The invention discloses a uniform access method of an isomeric database, comprising the following steps of: receiving an SQL (Structured Query Language) statement, which is input by a user, by a foreground client-side, and sending an SQL statement request to a request processing program of a background database; analyzing whether the SQL statement is legal or not by the request processing programof the background database according to an SQL standard syntax; carrying out preliminary syntax analysis on the request SQL and decomposing a table name of a virtual table needing to be operated; judging that the existing request is sent to which type of an isomeric database server according to the table name of the virtual table; selecting an SQL analysis processor corresponding to the isomeric database server according to a result judged by the third step to process an actual read-write request of the SQL statement; and returning the executed result in the fourth step back to the foregroundclient-side. According to the uniform access method provided by the invention, various isomeric databases can be accessed by a uniform access interface, so that the difficulty of a database application and development process is reduced and a time period of the development is shortened; and therefore, the post-period maintenance cost of an application system is further reduced.


Septic shock affects approximately 750,000 patients annually in the US. In patients who develop acute kidney injury (AKI) during sepsis the mortality rate nearly doubles to 75%. Thus, there is a pressing need for the development of therapeutic approaches to treat sepsis‐induced AKI. We have previously shown decreased capillary perfusion and peroxynitrite (PXN) generation in the kidneys of septic mice. We have also recently published that the polyphenol resveratrol (RSV) can act as a direct scavenger of PXN. Reports of the cardiovascular effects of RSV led us to hypothesize that RSV may protect the renal microcirculation during sepsis. Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was used to induce sepsis in aged (40 weeks) mice. At 6h post CLP (prior to PXN generation) blood pressure, renal blood flow and renal capillary perfusion are all decreased. At 5.5h following CLP, mice were treated with RSV (3, 10, 30, or 100 mg/kg) and evaluated at 6h. Using intravital video microscopy we show that RSV restored renal capillary perfusion, red blood cell velocity, and volumetric blood flow to sham levels. RSV also increased renal blood flow without raising blood pressure. These data suggest that RSV may have a dual mechanism of action to restore the renal microcirculation and protect against development of sepsis‐induced AKI even when administered after the onset of sepsis. Supported by NIH F30 DK085705 (JHH) and DK075991 (PRM).


The present invention discloses a class of iron ore concentrate and its preparation, the method comprising the steps of: a nickel-containing residual mineral ore and iron ore into magnesia; at a temperature of 95 to 100 ° C, of iron ore with sulfuric acid leaching process so as to obtain a leach solution containing ferric sulfate; leachate containing ferric sulfate by filtration, so as to obtain a first filtrate and a first high silicon residue; and the use of magnesium ore in the first filtrate and a first process. After the first filtrate and a first filtering process, the output of the second filtrate and a second high silicon residue. And at a temperature of 95 to 105 degrees Celsius, with an alkaline agent and a second of the second filtrate was neutralized and filtered, washed, iron-containing compounds to give a precipitate. And at a temperature of 85 to 90 degrees Celsius, of the iron-containing compound with an alkali agent after alkali washing and drying, to obtain class and hematite concentrate containing nickel and cobalt solution. The method can be efficiently recovered by residual nickel ores of valuable metals.


Given the pervasiveness of multi-core processors in systems from various domains, the need for efficient parallelization tools has only increased during the last decade. Among the paradigms built to answer this demand, Task Parallelism stands out as a highly productive tool for leveraging data parallelism with minimum code altering. Nonetheless, its current supporting runtimes cannot efficiently execute workloads involving tasks in the fine 1-100us range, limiting its applicability. That said, by performing a thorough Petri-Net-based analysis of task parallel systems with several degrees of HW-assistance, we show that the development of Native CPU support for Task Parallelism is the key for efficiently serving these challenging workloads.


The invention relates to a front part (1) aircraft having a bulkhead (10) separating a radome zone (20) not pressurized a pressurized zone (30), the volume of the pressurized zone (30) is optimized. For this purpose, said bulkhead (10) is delimited by two surfaces (11,12) opposite to each other, one (11) being substantially concave when viewed from said radome portion (20) and the other (12) being substantially convex when viewed from said pressurized area (30).


The antiphospholipid (aPL) syndrome is an autoimmune disorder marked by vascular thrombosis and/or recurrent pregnancy losses that is treated with anticoagulant medications. The binding of aPL IgG-β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) complexes to phospholipid membranes has been postulated to play a central role in the aPL disease process. Recently, we reported that the antimalarial drug, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), interferes with the formation of aPL IgG-β2GPI complexes on phospholipid bilayers (Rand et al, BLOOD, 112(5):1687–1695, 2008). We previously provided a prothrombotic mechanism for the aPL syndrome and showed that aPL IgG-β2GPI complexes disrupt the binding of annexin A5 (AnxA5) to phospholipid bilayers and its assembly into an ordered 2-dimensional crystalline anticoagulant shield. This creates defects in the integrity of the crystals that expose phospholipids for assembly of coagulation enzyme-substrate complexes. We therefore investigated whether HCQ might protect AnxA5 and its anticoagulant effect from disruption by aPL-β2GPI complexes. Methods: IgG fractions were purified from plasmas of 3 aPL patients and 3 normal disease-free controls and used at the concentration of 0.5 mg/ml. HCQ concentrations of 1 μg/mL and 1 mg/mL - the lowest and highest concentrations used in our previous studies - were utilized. The binding of AnxA5 to 70% phosphatidylcholine/30% phosphatidylserine (PC/PS) bilayers, cultured BeWo trophoblasts, and cultured human umbilical-vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was measured with fluorescence-tagged AnxA5 and with immunoassays. For experiments with the PS/PC, β2GPI was used at the concentration of 5 μg/ml; for experiments with cultured cells the β2GPI was supplied by bovine serum in the culture media. We also measured the coagulation times of plasmas that were overlaid on the cultured cells. Results: aPL IgGs reduced the binding of AnxA5 to phospholipid bilayers (0.10±0.03 μg/cm2 for aPL IgGs versus 0.25±0.01 μg/cm2 for control IgGs, n=3 pairs of different IgGs, p=0.0001). Addition of HCQ (1 mg/mL) restored AnxA5 binding (0.23±0.03 μg/cm2 for HCQ-treated aPL IgGs versus 0.24±0.03 μg/cm2 for HCQ-treated control IgGs, p=0.71). aPL IgGs reduced the levels of AnxA5 on BeWo trophoblasts (2.5±0.4 ng/well versus 4.1±0.7 ng/well for control IgGs, n=3, p=0.02). Addition of HCQ restored the levels of AnxA5 on the aPL IgG-treated trophoblasts (4.6±1.1 ng/well for 1 μg/mL HCQ and 5.7±0.8 ng/well for 1 mg/mL HCQ, versus 4.6±1.3 ng/well and 4.7±0.6 ng/well for the control IgG-treated trophoblasts, p=0.97 and 0.16 respectively). aPL IgGs reduced the levels of AnxA5 on HUVECs (1.2±0.1 ng/well versus 1.9±0.2 ng/well for control IgGs, n=3, p=0.003). Addition of HCQ also restored the levels of AnxA5 on the aPL IgG-treated HUVECs (1.8±0.4 ng/well for 1 μg/mL HCQ and 1.9±0.1 ng/well for 1 mg/mL HCQ, versus 2.1±0.4 ng/well and 2.2±0.3 ng/well for the control IgG-treated cells, p=0.50 and 0.12 respectively). Addition of aPL IgGs accelerated the coagulation time of plasma overlaid on BeWo trophoblasts (172±4 sec versus 231±7 sec for control IgGs, n=3, p=0.001). Addition of HCQ prolonged plasma coagulation time on the aPL IgG-treated trophoblasts (256±17 sec for 1 μg/mL HCQ and 242±3 sec for 1 mg/mL HCQ, versus 233±5 sec and 235±27 sec for control IgG-treated trophoblasts, p=0.10 and 0.68 respectively). aPL IgGs accelerated coagulation time of plasma overlaid on HUVECs (101±11 sec versus 135±4 sec for control IgGs, n=3, p=0.02). Addition of HCQ prolonged plasma coagulation time on the aPL IgG-treated HUVECs (130±3 sec for 1 μg/mL HCQ and 134±13 sec for 1 mg/mL HCQ, versus 133±17 sec and 138±14 sec for control IgG-treated trophoblasts, p=0.78 and 0.74 respectively). Conclusions: HCQ protects the binding of AnxA5 to reconstituted phospholipid bilayers, BeWo trophoblasts and HUVECS against reduction by aPL IgG-β2GPI complexes. HCQ also reverses the acceleration of plasma coagulation that is induced by aPL IgGβ2GPI complexes. These results provide a novel mechanism to explain the reduction of thrombosis by HCQ that has been reported in experimental animal models of aPL syndrome and support the possibility of innovative non-anticoagulant approaches to treating the aPL disease process in humans.


The object of this research is to screen and identify antagonistic bacteria against strawberry root rot(Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) from strawberry rhizosphere soils.Totally,306 bacteria strains were isolated from strawberry rhizosphere soils.The contrarious cultivation method was adopted to screen antagonistic bacteria against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.Among 306 bacteria strains,GF-98 had the highest antagonistic activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides with an antagonistis strip width of 9.3 mm using contrarious cultivation method.Furthermore,GF-98 also had high antagonistic effects against nine pathogens including Fusarium oxysporum,Botrytis cinerea Pers.,Pestalotiopsis photiniae of strawberry,and so on.Observed by light microscope and scanning electron microscope,the metabolic products of GF-98 had teratogenicity to the mycelium morphology and cellular structure of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides,including hyphae shorten,branch increased,branch distorted and bioplasm condensed,and so on.The results of 16S rDNA analysis and physiological and biochemical character analysis showed that GF-98 belonged to P.fluorescens.


This thesis is devoted to mathematical modeling of acute leukemias, which form a heterogeneous group of severe blood cancers. New models of dynamic behavior of blood forming (hematopoietic) and leukemic cells are developed and studied analytically. Bone marrow aspiration data contributed from the University Hospital of Heidelberg (Prof. Dr. A. D. Ho) and clonal tracking experiments from literature serve as a test scenario for the proposed models. To reflect the compartmental architecture of the hematopoietic and leukemic cell line, the models are represented by systems of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. Different possible modes of interaction between healthy and leukemic cells are proposed such as competition for environmental signals or autonomous leukemic cell growth and competition for marrow space. Extensive analytical studies of system dynamics and the derived criteria for coexistence and out-competition of the different cell types result in biologically meaningful characterizations of the cancer stem cell state by dynamic cell properties. Numerical studies allow to investigate the impact of different cell parameters on the clinical course and patient prognosis. A model-based prognostic marker for survival of relapsing acute myeloid leukemia patients is developed and tested based on clinical data. The obtained results underline the strong impact of leukemia stem cell behavior on the clinical dynamics. Extensions of the models including multiple leukemic clones allow to link experimental observations of clonal evolution to yet not measurable but clinically meaningful cell parameters at different stages of the disease. The models derived in this thesis depend on a quasi-steady state approximation describing the dependence of cytokine concentrations on mature cell density. In the last part of this work it is rigorously shown that solutions depending on the quasi-steady state approximation are close to solutions of a singular perturbation problem including dynamics of the signal molecules as a separate ordinary differential equation that is scaled with a small parameter. L-infinity bounds for the difference of solutions based
on the quasi steady state approximation and solutions of the singular perturbation problem are established for the infinite time interval.


The electronic structure of TiO2-doped yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) has been studied by soft-X-ray emission spectroscopy (SXES) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The valence band is mainly composed of the O 2p state. The O 1s XAS spectrum exhibits the existence of the Ti 3d unoccupied state under the Zr 4d conduction band. The intensity of the Ti 3d unoccupied state increases with increasing TiO2 concentration. The energy separation between the top of the valence band and the bottom of the Ti 3d unoccupied state is in accord with the energy gap, as expected from dc-polarization and total conductivity measurements.


The velocity field of a stable atmosphere over and around a heated land mass is found, as a function of both time and distance, by consideration of the equations of motion, continuity and added heat. A heat function is introduced, in the last of these, which is not only fairly simple mathematically but also bears a good resemblance to the atmospheric picture. Certain terms are neglected initially to simplify the mathematics of the problem but they are used later to check the validity of the results and it is found that, in general, the solution would have been negligibly affected by the inclusion of these terms. There is difficulty in using the boundary condition at infinite height but this is overcome by evaluating the problem by two methods.

The numerical work was done on the EDSAC at Cambridge and some graphs of these results, using a normal type of ground temperature distribution and lapse rate, are shown.


Measuring and comparing efficiency of healthcare organizations is critical for improved and uninterrupted service quality. The main objective of the study is to compare technical efficiency between affiliated and non-affiliated hospitals of Turkey. Totally, 25 affiliated hospitals and 53 non-affiliated hospitals were analyzed using input-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model under variable return to scale assumptions. There are six output variables and four input variables to evaluate hospitals efficiencies using with Ministry of Health (MoH) data from 2013 to 2017. The study results that, affiliated hospitals efficiency scores are higher than non-affiliated training and research hospitals. These results showed us the application of the affiliation system is successful in Turkey. Furthermore, this is the first study which has been performing whole affiliated and non-affiliated hospital efficiency measures together in Turkey and it offers an original contribution to literature with this direction.


There is increased proportional mortality from Parkinson's disease amongst livestock farmers. The hypokinesia of Parkinson's disease has been linked to Helicobacter pylori. H. suis is the most common zoonotic helicobacter in man.


A healthy airway epithelium and its secretions serve as a protective barrier to the passage of both autologous and foreign materials across the airway mucosa and provide a means of transporting substances out of the lung. Atmospheric pollutants such as ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfate and nitrate aerosols, as well as cigarette smoke produce airway inflammation that compromises this protective function. The extent of the response is dependent upon the concentration of the inhaled agent and the duration of the exposure. Thus, denuded and/or ulcerated epithelium (including loss of cilia), disruption of cellular tight junctions, squamous cell metaplasia, and hypertrophy and hyperplasia of secretory cells have all been observed after pollutant insults. In addition to these structural changes, pollutants increase epithelial permeability, and stimulate the migration of inflammatory cells (neutrophils, lymphocytes, and mast cells) into the submucosa and airway lumen. Finally, airway secretions are increased after pollutant exposure and contain increased amounts of serum proteins such as albumin and immunoglobulins A, E, and G. One of the physiologic markers of these pollutant-induced effects is a slowing of mucociliary clearance, as estimated by overall lung clearance of radioactive particles or discrete particle clearance from the trachea (tracheal mucus transport). Mucociliary clearance is dependent on ciliary activity, the mucous load, and the viscoelastic properties of the mucus (that is, viscosity and elasticity of the mucus which determine its transportability). Thus, alterations in any of these variables can result in depressed mucus clearance, and although chronic exposures to the above mentioned pollutants have been associated with depressed mucociliary clearance, the pathophysiologic mechanisms have not been identified. Current evidence favors the hypothesis that the primary components of this pollutant-induced dysfunction are increases in mucous load and changes in the viscoelastic properties of the mucus. The pollutant-induced reduction in mucus transport could be explained by a reduction in airway cilia, but it appears that even a severely damaged airway epithelium has the ability to maintain mucus transport. For example, mechanical removal of 90 percent of the tracheal epithelium in chickens reduced mucus transport by less than 50 percent of control. A decrease in the frequency of ciliary beating or ciliary discoordination can also depress mucociliary clearance. However, the evidence that these are major factors in the pollutantinduced depressions in mucus clearance is tenuous. In contrast, pollutant exposures are associated with many factors that experimentally have been shown to increase mucus output. For example, druginduced secretory cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia, hypoxemia, cold dry air, plasma proteins all increase mucous secretion. There is evidence that these agents, at least acutely, work via both local and reflex mechanisms, that is, via tracheobronchial cough receptors and/or bronchial C-fiber stimulation. Whether these same mechanisms contribute to the increases in mucus production associated with chronic pollutant exposures is unknown.


This paper introduces several statistical models,back scattering RCS,and back scattering coefficient of ground clutters.The engineering realization of clutters in radio frequency simulation system is presented in detail with emphasis on the ways of modulation.


In this paper, a new passive maglev system is presented that is capable to levitate at a short distance from a dedicated guide. The magnetic suspension is assured by the repulsion of proper shaped permanent magnets that are present both on the fixed guide and on the moving suspended part. The presence of a conductive (aluminum) sheet that surrounds the magnets on the guide allows to overcome the intrinsic instability of the system when the suspended part is in relative motion with respect to the guide. The motional induced electric currents on the sheet interact with the magnets of the mover producing a stabilizing force. The detailed structure of the proposed system is described and the main results of the simulations by means of a hybrid electromagnetic FEM-MOM code coupled with the equation of motion of the rigid body are shown and commented.


ABSTRACT Cognitive processing issues online may be reduced through e-learning personalisation, which allows learners to address individual learning needs by controlling how they process information. While some research shows that e-learning personalisation may actually complicate information processing under specific circumstances, this study examines whether it can be successful over the course of an entire semester. Survey responses from a group of university students taking massive online learning classes in South Korea (n = 2,160) were analysed to investigate relationships involving e-learning personalisation and various elements of cognitive load. Results showed that as e-learning personalisation levels increased, negative aspects of cognitive load decreased. These results support cognitive load reduction strategies in ways that traditional lectures replicated in online environments cannot.


Through the observation and study of social creatures, biologists and computing experts proposed many bio-inspired optimization algorithm based on simulated biological behavior. These algorithms show strong vitality and potential of further development in solving traditional NP and practical complex optimization problem. But most existing research results mainly focused on the use of biological behavior phenotypic mechanism to achieve the function optimization and engineering control, but the analysis of internal control mechanisms of biological behavior is not sufficient, it needs further research. Based on complex system dynamics model, this paper proposes a bio-inspired dynamics optimization decision method. This method combines the swarm dynamics model, population logistic growth model and three evolve elements. Based on the test of constrained optimization problems, experiment results indicate that this method is effective. Finally, conclusion and the further work are given.


Objective To explore the relationship
between different serological markers of HBV-DNA and HBV detected by Polymerase Chain
Reaction(PCR).Methods The PCR was used to detect the different serological markers and
different combination of 270 cases of HBV. Results The highest detective rate of HBsAg
markers was HBV-DNA,which was 100%,and followed by the HBsAg,anti-HBC and anti-HBe with
the detective rate of 66.0%,65.9% and 46.2% respectively.The HBV-DNA was not
detected.Among the cases with the titre of HBsAg≤512,512 and negative,the positive rates
were 6.06%,75.7% and 21.9% respectively. The positive rates of cases with abnormal and
normal ALT were 68.8% and 29.5% respectively. Conclusion There was significant difference of
the positive rate of HBV-DNA among the cases with different combination of HBV serological
marker, cases with different HBsAg titre and cases with different hepatic function. [


The front-end circuitry of transceiver modules is slowly being updated from GaAs-based MMICs to GalliumNitride. Especially GaN power amplifiers and TR switches, but also low-noise amplifiers, offer significant performance improvement over GaAs components. Therefore it is interesting to also explore the possible advantages of a GaN mixer to complete a fully GaN-based front-end. In this paper the design-experiment and measurement results of a double-balanced image-reject mixer MMIC in 0.25 μm AlGaN/GaN technology are presented. This design features an integrated LO amplifier and active IF balun. The measured conversion loss is less than 8 dB from 6 to 12 GHz, at 0 dBm LO power.


With life level improving, more and more attention has been paid to the health and subhealth. Although the thoughts of prevention the diseases had been raised in Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon and gave the direction of Chinese Medicine in interventing in subhealth condition, and the dominance of Chinese Medicine in interventing in subhealth condition in clinic has been generally accepted by the specialists, the key problem about the concepts of the health, subhealth, before sickness and prevention have not unified standards. According to the Clinical Guidelines of Chinese Medicine on Subhealth which was published by China Association of TCM and Pharmacy, the author gave personal opinions and wished to discuss them with all experts.


The invention relates to a method for simultaneous double-sided grinding a plurality of semiconductor wafers, each semiconductor shell is freely movable in a recess of a plurality of offset by means of a rolling device rotors and is thereby moved on a cycloidal trajectory, wherein the semiconductor wafers between two rotating annular working disc material each work disc comprises a working layer containing bonded abrasive, characterized in that the shape of the working gap formed between the working layers during grinding is determined and the shape of the working surface of at least one working disk mechanically or thermally depending on the measured geometry of the working gap is changed so that the working gap has a predetermined shape. The subject matter of the invention is also a method in which the semiconductor wafers temporarily leave the working gap with part of their surface during processing. The invention also relates to a method in which the carrier disc is made entirely of a first material or a second material of the carrier disc is completely or partially coated with a first material such that during grinding only the first material is in mechanical contact with the working layer and the first material does not change the sharpness of the abrasive ...


Estonia, one of the smallest EU member states in the North-Eastern part of the Union might not attract new residents and investors with its outstanding nature, weather conditions or natural resources. Who would like to live in a country where summer means "three months of bad weather for skiing"? As one of the former Soviet satellite states it had to find another strategy to launch itself as an attractive and unique country on a global scale. Early on technology was identified as a solution to all kinds of challenges ranging from democratization to marketization and attracting global businesses.


Anaerobic digestion (AD) of dry banana leaves to produce biogas and the biogas production patterns under the influence of additives has been studied in present work. The impact of different dosage of Fe2O3 catalyst along with urea added by 2% based on dry weight of banana leaves added in sewage water inoculums for production of biogas were observed for 50 days of retention time. Simultaneous scrubbing arrangement was arranged to purify the raw biogas to enrich the methane content in the upgraded biogas. The results revealed that sewage water (S) with urea reached the peak CH4 concentration in biogas (64.72%) during 38 days, as compared to S+Urea+15 mg Fe2O3 (67.25%) in 30 days and S+Urea+25 mg Fe2O3 (65.15%) in 34 days. Addition of Fe2O3 indicated a reduction of lag phase in CH4 generation and attains the peak CH4 concentration at a faster rate. Purification of the raw biogas with 1 N NaOH solution has shown a drastic enrichment in CH4 content by absorption of CO2. The peak CH4 content after purification was found to be 83.24, 86.02 and 84.25% for S+Urea, S+Urea+15 mg Fe2O3 and S+Urea+25 mg Fe2O3 inoculums respectively.


The concrete for the lining of the passenger-dedicated railway tunnels are produced as per the requirements for durable concrete.The raw material quality,workability and transportation and casting technologies of the concrete have their own special requirements.Due to the problems in the construction organization,concrete's workability,concrete construction equipment and working labors,pipe blocking may occur during the pumping of the concrete.On basis of the concrete construction of No.3 bid section of Hefei~Wuhan passenger-dedicated railway,the author summarizes the reasons for the pipe blocking and their prevention measures in the paper.


Preparation of substituent-diverse, triazole-iduronic acid hybrid molecules by click reaction of an azido iduronic acid derivative with randomly chosen alkynes is described. Library members were screened for their ability to inhibit α-l-iduronidase, and hit molecules and analogues were then investigated for their ability to stabilize rh-α-IDUA in a thermal denaturation study. This work resulted in the discovery of the first small molecules that can be used to stabilize exogenous rh-α-IDUA protein in vitro.

publisher-specific, author manuscript: http://rsc.li/journals-terms-of-use


Digital control of continuous time processes is usually designed on the basis of a constant sampling rate. In some industrial environments it is difficult to preserve this simplification, so it is necessary to assume nonconventional sampling patterns. The problem could be much more complex if there were various subprocesses with different performances either in time or frequency domains. A new way of modelling these kind of situations is presented. The approach deals with input increments and exactly matches the plant behaviour in an ideal case. The parameters of this description present a specific physical meaning.<<ETX>>


On May 9, 2001, Robert L. Spitzer, MD, presented an unpublished paper at an American Psychiatric Association (APA) scientific symposium in New Orleans. While APA symposia are generally staid affairs, this presentation, "Can Some Gay Men and Lesbians Change Their Sexual Orientation?,"1 caused a media sensation and swiftly became the focus of talk shows and international headlines. Why so much attention to this paper? Why so much press and public interest in the question of whether people can change their sexual orientation? In part, this has to do with the way media outlets tell news stories (see Lund and Renna, 2003, in this issue). Another reason for this interest stems from events in which Dr. Spitzer participated thirty years ago when a related question was being debated: "Is homosexuality a mental disorder?" At that time, APA's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) regarded


Australians are embracing SVOD services even faster than some pundits had predicted, and the outlook for the sector is bullish. Don Groves reports.


This paper explores two issues: 1. Problems of integrating e-portfolios into the first year of a nursing undergraduate curriculum 2. Student use and ownership of said portfolios. E-portfolios are hailed as providing digital spaces for students to use and explore creative aspects of their own learning. Nursing is said to be both a competency based profession with set criteria and outcomes but also a reflective profession which champions individual personal development. Universities purport to develop transferable skills and foster personal development but they also have a tradition of rigorous academic standards. There are conflicts both within and between nursing and university education. Aims: To introduce e-portfolios in the first semester of a first year undergraduate nursing programme to foster open independent lifelong learning. Method: First year students (24) completed a learning styles questionnaire and an adapted SEUISS evaluation form to assess their level of IT skills. At the end of Semester 1, the same students completed an evaluation form and participated in group discussion, exploring the integration of taught IT skills within the curriculum and their use of the e-portfolio and WebCT. Results: Students reported that over the semester their IT skills had improved. The majority had appreciated the importance and value of having an e-portfolio but had not identified learning objectives and failed to engage with the features available: <50% of students had used a blog or chosen to showcase their work and the maximum reported amount of time spent working on their portfolios by most of the students was 30 minutes/week. Conclusion: By focusing on improving IT skills rather than sharing with the students the philosophy behind eportfolios we feel we contributed to their lack of engagement. In retrospect we feel that in failing to identify and address the philosophical conflicts that exist in nursing education ourselves and in not making these explicit for the students we disadvantaged their engagement with their e-portfolios.


The new capabilities that emerged with artificial intelligence also target healthcare settings. Nevertheless, they carry potential benefits and challenges that need to be addressed appropriately. In this paper, we mapped the current status of scientific debate on two key regulation aspects of AI in healthcare: the objects of regulation and the affected actors. Data-related issues are the most researched, such as collection, storage, and privacy. In addition, nearly half of the papers targeted policymakers with challenges, comparative analysis, and governance models. Based on these results, we propose a scheme to organize these aspects and discuss implications for AI management, policymaking, and research in this field.


A distribution static synchronous compensator (D-STATCOM) is installed in a distribution system to provide reactive power. The controller of a D-STATCOM regulates its DC-side voltage and injected reactive power. This letter proposes a method for choosing the tradeoff reference value of the DC-side voltage of a D-STATCOM to minimize the switching losses and the harmonic content of its output current without compromising its dynamic performance. This letter also proposes an estimation method to determine the circuit parameter required for the proposed DC voltage selection method. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.


Introduction: The incidence of diabetes mellitus is increasing day by day for the past few decades.  The increased prevalence can be attributed to the low level of knowledge, appraisal and sedentary lifestyle. Objective: The objective of the study was to identify the major risk factors associated with development of coronary heart disease and appraisal of disease among diabetic patients in twin cities of Pakistan. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was used. The study respondents were diabetes patients. Heart Fact Questionnaire (HFQ) and Appraisal of Diabetes Questionnaire (ADS) were distributed to a sample of 382 diabetes patients. Mann Whitney and Kruskal Wallis tests (p ≥ 0.05) were used to found out difference among knowledge of risk factors and appraisal of disease with different demographic variables. Results: Most of the respondents 79.8 % (n=308) agreed that family history is a risk factor for developing heart disease. The results showed that 89.1 % (n=344) and 82.1 % (n=317) knew that high blood pressure and cholesterol are risk factors for heart disease, respectively. The results highlighted that 16.1 % (n=62) agreed that diabetes is extremely upsetting but only 1.8% (n=7) of the respondents had complete control over diabetes.Significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) in knowledge and disease appraisal among diabetes patients was observed among patients with different level of qualification and duration of disease. Newly diagnosed patients and those with better qualification levels had relatively better knowledge and disease appraisal. Conclusion: The current study concluded that the knowledge regarding risk factors and disease appraisal was good. Patients who had higher qualification had higher disease appraisal. Age, gender, income level and duration of treatment had no impact on disease appraisal.


OBJECTIVE To determinate the residual Formaldehyde in Minocycline Hydrochloridev by HPLC.METHODS A C_(18)(4.6mm×250mm,5μm)column was used with mobile phase of 0.06mol·L~(-1)Phosphoric solution(pH2.85)-acetoni trile(50∶50) at detection wavelength of 336nm;The temperature of column was 30℃.RESULTS The calibration curve wad liner in the concentration rang of 0.21~2.47μg·mL~(-1).CONCLUSION The HPLC method is accurate simple and rapid it can be used to determination the residual Formaldehyde in Minocycline Hydrochloridev.


The effects of PTFE content on water-absorptivity,notched impact strength and complex viscosity of PTFE/PA6 and PTFE/PA66 blends were investigated by water immersion test,Charpy impact fracture test and dynamic rheology measurement in this paper.It is shown that the amount of absorbed water in the blends decreases with increasing PTFE content,indicating that the PTFE phase restrains the PA phase from water absorption.Although the addition of PTFE causes a decrease in notched impact strength of the blends,as compared to pure PA,the absorbed water has little effects on the notched impact strength of the blends.It is also shown that the complex viscosity of the blends varies with the PTFE content;an appropriate content of PTFE can improve the processability of the blends.Moreover the complex viscosity of the blend melts decreases with increasing frequency at given temperatures,which exhibits pseudoplastic behavior.As to the temperature dependence of complex viscosity of the blend melts,an interesting phenomenon was observed.The complex viscosity decreases with increasing temperature for PTFE/PA6 melts,while it increases with temperature in a manner of power law for PTFE/PA66 melts.


Abstract : The threat to the United States since the end of the Cold War has shifted from a single Communist threat to numerous threats of regional conflicts. The subject of "this shift" in U.S. military operations is not a new one. The focus of this paper is on the impending threats that have arisen and the contingency operations that the United States has been involved in since the end of the Cold War. Though the former Soviet conventional threat has disappeared, numerous new threats have been identified that require U.S. intervention. The new threats require the expenditure of funds that were budgeted for other DoD requirements. This two-pronged analysis will not only examine the shift in U.S. operations but also the shift in how DoD responds to the new threats. Since the strengthening of the role of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Goldwater-Nichols DoD Reorganization Act in 1986, a focus on jointness has been created. While the Unified. Commanders in Chief (CINCs) were given increased responsibility through Goldwater-Nichols, the authority of the CINC has not been increased respectively. Though the CINC has operational command of the forces in his theater and is held responsible for their readiness and performance, he bas minimal input to the training and resources of his forces. The Component Commands retain the funding for their respective forces and provide the required level of training as identified by the Component Command. This dichotomy of responsibility and authority creates limitations for the CINC and potentially affects his ability to achieve his operational objectives.


Marketing trends are shifting from conventional (offline) to digital (online). E-Commerce applications for business actors can market their products from anywhere and anytime via the internet. The focus of the issues raised are: (1) How to Design Woocommerce-Based E-Commerce Applications (2) How to Implement E-Commerce Applications for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Kota Pari Village. To reveal these problems, this study uses qualitative research that is useful for providing facts and data regarding the Design of Woocommerce-Based E-Commerce Applications for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Kota Pari Village, then the data is analyzed using a grounded method with a theoretical approach that provides development to field of research study. Then the data collection techniques used interview, documentation, and observation techniques. Data analysis techniques with data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. While the theory used in this research is an integrated marketing trend communication theory combined with Woocommerce techniques. From the results of the study it was found that through the E-Commerce Application, business actors can establish relationships with customers in a fast response. The benefits of implementing an E-Commerce Application are related to the 4P marketing trends (product, price, place and promotion). Suggestions for SMEs in Kota Pari Village must continue to update marketing trends, both conventional and digital, consistently, especially regarding E-Commerce applications, they can be developed again in their management, because so far they are still managed by each business actor.


Objective : To estimate the prevalence of dry-eye disease (DED) among medical professionals in a tertiary care hospital in Western UP during the lockdown period 2020.
Materials & Methods : This was a cross-sectional hospital-based, observational study from 7th May 2020 till 14th May 2020, that included 50 medical professionals as subjects. The study compares the increase in the number of hours spent on Visual Display Terminals (VDTs) before and during the lockdown period 2020. This in-turn led to numerous ill-effects on human beings, out of which ocular manifestations like dry-eye disease has been on the rise. The study has been carried out in the form of questionnaire survey data – Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) asking about the symptoms and various other parameters, related to dry eye.
Results : The mean number of hours spent on VDTs before lockdown was 2.82±1.32 hours and during lockdown was 6.26±4.76 hours. In accordance with the OSDI scoring, 23/50 subjects developed DED. Out of these, 28% (14/50) had mild DED, 16% (8/50) had moderate DED, and only 2% (1/50) had severe DED. Prevalence of dry eye was directly proportionate to exposure time to VDT during the lockdown.
Conclusion : The prevalence of dry-eye disease (DED) among medical professionals during the lockdown period 2020 was 46%. This was attributed to the increased dependence on VDTs for various purposes.


I was delighted to read of Dr Weichert's results in her article "Lactational reflex recovery in breast-feeding failure."1 All four infants would have been labeled "failure to thrive" in most pediatric centers with possible interruption of the precious lactation bond by formula supplements,2 as recent articles in the English literature have suggested.3,4
 The Lact-Aid supplementer, utilized with all four mother-infant dyads, helped correct the problems of breast milk insufficiency and poor infant weight gain. The Lact-Aid is used not only to correct insufficiency and restore confidence, but also to alter sucking defects in babies who have not been acclimated to a constant pattern of good sucking.


Clinically, hemodilution to a hematocrit of 9% has been studied, but the effects of hypovolemia during this degree of hemodilution have not been elucidated.We studied the response to blood loss during extreme hemodilution and evaluated indicators of hypovolemia. Systemic and myocardial hemodynamics, oxygen transport, and blood lactate concentrations were measured in 12 anesthetized pigs exposed to a graded blood loss of 10, 20, 30, and 40 mL/kg. Six animals were hemodiluted (hematocrit 10.8% +/- 1.4%, mean +/- SD), and six animals served as controls (hematocrit 34.6% +/- 1.5%). Hemodilution decreased systemic oxygen delivery to 9.5 +/- 0.6 mL [center dot] kg-1 [center dot] min-1 (controls 21.7 +/- 3.9 mL [center dot] kg-1 [center dot] min (-1)) (P < 0.01) despite a 31% increase in cardiac output. Systemic oxygen uptake was unchanged. Arterial lactate increased to 3.3 +/- 1.1 mM/L (controls 1.6 +/- 0.6 mM/L) (P < 0.05), and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) decreased to 38.2% +/- 4.8% (controls 68.6% +/- 2.9%) (P < 0.01). At a blood loss of 10 mL/kg, cardiac output continued to be greater in the hemodiluted animals (P < 0.01). Arterial blood pressure decreased to 61 +/- 8 mm Hg (controls 84 +/- 18 mm Hg) (P < 0.05), whereas heart rate was unchanged. Systemic oxygen delivery decreased to 8.8 +/- 1.2 mL [center dot] kg-1 [center dot] min-1 (controls 14.1 +/- 2.5 mL [center dot] kg (-1) [center dot] min-1) (P < 0.01). Systemic oxygen uptake was maintained by a further increase in oxygen extraction, and SvO2 decreased to 29.7% +/- 7.3%, compared with 55.3% +/- 9.0% in controls (P < 0.01). Arterial lactate increased to 4.9 +/- 1.4 mM/L (controls 1.8 +/- 0.8 mM/L) (P < 0.01). Myocardial oxygen delivery and lactate uptake were unchanged. When the blood loss equaled 30 mL/kg, myocardial lactate production occurred, and two hemodiluted animals died of circulatory failure. Central venous and capillary wedge pressures changed minimally during the blood loss and did not differ between groups. We conclude that a decrease in arterial blood pressure and SvO2 were early signs of hypovolemia during hemodilution, whereas central venous pressure and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure were insensitive indicators. Implications: Anesthetized pigs with extremely low hemoglobin levels (one third of normal) showed poor tolerance to blood loss >10 mL/kg. A decreasing arterial blood pressure, a decreasing oxygen saturation in the venous blood, and an increase in arterial blood lactate concentration were useful indicators of blood loss. (Anesth Analg 1998;87:786-94)


Treating the least well researched period in the history of English, Richard Bailey's groundbreaking book is an admirable success: wry in its humor, clear in its science, and compelling in its humanity. More than that, it is a sterling achievement of research, a model for all who write about the history of spoken or written English, a benchmark of scope and insight. Bailey's calculations suggest that, in the course of the 19th century, the number of English speakers increased from 26 million to 126 million, helping to make the century the "most transforming" period in the history of English: it was transformed "from merely a language to a valuable property, firmly incorporated into capitalist economies. Far more than at any earlier time, English could be bought and sold. It was even possible to earn one's livelihood by working with it".


COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Instruction to adolescents in breast self-examination is ineffective when students are taught in groups using a silicone model, according to results of a study published in the April 1992 Clinical Pediatrics. Researchers found that instruction in adolescents should be taught on a one-to-one basis and that it should be reinforced at follow-up.


The 2011 Tohoku-Oki megathrust earthquake and its aftershocks were well recorded by the KiK-net network in accelerographs placed inside boreholes and on the surface. These data allow comparing strong-motion records with synthetic acceleration time histories for this large magnitude earthquake that caused extensive damage in Japan. Generating synthetic accelerograms at high frequencies can be approached using different techniques. We use the stochastic method to simulate horizontal and vertical strong-motion accelerograms in hard-rock boreholes; additionally, we incorporate P, SV, and SH soil amplification transfer functions to generate surface accelerograms. We reproduce the three components of the strong motion for 18 stations of the Mw 9.0 mainshock event; additionally, we simulated 8 stations for an Mw 6.9 aftershock. Our simulated acceleration time histories show similarity in time and frequency with the acceleration records for the period band between 0.05 and 1 s. Electronic Supplement: Table of the velocity model used in the modeling of our synthetic records, and figures showing comparison of time series and 5% response spectra of synthetic and real data of 2011 Tohoku-Oki megathrust earthquake and an Mw 6.9 aftershock.


To address the weak anti-interference capability of the conventional global satellite navigation system (GNSS), a navigation system based on the opportunity signal of LEO constellation is studied to complement and enhance it. Since LEO satellite opportunity signal generally adopts the Doppler positioning method different from GNSS, the Doppler geometric dilution of precision factor (DGDOP) lower bound expression and variation law for LEO satellite positioning are studied in depth in this paper, to assess the limitation and potential of positioning in different LEO constellations. The paper analyzes the variation law of visible satellites and DGDOP with latitude for different LEO constellations using the actual LEO satellite orbit data output from the system tool kit (STK) platform, and verifies the validity of the analytical expression for the lower bound of DGDOP.


Abstract DIGITAL INFORMATION CONTEXTS: THEORETICALAPPROACHES TO UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL INFORMATION. Tredinnick, Luke. Oxford: Chandos, 2006. 307p., £39.95, ISBN 1-84334-159-X. Reviewed by Mary M. Manning. GAMING"The Haworth Press." & LIBRARIES: INTERSECTION OF SERVICES. Levine, Jenny. Special issue of Library Technology Reports 42, no. 5. Chicago, IL: ALA TechSource (American Library Association), 2006, 68 pp., $63.00, ISSN 0024-2586. Reviewed by Jami Schwarzwalder. HOW LIS PROFESSIONALS CAN USE ALERTING SERVICES. Fourie, Ina. Oxford: Chandos, 2006, 196 pp., £39.00, ISBN 1-84334-128-X. Reviewed by Lani Hall Draper. LEADERSHIP BASICS FOR LIBRARIANS AND INORMATION PROFESSIONALS. Evans, G. Edward, and Patricia Layzell Ward. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2007, 256 pp., $40.00, ISBN 978-0-8108-5229-7. Reviewed by Rachel E. Vacek. TECHNOLOGIES FOR EDUCATION: A PRACTICAL GUIDE. 5th ed. Barron, Ann E., Karen S. Ivers, Nick Lilavois, and Julie A. Wells. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2006, 204 pp., $48.00, ISBN 1-59158-250-4. Reviewed by Duncan Dixon. TECHNOLOGY FOR THE REST OF US: A PRIMER ON COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE LOW-TECH LIBRARIAN. Courtney, Nancy (ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2006, 192 pp., $42.00, ISBN 1-59158-233-4. Reviewed by Michael LaMagna. WEB-BASED LEARNING: THEORY, RESEARCH, AND PRACTICE. O'Neil, Harold F., and Ray S. Perez (eds.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2006, 432 pp., $110.00, ISBN 0-8058-5100-3. Reviewed by Sophia Guevara.


decision-making. Jeremy Bentham's utilitarian rule of the "greatest happiness for the greatest number" claimed that numbers from group data should override individual factors — his presumption that group data are "right" disregarded individual differences and contexts. This issue also arises in the practice of evidence-based medicine. Management based on group outcomes may take precedence over management that is tailored to the patient's motivations and circumstances as well as the disease. Choice based on numerical probability works if only one outcome variable is being counted (say, survival after coronary artery bypass). But the situation becomes more complicated if the choice must incorporate multiple outcome variables, such as recurrence rate, complications, cost, return-to-work issues or level of anxiety. The complex interaction between other significant factors such as age, comorbidity, drug sensitivities, rehabilitation resources, coping skills and family support can swamp single-factor numerical logic, for better or for worse. Decision-making is not truly "rational" (and is ethically doubtful) when numerical variables are considered to the exclusion of all others. In this context, we must acknowledge that, in our discussions with patients, we often use vaguely quantitative terms, such as "frequent", "likely", "common", "rare" and "possible". These approximations honestly reflect the real world of partial knowledge within which decisions are made. If clinicians don't use, and don't know, the predictive probabilities that shape their therapeutic decisions for each patient, attempts to weigh significant numerical variables against one another to reach a decision may be no more than pseudo-accuracy. We need to develop a little "science of the individual" that can weight all the human and medical factors at play, together with a calculus for clinical judgement that guides the parties to a decision most likely to optimise the chosen outcomes. A Nobel Prize may be waiting for the clinical researcher who cuts a sound and workable path through these complexities of the real world!


OBJECTIVES
To compare the physiology of apneic oxygenation with low-tidal-volume (VT) ventilation during harvesting of the left internal mammary artery.

DESIGN
Prospective, single-center, randomized trial.

SETTING
Single-center teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS
The study comprised 24 patients who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.

INTERVENTIONS
Apneic oxygenation (apneic group: 12 participants) and low-VT ventilation (low-VT group: 12 participants) (2.5 mL/kg ideal body weight) for 15 minutes during harvesting of the left internal mammary artery.

MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS
The primary endpoint was an absolute change in partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2). Secondary endpoints were changes in arterial pH, pulmonary artery pressures (PAP), cardiac index, and pulmonary artery acceleration time and ease of surgical access. The mean (standard deviation) absolute increase in PaCO2 was 31.8 mmHg (7.6) in the apneic group and 17.6 mmHg (8.2) in the low-VT group (baseline-adjusted difference 14.2 mmHg [95% confidence interval 21.0-7.3], p<0.001). The mean (standard deviation) absolute decrease in pH was 0.15 (0.03) in the apneic group and 0.09 (0.03) in the low-VT group baseline-adjusted difference 0.06 [95% confidence interval 0.03-0.09], p<0.001. Differences in the rate of change over time between groups (time-by-treatment interaction) were observed for PaCO2 (p<0.001), pH (p<0.001), systolic PAP (p = 0.002), diastolic PAP (p = 0.023), and mean PAP (p = 0.034). Both techniques provided adequate ease of surgical access; however, apneic oxygenation was preferred predominantly.

CONCLUSIONS
Apneic oxygenation caused a greater degree of hypercarbia and respiratory acidemia compared with low-VT ventilation. Neither technique had deleterious effects on PAP or cardiac function. Both techniques provided adequate ease of surgical access.


Is it possible to create a medical school, an academic medical center, that's better aligned with society's interests and that can better take advantage of what, uniquely, academics has to offer?


Internet public opinion and environmental protection is an important factor in enterprise crises induced,but the research results of network public opinion evolution mechanism induced by the crisis of enterprise pollution behavior is rare.Taking environmental pollution events in year 2011 as example,the media reports behavior induced by the enterprise behavior is analyzed using an empirical method and evolutionary theory,followed by the propagation mechanism of the netizen network public opinion which is induced by the enterprise behavior.Finally,the reasons for formation of the environmental networks public opinion crisis are summarized.


A description of the Aquatic Habitat Classification (AHC) system is given in this book through its explanations of the system's functional approach, hierarchical structure designed to support computerized data management, and list of modifiers and examples of applications.


Abstract : Experimental and theoretical efforts aimed at clarifying and revealing important dynamical features of several turbulent shear flows are described. The flows studied include boundary layers, jets, wakes and separated flows on lifting surfaces. Significant progress has been made through experimental studies toward understanding: (i) processes in turbulent boundary layers responsible for the production of turbulent energy via local, inflectional-instability events and the modification of boundary layer growth and entrainment by passive large-eddy manipulation devices; (ii) procedures for enhancing entrainment and mixing in jets either by actively forcing the flow or by passively contouring the jet exit; and (iii) characteristics of boundary layer separation and its control on lifting surfaces in unsteady flows. Theoretical studies on the temporal and spatial structure in blunt-body wakes have revealed the necessary conditions under which global, self-sustained oscillations appear and, also, have provided firm criteria for specifying the frequency of these oscillations. The results are consistent with existing experimental evidence and suggest promising approaches for drag modifications for flow over bluff bodies. Several experimental facilities have been designed. Keywords: Separated flows; Unsteady flows; Turbulent shear flows.


Objectives: The synthetic opioid, tramadol is useful in a wide range of acute and chronic pain states. Of late, in addition to its systemic action, the local anaesthetic effect of tramadol on peripheral nerves has been shown in both:clinical and laboratory studies. We conducted a study to evaluate the effect of tramadol as a local anaesthetic and postoperative analgesic when compared with lignocaine for minor surgeries.Methods: 40 ASA I-II adult patients aged 18-60 years, who were to undergo elective day care minor surgeries under local anaesthesia were randomly assigned to receive either 2mg/kg of tramadol with 1:2,00,000 adrenaline (Group T) or 1mg/kg of lignocaine with 1:2,00,000 adrenaline (Group L). Visual analogue score (VAS), pulse rate, respiratory rate & blood pressure  were recorded at various times intraoperatively. Side effects were assessed. The total dose of rescue analgesic (oral  paracetamol) consumed by the patient over the immediate 24 hours postoperatively was noted.Results and conclusion: After statistical analysis of the data, it was concluded that tramadol is a good local anaesthetic cum postoperative analgesic for minor surgical procedures and can be used as an adjunct or option to other commonly used local anaesthetics.


Objective To investigate the value of distortion product otoacoustic emissions(DPOAE) in early detection of noise-induced hearing loss.Methods DPOAE and pure tone audiometry were performed in 54 young adults without any exposure to noise(as control group) and 96 noise-exposed workers.The pure tone thresholds of two groups were all normal.The pure tone hearing thresholds,the amplitude and positive rate of DPOAE of two groups were compared.Results ① There was no significant difference of pure tone thresholds between two groups at all frequencies(P 0.05);②Compared with the control group,amplitudes of DPOAE of noise-exposed workers declined at all frequencies,the differences was significant especially at frequencies of 3 kHz,4 kHz,6 kHz(P 0.05,P 0.01).③ The induce rates of exposed workers at 3 kHz,4 kHz,6 kHz decreased significantly(P 0.05,P 0.01).Conclusion DPOAE is more sensitive and more objective in early detection of noise-induced hearing loss.


Department of Industrial Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, KoreaThe main activities of container terminals are to load container freights to vessels, discharge them from vessels, and store them in the storage yard. Container terminals make many operational plans to execute these functions effectively. If the plans do not consider enough the loads of related resources, they may have low actualities. This study discusses the optimal yard planning model which considers various resources, such as the storage yard, yard cranes, internal vehicles, and travel lanes, in container terminals. The model determines the groups and amounts of containers which are stored in each storage block by using the resource profile. The yard planning problem is represented to the multi-commodity minimal cost flow problem and is formulated to the linear programming model. In order to explain the application of the mathematical model, the numerical examples are presented. Additionally, the relationship between the average load ratio and the relocation ratio is discussed.


Many variables may influence the movement of the Dow Jones Industrial Index. I hypothesize that the Federal Funds Rate, the percentage change in the M2 money supply, and time are three of the most influential detenninants. Therefore, through use of the SAS System and SAS procedures, I tested my hyporthesis to detennine its reliablity and validity.


The aim of this research was to study biodiesel production from low cost feedstock of waste cooking oil (WCO) using hydrodynamic cavitation apparatus. A two-step processes esterification process and transesterification process using hydrodynamic cavitation for the production of biodiesel from WCO is presented. The first step is acid-catalyzed esterification process for reducing free fatty acid (FFA) content of WCO and followed by base-catalyzed transesterification process for converting WCO to biodiesel as the second step. The result of esterification process with methanol to oil molar ratio of 5 and temperature of 60 o C showed that the initial acid value of WCO of 3.9 mg KOH/g can be decreased to 1.81 mg KOH/g in 120 minutes. The highest yield of biodiesel in transesterification process of 89.4% obtained at reaction time of 150 minutes with methanol to oil molar ratio of 6. The biodiesel produced in the experiment was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which showed that it mainly contained five fatty acid methyl esters. In addition, the properties of biodiesel showed that all of the fuel properties met the Indonesian National Standard (INS) No. 04-7182-2006 for biodiesel.


Objective To study the clinical and radiological appearance of postoperative augmentation mammoplasty with HPAG.Methods 12 cases (24 breasts)of augmentation mammoplasty with HPAG were examined by breast touch and molybdenum target radiogram.Results In on case the breast was hard as stone,in two cases one side of breasts appeared tougher than the one on the other side;in 13 cases hard nodules could be felt in the breasts.The radiographic appearances of filling materials in 14 breasts were of the same density as the gland of breast,high density in 8m,low density in 2.Filling materials were mostly located in the real of the gland.Undistinguishable from the gland in 14 breasts.Multiple nodules were found within the filling materials in 12 breasts.Multiple nodules were found without the filling materials in 13 breasts.Nodules were in equal or higher density.Conclusion Hardening and nodules may occur from postoperative augmentation mammoplasty in some cases,radiographic diagnosis of breast lesion is affected when filling materials are undistinguishable from the gland of breast.


Sensor-based wireless technology is today often used as a relatively non-invasive method for the early diagnosis of diseases. Monitoring systems differ greatly and not all meet high standards in terms of efficiency, accuracy, reliability and longterm usefulness. This is often caused by sensor quality, issues concerning power consumption and connectivity. This research aims to establish a framework for sensor-based health monitoring systems as a basis for a dialogue on systems usefulness. We introduce 'Data, Wireless communication allocator and Monitoring techniques' (DWM) as vital elements of such framework. We further identify sub-components of each of the elements and justify their inclusion. Evaluation and validation confirm the value of the framework. This paper further provides a detailed analysis of sensors for gathering vital health data such as heart beat rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), body temperature and others. The resulting data are transmitted via Bluetooth, ZigBee, WIFI and other wireless technologies. Access to this information is through displays in remote healthcare facilities by authorized medical personnel, to be used to design treatment. We evaluate the DWM framework based on reliability, and ease of use and make comparisons with current state of the start systems. This research makes a major contribution towards standardization of sensor-based monitoring systems.


A high fat diet increased the body weight and produce adiposity in humans. Pancreatic lipase plays a major role in digestion and absorption of dietary fat because the dietary fat is not directly absorbed from intestine. So it is possible to reduce the absorption of dietary fat by the inhibition of pancreatic lipase, thereby obesity can be managed. Orlistat is one of the clinically approved drugs for treatment of obesity in the mechanism of pancreatic lipase inhibition. The aqueous ethanolic extract (70%) of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. leaves (DSEE) and orlistat as reference has been studied for potent pancreatic lipase inhibition using chicken pancreas (Gallus domesticus) in dose dependent manner. The preliminary phytochemical analysis of extract showed the presence of flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, and terpenoids. The pancreatic lipase inhibition (IC50) value for the orlistat and extract was found to be 2.049±0.98 and 3.89±0.97 which might be attributed to the presence of phytoconstituents. Hence DSEE can be used as an anti-obesity agent in suitable form.


This study analyze long debate issues by the analysis of existing studies and the effect of private health insurance in the satisfaction of health service utilization. Then make developmental role of private health insurance. The analysis results of literatures, high-income earners are more subscriptions and the poor people in health status are excluded. Thus, enable private health insurance has the potential to lead the polarization of people. The medical use of private health insurance subscriber is more than non-subscriber and is likely to result in additional expenditure spending of public insurance. The contribution of private health insurance on improvement of the health option is clear. However, is not clear the contribution on health care quality improvement and health service customer satisfaction. The contribution on the national health care system efficiency of private health insurance is not clear. Private health insurance in the satisfaction of health service utilization is on effect. In short, supplementary private health insurance is desirable in our country. ■ keyword :∣Private Health Insurance∣Health Care System∣National Health Expenditure∣Satisfaction∣ * 이 논문은 2012년도 호서대학교의 재원으로 학술연구비 지원을 받아 수행된 연구임(2012-0308) 접수일자 : 2013년 10월 16일 수정일자 : 2013년 12월 12일 심사완료일 : 2013년 12월 20일 교신저자 : 이용재, e-mail : firstname.lastname@example.com 국민보건의료에 대한 민간의료보험의 영향고찰 : 의료서비스 이용만족을 중심으로 201


Objective: To investigate the protective effect of dihydrolycorine(DL) on H2O2-induced oxidative stress damage in PC12 cells.Methods: Oxidative stress damage of PC12 cells was induced by H2O2 at 200 μmol·L-1.The survival rate and damage degree were determined by MTT reduction assay and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) release.Intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS) generation and the changes in mitochondrial membrane potential were detected by fluorescent probe DCFH-DA and JC-1,respectively.Results: Compared with the normal control,H2O2 reduced the cell viability and depressed mitochondrial membrane potential,whereas increased LDH release and ROS production.Pretreatment with DL(10-7~10-5 mol·L-1) attenuated viability reduction,depression of mitochondrial membrane potential,LDH release and ROS generation induced by H2O2.Conclusion: DL protects PC12 cells against H2O2-induced oxidative stress damage and its mechanism may be related to ROS decrease and stability of mitochondrial membrane potential.


Objective To investigate the molecular mechanism of triptolide(TP)that reduces urine protein in diabetic nephropathy through investigating the effects of high-glucose activation on expressions of synaptopodin and desmin in mouse podocytes and the intervention of TP on it. Methods Immortalized mouse podocyte cells cultured in vitro were the object of this study,which were divided into five groups as normal glucose group,high-glucose-stimulus group,mannitol group,low-dose TP-intervention group and high-dose TP-intervention group.Culture solutions that contain 5.5mmol/L D-glucose,30.0mmol/L D-glucose,5.5mml/L D-glucose+3μg/L of TP and 30.0mmol/LD-glucose+10μg/L of TP were respectively added in each group and incubated for 48 h.The expressions of synaptopodin and desmin mRNA and protein in podocyte cells were detected by fluorescent quantitation PCR and Western blot. Results Compared with normal glucose group,the expressions of synaptopodin mRNA and protein in the high-glucose stimulus group increased,and that of desmin mRNA and protein decreased;In the low-and high-TP-concentration groups,the expressions of synaptopodin mRNA and protein were higher than that in the high-glucose stimulus group,and that of desmin mRNA and protein were lower,with dose-effect relationship,the difference being significant(F=25.919-551.012,P0.05). Conclusion Triptolide can improve high-glucose-induced abnormal expressions of synaptopodin and desmin in podocyte cells,which is likely to be one of the mechanisms of triptolide in reducing proteinuria in diabetic nephropathy.


Reviews the book, Blackwell Handbook of Language Development edited by Erika Hoff and Marilyn Shatz (see record 2007-00509-000). The book contains five sections. In "Basic Foundations" and "Theoretical Approaches to Language Development", seven chapters explore different models of language developme


Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), which are key components of fish oil, are increasingly consumed for their health benefits and have been shown to dramatically influence chronic disease. Although omega-3s can lead to the production of less inflammatory metabolites, we focused on the direct effects of a high omega-3 diet on T cell activation during viral infection. Specifically, we analyzed T cell recognition of antigen and the resulting functional responses during lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV) infection. The omega-3 based diet manipulated structural lipid content in plasma membranes leading to reduced T cell frequency and changes in the prevalence of immunodominant epitopes. We further found that a high omega-3 diet decreased 2D affinity and number of tetramer positive polyclonal as well as CD8 T cell receptor transgenic cells at peak anti-viral immunity. In addition to affinity, the bond lifetime of antigen recognition was also decreased. This resulted in decreased numbers of SLEC and effector cytokines without impeding viral clearance. Our work indicate that a major effect of dietary omega-3 fatty acids on T cells is the modification of the cell membrane to dampen the initial recognition of antigen leading to decreased but effective immunity.


Venezuelan foreign policy throughout its history had been an important lever to ensure domestic political stability and international recognition; that lever...


Purpose: To evaluate the effects of an empowerment program on caregivers' competence in caring for preschool children with acute leukemia undergoing chemotherapy. Design: Quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. Methods: Samples contained 30 caregivers of children with acute leukemia, age 3-6 admitted for chemotherapy in Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health. Fifteen caregivers in the experimental group participated in the 9 session empowerment program to enhance knowledge and competence in caring for acute leukemia in children undergoing chemotherapy, focusing on the following areas; (a) infection, (b) mucositis, (c) nausea and vomiting, (d) alopecia, (e) psycho-social state, (f) diarrhea, (g) bleeding, (h) anemia, and (i) health promotion. The empowerment program was composed of 4 steps: discovering reality, critical reflection, taking charge, and holding. The program was developed and based on the process of empowerment as conceptualized by Gibson's theory. The fifteen caregivers in the control group received the usual nursing care. Data were collected by questionnaires assessing knowledge and competence of caregivers in caring for preschool children with acute leukemia undergoing chemotherapy. Data analysis was performed using ANCOVA with pretest knowledge scores as well as competence in caring scores as covariates. Main findings: Results revealed that the mean scores of caregiver knowledge in the experimental group were statistically, significantly higher than those in the control group from the 4 th week. The mean scores of caregiver's competence in the experimental group were statistically, significantly higher than those in the control group from the 4 th week. Conclusion and recommendation: The results suggest that nurses should consider utilizing this empowerment program to develop caregiver knowledge, and to enhance caregiver competence in caring for preschool children with acute leukemia undergoing chemotherapy.


Objective To evaluate the value of ultrasonography in assessment of hepatic steatosis of the liver graft before transplantation. Methods The ultrasonographic results of fatty deposit in 25 liver grafts were confirmed by pathological diagnosis with Sudan Ⅲ staining and lipid determination with Soxhlet's extraction procedure before transplantation. Traditional 2-D ultrasonography and gray-scale density measurement in middle field were performed in each case. Results Compared with adipose determination, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 55.6%, 100%, 84% in real-time 2-D ultrasonography and 88.9%, 81.2%, 85% in gray-scale density measurement in middle field respectively. Conclusion The specificity of ultrasonography in determining hepatic steatosis of the liver graft before transplantation is high. The sensitivity can be improved by adding gray-scale density measurement in middle field.


The relation between viruses and man is the relation of autoeciousness, confrontation?co-existence and interdependence. It's a rational choice that man should actively treat viruses with a strategy of necessary compromise. Therefore, the conception of the man's existence mode and the productive mode should be adjusted accordingly.


AbstractDiffusive convection–favorable thermohaline staircases are observed directly beneath George VI Ice Shelf, Antarctica. A thermohaline staircase is one of the most pronounced manifestations of double-diffusive convection. Cooling and freshening of the ocean by melting ice produces cool, freshwater above the warmer, saltier water, the water mass distribution favorable to a type of double-diffusive convection known as diffusive convection. While the vertical distribution of water masses can be susceptible to diffusive convection, none of the observations beneath ice shelves so far have shown signals of this process and its effect on melting ice shelves is uncertain. The melt rate of ice shelves is commonly estimated using a parameterization based on a three-equation model, which assumes a fully developed, unstratified turbulent flow over hydraulically smooth surfaces. These prerequisites are clearly not met in the presence of a thermohaline staircase. The basal melt rate is estimated by applying an ex...


Vibration spectra of solid and molten antimony trichloride were recorded. In the solid state, vibration frequencies in addition to those of the SbCl3 molecules with their C3, symmetry indicate bond fluctuations according to 2 SbCl3 ⇄Sb++ SbCl6-.


Radiography testing is one of the most important nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques for aircraft wing inspection. Traditionally, radiography inspection is time and manpower consuming work. In addition, human inspection of cracks and damage based on film radiography is very subjective, inconsistent, and sometimes biased. Digital radiography allows all the benefits of producing significant increases in magnification and image clarity, as well as efficient management of digital images. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a computer aided system to assist interpretation of radiographic images to increase the objectivity, accuracy, and efficiency of radiographic inspection. In this article, an automated crack detection algorithm using region of interest (ROI) minimization and improved Canny edge detection techniques is developed for aircraft wing inspection. Cracks of up to 2 mm long on the aircraft wing around the fastener holes are detected automatically.


Perry and colleagues state that missing a subarachnoid haemorrhage in an otherwise alert patient could lead to catastrophic morbidity or death.1 However, in their study around 626 eligible patients did not receive either computed tomography or lumbar puncture to …


The goal of this paper is to provide a semantic analysis of multi-head correlatives in Hindi/Urdu that takes their peculiar behavior regarding NPI licensing and islands into account. This is done by assuming movement, which has the benefit of being a recursive process that can be used for an arbitrary amount of heads without resorting to type shifting or additional rules of composition.


The constant amplitude database Residual stresses Variable amplitude loading and testing Tests under two and three level loading The influence of spectrum shape and block length The influence of narrow and wide band loading The influence of cycles of small stress range Design for variable amplitude loading More on the fracture mechanics approach - the effect of stress interaction.


The utility model relates to a ring-shaped liquid film shearing type testing device of magnetorheological fluid, which drives a magnetic ring to rotate through a step motor to enable ring-shaped magnetorheological fluid films on two sides of the magnetic ring to do shearing movements, the magnetic field generated by a coil vertically penetrates through the magnetorheological fluid films along the radial direction. Under the effect of the magnetic field, the performance viscidity of the magnetorheological fluid is increased, the torque of the motor is finally transmitted to a torque sensor, and a data collection and control system calculates the shearing intensity value of the magnetorheological fluid through measuring the transferred torque value, collects magnetic field intensity signals through a Hall plate simultaneously, and controls the shearing speed through controlling the rotation speed of the step motor. The ring-shaped liquid film shearing type testing device greatly improves parallel disk type traditional structures, avoids the influence of centrifugal effort, enables the shearing movements of the magnetorheological fluid films to be stable, reduces leaked magnetism, improves the evenness of the magnetic field, and improves the testing precision.


In this thesis we investigate the semantics of concurrent programming languages with respect to the correctness of program transformations which occur during compilation of programs. We investigate the correctness of transformations on the same language, as well as the correctness of transformations from a higher-level language into a lower-level language. As a semantic model of a concurrent program language we introduce the calculus Λ amb which is an untyped higher-order lambda calculus extended by data constructors and case-expressions, explicit sharing and recursion via letrec-expressions, seq-expressions for modeling sequential computations, and the nondeterministic operator amb. The binary operator amb is locally bottom-avoiding, that is if applied to two arguments s and t, the operator chooses one of both arguments, but must not choose a divergent argument unless both arguments s and t are divergent. An analysis of such a bottom-avoiding operator is interesting for several reasons. Its implementation requires concurrent (that is interleaved) as well as fair evaluation of both arguments, and hence a calculus with an amb-operator models essential properties of modern concurrent functional programming languages. Moreover, the amb operator is theoretically challenging, since usual properties do not hold if this operator is included. For example a divergent expression is no longer a least element when using a contextual preorder as semantics. From a practical point of view the combination of an amb-operator with an enriched lambda-calculus enables us to implement a lot of other nondeterministic operators, for example erratic choice, demonic choice, parallel-or, a parallel convergence tester, and most importantly a bottom-avoiding nondeterministic merge-operator, which has several applications for the implementation of event driven systems, like graphical user interfaces and operating systems.


When the landfill gas generated at the landfill site is released into the atmosphere, methane gas with a high global warming potential is emitted, which adversely affects climate change. When methane contained in landfill gas is used as fuel for internal combustion engines and burned to generate electricity, it is emitted into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide, which can contribute to lowering the global warming potential. Therefore, in order to use the landfill gas as fuel for power generation using an internal combustion engine, it is important to increase the thermal efficiency of the engine. Thus, it is necessary to use a fuel supply system in which gas is injected using an electronically controlled injector at an intake port for each cylinder rather than a fuel supply technology using the conventional mixer technology. In order to use the electronically controlled gas injection method, it is important to accurately measure the mass flow rate according to the conditions of using landfill gas. For this, a study was conducted to measure the injection amount and calculate them in order for the intake port gas injection of landfill gas.


Placenta praev1a IS a serious complication of pregnancy. The dangers of this condition can be considerably reduced if early and accurate diagnosis can be made. The necessity of vaginal examinations, with consequent risk of inducing serious haemorrhage, may frequently be avoided, if placenta praevia can be shown to be present. In patients in whom placenta praevia can be established, a long period of hospitalization can be avoided. The contribution of Radiology in the diagnosis of this condition is recent, but considerable progress has been made in the last few years. Advances in Radiological technique are largely due to improvement in X-ray apparatus, and it is now possible to demonstrate structure and change which were previously invisible. arthritis is late and based upon indirect signs of soft tissue change and secondary involvement of juxta-articular bone. It is almost thirty years since Hugo Laurell developed empirically a radio graphic technique for the examination of the soft tissues. Laurell used a combi nation of long focal distance, low tube voltage and high definition intensifying screen to minimize focal blur, enhance contrast and reduce screen blur. Since these pioneering experiments of Laurell, a considerable number of papers have appeared on the technique and its value in the diagnosis of certain pathological processes. However, text books have given scant attention to the subject, and most authors indicate that the special value of the technique has not been sufficiently appreciated or practised.


We know that the radio electromagnetic spectrum is a natural resource and efficient usage of the inadequate natural resource is one of the greatest challenges of today's wireless communication system just like petrol, coal and water. The efficient use of the available licensed spectrum is becoming more and more critical with increasing demand and usage of spectrum, so this is an urgent need and requirement for the rapidly increasing number of wireless users and also for the conversion of voice oriented applications to multimedia applications. With efficient spectrum use, there are some parameters which also play an important role in the efficiency and performance of a system. One of them is Bit Error Rate (BER), the analysis i.e. optimization (minimization) of BER get better results. The aim of this study is to analysis BER theoretically as well as practically and shows the comparisons between them. In this paper, we analysis BER for better efficiency, high performance and maximum throughput in cognitive radio system based on Genetic Algorithm (GA).


Changes in crop patterns between design and operation of irrigation systems, often lead to conditions where water supply is no longer sufficient to match demand. Managers of irrigation systems are then induced to modify the delivery schedules. In the case of an Italian pressurized irrigation system, the on-demand delivery was modified into restricted frequency demand delivery during peak periods by introducing a 3-day rotation among the sectors within an irrigation district. This change in delivery schedules has been evaluated for the years 1991 and 1992 by comparing the measured daily discharges withdrawn in two districts when operating on demand and on restricted frequency demand. Results show that this practice does not necessarily achieve water savings and, in certain conditions, it can lead to increased demand and over-irrigation.


This article analyzes the relationship between property tax and local public finance in the view of public sector economics.It analyzes from three aspects the basic economic reasons why property tax becomes the main source of tax for local government: property tax suits the main characteristic of local public finance;property tax is beneficial for local government to fulfill its economic functions;and property tax is suitable to be collected and managed by the local government.


After one century of focusing on pathology and human weaknesses psychologists are starting to take a more open perspective of positive side of human nature regarding human potentials, motives, and capacities. Positive psychology focuses on what constitutes the life that leads to the greatest sense of well-being, satisfaction and happiness. This concept of good life is closely related to the concept of human strengths. In this article two classification systems of human strengths and their applications in education and youth development are discussed – classification of talents/strengths developed by Clifton and Anderson and VIA Classification of Strengths and Virtues by Peterson and Seligman. Research revealed that individuals who focus on their weaknesses and try to remedy them are only able to reach level of average performance at best. But when they expend comparable effort to build on their talents they are able to gain far more and even achieve excellence. There is also consistent evidence that character strengths play important roles in positive youth development. Researchers have found that character relevant strengths are associated with positive outcomes such as academic achievement, leadership or helping others. These strengths are also related to reduced problem behaviors such as drug and alcohol abuse, violence, depression, and suicidal ideation.


Abstract This paper introduces a Special Issue of Hydrological Sciences Journal containing 10 research papers which present current applications of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for water resources assessment. First, an overview of selected, recently published papers with application of SWAT is given. The papers address the following topics: nutrients and related best management practices (BMPs); sediments and related BMPs; impoundment and wetlands; irrigation; bioenergy crops; climate change impact; and land-use change impacts. Then, papers from this Special Issue are briefly described, covering the themes: surface runoff and sediments; nonpoint-source pollution; surface water and groundwater; impacts of climate and land-use change; and large-scale SWAT applications. The presented model applications of SWAT were conducted across a variety of spatial scales, physiographic regions and climatic zones. This collection of papers demonstrates that applications of SWAT for water resources assessment are growing in number and cover drainage basins in many regions worldwide. Editor M. Acreman; Associate editor Xi Chen


An unusual case of idiopathic hallux varus is reported in this paper. A 63 year-old woman presented with hallux varus deformity accompanied with pain and showed no evidence of underlying inflammatory disease nor history of trauma. This case had 42 degrees of the pre-operative varus deformity. Muscle release and reconstruction without osteotomy resulted in good alignment of the great toe and the patient was cured of gait disturbance with pain.


INTRODUCTION
The verification of methods of conducting clinical and theoretical classes has influence on improvement of work organization. The aim of this paper was to collect and analyze information about didactics in Department of Orthodontics of Pomeranian Medical University and perspectives in the field of professional work.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
At the end of academic year 2006/2007, 5th year students of Faculty of Dentistry evaluated classes conducted in Department of Orthodontics. All (69) 5th year students were included in the investigation. The material was collected by an anonymous questionnaire distributed after orthodontic final exam.

RESULTS
Students assessed well didactics in Orthodontic Department. Compared to previous years percentage of students that wanted to work abroad has increased and the number of student that wanted to work in Poland as employees has decreased. More students are going to develop their own dental practice.

CONCLUSIONS
The yearly character of the questionnaire investigations allows to observe that professional plans of future dentists are changing together with the situation on job market in dental branch.


The aim of the paper is to obtain numerical solution of some delay differential equations (DDEs) using the Banach contraction method (BCM). The BCM is developed and applied to some problems involving proportional delays to show the efficiency of the method. Convergence analysis and error estimation are presented. It is showed that error becomes small with a large number of iterations. The BCM reduces complex calculations, avoids discretization, linearization, perturbation, and easy to implement.


Subject
 COVID-19 impact on Mali.

 Significance
 COVID-19 is a serious threat in Mali but increasingly, many leaders' and citizens' attention is focused on other issues, especially the massive mobilisations of citizens calling for President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to resign. Nevertheless, the public health crisis is not yet contained, and the pandemic is taking a toll on the economy and the food security outlook.

 Impacts
 The secondary impacts of COVID-19 could begin to accumulate, for example in terms of excess malaria deaths, as resources are diverted.
 Insecurity persists in northern and central Mali, but so far looks likely to simply continue along pre-existing (worsening) trends.
 COVID-19 has infected personnel in key international security deployments, but is unlikely to disrupt operations significantly.


The goal of this paper is to explore the field of haptic feedback technologies, and give an overview on which principles are currently available for communicating different properties of virtual artifacts in a haptic/tactile manner to users. Secondly we evaluate this information from the aspect of a new virtual interaction environment that is being implemented in our research group, which aims at airborne representation of virtual objects without the need of body connected equipment, like for example goggles or exoskeletons. Based on this evaluation we try to discriminate which principles could be applied in order to create a realistic haptic feedback in this virtual interaction environment.Copyright © 2008 by ASME


In Chinese colleges and universities,competitive sports resource allocation mainly depends on government planning adjustment,so the marketization of resources allocation is obviously deficient. Using the methods of documentary, questionnaire,expert interviewand contrast-analysis,taking competitive sports resources in Chinese colleges and universities as research objects,this article analyses the imbalance phenomenon of competitive sports resources system in colleges and universities,puts forward the general idea of resources allocation,and points out that giving full play of the basic regulatory role of market in the running of college and university competitive sports is the key to the optimized allocation of competitive sports resources.


BACKGROUND Disturbance of p53 expression may play an important role in the pathogenesis of ultraviolet (UV) light–induced skin cancer as well as photoaging. OBJECTIVES To objectively evaluate the potential effect of nonablative facial rejuvenation on p53 expression. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS Thirty patients with Fitzpatrick skin type III to IV were divided into five groups. Each group underwent a different nonablative modality: radiofrequency (RF), intense pulsed light (IPL), electro‐optical synergy (ELOS) (combined RF and IPL), 1,320‐nm neodymium‐doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser, and 2,940‐nm erbium‐doped (Er):YAG laser minipeel. Skin biopsies were obtained before treatment, by the end of treatment, and 3 months after treatment. Biopsies were also taken from 30 controls. Quantitative evaluation of p53 was performed using computer image analysis for immunostained tissues. RESULTS P53 expression was statistically significantly greater at the end of IPL (p = .02) and ELOS (p = .02) treatments than before treatment but was statistically insignificantly lower (p > .05) 3 months after treatment than at the end of treatment. No significant differences (p > .05) were observed in p53 level after RF, 1,320‐nm Nd:YAG, and 2,940‐nm Er:YAG mini‐peel treatments from baseline. CONCLUSIONS The increase in epidermal p53 expression after IPL treatment could increase the risk of skin neoplasia by intense pulsed light‐induced DNA damage which may lead to dysregulation of apoptosis and initiation of skin cancer.


The growing recognition of the importance of knowledge management (KM) has led to calls for curriculum review in Library and Information Science (LIS). Drawing on the findings of a research project on the implications of KM for LIS education, this paper examines the focus of current LIS curricula in addressing KM and related concepts. This issue has been investigated from the viewpoint of the LIS community using a webbased survey, followed by in-depth interviews with 18 LIS heads of schools or senior staff at schools operating KM programs and courses. The findings indicate that there is considerable interest within the LIS community in expanding their curricula to include a stronger element of KM. Specifically, this includes the intensive coverage of knowledge in all its forms, and the inclusion of more organizational, business and management issues in the curriculum along with an emphasis on the practical dimensions of knowledge management. Keywords: knowledge management (KM), education, library and information science (LIS), curriculum, survey Introduction Education for Library and Information Science (LIS) has evolved over the years in line with overall developments within the profession. A key influence on curriculum development has been the field of information science, which along with advances in IT has permeated LIS education since the 1990s, leading to the redesign of many LIS courses and curricula. The need for fundamental revisions to respond to the demands of a dynamic workplace environment is reflected in the professional literature (Milne, 1999). With recognition of the added value of knowledge in industry and society today, commentators have called for a response from LIS educators to ongoing changes in technology and the shift towards a knowledge economy (Milner, 1998). In response to this need, there is the observation within the literature that since the mid-1990s, librarian professional associations and the LIS schools have studied the future need for information professionals, the state of LIS curricula now, and how curricula should change in the future to meet new needs (Tenopir, 2002, Studies to Identify the Challenges section, para. 1). KM Curricular Issues: Pointers from the Literature The multi- faceted nature of KM has resulted in its adoption across a spectrum of disciplines, with competing claims to ownership. This is hardly unexpected in view of the importance of knowledge to so many professions. One result has been wide diversity in the design and implementation of KM programs including within LIS education (Chaudhry & Higgins, 2003; Hawamdeh et al., 2004). This diversity is linked to the fact that knowledge management is context- dependent. Indeed, Todd and Southon (2000) argue that the diversity of approaches reported from successful KM initiatives indicates that generic solutions are unlikely to be successful, and that relations between knowledge and knowledge processes and the nature of the organization, its function, its culture, its structure and position in the market, had to be considered when developing models or theoretical frameworks of knowledge management. Similarly, Amos and Chance (2001) observed that "The very nature of knowledge suggests that knowledge management is unique for every organization, and this will consequently be reflected in the future role of the professional" (p. 51). Lank (2004) called for course designers in an MBA program to teach practice not theory, and to encourage people to develop knowledge processes that worked for their organizations and the people within them. The flavor of the KM curriculum, therefore, will be different from one place to another depending upon the setting or context (Ruth, Theobald, & Frizzell, 1999). The educational need of students in different domains is also a justification for such diversity. "Institutions which are preparing people for roles in [KM] will need to be very flexible in the way that they act to best match the needs of the students with the opportunities of the marketplace, and the demands of the specific organizations in which they are working" (Todd & Southon, 2001, p. …