The reliable moisture determination in a power transformer is still a challenge for utilities and large power transformer operators. The presence of high moisture can cause serious problems, such as severely reducing the remaining useful life and the operational capability of a transformer. The large insulation structure and slow dynamic moisture migration between cellulose and insulating fluid make it difficult to determine the true moisture level. Fiber optics based sensors offer superior sensing characteristics as compared with other techniques. A key advantage of using fiber optic sensors is their ability to be inserted into the winding structure. However, this is a relatively new technology and so extensive research and testing is required to understand how their measurement is affected by the operation of a transformer, and in particular by any sudden changes during a stepped load. In this work, the application of optical fiber Bragg grating based sensors is investigated under the influence of step cyclic thermal loading condition. The test is similar to the test performed by CIGRE WG D1.52 for evaluating different capacitive water activity probes. The tested optical sensors, coated with polyimide material for moisture sensing, are found to be suitable in comparison with commercial sensors and can be effectively used for moisture measurements in different insulated transformers.


The present study was conducted to determine the conception rate of cows/heifers artificially inseminated at Upazila Livestock Office, Rajarhat, Kurigram. A total of 184 cows/heifers of different breed, age, season, body weight and parity were selected and artificial inseminat ion was performed by using frozen semen. The cows were inseminated between 6-20 hrs. of onset of heat. All cows were examined for pregnancy by rectal palpation of genital tract at 80-90 days post AI. One hundred and seven were inseminated 1 or 2 times and 77 animals for 3 and more services. Out of 184 animals 101 animals were conceived and 83 animals did not conceived. The overall conception rates were 54.9%. A significantly decreased conception rate (p 0.05).The conception rate was observed significantly higher (78.9%) in the cows which were inseminated in spring than the cows were inseminated in summer (29.8%), winter (72.1%) and rainy (35.7%) season. The conception rate was significantly higher (p<0.01) in 1 st and 2 nd service compared with 3 rd


The title compound is a stoichiometric solvate, C20H13N5O2S2·C3H7NO, in which the two components are linked by an N—H⋯O hydrogen bond. The heterocyclic molecules are linked into chains by a combination of a C—H⋯S=C hydrogen bond and a π–π stacking interaction.


CXCR4 is a chemokine receptor frequently overexpressed on primary tumor cells. Organs to which these cancers metastasize secrete CXCL12, the unique ligand for CXCR4, which stimulates invasion and metastasis to these sites. Similar to our previous work with the chemoprotective phytochemical, 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM), we show here that genistein also downregulates CXCR4 and CXCL12 and subsequently lowers the migratory and invasive potentials of breast and ovarian cancer cells. Moreover, genistein and DIM elicit a significantly greater cumulative effect in lowering CXCR4 and CXCL12 levels than either compound alone. Our data suggest a novel mechanism for the protective effects of phytochemicals against cancer progression and indicate that in combination, these compounds may prove even more efficacious.


Preliminary experiments are performed to assess the utility of using the shock wave image framing technique (SWIFT) to characterize high explosive (HE) performance on detonator length and time scales. Columns of XTX 8004, an extrudable RDX-based high explosive, are cured directly within polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) dynamic witness plates, and SWIFT is employed to directly visualize shock waves driven into PMMA through detonation interaction. Current experiments investigate two-dimensional, axisymmetric test geometries that resemble historic aquarium tests, but on millimeter length scales, and the SWIFT system records 16-frame, time-resolved image sequences at 190 ns inter-framing. Detonation wave velocities are accurately calculated from the time-resolved images, and standard aquarium-test analysis is evaluated to investigate calculated shock pressures at the HE/PMMA interface. Experimental SWIFT results are discussed where the charge diameter of XTX 8004 is varied from 2.0 mm to 6.5 mm.


This article provides information about 30 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects in 25 U.S. and Canadian cities. It includes new projects, such as those in Livermore and San Diego, California, as well as older projects, such as Denver's 16th Street Transit, which began in 1982. It also describes five BRT projects that are funded by the Small Starts program. The information was collected in a survey, and is laid out in a three-page chart. Along with each city, it lists the project or agency, capital cost, start year, number of BRT vehicles, running way features, station characteristics, styles of vehicles, fare collection methods, type of propulsion, and use of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) features. Nearly half of those surveyed plan to include hybrid buses in their fleets.


The title compound, [Li2(C9H14N)(C16H36P3)]n, is a by-product of the reaction of [Cp(C5H4CH2CH2NMe2)ZrCl2]n with tBu2P–P(SiMe3)Li in toluene. It is a coordination polymer composed of infinite chains running along [010]. One Li(I) atom is chelated by the cyclopentadienyl ring and and the N atom of the scorpionate ligand and a P atom, whereas the other Li(I) atom is coordinated by the backside of the cyclopentadienyl ring and two P atoms. Both Li(I) atoms adopt a distorted trigonal coordination. The structure was determined from a twinned crystal, but only the data from the main twin component was used. The fraction of components in the crystal was 0.555:0.445 and the twin matrix corresponds to twofold rotation about the c axis (00/00/001).


This research was conducted to investigate the impact of governance on fiscal discipline and illicit financial flows in Nigeria. The study employed time series data for the period of twenty-nine years (1990-2018). Pre-estimation tests were conducted to examine the stationarity of the time-series data. Thereafter, the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL) was adopted on the basis of the order of integration of the variables adopted. This study employs the ARDL as a dynamic causal model for its analysis. It has a finite number of lags in the explanatory variables. The adoption of the lag form of the model lies in the fact that variables, such as corruption, foreign debt, foreign direct investment and budget deficits have lagged impacts, we do not only intend to analyze their current effects but also their distributed or accumulated impact in the previous periods. The coefficients of the ARDL model show that there exists a positive relationship between governance, fiscal discipline and illicit financial flows in Nigeria. The study thus, recommends the strengthening of rule of law, institutions of participation and accountability, including access to public services, state intervention and policy reforms against corruption to ensure transparency and accountability in public service in Nigeria. Also, there should be effective management, control and monitoring of allocation to the electricity sector in order to ensure judicious use of government resources.


Fabrication technology and mechanical properties of the Fe 3 Al based alloys which were produced by spark plasma sintering (SPS) from mechanically alloying powders were studied. The mechanically alloying (MA) powders were processed by the high-energy ball milling. The powders consolidation step is a rapidly sintering process, which can control the grain size and uniformity of microstructures. The sintering process was performed for 5mm at 1100°C under a pressure of 50MPa. The Phase characteristics by X-ray diffraction presented the Fc reacts with Al completely during the processing time. The mechanical properties were tested by the microhardness and three-point bending at the room temperature in the air, the mechanical properties are better (e.g. bending strength of 1074MPa) than the ordinary Fe 3 Al casting.


The design of permanent magnets for use in the Fermilab Main Injector "Recycler" ring is described. The magnets are a hybrid design with the field shape determined from accurately machined pole tips and the field driven by strontium ferrite blocks. The choice of magnetic material is discussed. A temperature compensation scheme has been demonstrated which uses a low Curie-temperature alloy to null out the intrinsic temperature coefficient to the ferrite. 1.2 m prototype magnets have been constructed which achieve the design goal of dB/B<10-4 over an aperture of 3.5"(h)/spl times/2"(v).


This paper, with tendency approach and the cyclic increasing approach, analyses the fluctuation period in our nation's grain production and its features from the start of the reform and open policy. It also probes into the affecting factors in our nation's grain production fluctuation on the basis of the methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis. Its affecting factors include: agricultural investment, natural disasters, grain prices and agricultural economic policy etc.


THE derivatives of oxazolidine-2–4-dione have long been known, but it was not until 1941,1 to our knowledge, that the first dione drug (Propazone) was administered to epileptic patients. Since that time four additional dione drugs (Tridione, Paradione, Dimedione and Malidone) have been synthesized and employed in the treatment of epilepsy. The purpose of this paper is to present our results, along with those of others, with the use of these five dione drugs in the treatment of childhood epilepsy. In discussing the efficacy of these drugs in the different types of epilepsy, it is necessary to present our distinction between . . .


The settling speeds of floes of fine-grained, natural sediments approximately 10–200 μm in diameter have been measured in both fresh water and seawater. These floes were formed at fluid shears of 100, 200, and 400 s−1 and at sediment concentrations of 10, 100, and 400 mg/L, values typical of conditions in the near-shore areas of lakes and oceans, especially during storm conditions. It is demonstrated that the settling speed of a floe is a strong function of fluid shear and sediment concentration as well as of the diameter of the floe, but it is a weak function of salinity. For the same diameter and salinity, floes produced at the lower fluid shears and sediment concentrations have lower settling speeds than do floes produced at higher fluid shears and sediment concentrations. If the conditions of fluid shear and sediment concentration under which the floes were produced are unknown or ignored, it is shown that the settling speed of a floe is a weak function of diameter and salinity.


Cold 2n transfer has been studied using the reaction Dy(Sn,Sn)Dy at energies in the vicinity of the Coulomb barrier. The experiment was performed at the Heidelberg-Darmstadt Crystal Ball spectrometer which was extended by 6 Compton suppressed Ge-detectors. It is demonstrated, that the direct population of intrinsically cold states in the deformed Dy transfer product can be selected by identifying and suppressing excitations to states above the yrast line using the Crystal Ball. The probability for populating yrast states in the deformed Dy nuclei in a 2n transfer reaction increases from 7 % at grazing collisions up to ≈ 50 % at large impact parameters, while the probability for populating the ground state in the spherical 2n transfer product Sn stays about constant at ≈ 45 % for all measured impact


A 57-year-old man was referred because of a seizure. Apart from papilloedema, neurological examination was normal. MRI showed a lesion in the left occipital lobe (Fig.1a, b). MR angiography (2D TOF technique) showed very slow flow or filling defects in the left transverse sinus (Fig. 1c). Because the shape of the lesion was not consistent with an arterial occlusion and because of the MRA findings, a venous infarct was suspected. Thoracic CT showed superior vena cava occlusion (SVCO) without evidence of tumour in the superior mediastinum. Antiepileptic and systemic thrombolytic therapy was prescribed. The patient was again referred 13 months later because of repeated episodes of confusion associated in one instance with dysarthria. Over the last 20 days the patient had asthmatic bronchitis, treated with antibiotics. Neurological examination was unchanged. EEG showed abnormalities (mostly slow waves) in the left parietooccipital regions. MRI showed an increase in size of the area of abnormal signal in the left occipital region (Fig. 2); mild and diffuse subcortical contrast enhancement was observed. A further infarct was suspected. One month later, the patient had similar neurological episodes associated with an exacerbation of his bronchitis. MRI showed a mild further increase in size of the area of abnormal signal (Fig. 3). Conventional angiography (Fig. 4) showed slow flow in the left transverse sinus, with a prominent vein of Labbé. The jugular veins were occluded, due to the SVCO. Large collateral vessels drained Neuroradiology (1997) 39: 414–417  Springer-Verlag 1997 DIAGNOSTIC NEURORADIOLOGY


The new species Lindernia adami-hefiedi from Madagascar, Montagne d'Ambre is described and illustrated. It differs from Lindernia rotundifolia, and related species in the dense indumentum with long-stalked glandular hairs, the matt leaves, the long pedicel, the large corolla and the long free staminodes. Additional material of the closely related species L. lemuriana, L. oblongifolia, L. rotundifolia and L. viguieri is studied and a key to the species of Lindernia s.str. in Madagascar is provided. Herbarium studies revealed that Ilysanthes oblongifolia is the oldest name for Lindernia paludosa, and the relevant new combination is made here.


Objective To observe the influence of Treg of recipients by HVEM gene transfection on mice cervical heterotopic heart transplantation.Methods Adenovirus expression vector Adv-mHVEM-IRES2-EGFP was constructed with mHVEM and EGFP by means of ADEasy system.Transferred the heart allografts by the vector before cervical heterotopic heart transplantation.The adenovirus vector was used in mixed lymphocyte reaction(MLR) and detected expression of IL6.Results Quantity of Treg in heart transplantation recipients was up-regulation markedly.Expression of IL6 in MLR was up-regulation markedly on 12h,24h,48h,72h.Conclusion The recombinate vector could prolong heart allografts survival time by up-regulation recipients′ quantity of Treg.


Anisometric microgels are prepared via thermal crosslinking using an in-mold polymerization technique. Star-shaped poly(ethylene oxide-stat-propylene oxide) polymers, end-modified with amine and epoxy groups, form hydrogels, of which the mechanical properties and gelation rate can be adjusted by the temperature, duration of heating, and polymer concentration. Depending on the microgel stiffness, the rod-shaped microgels self-assemble into ordered or disordered structures.


Mediatization research draws on the history of media and the history of mediation within diverse fields of society to develop a scholarly and empirically grounded account of the mediation of history. It is first argued that mediatization is characterized by two crucial features: it concerns the effects of the media on a field of society that is historically separate from the media; and it recognizes that these effects work in a complex manner over a considerable period of time. The chapter then contrasts three ideal typical accounts of mediatization, each with a different focus and timescale, namely: the many and varied roles of mediation throughout the longue duree of cultural evolution; the institutionalized forces of high modernity converging to produce a dominant corporate media sector in recent centuries; and the still uncertain yet potentially radical socio-technological transformations in digital networks over recent decades. It is concluded, first, that the second, institutional perspective makes the strongest case for a theory of mediatization, but that all perspectives could be mutually compatible with further theoretical and empirical work. This latter should include questions of critique, should be developed in partnership with experts in the various fields being mediatized, and could usefully be collected together under a single hashtag to permit further synthesis.


In this note it is shown that the closure condition, X1Y2 = X2Y1, X1Y4 = X2Y3, X3Y3 = X4Y1 --> X4Y2 = X3Y4, (and its dual) is equivalent to the Thomsen condition in quasigroups but not in general. Conditions are also given under which groupoids satisfying it are principal homotopes of cancellative, abelian semigroups, or abelian groups.


A half-Heusler material FeNb0.8Ti0.2Sb has been identified as a promising thermoelectric material due to its excellent thermoelectric performance at high temperatures. The origin of the efficient thermoelectric performance is investigated through a series of low-temperature (2–400 K) measurements. The high data coherence of the low and high temperatures is observed. An optimal and nearly temperature-independent carrier concentration is identified, which is ideal for the power factor. The obtained single type of hole carrier is also beneficial to the large Seebeck coefficient. The electronic thermal conductivity is found to be comparable to the lattice thermal conductivity and becomes the dominant component above 200 K. These findings again indicate that electron scattering plays a key role in the electrical and thermal transport properties. The dimensionless figure of merit is thus mainly governed by the electronic properties. These effects obtained at low temperatures with the avoidance of possible thermal fluctuations together offer the physical origin for the excellent thermoelectric performance in this material.A half-Heusler material FeNb0.8Ti0.2Sb has been identified as a promising thermoelectric material due to its excellent thermoelectric performance at high temperatures. The origin of the efficient thermoelectric performance is investigated through a series of low-temperature (2–400 K) measurements. The high data coherence of the low and high temperatures is observed. An optimal and nearly temperature-independent carrier concentration is identified, which is ideal for the power factor. The obtained single type of hole carrier is also beneficial to the large Seebeck coefficient. The electronic thermal conductivity is found to be comparable to the lattice thermal conductivity and becomes the dominant component above 200 K. These findings again indicate that electron scattering plays a key role in the electrical and thermal transport properties. The dimensionless figure of merit is thus mainly governed by the electronic properties. These effects obtained at low temperatures with the avoidance of possible therm...


Members of defined contribution (DC) pension plans must take on additional responsibilities for their investments, compared to participants in defined benefit (DB) pension plans. The transition from DB to DC plans means that more employees are faced with these responsibilities. We explore the extent to which DC plan members can follow financial strategies that have a high chance of resulting in a retirement scenario that is fairly close to that provided by DB plans. Retirees in DC plans typically must fund spending from accumulated savings. This leads to the risk of depleting these savings, that is, portfolio depletion risk. We analyze the management of this risk through life cycle optimal dynamic asset allocation, including the accumulation and decumulation phases. We pose the asset allocation strategy as an optimal stochastic control problem. Several objective functions are tested and compared. We focus on the risk of portfolio depletion at the terminal date, using such measures as conditional value at risk (CVAR) and probability of ruin. A secondary consideration is the median terminal portfolio value. The control problem is solved using a Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman formulation, based on a parametric model of the financial market. Monte Carlo simulations that use the optimal controls are presented to evaluate the performance metrics. These simulations are based on both the parametric model and bootstrap resampling of 91 years of historical data. The resampling tests suggest that target-based approaches that seek to establish a safety margin of wealth at the end of the decumulation period appear to be superior to strategies that directly attempt to minimize risk measures such as the probability of portfolio depletion or CVAR. The target-based approaches result in a reasonably close approximation to the retirement spending available in a DB plan. There is a small risk of depleting the retiree's funds, but there is also a good chance of accumulating a buffer that can be used to manage unplanned longevity risk or left as a bequest.


Abstract The paper follows an operadic approach to provide a bialgebraic description of substitution for Lie–Butcher series. We first show how the well-known bialgebraic description for substitution in Butcher's B-series can be obtained from the pre-Lie operad. We then apply the same construction to the post-Lie operad to arrive at a bialgebra
$\mathcal {Q}$
 . By considering a module over the post-Lie operad, we get a cointeraction between
$\mathcal {Q}$
 and the Hopf algebra
$\mathcal {H}_{N}$
 that describes composition for Lie–Butcher series. We use this coaction to describe substitution for Lie–Butcher series.


Passenger cars produce about 12 % of overall EU greenhouse gas -GHG- emissions (CO2) and transport sector with about 20 % is the second biggest emitter of GHG among all sources. Since 1990, EU has reduced transport emissions by 5 % but the contribution of road transport increased by 26 %. In order to accomplish the Kyoto requirements it is clear that transport emissions should also be reduced. A new decision of EU Commission from Feb 2007 specific the average emission in EU 27 should be 120 g/km by 2012. For several decades the most cost-effective method of reducing CO2 emissions from cars will be to improve fuel efficiency. There are many ways of further improving the fuel efficiency of conventional engines and cars, among them: ignition systems that ensure complete combustion of the fuel available, improved compression at low engine loads, engine and gear friction reduction, six-speed manual transmission, stop-go systems, cylinder deactivation and other. Tribology will help to realize the above improvement by using low friction lubricant, adequate additive and modifying the frictional surface. The paper presents the problems and research direction which could solve this challenge.


The modus operandi of "modeling weeks" is explained and illustrated using a classical modeling week problem of subjecting coconuts to an external pressure before splitting them open, in the hope that the coconut meat will then separate easily from the shell. A range of modeling approaches is considered, and a poroelastic model is posed that allows the key problem parameters to be identified and calculated. We conclude that separation by this means is likely to be possible and relatively easy to accomplish.


2-Pyridyl tosylate derivatives have proved to be highly reactive electrophiles in palladium-catalyzed Mizoroki–Heck reactions with electron-rich olefins. These results suggest that the tosylate anion is able to dissociate from the catalyst's metal center subsequent to the oxidative addition step, providing a tricoordinated cationic complex mandatory for a high degree of α-regioselectivity. Further development of the 2-pyridyl electrophiles as counterparts in palladium catalysis led to the development of several efficient protocols including amidation, amination, aminocarbonylations, Suzuki–Miyaura, and a fast iron-catalyzed Kumada–Tamao–Curriu cross coupling. Interestingly, in all but one of the palladium-catalyzed reactions, the optimized conditions employed the ligand DPPF (1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene) or the diisopropyl analog DiPrPF (1,1′-bis(diisopropylphosphino)ferrocene) in dioxane. As with the Mizoroki–Heck couplings, the existence of the cationic tricoordinated complex in dioxane was speculated to play an important role, facilitating steps such as transmetallation and CO incorporation. The mild conditions developed in all of the catalytic reactions described in this overview can be applied to the pyridine/pyrimidine core, providing highly functionalized heteroaromatic compounds in a few steps.


The problems of a rapidly growing population, motivated by the revolution of rising expectations and escalating demands of the populace and industries, pose a challenge to the forestry sector. The role that forestry could play as a lever for development in India has been discussed in this paper against the backdrop of the present situation and trend studies. The population of India will be 750 million in the year 1985, involving addition of 80 million to the working force. The forestry sector could provide employment to 25 million persons (against present estimate of 3 million) and contribute Rs. 25.000 million to GNP (against present estimate of Rs. 5130 million). The forest area is nearly 75 million hectares which contains a growing stock of 2200 million cubic metres. However, the increment from the forests is low. The demand for industrial wood and fuelwood in 1985 would be 50 million cubic metres and 200 million tonnes. Production from the forests will need to be raised substantially. A sound industrial base bas been created but in the interest of its barmonious growth, there Is need for close integration between forestry and industry. This could be achieved by having a separate ministry dealing with these matters. Bold innovations are being made in the field of management and financing of forestry operations. Investments in the forestry sector (for development alone) and forest-based industry sector have been estimated to be Rs. 15,000 million each from now till 1985. Considerable importance is attached to creation of man-made forests, opening up inaccessible forests, augmenting production from commercial forests and minimizing wastage so as to attain self-sufficiency in forest products. A national inventory organization for data collection bas been proposed to be created, and trend studies have been initiated. The forestry sector bolds the key to the future progress and prosperity of the country.


Peptide‐drug conjugates are prodrugs that have the advantages of precise molecular structure and the direct exploitation of tumor‐homing, penetration or the cellular uptake abilities of the peptides such as the neuropilin‐1 receptor targeting peptide. The prodrugs generally have fast blood clearance due to their low molecular weights and thus are made to self‐assemble into nanostructures, preferably nanosized micelles and vesicles for intravenous administration, to slow their renal clearance. However, most peptidyl prodrugs usually form precipitates, irregular nanofibers or gels that are unsuitable for intravenous injection. Herein, a arginine‐glycine‐aspartic acid‐lysine (RGDK) peptide and cytotoxin 7‐ethyl‐10‐hydroxycamptothecin (SN38) are used to synthesize the tumor‐homing prodrugs (SN38‐Peps) and explore their structure–micelle formation relationships. A small library of SN38‐Peps is obtained using different structures of peptides, linkers, and drug conjugation sites, and the factors affecting the assembly of SN38‐Peps as well as the stability of formed micelles are investigated. An optimized SN38‐Pep, (MOM)SN38(20)‐CRGDK, is finally obtained which forms stable micelles with a hydrodynamic diameter around 110 nm and a fixed drug loading content as high as 35%. The micelles show a prolonged blood circulation, significantly enhanced tumor accumulation, and therefore improved anticancer activity as compared to the non‐targeting prodrug and a clinically used anticancer drug.


Electric road systems (ERS) are technologies that allow to charge electric vehicles (EVs) while they are driving. This makes it possible to reduce the installed battery capacity and therefore the weight and cost of the vehicle. However, while the vehicle is charging from the ERS a protective earth connection cannot be ensured, which introduces new isolation challenges in the design of the electric powertrain. This work presents, and explains the working principle of three different powertrain configurations specially designed to operate in conjunction of an ERS. These powertrain concepts differ from each other on whether or not an isolated DC-DC converter is used and in the number of traction electrical machines and converters. As case study two different applications are considered, a city bus and a heavy truck and the conclusions regarding energy consumption are cost are summarized.


Cairo, mega-city or mega-slum? Demographic trends and elements of the urban form of the Egyptian capital - The paper gives an overview of the development of the main elements which various attempts at planning in the twentieth century had to face up to: the urbanisation of increasingly greater proportions of the population for which the quantitative (demographic) and qualitative (elements of the urban form) framework is given. The first part schematically reconstructs the demographic trends for the city since the middle of the twentieth century, when the urban explosion commenced which brought the population of the Egyptian capital up from 2.2 million in 1947 to twelve million today. The second part looks at the distribution of the population in space, identifying the main elements that characterise the present day urban form of the metropolitan area.


When a magnetic dipole passes through a hollow YBa2Cu3Ox cylinder, the dipole is decelerated as a result of the energy dissipation in the superconductor. This energy loss is evaluated on the basis of a macroscopic theory that incorporates both the hysteresis and flux‐flow losses. The results are in reasonably good agreement with the experiments conducted using Nd‐Fe‐B magnets.


DEREK MASSARELLA, Japanese Travellers in Sixteenth-Century Europe: A Dialogue Concerning the Mission of the Japanese Ambassadors to the Roman Curia (1590). Translated by J. F. Moran. Hakluyt Society, Series III, No. 25. Farnham: Ashgate. 2012, 504 pp. ISBN: 978-1-908145-03-1.Meaningful events and their historiographical nexus, already uncovered by scholars, often remain concealed to readers for a long time until a new rendering comes to light, making possible new avenues of investigation. Massarella's edited book presenting Joseph Moran's refined translation of the Latin De Missione is one such case. This volume explores one of the most interesting publishing enterprises between Europe and East Asia that unfolded in the last two decades of the sixteenth century. De Missione Legatorum Iaponensium ad Romanam curiam, rebusq; ...Bin sermonan latinum versvs ab Eduardo de Sande Sacerdote societatis Iesu is the original Jesuit publication of the Dialogue of the Japanese legates sent to Europe, printed in Macao in 1590. As is indicated by the title, the text was written in Latin by the Portuguese Jesuit Duarte de Sande (1531-1600), who translated it from a manuscript in which the Visitor of the East Asia mission, Alessandro Valignano (1539-1606), arranged in the Spanish language the legates' travel journal, which unfortunately has not survived. Strikingly this text was among the first editorial outcomes generated by the printing press acquired in Lisbon, which travelled on the same ship on which the 'four boys' - as the Japanese legates are often called - embarked for the journey back to Japan. Japanese Travellersin Sixteenth-CenturyEurope presents Moran's translation of the Dialogue in its original form of 34 colloquia that, from Colloquium XVI to Colloquium XXXI, follow the most significant moments of the European journey covering Portugal, Spain and Italy. Colloquium I includes a discussion of the establishment of the embassy, while the Colloquia II, III, VI, XXXII provide accounts of the voyages to and from Europe. Colloquia VII-XV detail the Indian journey, Colloquium XXXIII a delineation of China, and lastly Colloquium XXXIV ends with a 'summary description of the whole world'.The Dialogue, which benefits of Massarella's introductory analysis and critical apparatus, involves all the four converted Japanese boys, even though Miguel Chijiva Seizaimon (Michael in the text) has the role of main narrator constantly backed by the other three, Mando Ito Sukemasu, Julian Nakaura and Martin Hara; and by Leo and Lino (or Linus), first cousins of Miguel. …


Cross-linking of B cell antigen receptors (surface Ig) by anti-Ig antibodies activates the ubiquitous phosphatidyl inositol (PI) signaling pathway, whereas binding of the classical polyclonal B cell activator lipopolysaccharide (LPS) does not.' Catecholamines are released in many lymphoid tissues: and are potential regulators of immune responses in the local environments of these tissues,3" mainly through stimulation of 8-adrenergic receptors (PAR). We have hypothesized that activation of B cells by anti-Ig and by LPS may be differently regulated by catecholamines. To test this hypothesis, the effects of catecholamines were investigated on mouse B cells activated by anti-IgM antibodies (anti-p), LPS, or a membrane proteoglycan of Klebsiellapneumoniae (Kp MPG), which induces B cell proliferation and Ig production without T cell help.6 T-depleted spleen cells (henceforth called B cells) and Peyer's patch lymphocytes from BALBlc mouse (2 to 3 months old) were stimulated by LPS (50 ,ug/ml), Kp MPG (50 ,ug/ml), or anti-.u (40 pg/ml), in the presence or absence of the catecholamines isoproterenol (ISO) and norepinephrine (NE), the cAMP analogue dbcAMP, and the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin. Proliferation was assessed by thymidine incorporation and Ig secretion by an isotype-specific ELISA.


The structural properties of poly-Si thin films on ZnO:Al coated glass substrates obtained by Aluminium-Induced Crystallisation (AIC) in different annealing atmospheres - air, N 2 , and N 2 + H 2 , have been studied by Raman microprobe spectroscopy, optical microscopy , and X-ray diffraction . The Al, ZnO:Al and a-Si films were deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering. Annealing in forming gas led to a better structural quality of the poly-Si films, compared to annealing in air or nitrogen. The investigation of different annealing conditions in forming gas led to the conclusion that the two-step annealing technique provided AIC poly-Si films with better crystalline properties. The results indicated that the process of AIC is suitable for the preparation of poly-Si films on ZnO:Al coated glass substrates, for solar cell applications.


Foliar sprays of either 10 mM aminoethoxyvinylglycine or 3 mM silver ions applied 24 hours before potted poinsettia plants (Euphorbia pulcherrima Klotzsch ex. Willd., cv. Annette Hegg Diva) were sleeved for 24 hours, significantly reduced the development of leaf epinasty after removal of the sleeves.


A method A for recycling metals contained in the lithium-ion battery The present invention relates to recycling method for recovering metals from lithium-ion battery. More specifically, the self-generation process for the recovery of cobalt from the lithium-ion battery containing aluminum and carbon (autogeneous process) is disclosed, the method comprising: providing a bath furnace equipped with O And supplying the metallurgical The feedstock containing CaO and lithium-ion batteries as a slag forming agent, The O Comprise the step of separating the slag from the metallic phase by tapping, The fraction of the lithium-ion battery, expressed in mass% metallurgical The feedstock is at least 153 wt% -3.5 (Al% + 0.6C%) [Al% respectively of aluminum and weight percent of the carbon in the battery and characterized in that a representative of the C%], thereby making it possible to operate the smelting reduction process by autogenous conditions (autogeneous conditions). This method, compared art method of using a shaft furnace has the advantage that wide latitude, high energy efficiency and simplified exhaust cleaning requirements for the form of the charging material. .BACKGROUND


Background: The administration of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is a common procedure in intensive care units, where the concomitant use of other intravenous medication is frequently needed. One of the particularly dangerous complications for neurosurgical patients is meningitis, for which high doses of ampicillin (AMP) are used. In such cases, the addition of AMP to TPN admixtures would be a desirable procedure. Thus, the AMP determination method in TPN admixture was developed and validated. Methods: An isocratic HPLC analysis was performed on a LiChrospher C18 end-capped column (250 mm, 4.6 mm, 5 µm) with a C18 pre-column (LiChrospher 100, 4 mm, 5 µm). The flow rate was 1.0 mL min−1 and the detection wavelength was 230 nm. System suitability parameters, such as capacity factor, numbers of the theoretical plate, asymmetry factor, as well as validation parameters, including method precision, accuracy, linearity, selectivity, and robustness, were set up. Results: The method was shown to be linear, precise, accurate, specific, and robust, and it can be used for the quantitative analysis of AMP in TPN admixtures. Conclusions: The degradation of AMP in the TPN admixtures occurred according to first order kinetics. The degradation rate was high and dependent on the composition of the mixture and the storage conditions (t0.5 varied from 142.44 h to 300.45 h).


Objective To observe the effect of neurotrophic drugs to the infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) during convalescent period. Methods One hundred HIE infants aged 3 months were randomized into two groups: 50 in the experimental group administrated with neurotrophic drugs and another 50 as controls. Both of the groups received systematic rehabilitation training, but the infants in the experimental group were simultaneously administrated with neurotrophic drugs for the following 9 monthes. CDCC was used to assess the mental and motor functions of the infants when they were 1 year old. Results The difference in mental function was significant between the two groups (P 0.05), but not in motor function (P0.05). Conclusion Periodic administration of neurotrophic drugs during convalescent period of HIE infants is helpful for the improvement of the mental function, but not for the motor function.


Abstract This paper considers a design problem of controllers for wire-less vehicles in the developed networked control system. The developed system consists of a wire-less vehicle and some computers which configure a computer network. The vehicle is controlled over the computer network. One of the computers is a router which has an active queue management mechanism to keep the queue size constant and to control congestion in the computer network. The dynamics of the vehicle over the computer network can be described as linear systems with an input time-delay. State predictive LQG controllers are designed to achieve the stability and better performances of the vehicle over the computer network. The efficacy of the designed controller is demonstrated in a numerical example and an experiment using the developed networked control system.


This week's article describes a therapeutic target to limit fibrotic tissue remodeling in the heart. This week's article describes a therapeutic target to limit fibrotic tissue remodeling in the heart.


This review was jointly commissioned by Geoff Cooke, Area Drug Strategy Co-ordinator
for the Prison Service, the East and West Kent Health Authorities and the West Sussex
Drug Action Team, as part of a wider programme of work evaluating the outcome
effectiveness of drug treatment services within Kent, East Surrey and Sussex prisons. The
specific aims of this scoping review were to identify treatments that are used for those
with substance dependence, describe the current regimes available in prison, and to
evaluate the effectiveness of the treatments, drawing on research evidence from the UK
and the US through major bibliographic databases, such as BIDS, and other published
and publicly available research materials


Cells of Mycobacterium vaccae were grown in toluene, ethanol, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and glycerol, exhibiting different degrees of tolerance towards these compounds, and being able to use both ethanol and glycerol as sole carbon and energy sources. Cellular adaptation to ethanol and MTBE led to significant changes in the membrane fatty acid (FA) composition, by modifications in the proportion of straight-chain saturated, monounsaturated, branched-chain saturated and 10-methyl FA. Ethanol-adapted cells had a different morphology than MTBE-adapted cells: regular rod-shaped cells were observed with MTBE but cell shrinkage occurred in the presence of ethanol. Besides, cells in the presence of ethanol formed aggregates. The zeta potential of cells was -49.3 mV before the addition of solvent, becoming less negative after MTBE adaptation (-33.1 mV) and more negative in ethanol-adapted cells (-45.9 mV). After adaptation to these solvents, cells acquired an improved tolerance towards efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs), but became more susceptible to antibiotics.


The estimation of load impedance spectrum is required in the research and applications of electrical engineering. Some of the current applications are the grid impedance estimation of active filters, the research of the propagation of EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) and power line communication. The direct measurement of load impedance, in the frequency range in question, requires synchronous voltage and current measurement, which can be difficult. Compared to the direct impedance spectrum measurement, the measurement of impedance amplitude spectrum is a simple and low-cost method since e.g. only peak or RMS (Root-Mean-Square) value of current and voltage for each measured frequency is required. This article presents a method and a tool based on the method that allows one to compute the phase spectrum estimate for the impedance amplitude spectrum. The method is based on the maximum entropy model (MEM). The applicability of the tool is demonstrated with input impedance measurements of a low voltage power cable and a low voltage electric motor, where both the amplitude and the phase spectrum of input impedance were measured in the frequency range of 100 kHz – 30 MHz.


ABSTRACT Does performance measurement clash with professional decision-making? From a public management perspective, professional decision-making may imply a lack of accountability and self-interested behavior. Performance measurement offers a solution to those concerns. From the professions' point of view, performance management hijacks the autonomy of street-level professionals and contributes to deskilling. We examine an example of such a clash in record keeping in a Danish family center, and we show why and over what professional staff disagree. Results point to the role of managers in securing improvements by changing the record-keeping system to enhance effective professional treatment. This can contribute to a shared rationality among social workers and allied professional staff.


While urban areas like New York City and its surrounding metropolitan region are key drivers of climate change through emissions of greenhouse gases, cities are also significantly impacted by climate shifts, both chronic changes and extreme events. These are already affecting the New York metropolitan region, including the five boroughs of New York City through higher temperatures, more intense precipitation, and higher sea levels, and will increasingly do so in the coming decades. The City of New York has embarked on a flexible adaptation pathway (i.e., strategies that can evolve through time as climate risk assessment, evaluation of adaptation strategies, and monitoring continues) to respond to climate change challenges. This entails significant programs to develop resilience in communities and critical infrastructure to observed and projected changes in temperature, precipitation, and sea level. The first NPCC Report laid out the risk management framing for the city and region via flexible adaptation pathways (Rosenzweig and Solecki, 2010). The second New York City Panel on Climate Change Report (NPCC2) developed the "climate projections of record" that are currently being used by the City of New York in its resilience programs (Rosenzweig and Solecki, 2015). The NPCC3 2019 Report co-generates new tools and methods for the next generation of climate risk assessments and implementation of region-wide resilience. Co-generation is an interactive process by which stakeholders and scientists work together to produce climate change information that is targeted to decision-making needs. These tools and methods can be used to observe, project, and map climate extremes; monitor risks and responses; and engage with communities to develop effective programs (Fig. 1.1). They are especially important at "transformation points" in the adaptation process when large changes in the structure and function of physical, ecological, and social systems of the city and region are undertaken.


THE POINT OF DEPARTURE FOR MY ANALYSIS IS ONE OF CALVINO'S MANY unpublished texts that have been released in recent years. It is based on the correspondence and discussions surrounding the organization of a new journal that, according to its founders, was intended to fill the intellectual void left by the demise of II menabo in 1966, shortly after Elio Vittorini's death. The tentative name was Alt baba, and its promoters and organizers, along with Calvino himself: were the young writer and critic Gianni Celati, the historian Carlo Ginzburg, the philosopher Enzo Melandri, and the scholar of French literature Guido Neri. Some of the discussions included in the 1998 issue of Riga, edited by Marco Belpoliti and Mario Barenghi-which collects the preparatory notes for Alt Baba-are very enlightening for defining Calvino's position vis-a.-vis some of the issues he explored in the late 1960s in relation to the "two cultures" debate, namely the tentative dialogue between literature and science and the relationship between literature and knowledge. I


The paper estimates the cost of power interruptions for the Polish sector of enterprises. In the research, an average WTP, and also the average VoLL from the sample, were estimated, and the analyses of an average WTP, and also those of the average VoLL, were conducted in the groups of enterprises categorized in accordance with the size of a given enterprise, and also with a sector which is represented by it. As well as that, the tests of the significance of differences in the expected values of WTP, and also of VoLL, in groups were conducted. Those analyses were being conducted on the sample, having excluded protest respondents. Upon the basis of the conducted analyses, conclusions were formulated. Test of the validity of the CVM approach, and VoLL derived by this study, is by comparison with other studies using a different method of analysis (convergent validity test).


At times we need inspiration to restore and re-story our own lives. Using text as narrative texts opens up a multitude of possibilities. Epson and White (1992:89–91), as well as Semeschuk (2018:31–32), point out that when individuals spontaneously recap the content of a favourite story, it functions as a safe vehicle for them to reflect on their own lives, experiences and emotions that have been marginalised. This literal metaphor is a novel or story that has been identified as 'a good story' and can therefore be integrated into a person's experiences and knowledge.


f iii) ( is increasing ,   f iv is continuous from the right at 0 . It is immediate from   ii and   iv that f is continuous everywhere on  . , 0  The idea of difference sequence was first introduced by Kizmaz   6 write 1     k k k x x x for ,.... 3 , 2 , 1  k Let  denote the space of all comlex-valued sequences,    : be the difference defined by   . 1      k k x x Let  denote the space of all real or complex-valued sequence. It can be topologized with the seminorms , ) ( n n x x p 


Challenged to respond to Nazi heresy and to offer practical assistance to persecuted Jews, Christians who were caught in the crucible of the Third Reich learned to read the Bible differently. After Auschwitz, we are still learning from their example.


Chatter vibrations in the cutting process have a central place in many machining applications. A numerical and theoretical approach of set-excited vibrations during the turning process of thin-walled hollow workpieces has been presented in the accompanying paper. Furthermore, a finite element model has been proposed to simulate the dynamics of the system. The response to a Dirac excitation, presented as Nyquist curves, is proposed in order to characterize the dynamics of the turning process and the stability criterion. In this the second part of two related papers, the main objective is to validate the simulated dynamic behavior by using the experimental approach. The results of machining tests performed on thin-walled tubes with steel and aluminum alloys, using different operating conditions (dimensions, geometry and setting conditions) are presented and discussed.


The present invention is excellent in durability, and, to provide a wind-Bosa fence that is not time-consuming to separation at the time of disposal. A windproof Bosa fence 1 comprises a plurality of wooden pillars 2, a first crosspiece 3 located above the support 2 extends to intersect the post 2, the positioned under the first crossbar 3 2 crossbars 4, the strut 2 and the first rungs 3, intersect the connecting member 5 wooden connecting respectively the strut 2 and the second rail 4, on the first crosspiece 3 and the second rail 4 positioned between the struts 2 extending Te comprises a plurality of vertical trees 6, the first rung 3 or the second rail 4, and a fixing device 7 constituted by a plant-derived material secured together and a vertical wood 6. .FIELD 1


The increasing sophistication of naval shipboard machinery coupled with increasing competition for skilled manpower and tightening of defense budgets is forcing the Navy to consider alternative maintenance concepts. One such concept, condition-based maintenance (CBM), is described along with the reasons for its consideration. The concept of such a system integrated into the naval ship environment is described. A program at the David Taylor Research Center (DTRC) is described with particular emphasis on a machinery diagnostic demonstration platform Worthington high-pressure air compressor installed in the laboratory provides a means of effectively demonstrating CBM on an actual shipboard auxiliary. Some near-term plans for the DTRC program are described, and areas for technology development are outlined.<<ETX>>


Previously we demonstrated that an EET‐agonist has pleiotropic effects including inhibition of Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase expression and reversed cardiomyopathy by decreasing inflammatory molecules and increasing antioxidant signaling. We hypothesized that an EET agonist would increase PGC‐1α, which controls mitochondrial function and HO‐1 induction and negatively regulates the expression of the proinflammatory adipokine NOV in both cardiac and pericardial tissues. This pathway would be expected to further improve left ventricular systolic function as well as increase insulin receptor phosphorylation. The effect of an EET agonist was measured in cardiac and pericardial adipose tissues in db/db mice on oxygen consumption, fractional shortening, blood glucose levels, thermogenic and mitochondrial signaling proteins. Control db/db mice developed signs of metabolic syndrome including insulin resistance, hypertension, inflammation, LV dysfunction, and increased NOV expression in pericardial adipose tissue. EET agonist decreased pericardial adipose tissue expression of NOV, normalized FS, increased PGC‐1α, HO‐1 levels, insulin receptor phosphorylation and improved mitochondrial function. HO‐1‐ derived carbon monoxide (CO) levels, mitochondrial function (p<0.01), insulin receptor phosphorylation (p<0.05), ATP levels and VO2 (p<0.05). Deletion of PGC‐1α reversed all of the above beneficial effects, increasing the expression of NOV and inflammatory cytokines in pericardial adipose tissue. These studies demonstrate that an EET agonist increases insulin receptor phosphorylation, mitochondrial and thermogenic gene expression, decreases cardiac and pericardial tissue NOV levels, and ameliorates cardiomyopathy in an obese mouse model of the metabolic syndrome. Further, this study demonstrated that EET‐mediated inhibition of NOV is a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of heart failure and the development of metabolic syndrome.


The article analyzes partnership of university and schools within the preparation of future teachers. It deals with preparation of future teacher in order to master the project competence which is necessary for the implementation of future professional activities. The authors identify organizational, procedural, communicative, reflective components within the structure of project competence. The authors conclude that an important role plays organizing partnerships within the project activities during pedagogical practice of university students at schools.


Michelle Bettencourt is a professor in the Department of Foreign Languages at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, North Carolina. proaches because it uses a second language in disciplinary settings outside of the foreign language department. Described by Adams (1996), "selected courses ordinarily taught in English in fields as diverse as art history, Latin American politics, anthropology, and philosophy are taught entirely or partly in another language." Brown University expands on this definition of LAC on its website by stating that "LAC encourages students and faculty to view their studies in a global context and to venture beyond their own cultural and linguistic borders in order to gain additional perspectives and additional knowledge" (Brown University, 2010). LAC programs can take many forms because they are highly dependent on institutional goals, needs, and resources. Among the programs falling under LAC, three of the most commonly implemented models include: Linkage Through Language (LTL); Language for Specific/Instrumental Purposes (LSP/LIP); and Applied Foreign Language Component (AFLC). These three models are described below based on their application at certain institutions. It is important to keep in mind that these models may vary based on the context in which they are implemented. LTL programs typically have three components:


Nd-Fe-B magnets are used in wide range of industrial applications. In this research we studied the possibility of producing bulk Nd-Fe-B magnetic compact by using the direct cylinder explosive compaction. After compaction the density of compact was measured by the Archimedes method. Highly dense compact (> 98% relative density) without cracks was obtained by this technique. A concentric hole was observed at center of some compacts. The magnetic properties of the compact are Br=7.95KG, iHc=10.5kOe, (BH)max= 14MOe, and these values are same as those before explosive compaction.


Study on chitosan modification by swelling and crosslinking and its application as a selective adsorbent for heavy metals Cr (VI) in batik industry wastes was done. Swelling is intended to improve chitosan porosity, whereas crosslinking is to increase the resistance of chitosan against acid. Natural samples are generally acidic, thus limiting chitosan application as an adsorbent. Modification of chitosan by combining swelling and crosslinking is expected to increase its adsorption capacity in binding heavy metal ions in water. The modified chitosan was later contacted with Cr (VI) to test its adsorption capacity with a variation of pH and contact time. Finally, application of modified chitosan was done in batik industry waste containing Cr (IV). Based on the results, chitosan-ECH 25% (v/v) was the optimum concentration of crosslinker to adsorb Cr (VI) ions. Modified chitosan has a solubility resistance to acids, even though a strong acid. Modification of chitosan also improved its adsorption capacity to Cr (VI) from 74% (pure chitosan) to 89% with contact time 30 min at pH 3. On the application to the batik wastes, the modified chitosan were able to adsorb Cr (IV) up to the level of 5 ppm. Thus, the modified chitosan has a potential to be applied to as an adsorbent of Cr (VI) in batik industry wastes.


The aim of our twelve-month follow-up study was to investigate memory complaints in adult, clinically depressed, neurologically healthy patients, focusing on the relationship between mood and memory complaints. Subjective memory disturbance was assessed using the Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MCQ) in a sample of 174 adult patients (mean age 44, range 21-64 years) suffering from depression. Levels of cognitive function, including memory, were assessed using a battery of neuropsychological tests. Mood and personality characteristics were assessed using rating scales, including the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). All measurements were repeated on follow up after six and twelve months. Changes in memory complaints during the follow-up period were primarily associated with a change in mood, mental symptoms, alexithymic features and psychosocial capacity, but not in cognitive performance. We conclude, that alleviation of depression in adult, neurologically healthy patients usually results in the alleviation of subjective memory impairment. This finding could be used to motivate a depressed patient with subjective memory impairment to seek treatment.


ESD protection strategies utilized in RF circuit applications in CMOS and BiCMOS technologies are investigated and the results are presented in this paper. The conventional approach using diodes with power clamp is compared with novel approaches such as plug-and-play passive elements and full or partial circuit-ESD co-design. The trade-offs are discussed from both RF and ESD point of views. Common problems as parasitic ESD current discharge paths and voltage overshoot are discussed and solutions are proposed


In this paper, we focus on how viscoelastic underfill influences the thermal mechanical reliability of a 3-D through-silicon-via (3-D-TSV) stack. The Williams–Landel–Ferry equation and relaxation of the modulus in the Prony series are used to describe the viscoelastic properties of underfill in detail. The 3-D-TSV stack consists of a four-layer die stack, a silicon interposer, a printed circuit board, TSVs, microbumps, and solder balls. Simulation results show that, with underfill applied, chip warpage is worse and the residual stress of the microbumps is increased. Therefore, a design suggestion is proposed where underfill with a lower coefficient of thermal expansion is preferred in 3-D-TSV stacks for applications undergoing heavy thermal cycles. In terms of simulation accuracy, the simulation is compared with the simplified treatment where underfill is considered completely elastic. We conclude that defining the viscoelasticity properties is more relevant for underfill than elasticity.


An optimal approach for enhancing a speech signal degraded by uncorrelated stationary additive noise, which exploits auditory perception properties, is proposed. Based on auditory masking effects, the speech spectra estimate is performed in two cases: noisy speech spectra for noise masked and classical spectral subtraction estimate for noise unmasked. Taking into account the uncertainty of the noise presence, the enhanced speech signal spectra are obtained by a weighted sum of these two estimates, where the weights are given by the noise masked probability. The performance of the proposed speech enhancement approach has been evaluated with speech distortion and informal listening tests. Compared with Azirani's method and the MMSE-STSA estimator, results show that the speech distortion has been decreased apparently and the musical noise has been suppressed.


With the development of smart substation, information sharing and its redundant transmission of analog quantities in secondary system provide new research ideas for state estimation of power system. This paper proposes secondary system state estimation method based on information redundant of secondary system and gives its structure and content and builds a linear static model of state estimation used redundant relationship of analog quantities. Furthermore, a numerical example is designed to simulate and verify the proposed method. The experiment results show that the method can effectively reduce absolute error of analog quantities and improve uploading analog quantities reliability. The research method in secondary system state estimation has a broad range of applications and research space.


Semidilute solution of cotton lint (CC1) in 8 wt % LiCl/N,N-dimethylacetamide was investigated using static light scattering (SLS) and rheological measurements. The reduced osmotic modulus estimated by SLS measurements for CC1 solutions are proportional to c1.16 in the semidilute region. From the exponent of 1.16, de Gennes' scaling theory derives the relationship between radius of gyration, Rg, and molecular weight, Mw, of CC1 as Rg ∝ M0.62 This corresponds to the Mark-Houwink-Sakurada exponent of 0.86. This exponent is very close to that estimated from scaling analysis of zero shear rate viscosity, that is 0.85. Apparent radius of gyration, Rg,app, estimated by SLS measurements for CC1 solutions are proportional to c−0.5 in the semidilute region. Rg,app indicates the mesh size of polymer entanglement in the semidilute region. On the assumption of the Gaussian behavior of CC1 molecule in the semidilute region, the exponent of −0.5 gives the relationship between the molar mass between entanglements, Me, and c as following relationship: Me ∝ c−1. This agrees with the concentration dependence on plateau modulus estimated from the dynamic viscoelastic measurements. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2155–2160, 2006


To evaluate the economic benefit on implementing the strategy of eliminating measles.The data of measles surveillance was analyzed from 1982-2002 in Fujian.The disability adjusted life years(DALYs) were calculated using standard expectation life year lost method.And the data were analyzed by EpiInfo and Excel Package.When ignoring the intangible benefits,the cost-benefit ratio was 1:2.96,comparing the stage of implement the strategy of eliminating measles(1998-2002) with the stage of implement EPI(1982-1997) in Fujian.And total benefits was 114 millions(RMB).Since 1998,the implementing of eliminating measles has obtained great economic benefit.


English is a subject that given in the three curriculum systems at IPDN has not been implemented maximally. The three existing curriculum systems provide almost the same material and there are not clear and obvious differences. In order to improve the teaching conditions, need analysis is used to find and determine what English learning materials are appropriate and suitable for teaching and learning at IPDN. A descriptive qualitative approach through document study, interview, and observation was used in this research. From the analysis, teaching English must be developed with the collaborative approach among education personnel (lecturers, trainers, fellows) and students in the three curriculum systems at IPDN. English teaching emphasizes reading skills, where teaching reading focuses on English for Specific Purposes of Government administration as core knowledge.


The six-minute walk test (6MWT) comprehensively evaluates the respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic, musculoskeletal and sensorineural responses to exercise. Functional integration is analyzed by the maximum distance that an individual is able to walk, as fast as possible, during a period of six minutes. The 6MWT is a reliable tool for the diagnosis, staging, prognosis and follow-up of patients with chronic respiratory diseases. This document unifi es the 2002 and 2014 international recommendations and provides information needed to standardize the 6 MWT.


An NADH-dependent enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase, FabI, catalyzes the final step of bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis, reducing the double bond of trans-2-enoyl-ACP to a single bond forming acyl-ACP. Given its importance in bacterial fatty acid synthesis, FabI has become a recognized drug target. Triclosan, a diphenyl ether, targets the FabI, inhibits its activity, and stops bacterial growth. However, as a consequence of triclosan's popularity, and thus its overuse, bacterial resistance to triclosan has been reported. The mutation G93V in  Escherichia coli (E. coli)  FabI allows E. coli to resist the action of triclosan. We have identified the equivalent residue of G93 in  Francisella tularensis FabI (ft FabI) as A92, and prepared a mutant A92V.  E. coli  cells, transformed with a plasmid containing the  ft FabI-A92V gene, were grown, and the gene was overexpressed. From two growths (6 G of cells), 62 mG of protein, with a histidine tag, at a purity of 85% were obtained. Enzymatic activity was assayed by monitoring the absorbance of NADH at 340 nm. In the presence of triclosan, the wild-type protein was almost completely inhibited after NADH was converted to NAD$^+$ in the enzymatic reaction; however the A92V mutant exhibited similar activity with and without triclosan, demonstrating that triclosan resistance may also develop in  Francisella tularensis .


In the United States, jails confine large numbers of people each day and process nearly 12 million admissions each year. The estimated average daily population in American jails, as of midyear 2014, was 744,600. Jail overcrowding has continued to remain a problem at the onset of the new millennium, especially in large jurisdictions. More stringent drug and crime control policies and enforcement strategies led to the precipitous rise in the jail population. Jails are a critical resource for the criminal justice system and the larger community. As local institutions, jails often serve the medical and behavioral healthcare needs of the residents in a jurisdiction and are home to the most impoverished and disenfranchised members of the community: the unemployed, the homeless, and those with addiction, and mental illness. Jails have also become increasingly more populated by women. This special issue of The Prison Journal was compiled to focus further attention on servicing and managing the jail detainee population and provides an in-depth look at jails through a variety of lenses. The issue includes articles about the proper role of the jail as a venue for delivering behavioral healthcare and other services and the jail reentry process in rural jurisdictions. Other articles explore a jail reentry program for detainees with substance use disorders; the problems and challenges of female detainees; the nature and extent of trauma among women in a large urban jail; the use and abuse of solitary confinement in jails; and the mentally ill in jails.


Analyses and assessment on the influence of sanddust activities in the Hexi Corridor on the PM10 concentration in Lanzhou city from 2001 to 2005 lead to the following conclusions of this paper. Lanzhou PM10 concentrations (LPC) possess a double-peak annual distributive character with one peak in December and the other in next March both in the same winter half-year, however, the number of the sanddust activities in the corridor shows a single-peak annual variation with the peak in April (9.8 times/month). It is known from comparing the distributions of the both that the peak value of the number of Hexi sanddust activities (HSA) corresponds to the sub-peak of LPCs in spring, and it is held that the winter particular boundary layer condition is mainly responsible for the peak of LPC in December. The number of spring HSA is positively/significantly correlated with the LPC in the same time period, i.e. the frequent period of HSA corresponds to the sub-peak period of LPCs. The quantitative analyses of sanddust indices indicate that 15.7 %, 37.8%, and 49.5% of the annual, march, April LPCs are associated with the impact of HSAs, respectively, and 8%, 12.7%, 19.8% of the annual, march, April LPCs arise from the PM10 particles transfer of HSAs. The HSAs lead to the multiplication of the LPC in successive impacting day, but the impacting extent is different in different time periods.


Although the advent of computers has largely extended the feasibility of mathematical models for the purposes of design calculations, this development has by no means reduced the advantages of 'realistic' models simulating the proposed structure either in the actual material or a substitute material which can reproduce behaviourial and design characteristics. This paper discusses the use of models in the context of the design of two pedestrian subways incorporating reinforced concrete floor slabs using different types of test models, independently and in combination with computerised calculations.


The method for adjusting the access to the barrage relay network is disclosed. For example, methods one disclosure, the first message from the second node in the network, by the first node, receiving, step of suppressing transmission of a message by the first node, the first message the step of waiting a sufficient time without reception of the second or the second message receives the message by the first node corresponding to, comprising the step of restarting the transmission of the message by the first node. .FIELD 8


Objective To evaluate the role of dual time point 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging in the diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodule.Methods 30 patients with solitary pulmonary nodule demonstrated by CT,male 18 patients,female 12 patients,mean age(52.3±6.2) year old.All these patients underwent dual time point 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging.The imaging protocol included the early imaging of PET/CT at 40-65 minutes and delayed imaging of PET at 1.5-2.5 hours post injection 18F-FDG.The standardized uptake value(SUV) was calculated for both time points.All results were expressed as the percentage change in SUV.Results Histopathology demonstrated 17 patients with malignant lesions and 13 patients with benign lesions.The SUV of malignant lesions was SUV 4.21±1.71 of early imaging and 5.98±2.32 of delayed imaging.The increasing rate of malignant lesions was(41.9±7.81)%.The SUV of benign lesions was 2.71±1.62 of early imaging and 3.17±1.13 of delayed imaging.The increasing rate of benign lesions was(16.97±5.62)%.Conslusions Dual time point imaging is a simple and practical method for the detection of malignant lung lesions.The prelimary data suggest that malignant nodules have a greater rise of SUV in the delayed imaging as compared to benign nodules.


Genuine Fakes Looking for Shangri-La The People of Tourist Brochures Passion, Power and Politics in a Palestinian Tourist Market Ritual, Tourism and Cultural Commoditization in Malta - Culture by the Pound? Tourism and the Politics of Authenticity in a North Cotswold Town Atmospheric Notes from the Fields - Reflections on Myth Collecting Tours The Tourist as Deity - Ancient Continuities in Modern Japan Place, Image and Power Postcards: Greetings from Another World The Museum of the Jewish Diaspora Tells a Story.


AbstractEnhancing workplace safety continues to be a major task in the construction industry. Approximately 75% of struck-by fatalities are caused by inappropriate spatial-temporal relationships between construction workers and heavy equipment. Construction safety can be improved if the location and movement of heavy equipment are tracked in real time. However, detecting and tracking heavy equipment with kinematic joints and changing poses, such as excavators, is still a challenge for vision-based sensing methods. This study proposes to detect and track excavators using stereo cameras based on hybrid kinematic shape and key node features. Specifically, templates of excavator components are synthesized for detection following kinematic constraints of each component. Thereafter, a fast directional chamfer matching algorithm is used to detect the excavator components, and the detected components are articulated at the key nodes. Finally, the three-dimensional positions of the key nodes are tracked through tr...


The structural transformations (formation and decay of austenite) in high-carbon boron microalloyed 80R steel are studied by the differential scanning calorimetry method. The temperatures of the beginning and end of the formation of homogeneous austenite during heating and its decay during cooling, proceeding according to the type of ferritic-carbide mixture with the release of the α-phase of one morphological type, are determined. The obtained results can be used to select one of the main technological parameters of the deformation and heat treatment mode of rolled products — the rational austenization temperature, which ensures the formation of structure and properties in high-carbon wire rod intended for the manufacture of high-strength stabilized reinforcement for iron-concrete structures.


Objective:To study the changes on 24-hour blood pressure in patients with OSAS complicating hypertension.Methods:Polysomnography(PSG) and 24 hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring(ABPM) were performed in 120 patients with OSAS complicating hypertension.Accoring to apnea-hypopnea index(AHI),120 OSAS patients complicating hypertension were divided into three groups,mild group,moderate group and severe group.Base line data,PSG data and ABPM data were observed.Results:(1) Day diastolic blood pressure(dDBP) and night diastolic blood pressure(nDBP) in severe group are higher than those in other two groups(P0.05).(2) The minimum oxygen saturation(minSaO2) has negative correlation with 24 hour mean systolic blood pressure(24 hSBP) and 24 hour mean diastolic blood pressure(24 hDBP).Apnea hyponea index(AHI) has positive correlation with change of diastolic blood pressure(cDBP).(3) The day-nocturnal rhythm has disappeared in 68.3% patients.With the higher of apnea-hypopnea index(AHI),OSAS patiants' percentage of the day-nocturnal rhythm disappeared was increasing.The differences of nocturnal mean systolic blood pressure(nSBP),nDBP and minSaO2 between dipper group and non-dipper group were statistically significant(P0.05).Conclusion:Frequent oxygen deficiency plays a more important role in elevating diastolic blood pressure of OSAS patients;The degree of OSAS patient's condition and abnormal nocturnal rhythm are close correlated.


What are the most important unanswered questions concerning the design of policies for science, technology and innovation? This publication seeks to address this question through a synthesis of the work of the OECD's Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy (CSTP). Taking stock of the policy lessons learned through CSTP's work, and drawing on a broader literature review, this report aims to identify the themes where additional information and analysis could be most useful to policy makers. The efficiency and effectiveness of policy for science, technology and innovation (STI) is important for many reasons. STI is key to long-term economic growth and higher standards of living. The protracted nature of the global crisis, sluggish macro-economic conditions in many OECD economies, weak labour markets and escalating public debt have all added urgency to the pursuit of growth. Over the longer term, population ageing, combined with natural resource constraints, mean that the future of growth in OECD economies will increasingly depend on productivity-raising innovation. Climate change, loss of topsoil, disease threats and the consequences of population ageing are some of the major complex challenges facing the globe. Breakthroughs in STI are needed to address such challenges in cost-effective ways. Synthetic biology, for instance, could allow petroleum-based products to be manufactured from sugar-based microbes, cleaning production processes at the same time. Nanotechnology could enable the use of hydrogen fuel cells in cars. Digital technologies could monitor outbreaks of disease that threaten to become pandemics. And while no cure is as yet available, new research has identified molecules in blood that predict with 95% accuracy whether people will develop mild cognitive impairment or full-blown Alzheimer's disease. Good policy for STI is also critical because much essential scientific and technical knowledge is lacking. Furthermore, innovation is insufficient in some crucial fields, such as energy generation. And well-conceived policy is needed to respond to complex economic and institutional dynamics associated with new technologies (for instance, in many occupations technology will increasingly displace workers, while education systems may struggle to respond to the speed and scale of technological change). Almost all major themes in policy for STI have been examined by CSTP in recent years. Broad trends have been explored, such as the shift towards open science, as have the characteristics of individual policy instruments, such as R&D tax credits; traditional policy concerns have been analysed, such as how to commercialise public research, alongside newer themes, such as technology transitions; technology-neutral subjects have been addressed, such as demand-side innovation policy, as have technology-specific themes, such as nanotechnology, and work has been carried out which is relevant to developed and developing economies, such as how to foster international collaboration in science. Knowledge Type: Thematic report [1] Other Tag: global challenges [2] government procurement [3] green innovation [4] biotechnology [5] open innovation [6] open science [7] peer review [8] policy ideas [9] procurement [10] research and development funding [11] research policies [12] scientific articles [13] service innovation [14]


Artificial photosynthesis (AP) is a synthetic chemical process that replicates natural photosynthesis to mass produce hydrogen as a clean fuel from sunlight-driven water splitting (2H2O → O2 + H2). In both natural and artificial photosynthesis, an oxygen-evolving catalyst (OEC) is needed to catalyze oxygen production from water (2H2O → O2 + 4H+ + 4e–). Herein, we present a simple undergraduate laboratory experiment for monitoring the catalytic oxygen-evolution reaction using a dissolved oxygen optical probe, a luminescent probe that can continuously measure the concentration of dissolved oxygen in aqueous solutions. The laboratory experiment consists of two parts. First, students identify and evaluate the necessary criteria for an active molecular O2-evolving catalyst. Second, students use a kinetic protocol based on the method of initial rates to derive an empirical rate law expression and calculate the turnover frequency and rate constant for a benchmark OEC, [RuII(tpy)(bpy)(H2O)]2+ (tpy is 2,2′:6′,2″-t...


Blind equalization techniques based on maximizing the a-posterior probability density function (p.d.f) are investigated and a novel soft decision-directed (SDD) algorithm is proposed. The new algorithm can achieve the faster convergence speed and smaller residual intersymbol interference (ISI). The blind decision feedback equalizer using soft DD algorithm is also presented, which leads to superior performance than that of the linear equalizer. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed techniques.


This study explored the use of critical reflection blogs to integrate civic-mindedness into an executive education program at a large public university in the south Atlantic region of the United States. Although there is a robust literature on the use of blogs for critical reflection in degree programs, far less attention has been given to blogging in nondegree executive education programs. Participants (n = 10) were senior executives participating in a nondegree preparatory program for an emerging C-suite role. Blog postings submitted over an 8-month period were analyzed using theory-driven content analysis to explore the extent to which reflective blogging contributed to the regeneration of civic-mindedness among well-educated, seasoned professionals. Study findings identified a variety of themes related to examining one's own assumptions about civic-mindedness and how those themes could be translated into initiatives for organizational transformation. Study limitations and implications for other adult learning programs are also discussed.


The efficiency of workers depends on their abilities, skills and motivation to utilize these abilities and skills in performing their duties. Thus, the level of workers' motivation is considered and important determinant of their efficiency. This study is intended to determine the Saudi Agricultural Extension Workers' level of motivation and its correlates. Data was collected through mail questionnaire from all (266) the Extension Workers and response rate was 69.5%. Percentages, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, and stepwise multiple regression was used to analyze data using SPSS. The study results showed that 60.6%, 32.4% and 7.0% of the respondents have high, medium and low level of motivation respectively. Moreover the study revealed that the factors that have significant effect the Saudi Agricultural Extension workers are: relation with and appreciation by colleagues and supervisors, extent of benefit from training, relevancy of training to agricultural extension tasks, and the extension worker knowledge of the work rules and regulations. These four factors explained 58.8% of the total variation in the agricultural extension workers level of motivation. The study also indicated that the most important constraints hindering agricultural extension efficiency in Saudi Arabia are: farmers dependence on foreign laborers, unavailability of the farmers in their farms, lack of incentives to agricultural extension workers, low educational level of the farmers and lack of subject matter specialists.


Alpha particles diffusion due to charge changes in a magnetized plasma is studied. Analytical calculations and numerical simulations are employed to show that this process can be very important in the pedestal-edge-SOL regions. This is the first study that presents clear evidence of the importance of atomic processes on the diffusion of alpha particles. A simple 1D model that includes inelastic collisions with plasma species, "cold" neutrals, and partially ionized species was employed. The code, which follows the exact particle orbits and includes the effect of inelastic collisions via a Monte Carlo type random process, runs on a graphic processor unit (GPU). The analytical and numerical results show excellent agreement when a uniform background (plasma and cold species) is assumed. The simulations also show that the gradients in the density of the plasma and cold species, which are large and opposite in the edge region, produce an inward flux of alpha particles. Calculations of the alpha particles flux r...


This work, presents some heat treatments were used to improve the microstructure in different zones of the API X70 welded pipeline steel. In this study a shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) process has been realized.. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction have been used as characterization techniques to observe the WM microstructures, in addition hardness are also measured. The results revealed that the isothermal heat treatment caused progressive recristallization reactions in the weld zone, and the hardness of weld joints decreased, were the main transformations after increasing the temperature of the heat treatment.


In this paper, the reconstruction of egg's outline by using piecewise parametric cubic B-spline is proposed. Reverse engineering process has been used to represent the generic shape of egg in order to acquire its geometric information in form of a two-dimensional set of points. For the curve reconstruction, the purpose is to optimize the control points of all curves such that the distance of the data points to the curve is minimized. Then, the B-spline curve functions were used for the curve fitting between the actual and the reconstructed profiles.


Over the last few years, advances in understanding the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease, together with progress in biotechnology, have led to the availability of several biological drugs that have dramatically changed the therapeutic approach to these disorders. Indeed, several molecules targeting crucial inflammatory cytokines, blocking T-cell activation/proliferation or the recruitment of inflammatory cells into the inflamed bowel, have been discovered and commercialized. However, the increasing use of biological agents has raised some concerns regarding their short- and long-term safety. This review offers a critical evaluation of the efficacy and safety of biological agents in the management of both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. In addition, promising therapeutic options are discussed.


We present a planar 40-wavelength 100-GHz spacing channel-dropping filter with wide in-to-through stopbands and low in-to-drop crosstalk, yet highly cascadable in-to-through passbands without significant excess loss or large physical size.


A propatgation direction of a kinked crack in an infinite plate is investigated for heat flux in an arbitrary direction. Criteria based on a stress state before the occurrence of a kinked crack, i.e., the maximum circumferential stress theory, the maximum principal stress theory, and the minimum strain energy density theory Smin are used. On the other hand, criteria based on the stress state immediately after the occurrence of a kinked crack, i.e., KI max theory, Kll=O theory, and the maximum energy release rate theory gmax are also used. Results of thermoelasticity with regard to a kinked crack are used in these criteria. Criteria based on the stress state after the occurrence of a kinked crack almost give the same direction of propagation: the angle between 75° and 77°. The path of propagation is investigated by criteria of Smin and gmax for heat flux perpendicular to an initial crack.


Wireless access networks like wireless LANs have been diffused widely. However, as mobile devices and applications increase and become diverse, more devices with various packet generation rates are expected to access such wireless networks. In this paper, in wireless access networks in which wireless stations (STAs) and a base station (BS) communicate directly in a multichannel environment, we propose novel channel selection control. This proposal adaptively switches the channel, on which each of the STAs is operating, to assign sufficient communication bandwidth to all of the STAs and the BS regardless of their packet generation rates.


Based on the study of the concrete structure of elastic sleeve as well as the analysis of the drum parts' characteristics of bulging and its traditional manufacturing technique,automatic prepressing optimum elastic sleeve bulging die was designed.The structural feature,working processs and design essentials of the die were introduced in this paper.This die avoids the former problem of the blanks' inner microcrack because of overlarge deformation,and it guarantees the dimension and performance requirement of elastic sleeve,at the same time,productivity can be promoted by more than twice.


China's post-Mao reforms have gradually introduced markets and transformed the planned economy. This dissertation investigates the impact of those market-oriented reforms on state bureaux that administered the planning system. It does this through a study of departments that allocated consumer goods and housing in the north-eastern city of Tianjin. It argues that markets have resulted in the emergence of state entrepreneurialism in these sectors. The introduction of commodity markets has compelled state commerce bureaux to become entrepreneurial by rendering them obsolete. In the property sector, limited real estate markets have provided bureaux with opportunities to do real estate development business. Contrary to the expectations in current thinking on market reform, the Chinese state entrepreneurialism shows that states do not have to resist change and can embrace markets. In the context of a world-wide trend toward marketisation, the Chinese state's adaptive activities are of wider relevance. The key features of the entrepreneurial state are outlined as a model to aid future comparative research.


In Japan, carrot cultivars are generally classified into western and oriental varieties. Recently, new intermediate cultivars were obtained by crossbreeding between these two types of cultivars. In the present study, the growth of these cultivars was also investigated to evaluate their suitability for cultivation in Aomori Prefecture, a cold region of Japan. We also determined the levels of sugars, as indicators of the eating quality, and carotenoids, as functional components, and volatile compounds, in western carrot (cv. Oranje), oriental (cv. Shinbeni-kintoki), and intermediate (cv. Kyoukurenai) cultivars. As a result, there was no significant difference in the growth of aerial parts in the three cultivars. However, the root shape in 'Kyoukurenai' was intermediate between western and oriental cultivars. There was no significant difference in the total content of sugars among these cultivars. However, 'Shinbeni-kintoki' had a smaller content of fructose but larger content of sucrose. The levels of carotenoids were significantly lower in 'Kyoukurenai' than in the other cultivars. In terms of the carotenoid composition, 93.4% of total carotenoids was occupied by β - and α -carotene in 'Orange' and 80.9% by lycopene in 'Shinbeni-kintoki'; however, the ratio of β - and α -carotene/lycopene was almost even in 'Kyoukurenai'. We found that the types of volatile compounds present in these cultivars were almost the same; however, the level of each compound was different. The compounds considered strongly related to the carrot-specific flavor were found to be high in 'Shinbeni-kintoki' and low in 'Kyoukurenai'. On the contrary, 'Orange' was found to have high levels, hence a strong flavor, of sabinene and p -cymene, which are considered as "fresh green". Based on these results, we could confirm the levels of sugars and carotenoids, as well as cultivar growth in cold regions, and could also advance knowledge on the aroma components contained in the three selected varieties.


The War theme can be found in the genealogical researches lead both by Foucault and Agamben. The publication of all the Foucauldian courses at the "College de Franceµ and the conclusion of the Agambenian series about the "homo sacerµ allow to place the "Warµ paradigm in two different ways within the above-mentioned philosophical trails: in Foucault, the "Warµ model is placed in a central position and then it is gradually set aside, while in Agamben it follows the opposite procedure of the centralization. The present article examines the sense of these two different ways to treat the same concept and its deepest meaning inside the philosophical works of the two authors, also in the light of their most recent publications.


Somalis may be forgiven if they have become wary of foreign help in putting their shattered country back together. Since the absurd colonial dismemberment of the Somali nation between five sovereign states, external involvement in Somalia has ranged from the mediocre to the disastrous. The anaemic preparations by the British and Italian governments for Somali independence and statehood, the enthusiastic support of both cold war blocs in the training and armament of the small country's security services and armed forces, and the United Nation's ruinous attempts at nation-building are notable benchmarks in a long history of foreign meddlers some of them sinister, some benign, others simply incompetent but all of them ultimately unsuccessful.


There are enormous numbers of applications that require the use of tracking algorithms to predict the future states of a system according to its previous accumulated states. Thus, many efficient techniques are widely adopted to estimate the future states of a system at every point in time to get the desired performance levels. Kalman filter is a popular and an efficient method for online estimations for linear measurements. Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), on the other hand, is more suited for nonlinear measurements. However, EKF algorithm is well known to be computationally intensive, and may not achieve the strict requirements of real time applications. This issue has motivated researchers to consider the use of parallel processing platforms such as Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) to meet the real time requirements. This paper provides an optimized parallel architecture for EKF using FPGA. Our approach exploits many optimization and parallel techniques such as pipelining, loop unrolling, dataflow, and inlining; and utilizes the inherently parallel architecture nature of FPGAs to accelerate the estimation process. Our experimental analyses show that our optimized implementation of EKF can achieve better results when compared to other implementations using GPU and multicore platforms. Moreover, higher performance levels can be achieved when operating on larger data sizes. This is due to our proposed optimization techniques that we have applied, and the exploited inherent parallelism among EKF operations.


As an algorithm that generates a kinoform is a phase-type computer-generated hologram, there is a iterative dummy area method. However, it is to reduce the error in the original image space, using the degree of freedom in the dummy area, the dummy area method is repeated dummy area error occurs. That the error occurs in the dummy region, undesirable in terms of light use efficiency. In this study, we aim to reduce the error of the dummy area there. In the computer generated hologram, the reconstructed image is modulated by a sinc function in both the horizontal direction, vertical direction. Therefore, compared to the reconstructed image is near the center, the periphery will be dark. In the computer generated hologram, the reconstructed image is modulated by a sinc function in both the horizontal direction, vertical direction. First, instead of using the whole dummy area Thus, by going to increase the dummy area is used gradually, it is possible to concentrate on the periphery error leads to a reduction in error.


Attribute considered signs of loss fundamental properties of natural monopoly in ICT and the overall impact of network effects and switching costs on the formation of oligopolistic market structures, with the defining characteristic of their members significant market advantage in the direction of reducing competition and increase market share by revenue and subscribers. The proposed measures of state regulation of monopoly power postnatural to improve efficiency ICT industry


The optimized geometry and vibrational frequencies of 4-hydroxy-1-methyl-2(1 H)-quinolone (HMQ) were obtained by DFT/B3LYP level with complete relaxation in the potential energy surface using 6-31G and 6-311G basis sets. The Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum of HMQ has been recorded in the region 4000-400 cm -1 . The harmonic vibrational frequencies were calculated and the scaled values have been compared with experimental FT-IR Spectrum. The calculated frequencies are in a comparable agreement with the experimental frequencies.


Bottom-up coarse-grained molecular dynamics models are parameterized using complex effective Hamiltonians. These models are typically optimized to approximate high dimensional data from atomistic simulations. In contrast, human validation of these models is often limited to low dimensional statistics that do not necessarily differentiate between the CG model and said atomistic simulations. We propose that explainable machine learning can directly convey high-dimensional error to scientists and use Shapley additive explanations do so in two coarse-grained protein models.


426Environment — Protection of the environment — Relationship between the protection of the environment and development — Concept of sustainable development — Recognition of sustainable development by the international community — Principle of integration of environmental protection and socio-economic development — International environmental law and sustainable development — Concept of sustainable development in the law of South Africa Human rights — Economic, social and cultural rights — Right of everyone to safe and clean environment — Inter-generational and intra-generational equity — Constitution of South Africa, Section 24 — Environment Conservation Act 1989 — National Environmental Management Act 1998 — Obligation to protect environment and promote economic and social development — Interrelationship between environment and development — Environmental authorities — Nature and scope of obligation on environmental authorities to consider socio-economic factors — Delegation of duties to local council — Whether environmental authorities fulfilled their statutory duty — Whether environmental authorities had properly considered impact of proposed development on socio-economic conditions Relationship of international law and municipal law — Environmental law — International law on environmental protection — Relevance in interpreting and applying domestic environmental law — The law of South Africa


History of effect is a recent methodology being used as a means to discover the ways in which readers are influenced by biblical texts. This essay seeks to discover how the early Pentecostals were influenced in their worship by their reading of the Apocalypse. Early Pentecostal literature is filled with references to the worship practices and experiences of the early Pentecostal communities. The literature, which is largely testimonial in nature, indicates that the early Pentecostals were deeply influenced in their worship by the Apocalypse. This essay provides a survey of both Wesleyan-Pentecostal and Finished Work periodical literature from 1906-1916.