategies employed by 402 English majors as a whole.It also made comparisons between first-year and third-year as well as between male and female English majors in terms of strategy use.The research results yielded some implications for vocabulary teaching in the Chinese context.


HYPOTHESIS
Absorbable mesh slings can prevent radiation-induced bowel injury when adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy is given in the early postoperative period. We hypothesized that the mesh sling technique is similarly effective during "sandwich" sequence adjuvant chemoradiation.

DESIGN
Retrospective review.

SETTING
Tertiary care comprehensive cancer center.

PATIENTS
Nonrandomized series of 19 consecutive patients who underwent abdominoperineal resection and received postoperative sandwich sequence chemoradiation at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, between January 1994 and September 1999.

INTERVENTIONS
Twelve patients had an absorbable mesh sling placed at the completion of abdominoperineal resection. Seven patients did not have an absorbable mesh sling placed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Radiotherapy dose and gastrointestinal toxic effects.

RESULTS
All 12 patients in the "mesh" group were able to receive full-dose radiotherapy with tumor bed boost (total dose, 54 Gy, 11 patients; 59.4 Gy, 1 patient). Only 3 of 7 patients in the "no mesh" group were able to receive a tumor bed boost (total dose, 46.8 Gy, 1 patient; 50.4 Gy, 3 patients; 54 Gy, 3 patients). Acute gastrointestinal toxic effects were minimal in the mesh group (grade 1, 10 patients; grade 2, 2 patients) compared with the no mesh group (grade 2, 6 patients; grade 3, 1 patients). None of the patients in the mesh group have shown evidence of late gastrointestinal toxic effects. One patient in the no mesh group required surgery for complications of chronic radiation enteritis.

CONCLUSIONS
The protective effects of an absorbable mesh sling extend beyond the life expectancy of the mesh itself. Sandwich sequence chemoradiation should not preclude the use of the mesh sling technique.


Neutrinos are amongst the most abundant particles in the universe. The fact that they are massive particles proves that the Standard Model is an incomplete theory and needs to be extended. This thesis focuses on the study of neutrino properties from the available data from laboratory experiments and cosmological observations. It also presents sensitivity studies for future neutrino experiments. The first part covers the status of the determination of the oscillation parameters in the three-neutrino framework, the mass ordering and the absolute mass scale. A second part is devoted to other neutrino properties predicted in neutrino mass models. The topics covered include the study of spin-flavour precession in solar neutrinos from non-zero neutrino magnetic moments, the prospects for neutrino non-standard interactions with quarks from the solar sector and the expected limits on CPT violation from a separate analysis of neutrino and antineutrino data. Regarding cosmology, the impact of non-standard interactions with electrons and a non-unitary three-neutrino mixing matrix in the process of neutrino decoupling are addressed. Finally, a third part explores possible connections between dark matter and neutrinos. The existence of dark matter has been proven indirectly via its gravitational effects. This thesis presents two studies that explore how neutrinos could probe the fraction of dark matter that could exist in the form of primordial black holes and the experimental signatures expected from a hypothetical coupling between neutrinos and an ultralight scalar dark matter candidate.


- The Maricá Group is the basal unit of the Camaquã Basin and comprises mainly fluvial deposits and shallow marine beds. Provenance studies of the Maricá Group are crucial to understanding the initial development of this basin. This paper aims to present new LA-ICP-MS U-Pb provenance data for the evaluation of the source areas and the maximum depositional age of the Maricá Group. This work includes fieldwork recognition, petrographic analysis, and U-Pb dating of one sandstone and two clasts' samples, from the Arroio América Formation, the youngest unit from Maricá Group. The Arroio América Formation was deposited on a braided fluvial system and is composed of sandstones, conglomeratic sandstones


VRE colonization is increasingly common among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) [2-4]. CKD patients have significant immune dysregulation compared with the general population and subsequently, have a higher susceptibility to infection. In fact, infection is the second most common cause of death after cardiovascular disease in these patients [5]. The higher rate of infection can result in extensive use of antibiotics which leads to the development of multi-drug resistant strains of micro-organisms such as VRE in these CKD patients. Although there have been studies of VRE in CKD patients, most of them were conducted in areas where hemodialysis (HD) is the main choice of renal replacement therapy (RRT). Patients receiving regular HD have frequent contacts with healthcare workers and other patients in dialysis centers. These kinds of contacts, together with the presence of vascular access, can provide a higher chance of VRE spread as well as risk of more complicated VRE infections such as bloodstream infection. As opposed to HD, peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a kind of home-based mode of RRT and vascular access is not required. As a result, we carried out a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the risk factors and the clinical outcomes of VRE colonization among the PD patients in our renal dialysis center who were hospitalized between 1st August 2013 and 31st July 2014 [6].


So where do our medicines come from? Some modern medicines have their origins in plants that have been used for centuries. In the 1700s, Reverend Edmund Stone wrote about the success of the bark of white willow, Salix alba, in the cure of the "agues," or fevers with aches. In 1897, a German chemist, Felix Hoffman synthesised a more effective version of the active ingredient of willow bark. Today this is sold as aspirin and it is the most administered medicine in the world, predominantly for its use as an anticoagulant.


This study intends to evaluate the rear-end collision risk under fog conditions considering reduced visibility by introducing a new algorithm. Based on the proposed algorithm, the minimum stopping distance of the leading and following vehicles can be calculated with traffic and weather data and compared. According to the relationship between clearance distance between the two consecutive vehicles and visibility distance, the car-following maneuver is divided into different situations and the algorithms to calculate the minimum stopping distances are suggested correspondingly. The visibility distance is collected by a visibility detection system and the clearance distance is obtained from a traffic detector which can provide individual vehicle data. By comparing the minimum stopping distances of the following and leading vehicles, the potential rear-end collision can be identified. Subsequently, statistical tests are conducted to analyze the rear-end collision risk under different situations. Furthermore, logistic and negative binomial models are estimated by using individual and aggregated data, respectively, in order to explore the relationship between the potential rear-end crash and the reduced visibility together with other traffic parameters. The results suggest that the proposed algorithm works well in evaluating rear-end collision risk under fog conditions. It is found that reduced visibility has significant impact on the rear-end collision risk and the impact vary by the different vehicle types and by lane. Further, it is found that the driving maneuver of the leading and following vehicles can affect the rear-end collision risk. It is expected that the proposed algorithm can be implemented in a Traffic Management context to improve road safety under fog conditions. Specifically, it is suggested to implement the proposed algorithm in real-time and integrate it with ITS technologies such as Variable Speed Limit (VSL) and Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) to enhance traffic safety when the visibility declines. This car following algorithm could also be extended to adapt for the advent of Connected Vehicles in Fog conditions.


Pressure receptors exist within the walls of the carotid bulb which are responsible for maintaining the balance between blood volume, vascular tone, and cardiac output. When these receptors are manipulated during neck surgery the result may be bradycardia, hypotension or cardiac arrythmia. Such events occur sporatically during head and neck surgery and occasionally may prove fatal. While many surgeons advocate anesthetizing the carotid bulb prophylactically, this practice is not universally accepted.


The interplay between the biodiversity regime and fisheries management and conservation regimes is not a critically important phenomenon at this point in time. For now, the institutions most relevant for the management of marine and coastal biodiversity are entrenched in conventional fisheries management structures. Biodiversity-oriented institutions appear to be less in touch with the practical aspects of resource management. The most significant interplay occurs at the global level, where several oceans-related regimes appear to be affected by the concerns raised by the CBD. The important question with regard to the longer term, is what impact the creation and operation of the CBD will have on various fisheries regimes in the future.


The article indicates that the acquisition of book titles is the basic task in a library.The work should adapt itself to the development of market economy,stress the characteristics of the collection and optimize the structure of library.


* Estudios de Economía acknowledges Economia for the permission to reprint this article. ■ MIT and NBER. I am thankful to Olivier Blanchard, Jeff Frankel, Enrique Mendoza, Roberto Rigobon, Andres Velasco and participants at the Economia meeting in New York for their comments. I am also very grateful to Adam Ashcraft for outstanding research assistance. 1 See Caballero and Krishnamurthy (1999) and Aghion et al. (1999) for models where the correlation between financial development and economic stability is non-monotonic. Importantly, however, welfare is monotonically increasing with respect to institutional and financial development. 2 It does seem, however, that the rewards of successful reforms come in the forms of high average growth, a decline in the frequency of crises (although these can be deep), and an increase in the speed at which the economy recovers from such crises. 3 The serious decline in electricity provision in Chile during 1998, primarily created by a severe drought, is a symbolic example of the lack of precautionary options. Shocks that compromise the single "pipeline", be it electricity distribution, financial services, or a


A rapid method for estimating moisture in opium samples was being looked for to enable rapid payment to Indian opium cultivators. Efforts were made to replace the traditional "hand parakh" system and conventional oven method with a method that would provide rapid, simple, precise and reproducible results. A large number of techniques commonly used for the estimation of moisture in agricultural produce were tried, such as near infra-red spectrometry, low resolution pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, dielectric constant, time domain reflectometry and even instruments based on density measurements. Infra-red moisture balances were also tried. None of these techniques, however, yielded satisfactory results in regard to opium. Finally, the estimation of loss on drying was resorted to through the use of a microwave oven with a turntable facility. Results obtained with the microwave oven were within the acceptable limit, with a maximum standard deviation of only ±0.28, compared with the standard electric oven method.


A method is proposed for the determination of pi‐electron spin densities in aromatic free radicals which is independent of calculations of sigma—pi interactions. It employs linewidth studies of solution spectra of free radicals and is based on the line broadening arising from electron—nuclear anisotropic intramolecular magnetic—dipole interactions. The method is most readily applied to the hyperfine splittings from the nuclei of atoms which have electrons conjugated with the pi‐electron system, such as carbon, nitrogen, or fluorine, rather than to proton splittings, and yields directly the ratios of spin densities on different atoms.Application of the technique has been made to the determination of the spin density on the fluorine atoms in the 3,5‐difluoronitrobenzene anion radical. The fluorine spin density is found to be 1—%2% of the spin density on the nitrogen atom of the nitro group, and within a factor of about two is given by |ρF|=0.003. Although the signs of the fluorine splitting aF and the fluor...


The revolution of information in information society innovates a lot of business processes. and the renewed processes contribute new paradigms of the 21th century. As one of the revolutions, ISO 9000 becomes a standard for developing efficient quality management systems which provide any-time and any-where environments satisfying customer needs. Thus, it becomes important to research on quality management systems for improving quality in information flowing and service domain. In this paper, we describe the applicable direction and the case study of ISO 9001 : 2000 which establishes quality management systems in the domain and hope to help for the Quality enhancement.


research reports will be presented. 1. examine the distinction between EuropeanUnion the 2. To examine a selection of European Union Directives that are relevant to treatment and research involving human embryos and gametes 3. To analyse how human rights apply to assisted reproduction ABSTRACT: This paper has two main objectives: to clarify the difference between European Union law and the European Convention on Human Rights, and then to illustrate how each applies to treatment and research involving embryos and gametes. The last two years have seen a notable increase in the volume of legislation and litigation in this field at a European level. This, in turn, has highlighted the importance of understanding both how the systems operate, and how they apply to the work that we do. The paper will look closely at two recent developments in European law and human rights jurisprudence. Firstly, it will look at the recently adopted European Directive on setting standards of quality and safety for the donation, procurement, testing, processing, storage, and distribution of human tissues and cells (COM (2002) 319) which promises to reshape the way in which treatment and research involving gametes and embryos is conducted. Secondly, it will look at the judgment in the case of Natallie v Amicus Healthcare Ltd & Others (2004) which examined the right to life, the right to respect for private and family life, the right to marry and found a family, and the right to freedom from discrimination – all within the context of assisted reproduction. Material and methods: Data fromthe national register ofassisted conception in Australia and New Zealand were analysed to explore the relationship between the number of gestational sacs on ultrasound in early pregnancy and preterm birth in singleton pregnancies (n=18,850 with one sac, n=1,213 with two sacs, and n=120 with 3+ sacs). Preterm birth was defined as a live birth or fetal death of at least 20, and less than 37, weeks of gestation. Separate analyses were made by maternal age ( < 30, 30-34, 35+), previous pregnancies (0, 1, 2+) and parity (0, 1, 2+), type of conception, and cause of infertility. Singleton births conceived by assisted conception were also compared with singleton national births. Results: Preterm birth occurred in 13.7% of singleton pregnancies with one gestational sac, in 18.0% with two sacs, and in 26.1% with three or more sacs. This association was stronger for pregnancies of less than 32 weeks - 3.3% with one sac, 6.3% with two sacs, and 9.3% with 3+ sacs. Among mothers aged < 30 years, preterm birth occurred in 13.1%, 17.4% and 22.7%, respectively, with one, two, and 3+ sacs. For mothers aged 30-34, the inci- dence was 12.8%, 20.2%, and 22.2%, respectively, and for those aged 35+, it 14.8%, 16.1%, and 32.6%, respectively. This pattern of relatively more preterm births with an increasing number of gestational sacs was also present within each subgroup of the of previous pregnancies and parity. (20-27 age category. Compared with national data for all births, the risk of preterm birth in singleton assisted conception pregnancies was increasingly greater at shorter gestations. The relative risk was 3.5 at 20-23 weeks, 3.1 at 24-27 weeks, 2.5 at 28-31 weeks, and 2.1 at 32-36 weeks. Conclusions: Multiple embryo transfer has led to a worldwide epidemic of multiple births. In this study, an increasing number of gestational sacs in early pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of preterm birth in singleton pregnancies, especially among extremely preterm infants, suggesting a likely causal relationship. one of them was frozen using routinely sperm freezing techniques while the other half was immediately frozen onto liquid nitrogen to preserve nucleic acids for viral detection. The female population included seronegative women without contraindications for assisted reproduction. When the sample was negative for both viruses, regular ICSI cycles were performed either with fresh or frozen embryo transfers, following the standard protocols employed in our clinic for ovarian stimulation and microinjection. The main outcome measures were the qualitative detection of DNA and RNA of HIV and RNA of HCV in washed sperm, together with fertilization, embryo development and pregnancy rates. Also seroconversions were studied with blood tests 3 and 6 months after the embryo transfer. Ovum donations were performed where indicated, from seronegative donors. Results: Sperm washes resulted effective in 90% of the samples. Moreover, no differences were found depending on the type of infection with or without HCV coinfection, in terms of semen quality, embryos obtained per follicular aspiration (5.1 ± 1.8 vs 4.0 ± 2.0), per microinjected oocyte (62.4 ± 5.6 vs 53.4 ± 8.3%) and pregnancy rates (40-48% per cycle). To date 29 pregnancies were achieved with a total number of 19 newborns. Also, no seroconversion was detected in the patient's follow-up. Conclusions: To date, sperm wash, nested PCR and ICSI is the most effective procedure to avoid HIV and HCV transmission, highly safe, with reasonable pregnancy rates and cost-effectiveness. Women are only exposed to one single spermatozoa per embryo transferred, and the viral detection method is able to find one single RNA or DNA copy. Results are comparable to regular ICSI cycles of uninfected couples with similar characteristics. study (2:1). A group of 22 patients with ECF during stimulation (Group A) was compared with 44 women without fluid accumulation (Group B). Cases with ECF and hydrosalpinges or polyps were excluded from the study. In all cases no abnormalities were detected in the uterine cavity before ovarian stimulation. In our center when ECF was diagnosed, careful ultrasound assessment of the endometrium was performed in every examination and when fluid accumulation was persistent, we performed fluid aspiration before oocyte retrieval Results: The ECF and controlled groups were matched for age, basal FSH, ethnicity, BMI and stimulation protocol. The mean number of oocytes retrieved was 13 in group A and 12 in group B (P=NS), the fertilization rate was 46% in group A and 59% in group B (P < 0,05).No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups according to endometrial thickness, embryo quality and mean number of embryos transferred. The pregnancy rate per oocyte retrieval was 52% in group A and 57% in group B, with the difference not being statistically significant. Four patients out of five with transient fluid accumulation were pregnant (75%). Conclusions: Although fluid accumulation within the endometrial cavity is not a common finding, we believe that if found, careful ultrasound monitoring is required to confirm if the fluid accumulation is transient. If ECF is persistent, we believe that aspiration of the fluid before oocyte collection might be a successful treatment technique. relationship between the mode of oolemma breakage and the clinical outcome quality on the other hand in patients treated with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The aim of this work was to study the relationship between the mode of oolemma breakage during ICSI and the clinical outcome in those patients. Materials and methods: A total of 295 treatment cycles were studied in patients treated with intracytoplasmic sperm injection due to male factor infertility. A total number of 1717 oocytes were retrieved. Of these, 1572 oocytes were in metaphase II (91.6%) and were injected with spermatozoa. The mode of oolemma breakage of each oocyte during the ICSI procedure was recorded and was assigned to one of 3 grades. Grade A refers to oocyte exhibiting oolemma penetration without need of cytoplasmic aspiration (no elasticity). Grade B refers to oocytes exhibiting oolemma penetration requiring mild or moderate cytoplasmic aspiration (average elasticity), while grade C refers to oocytes exhibiting oolemma penetration requiring strong cytoplasmic aspiration (excessive elasticity). Results: The fertilization rate was 73.5% in grade A oocytes, 78.3% in grade B oocytes and 82.4% in grade C oocytes and these differences are not statistically significant. However, the pregnancy rate was 8.3% in patients with embryo transfers arising from grade A oocytes compared to 44.1% in patients with embryo transfers arising from grade B oocytes (P < 0.05). The pregnancy rate was 22.2% for patients with embryo transfers arising from grade C oocytes and 33.3% for patients with embryo transfers arising from mixed-grade oocytes (P > 0.05 and P > 0.05 compared to grade B). Similarly, the implantation rate was 5.6% in patients with embryo transfers arising from grade A oocytes, 15.7% in patients with embryo transfers arising from grade B oocytes, 10.3% in patients with embryo transfers arising from grade C oocytes and 8.4% in patients with embryo transfers arising from mixed-grade oocytes. These differences are not statistically significant. Conclusions: It is concluded that for optimum clinical results. spindle 6-45°-69%, and 46-90°-21% of the oocytes. There were more post-mature oocytes (maturation time from hCG injection > 40h) among the ones in which spindle was not viewed 21/36 (58%) comparing to 40/78 (51%) and 54/105 (51%) in the SP+ and control groups (P > 0.05). Fertilization rate was similar both in the study and control groups: 76/114 (67%), 70/105 (67%). Fertilization rate in the SP+ group was 78% (61/78), significantly higher than in the SP- group, 42% (15/36) (p < 0.001). SP- oocytes had also significantly less fertilizations in comparison with the controls (p < 0.05). The cleavage rate was similar among the groups. Morphology of day3 embryos that derived from SP- oocytes was significantly poorer than the control (p < 0.01). Injection according to the spindle at 6 o'clock took place in 14/78(18%) of the oocytes, of them 9/14 (64%) were normally fertilized. Conclusions: Overall fertilization and cleavage rates were comparable in the PolScope examined and the


Aspect-Oriented Programming is the supplement with OOP , which separate the core business logic from general supported service in software d evelopment . The concepts of AOP and the t echnology characteristics of .NET framework are introduced, then this paper a naly zed the implement mechanism of AOP in .NET framework, finally an approach to implement AOP Framework in .NET framework and a corresponding example to demonstrate it are given .


A means of detecting small changes in either the sampling rate of a data acquisition system or the frequency of a sinusoidal signal is described. The method is based on the fact that when a sinusoidal signal is sampled at less than twice its frequency then 'aliasing' occurs.


When the Corona-virus pandemic hit the world, executing and performing the jobs of the remote world became an imperative, this pandemic became as motivator to create this study which aimed to reveal the advantages and threats that encounter the implementing of Cloud Accounting Information Systems CAIS from the view point of external auditors. For that purpose, a questionnaire was developed and distributed then from 198 valid questionnaires which were analyzed by a T- test. It has been found that the main advantages are a reduction of labor and overtime costs because of the ability to access the system from anywhere, while penetration, interruption, and confidentiality are the main threats, also it was found that there is a strong relationship between implementing cloud accounting information systems (CAIS) and the limiting manipulation of financial information. The study therefore recommended upgrading the security procedures of cloud accounting systems and holding courses for auditors to enhance their abilities in auditing CAIS.


The analytical factors of ultraviolet spectrophotometry,such as concentration of alizarin red s,time and temperature,were evaluated to determine the leftover of melamine in dairy products.The results showed that in the concentrations of 10μg/mL~50μg/mL the analytical method of ultraviolet spectrophotometry was precise and quickly.under the UV wavelength 335nm,alizarin red s(0.008%),10 min,25℃.


This document describes an alternative mechanism to DANE ([RFC6698])
in order to authenticate a DNS-over-TLS (DoT [RFC7858]) authoritative
server by not making DNSSEC a hard requirement, making DoT server
authentication available for insecure delegations.


It is shown that the recent data from Burke et al. on backward production in 200-GeV/c nA collisions are in good agreement with expectations from the collective tube model with tube fragmentation taken into account.


In science, the word `uncertainty' does not mean a mistake. In fact, the term refers to the fact that we cannot make measurements to in nite accuracy and precision and we cannot eliminate them just by being more careful, smart or using more expensive equipment. The best we can do is to ensure that uncertainties are as small as reasonably possible and more importantly, to have a reliable quantitative estimate of how large they are.


In this study, the optical properties of glycated (HbA1c) and non-glycated (Hb) hemoglobin are compared using refractometry, fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy. The fluorescence measured at an excitation wavelength of 270 nm indicates differences in the molecular structure of hemoglobins. Analysis of the spectral shift of Raman spectra also showed variations indicating differences in their molecular structure. The refractive index measured in the visible and near IR regions for different temperatures allowed for quantification of mean values of temperature increment, which are quite different as dn/dT= –(1.03 ± 0.05)×10–4 °C–1 for Hb and – (1.37 ± 0.07)×10–4 °C–1for HbA1c.The data obtained in the work can serve as a basis for further study of the optical properties of glycated hemoglobin and other glycated proteins.


Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery (AFCS) is associated with an increase in adverse events. The scores POAF, CHA2DS2-VASc and HATCH demonstrated a validated predictive to predict AF after CS (AFCS).

 To develop and validate a new risk score from the combination of the variables with highest predictive value of POAF, CHA2DS2-VASc and HATCH risk scores to predict AFCS.

 We conducted a single-center cohort study, performing a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. The study included consecutive patients undergoing CS between 2010–2016. The primary outcome was the development of new-onset AFCS during hospitalization. The variables of each score were evaluated in a multivariate regression model to determine the predictive impact. Discrimination was evaluated with area under the ROC curve (AUC-ROC) and calibration using the Hosmer-Lemeshow (HL) test. The Youden index was used to establish the best cut-off point for the score. The statistical difference between the ROC curves was evaluated with the method of DeLong et al.

 3113 patients were included. Coronary artery bypass graft surgery 45%, valve replacement 24%, combined procedure (revascularization-valve surgery) 15%, and other procedures 16%. 21% (n=654) presented AFCS. Variables finally included in the new score were: age (≥75: 2, 65–74: 1), heart failure (2), female sex (1), hypertension (1), diabetes (1), previous stroke (1). The new score presented an AUC of 0.78 (95% CI 0.78–0.80), the rest of the scores presented lower discrimination ability (P<0.001): CHAD2DS2-VASc AUC 0.76, POAF 0.71 and HATCH 0.70. The HL test showed a p>0.05. For the new score, the best cut-off point was 2, with a sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 65.9%, presenting high negative predictive value: 92.9%.
 Variables OR (CI 95%) P Age (years)   65–74 3.14 (2.29–4.31) <0.001   ≥75 8.68 (6.32–11.93) <0.001 Female sex 3.36 (2.68–4.22) <0.001 Heart failure 2.45 (1.82–3.31) <0.001 Stroke/TIA 2.33 (1.45–3.76) <0.001 Hypertension 1.68 (1.28–2.2) <0.001 Diabetes 1.72 (1.31–2.25) <0.001

 From the combination of variables with higher predictive value included in the POAF, CHA2DS2-VASc, and HATCH scores, a new risk system was created to predict AFCS, presenting a greater predictive ability than the original ones. Being necessary future prospective validations.


The Multiple Drone-Delivery Scheduling Problem (MDSP) is a scheduling problem that optimizes the maximum reward earned by a set of $m$ drones executing a sequence of deliveries on a truck delivery route. The current best-known approximation algorithm for the problem is a $\frac{1}{4}$-approximation algorithm developed by Jana and Mandal (2022). In this paper, we propose exact and approximation algorithms for the general MDSP, as well as a unit-cost variant. We first propose a greedy algorithm which we show to be a $\frac{1}{3}$-approximation algorithm for the general MDSP problem formulation, provided the number of conflicting intervals is less than the number of drones. We then introduce a unit-cost variant of MDSP and we devise an exact dynamic programming algorithm that runs in polynomial time when the number of drones $m$ can be assumed to be a constant.


Abstract Single‐wall carbon nanotubes were prepared under hydrogen gas atmosphere with a DC arc discharge maintained between the tip of a sharpened graphite cathode and an anode formed by a catalytic mixture of graphite, FeS, Ni, Fe and Co compressed powders. The cathode is placed with an inclination with respect to the anode, so that the plasma jet of the discharge is deviated towards the empty space of the growth chamber. Samples were classified and analyzed according to their type and growth positions relative to the direction of the plasma jet flow. Characterization of the samples was performed with mass spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. A subtle variation is found in the properties of the nanotubes obtained in different locations due to the directionality of the plasma jet flow. Observed differences in sample properties may be qualitatively understood in terms of accepted mechanisms of SWNT growth.


Conference paper presented at the Third Symposium on Carbon Nanoforms that took place in Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies in Nanoscience (Spain) during 26-27th September 2013.


The oxidation of o-, m-, and p-nitrotoluenes with electro-generated superoxide ion in dimethylformamide was studied using cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential macro-electrolysis. The electrochemical reduction of oxygen in the presence of o- and p-nitrotoluenes yielded the corresponding carboxylic acids because the methyl groups in these derivatives are activated by the nitro group. An intermediate in these oxidations should be the corresponding nitrobenzaldehyde. The reaction mechanism is discussed.


This paper assesses the different structures of investment finance in the main EMU member economies, using the BACH database of balance sheet data, aggregated by firm size. Two main sets of results are obtained. First, each country/size class group is characterised using the net sources and uses of finance methodology. The importance of long-term debt as a source of investment finance, and its reduction in the later part of the 1990s, is emphasised. The second contribution of the paper is to conduct panel regressions examining the determinants of the level and returns to investment, paying particular attention to the differential impact of economic conditions and monetary policy. The main findings to emerge are that the level of small firms' investments are particularly dependent on the share of long-term debt in their financing and on monetary policy conditions, and that compared to larger firms their growth is more strongly associated with investment. The broad conclusion is that while stability should remain a central macroeconomic goal, financial market policy aimed at encouraging the expansion of a stable supply of long-term credit is also critical for the employment and growth prospects of the eurozone. 1 Supernumerary Fellow in Economics, St Anne's College, University of Oxford. Contact address: Finance and Trade Policy Research Centre, 21 St Giles, Oxford OX1 3LA; firstname.lastname@example.com. I am grateful to Valpy FitzGerald, Richard Mash and participants at the EIFC workshop at Warwick Business School (February 2004) for comments.


Amine-ligand modulated Ru nanoclusters (Ru/PEI-XC) as an active and stable bi-functional catalyst for the alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are successfully developed.


Corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) was used to characterise a novel thin film displaying a complex three dimensional nanostructure. The film was prepared by plasma deposition in such a way that it self-organises into layers of silver islands (each with typical dimensions of a few nanometres) within an aluminium nitride matrix. Successful application of STEM imaging and subsequent analysis was able to determine critical information about the material structure, namely island size, shape and crystalline orientation and the detection of island – matrix intermixing. Such information is essential in being able to predict the properties of this material and the approach adopted here is applicable to any similarly structured material.


The udder of crossbred cows was screened by CMT for the detection of sub-clinical and clinical mastitis and bacteria incidence was determined. The milk samples were tested for the bacteria type and milk compositional changes viz., chloride, lactose, EC, pH and somatic cell count (SCC) was determined. Four types of bacteria incidence namely S. aureus, S. aglactiae, E. coli, E. faecalis was characterized with incidence of 30, 30, 30 and 10, and 30, 30, 10 and 20 per cent in sub-clinical and clinical milk samples. SCC varied between pathogen (P<0.05) and was significantly higher in subclinical milk samples having E. faecalis without any effect on pH and EC. However, pH, EC, Chloride and SCC in clinical mastitis samples was significantly more. It was concluded that four types of bacterial incidence occur in subclinical and clinical mastitis but their per cent incidence varied. The histo-pathological examination of clinically affected quarter indicated more tissue changes by S. agalactiae in comparison to S. aureus.


The paper deals with the concept of a small planetary mission that might be described as one which: (1) focuses on a narrow set of discovery-oriented objectives, (2) utilizes largely existing and proven subsystem capabilities, (3) does not tax future launch vehicle capabilities, and (4) is flexible in terms of mission timing such that it can be easily integrated with launch vehicle schedules. Three small planetary mission concepts are presented: a tour of earth-sun Lagrange regions in search of asteroids which might be gravitationally trapped, a network of spacecraft to search beyond Pluto for a tenth planet; and a probe which could be targeted for infrequent long period 'comets of opportunity' or for a multitude of shorter period comets.


We show that Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations of dwarf galaxies interacting with a Milky Way-like disk produce moving groups in the simulated stellar disk. We compare the observed disk moving groups in the Solar neighborhood with velocity perturbations produced in SPH simulations with and without dwarf galaxy interactions. Our simulations include three different cases: one that includes three satellites -- with a Sagittarius-like dwarf galaxy interaction, as well as the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds; another that orbits in the plane of the Milky Way, and a null case, i.e., one with no dwarf galaxy interaction. The velocity sub-structures are identified using an algorithm to identify moving groups based on velocity over-densities in the plane of the disk. The properties of the identified moving groups change as the interacting simulations evolve. There are clear differences in the number and distribution of moving groups formed in the interacting simulations relative to the isolated simulation that we have analyzed. Our analysis suggests that some of the moving groups in the Milky Way may have formed due to dynamical interactions with perturbing dwarf satellites.


BACKGROUND
Myocarditis is a serious disorder, and treatment options are limited. This trial was designed to determine whether immunosuppressive therapy improves left ventricular function in patients with myocarditis and to examine measures of the immune response as predictors of the severity and outcome of disease.

METHODS
We randomly assigned 111 patients with a histopathological diagnosis of myocarditis and a left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 0.45 to receive conventional therapy alone or combined with a 24-week regimen of immunosuppressive therapy. Immunosuppressive therapy consisted of prednisone with either cyclosporine or azathioprine. The primary outcome measure was a change in the left ventricular ejection fraction at 28 weeks.

RESULTS
In the group as a whole, the mean (+/- SE) left ventricular ejection fraction improved from 0.25 +/- 0.01 at base line to 0.34 +/- 0.02 at 28 weeks (P < 0.001). The mean change in the left ventricular ejection fraction at 28 weeks did not differ significantly between the group of patients who received immunosuppressive therapy (a gain of 0.10; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.07 to 0.12) and the control group (a gain of 0.07; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.03 to 0.12). A higher left ventricular ejection fraction at base line, less intensive conventional drug therapy at base line, and a shorter duration of disease, but not the treatment assignment, were positive independent predictors of the left ventricular ejection fraction at week 28. There was no significant difference in survival between the two groups (P = 0.96). The mortality rate for the entire group was 20 percent at 1 year and 56 percent at 4.3 years. Features suggesting an effective inflammatory response were associated with less severe initial disease.

CONCLUSIONS
Our results do not support routine treatment of myocarditis with immunosuppressive drugs. Ventricular function improved regardless of whether patients received immunosuppressive therapy, but long-term mortality was high. Patients with a vigorous inflammatory response had less severe disease.


Effects of purity on the superconducting properties of top seeded melt growth (TSMG) processed (Y1+x, x=0.1 and 0.2) superconductors were investigated. (Y123) powder prepared using with 99.75% purity and commercially available Y123 powder of 99.9% were used for the fabrication of single Y123 grain superconductors. values of the Y1+x samples prepared using low purity Y123 powder were slightly lower than those of the samples prepared using a high purity powder. In addition to the lower , an anomalous peak effect in the intermediate magnetic fields was observed in Y1+x samples prepared using the low purity powder. The slight decrease in and the anomalous peak effect are ascribed to the possible incorporation of a Y123 phase with impurity elements such as strontium and calcium included in the powder of 99.7%. The result suggests that the low purity powder of a low price can be used as a raw power for the fabrication of single grain YBCO bulk superconductors.


This article explores the questions of marriage and divorce as discussed by Stanley Cavell in his study of classical Hollywood comedies, in which he considered a popular subgenre of the American comedy of the thirties and forties that he dubbed the "comedy of remarriage". It focuses on Cavell's analysis of a series of films and the way these comedies belong to a specific American school of thought with a case study of The Awful Truth (Leo McCarey, US 1937). It then seeks to identify traces of Kierkegaard's moral legacy, by way of Wittgenstein's influence on the American thinker, in Cavell's original approach to marriage and divorce in light of his discussion of philosophical skepticism.


Since 1975 in the Perm Region there have been studied agarics with the help of route and stationary methods. The stationary research has been carried out in 10 types of woods: 2 spruce-groves, 4 pine-woods, a birch and aspen grove, a lime grove, an alder carr. All the arboreous plants have well-developed mycorrhiza. The mushrooms forming mycorrhiza are represented in 306 species and intraspecific taxa that account for 4 1% of all the species. They are dominant according to their mass in various ecosystems. The majority of the mushrooms forming mycorrhiza (177 species) are edible, 28 species are poisonous.


A ring R is called left NPP if for any nilpotent element a of R, l(a) = Re, e2 = e ∈ R. A right R−module M is called Nflat if for each a ∈ N(R), the Z−module map 1M ⊗ i : M ⊗ R Ra −→ M ⊗ R R is monic, where i : Ra ↪→ R is the inclusion map. A ring R is called right SNF if every simple right R−module is Nflat. In this paper, we first show that a ring R is left NPP iff every sum of two injective submodules of a left R−module is nil−injective. And some properties of left NPP rings are given, for example, if R is left NPP , so is eRe for any e2 = e ∈ R satisfying ReR = R. Next, we study some properties of reduced rings. A ring R is reduced if and only if R is ZC and right SNF if and only if R is left and right NPP and R has no subrings which is isomorphic to the upper triangular matrix UTZ2 or UT (Zp)2 for some prime p. Finally, we give some characterizations of n−regular rings, for example, a ring R is n−regular if and only if every right R−module is


Non-contact digitization of objects and surfaces with optical sensors based on fringe or pattern projection in combination with a CCD-camera allows a representation of surfaces with pointclouds equals x, y, z data points. To digitize the total surface of an object, it is necessary to combine the different measurement data obtained by the optical sensor from different views. Depending on the size of the object and the required accuracy of the measured data, different sensor set-ups with handling system or a combination of linear and rotation axes are described. Furthermore, strategies to match the overlapping pointclouds of a digitized object are introduced. This is very important especially for the digitization of large objects like 1:1 car models, etc. With different sensor sizes, it is possible to digitize small objects like teeth, crowns, inlays, etc. with an overall accuracy of 20 micrometer as well as large objects like car models, with a total accuracy of 0.5 mm. The various applications in the field of optical digitization are described.


A review of microwave devices for power generation and low-noise amplification in active array modules is given. Various configurations of active array module are discussed and particularly full attention is given to the use of microwave phase-locked loops to achieve the required gain and accurate phase control. The noise performance and response to pulse-compression waveforms for such loops is also considered. It is suggested that considerable benefits may be obtained by performing phase shifting and signal processing at i.f. or baseband and that this leads to the possibility of optical-fibre interfaces with modules, much simplifying the interconnection problem. The realisation of a phase-locked loop module with phase shift applied at i.f. and constructed in thick-film microstrip form for use at X band is described.


In art education,the exploitation and utilization of folk art lets the student more exposed to native culture and art,raises students' innovation ability,broadens their aesthetic knowledge,helps them gain localism,identifies students with their culture and cultivates their affection for the excellent folk culture etc.As the transmitter of Chinese traditional folk culture,the art teacher carries forward the folk,art,inspires students' thinking,cultivates their innovative awareness by imparting knowledge to them,which is of very positive significance.


Patent information is the latest achievement of scientific research program which can reflect the last orientation of technology.This paper chooses SOOPAT as the patent data source,studies retrieval patent data,then obtains the current situation of bio-aerosol detection and identification technology,key areas and trends.Next,the article proposes reflections on the domestic development of biological warfare agents aerosol detect technology.The results have significant guidance for the development of related biological detectors.


It considered the olfactory theory and scent marks practice as a starting point,combined with the development of the theoretical Corporate Identity System and extended the connotation of a logo design.Then it proposed concept of scent marks Design.It elaborated classification of the different scent marks and practical examples,learnt from the design process of the Visual Identity System,and then introduced research methods of Neuroscience and Sensory Psychophysics.On this basis,it proposed the prototype of the general scent marks design process,which will broad the corporate image design ideas,scent marks design to provide a reference to future enterprises.


With the wide acceptance of the concept of damage control surgery and organ function preservation, duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPRH) is commonly advocated to patients with benign and low malignant neoplasms. But because of complex local anatomy and blood supply, difficulty of operation, and high postoperative complications such as biliary and duodenal ischemia, the case reports are rare. We described two cases of DPPHR here, with total pancreatic head resection and pancreastic gastric anastomosis performed for one patient with serous cystadenoma of the pancreatic head, and total pancreatic head resection and pancreaticojejunostomy performed for the other patient of pancreatitis with pancreatic head mass. For case 1, acute upper digestive tract hemorrhage occurred one week after operation, and was cured and discharged after treatment with acid, hemostasis and somatostatin. Case 2 had Grade A pancreatic fistula complication after the operation, and was recovered and discharged after conservative treatment. The main points of the DPPHR procedure is the en bloc removal of the pancreatic head and the pathologic tissue, ensuring the blood supply of the duodenum and the inferior extremity of the common bile duct, to prevent the ischemia damage of the duodenum and bile duct.

Key words:
Pancreatic neoplasms; Pancreatitis, chronic; Pancreaticoduodenectomy; Duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection


The present invention provides a surgical stapling instrument having a feedback device, including positioning the push plate and plywood, prompting device comprising: a collision member, the striker member comprising a spring connected at one end with a ball, the collision member is fixed to the push plate positioning; collision member , collision member on the jaw; impact member with the movement of the push plate and the positioning member is producing a sound and feel collision prompts collision. The present invention is more pronounced feel and voice prompts, easy to feel, easy installation and replacement parts. In particular, the present invention is preferably rigid and rigid ribs touch beads, collision warning sound crisper, more obvious feel, characteristic of the prior art also avoids the use of plastic parts in a collision deformed generated voice prompts and feel weak and causes the cue equipment parts may be subject to technical problems or blocking off the card.


We analyze the restructuring of the manufacturing workforce over the past two decades by investigating how the occupational distribution of workers has changed. We identify important regional differences in the nature and degree of this restructuring, and give particular attention to New York State's experience in relation to that of other states in the Northeast.


Abstract An environmentally friendly surface etching and Pd free activation technique for acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) surface metallisation was investigated. With surface etching, NiSO4 absorption and NaBH4 reduction, nickel particles were deposited on the ABS surface as a catalyst replacement for palladium catalyst to achieve surface metallisation. After the electroless plating, a uniform copper film was electrodeposited on the ABS surface. The effects of NiSO4 concentration, NaBH4 concentration, reduction temperature and reduction time on the adhesion strength between the ABS surface and the electroless copper film were investigated. The adhesion strengths between electroless copper and ABS substrate reached 0·72 kN m−1, and indicated that this surface activation technique was a feasible and cost effective method for ABS surface metallisation.


Results from life cycle assessment of concrete show that the problem of emissions and resource depletion are considerably due to the production of cement. Sustainable waste management of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) should therefore, if possible, include hardened cement as a resource. RCA used in sub-bases in roads has the capacity to reharden which means that substitution of virgin aggregates can be made more efficiently. RCA from a residential block in Goteborg has been used in laboratory experiments as a binder. The crushed concrete fines were separated, reground with surface active additive and mixed with coarse RCA and sand. The binder content of the mix was 350 kg/cu.m and mean compressive strength of 2.8 MPa was measured after 28 days of curing. For the covering abstract see ITRD E112391.


Over the past decade network bandwidth has become a commodity item putting pressure on Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to differentiate their service offerings to customers in order to maintain market share. However, realizing service differentiation in IP networks is a broad, multi-dimensional and challenging problem. This thesis addresses this problem and proposes new approaches for bandwidth service management for the Internet and its wireless extensions.
First, we propose a unified formulation of band width utility functions for application aggregates including TCP, small audio flows, and individual video flows. We discuss experiments using the online generation of utility functions from video traces and present a utility prediction algorithm that addresses the time scale mismatch that exits between video content changes and network adaptation time-scales.
Next, we present two groups of utility-based link allocation algorithms that provide a foundation for utility differentiating and utility maximizing bandwidth management. The utility maximizing algorithm leverages the piecewise linear quantization of utility functions and uses the Kuhn-Tucker condition to significantly reduce the algorithm execution time. Our utility differentiating algorithm supports utility fair allocation that allows individual utility functions to have different maximum utility values. We extend these results to the problem of multi-hop utility-based flow control by augmenting the max-min flow control algorithm to support utility functions. We study, propose and evaluate a utility-based max-min fair allocation and renegotiation protocol in the context of an edge-based wireless access network taking into consideration convergence speed, protocol state reduction, and the management of application adaptation states.
Third, we present a dynamic bandwidth provisioning model for quantitative service differentiation in core networks that comprises node and core provisioning algorithms. The node provisioning algorithm prevents transient violations of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) by predicting the onset of service level violations based on a multi-class virtual queue technique, self-adjusting per-class service weights, and packet dropping thresholds at core routers. Persistent service level violations are reported to a dynamic core provisioning algorithm, which dimensions traffic aggregates at the network ingress taking into account fairness issues not only across different traffic aggregates but also within the same aggregate whose packets can take different routes in the core IP network. We solve the problem of rate regulation for point-to-multipoint flow aggregates with the use of matrix inverse operations. We demonstrate that our model is capable of delivering capacity provisioning in an efficient manner and providing quantitative delay-bounds with differentiated loss across per-aggregate service classes.
Finally, we propose incentive engineering techniques and design two incentive-based allocation service classes that effectively constrain the strategy space of subscribers to a set of cooperative behaviors that include the truthful selection of a service class and truthful declaration of bandwidth demands. Our design minimizes protocol messaging overhead imposed on wireless subscribers while possessing a number of beneficial properties including Nash bargaining fairness for the instantaneous allocation service, and incentive compatibility for mobile users promoting the truthful declaration of their service preferences. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


The Hipparcos optical reference frame is compared to the basic FK5 in order to determine the orientation at T 0 = 1991.25 and the global spin between the two frames. The components of the spin are significant and suggest a correction the IAU76 value of the precession constant and to a possible non-precessional motion of the equinox of the FK5. The regional errors are analysed with harmonic functions and found to be as large as 150 mas in position and 3 mas/yr in proper motion.


This paper's concern is on product's disassembly sequence planning which is a complex NP-hard problem. Disassembly feasibility information graph (DFIG) is presented for describing product's disassembly operations (sequences) information. Based on the DFIG, the problem of disassembly sequence planning is transformed into a problem of searching optimum path. A genetic algorithm is introduced to search for feasible and optimum solution of product disassembly sequence with a well efficiency. Finally, a simply case example is used to illustrate the method


To protect the privacy dialing to a mobile user telephone operator, the operator generates a separate identifier can anonymously connect to a content provider by the user identifier. The operator / generators may be used alone to separate links to the requesting user identifier. And, separating a separate identifier or a session identifier is therefore a change in each connection to a provider of a user identifier, or a separate context identifier, is thus maintained in a several connections identifier. Further, the context identifier to a user / provider to adapt. The method of separating the user even further.


Simple, rapid and reliable methods are required to monitor the microbial community change in aquatic pond for better animal performance. Four floc (suspended organic matter) samples were collected from outdoor raceways and tanks used for culturing Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Twenty-two chlorophyll (Chl) and carotenoid pigments were separated, identified and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography–ultraviolet/Vis-mass spectrometry in the freeze-dried floc samples. Algal community composition (diatoms, chlorophytes, cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates and cryptophytes) was determined by measuring concentrations of the respective taxonomic biomarkers (carotenoid fucoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, peridinin and alloxanthin) as independent variables and Chl a as the dependent variable using a multiple regression model. This analysis found that the phytoplankton community of the floc samples from two groups of shrimp tanks (32 g L−1-salinity) were diatom-dominated (81.7% and 84.4%); and two floc samples from shrimp raceways (5 and 18 g L−1-salinity) were chlorophyte-dominated (75.4% and 82.3%). Assessment of total algal and bacterial biomass by quantification of Chl a and muramic acid, respectively, indicated that the 18 g L−1-salinity raceway sample was bacteria-dominated, whereas the other three floc samples were algae-dominated. Sample protein quality was evaluated by its essential amino acid (AA) score and index. Arginine and lysine were found to be the two most limiting AAs for all floc samples.


Agile manufacturing has been promoted as a national strategy for improving industrial competitiveness. Agility refers to the capability to very rapidly go from a set of unique customer requirements to a quality, finished product. An appreciation of the human factors inherent to agile product development is pivotal to the successful integration of agility-enabling technologies, as well as the coordination of personnel working within a concurrent engineering environment. This article briefly summarizes human factors contributions to: (1) development of agile business practices; (2) design of enabling technologies; and (3) management of the introduction and fielding of new technologies and business practices. More detailed discussion is offered for human factors related to the communications and information infrastructure essential to an organization making the transition from traditional to agile product development. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


This paper proposes a short review on our knowledge on the dust emission in the diffuse sky from far-IR to the mm wavelength. The current understanding is based mainly on the analysis of the COBE data combined with several templates of gas tracers (HI and Halpha). In the millimeter, emphasis is given to the new WMAP results on the so-called ``anomalous microwave emission''.


This work presents a methodology of applying THz spectroscopy to solve one outstanding problem in crystallography-the structure analysis of disorder. Form I of diflunisal, which shows atomic occupational disorder, is used for the illustration. Through analyzing the roles played by disordered atoms to THz vibrations, we have retrieved concrete information about the symmetric restrictions on the spatial correlations of disordered atoms and revealed indiscriminate experimental evidence of the existence of explicit correlation patterns.


Abstract 2540 Background: Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) assessment is increasingly used for treatment stratification since it is a strong predictor of outcome in Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The most widely used MRD assays include flow cytometric detection of aberrant immunophenotypes and PCR amplification of patient-specific antigen-receptor sequences. The latter approach has proven to provide reliable clinical information but requires the development of patient-specific reagents which is laborious, time-consuming, and generates assays with variable sensitivities. In addition, this methodology may miss clonal changes that can occur during the course of the disease, such as the emergence of subclones as well as genetic evolution. To overcome these limitations, we developed a universal amplification assay with a sequencing readout that eliminates the need for patient-specific reagents, allows the assay to detect leukemic cells that have genetically evolved, and has a higher sensitivity than conventional tests. Methods and Results: To amplify all the IgH sequences, we developed a PCR assay to amplify all alleles of all the V and J segments with very low amplfication bias. Amplified molecules were then subjected to clonal sequencing to obtain >1 million reads to measure the frequency of the different IgH clonotypes in the sample. It should be noted that current next generation sequencing costs of this deep sequencing are similar to those of an MRD test conducted by flow cytometry. We tested the sensitivity of the method by in serial dilutions of genomic DNA from a leukemia sample known to carry two IgH clonotypes with into genomic DNA obtained from peripheral blood sample from a healthy donor. The material from the dilution series was then sequenced and analyzed to measure the level of these clones. The leukemic clonotypes could be readily detected even when diluted 1 million fold. To directly compare the our method to established MRD assays in ALL, we studied diagnostic and follow-up samples from 10 ALL patients whose MRD levels have been previously assessed by both real-time PCR amplification of IgH genes and flow cytometry. The results of these tests were not disclosed until completion of the deep sequencing analysis. The follow up samples were collected during (n = 3) or at the end of remission induction therapy (n = 4), or during continuation therapy (n = 3). Samples were processed similarly to identify the leukemia-specific sequence in the diagnostic samples and determine the level of these sequences in the follow up samples. The sequencing-based method identified all 5 samples that were MRD-positive according to flow cytometry and PCR (Figure 2), with highly concordant estimates of MRD levels. Notably, among the remaining 5 samples, scored as MRD-negative by both flow cytometry and conventional PCR, the sequencing method detected residual leukemic sequences at a very low level (∼10 −6 ) in one of the samples. The other 4 samples were MRD-negative by all three methods. Studies with a larger cohort of ALL samples are ongoing. Contrary to conventional PCR-based MRD testing, the sequencing technology allows for the detection of leukemic clones that evolve by V replacement or other mechanisms. In this study, we identified clonotypes in several of the diagnostic samples that appeared to be the result of V replacement. These and other newly appearing related clones can be monitored in subsequent samples using the generic amplification and sequencing assay. Conclusions: We developed a highly sensitive and specific MRD detection method based on next-generation sequencing of IgH genes. This method has substantial advantages over conventional PCR MRD in that it eliminates the need for patient-specific reagents, can follow genetic evolution, and has potential for higher sensitivity. Disclosures: Faham: Sequenta Inc: Employment, Equity Ownership. Willis: Sequenta Inc: Employment, Equity Ownership. Moorhead: Sequenta Inc: Employment, Equity Ownership. Carlton: Sequenta Inc: Employment, Equity Ownership. Zheng: Sequenta Inc: Employment, Equity Ownership.


This collection of papers explores aspects of display technologies. Divided into nine sections, the text discusses such topics as switchable holograms for displays, colour characterization of twist nematic LC panels and high-luminance FED with low-power consumption.


Internal tandem duplications of the juxtamembrane domain of FLT3 (FLT3-ITD) are among the most common mutations in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Resulting in constitutive activation of the kinase, FLT3-ITD portends a particularly poor prognosis, with reduced overall survival and increased rates of relapse. We previously generated a knock-in mouse harboring an internal tandem duplication at the endogenous Flt3 locus, that develops a fatal myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), but fails to develop full blown leukemia, suggesting additional mutations are necessary for transformation. Global genomic sequencing studies have identified a substantial subset of patients in which FLT3-ITD and DNMT3A mutations are concomitantly present. Moreover, the co-occurrence of these mutations is significantly associated with adverse clinical outcomes (Patel JP, et al. NEJM. 2012;366:1079-89). Based on these observations, we investigated the potential cooperativity of FLT3-ITD and mutant DNMT3A to drive leukemogenesis using genetically engineered mouse strains. In accordance with mounting evidence that DNMT3A mutations result in a loss of function, we used a mouse model harboring floxed Dnmt3a alleles (Dnmt3a f/f ), and a lymphocyte specific Cre transgene (Mx1-Cre+), which is activated upon injection with Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (PiPC). We used a substrain of our Flt3-ITD knock-in mice, which retains a floxed Neomycin (Neo) selection cassette from the initial targeting (Flt3 ITDneo/+ ), and reduces expression of the mutant allele until PiPC treatment. Mice were bred to contain both types of mutation and were injected with PiPC intraperitoneally at 8 weeks of age and monitored for disease development. Mice containing both the FLT3/ITD and Dnmt3a f/f developed leukemias. Hempatopoietic tissues were examined morphologically and by flow cytometry. Interestingly, deletion of Dnmt3a significantly reduced median survival of Flt3-ITD mice in a dose-dependent manner, with median survival of 162 days and 260 days for Dnmt3a f/f ;Flt3 ITDneo/+ and Dnmt3a f/+ ;Flt3 ITDneo/+ , respectively (Figure 1). Both genotypes confer a significantly shorter survival time compared to Flt3 ITDneo/+ alone controls, which have a median survival of 412 days. Moribund mice exhibited elevated white blood cell counts and splenomegaly, and developed a spectrum of diseases. As expected, Flt3 ITDneo/+ mice solely developed MPN, while Dnmt3a f/f ;Flt3 ITDneo/+ and Dnmt3a f/+ ;Flt3 ITDneo/+ developed a spectrum of neoplasms including MPN, T-ALL, and AML. Dnmt3a dosage influences the disease phenotype, as Dnmt3a f/f ;Flt3 ITDneo/+ (n=18) develop T-ALL (46%), AML (31%), and MPN (23%), while Dnmt3a f/+ ;Flt3 ITDneo/+ mice (n=17) present with T-ALL (14%), T cell Lymphoma (14%), AML (43%), and MPN (29%). Recent work has demonstrated that Dnmt3a deletion in hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) promotes self renewal and expansion of the LT-HSC pool (Challan GA, et al. Nat Genet. 2011;44:23-31). Conversely, Flt3-ITD disrupts LT-HSC quiescence, resulting in depletion of this compartment (Heiser D & Chu SH, et al. Cell Stem Cell. 2012;11:346-58). To investigate if Dnmt3a deletion might restore or expand the LT-HSC compartment when combined with Flt3-ITD, we examined the bone marrow of mice 8 weeks post PiPC injection, and found that Dnmt3a f/f ;Flt3 ITDneo/+ mice displayed an expansion of the LT-HSCs, ST-HSCs, and Multipotent Progenitors compared to wild type, Dnmt3a f/f ;Flt3 +/+ , and Flt3-ITD mice. The HSC populations of Dnmt3a f/+ ;Flt3 ITDneo/+ mice exhibit similar proportions compared with Flt3-ITD mice, with a modest increase in the MPP population. These results illustrate, for the first time, that Dnmt3a loss cooperates with Flt3-ITD to generate myriad hematopoietic neoplasms, including AML. In combination with Flt3-ITD, homozygous Dnmt3a knock-out results in reduced time to disease onset, LT-HSC expansion, and a higher incidence of T-ALL compared with loss of just one allele. The co-occurrence of FLT3 and Dnmt3a mutations in AML, as well as subsets of T-ALL, suggests the Dnmt3a f/f ;Flt3 ITD neo/+ model may serve as a valuable resource for delineating effective therapeutic strategies in two clinically relevant contexts. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Charge transport in one- and two-dimensional GaAs-based electronic systems by surface acoustic waves (SAWs) is expected to find application in quantum information processing and metrology. In the charge transport by a SAW (referred to as the acoustic charge transport (ACT)), electrons are transported in packets residing in the SAW potential minima along channels formed in a GaAs quantum well or heterojunction, which play a role similar to that of wires in standard electronic circuits. The potential of ACT circuits for quantum information processing stems from their ability to precisely control the position and the spin of single electrons. Traps in the ACT channel may capture an electron from one SAW minimum and release it later into another, thereby reducing the fidelity of the ACT transport and compromising device performance. In this paper, we describe a novel experimental technique for the characterization of the ACT fidelity using an acoustoelectric Y-branch switch. The results are used to assess the performance of an acoustoelectric discriminating photon detector for quantum information processing.


The structures, phase transformations, and dielectric properties of pyrochlore ceramics containing bismuth were studied. The relation between the orthorhombic and cubic pyrochlores in the Bi2O3-ZnO-Nb2O5 (BZN) system has been investigated. The effect of bismuth in distorted cubic pyrochlore structures is discussed. BZN compositions with pyrochlore structures have excellent dielectric properties, very low dielectric loss, and high dielectric constants with stable frequency and temperature dependence.


The present paper deals with an analysis of the action of parathormone on the neuromuscular system which may be considered the main seat of the tetany syndrome (MacCallum and Vogel 1 ) The hind legs of pithed Ranae esculentae were perfused with phosphate buffered Ringer and the sciatic nerve stimulated with rhythmic condensor discharges as described previously. 2 After a state of relative fatigue had been reached in which the height of contraction remains equal over a long period of time, the perfusion fluid was exchanged for one containing parathormone, Lilly or Parke Davis, in concentrations from 1:1000 to 1:100. In all solutions the pH was carefully adjusted to that of Ringer. The phenol content proved to be without effect as control experiments indicated. In several hundred experiments parathormone invariably causes an increase in the height of contractions up to about 200% in the strongest concentrations. The effects are reversible when the solution is again exchanged for ordinary Ringer and the effects are due to the parathormone content of the extract for the following reasons: 1. Extracts of the parathyroid which according to the blood calcium test show the same number of units per cc. but contain solids of varying concentrations show an equal effect on the muscle even when the concentration of the solids varies 100%. 2. Boiling for one hour destroys neither the action of parathormone on the blood calcium (Collip and Thomson 3 ) nor our reaction. 3. Destruction of the hormone content of the extract by boiling with 10% HC1 for one hour abolished the described reaction on the muscle, as it does the blood calcium effect according to Collip.


1. Introduction: Putting Globalization in its place 2. The Philippines and the Global Economy: Constructing a place in the World 3. Globalization and the Philippine Space Economy: Patterns, Processes and Politics 4. The Globalising Village I: Landscapes of Labour 5. The Globalising Village II: The Physical Landscape 6. Resisting and Reimagining the Global 7. Conclusion Appendix: Methodological Issues


The movement law of the rigid and soft precrosslinked particulate in porous medium was studied.The results indicate that the migration of particulate plugging agent has three modes which are successful pass,pass after crashed and formatting jam.When the particulate is less than pore throat,it can be distorted after absorbing water and successfully pass the pore throat under the driving of injecting water.When the particulate diameter is more than the pore throat,it will be crashed by the driving fore and then successfully pass the pore throat.


We provide a model for the reception of knowledge from externalized information sources. The model is based on a cognitive understanding of information processing and draws up ideas of an exchange of information in communication processes. Karl Popper's three-world theory with its orientation on falsifiable scientific knowledge is extended by John Searle's concept of collective intentionality. This allows a consistent description of externalization and reception of knowledge including scientific knowledge as well as everyday knowledge.


The main feature of the paper is to study about weibull distribution. This distribution is almost similar to normal distribution. In this paper, we have proposed how to convert type-1 to type-2 of weibull distribution. The reduction method of type-2 weibull distribution is also proposed here. A simple Transportation Problem model has been developed to utilized the given method. Finally, Lingo 13.0 optimization software has been used to solve the problem.


Channeled spectropolarimeters (CSP) measure the polarization state of light as a function of wavelength. Conventional Fourier reconstruction suffers from noise, assumes the channels are band-limited, and requires uniformly spaced samples. To address these problems, we propose an iterative reconstruction algorithm. We develop a mathematical model of CSP measurements and minimize a cost function based on this model. We simulate a measured spectrum using example Stokes parameters, from which we compare conventional Fourier reconstruction and iterative reconstruction. Importantly, our iterative approach can reconstruct signals that contain more bandwidth, an advancement over Fourier reconstruction. Our results also show that iterative reconstruction mitigates noise effects, processes non-uniformly spaced samples without interpolation, and more faithfully recovers the ground truth Stokes parameters. This work offers a significant improvement to Fourier reconstruction for channeled spectropolarimetry.


A multi-object audio decoding method, comprising receiving a bitstream including a down-mix signal generated by down-mixing N foreground audio objects and a background audio object and N residual signals generated according to the down-mixing, wherein the N residual signals respectively corresponding to the N foreground audio objects and N is an integer; and restoring the foreground audio object and the background audio object from the down-mix signal using the residual signal, wherein the step of restoring including the step of restoring the Mth foreground audio object of the N foreground audio objects, and outputting the down-mix signal after restoring the Mth foreground audio object, using the Mth residual signal of the N residual signals corresponding to the Mth foreground audio object, and the down-mix signal of the background audio object and the foreground audio objects not restored yet, wherein the M is an integer not greater than the N; and the step of sequentially repeating, until the N foreground audio objects and the background audio object are restored, restoring the (M+1)th foreground audio object of the N foreground audio objects, and outputting the down-mix signal after restoring the (M+1)th foreground audio object, using the (M+1)th residual signal of the N residual signals corresponding to the (M+1)th foreground audio object, and the down-mix signal outputted by the step of restoring.


The relationship between urban activities and movement has owed its changing character to policies relating to the supply and pricing of road space and parking. In metropolitan cities, in an era when rival municipal administrations vied to attract retail, commercial and industrial activities to strengthen their income base, parking tended to be supplied free of charge or at relatively low cost. This helped to accelerate the decentralisation of cities and the dispersal of activities. While decentralisation may have reduced the tidal flow of road traffic in urban areas, it has generally created a demand for additional road space and has increased congestion and weakened public transport. It has resulted in significant problems associated with exhaust emissions, adversely affecting air quality over cities. Since 2000, the creation of unicity administrations in the six metropolitan areas of South Africa has created an opportunity for more rational parking policies to evolve, which could impose more realistic car commuting charges and indirectly support public transport. Apart from parking charges, other mechanisms may be considered to improve road management and use and to attract commuters towards public transport. Gautrain, between Johannesburg and Pretoria, for example, will rely on road tolls to act as a deterrent to private car use in the train corridor, thereby making public transport a more viable alternative. Tolls and levies need to be applied comprehensively and systematically to avoid unforeseen distortions of the urban activity and movement systems. The paper examines international experience in applying parking and other pricing policies to influence the relationship between urban activities and travel movement. It also examines recent research in South Africa which evaluates the sensitivity of car travellers to increases in parking fares.


2017 is a year of milestone anniversaries for events that shaped our world: the Reformation, the Russian Revolution, and one horrible Supreme Court decision.


The EMS is a typical unstable and nonlinear system. Applying fuzzy controller to it is getting much attention. This paper puts forward the fuzzy control on the EMS based on its prediction model, which has corrected the dynamic instability and eliminated the phenomena of the bigger overshoot or the system oscillation caused by the time-varying of the system, and by adding error weighting coefficient α to adjust the effect of the prediction model. Simulation results show that this control method can evidently correct the bad characteristics of the bigger overshoot or the system oscillation and rapidly reach the stability completely with the time-varying and the varying parameters of the system.


Objective To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) guided percutaneous biopsy in musculoskeletal occupying lesions.Methods Fifty-four patients with musculoskeletal occupying lesions that were proved by imaging modalities were divided into CEUS group(n=28) and conventional ultrasound(US) group(n=26) at random,in which biopsy was performed under guidance of CEUS and conventional ultrasound,respectively.The success rate of sampling and occurrence rate of complications were compared between the two groups.Results The success rate of sampling in groups CEUS and US were 96.43%(27/28) and 76.92%(20/26),respectively(P0.05),and the occurrence rate of complications in both groups was 0.Conclusion CEUS guided percutaneous biopsy is a safe and reliable method in diagnosing musculoskeletal occupying lesions and worthy to be widely popularized.


A new sappanin-type 3-benzyl chroman-4-one (homoisoflavanone), (3S)-3-(4'-methoxybenzyl)-3,5-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-6-methyl chroman-4-one (1), together with known congeners (3S)-3-(4'-methoxybenzyl)-3,5-dihydroxy-7-methoxy chroman-4-one (2), (3S)-3-(4'-hydroxybenzyl)-3,5-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-6-methyl chroman-4-one (3), (3S)-3-(4'-hydroxybenzyl)-3,5-dihydroxy-7-methoxy chroman-4-one (4), 3-(3',4'-methyledioxybenzyl)-7-hydroxy-8-methoxy chroman-4-one (5), and stigmasterol and ergosterol peroxide have been isolated from the rhizomes of Sansevieria cylindrica, collected in Myanmar. Moreover, the first isolation of the (-)-enantiomer of the dihydrochalcone trifasciatine C (7) from nature is described. The structures of the compounds have been established by extensive spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 4 and 7 showed no significant cytotoxicity against HeLa cells. Compounds 1–4 and 7 exhibited weak radical scavenging activity (DPPH). A new biosynthetic pathway has been proposed for the formation of homoisoflavanone 5 and dihydrochalcone 7.


Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) growth and production is highly dependent on potassium (K) levels in the soil. Southwest China is the largest potato production region but it has low availability of soil potassium. To assess the genetic variation in K use efficiency, 20 potato genotypes were collected to compare the yield and K content in a pot experiment. Moreover, 'Huayu-5' and 'Zhongshu-19' were cultivated in five K applications to investigate the K distribution and sucrose in different organs. The results indicated that there were highly significant effects of K, genotype and K×G interactions on tuber yield, plant and tuber K content, plant K uptake efficiency and K harvest index. Cluster analysis classified 20 potato genotypes into four types: DH (high efficiency at low and high K application), LKH (high efficiency at low K application), HKH (high efficiency at high K application) and DL (low efficiency at low and high K application). The potassium distribution percentage in the tubers of the potassium-efficient genotype was higher than that of the potassium-inefficient genotype under low potassium application. The sucrose content in the tuber gently declined as the application of K rose in both cultivars, and that in the tuber of 'Huayu-5' was higher than that in 'Zhongshu-19'. 'Huayu5' reached the highest yield when the potassium application was 159.45 kg ha, and 'Zhongshu-19' reached the highest yield when the potassium application was 281.4 kg ha. This study indicated that genetic variation for K utilization efficiency existed among 20 genotypes, and yield in low K application and relative yield were suitable criteria for screening K utilization efficiency genotypes.


The ancient Zhuang characters are created for recording the language of Zhuang,which is still used by the Zhuang folks currently.The positive and negative factors that affect the ancient Zhuang characters' appearance、existence and development are diverse.The appearance、existence and development of the ancient Zhuang characters are rooted in the social and cultural environment.Under the influence of it,although the ancient Zhuang characters show a trend declining nowadays,it will exist for a long time in some special fields.


Compact metamaterial embedded antenna is presented with tri-band radiation characteristics suitable for biomedical implant applications. The antenna exhibits simultaneous radiations for the Medical Implant Communications Services band for the frequency band of 402–405 MHz as well as Industrial Scientific and Medical bands of 902–928 MHz and 2.4-2.48 GHz. Differential feeding is used for achieving high bandwidth and better radiation characteristics. The overall size of the antenna element is 15.8×13.2×2 mm, with top layer of the proposed antenna consisting of various open ended stubs along with split ring resonator metamaterial for radiation in the upper frequency range. Whereas the bottom layer of the antenna comprises of line segments with slots embedded for the radiation in lower frequency range. The proposed antenna is analyzed and optimized in CST for various dimensions of the lines and stubs. The frequency response along with radiation plots are presented for validation of concept.


We consider two systems of two conservation laws that are defined on complementary spatial intervals and coupled by an interface as a single port-Hamiltonian system. In case of a fixed interface position, we characterize the boundary and interface conditions for which the associated port-Hamiltonian operator generates a contraction semigroup. Furthermore, we present sufficient conditions for the exponential stability of the generated $C_0$-semigroup. The results are illustrated by the example of two acoustic waveguides coupled by an interface consisting of some membrane.