In March 2021, art collective MSCHF released 666 pairs of radically altered Nike Air Max 97 sneakers on its website, christening them "Satan Shoes." The sneakers were updated from their original form to include a pentagram charm hanging from the laces and a citation to "Luke 10:18" printed on the mudguards. MSCHF employees allegedly mixed their own blood with red ink and injected the combination into the shoes' midsoles. A small black loop of fabric featuring an upside-down cross extended from the shoes' tongues, and each shoe was individually numbered out of 666 above the heel. The Satan Shoes—arguably more artistic expression than consumer good after undergoing these devilish alterations—invite the question: Do artists who redesign authentic goods bearing famous trademarks and re-sell those goods to consumers violate the Trademark Act of 1946 ("the Lanham Act")? If so, can they assert a First Amendment defense?
"Internet mischief maker" Gabriel Whaley founded MSCHF in 2016 as "a creative studio that makes internet to tell stories," and the collective's work has been compared to the work of prolific artists like Banksy, Warhol, and Duchamp. Every two weeks, MSCHF "drops" new art on its website. CNN referred to the collective as "the master of releasing products that nobody really needs, but everyone absolutely wants." Previous drops have included works like the Cuss Collar, a dog collar that swears whenever the dog wearing it barks and a weekly newsletter filled with "unhinged" email chains called Boomer Email. Many of MSCHF's drops make pointed political and social commentary. For instance, MSCHF offers a Guns to Swords program that promises to buy people's guns, melt them down into swords, and send the swords back to the former-guns' owners. In its Medical Bill Art drop, MSCHF made paintings out of three medical bills, sold them for $73,000, and used the funds to erase the bill recipients' medical debt.
MSCHF placed its Satan Shoes for sale on its website in late March, 2021 as part of its forty-third drop. Crucially, Nike was not involved in the Satan Shoes' design, modification, or sale and did not endorse the Satan Shoes in any way. MSCHF created the Satan Shoes in collaboration with Lil Nas X, a music artist who released the song "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" alongside a music video in which Lil Nas dances seductively with the devil. Lil Nas X described his work as responding to LGBTQ repression. In the media, outcry over the music video compounded with outcry over the Satan Shoes' release, particularly on Twitter. Some social media users—ostensibly confused as to the Satan Shoes' affiliation—insisted that they would never purchase Nike products again, with one suggesting that Nike should be "cancelled" over the Satan Shoes design and release. Whether such comments were posted in good faith or simply to fan the controversy's flames cannot be confirmed.
On March 26, 2021, 665 pairs of the Satan Shoes sold online for $1,018 per pair within one minute of their release. Nike sued MSCHF in the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) on March 29, alleging trademark infringement, false designation of origin, unfair competition, and trademark dilution under the Lanham Act, as well as common law trademark infringement and unfair competition. By April 7, the parties had settled, but not before Nike secured a temporary restraining order against MSCHF.
MSCHF does not fit the image of a typical counterfeiter. The Satan Shoes are not counterfeits or knockoffs and MSCHF is not trying to pass them off as authentic Nikes because they are authentic Nikes. MSCHF describes itself as an "art collective," and sometimes refers to its work as "performance art." In other words, MSCHF had a unique opportunity to argue that in creating the Satan Shoes it sought to create works of art that comment upon Nike and collaboration culture rather than a product that would freeride off of Nike's goodwill and reputation. That is exactly what MSCHF argued before it settled.
Whether the Satan Shoes are more akin to Medical Bill Art's impactful artistic commentary or more like the Cuss Collar, an entertaining consumer product, is an intellectually valuable debate not only for cultural critics but also for the legal world. This Note will argue that authentic goods that are altered post-sale and resold primarily as works of artistic expression to sophisticated consumers should be protected by the First Amendment. In doing so, this Note will offer courts a framework for analyzing whether an altered authentic good should qualify for a First Amendment defense by determining whether the good functions more like a competing consumer product or a work of artistic expression in the marketplace. Part I of this Note will provide an overview of the relevant trademark law. Part II will discuss the legal problems posed by cases involving modified authentic goods that function like art, and the lack of relevant defenses for trademark use in that context. Part III proposes considerations for courts seeking to balance trademark owners' rights with the rights of the public to sell modified authentic goods as artistic expression. Part III also provides business considerations for those seeking to modify and resell authentic goods.


1 Introduction and Overview I Classical Planning 2 Representations for Classical Planning*3 Complexity of Classical Planning*4 State-Space Planning*5 Plan-Space Planning II Neoclassical Planning 6 Planning-Graph Techniques*7 Propositional Satisfiability Techniques*8 Constraint Satisfaction Techniques III Heuristics and Control Strategies 9 Heuristics in Planning*10 Control Rules in Planning*11 Hierarchical Task Network Planning*12 Control Strategies in Deductive Planning IV Planning with Time and Resources 13 Time for Planning*14 Temporal Planning*15 Planning and Resource Scheduling V Planning under Uncertainty 16 Planning based on Markov Decision Processes*17 Planning based on Model Checking*18 Uncertainty with Neo-Classical Techniques VI Case Studies and Applications 19 Space Applications*20 Planning in Robotics*21 Planning for Manufacturability Analysis*22 Emergency Evacuation Planning *23 Planning in the Game of Bridge VII Conclusion 24 Conclusion and Other Topics VIII Appendices A Search Procedures and Computational Complexity*B First Order Logic*C Model Checking


The applicability of the kinematic wave (KW) and diffusive wave (DW) approximations was investigated for steady flow in prismatic channels by using a second-order two-step Lax-Wendroff numerical scheme coupled with the characteristic method at the boundaries. Two types of downstream boundary conditions, critical-flow depth and zero-flow depth gradient, were considered together with the condition of discharge hydrograph reaching the steady state at the upstream end. The role of inertial, pressure, friction, and gravity forces was investigated for 16 test cases defined through the kinematic wave number K and the Froude number F0 , whose range was assumed to be (3–30) and (0.1–1), respectively. Errors were computed by comparing the steady dimensionless profiles of the flow depth with those estimated by the dynamic wave solution. The accuracy of the two approximations was assessed through the mean value e of the magnitudes of errors computed for the channel region where the solution was not significantly infl...


&NA; The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the alfaxalone formulation Alfaxan™ as an immersion anesthetic in tropical fish species compared to that of tricaine methanesulfonate (MS‐222). 22 black spot barbs (Puntius filamentosis) measuring (mean±SD) 11.4 ±1.4 cm in body length and 22 peacock cichlids (Aulonocara spp.) (measuring 8.4 ± 1.6cm were anesthetized in water baths containing 100 mg/L of MS‐222 buffered with 200 mg/L of bicarbonate or 5 mg/L of alfaxalone following a 2‐week washout period. Time to maximum effect, recovery periods, self‐righting, spontaneous swimming movements, opercular movements, and response to noxious stimuli were recorded. The following results are for the black spot barbs following MS‐222 and alfaxalone anesthesia, respectively: mean times (±SD) to surgical anesthesia were 5.5 ± 2.11 and 3.27 ± 1.72 minutes and mean recovery times were 2.95 ± 0.9 and 9.14 ± 3.15 minutes. The peacock cichlid anesthetic protocols for MS‐222 (20 of 22 cichlids) and alfaxalone (20 of 21 cichlids) produced the following results, respectively: mean times (±SD) to surgical anesthesia were 14.75 ±5.43 and 11.1 ± 9.84 minutes and mean recovery times were 3.6 ±0.82 and 22.4 ±11.3 minutes. Median recovery time from 5 mg/L alfaxalone was significantly longer (P < 0.001) in both species, by 5 minutes for black spot barbs and by 17 minutes for peacock cichlids. Variation in induction and recovery times between species was observed, with black spot barbs having significantly (P < 0.0001) faster induction times when treated with both drugs, and a faster recovery time from 5 mg/L alfaxalone.


Process for the preparation of bituminous cold coatings, in particular superficial wear coatings (ESU), comprising the steps of preparing a layer of bituminous binder, preparation and supply of a granulate comprising at least a first fraction of granulate coated with lime, and forming said cold bituminous coating formed from at least one layer of said granular material interpenetrated in said binder layer, composition of bituminous cold coating, comprising such granulates coated with lime and lime utilization to coat aggregates in the preparation of asphalt pavement.


In order to find out the roles of endochitinase during biocontrol process in Chaetomium globosum,a 42 kDa endochitinase gene(chbi) cloned from the genomic DNA of Trichoderma viride was transferred to C.globosum isolates CG10 and CG12 separately by fungal transformation vector pECHBI.The endochitinase activities of one-fifth transformants with a foreign endochitinase gene(chbi) were enhanced significantly.The antagonism effectiveness of C.globosum transformants against nine pathogen fungi(Pythium aphanidermatum,Rhizoctonia solani,Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.Cumumerinum,Alternaria alternata,Sclerotium rolfsii,Pestalotia diospyri,Pythium ultimum and Colletotrichum piperatum) was assessed in PDA culture medium.The transformant CG10-26 exbihited higher inhibition on the growth of F.oxysporum than the wild type CG12 in the confrontation culture on PDA plate.The antifungual activities of the organic substances secreted by the transformant CG12-14 and CG12-25 cultured on the cellophane paper in the PDA culture medium exhibited higher inhibition on the growth of A.alternata than the wild type CG12.The antifungual activities of transformants CG12-18 and CG12-21 against P.diospyri,transformant CG1214 against S.rolfsii,and transformant CG12-21 against P.ultimum were increased as those of CG12-14 and CG12-25 on the cellophane paper against A.alternata.There are no obvious relationships between the antifungual activities and the endochitinase activities in C.globosum transformants.For particular antagonism mechanism and pathogen fungus,the way to reach the great biocontrol effectiveness of transformants is to use the pertinent resistance-related gene.


The paper presents some transmission methods used for data acquiring in lightning location and detection system such as audio modulating, power system networks, Internet and satellite communication. The protocol of communication applied for each method and its application in lightning location and detection system in power industry of the country are introduced. The transmission procedure of each method, its characteristics and the choosing criteria are stated. The coverage scope, location accuracy and detecting efficiency are improved by choosing detecting site through multi-approaches to meet the system requirements.


The open cluster NGC 2244 is surrounded by a large diffuse nebula whose brightest parts are known as NGC 2237, NGC 2238, and NGC 2246. The 48-inch Schmidt telescope on Palomar Mountain has made it possible for the first time to photograph this nebula and its surroundings .as a whole with adequate scale. Plates XIX and XX show the nebula in blue and in red light. The nebula has an emission spectrum showing lines of H, [0 hi], and [0 11]. The light of the nebula in the red is due to Ha emission, if the unknown contribution of [N 11] is as small as in mist diffuse nebulae. The nebula is surrounded by and probably embedded in obscuring material. Interstellar reddening presumably contributes to the high intensity ratio of red to blue. The nebula is interesting because of its symmetrical shape and because of the unusually large number of small and welldefined absorbing clouds which appear projected on the nebula. Sufficient data are available for a preliminary discussion. The results show that this nebula deserves more detailed study. The shape of the nebula suggests that the bright nebulosity and the surrounding obscuring clouds are parts of one interstellar cloud of fairly high density, the bright nebulosity being the ionized region formed around the exciting stars according to B. Strömgren. If this is true, the electron density can be determined from the size of the ionized region, and the value of the density


Formalization discourses on Syariat Islam in Indonesia today, has calledfor serious discussions from the different categories of people. And various opinions have been put forward, either pro or con. Differences in opinion are normal fact, because they do reflect not only the existence of the democracy but also the hetrogenity of the religious life in Indonesia, admitted and protected by the law and constitution. As a part of Indonesian society, Catholic people are called to give their opinion or ideas. The expression of thought is one of the realization of the freedom and tolerance of religious life in Indonesia. Kata-kata Kunci: Formalisasi, Syariaat islam, gereja katholik.


This paper analyses the determining reasons of the differences among the Italian regions in matter of investment in workers' training. Training incidence in Italy is not homogeneous among regions, with a lower intensity in the South. Two not alternative explanations are proposed at a theoretical level and tested by econometric estimates, referring to the complementarity between education and training and to the effects of regional unemployment. Both hypotheses, as the results show, are upheld by empirical estimates, based on the European Community Households Panel. In our results educational level appear to be important as it affects the choice made by the firm of which workers to offer an opportunity of training, whereas unemployment rate and wage compression affect the decision of how many workers to train. The unemployment effect found out by this paper confirms that, as it has been pointed out by most recent developments of human capital literature, the firms incentives to pay for general training depend on the level of wage compression. Notwithstanding it represents an original result as compression in this model doesn't depend on institutional factors, as usually assumed in the literature, but on the dependence of unskilled wage on regional unemployment.


After the Second World War, Poland imposed a socialist system and Marxist ideology. Communist propaganda proclaimed the slogans of emancipation and equality of women through work. This situation changed the relationship between the sexes and how roles were performed. Moral changes, a demographic explosion, high divorce and abortion rates were a serious scratch on the image of an ideal society for the communists. Sexual education was to counteract the negative trends. The article aims to show the image of a woman that emerges from the publication of sex education during the period of Stalinism and post-Stalinism. The compact publications recommended by the Society for Conscious Motherhood (1946–1962), supported by the communist authorities, were selected for the analysis. The female themes are a mixture of scientific knowledge and Marxist ideology. Sex education aimed to prepare responsible wives and mothers who would reconcile traditional roles with professional work. The knowledge of rational fertility management (contraception) was to ensure the fulfilment of the roles. With an emphasis on emancipation and equality, women were also held responsible for the quality of sex life, the welfare of marriage, family and socialist society. The argument for such an approach was to result from the natural differences between the sexes. The results of the analysis showed inconsistency and inconsistency in the emerging image of a woman and expectations regarding the performance of social roles.


The controlled/"living" radical polymerization of n-butyl acrylate (n-BA) and 2-trimethylsilyloxyethyl acrylate (TMS−HEA) by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is reported. Di- and triblock copolymers with predefined block lengths and low polydispersities were obtained, using methyl 2-bromopropionate as the initiator, CuIBr as catalyst and N,N,N',N'',N''-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine as the ligand. Hydrolysis of the trimethylsilyl groups led to block copolymers with n-BA and 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) units which were characterized by SEC, 1H NMR, and DSC. Diblock copolymers of n-BA and HEA could also be obtained by successive addition of the two monomers, in that order. The amphiphilic di- and triblock copolymers formed dispersions in water.


This work summarizes a continuous study of the Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) device photo-coupled to various scintillation crystals for profound investigation in the radiation detection and isotope identification research field. Radiological and electrical measurements which have been carried out led to an obvious illation regarding the optimal scintillation crystal to use with SiPM. CsI(Tl) was selected as the most appropriate and further, more intense, tests were performed, among them temperature stability and the obtained energy resolution.


Attendance is something that must be done by students. In the attendance process, SMPN 3 Terara still uses the manual method. Therefore, we need a student attendance system that can collect and store the data so that it can be processed quickly, efficiently and accurately. One of the technologies currently developing is QR Code, QR Code is very much needed because of its ability to store larger data so that it can provide fast and accurate services. One of the things that can be done to support the author in designing a QR Code Application for Media Student Attendance services for SMPN 3 Terara is using the Extreme Programming research method. The purpose of this research is to establish an attendance system so that the process will be more efficient and can be monitored easily by the teacher and by the academic department. The results of this study are a student attendance application that uses a QR code as a medium for student attendance input based on a local network which is implemented in order to create an attendance information system that provides convenience for students in the attendance process, reduces acts of cheating committed by students, and facilitates reports when making recaps report.


It is well accepted that adverse life events occurring early in development may alter the correct program of brain maturation leading to enhanced vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders. It has recently been demonstrated that prenatal exposure to the cannabinoid receptor 1 agonist (R)‐(+)‐[2,3‐dihydro‐5‐methyl‐3‐(4‐morpholinyl‐methyl)pyrrolo[1,2,3‐de]‐1,4‐benzoxazin‐6‐yl]‐1‐naphthalenylmethanone (WIN 55,212‐2) produces memory deficit in adulthood, an effect associated with a reduced functionality of the glutamatergic system. The aim of our study was to identify molecular changes produced by prenatal exposure to WIN 55,212‐2 that might contribute to late disruption in synaptic plasticity and cognition. For this purpose, WIN 55,212‐2 was injected in pregnant wistar rats from gestation day 5 to 20 and a detailed analysis of the levels of the neurotrophin brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as well as of the signaling molecules extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 and α‐calcium/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (α‐CaMKII) was carried out in adult offspring. We found that exposure to WIN 55,212‐2 significantly reduced BDNF levels in hippocampus and frontal cortex. This effect was associated with decreased activation of pathways linked to neurotrophin and glutamate receptor signaling. In particular, prenatal cannabinoid treatment reduced the phosphorylated levels of ERK1/2 in selected subcellular compartments of hippocampus, frontal and prefrontal cortex, whereas no changes were observed in the total levels of these proteins. Furthermore, a robust reduction of total and phospho‐α‐CaMKII was found in the hippocampus of rats prenatally exposed to WIN 55,212‐2. In summary, the present data suggest that deficits of BDNF levels and signaling through ERK1/2 and α‐CaMKII might contribute to cognitive and neuroplastic defects associated with prenatal exposure to cannabinoids.


An IoT based smart healthcare monitoring system is presented in this study. A local database, sensors, a microcontroller, and a GSM module make up the suggested system. Here, we're using an Arduino Uno to attach sensors, which then sense the environment and record data that is sent over the internet using the GSM protocol. The health of patients in isolated or rural locations without access to medical services can be tracked using this project. The importance of offering patients who were anticipated to decrease travel and direct contact with others remote patient monitoring services became even more clear when the epidemic struck. When there is an abnormal activity identified, healthcare team will get a message and they would make a call and prescribe the activities which need to be do for emergency and even it doesn't work ambulance is immediately depart to that particular patient's location since we have the patient's personal info about his location and his/her relative emergency mobile number.


From June to November 2007,23 points in Chaohu Lake were selected to investigate and analyze its physical and chemical indicators.Parameters contained water temperature,pH,dissolved oxygen,total nitrogen,total phosphorus,reactive phosphorus,and phytoplankton species composition and chlorophyll-a concentration.The results showed that little change in temperature environment.Cyanobacteria is the main algae taxa.Algae biomass and physical and chemical factors were significantly positively correlated.In the summer and autumn,Cyanobacteria′s biomass was M-type fluctuations,which in July is the lowest concentration of blue-green algae.There was not much change in the concentration of chlorophyll maintained at a high level.


finally considered the condition psychoneurotic When I saw her it was shortly after Everett Lain published his paper on oral lesions from artificial dentures.1 The tongue grossly appeared normal. There was no undue salivation. There was a slight metallic taste in the area of the tongue adjacent to two amalgam fillings. On the opposite side there were three gold inlays. Measurements with a micro-ammeter indicated distinctly a current generated by the dissimilar metals, gold and silver. The patient's dis¬ comfort was so annoying that she readily had the amalgam fillings replaced by gold. The relief was prompt. The result bears out forcefully the contention of Lain that among the many causes for burning tongue electrical discharge from dissimilar metals in dentures is important.


Bucks (20 Beetal and 3 cross (75% Beetal and 25% Boer inheritance), sexually mature (mean age and weight 935.09±86.51 days and 55.10±2.27 kg, respectively), were distributed into 3 groups on the basis of testicular fibrotic lesions examined using ultrasonography. Bucks with mild and extensive fibrotic lesions in one or both the testes were enrolled under T1 and T2 groups against T0 i.e. normal (11) homogenous pattern. Increase of fibrosis lead to significant decline in gross motility, sperm motility and live sperm percentage. It can be concluded that ultrasonographic techniques can be adopted as indicator of reproductive performance of breeding bucks for selection under stall- fed conditions.


The authors investigated the incidence of acute patellar dislocation by clinical and radiologic examination and by arthroscopy. Acute patellar dislocation represented 2.44% of all knee injuries in their series, and only 25% of the former were evident at the initial examination.


Antenatal care plays a basic role in the management of woman's health during pregnancy, and women who have not been registered to antenatal care are at increased risk of poor pregnancy outcome, including stillbirth. The aim of this study was to identify differences in maternal characteristics, antenatal care factors and perinatal mortality between urban and rural area in Latvia. The Medical Birth Register of Latvia (MBR) was used as a data source, all births in 2017 (n = 20,406) were included in the analysis. Mother's place of residence was categorized in 3 groups: Riga, other cities and rural area. Higher risk of smoking (OR = 1.4; p < 0.001), late first antenatal visit (after 12th gestation week) (OR = 1.2; p < 0.05) and incomplete antenatal care (including cases without care) (OR = 1.3; p < 0.05) were detected more in other regions (other cities and rural area) than in Riga. After adjustment by maternal age and education, just late first antenatal visit was significantly higher in other regions (ORadj = 1.2; p < 0.05) vs. Riga. New-born mortality in perinatal period is substantially higher in other regions vs. Riga. The results indicate health education gap and potential inequalities in receiving antenatal care and emergency obstetric care by regions.


Isolates of the predominantly asexual Phytophthora infestans, the oomycete causal agent of potato late blight, population in the US are characterized by clonal lineage, or asexual descendants of a single genotype. Current tools for clonal lineage identification are time consuming and require laboratory equipment. We previously found that foliar spectroscopy can be used for high accuracy pre- and post-symptomatic detection of P. infestans infections caused by clonal lineages US-08 and US-23. In this work, we find that there are subtle but distinct differences in spectral responses of potato foliage infected by these clonal lineages in both controlled, time course (12 to 24-h intervals over 5 days) growth chambers experiments and naturally-infected samples from commercial production fields. In both settings we measured continuous visible to shortwave infrared reflectance (400-2500 nm) on leaves using a portable spectrometer with contact probe. We consistently discriminated between infections caused by the two clonal lineages across all stages of disease progression using partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) with total accuracies ranging from 88 to 98%. Three-class random forest differentiation between control, US-08, and US-23 yielded total discrimination accuracy ranging from 68 to 76%. Differences were greatest during pre-symptomatic infection stages and progressed towards uniformity as symptoms advanced. Using PLS-regression trait models we found that total phenolics, sugar, and leaf mass per area were different between lineages. Shortwave infrared wavelengths (>1100 nm) were important for clonal lineage differentiation. This work provides a foundation for future use of hyperspectral sensing as a non-destructive tool for pathovar differentiation.


Objective To Explore the multi-target embolization arterial infusion chemotherapy for advanced interventional treatment of blood-rich central type lung cancer.Methods Rich blood supply of the 56 cases of central type luSeldinger technique with percutaneous femoral artery line of multi-target arterial chemoembolizationng cancer patients with advanced.Results 56 patients showed significant improvement in clinical symptoms,29 patients one month after the CT review significantly reduced the soft tissue mass in.Significant improvement in atelectasis,A significant therapeutic effect.Conclusion Multi-target arterial infusion chemotherapy and embolization in the treatment of advanced rich blood supply central type of lung cancer is a significant effect of treatment.


The changes of yoghurt texture (firmness,consistency,firmness,cohesiveness),milk protein and degradation products were studied during low-temperature storage in this paper,the correlation between milk proteins,polypeptides,free amino acids and texture were studied,and compared the effects between mixed starter culture (Lactobacillus bulgaricus:Streptococcus Thermophilus=1∶1) and single starter culture (Streptococcus Thermophilus). The result showed that the texture of yoghurt increased sharply before 6~10 d and tended to be stable after 6~10 lowtemperature storage,the content of polypeptides and free amino acids had a increasing trend in two yoghurts,the correlation between milk proteins,polypeptides,free amino acids and consistency,firmness was higher than that of viscosity and cohesiveness.


For many centuries, Arab Andalusia(711-1492) in the European Iberian Peninsula of Spain and Portugal with its capital city first in Cordoba and later Granada had represented Europe's main cultural center. No serious orientalists can any longer deny the fact that the Arab-Andalusian Islamic Civilization had contributed the Medieval western cultures. This papers tried to explain the various influences especially in the fields of Literature, Music, Art, and Architecture. Among the great works of Arabic literature that have impacted the West is The Thousand and One Nights or The Arabian Nights. In addition, Arabic poetry contributed in some measure to the rise of the new poetry of Europe. The West did not only adopt Arab musical instruments but also


Here we use low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy to study the pnictide superconductor, BaNi 2 As 2 , which goes through a tetragonal to triclinic phase transition at ~136 K. In the triclinic phase, we observe the quasiparticle interference and the unidirectional charge density wave (CDW) with Q = 1/3 on the Ba surface of BaNi 2 As 2 . On the NiAs surface, apart from the unidirectional CDW, there are structural-modulation-induced chain-like superstructures with distinct periodicities. These complex chain-like structures can be along different lattice directions, which forms two domain structures. The unidirectional CDW appears more prominent in the NiAs domain where it is perpendicular to the chain-like superstructures. In the tetragonal phase, the Q = 1/3 unidirectional CDW disappears on both the Ba and the NiAs surfaces, and the NiAs surface appears as the ordered atomic chains with the 1 × 2 periodicity. Our results provide important insights for the interplay among the structural modulation, the unidirectional CDW and the nematicity in this class of materials.


The three shearing stress yielding criterion with the parameter is establised.The formulas of the weighted Coefficient b and the numerecal calculation are derived in terms of σ sτ s Value.The range of The weighted coefficient b can be abtained and Mises yielding criterion can be linearly replaced by it.


We describe braidings and quantizations in monoidal categories over bialgebras and group algebras of compact Lie groups. We introduce a relative variant of a braiding and a quantization more suitable in quantum problems. To describe quantizations we introduce non-linear cohomologies and show their relations with Hochschild cohomologies and Poisson structures. 0.Introduction. In this paper we continue the quantization program outlined in [L1,L2,L3]. Here we describe braidings and quantizations in monoidal categories over bialgebras. The main reason to start with categories over bialgebras is a Quantum Klein Program. We enforce the Klein point of view in Quantum Universe by assumption that there is a Quantum Symmetry defined by some bialgebra or braided bialgebras [Mj].I would like to note that braided objects playing the main role in Quantum statistics are actually some type of a bialgebra action (cf. 2.7.) or a quantum symmetry. In section 1 we briefly recall main definitions and main constructions in bialgebras. In section 2 we describe braidings over group algebras of compact Lie group. We introduce also a notion of a relative braiding more suitable in problems of quantization. In section 3 we introduce various notions of quantizations. More general one is a quantization of a covariant functor acting between monoidal categories. For a number of functors a quantization can be described in terms of quantizers. We show that the set of quantizers is a variant of non-linear cohomologies and after their linearization we get generalized Hochschild cohomologies and Poisson structures. 1. Bialgebras. Here we fix our notations and recall main definitions. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. 18D10,18D15,18D20, 35A99, 58G99,81R50.


The background of this research is made to the executive of the university will
analyze the data of registered student at the Klabat University. The important
issue in organization is requires Strategic Information that aims to nourish and
make the organization continues to survive in the competition to be superior
university.
A Goal to be achieved in this study is the realization of the design and data
warehouse applications that are designed with a star schema modeling. Star
schema is created based on the data warehouse functions. There are six tables of
dimensions and one fact table. The university executive can analyze data quickly
because this data analysis can be done with OLAP. OLAP operations are made in
such to fulfill the functions of the data warehouse.
The study produced data that registered students can be easily understood because
the analysis carried out supported by the form of charts are available with several
types of graphs that can be selected


Objective:To analyze on the status and trends of critical illness insurance level under new rural cooperative medical system(NCMS).Methods:The basic theory of medical insurance.Results:Due to medical supervision, financial system and operating costs, city and county levels had great defects which were difficult to guarantee the system run continuously.Conclusion:NCMS critical illness insurance at the provincial was reasonable, city and county levels should be raised to provincial level.


Pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin was investigated following single intravenous(i.v.),intramuscular(i.m.) and oral administration at a dosage of 2.5 mg per kg body weight in healthy pigs.18 pigs were randomly diveded into 3 groups for the experiments.Blood samples were collected at different intervals after administration of marbofloxacin.The marbofloxacin concentrations in plasma were determined by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) with a limit of detection of 0.02 mg/L.Ultraviolet detector was utilized at a wavelength of 295 nm.The concentration-time data of marbofloxacin in plasma were analyzed with MCPKP computer program.The concentration-time data of marbofloxacin after i.v. administration were fitted to a three-compartment open model.The main pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows:t_(1/2π)(0.13±0.01)h;t_(1/2α)(5.41±0.43)h;t_(1/2β)(16.22±1.60)h;AUC(24.89±1.51)mg·L~(-1)·h;V_(1)(0.77±0.06)L·kg~(-1);V_(d(area))(2.61±0.37)L·kg~(-1);V_(d(ss))(1.69±0.19)L·kg~(-1);Cl_(B)(0.10±0.01)L·kg~(-1)·h.The concentration-time data after i.m. and oral administration were fitted to a two-compartment open model with first-order absorption.The main pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows:t_(1/2Ka)(0.27±0.16),(1.16±0.19)h;t_(1/2α)(2.87±0.90),(4.94±0.53)h;t_(1/2β)(17.39±1.62),(22.98±2.01)h;t_(max)(0.91±0.32),(3.75±0.50)h;C_(max)(1.96±0.24),(1.03±0.05)mg·L~(-1);AUC(26.85±3.51),(24.25±1.29)mg·L~(-1)·h;F(107.86±14.10)% and (97.41±5.17)%,respectively.The results showed that the pharmacokinetic characteristics of marbofloxacin in healthy pigs manifested the rapid and complete absorption,wide distribution and slow elimination.


Not until long ago, performing a study on how the graduates of a University programme have integrated in the labour market was a tedious task, requiring the sending and, hopefully, the receiving of (online) questionnaires. Fortunately, given the popularity of professional social networks, carrying out a survey is now much easier, as former students can simply export their online profiles while giving consent for processing their data. As a small-scale case-study, this paper uses professional information from a number of alumni of the Computer specialisations of the Faculty of Automation, Computers and Electronics, University of Craiova. Given its highly-interconnected structure, for modelling this snapshot of the local Information and Communication Technology (ICT) workforce, we chose to use Neo4j, the most popular graph database. By relying on a set of data visualisation techniques, the resulting system allowed for the uncovering of valuable feedback and insights from within this data. Several remarks are made regarding the observed trends among current employees. Moreover, a discussion is carried out on of how corporate information can unknowingly get leaked on social media by a collective of employees. While this case-study is limited for a very specific use-case, the proposed approaches can easily be extended for various scenarios.


A moderately sophisticated linearised mathematical model of a passenger car has been developed. The model includes the following: (a) lateral, yaw and roll degrees of freedom of the body; (b) steer degree of freedom of the front wheels; (c) front and rear suspension kinematic properties; (d) steering system compliances and gear ratios; (e) tyre forces and moments in response to sideslip and camber; and (f) dynamic response characteristics of the tyres. The complete set of aerodynamic forces and moments are added to this basic model. Data typical of a luxury passenger car and an on/off road vehicle are used to generate predicted results for two aspects of behaviour: (a) high speed straight running stability; and (b) transient response to side wind conditions. Sensitivity analysis is used to highlight those design parameters which influence the vehicles handling response most strongly. The paper concludes by specifying the parameters that the designer might use to optimise vehicle handling behaviour under straight running and side wind conditions. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 870290.


Since optical refrigeration has been demonstrated in rare-earth doped media, its most logical application has been development of a radiation balanced laser (RBL). While efficient and versatile rare-earth solid state laser operates only on a few discrete wavelengths. At the same time semiconductor gain medium can be easily engineered to lase over the entire visible and near IR spectrum. But achieving cooling and RBL in semiconductor medium has proven elusive due to both fundamental (hard to simultaneously achieve gain and anti-Stokes luminescence) and practical (background absorption) reasons. Therefore, it would be worthwhile to consider an alternative, tandem structure in which rare earth doped medium would cool the optically pumped semiconductor laser. In this work we provide guidelines for development of such a laser and estimate its characteristics under realistic conditions.


Rapid urbanization in modern societies has led to increased human population and activities in Kolhapur city leading to the production of very large amount of solid waste. The status of solid waste of the city, generating large amount of solid waste should be reviewed timely. The present study is conducted with regards to the status of solid waste generated in the Kolhapur city. The total solid waste generated in the Kolhapur city is 150-165 metric ton/day while the per capita per day generation is 355-370 gms. The solid waste generation sources are mainly domestic waste, road sweeping, commercial waste, industrial waste, biomedical waste, garden waste, slaughter house waste and other solid waste. All solid waste is collected from door to door and send it to a common storage and treatment site. Apart from the municipal solid waste the biomedical waste management is done separately. Certain private enterprises collect, transport and separate the biomedical waste from the registered Corporation, Government, private hospitals and dispensaries through closed vehicles. Kolhapur is rapidly developing in industrial sector, thus the waste generation has also increased to a large extent. So considering the overall situation or the status of the solid waste in the Kolhapur city, it can be stated that there is need for more appropriate measures to adopt and manage the solid waste as compared to the daily


Recall that an alignment score is aimed at providing a scale to measure the degree of similarity (or difference) between two sequences and thus make it possible to quickly distinguish among the many subtly different alignments that can be generated for any two sequences Scoring schemes contain two separate elements: the first assigns a value to a pair of aligned residues the second assigns penalties to gaps 2


Background
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition characterized by 20-40 second episodes of breathing cessation during sleep. The hard palate serves as both the roof of the oral cavity and the floor of the nasal cavity. Constriction of the palate can have profound effects on the passage of oxygen into the lungs. Polysomnography is the gold standard test for detection of the presence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea. Recently, a home sleep testing device known as the WatchPAT has been implemented as an adjunctive test. This randomized controlled crossover trial will investigate the role of maxillary expansion in children at risk for OSA using the WatchPAT as the diagnostic tool.

Methods
Twelve patients aged 12-16 without any medical syndromes were randomly assigned to either treatment or observation group. Pre-treatment (T1) records were taken on all patients. Treatment group was fitted with bonded type, rapid maxillary expanders and treated for three months according to an expansion protocol utilized by the private practice of GKG Orthodontics. A second WatchPAT study was performed at the completion of the three month period (T2). The treatment group was followed an additional three months without further expansion and a final T3 WatchPAT study was performed. The control group had a T1 WatchPAT study followed by three months of observation without expansion. A T2 study was performed at the end waiting period and then an expander was placed. The methodology then mirrored that of the treatment group.

Results
Pre treatment AHI was found to be 2.47 episodes per hour for the treatment group. Post-treatment AHI was found to be 2.10 episodes per hour. Pre-treatment snoring frequency was measured at 2.57 percent of the night before expansion therapy and 1.60 percent after treatment.

Conclusions
AHI and snoring as measured by WatchPAT, decreased following expansion. Initial analysis of this pilot study shows a positive effect of rapid maxillary expansion on sleep quality as measured by AHI and other parameters.


The fundamental strategy for Michel Foucault's Subject Theory is the transfer from the metaphysic illusion to the socio-historical investigation into and thought on subjectivization, which distinguishes Michel Foucault's thought from the conventional Western Subjectivity Theory. Through the structural analysis of morals, Michel Foucault has formulated a u-nique approach to subjectivization analysis. On the basis of making a comparative analysis of the ethic practice in ancient Greece, Christianity and the present day, Michel Foucault describes the various modes of sujectivization in the history of the West. Simultaneously. Michel Foucault places emphasis on human "freedom" by differentiating ethics from morals and by analyzing the aesthetic ethic practice in ancient Greece.


To the Editor: Mr. Heinz makes the points that the platelet counts in our study were low and that, with counts similar to those found in other institutions, the pH failure rate of the XT-612 container might be expected to be higher. The studies cited from the University of Texas Health Center were performed on previous generation full-thickness DEHP-PVC containers and confirmed earlier studies of pH fall in PC with counts above 1.7 X lo6 per


This study further develops a roadside piezoelectric energy harvesting system. The basic sensing element is a stack of 6 piezoelectric disks, 1-inch in diameter, connected in parallel. A set of 4 of these stacks supports a metal load carrying plate installed flush with the pavement surface. These piezo stacks exhibited a linear voltage versus stress behavior that is relatively independent of loading frequency. This will allow estimating of axle loads. At the same time, these 4 piezoelectric stacks generate very high voltages (i.e., 100 Volts for a car axles and 800 Volts for a truck axle) but relatively low amperages (i.e., 10100 mA depending on load level). The electrical power generated is sufficient to keep the rechargeable batteries on site sufficiently charged to power at 3.3 V a microprocessor with a power consumption of 0.4 μA "dormant" and 40 μA "awake" (e.g., Analog Devices ADuCM4050). This dual-role for the piezo-stacks developed represents a leap forward in weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology. It will allow the development of a low cost WIM system that can operate off the electrical grid. This will provide state agencies a much better informed picture of the utilization of their roadway and bridge infrastructure.


Abstract Shared mobility and ride-hailing have not apparently promoted transportation sustainability to date. Evidence suggests ride-hailing increases congestion and primarily serves the advantaged, and services that encourage pooled rides have not taken off. However, simulation research into automated vehicle ride-hailing systems indicates greater ride pooling may be the key to major improvements in transportation sustainability. Though the results are widely varying, the common finding is pooled ride mobility systems could offer substantial benefits if they are able to attain sufficient market share. Moreover, such systems do not require self-driving vehicles but merely centralized fleet coordination, achievable with today's technologies.


To examine the relationship of geological distribution and phylogenetic tree of O. latipes in the Far East, we analyzed cytochrome b (cyt b) gene in the mitochondrial genome. In this study we employed the entire sequence of cyt b of 53 samples collected from nine Korean locations and 117 cyt b data retrieved from the GenBank. From 170 Oryzias latipes cyt b sequence data, 142 different haplotypes were identified and phylogenetic relationship was reconstructed based on the dataset. According to the phylogeny, haplotypes were divided into three major haplogroups A, B and C, and their relationships were well correlated to their distributional patterns. Haplogroup A which is widely distribute in the southern part of Korea is separated in the geographical distribution from the haplogroup B which is found from China to the western part of Korea. Haplogroup C is only found in Japan.


Deviancy has been explored in terms of its potential to challenge the existing power structure. However, the implications of gender for power relationships, even in discussions of women deviants have been largely ingnored by crimonologists. Using Liazos' paradigm of power as its starting point, the interaction between power and gender is explored by examining prostitution and the efforts of prostitutes to organise collectively in PROS to decriminalize prostitution. The significance of the gender base of power for social work intervention with 'deviant' groups is also considered. It concludes that women deviants can become more powerful by organising collectively, though their organisation ultimately fails to challenge existing social relationships and the distribution of power between men and women Female subordination is reinforced despite their protest.


Gas, for example, a method of operating a sensor element (10) for detecting at least one gas component of exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine is proposed. The sensor element (10) incorporates measurement gas space (35), the measurement gas space (35) is in contact with a gas external to the sensor element (10). Measurement and the first electrode (31) and a second electrode provided on an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte body (21) in the gas space (35) in the third to the external measurement gas space (35) electrode (33) is provided for. Since the second electrode (32) is connected a third and electrically the electrodes (33) by the solid electrolyte body (21), between the second electrode (32) and the third electrode (33) it can pump oxygen by applying a voltage to the. In the first time interval between the second electrode (32) and the third electrode (33), since a low voltage is applied than the voltage at the non-first time interval, the external conditions If they are identical, the oxygen partial pressure in the measurement gas space in the first time interval (35) is greater than the oxygen partial pressure in the second time interval for at least on average period.


The phenolic ester synthesis between equimolecular amounts of phenols and various alkanoyl chlorides in the presence of aqueous sodium hydroxide solution in a two-phase system (20 mL of each 10% NaOH and dicloromethane, respectively) was reinvestigated under PTC conditions (10 mmol of tetrabutyl ammonium chloride, BNC). The esterification was complete within several minutes and the obtained ester was in high purity. For example, phenyl acetate was obtained quantitatively at 0°C in 5 minutes using a stoichiometric amount of BNC. This acylation procedure is technically simple and does not require anhydrous conditions. A bimolecular electrophilic attack of alkanoyl chloride against the ion-pair in the organic phase, which was formed between the quaternary ammonium cation and the phenoxide anion, must be a rate-determining step, because a plot of the logarithm of relative rate constants of various alkanoyl chlorides vs Taft's polar substituents constants (taking into account the steric constants, Es) gave a good linear relationship. We have found a simple, rapid, convenient, easily separating and efficient PTC technique to synthesize phenolic esters.


of LGB Abstract: Mental health issues of young LGB (les, gay, bisexual) have been the topic of numerous researches. The current research focuses on analyzing the impact of sexual orientation disposal or 'coming out' on mental health. In addition, personality traits including extraversion and neuroticism were examined as moderators of the above relationship. Data analysis with a sample of 250 LGB Vietnamese students indicates that coming out positively influences LGB students' mental health. The relationship between coming out and mental health was moderated by personality factors. The result of this research could serve as a reference for effective solutions to reduce LGB youth mental health related issues. neuroticism and extraversion. The research results indicate that coming out to family and friends has favourable impact on emotional &psychological well-being (sig. = 0.000) and social well-being (sig. = 0.021).


Cotton fabric bearing β-cyclodextrin and cationic moieties were prepared using different techniques and reaction conditions. Monochlorotriazinyl-β-cyclodextrin (R-CD) and 3-chloro- 2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (Quat-188) were employed to introduce the cyclodextrin ring and cationic group respectively to cotton cellulose. The first reaction technique that was studied involved the reaction of cotton fabric with R-CD, followed by the cationization of the treated fabric with Quat-188. In the second technique, cationized cotton fabric was allowed to react with R-CD. In the third technique, cotton fabric was reacted with RCD and Quat-188 simultaneously in one step. The factors affecting the extent of the reaction in each technique were investigated, including the concentration of alkali, the reaction temperature, the duration of the reaction, as well as the R-CD and Quat-188 concentrations. The extent of the reaction was monitored to determine the nitrogen content. The results obtained revealed t...


The goal of my paper is to discuss the methodological problems of establishing integrated criminal information systems. Following the changes in the political, economic and social system there were fairly substantial changes in criminal investigative and jurisdictional organs; their sphere of activity was expanded in many respects, and they faced increased expectations. At the same time we have been witnesses to a seemingly continous series of changes in the field of information technology, and it might be said that our economical and intellectual capacity is scarcely able to keep abreast of the technical developments, though we must to avoid being left behind. Nowadays we can notice a rapid increase in the number of criminal acts, the magnitude of which is without precedent in the annals of criminal statistics in Hungary. Even the most pessimistic of prognoses failed to predict a situation of this gravity, and according to present forecasts no slow down in this tendency can be expected. Indeed further increase is to be expected, making even more justified the development and coordination of criminal information systems.


The present paper examines the problem of attributing mental predicates to anyone but myself. Traditionally, this has been a major issue at the intersection of epistemology and ethics, because whether we should consider someone in our moral deliberations is often thought to depend on their cognitive abilities or their capacity for consciousness. For both Kant and Fichte, we have direct moral duties only to other rational beings. The fact that the other is present to us as a representation (for Kant) or as a Not-I that is posited in opposition to the I (for Fichte) threatens our supposed moral obligations to them and risks a form of metaphysical solipsism and moral egoism. The bindingness of interpersonal obligations depends on overcoming the separation between me and other persons. It will be shown that in order to establish the other as a morally considerable being, Fichte reverses the direction of implication: I do not derive my moral duties from others' personhood; rather, others' personhood follows from my immediate sense of moral obligation toward them. The way that the problem of other minds is posed presupposes that the only appropriate answer would be a series of propositions that establishes the existence of other morally considerable beings outside of myself. The immediate moral feeling of considerability, however, is not a proposition. It will be argued that Fichte thus provides a radically different alternative to Kant's approach. The problem of other minds is not answered or solved but is rather dispelled in Fichte's philosophy by the feeling of moral obligation and the recognition of others as the object of our obligations.


Elements of zinc,chromium,magnesium play an important role in the body metabolism.Metabolic syndrome(MS) is a group metabolic diseases including diabetes,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,obesity and other metabolic disorders.In this paper,we discussed the relationship between zinc,chromium,magnesium in hair and MS diseases,and investigated its mechanism.


In this thesis, a physics-based model of an aircraft gas turbine combustor is developed for predicting NO, and CO emissions. The objective of the model is to predict the emissions of current and potential future gas turbine engines within quantified uncertainty bounds for the purpose of assessing design tradeoffs and interdependencies in a policy-making setting. The approach taken is to capture the physical relationships among operating conditions, combustor design parameters, and pollutant emissions. The model is developed using only high-level combustor design parameters and ideal reactors. The predictive capability of the model is assessed by comparing model estimates of NO, and CO emissions from five different industry combustors to certification data. The model developed in this work correctly captures the physical relationships between engine operating conditions, combustor design parameters, and NO, and CO emissions. The NO, estimates are as good as, or better than, the NO, estimates from an established empirical model; and the CO estimates are within the uncertainty in the certification data at most of the important low power operating conditions. Thesis Supervisor: Karen Willcox Title: Associate Professor Thesis Supervisor: Ian Waitz Title: Professor


The natural condition of its boundary and range in Tianqiao spring region have been changed after storage of water in the Wanjiazhai Reservoir.Based on the deep investigation and analysis of karst groundwater resources,we modified the current boundary and range,and according to the difference between the river basin and hydrologic geology condition,zoning was completed.Furthermore,we calculated the resource exploitation quantity with 75% precipitation frequency,which resulted from the former data of drilling and pumping experiment as well as long term observation data.It should be useful for exploitation and utilization of karst groundwater in the spring region.


A novel rapid (∼10 min) microwave-hydrothermal synthesis is demonstrated for nanorice TiO(2) mesoparticles as an anode of a dye-sensitized solar cell with an excellent photovoltaic efficiency of above 8%.


Summary 26 babies with brachial birth palsy were op erated on at the age of 12-275 days (mean 75 days) in paedi atric surgical departments of Heisinki (12 cases) and Turku (14 cases) University Central Hospitals during years 1970-1985 using microsurgical techniques. Epineuroraphy was used in 9, interfascicular nerve graffing in 7, neurolysis in 7, and intercostal neurotisation in 3 cases. The functional status ofthe upper extremity was recorded 1 to 14 years after the operation using a modified M alkt 's classification: 6 were good, 17 fair and 3 poor. The outcome after epineuroraphy was similar to interfascicular grafting. One intercostal neurotisation resulted in fair function and 2 in poor, but the result in target function, Lg. in the peripheral neurotised nerve, was good.


In this paper we discuss the possibility of using available cloud based voice recognition services, to enable voice control in the smart home automation system. We identify possible architectures, depending on the voice recognition service API. We implement two of the proposed architectures, and compare them in terms of the performance and development cost.


The performance of a packet data buffer in a CDMA2000 radio access network supporting voice preference over packet data (VPOP) is investigated. Through numerical analysis the relationship between the packet data buffer size and the voice call holding time is investigated.


ABSTRACT VAPB and VAPA are ubiquitously expressed endoplasmic reticulum membrane proteins that play key roles in lipid exchange at membrane contact sites. A mutant, aggregation-prone, form of VAPB (P56S) is linked to a dominantly inherited form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; however, it has been unclear whether its pathogenicity is due to toxic gain of function, to negative dominance, or simply to insufficient levels of the wild-type protein produced from a single allele (haploinsufficiency). To investigate whether reduced levels of functional VAPB, independently from the presence of the mutant form, affect the physiology of mammalian motoneuron-like cells, we generated NSC34 clones, from which VAPB was partially or nearly completely depleted. VAPA levels, determined to be over fourfold higher than those of VAPB in untransfected cells, were unaffected. Nonetheless, cells with even partially depleted VAPB showed an increase in Golgi- and acidic vesicle-localized phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PI4P) and reduced neurite extension when induced to differentiate. Conversely, the PI4 kinase inhibitors PIK93 and IN-10 increased neurite elongation. Thus, for long-term survival, motoneurons might require the full dose of functional VAPB, which may have unique function(s) that VAPA cannot perform. Summary: VAPB downregulation delays neurite elongation and increases Golgi- and acidic vesicle-associated phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate in motoneuron-like cells, suggesting novel mechanisms for VAPB-linked amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.


The LEADER II Program is a U.E. Iniciative created to support innovative actions in the rural world searching or local development. Along 1991-94 —years owning to the LEADER I Program, pattern for the new LEADER II Program— it was detected important problems to consider environmental condicionants in the evaluation of supportable proyects. This article shows a methodology developed in the Sierra Oeste (Madrid) LEADER II Program to incorporate environmental factors to the selection and evaluation of proyects. These factors constitutes one of the seven criterions —joint to the legal factors, the socioeconomic situation, the productive sector situtioin, the social opinion, the existence of quality or I + D programs and the own LEADER Sierra Oeste criterions— developed for this job. The fisic medium criterion evaluates the relation being between the proyect and the environment, either the resources needings of the proyects as the effects that its developed can produce. According to this criterion the proyects can be qualificated with 3 points —specially interesting—, 2 points —acceptables—, 1 point —indiferents—, 0 points —non acceptables— or -1 points —reajustables—. The article finish showing the thirteen proyects with a best qualification after apllied the seven critrions from the present methodology.


ABSTRACT The article reviews practical experiences and theoretical reflections from the Dutch child and youth care sector on the provision of care for families with multiple problems. Emphasis is laid upon the complex relations between socioeconomic and psychosocial problems, and subsequent issues that may arise in arranging child and youth care. Furthermore, the current state of discussion in program development for the target group in the Netherlands is introduced. The originally English concept of families with multiple problems has been used only modestly in German-speaking countries. This is remarkable from an international perspective, especially considering the re-emerging prominence of social policies that define families as a site of social work practice in English-speaking countries. We conclude that the themes, as derived from our review open up possibilities for further international comparisons, and can provide valuable reference for the transnational discourse about child and youth care services for families with multiple problems.


The anti-lock braking system(ABS)is a very pivotal active safety technology of automobiles.This paper adopts the method of system simulating based on finite state machine,simulates the continuous system and discrete system of ABS model by used Simulink and Stateflow modules to set up the hybrid model.The simulation results show that this hybrid system can relatively be true to reflect the practical work process of ABS,and prove that the ABS can prominently shorten braking distance and improve the safety.


Summary The objective of the study was to verify the safety and performance of the design of the Ambu Neuroline Concentric EMG needle. The primary endpoint was the signal quality measuring quantitatively the incidence of


This paper discussed family education problems of peasant-workers' children in Xiamen through the field investigation.The author finds that peasant workers offer poor material conditions,spend less money and time on children family education,and they lack some indispensable knowledge for family education of their children,and family-school cooperation and parent-child relationship should be strengthened,and they fail to provide an improper home education way.In the light of these problems and present situation,this article deals with these problems by a cause-effect analysis from the perspective of structure-activate,and maintains that strengthening capacity of family education and management,enhancing the cognitive ability of family education and promoting family educational practice to improve their children's education present situation of peasant-workers,which will help the children of peasant workers to integrate successfully into city from education aspects.


Simplicity and Goodness-of-Fit in Explanation: The Case of Intuitive Curve-Fitting Samuel G. B. Johnson (email@example.com) Department of Psychology, Yale University 2 Hillhouse Ave., New Haven, CT 06520 USA Andy Jin (email@example.com) Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 235 E. Cameron Ave., Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA Frank C. Keil (firstname.lastname@example.com) Department of Psychology, Yale University 2 Hillhouse Ave., New Haven, CT 06520 USA Abstract reasoning (Lombrozo, 2007). The posterior odds favoring the simple explanation [H 1 ] over the complex explanation [H 2 ,H 3 ] is the product of the prior odds [P(H 1 )/P(H 2 ,H 3 )], representing the probability of each hypothesis being true before observing the evidence, and the likelihood ratio [P(E 1 ,E 2 |H 1 )/P(E 1 ,E 2 |H 2 ,H 3 )], representing the probability of the evidence being observed under each hypothesis. If we assume that the simple explanation (influenza) and the complex explanation (hay fever and Strep throat) lead to both symptoms with the same probability, then the likelihood ratio is 1. Lombrozo (2007) noted, however, that the prior odds often favor simple explanations: If H 1 , H 2 , and H 3 have equal base rates, then P(H 2 ,H 3 ) = [P(H 1 )] 2 . Since the complex explanation has a lower prior, the posterior odds favor the simpler explanation. However, the posterior odds do not always favor the simpler explanation, because the evidence is often made more likely (or, put differently, is "better modeled") by a complex explanation than by a simple explanation, leading the likelihood ratio to favor the complex explanation. For example, consider a patient who has a runny nose and a stomach ache. One explanation is that the patient has only a cold, which would make a runny nose very likely and would make a stomach ache plausible (but not especially likely). Alternatively, the patient could have both a cold and a stomach virus, which would make both symptoms very likely. The more complex explanation has a lower prior, but a higher likelihood. This is often the case: The more (generative) causes invoked by an explanation, the lower its prior, but the more likely it is to predict the observed effects because each added cause has the potential to produce the observed effects. How do people negotiate this trade-off between simplicity and goodness-of-fit? One possibility is that people would require disproportionate evidence to abandon a simpler explanation in favor of a more complex one. Lombrozo (2007) found that people use a simplicity heuristic, Other things being equal, people prefer simpler explanations to more complex ones. However, complex explanations often provide better fits to the observed data, and goodness-of-fit must therefore be traded off against simplicity to arrive at the most likely explanation. In three experiments, we examine how people negotiate this trade- off. As a case study, we investigate laypeople's intuitions about curve-fitting in visually presented graphs, a domain with established quantitative criteria for trading off simplicity and goodness-of-fit. We examine whether people are well-calibrated to normative criteria, or whether they instead have an underfitting or overfitting bias (Experiment 1), we test people's intuitions in cases where simplicity and goodness-of-fit are no longer inversely correlated (Experiment 2), and we directly measure judgments concerning the complexity and goodness-of-fit in a set of curves (Experiment 3). To explain these findings, we posit a new heuristic: That the complexity of an explanation is used to estimate its goodness-of-fit to the data. Keywords: Explanation; causal reasoning; statistics; simplicity; diagnostic reasoning. intuitive Introduction The simplest explanation is often the most likely to be true. Suppose, for example, that a patient has two symptoms: a runny nose (E 1 ) and a cough (E 2 ). Three diagnoses are available: influenza (H 1 ), which explains both symptoms; Hay fever (H 2 ), which explains only the runny nose; and Strep throat (H 3 ), which explains only the cough. If these diseases are equally common, then any reasonable doctor would surely posit influenza (H 1 ) to explain both symptoms, rather than hay fever to explain the runny nose and Strep throat to explain the cough (H 2 & H 3 ). Laypeople share these intuitions: Other things being equal, adults and children prefer explanations invoking fewer causes and believe they are more likely to be true (Bonawitz & Lombrozo, 2012; Lombrozo, 2007). These intuitions relate to normative probabilistic


Today, Pakistan stands as the sixth most populous country in the world with a projected population of around 162 million people [1]. Around one-third of these people live below poverty level. There are four provinces that are further divided into districts that make up the local government. With the current devolution of power plan, the district governments have been given funds to manage community health programs [1–6]. Pakistan is seeing an epidemiological transition; traditionally thought to be an agricultural country, it is now in the phase of industrialization. Previously, the main burden of disease was the communicable diseases (49%) but now, the noncommunicable diseases (41%) are predicted to overtake the former [7]. This puts Pakistan in a unique predicament, where the underprivileged strata of the society suffer from both in alarming proportions. This makes health-care planning and delivery a complex task [8]. The national action program for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases has been set forth to tackle this menace [9,10].


Simple Summary Moderate consumption of fermented beverages is associated with prevention against diseases involving inflammation and immunity. Conversely, for high drinking levels, an increase of inflammatory mediators and the susceptibility to infections occur, which tend to offset the benefits in terms of health. Unfortunately, this area remains poorly understood. Inflammation is now recognized as an overwhelming burden for public health. Thus, subcellular molecular complexes such as the "inflammasomes" have been identified as key players in cellular stress and tissue damage, and as regulators of immune and inflammatory responses. Here, we investigated the impact of moderate intake of alcohol-free and traditional beer in humans on the inflammasome pathway of activated pro-inflammatory human macrophages. The results of this study showed that macrophages submitted to a pro-inflammatory stimulus to activate the inflammosome had a mitigated inflammatory response in the presence of blood serum obtained from healthy volunteers after consuming alcohol-free or traditional beer for four weeks (women one can and men two cans per day) compared to the response found in the presence of blood serum obtained before beer intake. This was shown by a decrease in end components of the inflammasome cascade (IL-1β and TNF) at gene expression and protein level as found with alcohol-free and traditional beer, respectively. Abstract Inflammasomes are key components of the innate immunity system that trigger the inflammatory response. Inappropriate activity of the inflammasome system has been linked to onset and perpetuation of inflammation in atherosclerotic plaques and cardiovascular disease. Low-to-moderate beer consumption is inversely associated with cardiovascular event presentation, while high levels of alcohol intake are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Although fermented beverages have been suggested to exert their beneficial effects through their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, little is known regarding the capacity of beer to modulate innate immunity cell responses. To this aim, primed or activated THP-1 macrophages were conditioned with human serum obtained from a prospective two-arms longitudinal crossover study to investigate the effect of a moderate and regular daily intake of beer, either alcohol-free or traditional, in the regulation of TLR-mediated inflammatory responses in healthy but overweight individuals. Conditioned macrophages with serum obtained after four-week intervention with alcohol-free beer significantly reduced the transcription of pro-inflammatory interleukins such as IL-1β and TNF. The serum of traditional beer consumers did not exhibit the same capacity as the serum of alcohol-free beer consumers to reduce gene expression of pro-inflammatory interleukins; however, serum from traditional beer consumers showed a regulatory effect at the protein level by significantly decreasing the intracellular protein levels of pro-IL-1β in primed macrophages and preventing cleaved-IL-1β protein release.


Objective: To report four psoas abscess cases which we treated and review the challenges to the management of psoas abscess cases in Yaoundé in 2022. Method: Four patients who were diagnosed and treated with psoas abscess in our hospitals between 2021 and 2022 were evaluated retrospectively


In this study, It was tried to do segmentation on digital mammography images in order to help expert or radiologist to find cancer region with computer aided. In addition to traditional segmentation methods, It was studied to find cancer region in digital mammography images with ant colony algorithm (ACO) and k-means clustering with using MIAS dataset.


This paper critically assesses the various options available for the recovery of waste energy from f erroalloy furnaces, detailing the advantages and disadvantages important in technology selection as well as the effect on the process as a whole. Semi-open and closed furnaces inherently produce different off-gas streams in terms of volume, temperature, composition and energy content. When planning to utitize this energy for recovery purposes the energy quantity, quality (temperature or exergy and contaminants) and availability (continuous or intermittent) must be carefully considered, as well as the maintenance and operability of the selected recovery equipment. The following technologies are assessed and compared for open and closed furnaces: • Ore and reductant drying. • Heat recovery steam boiler for electricity generation. • Organic Rankine Cycle for electricity generation. • Internal combustion engines for electricity production. This paper details technologies and their possible application/or waste energy recovery from semi-open and closed furnaces. Actual application data and scenarios from studies and work done are also included in the article.


Preterm delivery presents the main cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The rate of preterm delivery is 12% to 13% in the United States, of which 29% concerns preterm deliveries before 34 weeks of gestation. Basic parameter of prevention strategy is implementation of tocolytic therapy in cases of threatened preterm labor. Several therapeutic approaches have been proposed, among which betamimetic agonists, calcium channel blockers, magnesium sulfate, oxytocin receptor blockers, nitrates, and prostaglandin inhibitors, whereas new alternatives such as usage of thiocolchicoside have also been reported. This article is one among few that aims to review the comparative effectiveness of various tocolytic agents regarding prevention of preterm delivery, impact on perinatal morbidity and mortality, neonatal health status, and maternal complications. Main conclusions of recent randomized control trials and meta-analyses are summarized to assess about which agents consensus already exists on their effectiveness, which agents should be further studied to achieve conclusions, as well as those that are rather unlikely to have significant tocolytic impact or any other benefit on neonatal outcome. Target Audience Obstetricians and gynecologists, family physicians Learning Objectives After completing this activity, the learner should be better able to be informed that oral betamimetics may have a positive impact only to postpone preterm delivery for at least 48 hours. However, no significant advantage is indicated on any of the examined parameters of neonatal morbidity and mortality; understand that no significant benefit of calcium channel blockers on neonatal morbidity and mortality parameters may be supported, despite the potential benefit on prolongation interval; be informed that oxytocin receptor antagonists do not present significant tocolytic effect and are not associated with significant improvement of neonatal morbidity and mortality parameters; highlight that there are strong indications that progesterone administration is effective on preventing preterm delivery as well as improving neonatal morbidity and mortality; and be informed that antibiotics may not be suggested as a tocolytic therapy and their usage should rather be restricted in cases with preterm premature rupture of membranes to prevent chorioamnionitis.


In this paper, a structural vector error correction model (S-VECM) is estimated to investigate three essential prerequisites for a successful monetary targeting strategy: stability, controllability and predictability. First, multivariate cointegration techniques are used to identify two cointegration relations, that are identified as a long run money demand function and the Fisher effect for the long-term interest rate. Identification of the structural model is achieved by imposing contemporaneous and long-term restrictions. It is found that an interest rate shock hardly affects the nominal money stock, whereas the effects on excess money holdings and inflation are negative, but not significant.


Autoimmune connective tissue diseases (AI-CTDs: SLE, pSS, IIM) are preceded by asymptomatic ANA positivity. We previously recruited a cohort of new ANA-positive referrals without AI-CTD. 17% met criteria by AI-CTD at 12 months, and this was predicted an IFN Score. This study includes 3 year follow up of that cohort with more detailed analysis of the non-progressor group and predictors.

 Patients were recruited if they had: (i) ANA; (ii) did not meet criteria for AI-CTD; (iii) symptoms less than 12 months. Diagnostic criteria for AI-CTDs and therapies were assessed at baseline then 12-monthly for 3 years. We categorised progression as:1. Absolute-non-progressors (no clinical criteria at all time points: 0-36 months), 2. Undifferentiated-CTD ( > =1 clinical criterion at baseline and/or at follow up but not meeting criteria), 3. Year-1-progressor (meeting criteria for AI-CTD within 12 months), 4. Late-progressor (meeting criteria for AI-CTD later than 12 months). A 2-score analysis of IFN Status was performed as previously described (Yusof, ARD 2018).

 3-year follow up was available in 146/150. Proportions in the above categories were: Absolute-non-progressors: 33/146 (23%); Undifferentiated-CTD: 86/146 (59%); Year-1-progressors: 21/146 (14%); Late-progressors: 5/146 (3%). No patient progressed or required immunosuppression after 2 years. 6/86 patients with Undifferentiated-CTD received an immunosuppressant. The present work therefore defines a larger group of 32/146 (22%) with clinically significant disease including 21 Year-1-progressors, 5 late-progressors, and 6 undifferentiated-CTD who needed an immunosuppressant. Clinical features had limited utility in predicting these outcomes. Of 31 patients with no clinical criteria at baseline, 1 progressed to meet criteria within 1 year, 2 progressed at 1-2 years, 3 were prescribed hydroxychloroquine and 1 was prescribed an immunosuppressant. The 108 patients with at least 1 criterion at baseline had the highest risk: 20 progressed to meet criteria within 1 year, 2 progressed at 1-2 years, the others all had U-CTD. 35 were prescribed hydroxychloroquine and 13 were prescribed an immunosuppressant. There was also no association between ENA, C3 or C4 and clinical outcome. The association between Interferon Score B and progression was stronger when comparing Year 1 progressors with absolute non-progressors (p = 0.007). Late progression was not predicted by baseline IFN Scores. However, within U-CTD, patients who required an immunosuppressant had higher expression of IFN Score A (p = 0.011) and IFN Score B (p < 0.001) than those who did not.

 Among ANA-positive referrals, no clinical feature or routine laboratory test could rule out development of clinically significant disease, which included AI-CTD or undifferentiated CTD needing therapy. However, IFN Scores had a unique value in predicting these outcomes. At-risk individuals who ultimately developed clinically significant disease are therefore immunologically but not clinically distinctive. Future work will incorporate biomarkers into clinically applicable risk models to allow earlier exclusion of AI-CTD or trials of preventative treatment.

 S. Ul-Hassan None. K. Dutton None. Z. Wigston None. A. Alase None. M. Md Yusof None. E.M. Vital None.


Objective To approach the advantage of acellular dermal matrix biologic patch for the treatment of neonatal giant omphalocele. Methods A retrospective analysis of 3 cases in our hospital used with acellular dermal matrix biologic patch for the treatment of giant omphalocele to observe the advantages or disadvantages. Results Except of one case with complex congenital heart disease,whose family required to abandon treatment,and discharged from hospital,other 2 cases of pediatric patients recovered well without any complication. Conclusions The treatment of neonatal giant omphalocele with acellular dermal matrix biologic patch is effective.


The present invention proposes a power supply system for an electric vehicle, comprising: a battery; charge-discharge outlet, the discharge outlet is connected to an external load; three-level bidirectional DC / AC module; discharge control module, the discharge end of the control module three-level bi-directional DC / AC module AC terminals connected to the other end of the charge-discharge control module connected to the discharge outlet; a controller module, the controller module for controlling a three-level bidirectional DC / AC power module to the battery AC voltage into a predetermined voltage value, and through the discharge control module and the charge-discharge socket to provide external load. Power supply system, power can be supplied by the electric car outwardly, thereby improving the function of electric vehicles, and employs three-level bi-directional DC / AC module, battery power can be achieved for charge and discharge, improving the efficiency of charging and discharging power of the battery , shorten the charge and discharge time, convenience to the user. The present invention also provides an electric car.


A new photocurable ladder-like poly(phenyl-co-mercaptopropyl)silsesquioxane (LPPMPSQ) was synthesized in one pot via base catalyzed hydrolysis-polycondensation of a comonomer mixture of phenyltrimethoxysilane and 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane. Obtained LPPMPSQ was characterized by 1H NMR, FT-IR, 29Si NMR, TGA, and the electrical (k = 3.6) and mechanical properties (surface modulus = 4.9 GPa) found to be suitable for application as a photocurable gate dielectric material.


The internal relationships among the parameter of each components in heat pump with single screw compressor and its function character in Tianjin District are analyzed. An accurate mathematical model to simulate the dynamic process of the heat pump is established. By the mathematical method and results of experiment, the performance of the ground source heat pump is simulated,and the resulte meet well with the experimental datum.


The concept of "Smart City", providing a solution for making cities more efficient and sustainable, has been quite popular in recent years, encouraging reflections, ideas, researches and projects for a "smart" urban development. A smart city is generally meant as a city capable of joining "competitiveness" and "sustainability", by integrating different dimensions of development and addressing infrastructural investments able to support economic growth as well as the quality of life of communities, a more careful management of natural resources, a greater transparency and participation to decision-making processes. Based on those assumptions, this contribution tackle the controversial subject of Smart City, starting from the review of the scientific Italian and international literature that, from the Eighties to the Nineties, has been largely focused on ICTs and their impacts on urban development. Then, the focus shifts on the large debate on smart cities that has been developing from the beginning of 2000s and on the numerous institutional initiatives up to now implemented by the European Union for building up the Smart City. Finally, the article highlights how, despite these efforts, a shared definition of the term is still missing and current approaches to the issue are still very heterogeneous; it emphasizes, on the opposite, the key-role that urban planning, grounding on a holistic approach to cities' development, should play in coordinating and integrating urban policies addressed to building up a Smart City.


This paper analyses the change in employment structure from unorganized to organized sector in the last two decades. It explores whether India is really moving towards Lewis Turning Point and the effect of GST and Demonetization on the Indian Job market. In this connection, the results clearly show that in recent years, the Indian economy is moving towards better jobs or formal organized jobs and Lewis process is at work in the country. However, we need to focus more on skills development and providing decent employment to the increasing youth of India.


Engel, Jeffrey A. editor, The Four Freedoms: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Evolution of an American Idea New York: Oxford University Press, 2016 Dario Fazzi Freedom is arguably one of the most cherished American principles and fundamental values. It has inspired American intellectuals, informed the U.S. public debate, shaped American political rhetoric, and affected the development of American society since the days of the Revolution. But, as the first-class contributors of this volume argue...


Consumer price indices have many and diverse uses. They are needed, in the first place, to study the development of prices, secondly, for indexation, especially of wages and other income flows, and thirdly to compile estimates of consumer expenditure and of retail sales in constant prices. The use to be made of the indices should help determine the type of index computed. Thus when defining which concept of consumption should be embodied in the consumer price index, it may be felt that the first and second uses require measurement of changes in currency value over time, thus relating to purchases. But acquisitions or use could also furnish a basis for the index. In any case, the question still arises, which consumption components should be excluded. Problems discussed in this connection are the inclusion or exclusion of investments and savings, gifts and contributions, second-hand purchases, illegal prices and consumption, insurance, other financial services and overseas expenditures. A major problem is the treatment of owner-occupied dwellings, where eight alternatives, each answering different questions, are distinguished.


ABSTRACT Three mandibular rami from cultural deposits in the Leluat cave, S. Timor, are described and shown to belong to Coryphomys buhleri Schaub, 1937, thus far known from the type mandible only. The mandibular teeth present some structural variations from the type, in which they approach other gigantic murine rodents found east of Wallace's Line.


The invention concerns a computer (1) for a motor vehicle comprising at least one main control module intended to manage an onboard system such as a power steering system, which uses a plurality of internal variables (6) representative of the successive life situations of the vehicle, said computer comprising, in addition to the main control module, an integrated monitoring module that comprises an extraction and recording unit, placed under the dependency of a trigger unit (13) in order to extract, from a buffer memory (12), in case of a detection of a predefined alarm event occurring at a triggering time (tdecl), one or more recordings (17), that correspond respectively to one or more internal variables (6), and that each cover a time interval (denreg) that extends from a start time (tdeb) that precedes the triggering time (tdecl) to an end time (tfin) that follows said triggering time (tdecl), and then to store said recording or recordings (17) in a non-volatile memory.


Laminar flows in annular ducts of rectangular cross-section subjected to a constant axial magnetic field B0 are considered. The equations of flow are treated by a perturbation method involving infinite series expansions in ascending powers of the ratio Λ = a/R0 (where a and R0 are respectively the height and the mean radius of the annular duct). The leading terms of the series are calculated in the range of high values of the Hartmann number M by means of a boundary-layer technique. When M is large, the secondary flow pattern exhibits two profoundly distinct features. Firstly, in the Hartmann and interior regions, secondary flows have a one-dimensional structure and involve no inertial effects if the curvature of the duct is small enough; secondly, in thin layers near the walls parallel to the magnetic field, the secondary flow pattern is dramatically influenced by the conductivities of the walls: varying these conductivities gives rise to either one or several counter-rotating eddies. When the Reynolds number of the flow increases, inertial effects emanating from these layers penetrate the core of the duct by convective transport. Order-of-magnitude arguments show that the mean velocity is affected by secondary flow effects when $KM^{-\frac{5}{4}}$ becomes large, where K is the Dean number of the flow.


In this paper, a Proportional Integral Derivative Sliding Mode Controller (PIDSMC) is proposed to control the Quadrotor vehicle. Initially, the Quadrotor dynamic is described briefly. Next, the PIDSMC is derived to control Quadrotor attitude and to improve the performance of the vehicle. In this control approach, the adaptive PID controller is employed as an equivalent control signal of SMC at equivalent point. The PID gains are tuned based on sliding mode algorithm. The effectiveness of the proposed controller is demonstrated by numerical simulation result.


Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in patients with hematologic malignancies treated with immunosuppressive therapy is a well-known risk. Over 257 million people worldwide are chronic carriers of...


Accepted November 29, 2013 As a social being customers are attached with the different kinds of service provider in their daily life for their own interest and getting their services in various ways. Every dimension of the service quality for a particular service industry plays a significant role in customers' mind about the quality of services perceived by them where customers' expectation about the quality of services offered by the service organization varies over time dimension wise, situation wise, culture wise, nation wise, sector wise as well as industry wise. Empirical studies also revealed that dimensions of the service quality vary from one sector to another sector, one nation to another nation, one culture to another culture and obviously over time. In this paper researcher tried to investigate whether there exist any service quality gap in between customers' perception and expectation of the quality of services provided by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LICI) in the district of Burdwan, West Bengal or not.


Abstract Background : In 1988, the first survey of child abuse in Japan was conducted in Osaka Prefecture as a joint effort between medical, health and welfare agencies. Ensuing surveys in 1988 revealed that infant abuse had a death rate of 10% in Health Center.


Competition for solvent glycerol and solute phthalic acid by the alkali metal cations Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+ and Cs+ in cationization fast atom bombardment spectra is quantitated.


we are using both blast furnace slag and air cooled blast furnace slag as a replacement of coarse aggregate as we are using such artificial ingredients for making concrete as we know that pollutions are increasing now a days so that natural resources are highly diffusing day by day. The combined outcome of ACBFS as replacement for coarse aggregates and fly ash as a limited replacement of cement on the slump test and split tensile strength of concrete has been investigated. Six mixes were prepared at different replacement levels of ACBFS (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%) with coarse aggregate in all concrete mixes. The slump test of concrete and split tensile strength was tested after 3, 7 and 28 days of curing. Results indicate that the slump test and split tensile test are in phase with each other. The replacement of ACBFS with coarse aggregates up to 40% increases the slump and split tensile and of concrete and at 60% there is marginal decrease in both parameters. On further replacement up to 80% and 100% the slump and split tensile of concrete mix decreases significantly. As it was observed that the slump and split tensile test increases with replacement up to 40% ACBFS, it is recommended that up to 40% of ACBFS can be used as coarse aggregate in concrete. Keywordsfly ash, ACBFS, workability test, split tensile strength test, slump test, significantly, replacements, artificial ingredients.


We investigated the mineralogical and chemical properties of Tertiary limestones of different ages and characteristics in northern Jordan and also studied a soil profile formed on Tertiary limestone. According to our results, palygorskite or smectite dominated the silicate mineralogy of the limestone, but no clear relationship could be established between palygorskite and dolomite or total carbonate contents. Hard limestones contained more palygorskite and less smectite than marly limestone. Thus the mode of crystallization of the limestone may be a factor in palygorskite formation, as is the chemical composition of formation environment. Cristobalite and zeolite were present in the clay fraction of some limestones, especially the marly limestone with high smectite content. Soil formed on one of the limestones contained more smectite and less palygorskite in the topsoil than the subsoil, indicating that smectite may have formed from palygorskite as a result of weathering.


Gephyrin, the principal scaffolding protein at inhibitory synapses, needs to be palmitoylated in order to cluster and to assemble functional synapses.


The purpose of the research was to identify and rate the factors that influence the development of a competitive advantage for graduate healthcare distance education programs as perceived by higher education institution administrators. For the purpose of this study, competitive advantage was defined as a benefit held by a higher education institution or program when it develops or acquires a value-creating quality that is not currently implemented by its competitors and is difficult to imitate. It promotes the development of a dominant position in a market. The research was performed using a quantitative, descriptive, and crosssectional approach. An electronic survey was completed by 98 academic administrators (29.3% response rate) who oversee graduate healthcare distance education programs. The results demonstrated that 33 of the 38 suggested factors met the threshold to be considered as influential. Fourteen factors were perceived as "very influential" and 19 were perceived as "somewhat influential". The strength of the program curriculum, the strength of the learning environment, and the strength of the course delivery methods rated the highest. Overall, the factors contained within the category of internal resources and capabilities were perceived as more influential when compared to the factors within the category of external industry structure and context. The results of this study provide a roadmap for academic programs to better implement their strategies and achieve their mission and goals. It encourages academic administrators to develop specific measures and establish benchmarks for the majority of the factors that influence the development of a competitive advantage. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Education (EdD) Department Executive Leadership First Supervisor Mary S. Collins Second Supervisor Shannon P. Cleverley-Thompson Subject Categories Education This dissertation is available at Fisher Digital Publications: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/education_etd/207 Factors Influencing the Strategic Management of Graduate Health Care Distance Education Programs: The Search for a Competitive Advantage By Jean-Nicolas Poirier Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Ed.D. in Executive Leadership Supervised by Mary S. Collins, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N. Committee Member Shannon P. Cleverley-Thompson, Ed.D. Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School of Education St. John Fisher College


During the 20th Century, the most valued faculty members were those who achieved the greatest stature in their field. The acclaim received stemmed largely from success in narrowly focused work within the boundaries of a single discipline. Toward the end of the 20th Century, a new type of highly valued faculty member emerged as especially significant to the demands of a modern university. These faculty members were uncommon in their intellectual range and their ability to lead teams of interdisciplinary faculty in the pursuit of complex, integrative questions. Because of their special ability to enhance the productivity of others, these individuals have been called institutional "difference makers." This paper discusses the characteristics and special qualities possessed by individuals serving in this newly appreciated role.