Near‐fault ground motions are characterized by long‐period horizontal pulses and high values of the ratio between the peak value of the vertical acceleration, PGAV, and the analogous value of the horizontal acceleration, PGAH, which can become critical for base‐isolated (BI) structures. The objective of the present work is to check the effectiveness of the base isolation of framed buildings when using High‐Damping‐Rubber Bearings (HDRBs), taking into consideration the combined effects of the horizontal and vertical components of near‐fault ground motions. To this end, a numerical investigation is carried out with reference to BI reinforced concrete buildings designed according to the European seismic code (Eurocode 8). The design of the test structures is carried out in a high‐risk region considering (besides the gravity loads) the horizontal seismic loads acting alone or in combination with the vertical ones and assuming different values of the ratio between the vertical and horizontal stiffnesses of the HDRBs. The nonlinear seismic analysis is performed using a step‐by‐step procedure based on a two‐parameter implicit integration scheme and an initial‐stress‐like iterative procedure. At each step of the analysis, plastic conditions are checked at the potential critical sections of the girders (i.e. end sections of the sub‐elements in which a girder is discretized) and columns (i.e. end sections), where a bilinear moment–curvature law is adopted; the effect of the axial load on the ultimate bending moment (M‐N interaction) of the columns is also taken into account. The response of an HDRB is simulated by a model with variable stiffness properties in the horizontal and vertical directions, depending on the axial force and lateral deformation, and linear viscous damping. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Modern people crave for poetic existence.The poetic life results from the creation of the poetic subject.Thepoetic subject should be full of the consciousness of creation and be capable of obtaining life happiness on the basis of un-derstanding the tragicalness of life.


The question of how to characterise the diachronic identity of a concrete particular within a metaphysical framework is the problem of persistence. There are two major theories, Endurantism and Perdurantism affirming a problem of persistence for concrete particulars. While Endurantism, on the one hand, argues that concrete particulars persist wholly, Perdurantism, on the other hand, argues that they persist as temporal slices. This paper argues that neither Endurantism nor Perdurantism adequately characterise the persistence of concrete particulars. This is because there is an impasse between these two major theories of persistence. The article concludes that hence, there is a need for another hypothesis or theory of persistence to address the problem of persistence in metaphysics. This paper broadens the discourse on persistence of concrete objects beyond a debate between Endurantism and Perdurantism. The paper uses the methods of conceptual analysis and philosophical argumentation.


I describe an automated setup and experimental methods for investigation of electrodynamic systems in millimeter-wave band and for material diagnostics.


www.scandjrheumatol.dk detected. Repeated examinations thereafter showed similar, near-normal findings. CD has previously been reported to be associated with several rheumatological disorders including RP, but to the best of our knowledge this is the first report of extensive microvascular damage, similar to capillary changes in SSc, documented by nailfold capillaroscopy in a patient suffering from CD (1). The causal relationship of CD, RP, and especially the described capillary pattern was supported by the exclusion of any underlying connective tissue disease or other secondary causes of RP and further supported by the normalization of the vascular architecture after 18 months of a gliadin-free diet. Of course we cannot exclude an evolving SSc in our patient, but it seems improbable because of the negative laboratory testing, organ screening, and inconspicuous clinical examination (10). Further studies of CD by nailfold capillaroscopy would be interesting, to investigate a special capillary pattern in these patients.


The issues of exploitation of large itres (LT) in the coal mines of HC "SBU-Coal" are considered. The relationship between the "right" pressure in tyre and its lifetime is snowk. The exponential functions of residual tread depth depending on the mileage of different brands and models LT. Special attention is paid to monitoring, repair and optimum selection LT.


Obesity is recognized a leading factor contributing in diabetes and cardiovascular (CV) disease development worldwide. Among obese individuals at least two phenotypes are determined, i.e. metabolically healthy obese and metabolically non-healthy obese. Subjects with one or other phenotype appear to be distinguished in CV risk and diabetes. Although lack of strong definition of metabolically healthy obese as a transient age- and ethnic-related phenotype accompanied to some behavioral and environmental factors, the role of co-existing metabolic abnormalities in translation of metabolically healthy obese to metabolically non-healthy obese is under debates. Outgrowth endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have protective abilities to vasculature and they are posed as a central key of endogenous repair system. In this context, weak functionality and reduced number of circulating EPCs determined as EPC dysfunction might link phenotypes of obese and CV risk. The editorial is considered a role of EPC dysfunction as a predictive biomarker in CV diseases and events in patients with different phenotypes of obese.


The interfacial reactions between ceramic moulds and DZ417G and DZ125 superalloys were investigated. The microstructure and composition of the interface region were observed by optical microscope, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy. The results showed that (Al1-xCrx)2O3 solid solution phase with pink color was formed from the dissolution of Cr2O3 and Al2O3 and vapour phase, which was transferred to the reaction surfaces. The reaction layer thicknesses of DZ417G and DZ125 alloys were about in the range of 40-50μm. The interface reaction product between DZ417G alloy and ceramic mould was TiO2 and the product between DZ125 alloy and ceramic mould was HfO2.


We experimentally demonstrate a bidirectional space-division multiplexing passive optical network system by using a commercial directly modulated laser modulated by a 25 Gb/s NRZ-OOK signal, and followed by a polarization-diversity silicon micro-ring resonator (PolD-MRR) for enhancing the modulation extinction ratio. A multi-core fiber with negligible inter-core crosstalk is used for bidirectional transmission, not only increasing the aggregated capacity but also simplifying the splitting of upstream and downstream and enabling colorless optical network units. The capacity of 100 Gb/s for downstream and 75 Gb/s for upstream has been achieved, respectively. In addition, transmission capacity could be further increased by wavelength-division multiplexing according to PolD-MRR periodical feature, which might be beneficial for future large-capacity optical access networks.


. This paper proposes a new method for classification of Capillary Electrophoretic Registers (CER) retrieved from cerebrospinal fluid sample taken from meningitis contaminated rats. The proposed approach applies several signal processing tools such as, wavelet analysis (WA), dynamic programming, principal component analysis (PCA) and support vector machines (SVM), for data pre-processing, feature extraction and CER classification. Furthermore, an algorithm is developed that detects zones in the CER where local energy variations between study groups (meningitis group and control group) are observed. This algorithm help us to identify the effects that Kliebsella Pneumonie (KP) bacteria produce in certain substances (aminoacids) that are part of the cerebrospinal fluid samples. It is shown that Meningitis disease can be effectively detected, analyzing the CER with the proposed methods. Futhermore, we show that exploiting the information related to the local energy variation improves the classification correctness rate up to 97.3%. This classification performance is obtained using least square SVM (LS-SVM) as classification tools and the parameterized CER representation proposed in this paper.


Four experiments Were conducted in order to determine Whether Warnings are effective and to identify factors that influence their effectiveness. Warnings were posted on a copy machine, a public telephone, a Water fountain, and two sets of doors. The first two warnings were effective in that most people did not use the copy machine and the telephone when they had the warnings on them. The warning on the water fountain was not effective when a single, small warning was used. When that warning plus a larger, more forceful warning was used, most people did not drink from the fountain. The warnings on the doors were not obeyed when a convenient alternative exit was not available. However, when the warning directed people to a nearby, convenient exit, most of them obeyed it. Warning with a low cost of compliance are apparently more effective. The results indicate that warnings can be effective, but not unless they are well designed in appearance and content.


An investigation into the attitudes of public library staff in the UK towards the Internet involved use of a mixture of quantitative and qualitative research methods. The use of an attitude measurement model, an amended version of the technology acceptance model in a questionnaire survey is detailed here and its value to the study in question deliberated on. Quantitative results suggest that attitudes towards use of the Internet are strongly related to usefulness, intention and actual usage. Analysis of the quantitative results suggests that staff are generally positive in their evaluations of the Internet, although a minority of staff possess negative attitudes to ICT.


This paper presents a framework to use collision avoidance methods in the majority of existing mobile robots (that have any shape, kinematic and dynamic constraints). The solution proposed is a vehicle abstraction layer based on transforming the space where these methods work, onto another one in which the constraints are implicitly represented. This space incorporates the vehicle kinematics and dynamics in such a way that when the reactive navigation methods are used, the motions computed comply with the motion constraints. We validate the utility of this framework by applying a classic reactive method in a real vehicle with motion constraints (whereas the original method does not address the kinematics and dynamics).


A layer is formed by chemical vapor depositing a seeding layer of ruthenium oxide on a substrate at a chemical vapor deposition flow rate ratio of a ruthenium source to oxygen gas. A main layer of ruthenium is chemical vapor deposited on the seeding layer by increasing the chemical vapor deposition flow rate ratio of the ruthenium source to the oxygen gas.


TREVILATO, R. B. Environmental Assessment of the Ribeirao Preto Stream, Preto, Brazil. 2016. 109 f. Thesis (Masters of Science) Ribeirao Preto College of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, 2016. Brazil has a water availability very privileged, with about 12% of the fresh water of the world runs into brazilian territory. However, a good amount of these waters are concentrated in the less populated areas. With the population increase followed by the growth of the cities surrounding the rivers and superficial water quality getting worse every year, the hydric crises and the risk of scarcity of this resource are affecting the water availability in many regions of the country and making necessary a preservation and constant monitoring of the urban waterbodies. The current research aims at the environmental assessment of the Ribeirão Preto Stream, located almost entirely in the Ribeirão Preto city, which belongs to the Pardo river watershed. The Ribeirão Preto Stream is one of the most important watercourse of the city and has been affected by the human action, it can mobilize chemical and microbiological agents who show a big risk to the public and environmental healthy. Four samplings campaign were made, two in the dry season (july-september, 2014) and two in the rainy season (march-may, 2015), in eleven spots along the whole stream, since the source until its confluence in the Pardo river. The limnological parameters (pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, eletric conductivity and turbity) were analysed in situ. Bacteriological analysis (total coliforms and E.coli) were carried out by the multiple tubes technique with chromogenic substract and parasitological analysis by the sedimentation method with Sedgwick Rafter ́s chamber, in the Laboratory of Ecotoxicology and Environmental Parasitology / EERP-USP. Cadmium, Pb, Cu, Cr, Mn, Hg and Zn analysis, both in water and sediment, were carried out by Spectrophotometry Atomic Absorption in the Pediatrics Laboratory, Metal Sector, University Hospital of School of Medicine at Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo HCFMRP–USP. Among the limnological parameters, only electric conductivity showed values above the recommended by CETESB (>100uS/cm) typical of waterbodies that were impacted by pollutant loads. The concentration of total coliforms varied from 4,9E+04 to 1,1E+07 and E.coli from<1,8 to 1,1E+06. Exclusively the source spot of the stream attended to the rating criteria of the CONAMA 357/2005 resolution to E.coli. There was a low detection and quantification of parasites. By metals concentration analysis, values higher than the expected were found in the CONAMA 357/2005 resolution in superficial waters for Cu and in sediments for Cr, Cu and Zn. The sazonal assessment showed statistically significant differences for temperature, dissolved oxygen, total coliforms and Cu (p<0,05). The Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA) showed that group 1 is near to the urban centers and the group 2 to the rural areas. The temporal analysis demonstrated improvement in the phisical and chemical conditions of the stream, based on the results obtained from the metals and limnological parameters in water during 2014/2015 when compared to the results of 2008/2009. Stands out in the research a decline of the Hg and Pb concentrations and also a increase of the dissolved oxygen levels. The monitoring of the main watercourse in the Ribeirão Preto city might help on decision-making and public administration of this stream. Thus, decreasing the human and environmental health risks.


This paper presents methods for dynamic stall control utilizing an optimization approach. Unsteady aerodynamic sensitivity code is developed using a direct diffentiation method from a discrete two-dimensional unsteady compressible Navier-Stokes code including a two-equation turbulence model. Dynamic stall control is conducted by minimizing an objective function defined at an instant instead of integrating a response for a period of time. Unsteady sensitivity derivative of the objective function is calculated by the sensitivity code, and optimization is conducted using a linear line search method at every physical time level. Examples of dynamic stall control utilizing airfoils nose radius or maximum thickness variation show very satisfactory results.


Static frequency converters are always used at pumped storage power station. But when SFC works, it generates lots of harmonics and pollutes the electric power system. In this paper the Chinese Harmonic Standard is investigated. With the example of Tongbo Pumped Storage Power Station, The harmonic of static frequency converter (SFC) is analyzed and the Standard for reference of limitations of 18 kV, 500 kV electric power system is recommended. Model of Tongbo Pumped Storage Power Station is established by SABER simulation program. Then, comparison of four schemes of Tongbo Project sixpulse low voltage structure, sixpulse high voltage structure twelvepulse low voltage structure, twelvepulse high voltage structure is made through simulation. From the simulation, we can see that the voltage THD and current THD of twelvepulse structure is smaller than sixpulse structure and twelvepulse structure can reduce 5,7 times harmonics effectively.Key words: static frequency converter; harmonics; pumped storage pover station


The present invention is copolymerized relative to a polyether polyamide resin 100 parts by weight, including from 0.4 to 10 parts by weight of a hindered phenolic antioxidant having an amide bond in the molecule, coating or impregnating both to woven or knitted fabric a polymerizable polyether polyamide resin composition, the heat affect the long-term stability of performance of the air bag which is one of automobile safety devices, further improvement over the prior art, coating or impregnating copolymer to woven or knitted fabric it is possible to provide a polyether polyamide resin composition.


Method of selectively reducing the components in the tobacco, and discloses a cigarette obtained by such a method. For example, functions as a subcritical fluid is reduced medium such as liquid carbon.


These activities will teach and instill a respect for the American flag, the pledge of allegiance, liberty bell, statue of liberty, the bald eagle, and other patriotic symbols.


South tower of Qingdao Inzone Center is a 185.45m-high out-of-limit high-rise building.After structural calculation by using two different methods,it is proved that various calculation indices satisfy the requirements of relevant codes.Static pushover analysis under rare earthquake is carried out for the whole structure according to the seismic design objectives.The analysis result indicates that main structure of the project can guarantee favorable service state.


: Lateral deep fertilization is an efficient, high-quality, and safe cultivation technology of rice mechanical transplanting. In order to improve the technical system of lateral deep fertilization, we investigated the effects of different fertilization methods on rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency under the condition of lateral deep fertilization. In this study, Nanjing 9108 and Nanjing 5718, the representative varieties of quality and delicious rice of Jiangsu, were used as materials. Four different lateral deep fertilization methods were arranged, including 100% base fertilizer side deep application FM1 (fertilization method 1), 70% base fertilizer side deep application + 30% tillering fertilizer FM2 (fertilization method 2), 70% base fertilizer side deep application + 30% panicle fertilizer FM3 (fertilization method 3), and 35% base fertilizer side deep application + 35% tillering fertilizer + 30% panicle fertilizer FM4 (fertilization method 4). In addition, the conventional fertilization method and no nitrogen treatment were added. The effects of different treatments on rice yield, leaf area index, photosynthetic potential, dry matter accumulation, population growth rate, and nitrogen use efficiency were compared. The results revealed that the yield of FM3 and FM4 were higher than those of other treatments. The main reason was that the spikelet number of the population was significantly higher than that of other treatments on the basis of stable panicle number. The leaf area index and dry matter accumulation of FM3 treatment were higher in the middle and late growth stages, especially from heading to maturity stage. Nitrogen accumulation of FM3 was less before jointing stage, but nitrogen accumulation after jointing stage and the total nitrogen uptake during the whole growth period were significantly higher than those of other treatments. Moreover, the nitrogen agronomic utilization rate, nitrogen physiological utilization rate, nitrogen absorption utilization rate, and nitrogen partial productivity of FM3 were significantly higher than those of the other treatments. At the same time, compared with CFM and FM4, FM3 can reduce fertilization times by 1–2 times, save labor and cost, and is conducive to large-scale production. It is a high-yield, simple and efficient fertilization method for rice.


This article discussed the transformation between the geographical coordinate(LAT,LON) on charts and the bitmap coordinate (X,Y) on the screen. It detailed the procedures of mathematical treatment for the coordinate transformation for Mercator chart, stereogram, Lambert projection chart, which were the three typical bitmaps of common charts and meteorological charts.


. The overview effect is a feeling of awe for the beauty of the Earth and awareness of responsibility for it, experienced by many cosmonauts, starting with Yuri Ga-garin. The purpose of the article is to reveal the ontological component of the overview effect and its ethical implications. The founder of the concept of the overview effect F. White and astronaut and thinker E. Mitchell develop a holistic, panpsychist ontology. Conscious-ness and life are not accidental, but the most important properties of the universe, as evidenced by the direction of evolution towards the emergence of mind. F. White writes about the increasing influence of humanity on cosmic evolution and about the hypothetical universal cosmic mind. Mitchell states that mind and matter are two interrelated aspects of a single evolving reality. He rejects both the personal God as the creator of the cosmos and the platonic world of ideas. From our point of view, without the pre-existence of the most important laws of nature, chaotic matter could not be organized into something structured.


Also known as Matilda of Tuscany; an Italian heiress, a military leader in support of the papacy, and influential in the theory of holy war.

Keywords:

eleventh century;
Europe;
Women's History


This study investigates the monitoring role of media tone on Chief Executive Officer (CEO) power. Using CEO pay slice (CPS) as a measure of CEO power, we find that negative tone is associated with a reduction in CEO power. The finding extends the theoretical framework explaining the importance and influence of media on corporate governance. Consistent with theoretical predictions, we find that the impact of negative tone on the extent of CEO power is stronger in well-governed firms. The evidence suggests that media tone plays an important role as an external monitor, moderating corporate governance through the dissemination of news.


Background Few randomised clinical trials have examined the efficacy of an intervention aimed at improving psychosocial functioning in bipolar disorder. Aims To examine changes in psychosocial functioning in a group that has been enrolled in a functional remediation programme 1 year after baseline. Method This was a multicentre, randomised, rater-masked clinical trial comparing three patient groups: functional remediation, psychoeducation and treatment as usual over 1-year follow-up. The primary outcome was change in psychosocial functioning measured by means of the Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST). Group×time effects for overall psychosocial functioning were examined using repeated-measures ANOVA (trial registration NCT01370668). Results There was a significant group×time interaction for overall psychosocial functioning, favouring patients in the functional remediation group (F = 3.071, d.f. = 2, P = 0.049). Conclusions Improvement in psychosocial functioning is maintained after 1-year follow-up in patients with bipolar disorder receiving functional remediation.


FIELD: radio engineering, communication. SUBSTANCE: method and device apply radar navigation devices. A polarisation-modulation method of radar measurement of a roll angle of an airborne vehicle and a device for its implementation consists in the fact that a passive polarisation-anisotropic radar reflector of electromagnetic waves with horizontal linear proper polarisation is located at a point with known coordinates. The radar reflector is irradiated from the airborne vehicle board by a linearly polarised electromagnetic wave the polarisation plane of which rotates at some speed. The reflected electromagnetic wave, the polarisation of which coincides with polarisation of the emitted electromagnetic wave, is received on the board of the airborne vehicle. As per measured phase (at the receiver output) of spectrum component with double rotation speed of the polarisation plane of received signals there determined is a roll angle of the airborne vehicle. EFFECT: avoiding constant build-up of a measurement error in course of time. 2 cl


An in vitro incubation study was conducted with soil having seven applications of different treatments of biomass and biochar including a control. The biochar and biomass were applied at a rate of 5 t/h a and incubated at field moisture condition for 30, 60 and 90 days individually in different pots. Total organic carbon (C), total nitrogen, phytoavailable nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S) and potassium (K) were determined at the end of each incubation period. Total soil organic carbon (SOC), showed a substantial declining trend in all the soils - more prominent in the biochar treated soils than its corresponding biomass treated soils. The pH, total N, phytoavailable N, P, K were substantially higher in the biochar treated soils irrespective of the incubation days compared to the biomass treated soils. Conversely, the available S contents of the biochar treated soils were lower than that of biomass treated soils. The effect of biochar on these nutrients vis-a-vis soil health is discussed. Bangladesh J. Sci. Res. 27(1): 11-25, June-2014


Cell culture from ovarian tissue of healthy female fingerlings Oreochromis niloticus was established with average weight of 20 to 30 gm/female. Three culture media were screened and tested: Leibowitz L-15), Minimum essential medium (MEM) and RPMI 1640 medium. Cells were maintained at 16, 27 or 30C for screening the favorable optimally incubation temperature. Culture medium was refreshed every 5 days. Among the three tested media, L-15 supplemented with 20% (FBS) supported higher cells attachment leading to cell proliferation than MEM and RPMI that didn't enhance the cell development and no cell proliferation was obtained with them. At different incubation temperature no proliferation were obtained when cells were incubated at 16C compared with 27C and 30C. This work is one of the rare reports of a cell culture system establishment in Egypt and unique from the ovarian tissue of O. niloticus. By using this technique, it should now be possible to develop different method of curing treatments and pathogens diagnosis because the fish can be bred in captivity and fingerlings reared under laboratory conditions.


In this study,magnetic measurements were conducted on two series of hematite and magnetite mixtures,with the purpose to study the response of magnetic parameters to the mixture of magnetic minerals with different coercivities.Series 1 and 2 were formed by mixing 0.3% superparamagnetic and pseudo-single-domain magnetite with varying proportions(0~9%) of hematite in a CaCO3 matrix,respectively.S ratios and Hcr/Hc,which are sensitive to the mixture of magnetic minerals with different coercivities,and are also impacted by the grain size of magnetite.S ratios of series 1 decline more dramatically than those of coarse-grained series 2 when the content of hematite is less than 2%.For series 1,Hcr/Hc ratios display larger variations when the hematite content is more than 3%.The results demonstrate that the widely used magnetic grain size indicators χARM/χ and χARM/ SIRM are also influenced by the proportions of ferrimagnetic versus antiferromagnetic minerals.For series 1 with fine-grained magnetite,χARM/SIRM shows an evident decline with increasing hematite content up to 3%.Meanwhile,this study indicates that there should be cautions in the interpretations of magnetic parameters.The influence of magnetite grain size on the coercivity indicators should be properly addressed,especially in the case of mixtwre composed of superparamagnetic magnetite and hematite.


135 Pacific Economic Bulletin volume 25 number 3 © 2010 The australian national university As a leading member of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations, Papua New Guinea (PNG) has a vested interest in proving to the international community that it could reduce the volume of greenhouse gas emissions from the process of deforestation and forest degradation if suitable financial incentives were to be provided for such action. An assessment of the baseline or 'business-as-usual' scenario for emissions from this process is therefore crucial to current debate about the relationship between national forest policy and measures taken to mitigate the impacts of climate change. This paper shows that the PNG government's own attempts to construct a baseline scenario for the contribution made to this process by logging and agribusiness companies have ignored a number of significant supply-side constraints on their economic activities, both in the past and in the future. This can be understood as the result of a perverse incentive for the governments of 'rainforest nations' to exaggerate the past, present and future rates of deforestation or forest degradation in order to claim a reward for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from a fictitious or exaggerated baseline to a level which approximates the real trajectory. Colin Filer is Convenor of the Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Program in the Crawford School of Economics and Government at The Australian National University. The impacts of rural industry on the native forests of papua new Guinea


Summary This paper reviews and compares the performance evaluation system of research and development (R&D) programs in advanced countries and provides suggestions for its improvement. The programs reviewed are the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) in the United States, the Framework Program in the European Union (EU), technology development programs in Japan, and industrial technology development programs in Korea. The evaluation of the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology Evaluation and Planning (ITEP) mainly focuses on the economic effects of the project, therefore detailed information on commercialization such as sales volume, cost reduction, increase in market share, costs of commercialization, changes in price, changes in demand, causes of suspended commercialization, and employment effects is required. ATP's Performance Report is interested not only in commercialization but also in creation and dissemination of knowledge. The performance report in EU measures three dimensions of performance: the achievement of goals, the outputs and outcomes, and the macro impacts of the research projects. The evaluation in Japan, both in project and in program, balances between the achievement of national policy goals and the economic effects. The results suggest that qualitative evaluation factors indicating creation and dissemination of knowledge and the macro impacts of the research projects/programs should be considered in the evaluation system of ITEP. In conclusion, R&D performance evaluation system is necessary to measure the achievement of goals, outputs, outcomes, and impacts using a multidimensional performance indicator. This paper provides awareness and access to the best evaluation methods available for project managers.


Information communication Technology (ICT) has been used by organizations to transform their internal processes, data processing and services delivery to consumers. The Savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs) regulator require them to implement robust ICT platforms as part of the prudential standards it has set. Though there is an observable adoption of ICT by deposit taking SACCOs to provide services to members, there are concerns of how the SACCOS has adopted ICT, similarly there is a noted diminishing rate of growth in assets, loans and total deposits. The general objective of this study was to determine the effect of information communication technology adoption on SACCOs performance in Kiambu County, Kenya. The specific objectives was to determine; the usage of mobile banking on SACCOs' performance in Kiambu County, Kenya, the effect of agency banking on performance of SACCOs in Kiambu County, Kenya, the usage of Automated Teller Machine on performance of SACCOs and to assess SACCOs' data security policies and controls. Technology acceptance Model, Resource based view theory and Diffusion of innovation theories was used in the study. The study used descriptive design on a population of 14 deposit taking SACCOs licensed and operating in Kiambu,Kenya between year 2010 and 2017. The researcher used purposive sampling technique to pick 4 respondents ,who were the Branch Manager, ICT,Operations and Finance managers, per SACCO. The researcher used multiple regression analysis technique to analyze data while tables and graphs were used to present the researchers findings. The study found that the respondents considered mobile banking as a tool to enable members access services anywhere-anytime as awell as positively affecting SACCO incomes. It was further found that majority of the respondents felt safe as users while using Networks and internet services as well as affirming that Saccos used stored data to determine the member's financial behavior. Similarly, it was affirmed by the respondents that agency banking positively affected commissions and overall income of the SACCOs. The study concluded that mobile banking has enabled the DT-Saccos to improve their performance by enabling services access through mobile. Additionally, the study concluded that agency banking positively enlarged the income generating channels as the DT Saccos do not need to have physical branches as they can deliver services through virtual operations. Lastly the study concluded that data security is important to business continuity in these Saccos. DT-Saccos can utilize data analytics to customize services and communication to their members. From the analysis, it was found that ICT adoption could explain 56.7 % of the positive variations in performance of DT SACCOS in Kiambu County, Kenya. This study therefore recommends that DT Saccos ought to deepen their investments in ICT innovations as the technology offer effective and efficient channels which in turn positively influence their overall performance. The Saccos further needs to frequently revamp their technological innovations to match market requirements; this should be coupled with training and sensitization to members on these developments.


In a recent letter in the British Medical Journal Craig, Ford & McCuish (1977) reported on an increase in the number of newly diagnosed cases of diabetes in Glasgow among children under 13 years. At the Royal Hospital for Sick Children the occurrence has been assessed in 4-year periods. For the seven 4-year periods from 1933-1960 the mean value was 25 cases per period (range 17-41) with the low valueof 17occurringin thefour war years from 19411944; for the three 4-year periods from 1961-72 the mean per period was 59 (48-66), but in the 4-year period from 1972-76 the number of cases rose some 100% to 113. There was also some evidence of a similar rise at Stobhill Hospital and at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The authors pointed out that the mortality from diabetes is known to fall in wartimeand they also said that the morbidity fell during the second war (19391945), not returning until the 1950's. As can be seen, the numbers increased in the 1960's and exploded in the middle 1970's. While there may be a number of reasons for this it is pertinent to ask if it might be that the childrens' diet had a predominance of carbohydrate and whether there would be benefit in increasing dietary fat as recommended for the treatment of human diabetes by Allen (1917), Newburgh & Marsh (1920) and Petren (1924). Haist, Campbell & Best (1940), from their studies of the insulin content of the pancreas, concluded that fasting, fat feeding and the injection of insulin are three factors which allow the pancreatic islets to rest. Marks & Young (1939) found that a diet of beef suet diminished both glycosuria and ketonuria in dogs made diabetic by injection of anterior lobe extracts, and this was confirmed by Dohan & Lukens (1939). Shaw-Dunn & McLetchie (1943) showed that alloxan produced permanent glycosuria in rats and


Abstract: Introduction: The contamination of the environment by a micro-organism differs according to the establishment, the services and the care practiced. The main objective of this study is to identify bacteria in the hospital environment of the University Hospital Center of Anosiala that may be responsible of nosocomial infections. Methods: This is a prospective study realized at the Anosiala Teaching Hospital over a period of 2 weeks from 14 to 25 February 2018. The duration of the study was 4 months from February to May 2018. Results: 69 samples were taken from the 4 departments including the intensive care unit (ICU), the Pediatric Surgery Department, the emergency and the operating room. Of these samples, 48 (69,6%) samples were positive to the groups of germs studied (non aureus Staphylococcus , Staphylococcus aureus , enterobacteria, as well as non-fermentative bacteria from the environment) and 21 (30,43%) samples were negative. The service most concerned by the contamination was pediatric surgery followed by ICU and the operating room. Conclusion: Bacteria isolated from the environment of Anosiala show the importance of hygiene. Reinforced hygiene and cleaning measures will have to follow in order to reduce and eliminate these microorganisms in the context of hospital hygiene and the protection of patients or the staff against the acquisition of an infection hospital. Keywords: Bacteriology, environment, hospital hygiene, nosocomial infections, surface sampling


LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18) plays a key role in various inflammatory responses. Here we show that the acquired immune response to Listeria monocytogenes is highly biased toward type 1 in the absence of LFA-1. At the early stage of listeriosis, numbers of IFN-γ producers in the liver and spleen of LFA-1−/− mice were markedly increased compared with heterozygous littermates and Vα14+NKT cell-deficient mice, and NK cells were major IFN-γ producers. Numbers of IL-12 producers were also markedly elevated in LFA-1−/− mice compared with heterozygous littermates, and endogenous IL-12 neutralization impaired IFN-γ production by NK cells. Granulocyte depletion diminished numbers of IL-12 producers and IFN-γ-secreting NK cells in the liver of LFA-1−/− mice. Granulocytes from the liver of L. monocytogenes-infected LFA-1−/− mice were potent IL-12 producers. Thus, in the absence of LFA-1, granulocytes are a major source of IL-12 at the early stage of listeriosis. We assume that highly biased type 1 immune responses in LFA-1−/− mice are caused by increased levels of IL-12 from granulocytes and that granulocytes play a major role in IFN-γ secretion by NK cells. In conclusion, LFA-1 regulates type 1 immune responses by controlling prompt infiltration of IL-12-producing granulocytes into sites of inflammation.


Breast cancer represents a public health problem and is the first incidence cause and mortality by cancer in adults women in Latin America and worldwide.


The research definition of the word verb deals with logicians, grammarians, and fundamentalists, is it a word (m escaped d)?: Headrest and backrest for him to reveal his truth? With the problems and responses of the flags to this question.


Many studies have shown there is a close relationship between iron homeostasis disruption and Alzheimer's disease,but the mechanism needs to be discussed.Recent progresses about these studies are reviewed especially the results in author's laboratory are discussed.Iron homeostasis disruption,oxidative stress,β-amyloid(Aβ),amyloid precursor protein(APP),iron regulatory protein(IRP) and divalent metal transporter 1(DMT1) are discussed in detail.The protective effects of natural antioxidant and mitochondrial ferritin(MtFt) against Alzheimer's disease through regulating iron homeostasis disruption and oxidative stress are also discussed.This review may be useful for further research and prevention and therapy of Alzheimer's disease.


This essay reviews the following works: Ensaios de grande estrategia brasileira. By Joao Paulo S. Alsina Jr. Rio de Janeiro: Editora FGV, 2018. Pp. 291. Reais 43.00 paperback. ISBN: 9788522520619. Politics in Uniform: Military Officers and Dictatorship in Brazil, 1960–1980. By Maud Chirio. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2018. Pp. xii + 280. $28.95 paperback. ISBN: 9780822965374. Soldiers of the Nation: Military Service and Modern Puerto Rico, 1868–1952. By Harry Franqui-Rivera. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2018. Pp. xiii + 342. $60.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9780803278677. Fuerzas armadas, pretorianismo y calidad de la democracia: Ecuador y Uruguay. By Patricio Haro Ayerve. Quito: FLACSO, 2017. Pp. xix + 307. $18.00. ISBN: 9789978674789. Brazil, 1964–1985: The Military Regimes of Latin America in the Cold War. By Herbert S. Klein and Francisco Vidal Luna. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2017. Pp. xiii+ 216. $40.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9780300223316. Debating Civil-Military Relations in Latin America. Edited by David R. Mares and Rafael Martinez. Eastbourne, UK: Sussex Academic Press, 2014. Pp. xii + 224. $69.95 hardcover. ISBN: 9781845195915. Military Missions in Democratic Latin America. By David Pion-Berlin. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016. Pp. xiii + 218. $119.99 hardcover. ISBN: 9781137592699. Soldiers, Politicians, and Civilians: Reforming Civil-Military Relations in Democratic Latin America. By David Pion-Berlin and Rafael Martinez. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2017. Pp. i + 414. $32.99 paperback. ISBN: 9781316604434.


The motivation behind this study is to enumerate the leading order corrections to the thermodynamics of BTZ black hole (named after three scientists; Banados, Teitelboim, and Zanelli). We first analyze the effect of quantum corrections (motivated from string theory and loop quantum gravity) on various thermodynamic variables for uncharged and stationary BTZ black hole. We, later on, endow charges and rotations to the same black hole and rederive all the expressions once again. The comparative analysis is done between the corrected and uncorrected thermodynamics via plots.


Enterprise architecture management (EAM) provides information about an enterprise and its information systems landscape for thorough analysis. Semantic technologies allow for integrating data sets from various relevant information sources within enterprises in a so-called EA repository, which serves as a comprehensive formal information base for EAM. We call this approach Semantic Enterprise Architecture Management, SEAM for short. We show how SEAM uses semantic technologies to bridge the heterogeneity between various data sets relevant for EAM, such as The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) models, Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) business process models and Service-oriented Architecture (SOA) models. Query answering and reasoning enable detailed analysis and consistency checks on the SEAM repository in order to discover complex dependencies and implicit knowledge.


This essay examines the ongoing "fight against corruption" in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The PMU-18 scandal (ca. 2005–2007), the country's largest to date, is featured as a way to explore how different initiatives to audit the financial-moral practices of officials at all levels of government shape one another in contemporary Vietnam. This focus, which considers the material consequences of different discursive positions, reveals a curious paradox. Namely, the dominant regulatory approaches in use today define the primary source of bureaucratic corruption and thus the forms of intervention best suited towards its reduction in terms that are most often associated with the other. "Socialist" approaches, which are conventionally thought to rely upon techno-scientific and administrative modes of regulation, also called for external performance audits and other business management techniques to provide greater incentives for individuals to engage in ethical forms of self-regulation, whereas "neoliberal" approaches, which normally abhor regulatory mechanisms, recommended the reintroduction of centralized command-and-control measures to limit the ability of government officials to abuse their public positions for private gain. This outcome suggests that both regulatory regimes and the techniques used to promote accountability may have more in common than is commonly thought as it also raises the possibility that recombinant forms now exist. The patterns also provide comparative insights into (trans)national efforts to guide the conduct of conduct in settings that are neither Western nor liberal.


The work described here addresses information generated during mesh preprocessing, specifically mesh quality indicators derived on a per-element basis. A technique is introduced for visualizing per-element quality indicators which allows the researcher to see the spatial distribution of the indicator across the entire mesh. The technique uses time as a display axis, creating a succession of images in which the mesh is gradually eroded down to its "worst" elements. The technique is described algorithmically here and is applied to an example. In addition to supplying the user with the locations of the worst mesh elements, the technique appears to provide its user with a good high-level understanding of the relationship between mesh geometry and quality. This may also prove to be a useful technique for observing successive refinements of a mesh.


The purpose of this study was to examine the sequence of changes in the gross morphology and toxicity of the raphidophyte alga Heterosigma akashiwo in the context of blooms of this species in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia. Field work focused on this alga's 1989 fish-killing bloom. That bloom was extensive, with discolouration of the water extending fi*om Jervis Inlet through Malaspina Strait into the Strait of Georgia, and south to Cypress Island in Washington State. Excystment events on Spanish Banks in Vancouver harbour preceded population development in the Strait of Georgia during July and August but toxicity was only noted in the last two days of August and through September. Fish kills occurred near Cypress Island, and in Jervis Inlet and the contiguous waters of Agamemnon channel. These locations represented the geographic extremes of the discoloured waters. In Malaspina Strait and Jervis Inlet, information was collected on water column structure, macronutrient concentrations, and the distribution of algae and fish mortalities. Fish mortalities were coincident with the first sighting of waters discoloured with Heterosigma akashiwo in Agamemnon Channel and Jervis Inlet. The alga appeared to be transported to the areas by currents. Algal concentrations were higher at the Malaspina Strait end o f a transect into Jervis Inlet and during flood rather than ebb tides. The water column in Malaspina Strait and Jervis Inlet was stratified and both inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus in surfece waters were low enough to limit growth of H. akashiwo. Though this alga can migrate vertically to obtain nutrients at depth, there was no evidence of migration during this toxic event. Termination of the bloom was associated with a


Decalepis hamiltonii is a climbing shrub with aromatic tuberous roots distributed in Southern parts of Peninsular India. Its tuberous roots are widely used as a health drink and are well known for its medicinal properties. D. hamiltonii is one of the important plants in Ayurvedic system of medicine in India and are used in curing various diseases like stomach disorders, gastric ulcers and to stimulate appetite. This plant has been used in the preparation of several herbal drugs like Amrutamataka taila, Drakshadi churna, Shatavari rasayana and Yeshtimadhu taila. In the present review, traditional uses, uses as food and health drinks, phytochemistry, pharmacology and conservation of this endangered species are highlighted. A number of phytochemical compounds have been isolated from this plant; of these, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzaldehyde (HMB) is an abundant aromatic bioactive compound with greater biological significance. The tubers have antimicrobial, antipyretic, antiulcer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, chemoprotective, cytoprotective, insecticidal, neuroprotective and hepatoprotective activities. Natural seed germination is very low in this species, that is, 6% because of hard seed coat, less seed dormancy period and due to self-incompatibility. In vivo and in vitro conservation methods have been standardized to this endangered taxon by studying seed germination, field cultivation methods and by developing rapid micropropagation techniques. Among different plant growth regulators tested, 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) played a significant role in shoot multiplication, whereas, indole-3- butyric acid (IBA) and silver nitrate (AgNO3) influence rooting efficiently. The review aims to provide sufficient baseline information for further works and commercial exploration.

 Key words: Decalepis hamiltonii, phytochemistry pharmacology, conservation.


Objective:To evaluate the effect of sodium glycididazole(CM-Na) combined concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer.Methods: Total of 68 patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer were randomly divided into sensitized and control groups.Sensitization group,34 patients with combined sodium glycididazole concurrent radiochemotherapy(total dose of radiotherapy 60Gy-68Gy);Chemotherapy regimens of 5-FU + leucovorin + cisplatin;administration of CM-Na method: 800 mg/m2,every Monday,Wednesday and Friday at 1 hour before radiochemotherapy.The control group:34 patients received concurrent radiochemotherapy.Results: The recent effects: sensitization group CR,PR,NR and PD were 44.1%(15/34),47.0%(16/34),5.9%(2/34) and 2.9%(1/34),RR(CR + PR) was 90%(31/34);control group CR,PR,NR and PD were 29.4%(10/34),47.0%(16/34),17.6%(6/34)and 5.9%(2/34),RR was 76.5%(26/34).CR,NR and RR were significantly different(P0.05),but PR,PD were not different(P 0.05).Long-term effects: In sensitization group,1 year survival rate was 79.4%(27/34),61.8%(21/34) in the control group;3 year survival rate of sensitization group was 52.9%(18/34),35.3%(12/34) in the control group.The difference was significant in 1,3 year survival rate between the two groups(P0.05).Side effects: For was two gruops,in the esophagitis,radiation-induced skin damage,gastrointestinal reactions,bone marrow suppression,liver and renal damage incidence there was no significant difference(P 0.05).Conclusion: CM-Na combined with concurrent radiochemotherapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer can improve efficacy and long-term survival rate is a safe regimen.


Contributing to the acquisition of professional creativity and teamwork skills has been a special challenge for some of the subjectstaught at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM), and this has been a starting point for the work described in this paper. Someprofessors have intuited that the use of cooperative classrooms could facilitate the acquisition of these skills. We describe the newmethodologies applied within cooperative classrooms by some professors, and present the procedure for measuring students'perception of their own learning outcomes, skill improvements, and overall satisfaction with the use of this kind of classroom. Forthis project, 250 students enrolled in several subjects answered a questionnaire. The features of the subjects involved in the projectare widely disparate. We present the results of the statistical analysis with special emphasis on creativity and teamwork skills, andwe conclude that the use of cooperative classroom has a positive influence on the acquisition of these skills. This work has theadded value of being the first analysis of student perception of the use of cooperative classroom in the acquisition of creativity andteamwork skills.


in a second language We added a system that allows an abstract in a second language. The main purpose of this was to eliminate communication gaps between industry, government, academia, and the public, due to the exclusive use of English in the scientific community. I believe that many people, especially in education and wildlife conservation and manage2 Mammal Study 47 (2022) ment, are interested in the contents of Mammal Study, but do not speak English. Similarly, there must be authors who would like to share their findings with non-English readers. Policy makers usually make decisions in their own language, while the public do not always use English in their daily lives and social activities. Nevertheless, they need Mammal Study. Adding an abstract in a second language could facilitate internationalization by helping people to learn about studies that may be relevant to them. Although it seems paradoxical, admitting diversity can be a useful way to internationalize Mammal Study by eliminating communication gaps. See the Instructions to Authors for more details regarding this addition. Note that the Editor-in-Chief will reject an abstract in a second language if the content is deemed to differ sufficiently from the English abstract or is otherwise unable to verify the content of the second abstract.


Educationally, we live in an age of minimum standards. Though the labels differ according to the geographical location, the emphasis is the same. Minimum competency, literacy levels and basic proficiency are terms that have been added to the jargon of education. Spurred primarily by media reports of declining college board scores and instances of high school graduates labeled "functional illiterates," many school districts are complying with the backward move toward the "Basics" demanded by the lay public. Some districts are buying new textbooks which emphasize grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure while others are demanding that English teachers streamline their lessons so that each student will receive the same instruction. Some schools have eliminated elective courses and still others are


Abstract The research question being investigated in this paper is how to improve the learning of calculus for non-math major students whose interests are primarily non mathematical. The study explores the impact of an intuitive approach applied to the concepts of limits and integration. The survey was carried on 1st year engineering students taking the Calculus-1 course. The students had already had a brief encounter with the topics in high school. They were surveyed about their outlook towards the concepts of limits and integration using the same pre and post inquiry form. The post analysis was conducted after introducing both the topics through an intuitive approach. The survey was analyzed for statistical significance using the Mc Nemar's statistical test, which studies the impact of an intervention. Survey analysis indicated an improved understanding for the students and a positive change in their approach towards the topics.


A compact, portable fiber optic biosensor is developed that enables monitoring of up to four fiber optic probes simultaneously. The sensor employs a novel optical fiber bundle jumper for exciting and col- lecting fluorescence emission from the evanescent wave fiber optic probes. A single fiber in the center of the bundle couples laser excitation into the sensor probe, while the surrounding fibers collect the returning fluorescent emission light. This design requires no beamsplitter, enabling the detection optics and control circuitry to be reduced to a 436 in. circuit card. Four of these cards are integrated into a single portable system. Results from detection assays for hazardous biological agents and an environmental pollutant are shown. © 1997 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumen- tation Engineers. (S0091-3286(97)01404-9)


Wuxi is locating in Jiangsu province which is the most developed Yangtze river delta region in China. The use of foreign trade development and its outstanding achievements is in the forefront over the whole country. How to absorb foreign capital, to use of foreign capital, and to play the role in the economy better, will play an important role in Wuxi economy. The article analyzes the influence of FDI in Wuxi economy and give some useful suggestions on how to expand the FDI in promoting economic development in Wuxi further.


### Introduction: Development of Cardiovascular Research

German academic cardiovascular medicine has been traditionally rigidly separated into clinical cardiology, where the top clinicians had some early career basic science exposure but practiced exclusively clinical medicine, and classic basic science departments, that is, physiology, pharmacology, and pathology, where the chair had a cardiovascular focus. The institutional funding by the universities, which are, with few exceptions, state institutions in Germany, was sufficient to provide budget/resources for personnel, equipment and consumables to conduct basic research, and was in the range of 1 to 2 Mio € per year for such institutions. This situation has changed progressively but profoundly during the past 3 decades: almost all university clinics of cardiology now practice not only clinical cardiology but perform also basic science studies. They find it, however, increasingly difficult to recruit young physicians to a clinician scientist path of career. Basic cardiovascular science is no longer restricted to the classic university departments of physiology, pharmacology, pathology, but many chairs for experimental cardiovascular medicine under a variety of names/designations have been founded (>10 chairs in the past decade). Here, it has become extremely difficult to recruit young physicians into such basic science departments, and their personnel has now mostly a natural sciences rather than a medical background. Institutional funding for a basic cardiovascular research department has been restricted and now rarely exceeds 300 000 € to 600 000 € per year. Thus, there is an increasing pressure for competitive external funding. Along with these changes, the rigid hierarchical system of German academic medicine with a single professor and chair has become more flexible and more similar to the Anglo-American system where many professors with a different specialization coexist in the same department. Such more flexible system has in part evolved because many clinicians and researchers have …


This paper deals with investigation of cultural tourism potential of Khmelnitsky region of Ukraine. The main methods and directions of Khmelnytskiy region's cultural tourism product design and promotion are explored. The creation of consortium of cultural heritage tourism stakeholders that promote visitation, prolonged stays, and present a unified voice for Khmelnitsky region to foster quality stewardship of local cultural heritage assets is substantiated. The ways for conducting partnership and collaboration inside Khmelnitsky region tourism development field are proposed. The creation of 4 sections strategy of Khmelnytskiy region's cultural tourism development is grounded. There are: 1. Popularization of tourist and recreational potential of Khmelnitsky region and creation of modern positive tourist image; 2. Development and improvement of tourist and recreational infrastructure of the region; 3. Improving the competitiveness of tourist products of the region; 4. Development of marketing and advertising and information activities of the tourism industry in Khmelnitsky region. The evaluation of cultural tourism product design and promotion in Khmelnytskiy region effectiveness is calculated. The specific tour route (Kyiv - Starokostiantyniv - Samchyky – Medzhibizh – Kyiv) for Khmelnytskiy region's cultural tourism promotion with preliminary calculation of tourism product cost is proposed. The forecasting of cultural tourism product further designing & promotion in Khmelnytskiy region as a whole and using specific separate tours (social connectivity, local gastronomy, pilgrimage tourism etc.) is substantiated. After our investigation through global tourism trends, we decided to point out some of separate local tours. "Stay like a local" is a key trend among travelers seeking cultural authenticity as they look to have a more real local experience by sharing accommodation with locals. Social connectivity is an emerging trend among cultural tourists as travelers show more concern towards social issues and are aware of the positive impact they can have. Exploring local gastronomy enables travelers to hone their culinary skills and experience different aspects of their destination's everyday life. With pilgrimage tourism undergoing continuous transformations in recent years, pilgrimages or religious tourism is considered a subset of cultural tourism and pay a key role in Khmelnytskiy region. The competition of Khmelnytskiy region's cultural tourism on the world tourist market is investigated. There are the main factors of Khmelnytskiy region competition growing in tourism field:  the emergence of an increasing number of countries that choose tourism and resorts of Khmelnytskiy region as a priority area of economic development; fierce competition at the level of corporate strategies (including cases of rapid price reduction - dumping); achieving natural maxima of some forms and types of tourism offered by Khmelnytskiy region.


The present study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of communication techniques in distance education programs. It aimed to explore the impact of such effectiveness on the student's learning outcomes at Jordanian universities. The researchers adopted a descriptive analytical approach. They developed a questionnaire based on the relevant literature. Questionnaire forms were distributed to 300 students enrolled at Jordanian universities located in the Northern Province. Those students were selected randomly. All the questionnaire forms were retrieved and considered valid and the response rate is one hundred percent. The researchers found that the effectiveness of communication techniques in distance education programs at Jordanian universities is moderate. The communication techniques have moderate impact on students' outcomes in distance education at Jordanian universities. Significant differences exist between the respondents' attitudes which can be attributed to gender and faculties for the favor females and the ones enrolled in human sciences faculties. There isn't any statistically significant difference between the respondents' attitudes which can be attributed to university year. The researchers recommend developing distance education.


ONCOLOGY® recently sat down with David R. Gandara, MD, director of the thoracic oncology program and senior advisor to the director of the University of California (UC) Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, to discuss the impact of the pandemic on the current management and treatment of patients with lung cancer, as well as the future of education and patient care in a post–COVID-19 world.


The odorous gas from acidic wastewater of a refinery was treated by the alkali absorption-liquid-phase oxidation-solid-phase catalytic oxidation combined process.The removal efficiency of the main components,such as hydrogen sulfide(H2S) and volatile organic compounds(VOCs) of the odorous gas was investigated.The results showed that the removal rate of H2S was more than 99% under the condition of 2000-4000mg/m3 H2S and 1500-2600mg/m3 VOCs in odorous gas,while the corresponding removal rate of VOCs was less than 5%.The removal efficiency of VOCs in acidic medium was higher than that in alkaline for any oxidant in NaClO,KMnO4 and H2O2.Among them,NaClO in acidic medium exhibited the largest removal of VOCs ranging from 40% to 60%.When active carbon was used as carrier of catalyst,the average removal rate of VOCs could reach about 80% at 80℃.


The photoionization spectra of isolated chromium clusters from Cr{sub 4} to Cr{sub 25} have been recorded. The vertical ionization energies (E{sub i}{sup v}) derived from the spectra decrease discontinuously with increasing cluster size. The E{sub i}{sup v} values determined for Cr{sub n} species were, in most cases, within 0.2 eV of those of the corresponding Cr{sub n}O and Cr{sub n}O{sub 2} species, recently reported by Wang et al. [Appl. Phys. B 73, 417 (2001)], with the largest differences observed for several of the smaller clusters. The E{sub i}{sup v} determined for Cr{sub 4} was 0.7 ev larger than that found previously for Cr{sub 4}O, suggesting that in this case the bare cluster and oxide have different structures.


Abstract : There have been numerous ideas and innovations designed to enhance the affordability of Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) systems developed in recent years. These innovations include increased use of prototype hardware in the early stages of system development to gain user feedback, perform early evaluations and to provide contingency deployment options. A second innovation is the formulation of capabilities to link various modular types of system simulations and environmental models together to create virtual worlds in which these highly interactive systems can operate. An interesting approach having great potential for yielding more affordable BMD systems combines these two approaches.


We describe a new α chain variant accidentally found in a 49-year-old female living in Usa City, Oita Prefecture, Japan. An abnormally low Hb A1c value of 2.5% (normal range: 4.8–6.3%) was found while she was treated with glucocorticoid for Fisher syndrome. The patient was also diagnosed as having an iron deficiency anemia, but otherwise showed a normal hemogram. An abnormal hemoglobin was not detectable by isoelectrofocusing and high performance liquid chromatographic methods, but appeared as a fast-moving α chain abnormality by urea-carboxymethyl cellulose column chromatography of the globin, from which the content of the abnormal hemoglobin was estimated at approximately 20%. The instability test of the hemolysate was normal. Structural studies demonstrated that the abnormal hemoglobin had an amino acid substitution of His→Pro at α45. It is a new variant and was named Hb Oita or α45(CE3) His→Pro. Additionally, sequence analysis showed a nucleotide change from A→C at the second base in the 45th codon of...


Planning for processing payloads was always difficult and time-consuming. With the advent of Space Station Freedom and its capability to support a myriad of complex payloads, the planning to support this ground processing maze involves thousands of man-hours of often tedious data manipulation. To provide the capability to analyze various processing schedules, an object oriented knowledge-based simulation environment called the Advanced Generic Accomodations Planning Environment (AGAPE) is being developed. Having nearly completed the baseline system, the emphasis in this paper is directed toward rule definition and its relation to model development and simulation. The focus is specifically on the methodologies implemented during knowledge acquisition, analysis, and representation within the AGAPE rule structure. A model is provided to illustrate the concepts presented. The approach demonstrates a framework for AGAPE rule development to assist expert system development.


This text presents a synthesis of existing data on the gross domestic product of Portugal, including new estimates for the period 1865-1952 and a few previous isolated years (Table 18.104.22.168). These estimates were computed using a macroeconomic-based methodological approach. This synthesis is compared with the previously existing figures that have been most commonly used. It will be completed in due time by attempts to break down the figures according to the expenditure flow and the sector value added flow, a procedure that may lead to further revisions.


This paper reviews the geological and engineering aspects of rural road construction in the hilly areas of Nepal. The general background in geological, climatic and geographical setting is briefly presented in reference to the five-zone Himalayan model for the Nepal Himalayas. Then, alignment selection of rural roads is discussed in the context of the five zone mountain model. The impact of road cross section design and construction on mountain slopes has been studied. The cut width is a key geometric design parameter that has a significant impact on slope stability and volume of excavation. The choice of cut width in cross-section is reviewed and appropriate cut width in cross-section is recommended in terrain slopes to minimize slope failures and volume of excavation.


This paper departs from the phenomenon of living interpretation in the "Daarul Fatah" Islamic boarding school, Kampung Tegal Mukti, Lampung. At the Islamic boarding school there is a study of the Tafsir Jalalain book on a regular basis which is followed by students and the local community. This research was conducted in order to find out how the portrait of the implementation and how the reception of the community and students towards the study of Tafsir Jalalain at the Daarul Fatah Islamic Boarding School. Reception theory is used as an analytical knife to explore the response of the community and students to the study. The results of this study conclude that there are three important objectives conveyed by K.H. Dawud Yusuf, namely: first, Inviting students and the community to participate in the study. Second, to murajaah the Qur'an and provide an understanding of the Qur'an. Third, so that the community and students are broad-minded and knowledgeable. Meanwhile, the response of the community and students to the study was an increase in understanding of the Ahkam verses.


As the scale and the complexity of parallel computer systems grow rapidly, the study of interactions between application algorithms and parallel architectures becomes more important. Execution-driven simulation under realistic workloads proves to be an accurate and eecient technique for studying the performance of computer systems. However, direct-execution simulation of shared-memory cache-coherent architectures incurs large overheads. The problem will be further exaggerated by the large scale of interconnected processors. In this report, we propose a design of an execution-driven simulator that evaluates the performance of application algorithms running on large-scale distributed shared-memory cache-coherent architectures. We study the tradeoos inside the simulator between simulation accuracy and execution time so as to limit the slowdowns introduce by instrumentation and simulation by a factor of 10. Instead of expensive simulation of cache coherence, we introduce calculation of cache miss penalties and invalidation costs from cache design target miss rates. Also, we present a scheme that defers timing calculations for global memory references until synchronization points. Such scheme will help simulate the network contentions in a cost-eeective way without detail simulations of the cache behavior. The simulator will synchronizing thousands up to millions of parallel processors. Therefore, the state space must be kept out-of-core. The simulator captures the working set along execution so that the I/O cost could be reduced to the minimum. Also, the shared memory in the target system is stored on disk. The simulator manages buuers, where working sets of global shared-memory references are prefetched.


This study explored styles of language used as communicative medium in media advertising in selected advert samples in Nigeria. The data for this study were randomly drawn from seventeen advert slogans taken from various media advertising in Nigeria. Inputs were drawn from other adverts not included in the selected samples. The selected samples' data were analyzed from the linguistic point of view; graphological, lexical, syntactic and semantic. It was discovered, in the course of the study. that the impact of media advertisements depends largely on the advertiser's carefully manipulated language elements and resources such as; use of specific emotive adjectives, ellipsis, verb less sentences, exaggerations, imperatives, declaratives and unusual collocations to incite and encourage the target audiences' choice.


With the development of science and technology, more and more high-tech technologies are applied to the tracking system of dance virtual human. The remote dynamic interaction detection method designed based on AdaBoost algorithm is widely used in real life. This paper mainly designs the remote dynamic interaction, dynamic monitoring and auxiliary functions based on AdaBoost algorithm (image processing and matching algorithm). Firstly, digital coding and compression are widely used in video transmission. Secondly, it makes a brief theoretical analysis of AdaBoost and its related mathematical models, and then establishes a virtual human tracking system using MATLAB software, and gives the corresponding experimental results. The final experimental results show that the detection accuracy of the virtual person tracking technology is more than 90%, and the false detection rate is low.


Participants (N = 271) attending poster sessions at the 1993 APA convention completed a questionnaire about poster presentations. Respondents evaluated posters on three dimensions: visual display and organization, demeanor of the presenter, and content. Although each of these (dimensions was considered important, visual display seems paramount. Ease of poster review—facilitated by large type, concise presentation of material, and use of supplemental graphs and charts—is preferred. Poster presenters who are appropriately attentive to individuals reviewing their material are also appreciated.


This research aims to: 1) describing the cultural approach in the development of holistic education in Muhammadiyah Elementary School: 2) finding the role of school's stakeholders in realizing holistic education in Muhammadiyah Sleman Elementary School. This research was conducted at Muhammadiyah Sleman Elementary School Yogyakarta. This research was qualitative research of phenomenology by interpretive paradigm. Data collection techniques were observation, interview, and documentation. Data analysis was by interactive model, which were data reduction, data display, and data conclusion drawing/verification. The results of this research are: 1) school culture becomes an important part in improving education quality. The development of holistic education in Muhammadiyah elementary school using cultural approach. Values, beliefs, and habits are built on the school community's awareness and will, which is bottom-up in nature. The basis of realizing holistic education in school is the school culture. Positive school culture will make holistic education done well, on the contrary negative school culture will make holistic education difficult to obtained. Therefore schools should build strong school culture in implementing holistic education; 2) school stakeholders who very important in realizing holistic education at Muhammadiyah Sleman Elementary School are principal, guard team of school culture, teachers, families, school committees, community, and guard team of holistic education.


Based on Lenin, Mao Zedong's experiences of anti-bureaucratism, Deng Xiaoping points out the current expressions and historical causes of the bureaucratism. In addition, he argues for a systematic construction as a fundamental way of opposing bureaucratism.


Microbial life affects everything including many industrial processes. The nature and activity of microorganisms determines whether their presence is beneficial or destructive. In cooling towers, the destructive capability of these organisms is manifested. The microorganisms that inhabit industrial cooling water systems can adversely affect the efficiency of the operation by their sheer number and diversity, metabolic wastes or deposits and associated corrosion. Microbiologically influenced corrosion is emerging as a serious problem in cooling systems. This article brings into focus the problems created by microbial infestations in cooling water systems and the control procedures evolved to combat them. Further, the future strategies being evolved in view of environmental concerns with biocides currently used are also discussed.


Currently, there are many independent and closed "chimney" simulation systems in some range training systems, which is not only a waste of resources but incompatible with other systems well. In view of this situation, the paper focused on using of the testing and training architecture (TENA) that US developed to make improvements. According to the characteristics of TENA's architecture, the paper summarizes the framework to adapt the domestic simulation systems. Finally, the conclusion shows that it can indeed improves the performance of the system using TENA in the domestic simulation systems.


Background: Distraction advancement has been advocated for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea associated with congenital midface hypoplasia. The purpose of this study was to relate changes in maxillary position to changes in obstructive sleep apnea measures on polysomnography in a consecutive series of patients. Methods: Among 26 syndromic pediatric patients undergoing Le Fort III distraction over a 5-year period, 15 had documented obstructive sleep apnea with an apnea hypopnea index greater than 5. Linear and angular displacement of key bone landmarks were measured using quantitative computed tomographic scan analysis before and after distraction. Differences of linear and angular movements of maxillary landmarks were tested between those patients with improvement of obstructive sleep apnea (apnea hypopnea index <5) after treatment, and those with no improvement. Results: Mean postoperative apnea hypopnea index was 9.5 (range, 2.1 to 22.7). Eight patients had a decrease in apnea hypopnea index following distraction (improved group) and three additional patients had resolution of symptoms but declined postoperation polysomnography. Four had no improvement or worsening of apnea hypopnea index (no improvement group). Comparison of changes in maxillary position between the improved group and the no improvement group revealed no significant difference in magnitude or direction of linear displacement of key landmarks. Postdistraction change in sella-nasion-point A angle was the only measure significantly (p = 0.02) greater in the improved group. Conclusions: Based on the authors' comparison of quantitative bone measurements and associated polysomnography changes, an angular increase in sella-nasion-point A angle on presurgical planning of maxillary movement for the treatment of sleep apnea may be more important than absolute linear changes in maxillary position alone.


SUMMARY Optimization is an important step in the design and development of a planar parallel manipulator. For optimization processes, workspace analysis is a crucial and preliminary objective. Generally, the workspace analysis for such manipulators is carried out using a non-dimensional approach. For planar parallel manipulators of two degrees of freedom (2-DOF), a non-dimensional workspace analysis is very advantageous. However, it becomes very difficult in the case of 3-DOF and higher DOF manipulators because of the complex shape of the workspace. In this study, the workspace shape is classified as a function of the geometric parameters, and the closed-form area expressions are derived for a constant orientation workspace of a three revolute–revolute–revolute (3-RRR) planar manipulator. The approach is also shown to be feasible for different orientations of a mobile platform. An optimization procedure for the design of planar 3-RRR manipulators is proposed for a prescribed workspace area. It is observed that the closed-form area expression for all the possible shapes of the workspace provides a larger solution space, which is further optimized considering singularity, mass of the manipulator, and a force transmission index.


A total absorption beta‐gamma coincidence spectrometer utilizing anticoincidence shielding is described. The main detector assembly consists of two NaI(Tl) well crystals each 22.9 cm in diameter by 12.7 cm thick. The wells in the crystals are each 5 cm in diameter by 3.8 cm deep. The crystals are positioned to face each other and present a 4π geometry to the source of activity. A 4π beta chamber operated in the Geiger region is positioned inside the wells. A 7.6‐cm‐thick plastic phosphor serves as an anticoincidence guard. The system may be used in a variety of double and triple coincidence configurations. The responses of the crystals to gamma rays under various coincidence conditions are included. The facile determination of absolute disintegration rates obtainable with this system by using the coincidence technique and detectors that present a uniform sensitivity to the source of activity is discussed. Experimentally determined total gamma efficiency and peak‐to‐total ratio vs energy curves are present...


We present a new method for volumetric truncated hierarchical spline (TH-spline3D) construction to enable adaptive isogeometric analysis on unstructured hexahedral meshes. Taking the input unstructured hexahedral mesh as the control mesh, we first develop blending functions with the aid of trivariate Bernstein polynomials. This development is a generalization of defining bivariate Bernstein polynomial blending functions over quadrilateral meshes. We further build the hierarchical structure and apply the truncation mechanism to the developed blending functions for highly localized refinement. During the refinement of TH-spline3D, high-level blending functions are added in the solution space, whereas certain low-level ones are discarded or truncated depending on the high-level subdomain. The geometry of TH-spline3D is always represented using the first-level blending functions, whereas the solution space is spanned by multilevel ones. In this manner, TH-spline3D employs the same geometry during all levels of refinement. The blending functions are piecewise polynomials that form a partition of unity. Their support overlapping is also reduced due to the truncation mechanism, resulting in sparser stiffness matrices compared to the classical hierarchical refinement. TH-spline3D supports Bézier extraction such that it can be easily incorporated into existing finite element frameworks. Several examples are used to demonstrate the analysis suitability and efficiency of the proposed method.


Report of 68 new chemical analysis data of granitic rocks collected during a preliminary field trip from Chungju to Busan through non-metamorphic part of the Ogcheon folding belt, Ryongnam land and Gyongsang basin is presented. Special attention is paid to characterize chemical composition of Jurassic and Cretaceous granites of the country. The studies hitherto performed show: (1) Chemical evolution examined from (Na2O+K2O), total Fe as Fe2O3 and MgO variation of Jurassic granite is identical to that of Cretaceous one. (2) For rocks having the same Al2O3/(Al2O3+total Fe as Fe2O3+MgO) index, Jurassic granite is less siliceous than Cretaceous one. (3) Remarkable differences between Cretaceous and Jurassic granites are found in their petrographic texture and the sequence of crystallization of the constituent minerals. Features enumerated above suggest that the two groups of granite separated by their ages differ also each other in their modes of emplacement. Introduction Mesozoic granites in South Korea are divided into two groups according to their ages. They are Jurassic Daebo granites and Cretaceous Bulgugsa granites. The Daebo granites appear on the map as massifs of a hundred to several kilometers in diameter and show a concordant intrusive relation against the surrounding country rocks. The massifs are very often elongated in NNE-SSW direction parallel to the Ogcheon folding belt. The granites intrude in both metamorphic and non-metamorphic terrains of this belt. The contact thermal effect around Daebo granite is not, as far as observed in the present study, so strong in the non-metamorphic terrain. Development of biotite hornfels is observed with a thickness of 200 to 100 meters around the contact. According to the description by D. S. LEE (1971), migmatites are well developed around the granite masses in the metamorphosed part of the Ogcheon belt (his Southeast granitic rock zone). It is said by several authors (O. J. KIM 1971, for example) that the gold mineralization of the country is related to this granite. In contrast with the Jurassic granites, the Cretaceous Bulgugsa granites occur in many cases as intrusive masses of several kilometers to some hundreds of meters in diameter cutting discordantly the surrounding rocks. Few of them can be seen in the Ogcheon belt (LEE'S granites of younger Central zone), but their most typical occurrence is seen in Gyeongsang basin where granite bodies appear as irregular shaped small intrusive masses. Many epigenetic ore deposits of Cu, Zn, Pb and W are said to be related to this Cretaceous Bulgugsa granites (REEDMAN et al., 1973; REEDMAN and UM, 1975; MIYAZAWA, 1977). What is the cause of these contrasts between * Paper presented at the Symposium on Granitic Magmatism and Associated Mineralization in Japan and Korea, held in Tokyo on January 27, 1981. The manuscript received on June 30, accepted on July 10, 1981. ** Geological Institute , Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan. *** Laboratoire de Geologie Structurale, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Tour 16, 4 Place Jussieu 75230, Paris Cedex 05, France; Stayed in Geological Institute, Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo during the university year of 1979 as an exchange researcher according CNRS-JSPS Programme.


ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of natural pasture and spontaneous regeneration on soil chemical properties and epigeal fauna community using a secondary Atlantic Forest as reference. The study areas were located in Passa Vinte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. In each study area, pitfall traps were used to sample epigeal fauna in the dry and rainy seasons. Earth samples were collected at a depth of 0-5 cm in the dry and rainy seasons for analysis of chemical attributes. The pasture and regeneration areas showed an overall activity of epigeal fauna and functional groups similar to the forest area. However, the diversity evaluated by the Shannon and Pielou evenness indices and the total richness were lower than the observed in the forest. The best fertility attributes were observed in the forest and pasture areas. Keywords: land use, diversity, forest fragments. 1. INTRODUCTION The Atlantic Forest is the most fragmented Brazilian biome and the second largest tropical rainforest in the Americas. It originally spread throughout an uninterrupted strip across the Brazilian coast (Fundacao SOS Mata Atlântica, 2001). Although the Atlantic Forest is one of the hotspots on the planet in terms of biological diversity, it is also one of the most threatened biomes (Brasil, 2015 ). Because of anthropogenic interference (deforestation), most forest remnants in this biome are small, highly disturbed, isolated, little known, little protected ( Menezes et al., 2009 ), and often surrounded by agricultural crops and pastures and regenerating forests.Deforestation for agricultural purposes followed by pasture and/or spontaneous regeneration may generate a landscape with different levels of ecological degradation/restoration. The spontaneous regeneration is an essential process for restoration of degraded areas, since it promotes the addition of new individuals. The mechanisms involved in this process (seed falls, soil seed bank formation and seedling and young plant banks) increase the density and richness of species in the community and contribute to ecological succession and its biological diversity. Spontaneous regeneration can make ecological interrelations stronger and contribute to the restoration of the system, and also to its increase in complexity and consequent self-sustainability (Quintela, 2005), which is essential in the case of the Atlantic Forest.Chemical, physical and biological soil attributes are among the main indicators for evaluating environmental restoration and degradation processes ( Silva et al., 2012a ;


This Article aims to describe the process of using the everyone is a teacher here learning method assisted by the rolling ball games media in learning history for class XI IPA 3 students at SMA Negeri 1 Bandar Baru and to determine the response of students' using the everyone is a teacher learning method assisted by rolling ball games media. Based on the results of the study, it was found that the level of interest in learning history of students got a score of 80% of the percentage of 100% which was included in the good category and the results of the evaluation value based on the calculation of the percentage of 80% of students completed and 20% incomplete. Based on the description above, it proves that the use of the everyone is a teacher here learning method assisted by rolling ball games media increases interest in learning history for students in class XI IPA 3 SMA Negeri 1 Bandar Baru . Student responses to the use of the everyone is a teacher here learning method assisted by the rolling ball games media received a positive response, this was evidenced by the percentage of student responses which was worth 81.8%.


Glioblastoma (GB) is the most common and most aggressive form of diffuse glioma, with a median overall survival of 15 months after standard of care.1 Young GB patients (


Purohit et al. Dynamics of airway functions in untreated hypothyroidism International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health 1714 2017 | Vol 6 | Issue 12 that pulmonary functions may decrease in hypothyroid females and after thyroid hormone replacement these values may increase significantly,[10-13] but studies are limited to the expiratory respiratory functions only. Moreover, the effect of hormone deficiency on expiratory and inspiratory flow rates was not found place in literature. The objectives were to evaluate the expiratory and inspiratory respiratory functions in hypothyroid females diagnosed at least before 6 months and their comparison with hypothyroids with medication and euthyroid group. MATERIALS AND METHODS After ethical clearance (SVIEC/ON/MEDI/RP/14133), the present study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Dhiraj General Hospital, Vadodara. In a cross-sectional study, total 62 females aged between 30 and 50 years were studied in three groups. • Recently diagnosed hypothyroid women without medication (serum thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH] level >5 μIU/ml) were studied as Group-1 (n = 21). • Hypothyroid women (based on history) taking medication for the last 6 months were studied as Group-2 (n = 19). • Euthyroid subjects as Group-3 (n = 22). Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with posthoc Turkey honestly significant difference. After informed consent and all details fulfilled, inclusion and exclusion criteria's were filled in the pro forma. Demographic details and detailed history including clinical, personal, and drug intake was taken. Spirometry was done for all subjects on a PC-based Spirometer SpiroWin + (genesis medical, made in India), and as per the American Thoracic Society guidelines, every female was investigated for pulmonary function test (PFT) at least thrice. Before the actual test for respiratory parameters, instrumental training was given to all participants. All participants were examined for instantaneous flow and expiratory and inspiratory flow rates both at large and small lung volumes. Subjects with unsatisfactory training and recording with the instrument were excluded.


Abstract : The goal of the Fully Integrated and Automated Project Processes (FIAPP) research thrust at the University of Texas at Austin is to improve the industry through better utilization of integration and automation technologies. This thesis describes the first step toward that goal: development of a survey with which to measure both the degree of technology use on projects and the implications of such usage on project outcomes. Also included in this report, is guidance for future researchers who wish to develop similar surveys or gather similar data.


A descriptive cross-sectional research was conducted in the office of Urama San Pablo, in the first half of2012, inorder to analyze the consumption of psychotropic drugs in elderly patients. The sample consisted of 80 patients of 150 geriatric patients. The variables studied were: age, sex, medical reasons and reasons of limitation. The main results showed that women who were more consumed these drugs, the elderly more consumers are in the age group of 60-64 years, with the diazepam, the most used; in terms of prescribing, men still further medical indications, which did not behave well in females. Indications were: anxiety and insomnia. As a conclusion, the prescription of psychotropic drugs in the elderly is a routine clinical practice that deserves attention.


Abstract : This report provides experimental techniques for CD-ROM labeling. The Naval Air Warfare Center is currently involved in CD-ROM development for the United States military. labeling techniques for Government CD-ROM discs require careful selection and design for the reasons outlined in this report. A CD-ROM disc is manufactured by injecting or pressing a polycarbonate material with microscopic pits in one continuous spiral pattern. A reflective layer of aluminum or gold is then deposited over the polycarbonate. Then a protective layer of material such as DIC-17 is spun across the surface of the metal. And, finally, for product-type CD's, a label is 'Print Screened' onto the finished product. It was found that the quality of CD-ROM discs vary greatly as to the producer's manufacturing process, top-coating protective material, and labeling techniques. Ineffective seal coat material and it's application has been shown to be the 'weak link' in CD-ROM longevity. Disc failure has resulted from penetration of contaminants into the metalized reflective layer. Some manufacturers metalize their discs to the edges thereby not providing a hermetic seal to the environment. Improper silk screen and labeling inks can produce a migration effect into the metalized layer, thereby destroying the disk.


5585 Background: There is no effective treatment for UCA/CS pts who have progressed on platinum-taxane therapy. Increased levels of VEGF are frequently seen in UCA and CS, and antiangiogenic therapy has shown activity in a mouse model of UCA. Sorafenib is a multitargeted kinase inhibitor with antiangiogenic activity that is approved for use in renal and hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: We initiated a multi-center phase II trial of SOR in pts with advanced/recurrent UCA (arm A) or CS (arm B) and 0–1 prior chemotherapy regimens. PS 0–2 and measurable disease were required. The starting SOR dose was 400 mg orally twice daily. The primary endpoint was objective response, which was evaluated every 8 weeks. The trial design required 1 response in the first 12 evaluable pts to proceed to second stage. Results: 55 pts (39 UCA, 16 CS) enrolled between 3/05 and 10/07. Pt characteristics arm A: median age 65 (range 44- 83); PS 0/1/2: 16/19/3. Pt characteristics arm B: median age 64 (range 40- 87); PS 0/1/2: 7/8/1....


A PhD degree is a necessary qualification for becoming a full-fledged member of the academic community and is often considered as a first step in one's academic career. However, little is known about how the further careers of those who receive a PhD degree in Russia develop. In this article, we explore the diversity of academic careers of Russian researchers. The main focus of the study is on researchers' productivity and mobility. Also, attention is paid to the differences between researchers who graduated from academic organisations in different sectors. We analysed data on 2,102 researchers who defended PhD theses at Russian dissertation councils in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics in 2012. We found that more than half of PhD holders continue their careers in academia, and the vast majority of them publish their works in globally visible journals. The proportion of researchers with low productivity is smaller than the proportion of those highly productive. Both the academic and geographic mobility of Russian researchers is low. The sector of the academic organisation in which the PhD thesis was written matters: researchers from leading universities and the research sector are more productive and less mobile than researchers from universities without special status. Thus, it can be concluded that the PhD degree is primarily a stepping stone to an academic profession, and those who have chosen this path are quite competitive at the global level.


We describe the morphological and fluctuation properties of the pulsars in the double neutron star system, PSR J0737--3039. Pulsar B is seen in almost all orbital phases, except in the range of $\sim 6°$ to $65°$. This may be interpreted as an {\it eclipse} of pulsar B's signal by its own magnetopause region produced by interaction with pulsar A's relativistic wind. No modulation of the emission of pulsar B is found at the period of pulsar A. This places a constraint on the models that propose that pulsar A's beamed radiation is directly responsible for pulsar B's emission. Modulation index values indicate that the pulse to pulse variations in the two objects are mostly intrinsic. Pulsar A shows significant differential modulation index within its pulse profile.