This paper contributes to the literature by developing a new methodology, termed the beta index, for measuring liquidity commonality in financial markets which is derived from the dynamics of liquidity co-movements. We show that computing the beta index is a straightforward process. In addition, not only is the proposed beta index more efficient in controlling for confounding factors and addressing the associated statistical inference issues, but it will also enhance the accuracy of estimation. We apply the beta index to track liquidity commonality in the foreign exchange markets over the study period and to identify important financial and economic events that caused liquidity commonality. We detect periods of high and low liquidity commonalities that would especially benefit active market traders who frequently rebalance portfolios and require knowledge of liquidity commonality as an important early signal and indication of diversification benefit.


Previous deep learning based approaches to text baseline detection in historical documents usually take it as a semantic segmentation task. These methods adopt a fully convolutional neural network to predict baseline pixels first and then group them into lines by heuristic post-processing steps, which tends to suffer from a wrongly merged or wrongly split problem owing to limited context information provided by pixels. To address these issues, we introduce the concept of a baseline primitive, which is defined as a virtual bounding box centered at each baseline pixel. After baseline primitive detection, a relation network is used to predict a link relationship for each pair of primitives. Consequently, text baselines are generated by detecting baseline primitives and grouping them with the corresponding link relationships. Owing to the design of baseline primitives, wider context information can be leveraged to improve link prediction accuracy. Therefore, our approach can effectively detect text baselines with small inter-line or large inter-word spacing. Quantitative experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed baseline primitive design. Our approach achieves state-of-the-art performance on two public benchmarks, namely cBAD 2017 and cBAD 2019.


The conditions under which a floating fragment of ice is either entrained under the upstream edge of a down-stream ice cover or accumulated up-stream are examined by means of dimensional analysis and a simplified analysis of the moments acting on an idealized ice fragment. The significant parameter descriptive of the critical conditions is found to be a Froude number based on block thickness. The influence of the ratio of thickness to flow depth is shown to be due to the effect of the block constricting the flow cross-section, thus amplifying the velocity in accordance with simple continuity. Under-turning instability occurs at a lower critical velocity than required for vertical submergence. Comparison of experimental data with the theoretical results show good agreement and demonstrates the vital dependence on fragment thickness as well as providing a criterion readily applicable to special flow conditions where a Froude number based on flow depth is illogical.


An on-line or adaptive identification scheme for a flexible beam and, more generally, second order in time infinite dimensional or distributed parameter systems, is constructed. The estimator takes the form of an infinite dimensional initial value problem for a linear evolution system whose state consists of an estimate for the plant and an estimate for the parameters. A Lyapunov estimate is used to argue state convergence. Parameter convergence is argued via the extension of the finite dimensional notion of richness or persistence of excitation. A laboratory experiment involving an aluminum beam with piezoceramic actuation at the root and proximity displacement sensors mounted alongside the beam is discussed. The purpose of the experiment is to test the feasibility of the identification scheme.


This BA graduation theses analyses the theme of religious consciousness. It describes its influence on personal life but also its role in society .The work also presents the theories of some prominent sociologists. The theses summarises the present situation of the main religions all over the world. It describes the up-to-date state of religion in our country, too. In a part written in more detail new religious trends in the Czech Republic and in the world are described. It deals with the conflicts of contemporary Christianity between the values and attitudes prevailing in post-modern western societies. One part of the paper is formed by the results of a questionnaire examining the knowledge about religion among secondary school students.


Abstract This article explores the feasibility of an Arizona–Mexico tie. Since these systems are large scale systems, not synchronized between them and with different policies and regulations, a synchronous tie may be problematic. An HVDC tie should allow these adjacent systems to be operated independently while enabling transactions and avoiding typical issues such as erratic power flows. In this article, the major steady state considerations of interconnecting these particular systems via a DC tie are examined. Several alternatives are explored and tested on the northwest Mexico and a reduced western United States system.


J. J. Graydon: "The Blood Groups of Australian Aborigines", THE MEDICAL JOURNALOF AUSTRALIA, December 2, 1944, page 588, Appendix. G. M. Heydon and T. W. Murphy: "Bio-chemical Index in Natives of the Territory of New Guinea", THE MEDICAL JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA, December8, 1923, page 617. R. T. Simmons, L. M. Bryce, J. J. Graydon and H. Wilson: "A Note on the Preparationand Use of M and N Testing Fluids", THE MEDICAL JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA, October 25, 1!T41, page 414; "The Blood Groups of Australian Aborigines", THE MEDICAL JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA. December2, 1944, page 581. R T. Simmons, J. J. Graydon and Godfrey Barnes: "Blood Groups, Sub-Groups,M, N Types and the Rh Factor in Fijians", THE MEDICAL JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA, May 26, 1945, page 529. R. T. Simmons, J. J. Graydon and Patricia Hamilton: "The Rh Factor in the Blood of Australian Aborigines", THE MEDICAL JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA, June 17, 1944, page 553. R. T. Simmons,J. J. Graydon,RachelJakobowiczand J:,.ucy.M. Bryce: "The Rh Factor: Its Incidence in a Series of VIctorIan Red Cross Donors", THE MEDICAL JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA, December18, 1943, page 496. " R T Simmons J. J. Graydon and C. Ouwehand: Blood Groups'M N Types and the Rh Factor in Indonesians",THE MEDICAL JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA, February 3, 1945, page セ P X N B M. W. Stirling: "The Native Peoples of .New Gumea, Smithsonian Institution War Background StudIes, Number 9, February16, 1943. "D' t ib tl A. S. Wiener, Ruth B. Belkin and Eve B. Sonn: IS rl U I<?n of the A.-A.-B-O,M-N, and Rh Blood Factorsamon&, Negroesm New York City", The American Journal of PhYSICal Anthrosoioou,Volume II, Number 2, June, 1944, page 187.


area of about 800 m from the river . This is called Obs.3. The ・measurement points of Obs.land Obs.3are grouped into 3 types , one is above the river , another is at しhe crQss point wlth the other paths and another is in the cavity of buildings . The air temperature above the river is the lowest and next at the cross point where the wind direction is close to 巳hat of the sea breeze. It indicates that even small paths have ventilation effect on Lurbafi


Twelvehematological and fifteen serum biochemical parameters were determined in indigenous East Balkan pigs at different ages and two seasons. The experiment was carried out in the Scientific Centre of Agriculture- Sredets aiming to characterize the health status of the animals when reared organically. Blood samples were taken from pre-weaned piglets (n=10), growers (n=10) and sows (n=10) in spring and summer. The results were analysed through two way ANOVA to assess the influence of the age, season and their interaction on the hematological and serum biochemical profile of the animals. Both age and season interacted significantly in regard to the red blood cells count (RBC) (P0.001), hemoglobin (HGB) (P0.001) and hematocrit (HCT) (P0.01), as well as in the most biochemical parameters including creatinine(P0.001), total protein (TP) (P0.001), albumin (ALB) (P0.001), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P0.001), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P0.01), uric acid (UA) (P0.01), Mg (P0.001), triglycerides (TG) (P0.05) and cholesterol (P0.01). Regardless of the season, the white blood cells (WBC) including lymphocytes and granulocytes, as well as platelets (PLT)decreased with age, while mean corpuscular volume (MCV) increased.The content of glucose, urea, gamma-glutamil transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Ca and P which displayed maximal values in preweaned pigs (P0.05) compared to the other age groups (P0.05). The season affected the number of lymphocytes (P0.01), their percent (P0.001), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) andmean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (P0.001), as well as the concentration of GGT (P0.001) which increased during summer,and also granulocytes (P0.01), their percentage (P0.001), PLT (P0.05), glucose, urea, ALP, Ca (P0.001) and P (P0.01) whichwere higher in spring.


In the paper, the author notes that the development of modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, unmanned transport, robotics, portable and embedded digital devices, already has a great impact on the daily life of a person and can fundamentally change the existing social order in the near future.Virtual reality as a technology was born in the cross-section of research in the field of three-dimensional computer graphics and human-machine interaction. The spectrum of mixed reality includes the real world itself, the one that is before our eyes, the world of augmented reality — an improved reality that results from the introduction of sensory data into the field of perception in order to supplement information about the surrounding world and improve the perception of information; the world of virtual reality, which is created using technologies that provide full immersion in the environment. In some studies, augmented virtuality is also included in the spectrum, which implies the addition of virtual reality with elements of the real world (combining the virtual and real world).The paper substantiates the conclusion that in the near future both the legislator and judicial practice will have to find a balance between the interests of the creators of virtual worlds and virtual artists exclusive control over their virtual works, on the one hand, and society in using these virtual works and their development, on the other hand. It is necessary to allow users to participate, interact and create new forms of creative expression in the virtual environment.The author concludes that a broader interpretation of the fair use doctrine should be applied in this area, especially for those virtual worlds and virtual objects that imitate the real world and reality. However, it is necessary to distinguish between cases where the protection of such objects justifies licensing and those where it is advisable to encourage unrestricted use of the results for the further development of new technologies.


This article deconstructs the nostalgic image of 1950s fashion by studying how Finnish women experienced the ideals and practices of 1950s dress and how they narrate those ideals and practices. The article focuses on women's wearing of trousers and the attitudes towards it because, on the one hand, in their wearing of trousers, women in the 1950s were restricted to sportswear, work wear, and leisure wear, while on the other hand, this conservative dress code with its traditional feminine ideal was challenged by jeans fashion. On the basis of oral histories and life stories, the text scrutinizes what women of different generations and with various social backgrounds thought of the dress styles and the dress codes of the 1950s. For an older generation of women, the 1950s dress represents better, postwar modern times while in the memories of the younger women, the 1950s dress represents conservative values and poverty. The text compares the narratives of these women with the grand narratives of the 1950s and considers the role of nostalgia in their reminiscences.


New developments in the aspect of plant tissue cultivation of an important pharmaceutical species are discussed. There are some pathways of production cell cultures of Valeriana officinalis on agar and liquid media. The aim is to obtain suspension cultures able to produce biological active substances of the group of valepotreates as well as some new substances eventually. We gave a morphological characteristic of the different aggregated and differentiated suspension cultures.


Fracture characteristics obtained upon destruction of the samples cut from the slabs and extruded profile of D16chT aluminum alloy are studied. Tests are carried out on a tensile testing machine VME-10TM in air and in 3% NaCl solution at low strain rates. Fracture characteristics time to fracture, fracture energy, elongation, specific reduction, maximum stress and maximum load are obtained at a strain rate of 4.2 X 10 5 to 4.2 X 10 6 sec l . Comparison of the fracture characteristics obtained in air and in 3% NaCl solution revealed that time to failure and fracture energy appreared to be the most sensitive parameters in assessing the susceptibility of semiproducts made of D16nhT alloy to corrosion cracking alloy. For the samples cut from the slabs, the most sensitive characteristic is elongation in contrast to the samples obtained from the extruded panels is which elongation remained practically the same.


The generation advancement of breeding materials is of major importance in a breeding program and such idea has been proposed by many researchers (Goulden, 1939, Amatatsu and Nagata, 1941, Akemine, 1954, Wiggans and Frey, 1955, Wellensiek, 1962, 1965, Okabe, 1966). Shortening the breeding cycle is particularly helpful to rice breeders in the temperate zone where low temperature prevents rice from growing during the winter season. In Japan, this procedure was carried out at Aichi Agricultural Experimental Station in 1932, but at that time F 1 generation only was accelerated in the greenhouse in winter (Okabe, 1967). It is since the 19 SO's that acceleration method for generation advancement has been developed and adopted widely in a practical rice breeding program. Such an extensive utilization of this procedure was initiated and stimulated by two factors (Akemine, 1966, Okabe, 1967). The first was concerned with keeping new varieties sufficiently constant in the face of the ever-changing situations in agricultural production. Since it usually takes more than ten years to develop new varieties with the customary pedigree or bulk breeding methods, an acceleratedgeneration increase program was an urgent need to meet the demand of the time. The second was concerned with the wide adoption of the bulk method of breeding in self-pollinated species such as rice, wheat, barley, etc. in Japan. Although this method has been used extensively since 1950, its disadvantages were pointed out as, compared with the pedigree method, a somewhat longer time and wider field area are required. With the bulk breeding method, however, controlled environment conditions or off-season nurseries can be used to accelerate the generation cycle, and moreover dense spacings of materials can save the field area (Akemine, 1954). Several experiments demonstrated the possibility of advancing three generations in rice hybrids (Kikuchi, 1958, Asakuma, 1959). Using the greenhouse for shortening the breeding-cycle, Aichi Prefectural Agricultural Experimental Station for the first time succeeded in developing a new variety "Nippon Bare" in a short time (seven years) (Nishio et al., 1963). Since its release in 1963, this variety has been widely grown in central and western Japan, owing to various superior characteristics. In 1976, this variety was planted on 359,000 hectares or 14.3 percent of the total rice area, ranking first among rice varieties. The facilities used for rapid generation advancement have been installed at the rice breeding stations, and shortening the breeding-cycle has now been established as the most useful procedure used in rice breeding programs in Japan. The scope of the present paper is to review briefly the practical methods of rapid generation advancement in rice breeding in Japan as well as some related subjects.


In an insurance company, it is very possible that there is an imbalance between the amount of the premium and the amount of claims submitted by the insured. In managing the risk of such an imbalance, the insurance company must be able to make a decision to determine the appropriate amount of premium based on a number of claims by the insured. To make these decisions, insurance companies can do so by using certain utility functions. This paper examines the use of exponential utility functions in transferring risk between insurance companies, optimal Pareto exchanges, equilibrium, Bowley solutions, and optimal reinsurance purchases. Furthermore, using the exponential utility function is calculated the optimal amount of reimbursement that will be carried out by the insurer. The results of the discussion obtained the factors that influence the calculation and the optimal amount of reimbursement value, from a property policy or group policy that needs to be carried out by the insurer. So that based on the results of the optimal reimbursement calculation, it can be used to determine the balance between the amount of the premium and the amount of claims that may be submitted by the insured.


With the rapid development of net technology,it is of great necessity for TV stations to explore ways of making and transmitting news in an efficient way but with high quality and low cost.Based on the experience from a successful cooperation among several TV stations in the making and transmitting of news,the paper proposes a low-cost transmission platform based on the Internet.


This paper recounts briefly to establish highway control network method, aiming to projection length deformation being bigger in Xinzhou highway survey, puts forward the method of horizontal coordinate system of option zone of central meridian being 11430. And then using mass center formula to calculate four parameters of translation axes and rotation coordinate, mathematic model is established. At last the paper introduces, in concision, the highway control network construction process and final precision situation. Some conclusions are gotten through this engineering.


The invention discloses an ultra-low volume (ULV) liquid comprising fenpyroximate and triazoles bactericide. The liquid comprises (by weight) 0.5-10% of fenpyroximate, 0.5-15% of triazoles bactericide, 1-15% of surfactant, and the balance of solvent. The triazoles bactericide is selected from any one of epoxiconazole, hexaconazole, propiconazole, flutriafol, metconazole and myclobutanil. The inventive ULV liquid combines fenpyroximate and above selected broad spectrum triazoles bactericide as effective ingredients, to realize rapid pest killing, good and lasting effects. The liquid provided by the invention is applicable to prevent and control Tetranychus cinnabarinns (Boisduval) and Panonychus on various plants; and also has good effects in preventing and controlling pests (such as Plutella xylostella, Prodenia litura, striped rice borer, rice planthopper and Myzus persicae) and diseases (such as rice blast, anthracnose, powdery mildew and downy mildew).


Shixing,Guangdong Province,is one of important tungsten polymetallic ore concentrated area in Eastern Nanling mineralizationzone.Two large deposits,ie.Liangyuan Nb-Ta-W-Sn and Nanshankeng W-Sn polymetallic deposit,were found by Nanjing Center,CGS during the investigation of tungsten polymetallic ore in this area.The W and Mo polymetallic deposits occurred in granite complex of Yanshan period,Nb,Ta,W and Sn polymetallic deposit in greisen and highly evolved muscovite albite granite,and stratabound skarn type W and Sn polymetallic deposits in the upper Devonian strata.This article further defines the characteristics of W and Mo polymetallic deposit in the granite,Nb-Ta-W-Sn polymetallic deposit in the greisen and albite graniter,and skarn type W-Sn polymetallic deposit in Shixing and summarizes prospecting procedure and method and as well metallogenic model for the W-Sn polymetallic ore in eastern Nanling.


Abstract : The 2008 global economic crisis severely affected Greece and all of the organizations operating in its economy -- the Hellenic Navy among them. The need for motivation in the workplace in these current economic conditions is more important than ever, to mitigate the potential reduction of productivity and to advance performance excellence. This study identifies effective ways to motivate employees during the current economic crisis. The effects of economic decline on employees and organizations are examined, and prominent motivation theories and applications are referenced. An analysis of four specific case studies illuminates issues related to motivation in crisis situations. The thesis concludes with a set of motivational techniques that may help minimize the effects of the recession and its consequences on employees and organizations. Finally, specific recommendations that the Hellenic Navy might consider to increase motivation and productivity among its service members are proposed.


Recent work on evaluation of spoken dialogue systems suggests that the information presentation phase of complex dialogues is often the primary contributor to dialogueduration. Therefore, better algorithms are needed for the presentation of complex information in speech. This paper evaluates the effect of a user model on generation for three dialogue strategies: SUMMARY , COMPARE and RECOMMEND . We present results showing that (a) both COMPARE and RECOMMEND strategies are effective; and (b) the user model is useful.


Organic semiconductors became very interesting group of materials because of their good charge-transport properties and massive technological applications. Among all of them, rubrene gained grate interest because it is an organic semiconductor with the highest carrier mobility, which can reach 40cm2=V s for holes. Here we give a full firstprinciples description of the electronic properties and electron-phonon coupling (including Holstein and Peierls type of couplings) for the prototypical rubrene crystals. Thereby, a recipe for circumventing the issue of inaccuracies with low-frequency phonons is presented. Low dimensional compounds are known for having anisotropic physical properties and because of their low dimensionality, metallic properties and occurrence of structural modulations, these compounds are often discussed as possible Fermi surface driven CDW materials. However, the real origin of the CDWs in these materials has never been clarified. Thus we have decided to examine if some instability of the Fermi surface is at the origin of structural modulations in these compounds by studying the electronic structure and calculating the Lindhard response function for several low-dimensional materials.


The radiation techniques for lung cancer stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) include intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and helical tomotherapy (HT). Concerning the target conformity and dosimetric homogeneity index, HT and VMAT technologies are superior to IMRT. On the contrary, HT and VMAT technology can increase low dose area irradiated of lung. Comparing to other two technologies, VMAT can obviously shorten the treatment time. At present, there is no consensus how to choose individually optimized radiotherapy technology for different location and stages lung tumors.

Key words:
Lung tumors; Radiotherapy; Stereotactic body radiotherapy


We survey the major techniques for information retrieval In the rst part we provide an overview of the traditional ones full text scanning inversion signature les and clustering In the second part we discuss attempts to include semantic information natural language processing latent semantic indexing and neural networks This work was partially funded by the National Science Foundation under Grants IRI and IRI PYI with matching funds from EMPRESS Software Inc and Thinking Machines Inc


The guiding reception which can lead the thoughts, feelings and values of recipients and develop the media's purpose by introducing many different kinds of methods, is just the demand for realizing the news value and putting the news into good use. It's tactics lie in that the news value will meet recipients' demand and that it's artistic communication will attract recipients.


We investigated the effect of tension strain on proliferation and reconstruction of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). We designed a device in order to load cyclically a silicon membrane and the deformation of the membrane was transferred to the VSMCs cultured on the membrane. VSMCs therefore were exposed to a cyclic load by two dimension tension strain. Then microscopic observation, computer image processing, 3H TdR incorporation were applied to investigate the morphology and proliferation of VSMCs. Result: first, the spread area of VSMCs raised during 30′~6h stretch, and reduced during loading of 6~24 hrs. Second, in non confluent case, the arrangement of cells changed with stretch and proliferation. Third, in confluent case, the cells were observed as oriental arrangement and the relaxation and constriction of cells were observed after loading of ten hours. Forth, the incorporation rate of 3H TdR of stretch group was notably higher than control group after loading of twenty four hours. Conclusion: the mainly response of cells to strain is proliferation in non confluent case in contrast with reconstruction in confluent case.


Under Unfinished Business, the Board will vote on draft Board Policies regarding Wellness, Nutrition, and Physical Activity; Fiscal Responsibility and Control of the Annual Operatng Budget; Cell Phones and Electronic Devices in Schools; Appeals Before the Board of Education; and Outstanding Receivables Collections. The Board will also vote on an alternative governance option for schools in Year One Restructuring; the Superintendent's recommendations for repurposed school space; contract approval for Possibility STEM Charter School; and the 2010-2011 School Calendar.


This paper reviews several preparation methods of foamed magnesium and analyses the principles,processes,advantages and limitations between these methods.It also analyses the compression and bionic properties of foamed magnesium alloy.Finally,it makes prospects of mechanization in foamed magnesium alloy production.


Based on the latest public results, 13 TeV data from the Large Hadron Collider at CERN has not indicated any evidence of hitherto tested models of quantum black holes, semiclassical black holes, or string balls. Such models have predicted signatures of particles with high transverse momenta. Noncommutative black holes remain an untested model of TeV-scale gravity that offers the starkly different signature of particles with relatively low transverse momenta. Considerations for a search for charged noncommutative black holes using the ATLAS detector will be discussed.


This paper introduces a research project on voice quality and affect expression. It explores affective prosody by investigating the relationship between voice source parameter changes and perceived affect. Firstly, it aims to examine the relative contribution of voice source shifts occurring globally across an utterance and shifts that are aligned to the prosodic structure of the utterance. Secondly, it aims to formulate a simple model for affect expression that could, in principle, be applied to text-to-speech synthesis systems for Irish (Gaelic) dialects. The analytic methods to be used include voice source and intonation analysis of utterances produced to portray a range of emotions, and perception experiments with stimuli varying in terms of global vs. local, structured source manipulations.


As the lines between television and film have become increasingly blurred in the streaming era and now even further in the age of the COVID19 pandemic, Doron Galili's pathbreaking intermedial history of television before the broadcast era is an important entry into television, film, and new media studies. An expansion of a dissertation honored by the Society for Cinema and Media Studies in 2013, Seeing by Electricity: The Emergence of Television, 1878– 1939 provides a wideranging study of television as "moving image transmission" that moves away from defining television against film in favor of exploring both media's "historical instances of intermedial influences, technical amalgamations, and shared imaginaries."1 At the heart of this study is a consideration of medium specificity not as enduring ontology but rather as a continual process of emergence. As such, Galili's excavation of the history of the medium that became known as television offers a model for how to think through both the recent past and the mercurial present of moving image transmission. Seeing by Electricity takes a media archaeological approach to the prebroadcast era, uncovering early conceptualizations of television from the 1870s to late 1930s. Galili engages with the work of early television scholars,


This paper measures the effectiveness of platform endorsement and consumergenerated reputation on sellers' demand in online service marketplace. We apply BLPstyle model to understand consumers' heterogeneous sensitivity to platform endorsement and consumer-generated reputation with endogeneity issue handled nicely. In addition, we investigate "conform or to be cast out" policy, which is applied by the platform to enforce sellers to improve one typical platform endorsement as platform refund insurance. Our results provide measurable evidence for that individuals exhibit consistent sensitivity to consumer-generated reputation, whereas perceive most of platform endorsement differently. With regard to the policy, it shows that though "cast out" reduce variety of sellers and thus decreases platform-wise demand and consumer welfare, the negative effect is offset by improvement of platform refund insurance by conforming sellers. Furthermore, we find that the policy shock would lead sellers' further quality escalation, which indirectly benefits platform demand and consumer welfare.


Salvador Dali : the Theatre of Secrecy ; ; Dali's constantly re-exposed secrets relate to the secretions which his works ostensibly exude, in a repetetion sustained ostensibly by the mother's fellatio, discretely by the manuscripts held by the Dali Foundation.


Стаття присвячена дослідженню особливостей ідіодискурсу американського письменника Дейва Баррі. Розглянуто притаманні його творчості постмодерністські прийоми створення комічного з урахуванням лінгвальних та
екстралінгвальних характеристик дискурсу.
(The article investigates particularities of idiodiscourse of American writer Dave Barry. It focuses on basic features of postmodern comic means, taking into consideration lingual and extralingual characteristics of discourse. Postmodern methods of comic effect in the author's idiodiscourse are singled out. As modern linguistics is based on anthropocentric paradigm,
it proposes studies of author's idiodiscourse more up-to-date for linguists.
The term «idiodiscourse» itself is not investigated enough, that promises new results. We pointed out both lingual and extralingual components, inherent in Dave Bary's idiodiscouse. As for lingual, among them are: non-observance of compositional canons of writing, usage of polystylistic devices such as allusion, phonetic game, intertextuality, that amuse the reader;
connection between the title of a chapter and a picture in it; usage of intralingual inclusions.
The determinant extralingual feature of the author's idiodiscourse is self-presentation on the book covers in various manners. It proves that Dave Barry has great sense of humour and that he is self-ironic and makes a fool of himself in public.)


1 Boulkedid R, Sibony O, Bossu-Salvador C, Oury JF, Alberti C. Monitoring healthcare quality in an obstetrics and gynaecology department using a CUSUM chart. BJOG 2010;117:1225–35. 2 Sibanda T, Sibanda N, Siassakos D, Sivananthan S, Robinson Z, Winter C, Draycott TJ. Prospective evaluation of a continuous monitoring and quality-improvement system for reducing adverse neonatal outcomes. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2009;201:480. e1–6.


Ask your bank to link your new money market account to your checking account so that you may transfer money between them by telephone or online.


The population's food needs are increasing during the COVID-19 pandemic. If the pandemic lasts longer, it is feared that a food crisis will occur, because residents will scramble to stock up on food. This study aims to analyze the efficiency level of rice productivity and the determinants that affect rice productivity to face the food crisis. This study uses secondary data and primary data, obtained from interviews. The data analysis method used is the Cobb-Douglas Stochastic Frontier Production Function approach with the Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) method and multiple linear regression, which is obtained using Stochastic Frontier Analysis and E-Views 8 analysis tools. Production of land area, seeds, and pesticides have a significant effect on rice production in Karawang Regency. While the use of production factors of urea fertilizer, NPK fertilizer, SP36 fertilizer and labors workdays did not have a significant effect on rice production in Karawang Regency. The level of technical efficiency in rice farming in Karawang Regency reaches 0.9607 which indicates that rice farming is technically close to efficient. The combination of the use of land area production factors, seeds, urea fertilizer, SP36 fertilizer in rice farming in Karawang Regency has not yet reached the optimal point that is economically efficient. The level of elasticity of production in rice farming in Karawang Regency reaches a value of 1.3971 so that rice production has a scale that is increasing return to scale.


New methods of electronic collaboration are needed to manage and reconcile the vast scientific knowledge made available through the experience of diverse experts. Fundamental research in capturing, managing, analyzing, and explaining information and making it available for use is seen as a high priority for software research worldwide. Therefore, we have developed a method and software for intelligent-agent assisted knowledge fusion systems to address these needs. This system utilizes intelligent agents to facilitate the construction and fusion of knowledge from distributed human experts working on a common knowledge-sharing task. We describe our multi-agent system prototype, the Internet-Based Distributed Ophthalmology Consensus System (I-DOCS) and how we are employing it for finding disease genes. We also describe some results of using I-DOCS with clinicians attempting to develop a common clinical nomenclature and classification system for disease subtypes.


Since 1970, when the last state-of-the-art paper on the "Demography of the Middle East" was published in this Bulletin (Sabagh, 1970), there has been a spectacular expansion of population studies on the Middle East. This is documented by the various bibliographies of these studies published in this period (Balkan, 1972; Loza, 1979a, b; United Nations, ECWA, 1980). Thus, if we consider only the Arab East, the number of articles and books on the population of the region more than doubled between the 1960s and the 1970s (United Nations, ECWA, 1980). During the latter decade, there was an increasing number of detailed descriptions of the demographic characteristics and trends for most countries of the Middle East (Allman & Hill, 1978; Abu Jaber et al., 1980; Bachi, 1977; Baddou, 1974; Bahri, 1974; Behnam & Amani, 1974; Courbages & Fargues, 1974, 1975; Deming, Van Arsdol & Zayani, 1978; Hagopian & Zahlan, 1974; A.G. Hill, 1975, 1980a, b; Ibrahim, 1977; Karadayı et al., 1974; Khalifa, 1975; Kossaifi, 1980; Omran, 1973; Salih, 1976; Samman, 1976; Seklani, 1974; U.N., ECWA, 1978a, b; U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1980). Contributing to this growth is the fact that in the 1970s the Cairo Demographic Center and the Population Division of the United Economic Commission for Western Asia became two major, regional centers of demographic research on the Arab world (Tabbarah, Mamish & Gemayel, 1978). Another important factor has been the marked improvement in the volume, variety and quality of demographic data (United Nations, ECWA, 1979b).


A monolithic SiGe balanced frequency doubler has been designed and measured for Ku-band application. The circuit operates with a 2 V supply voltage and consumes only 28 mW of DC power when the doubler is biased close to class B operation, with an input power of 1.5 dBm. An output power of 5-6 dBm is obtained from 15.4-18 GHz and the fundamental suppression is better than 25 dB. It has a high power added efficiency (PAE) of 9.2% and occupies only 700/spl times/350 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ of chip area.


To the Editor: We read with interest the review on "Spiritual assessment and spiritual care" recently published in Pediatric Blood and Cancer by Robert et al.1 The paper addresses a theme that is often under-recognized in the pediatric oncology community. Spirituality is a fundamental aspect of young people's inner world and it is important to realize how the trauma of the diagnosis of cancer during childhood and especially adolescence may affect patients' spiritual sphere. Although the literature review by Robert et al was defined as "systematic," we were quite surprised that our work on this topic were not mentioned.2,3 In particular, our work suggested a model of care, describing the number of talks and the reason for offering spiritual assistance, as well as delineating the active role of the spiritual assistantwithin themultidisciplinary teamof thePediatricOncologyUnit of the IstitutoNazionale Tumori,2 that is daily visits to the unit's ward and outpatient clinic, meetings with the psychologists in the team every day, meetings with doctors and/or nurses twice a week, and involvement in the Youth Project to meet adolescents.4 Our second study described a survey conducted at pediatric oncology centers in Italy and Spain to examine the situation concerning the provision of spiritual support, implying that the role of the spiritual counselor in pediatric oncology was not adequate or standardized.3 Therefore, we would like to take advantage of this opportunity to emphasize two critical aspects that have not been addressed—or only marginally discussed—in the cited review. Firstly, an effective relationship between the spiritual assistant and young patients is critical to provide true spiritual support, and can be achieved only with the daily presence and involvement of the counselor from the beginning of the treatment pathway. Meeting the spiritual assistant every day, as a member of the multidisciplinary team, makes it easier for patients and families to accept the help he or she can offer. Secondly, our experience has demonstrated the importance of having an adequately trained spiritual counselor. A true story taught us that at the question "Why have I become ill? Why me?", a fragile young patient cannot receive an answer such as "You are being put to the test." Such a reply could lead to further psychological trauma and interfere with an already complicated care process. Spiritual counselors, who may have a central role in the everyday life of patients and their families, should have translation training, integratingmedical aswell as psychosocial aspects with spiritual knowledge. We believe that the presence of the spiritual assistant in the multidisciplinary pediatric oncology team should become a standard of care, a fundamental complement to the work of the psychological support team, and is the best way to face the spiritual sphere of young patients in order to sustain their hope,5 their self-esteem, their resilience, and their copingmechanisms.


In the CDM and many other hierarchical scenarios for the origins of large scale structure, the existence of luminous quasars at very high redshifts (z greater than 3 or 4) is difficult to understand, unless such objects form at the very highest peaks of the density field. One then might expect a strong clustering of quasars at large redshifts. This is a generic prediction for practically any reasonable primordial density fluctuation spectrum. For CDM, Efstathiou & Rees (1988) predicted that quasars at z greater than 4 should be clustered as strongly as the bright galaxies at z approx. than 0. Cole & Kaiser (1989) suggest that z greater than 4 quasars might represent greater than or approximately = 4(sigma) peaks of the density field and thus, should be clustered more strongly than galaxies at z approximately = 0. We are performing the following experiment: a search for quasars, AGN, or other discrete objects, e.g., starforming galaxies, near known, z greater than 4 quasars. In other words, use the early quasars as markers of possible protoclusters. This is a fairly basic test of our understanding of the formation of galaxies, large-scale structure, and the origin of the first quasars themselves.


Lowering down oxygen content in transition-metal oxides would inevitably result in the formation of oxygen vacancies (VO●●) or novel crystal structures. In this work, we used Cu to substitute Co...


Classroom culture plays an important role in the studies on teaching, for it may serve as a theoretical tool with which researchers can explore into the invisible underlying forces that shape and govern the behavior of teachers and learners in the classroom. However, as a new theory or notion, the important of classroom culture haven't been recognized by the linguistics and teachers in China. This paper intends to provide a general introduction of English classroom culture in China through literature review. Influenced by educational tradition, Chinese teachers are supposed to conduct students academically and non-academically with him as a model while western teachers' role is to facilitate the communicative process between all participants in the classroom, and to act as an independent participant within the learning-teaching group. The influence of such a general understanding of the teacher roles upon English teaching is pervasive. For example, in dealing with the relationship of English teaching and learning, the teacher roles in teaching are stressed, while students' learning process and their roles are ignored. In summary, the teachers' and students' role in class and the boring class form are all the by-products of Chinese educational tradition. More measures should be taken to change English classroom culture in China.


Faced with serious concrete deterioration from biogenic sulfide corrosion within collection systems, engineers and municipalities are extending the service life ofwastewater conveyance structures with the use of 100% solids polyamine systems designed for hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S)pmneation resistance. This article explaines how sewer interceptors, mlanboles, and lift stations were protected using fluid-applied linings.


The article reviews the exhibition "The Quick and the Dead" featuring the works of On Kawara, Lygia Clark and Robert Barry at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.


Medical textile is one of the important sector and the growing segment of the textile industry which includes medical, hygiene and health care sector. Medical textile material are classified on the basis of applications into four categories namely implantable textiles, non-implantable textiles, extracorporeal and health care and hygienic textiles. Aim of the present study was to explore the medical textile used in the selected government, private and multispeciality hospitals in the Kumaun region. Sixty hospitals comprising of government, private and multispecialty were included in the study. Information regarding use of nonimplantable textiles, extracorporeal textiles and healthcare and hygiene textile was collected. Results of the study indicate that extracorporeal textiles were used as least compared to non-implantable textiles and health and hygiene textiles.


This research aims to determine the effect of trust, ease of transaction, and promotion of online purchasing decisions of Shopee site users. This type of research is quantitative. This research is aimed at Shopee site users. Research time October-December 2019. Sample 100 respondents using incidental sampling techniques. The method of analysis uses multiple linear regression with SPSS software version 20. The results of the F test indicate that trust, ease of transaction, and promotion have a simultaneous and significant effect on online purchasing decisions of Shopee site users, while the results of t test indicate that trust has a positive and significant effect on purchasing decisions Shopee site users online. Ease of transaction has a positive and significant effect on the online purchasing decisions of Shopee site users. Promotion does not have a positive and significant effect on the online purchasing decisions of Shopee site users.


PURPOSE: A light source package, a LCD including a light source package and a manufacturing method thereof with a package case are provided to increase an emission area and reduce the cost. CONSTITUTION: A package case includes a bottom plate(1410) and light source mounting plate(1460) including a bottom plate panel. The light source mounting plate is bent form at least one end of a bottom plate and has plate part and the first angle of inclination. A light resource is mounted on the light source mounting plate. A package reflector(1480) is formed in inside of the package case to have a plate part of bottom plate and the second angle of inclination.


It is known from both theoretical and experimental investigations that St. Venant's assumption on the constancy of the shape of the cross section of girders in pure bending does not hold true in case of thin-walled sections. The greater flexibility than calculated according to ordinary bending theory of initially curved tubes, as experimentally found by Professor Bantlin, was perfectly explained by Professor von Kármán in 1911 on the assumption of a flattening of the section. In 1927 Brazier with the aid of the variational method determined exactly that the shape of an originally circular thin-walled bent cylinder corresponding to the least potential energy is quasi elliptical and that the cross section of the cylinder, therefore, must flatten, even if the centre line of the cylinder was originally straight. In consequence of the flattening St. Venant's linear law for the curvature loses its validity and the curvature increases more rapidly than the bending moment. For a certain value of the curvature the bending moment is a maximum, and after this value was reached the curvature increases even if the applied moment remains unchanged or decreases, fulfilling thereby the criterion of instability. This instability occurs when the rate of flattening, i.e., the maximum radial displacement of any point of the circumference of the tube divided by the original radius of the tube, will equal 2/9.


A large number of aminophosphines were prepared to study the kinetic processes. It could be shown that at room temperature there is rapid nitrogen-inversion but slow phosphorous-inversion. At higher temperatures ( + 80 °C), a rapid chlorine-exchange takes place with inversion of configuration at phosphorous. At low temperatures ( — 80 °C), rotation around the N-P-bond was slow. A dependence of the barrier of rotation on the size of the substituents could be recognized. It is possible that pπ-dπ-bonding is partially responsible for the relatively high barrier of rotation compared with derivatives of ethane and hydrazine.


INTRODUCTION As mediators of tumor-induced metabolic alterations monokines have been suggested to play an important role in causing some of these alterations. A streptococcus pyrogenes, OK-432, is a potent immunomodulator, whose effects on host metabolism in the tumor-bearing state have not been studied so far. If it can prolong the life of terminally ill patients, it should be able to alternate some of the tumor-induced metabolic alterations, which lead them to cancer cachexia. Furthermore OK432 has been reported to induce


A series of columnar liquid crystalline (LC) imidazolium tetrafluoroborate salts, l-methyl-3-{3,4,5-tris(alkyloxy)-benzyl}imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (Im-n; n = 6-18), where n is the carbon number of the aliphatic alkyl chains, have been prepared and studied as anisotropic ion-conductors. Their self-assembled structures in the fluid columnar LC states have been examined by X-ray diffraction measurements. In the columnar phases, the imidazolium portions self-assemble into the inner part of the columns through nano-segregation between the ionic and non-ionic parts driven by electrostatic interactions. The columns can be oriented macroscopically in two directions by different methods: the direction parallel to a glass surface by mechanical shearing; the direction perpendicular to the modified surface of a glass substrate with 3-(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane. Anisotropic ionic conductivities have been measured for columnar ionic liquids Im-8 and Im-12 that are aligned parallel to the surface of the glass substrate. These columnar ionic liquids have been found to function as one-dimensional ion-conductors.


We present the case of an adult with an extensive left frontal meningioma. He was scheduled for resection by craniotomy. During the surgery we used the density spectral array (DSA) and asymmetry obtained from Bispectral Index VISTA Monitoring System Bilateral. We observed a power increase in low frequency (0.1–4Hz) and alpha bands (8–12Hz) in the left hemisphere, where the meningioma was located. In this case, DSA was useful during and after the surgery because it provided information about the hemisphere with maximum brain activity and its subsequent normalization, whichmay reflect the effectiveness of the surgery.


e13600 Background: Aberrant forms of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple human cancers and represent rational therapeutic targets. Crizotinib (PF-02341066), a dual ALK/MET tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has demonstrated significant activity in ALK-fusion positive lung cancer patients. Unfortunately, as with other TKIs in clinical use, patients who initially respond to crizotinib eventually display disease progression. New agents and combinations of targeted therapies are needed to improve the care of these patients.

METHODS
We report identification and characterization of X-376 and X-396, two potent and highly specific ALK small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). These agents were tested against crizotinib in cancer cell lines harboring ALK fusions as well as activating ALK point mutations. Xenograft studies were completed in mice harboring EML4-ALK E13;A20 fusion positive tumors. In addition, X-376 and X-396 were tested in combination with the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin.

RESULTS
X-376 and X-396 were 3-fold and 10-fold more potent, respectively, than PF-1066 in H3122 lung adenocarcinoma cells harboring an EML4-ALK E13;A20 fusion (IC50: PF-1066 180nM, X-376 77nM, X-396 15nM). Similar results were obtained with H2228 lung cancer cells, SUDHL-1 lymphoma cells, and SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, which harbor an EML4-ALK E6a/b;A20 fusion, an NPM-ALK fusion, and an activating point mutation within the ALK kinase domain (F1174L), respectively. In H3122 xenograft studies, both X-376 and X-396 demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity in vivo with favorable pharmacokinetic and toxicity profiles. The gatekeeper mutant (L1196M) engineered into the EML4-ALK E13;A20 fusion variant was more potently inhibited by X-396 compared to PF-1066. Finally, X-396 displayed synergistic anti-tumor activity in vitro when combined with the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin.

CONCLUSIONS
These novel ALK inhibitors and combinations of ALK inhibitors plus mTOR inhibitors have the potential to improve the therapeutic outcomes of patients with mutant ALK-driven malignancies. X-396 is expected to enter clinical trials later this year.


This study aims at evaluating the performance of Natural Rubber/organomodified kaolin vulcanizates to ascertain its suitability for tire sidewall applications. The cure characteristics, filler dispersion, tensile and tear properties and De-Mattia flex fatigue characteristics of natural rubber (NR) filled with 2-10 phr of Rubber Seed Oil (RSO), and Tea Seed Oil (TSO) modified kaolin developed specifically for tire sidewall applications were assessed. The NR compounds containing RSO and TSO modified kaolin showed lower optimum cure time (t90 at 150°C) as against that containing the same dosage of unmodified kaolin. The results show significant increases in tensile modulus, tensile strength and tear strength for the NR vulcanizates containing the organomodified kaolins, compared to vulcanizates containing unmodified kaolin. TSO modified kaolin vulcanizates at 6phr showed better resistance to crack initiation and flex fatigue failure. The SEM and AFM micrographs of the vulcanizates containing organomodified kaolins also showed an excellent uniform dispersion of the filler particles in the NR matrix. The results obtained for Natural Rubber/Tea Seed Oil modified kaolin vulcanizates at 10phr shows a short optimum cure time, high maximum torque, better tear strength, excellent resistance to crack initiation and flex fatigue behaviour. These indicate that the Natural Rubber/Tea Seed Oil modified kaolin vulcanizates are preferred materials for tire sidewall applications.


The responsibility of teachers is to help students to develop their maximum potential. The purpose of this study is to describe the role of teachers as motivators to develop the potential of students who must develop at SDN Neglasari Cicare, Serang City Province. Banten, not only dealing with intelligence and skill problems, but rather covering all aspects of personality. That is, students are difficult to participate in learning to overcome the lack of discipline of students, teachers often guide and advise students during the learning process The task of the teacher is not only to guide students, but the task of a teacher must be able to build a comfortable learning atmosphere in the classroom so that students can receive learning well. This research method uses qualitative descriptiveness. Lokasih this research at SDN Neglasari cipare, Serang City Prov. Bantam . The primary data sources used include homeroom teachers in class III, data collection techniques used are observation, interviews and documentation.data collection techniques are by using evidence sources, data reduction, data presentation, conclusion drawing


The non-renewablity of resource and the situation of resource-based enterprises decides that the Petroleum enterprise of Daqing must carry out the economic transition at the appropriate time to realize the sustainable development.Based on the economic transition rule of resource-based cities,and took into account of the situation and problem of Daqing prtroleum enterprise,it pointed out measures for policy innovation of economic transition of Daqing petroleum enterprise on the following seven aspect,improving the independent innovation capabilities in enterprises,enhancing the exploration of petroleum,expansing the industrial chain of oil and gas,completing the industrial clusters of the oil resource,increasing market share of engineering technology serve,enlarging the sustaining industry of petroleum,improving the process of urbanization in mining area,and making service industrialization.


The technique of taking Debye-Scherrer photographs of various modifications of carbon using standard 9 cm. and 19 cm. cameras of the Bradley type is described. The method of using the curves from a manually operated null deflexion microphotometer of the Dobson type to calculate the crystallite dimensions of the carbons is explained, in which a new definition of line broadening is used. The variations in crystallite dimensions of different carbons calculated on the new basis are included. A brief account is given of the advantages of using the 19 cm. diameter camera to show details which are completely lost when the 9 cm. diameter camera is used.


Statistical analysis of the resistance data for methodical series hull forms will provide the designer with a rapid means of predicting the power, even at the preliminary design stage. This paper reports a regression analysis that has been performed on the DTMB Series 64 resistance data; this is one of the most extensive series covering round-bilge hull forms for small high-speed vessels that is available. A comparison of the results obtained by regression analysis with those obtained by interpolating the original data confirms the usefulness of the method and illustrates the effects of various geometrical parameters on ship resistance.


Objective, Topics, and General Orientation The objective of the proposed symposium is to stimulate discussion and encourage research on the dynamic relationship between the self and consumer contexts. Researchers have argued that consumers evaluate and choose brands on the basis of whether they express aspects of the self to others, or fulfill some selfenhancement or self-verification goal. Although research has clearly shown that consumers evaluate and choose brands based on these self-related motivations (thereby forming self-brand connections (SBC), several research questions remain unanswered—Are there important moderators to consider that would further illuminate the relationship between the self and consumption? Additionally, research has explored the influence of brand evaluations on SBC, but to what extent might SBC affect brand evaluations? Finally, a major assumption is that consumers bring salient and relevant self concepts to the brand consumption context, however to what extent might the consumption context influence consumers' self concepts? The aim of this session is to shed some light on these research questions. Paper #1, by Escalas and Bettman, questions the simple manner in which researchers currently view how consumers' views of the self drive consumption and present findings on how selfenhancement goals and brand symbolism moderate the influence of brand meaning on self-brand connections. Paper #2, by Cheng, White and Chaplin, challenges the unidirectional assumption that brand evaluations/attitudes determine SBC, and present results that suggest a feedback effect. Specifically, the authors suggest that when consumers make a SBC, brand-evaluation will become an important component of self-evaluation, and therefore, is likely to be affected by whether consumers make SBC. Paper #3, by Forehand, Perkins, and Reed II, add another dimension of complexity to the relationship between the self-concept and consumer contexts by questioning whether consumers always bring their identities to the context. The authors present evidence to show that social identities are automatically influenced by contextual information about others. Each paper moves away from the simple way in which researchers currently view the role of the self-concept in consumer contexts and provides empirical evidence to shed some light on the dynamic nature of this relationship (e.g., introducing moderators and challenging assumptions). In summary, this session presents a dynamic view of the relationship between consumers' self-concepts and consumption activities. That is, while consumers' views of the self drive consumption, these views are also constantly being shaped by the consumption context itself. This perspective paves new avenues for research, such as the potential for consumption activities to transform consumers (via transformation of self-concept) and for contextual factors to determine the self-consumption relationship. The proposed session will serve as a good platform for researchers who are interested in the relationship between the self-concept and consumption as well as those interested in advertising and branding, to communicate and develop possible future research.


An experimental and theoretical study of free convection heat transfer for a cylinder placed in an iron test section of dimensions  (0.2x0.2x0.2 m3), the test section filled with saturated porous material glass balls   (5 mm), and the air is the working fluid with Raleigh number (7692.6 ≤ Ra ≤ 17654). The circular cylinder heater (D = 0.015 m, L = 0.2 m) is heated electrically, made of Copper and located in different positions (in X & Y direction). The theoretical part includes solving the free convection heat transfer using the ANSYS program (fluent). The experimental and theoretical results showed that the surface temperature values around the cylinder perimeter when changing its position within the test section are changing as moving up and down where the effect of buoyancy force appears. The maximum difference between the upper and lower position at the experimental result is 7.22%, and the average Nusselt number increases with Raleigh number and heat flux. Also, the experimental results showed that the use of porous material significantly improves the heat transfer by 48.6%. The maximum percentage change between the experimental and theoretical results is 5.46%. Moreover, experimental correlations were achieved, and a comparison was performed between the present results with the previous studies and it gives a good agreement.


(PTCC: 1643) were obtained as lyophilized ampoules. Zataria multiflora essence was extracted using the Clevenger apparatus. Serial dilutions of 0.2% CHX and Zataria multiflora essence were prepared. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of CHX and essence of Zataria multiflora were determined using the modified Epsilometer test. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test and SPSS version 18. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The MIC levels of 0.2% CHX and Zataria multiflora for S. mutans and L. acidophilus were (0.00125,0.01) and (0.005,0.04) mg/ml, respectively. The antibacterial activity of CHX (0.2%) was more than Zataria multiflora essence. The antibacterial activity of 0.2% CHX and Zataria multiflora against S. mutans was more than L. acidophilus . Conclusion: Chlorhexidine is more active and effective against S. mutans and L. acidophilus strains compared with Zataria multiflora essential oil.


The spectral method is based on the assumption of exponential forms of autocorrelation functions of the input and output time series. The results of practical applications of the spectral method on several karst springs in Croatia show that this assumption cannot always be reliably applied to the time series of rainfall and spring discharge, especially if short time periods are analysed. For this reason, the method is modified. The scale factor between the transfer function of total rainfall and the transfer function of groundwater recharge is considered as an additional model parameter which is determined in the optimization procedure. In addition to the theoretical background, this paper also presents the results of application of the modified spectral method on the springs Jadro and Žrnovnica located in the Dinaric karst area in Croatia. The parameters of groundwater recharge model are determined separately for both the springs and the obtained values are discussed and compared with the results of previous investigations. The values of the scale factors determined in the optimization procedure are compared to the values calculated using the theoretical equation. The comparison shows that the theoretical equation underestimates the optimal values of the scale factor. The underestimations are especially evident for periods of one year. Finally, the characteristics of rainfall–runoff relations of two springs are compared using the identified transfer functions and the results of simulations of the periodogram of observed discharge by the parametric periodogram. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Traditional ways of developing adaptive FIR filter have the disadvantages of low efficiency and much difficulty.A model of 16-taps adaptive FIR filter based on the DLMS algorithms was designed based on the DSP Builder.The simulation and test results verified the correctness of the design.The FPGA implementation of the filter was based on the Cyclone Ⅱ series.The top frequency of the filter achieved 82.07 MHz,which indicated that the throughput of DLMS was more higher than usual ones.


We report the preparation of a furan polymer, poly(2,5-furandimethylene succinate) by means of a condensation reaction between bio-based monomers. A reversible Diels–Alder reaction between furan and maleimide groups allowed the formation of network polymers cross-linked by a bismaleimide. By controlling the amount of the bismaleimide, mechanical properties were varied widely. These network polymers healed well when their broken surfaces were activated by bismaleimide solutions or solvent. The polymers also displayed excellent self-healing ability without external stimulus. This polymer class offers a wide range of possibilities to produce materials from biomass that have both practical mechanical properties and healing ability. These materials have the potential to bring great benefits to our daily lives by enhancing the safety, performance, and lifetime of products.


Using the high resolution ground control points measured by satellite-based DGPS(Differential Global Positioning System),this paper compared two geometric correction methods for SPOT 5 1A data and analyzed the causes of correction errors. The results show that the accuracy of the orthorectification model method is better than that of the polynomial method.The errors of the polynomial method in Y axis are bigger than those in X axis,but the error difference in Y axis and in X axis is not obvious for the orthorectification model method.The pixel distortion caused by the satellite observation angle is the main cause for the bigger errors of the polynomial method.


The company's activities can not be separated from the receipt of funds, the receipt of funds must have a good system to support the activities of the company oprasional. To avoid misuse or abuse of the receipt of funds, then the company must use a good system for receiving funds. In the Job Training Report this author uses the method of writing based on literature study and eld study. Writing literature study based on the search reference books to get the necessary and relevant theory. Field studies of writing done by doing practical work directly with the data retrieval is done by direct observation and interviews. The activity aims to determine the system for receiving the funds used in CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (Kadin) DKI Jakarta. System of the receipt of funds which are used by companies to record every transaction that occurs is done using computer media. So I can run computer applications used in applying the science of accounting rms.


Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is the main viral cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in children. Little information about the molecular epidemiology of HRSV in developing countries, such as Argentina, is available. By RT‐PCR, we subgrouped 353 HRSV isolates over six consecutive epidemic seasons (1999–2004) and few isolates from 1997. Between them, 232 (65.7%) belonged to subgroup A and 121 (34.3%) to subgroup B. Therefore, the nucleotide, amino‐acid variability and phylogenetic relations of 78 HRSV subgroup A isolates, were analyzed using RFLP and sequence analysis of the G‐protein gene. The results showed that there were two main restriction patterns (PA1 and PA2) and two previously described genotypes (GA2 and GA5) cocirculating in Buenos Aires, without evidence of alternation between them during the studied period. The Argentine sequences were compared with previously reported molecular data from other countries. It showed that viruses genetically related circulated the same years within neighboring countries and the sequences from long‐distant places were closely related to Argentine sequences, but they belonged to different sampling years. The data reported here support the growing database on the molecular diversity of HRSVA circulating in Latin America in children under 2 years of age and contributes to describe the pattern of global spread of this virus. J. Med. Virol. 77:302–310, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Aim: This study investigated the differences between trainee and consultant general surgeons in their intraoperative risk assessment, risk tolerance and decision making. Method: A sample of 13 consultant general surgeons and 14 trainee general surgeons from 3 Scottish hospitals were interviewed while observing three videotapes of gall bladder surgery (laparoscopic cholecystectomy). Decision making and risk assessment were examined by requesting them to verbalise their cognitive processes at two decision points when the videotape was paused. They also completed a short risk tolerance and skills judgement questionnaire. Results and Discussion: There were no significant differences between consultant surgeon and trainee risk ratings (1-7) at the first or second decision points in any of the 3 videos. Consultants' and trainees' risk-taking preference scores were not significantly different. The interview results are currently being analysed and will be presented in the poster at the meeting.


Polymerizable derivatives of an antidiabetic N-(4-aminobenzenesulfonyl)-N′-butylurea were prepared. Hypoglycemic effects of sodium salts of the starting drug, the monomers, and their copolymers with N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide were investigated.


Wolter J. Fabrycky, Lawrence Professor Emeritus of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech and Chairman, Academic Applications International, Inc. Registered Professional Engineer in Arkansas (1960) and Virginia (1965). Ph.D. in Engineering, Oklahoma State University (1962); M.S. in Industrial Engineering, University of Arkansas (1958); B.S. in Industrial Engineering, Wichita State University (1957). Taught at Arkansas (1957-60) and Oklahoma State (1962-65) and then joined Virginia Tech in 1965. Served as Founding Chairman of Systems Engineering, Associate Dean of Engineering, and then as University Dean of Research over a period of 12 years. Received the Lohmann Medal from Oklahoma State for Outstanding Contributions to ISE Education and Research (1992) and the Armitage Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Logistics Engineering Literature (2004). Received the Holtzman Distinguished Educator Award from the Institute of Industrial Engineers (1990) and the Pioneer Award from the International Council on Systems Engineering (2000). Founder (2005) and President of the Omega Alpha Association: the Systems Engineering Honor Society and President of Alpha Pi Mu: the Industrial Engineering Honor Society (2010-12). Elected to the rank of Fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1980), the American Society for Engineering Education (2007), the Institute of Industrial Engineers (1978), and the International Council on Systems Engineering (1999). Served or serving on the Boards of ABET, APM, ASEE, IIE, INCOSE, and OAA. Co-author of six Prentice Hall textbooks and Editor of the Pearson Prentice Hall International Series in Industrial and Systems Engineering.


This study examines the influence of economic integration, both real and financial, on exchange market pressure (EMP), along with considering external monetary and economic policy uncertainties. Our analysis is based on a group of Asian emerging markets over the period 2000-2018, which covers the global financial crisis and taper tantrum episodes, which have heightened monetary and economic policy uncertainty. By bringing improvements in modeling, and EMP measurement, a time series analysis shows an overall buffering role of real and financial integration on EMP, albeit with a country-level heterogeneity. Similarly, there is a country-level heterogeneity in the foreign exchange market response to monetary and economic policy uncertainties with surging effects in most cases. A panel analysis supports also these results. This research highlights that the current trend of deglobalization may hamper the stabilizing benefit of economic integration given the global policy uncertainty in the foreign exchange market.


Acquisition is the most common method for introducing new technology into organizations, but security and integrity are difficult to guarantee using conventional acquisition techniques. Best practices for secure acquisition are an essential part of the general education process in cybersecurity.


Recently one of the main issues in diesel engine is reduction of emissions. Especially, NOx and PM are important because Euro 6 regulation which demands 55.6% NOx reduction is enforced in 2014. One of the effective ways to reduce engine-out NOx and PM emissions is a LTC method. LTC is implemented by high EGR rate to reduce oxygen concentration. Low oxygen concentration makes combustion temperature low and ignition delay much longer. So it suggests the possibility of reduction NOx and PM simultaneously. But because of low oxygen concentration, combustion efficiency is bad and CO and HC emissions are increasing sharply. To reduce the CO and HC emissions, many researches have been performed, especially about swirl motion. However there are a few papers about injection strategies on LTC to improve emission problem. So this paper focused on the effects of multiple injections on emissions when high EGR rate is applied. Experiments were done by sweeping the second injection timing form BTDC 46 CA to ATDC 10 CA. The result shows CO emission decrease drastically at some points with other emissions same level. So it can aid to maintain the stable combustion of LTC.


The invention relates to the technical field of pesticides, and discloses a compound herbicide for a wheat field. The compound herbicide comprises two active components, namely pyrasulfotole and clodinafop acid, wherein the weight ratio of the pyrasulfotole to the clodinafop acid is (3:100) to (75:4); the pyrasulfotole and the clodinafop acid account for 0.5-85 mass percent of the compound herbicide. After the two active components, namely the pyrasulfotole and the clodinafop acid, are compounded, the weed control effect is improved by using the complementarity between the two active components; the defects of using the two active components independently is overcome; gramineous weeds of the wheat paddock can be prevented and killed; the broad-leaved weeds also can be prevented and killed; the compound herbicide has significant synergism. The herbicide composition has an obvious weeding effect and high safety to wheat, does not have influence on after-reap crops, and is an ideal herbicide.


The potential of activated carbon as a filler in rubber compound has been reviewed .Cure characteristics and physical properties of ImperataCylindrica activated carbon filled natural rubber of Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR L) were studied. SMR L was used as the elastomer and the composition of filler loading were varied from 0-50 parts per hundred rubber (phr). A semi-efficient vulcanization system was used throughout the study. The cure characteristics of the rubber compound was determined by using rheometer. The samples of hardness and resilience were measured by durometer shore A and Wallace Dunlop Tripsometer. Cure characteristics showed that cure time, t90 and scorch time,t2 increased as increased filler loading which indicate poor interaction between rubber and filler which slow down the vulcanization time. Minimum torque,ML and maximum torque,MH increased as increased filler loading due to the low processability of the SMR L compounds. Crosslink density and hardness exhibit increment as increased filler loading due to increase rigidity of the SMR L compounds. The resilience will decrease correspondingly as increased in rigidity of the compounds.


According to risk perception theory,the impact of consumers' communication behaviors on the risk avoidance behaviors under the food risk perception is investigated through empirical research. It is discovered that nowadays consumers in China are all worried about the food risk and their communication behaviors under the food risk perception are active,and those behaviors are more accurate to predict the consumers' risk avoidance behaviors than the risk perception itself.


Soft computing research is concerned with the integration of artificial intelligent tools in a complementary hybrid framework for solving real world problems. This work presents a simulation of artificial human arm. The work includes mathematical modeling of the kinematics and the dynamics of the human arm. The model permits direct forward dynamics simulation, which accurately predicts arm position, also presents a solution to the inverse problem of determining set of joints angle to achieve a given position or motion. This paper tries to explore the potential of using soft computing methodologies in control of plant (human arm). It presents a PD tuning method that uses a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) as a main gain of PD tuning using multi objective to improve the time response of system such settling time and overshoot. This paper presents a strategy based on combine's analytical solutions with nonlinear optimization algorithm solutions to solution the IKP. A analytical solutions is used to reduce the size of problem from seven variable of joint angle to single variable and nonlinear optimization algorithm was used to find approximate solution which make the computation time is very small.


Computer basic course is a public basic course in medical colleges,has long been the traditional teaching,it can not adapt to the current requirements for students. The characteristics of computer basic course in medical college students,analyses the feasibility of task driven teaching model in medical college,by tracking experiment on two classes of the task driven teaching with traditional teaching,finally provided the superiority as driven teaching model.


Let f(u) be twice continuously differentiable on [0, c]) for some constant c such that f(0) > 0,f′ ⩾ 0,f″ ⩾ 0, and limu→cf(u) = ∞. Also, let χ(S) be the characteristic function of the set S. This article studies all solutions u with non-negative ut, in the region where u < c and with continuous ux for the problem: uxx – ut = − f(u)χ({u < c}), 0 < x < a, 0 < t < ∞, subject to zero initial and first boundary conditions. For any length a larger than the critical length, it is shown that if ∫f(u) du < ∞, then as t tends to infinity, all solutions tend to the unique steady-state profile U(x), which can be computed by a derived formula; furthermore, increasing the length a increases the interval where U(x) c by the same amount. For illustration, examples are given.


This report described the current status of the cold chain. mainly focusing on (i) demand for the cold chain, (ii) the activities of the main players, and (iii) government policies in Thailand, Viet Nam, Indonesia, the Lao PDR, and Myanmar. We investigated the pathways to improve the cold chain by detecting choke points and opportunities in each country and obtained various findings and suggestions. This chapter summarises the abovementioned three key issues as well as policy implications for the development of the cold chain.


Sinorhizobium sp. strain HAMBI 2180, marked with the β-glucuronidase (GUS) encoding gusA gene, was used for studying the effect of heat stress on the symbiotic interaction between Acacia senegal seedlings and Sinorhizobium sp. in growth cabinet conditions. The infection process, observed during 18 days after inoculation, was delayed at a root temperature of 40°C compared to a root temperature of ≤38°C, but nodulation was retarded already at 38°C. At 42°C no nodules were formed. At this root temperature the development of lateral roots and root hairs was one week delayed. Although the roots had normally deformed root hairs in addition to abnormally deformed ones, only disintegrated infection threads were present. However, the ability to form symbiosis was reversible. Nitrogen-fixing nodules developed on those parts of the roots which were formed after completion of the thermal stress at 42°C. A root temperature of 42°C did not affect the numbers of culturable rhizobia in the A. senegal rhizosphere.


Abstract This paper investigates the hypothesized dominance of the power structure of Detroit by a few families over several generations. Twelve families were identified as the established upper socioeconomic class in Detroit from 1900 to 1970. They appear to be caste-like, rather than class-like, in nature. These results are interpreted in the light of authors like Mills, Dahrendorf, and Zeitlin.


BP neural networks is a parallel distributed mathematical model of information processing algorithms which mimics the neural network behavior of the human brain,it has promising prospect in iron and steel industry research.The basic theory,basic features,structure and work pattern of BP neural networks are described,and the current situation of its application in iron and steel industry is introduced.Finally limitations of application are pointed out while its future development is also prospected.


The organoleptic flavor of liquor changes with the development of social condition.The innovation of organoleptic flavor originates from technological innovation.The specialties of organoleptic flavor differ from liquor styles,whereas the Luzhou style liquor has its own organoleptic flavor character.


Observational evidence of an effect of live vegetation moisture content on fire spread rate remains extremely scarce despite the significance of fire activity in fuel complexes dominated by live components. This study assessed the moisture content effect of quasi-live fuels on fire spread rates measured in laboratory experiments. Fuel beds were built by vertically placing vegetation clippings to reproduce the natural upright fuel structure. The fuel drying process during storage resulted in a wide moisture content range (13–180%). An exponential damping function was fitted to rate of spread observations in four fuel types, indicating that rate of spread is halved by an increase in live moisture content from 50 to 180%. This effect, especially at higher moisture contents, was weaker than that predicted by theoretical formulations and from studies in mixtures of dead and live fuel.


The invention relates to a complex formulation herbicide for protective cultivation of corn field, which is characterized in that the raw materials concretely comprises the following components by weight ratio: atrazine 10-15%, bromo benzonitrile 4-6%, pendimetalin 12-16%, thifensulfuron methyl 2%-4%, methanol 20-35%, Runong 160 5-8%, glycerol 1-4%, silicone oil 0.02-0.06%, sodium alginate 0.5-0.8% and deionized water which is added up to 100%. The herbicide has the advantages of good weeding effect, wide weeding spectrum, harmless and safety to the protective cultivation of corn field, etc.


Healthcare reform has been a constant phenomenon for the last two decades, regardless of being Bismarckian or Beveridgean. The launch of new reforms has increased in pace to a point that was defined, in a recent BMJ article on the UK National Health Service, as 'constant redisorganisation'. Most of the policy analysis literature on healthcare reforms has been of Anglo-American origin. Consequently, a study on the German health insurance based system is very welcome, indeed, long overdue.


The thermal behavior and crystal transformation of poly(p-benzamide) are reported. Modification I contains both solvent (N,N-dimethylacetamide) and LiCl in its crystal lattice. Modification II is likely to form a complex crystal with LiCl, whereas crystalline modification III contains neither solvent nor LiCl in its unit cell. The crystal transformation temperature from modification I to II is 214°C, and the crystal–nematic transition temperatures of modification II and III are 475 and 544°C, respectively. Modification III can be obtained from II by heating above 475°C and cooling, or by washing with water. It can also be obtained from modification I by washing with water and annealing.


Gastro‐oesophageal reflux is thought to cause chronic laryngitis through laryngopharyngeal reflux. Response of laryngitis to treatment with acid‐suppressive therapy supports this causal link.


In recent years in particular, the detrimental impacts of dust storms around the world has become a matter of much concern. In this phenomenon, the movement of fine particles may fall into two categories of dry and wet depositions. It is a common practice to model dust deposition by a network of various resistances as it facilitates to characterize the impact of each mechanism on the overall rate of dry deposition. In this study, fewer assumptions are considered in comparison to previous models. The proposed model covers a wider range of conditions and also includes the impact of thermophoresis. Moreover, the complicated calculations of atmospheric stability and wind friction velocity are replaced with a simpler algorithm by using the meteorological data such as wind speed. The reliability of the modified deposition model is confirmed when compared with the available field data from the literature with good agreement both qualitatively and quantitatively. Citation: Abbasi A, Malayeri MR, Setodeh P (2018) A Revamped Model of Dust Storm Dry Deposition. J Earth Sci Clim Change 9: 486. doi: 10.4172/2157-7617.1000486


FILTERING INTERNET CONTENT IN LIBRARIES If you are reading this book as a librarian who is not under pressure to filter your library's public-access computers, congratulations. You are to be lauded for your forethought and planning. Obtaining this book and planning your strategy--before the Internet content issue explodes in your library--is commendable. As Internet filtering expert Karen G. Schneider says, "The time to prepare for the Internet content issue is before it becomes a problem. It's hard to think with a gun at your head" (Schneider, 1997). For those of you who are under pressure from parental groups, community organizations, or your administration, you have my condolences. You should skip all the background information presented in these first few chapters and turn right to the "Alternatives to Filters" section. Actually, you have probably already done that. Having flipped to that section first, desperately seeking a silver bullet alternative--something you could stick on the computers to appease the clamoring crowds without censoring any content--you have turned back to the beginning. In disappointment, you are continuing your search. Most librarians have been touched by the Internet filtering debate. Public concerns about Internet access are real, and pressures to add filtering devices in libraries are growing. As of this writing a new federal appropriations bill mandating filtering products in schools and libraries receiving federal e-rate subsidies has just been passed. At least five states require filters or policies that restrict minors' Internet access in their public and school libraries (Stone, D., personal communication, Dec. 28, 2000). Even those libraries not under filtering mandates may begin to feel some filtering heat. According to one high-tech industry survey, an astonishing 92% of Americans believe schools should use software filters to block pornography; 72% of Americans want filters to block hate speech (Salkowski, 2000). In an articulate piece about filtering shortcomings, Joe Salkowski wrote in the Chicago Tribune that politicians will continue to advocate filters even though they do not work. "Why? Because even though filters are bad software, they make good politics" (Salkowski, 2000). The issue of filtering Internet content is not just a public or school library issue. Academic, community college, and special libraries are affected. Pornography problems are even within the hallowed halls of law libraries, reveals one survey of these types of libraries. The problem was so serious one law library had installed a mechanical filter, another recommended privacy screens, and others had strategically positioned their public access computers or were using student assistants as roving deterrence, all alternatives discussed in this report (Trammell, R., taken from personal e-mail, Dec. 20, 2000). One of the reasons I accepted this research topic was so that, as a library director of an academic library, I could find an effective filtering alternative. My pressure was coming not from the public, but from my fellow library employees. Just days after I attended a sexual harassment seminar, several staff members expressed their outrage at the graphic sexual images our college students were viewing in the Reference Room. Having discussed at length the legal dangers of displaying sexually explicit pictures at work, I began searching for a workable alternative to a filter for this library. Though the sexual harassment aspect of the Internet controversy has not received as much attention as children's access, library employers should be aware of this volatile issue. Federal sexual harassment protections shield all employees from "a hostile work environment." According to the federal agency responsible for enforcing discriminatory harassment issues, no workplace may subject their employees to "displays of `girlie pictures' and other offensive conduct . …


Unver H., E. Sakar, M. Ulas, S.Ercisli, B. E. Ak (2016): Molecular characterization of indigenous olive genotypes based on SSR analysis. Genetika, Vol 48, No.3, 1017 1025. Trees of 25 widely grown olive genotypes were analyzed using a set of 10 SSR (simple sequence repeat) primer pairs and to evaluate genetic diversity and reveal inter-cultivar relationships. Two well-known international olive cultivars (Chetoni and Manzanilla) and four widely grown Turkish standard cultivars (Aycalik, Edincik Su, Gemlik, Kilis Yaglik) are also included in the study to compare Kilis genotypes. The 10 polymorphic SSR loci exhibited 4 (UDO4) to 17 alleles (UDO43), with expected heterozygozity (He) ranging from 0.510 to 0.887 and a mean of 0.692 presenting high polymorphism. In this study we did not determine identical genotypes and Polateli4 and Kilis Yağlık (0.75), Polateli3 and Polateli7 (0.75) and Polateli6 and Manzanilla (0.70) revealed the highest similarity ratio each other. The most genetically divergent cultivars were Elbeyli8 and Musabeyli5 (0.10); Elbeyli3 and Musabeyli7 (0.15) and Musabeyli6 and Elbeyli7 (0.15), respectively


1 Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Jeonbuk National University-Biomedical Research Institute of Jeonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Nazareth General Hospital, Daegu, Korea, Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA


As research becomes more and more interdisciplinary, literature search from CD-ROM databases is often carried out on more than one CD-ROM database. This results in retrieving duplicate records due to same literature being covered (indexed) in more than one database. The retrieval software does not identify such duplicate records. Three different programs have been written to accomplish the task of identifying the duplicate records. These programs are executed from a shell script to minimize manual intervention. The various fields that have been used (extracted) to identify the duplicate records include the article title, year, volume number, issue number and pagination. The shell script when executed prompts for input file that may contain duplicate records. The programs identify the duplicate records and write them to a new file.


Within recent years, the development of knowledge concerning the capacity for many strains of hemolytic streptococci to produce in broth cultures a substance which has certain resemblances to a soluble bacterial toxin has opened the field for study of a similar substance in other forms of streptococci. Following the discovery by Small 1 and Birkhaug 2 of indifferent streptococci in blood cultures of some patients with rheumatic fever, the latter observer investigated the capacity of these peculiar cocci to produce this kind of toxic filtrate, and he found that a much higher proportion of indifferent strains produced such toxic filtrates than did green streptococci. He also found that persons who had suffered from rheumatic fever were more susceptible to intracutaneous injections with these toxic filtrates than were other groups of persons, and consequently suggested that these micro-organisms might be the specific etiologic agents in this disease. Later, Kaiser 3 reported


Several studies have proposed meta-models for textual representations of use cases. Each of these meta-models has different goals and viewpoints, with either varying concepts and relationships or different semantics for the same concept. In Model-Driven Engineering approaches where there is no compatible proposal or a more appropriate viewpoint, or where there is no intention to limit the approach to a specific use case format, it might be difficult to choose between these proposals. Aiming at a generic textual representation, this paper presents a meta-model based on an analysis of 20 studies, chosen through a survey, that propose templates or meta-models. The more common elements of these studies are represented in a meta-model, together with their more frequent attributes. The goal is to create an essential and easily extendable meta-model that can be used directly in Model-Driven Engineering activities.


Albania continues to be a high risk country in ritualistic criminal activities, due to absence of appropriate legislation to fully and institutionally react with proper measures to condemn the perpetrators. Enforcement agencies are facing serious challenges regarding efforts to combat this phenomenon, due to lack of trainings and information. Investigators are having many difficulties to identify and professionally prevent, investigate or reveal the core scopes of these criminal acts. The crimes committed in fulfillment of the rituals of secret cults, abusing vulnerable persons until the loss of their lives, have been unknown until recent years to the Albanian reality. In the US and Europe there is a long history and criminological studies, which have subsequently dictated the legal and institutional reforms of the respective states. Regarding cruelty and danger in public security elements, this kind of activities has been reported continuously with high level of concern by media outlet and civil society, which repeatedly emphasize the risks of deterioration of this illegal activity. In 2020-2021, according to media reports and official statements of the State Police, 4 people lost their lives in mysterious circumstances, where the collected evidence raised strong doubts about the application of rituals by secret sects. All four victims were attached to alternative rituals and beliefs, and esoteric items and signs were found, proving their participation in certain circumstances. By the end of this year, Albania is planning to adopt new criminal code with new relevant articles in order to improve national anti-crime strategies. In the above context, the new legislation and the amendments on this regards, are very important to track, denounce and punishes such ritualistic activities toward human beings and animal as well. This paper aims to analyze the current situation and to point out the challenges that Albania is facing to combat the ritualistic organized criminal activity, focusing mainly on legislation amendments and other institutional or education reforms. During these analyses, will be given other European and western in comparative way, in order to explore the best system adaptable to our national security necessities. This paper will analyze also the notion of occult criminology, including their reasoning and definition, raising some questions as follows: What is the cause of these crimes in Albania? What are the categories of victims who lose their lives from these rituals and what is their victimlogy profiling? What is the profile of the perpetrators and the ideology they follow for committing these crimes? At the end of this paper, in addition to the general conclusions that have been presented, a special part is preserved to figure out some recommendations, which should be taken into account by law enforcement agencies in order to intensify the activity and improve legislation to prevent this kind of criminal activity in Albania. This paper aims also to realize and identify the damage caused by occult crimes, their main causes in the Albanian reality and the measures that must be taken to prevent them in the future. The subjects of these crimes are different and their division and identification enables the development of an appropriate strategy for their prevention. The typology of crimes will be analyzed through legal proposals and statistics of recent years related to this typology of crime. The dynamics of these crimes will also be taken into account in the analysis. Another importance is the increase of awareness for occult crimes, which is another goal of this paper.

Received: 10 September 2022 / Accepted: 21 October 2022 / Published: 30 November 2022