Angiogenesis is in part mediated by the interaction and cross-talk of endothelial cells with their surrounding extracellular matrix microenvironment. SPARC is a collagenand growth factorbinding matricellular glycoprotein thought to modulate angiogenesis by binding VEGF. VEGF is a potent pro-angiogenic molecule that signals through two cell surface receptors, VEGF receptor 1 and 2 (VEGFR1 and VEGFR2). While pro-angiogenic properties of SPARC may be explained by its interference with VEGF-mediated activation of VEGFR1, the underlying mechanism behind its anti-angiogenic properties is unknown. My study demonstrates for the first time that SPARC binding to VEGF decreases VEGF-mediated VEGFR2 phosphorylation and activation of downstream effectors ERK, p38, and Akt. Moreover, I show that SPARC inhibits VEGFmediated cell migration. Overall, my data suggest that SPARC exerts anti-angiogenic effects by inhibiting VEGF-induced VEGFR2 signaling. This study supports further investigation of SPARC as a potential therapeutic agent for pathological angiogenesis.


With an end toward an increase in patient quality of life, morphologic methods were tested for their combinatory value in expanding the effectiveness of follow‐up appointments and finding a more specific supervision of patients with bladder cancer.


Social security costs increased against the aging population and low fertility rate is a major issue to consider. Fukui and Iwamoto (2006) projected health care and long-term care costs through 2100 in order to look into the social security finance problems from a longer-term perspective, which the MHLW projection does not cover. They also estimated lifetime premium and tax contributions by generation to show that the future generations will have to pay fast-increasing contributions if the pay-as-you-go scheme is maintained for the health and long-term care insurance system. Furthermore, the authors provide a simulation for the introduction of funded health and long-term care insurance systems. Fukui and Iwamoto (2006) refrained from simulating a policy to curb social insurance benefits. This paper first analyzes how the 2005 long-term care insurance reform and the 2006 health care system reform affect discussions in Fukui and Iwamoto (2006). A simulation is provided based on updated population projections as released by National Institute of Population and Social Security Research in December 2005 to consider how changes in demographic factors would affect the health and long-term care insurance finances. A difficult problem at the time of the introduction of the funded insurance systems is an increase of premium rates which may have to be levied to accumulate reserves during the transition period. The combination of health and long-term care insurance premiums during a transition to the funded systems was estimated to decline by 2.13 percentage points or 16.8% from 12.7% before the reforms to 10.51%. Although the transition to the funded systems is expected to require an increase in burdens, the reforms are estimated to reduce the increase considerably. A decline in fertility rate estimated in the updated projections should contribute to raise a peak premium rate by 3.12 percentage points under the current balanced-budget scheme for the health and long-term care insurance systems. A premium hike during the transition to the funded systems is estimated to be limited to 1.23 percentage points, indicating the funded systems may absorb some of demographic fluctuation risks. In a comparison of lifetime burden rates under the balanced-budget and funded systems indicated that a decline in burdens on future generations through the transition to the funded systems, the difference may be greater under the latest population projections. We considered three alternatives for prefunding accounts ? individual savings accounts, program-by-program group savings accounts and a single savings account which would cover all programs. Since the objective of the policy is to secure equal access to health care and long-term care services, the system must include an income redistribution mechanism to realize compulsory participation and flat benefits. It is difficult for individual or group accounts to provide such income redistribution. If funded individual accounts are adopted, it may be difficult to change premiums in line with future projection revisions. The creation of a single savings account for a new system to integrate all existing health insurance programs may require high transition costs. A conceivable reform with less costs is created as a financial adjustment account as proposed in Iwamoto (1996). The account may be designed to perform both risk management and prefunding.


We explore the feasibility of creating a covered call ETF within BRIC countries to serve the growing global demand for emerging market investments having attractive risk and return characteristics Our findings suggest that currently among BRIC nations India alone has stock and options markets that make an index covered call ETF practically achievable. Such an ETF on India's NIFTY index appear to provide the valuable covered call benefits of yield enhancement over cash returns with volatility below that of the NIFTY index, diversification benefits due to a lower correlation with the NIFTY and a degree of protection against falling markets. Using closing price and intraday price data on the NIFTY and NIFTY options we verify that covered call returns in India are attractive and compatible with findings of past covered call studies. We conclude a covered call ETF on the NIFTY could be created, listed and quoted on local exchanges in India, Europe, the US or elsewhere.


function of μ) satisfies sample path convexity (a term that has been introduced by Shaked and Shanthikumar (1988)). Specifically, let 0 ≤ μ1 ≤ μ2 ≤ μ3 ≤ μ4 be four service rates such that μ1 + μ4 = μ2 + μ3, and fix λ, β(·) and η(·). Suppose that there exist Y1, ..., Y4, which are versions of the original head-count processes (Yi has service rate of μi) that satisfy the following two properties for all t ≥ 0: 1. Y1(t) + Y4(t) ≥ Y2(t) + Y3(t), a.s. 2. Y1(t) ≥ max{Y2(t), Y3(t), Y4(t)}, a.s.


Purpose: To measure and compare patient radiation doses during CT urography with automatic exposure control (both angular and z‐axis tube current modulation) to patient radiation doses without automatic exposure control (tube current modulation alone), and to correlate these doses with corresponding imagenoise measurements. Method and Materials:Skin doses were measured by exposing thermoluminescent dosimeters placed on the abdomen (AP) and side (lateral position) of 18 patients examined with CT urography consisting of automatic exposure control (CARE Dose 4D group), and 20 different patients examined with angular tube current modulation only (CARE Dose group). Mean and standard deviation of patient skin doses were calculated. The CT urography protocol included three volumetric acquisitions of the abdomen and pelvis. Effective doses were calculated and used to compare radiation risk between the two patient groups. The variation in effective dose with patient size was also evaluated. Imagenoise was evaluated by calculating the standard deviation of pixel values from a region of interest in patient liverimages.Results: The mean skin dose for CARE Dose 4D patients (63.4 ± 16.4 mGy) was 14.2% higher than that of CARE Dose patients (54.4 ± 7.39 mGy). The mean effective dose for CARE Dose 4D patients (10.6 ± 2.3 mSv) was 17.1% higher than that of CARE Dose patients (8.8 ± 1.8 mSv). Imagenoise increased with increasing patient size, however the increase was less for patients exposed with automatic exposure control.Conclusion: Patient effective dose, and thus radiation risk was 17.1% higher for CT urography patients examined with automatic exposure control compared to those examined with tube current modulation alone. Using automatic exposure control techniques in CT may be useful in reducing dose in small patients, however, for large patients the dose may actually increase to compensate for the increase in imagenoise.


The protein in calves milk replacer is the decisive factor to the cost of calves breeding and feed effect.The main protein source to be dependent on milk protein has faced the predicament of resource restriction and high cost.The article described the application result of Plant protein replacing milk protein in calves breeding.


The immune globulins of a patient having primary `acquired hypogammaglobulinaemia' and of his family were studied. Reduced serum concentrations of one or more factors were found in most family members.

Individual globulin synthesis is regulated by autosomal non-allelic genes. The recessive allele which manifests variable expressivity causes marked reduction of globulin synthesis in the homozygous state. `Acquired hypogammaglobulinaemia' occurs when synthesis of all three globulins is inhibited in the same individual.

A heterozygous carrier frequency of 1:5·6 for each globulin may be necessary to maintain `acquired hypogammaglobulinaemia' in the general population. In certain healthy family members the similarity of the immune globulin pattern to those found in patients having dysgammaglobulinaemia suggests that synthesis of other infection resistance factors besides the immune globulins may be impaired in the dysgammaglobulinaemias.


We present new explicit parametrizations of spacelike zero mean curvature surfaces in four-dimensional Lorentz–Minkowski space L 4 . The surfaces are the solutions of the Björling problem whose core curve is a circle and a helix and the tangent planes are expressed in terms of trigonometric functions


The use of biomass as a source of energy is gaining increasing interest in both developed and developing countries as a renewable source of energy and to avoid the environmental hazards associated with open burning of ligno-cellulosic materials. This work is concerned with the fast pyrolysis of rice straw which is generated seasonally in enormous quantities to produce biooil which could replace fuel oil #2. Experimental investigations on a pilot-scale in an entrained flow reactor demonstrated that the biooil produced is of acceptable characteristics and has a calorific value of about 29kJ/kg. Process design has been developed for a 200 ton/day commercial facility. Material and energy balance and basic engineering have been accomplished using ASPEN PLUS. Techno-economic investigations have been conducted and financial analysis has been performed using ASPEN ICARUS. Results indicated that for a Base Case, the Fixed Capital Cost is about US $ Million 7.6 and for a pessimistic selling price of US $ 0.13/kg, the Internal Return of Return (IRR), exceeds 43%. Sensitivity analysis indicates that even for increase of the Fixed Capital to about US $ Million 10.9 the IRR still exceeds 30%. Further work is needed for technological development and for ensuring processing over the year round using other ligno-cellulosic materials.


This paper analyzed the expressway maintain management problem from present curing and future development in China.The results show that mixing of management and maintenance,absence of management and decision-making organization,low quality of maintaining people and low level of maintenance mechanization are the main problems.At last,this paper gives the improving measurement.


ABSTRACT Current information on the root sucker ability of hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. × P. tremuloides Michx.) is in most cases based on clone mixtures. In this study, we could separate the performance among clones by using two experimental sites with monoclonal plots of the crossing. The natural regeneration was followed for 2 years after harvest of the formerly planted stands, clear-cut at 22 and 25 years of age, respectively. We found that clonal differences were present in the number of root suckers produced per area unit and their biomass production. However, all included clones produced sufficiently many root suckers for a successful regeneration. To receive a more complete evaluation of the root sucker dynamics for future selection on the clonal level, further studies are needed where vitality, self-thinning and effects of thinning measures are coupled to the goal of the aspen forestry.


Hugh Davies, an English composer, instrument-builder, improviser and musicologist, was personal assistant to the composer Karlheinz Stockhausen from 1964-66. Gentle Fire is the name of Davies's experimental music ensemble, active from 1968-75, which performed Stockhausen's works as well as works by other avant-garde and experimental composers, and the group's own distinctive Group Compositions. The purpose of this essay is to examine a number of Stockhausen's works from the period 1964 to 1968, and a number of Davies's and Gentle Fire's from 1967 to 1974, highlighting points of similarity and difference between them. Particular attention is paid to Stockhausen's Mikrophonie I (1964–5), Kurzwellen (1968), and Aus den Sieben Tagen (1968), Davies's Quintet and Galactic Interfaces (both 1967–8), and his self-built instruments, and Gentle Fire's Group Compositions (1970–4). Discussion focuses upon three areas: firstly, technology, and the microphone in particular; secondly, the ways in which process-based systems are used to shape musical material; and thirdly, the role in the selection of musical material of what members of Gentle Fire have termed 'musical personality'.


structures has been applied as a diagnostic tool in oncology for a number of years. During the 1970' and the 1980's positron emission tomography (PET) was considered inferior to computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) due to its poor resolution and technical difficulties arising from short isotope half-life. The beginning of the 1990's saw the introduction of 18-F-fluorodeoxyglucose – a fluorine isotope-labeled glucose metabolite – which provided a breakthrough point for PET. The value of FDG-PET in the diagnosis and staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been the subject of numerous clinical trails since the mid-nineties. Its sensitivity and specificity for differentiating pulmonary lesions recognised in CT is 93-100% and 63-90%, respectively [1-3]. Such high sensitivity assures a very low probability of the presence of a malignant lesion within areas that are free of pathologic isotopic marker uptake. The reason for false positive results is usually the presence of specific or non-specific inflammatory infiltrations of the lungs. FDG-PET has also improved the diagnostics of NSCLC metastases to the mediastinal lymph nodes. Acc. to Vansteenkiste the sensitivity of PET and CT was 89% and 79 % respectively, while their specificity – 99% and 54%, respectively [4]. Pieterman reported similar results [5] – with the sensitivity of PET and CT reaching 91% and 75%, respectively and specificity – 86% and 66%, NOWOTWORY Journal of Oncology • 2006 • volume 56 Number 3 • 259–264


Coalition formation is a central approach for multiagent coordination. A crucial part of coalition formation that is extensively studied in AI is coalition structure generation: partitioning agents into coalitions to maximize overall value.

In this paper, we propose a novel method for coalition structure generation by introducing a compact and efficient representation of coalition structures. Our representation partitions the solution space into smaller, more manageable subspaces that gather structures containing coalitions of specific sizes. Our proposed method combines two new algorithms, one which leverages our compact representation and a branch-and-bound technique to generate optimal coalition structures, and another that utilizes a preprocessing phase to identify the most promising sets of coalitions to evaluate. Additionally, we show how parts of the solution space can be gathered into groups to avoid their redundant evaluation and we investigate the computational gain that is achieved by avoiding that redundant processing. Through this approach, our algorithm is able to prune the solution space more efficiently. Our results show that the proposed algorithm is superior to prior state-of-the-art methods in generating optimal coalition structures under several value distributions.


CSAMT plays an important role in the field of resource exploration and so on.This work applies the finite difference method to the CSAMT forward modeling.We develop a three-dimensional(3D) conjugate gradient inversion algorithm for inverting CSAMT data using the regularized solution and conjugate gradient inversion method.In the inversion,the computation of Jacobian matrix is replaced by two-time "pseudo-forward" problem solution to make the model updated directly.This algorithm is suitable for inverting CSAMT in the entire field(near field,transition zone and far field) data to obtain 3D geoelectrical structure underground.The synthetic example demonstrates the validity and stability of the 3D conjugate gradient inversion algorithm presented in this paper.


Indoor operation of micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV or UAS) is significantly simplified with the capability for indoor localization as well as a sufficiently precise 3D map of the facility. Creation of 3D maps based on the available architectural information should on the one hand provide a map of sufficient precision and on the other limit complexity to a manageable level. This paper presents a box based approach for easy generation of 3D maps to serve as the basis for indoor navigation of UAS. The basic building block employed is a 3D axis parallel box (APB). Unions of APBs constitute maps, which are by definition closed to basic set operations such as; union, intersection, set difference etc. The restriction to APBs is made in accordance with the tradeoff between simplicity and expressiveness, where real time requirements emphasize simplicity. The mapping approach is presented along with different approaches of selecting via points ensuring sufficiently efficient path planning and at the same time ensuring scalability by keeping complexity low. A proposition for minimal via point assignment is ensuring at least feasibility of path planning is presented. Feasibility is not proved formally. Instead results from a randomized statistical proof are given. 3D Mapping, via point assignment and calibration are all implemented in a stand alone software application. The application program provides, through a graphical user interface, the possibility to map indoor environments based on existing 2D floor maps.


Image captioning aims to make a textual short explanation of a given image. Despite the fact that it looks to be a straightforward task for human being, it is difficult for computers since it involves the ability to analyze the image and provide a human-like description. Encoder-decoder architectures have recently reached advanced outcomes in the form of picture captioning. With some existing datasets, e.g., Flickr_data, Flickr8k_token.txt, and heritage dataset, we build our model that can create captions from the images related to Bangladeshi culture, tradition and historical places. Bangladesh is enriched with great culture; many heritage places and cultural programs that attract travelers to visit our country. We try to relate our culture, place, and food, together with machine learning techniques by appropriate captioning and spread over our cultural strengths through proper captioning. Our image captioning tool can be very helpful for travel lovers who want to know more about Bangladesh.


Owing to huge casualty and environmental pollution caused by HNS(Hazardous and Noxious Substance) leakage, accurate prediction modeling must be crucial in coping with the accidents at the early stage. Our project finally aims to develop an engineering prediction model for accurate near-field prediction of diffusive behavior in risk regions, when HNS spills occur using CFD according to various environmental circumstances and risk scenarios. As part of results for achieving the final objectives, the present study conducted three-dimensional CFD simulations using the commercial CFD code, ANSYS FLUENT(V. 16.2) based on RANS(Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes) equations with the standard k-ε model. In particular, VOF(Volume of Fraction) model was utilized for capturing the interface between two dissimilar phases. Also, the present work examines the influence of crack size and seawater velocity on the near-field diffusion characteristics of HNS. It was found that the leakage velocity and the spill-volume depended on the crack size, showing increasing tendency with the crack size. In addition, the crack size substantially affects the leakage behavior. Longitudinal leakage distance from crack area increased with the crack size, and after dissipation of longitudinal momentum, sea water velocity dominantly affected on the leakage behavior. The present results would be useful in making estimation model and understanding the detailed physics behind the near-field characteristics of HNS diffusion.


The author has identified the following significant results. It appears that identification of corn and soybeans as separate classes may not be feasible for the part of the growing season around August 15. It is hoped that at other points in the growing season separation of corn from soybeans will be possible. Visual examination of September 5 imagery indicates that later in the growing season, it is possible. The resolution of the 1:300,000 scale enlargement remained sharp enough to distinguish features important for making soil association maps. The land use pattern (range vs cultivated) was sharp as were the stream bottoms, stream valley sides, and stock ponds. The resolution of the 1:1,000,000 scale enlargement was less sharp on detail but it appears that some features could be quantitatively analyzed. Among these are the hydrologic features present such as stock ponds and the streams. It would appear that the total area of stock pond water on a frame could be measured, and, after ground truth established their average depth, the volume of water stored could be calculated and be monitored.


Objective To assess the effect of sperm DNA fragmentation on in vitro fertilization(IVF-ET) Methods: The 142 couples accepted 142 IVF-ET cycles.Sperm chromatin dispersion(SCD) was used to analyse sperm DNA integrity.The DNA fragment index(DFI) fertilization rates,2PN fertilization rates,zygote transgene rates,optimal embryo rates were investigated.The cases were divided into DFI30% group and DFI≥30% group,and the results between the two groups were compared.Results No significant correlation of sperm DFI with fertilization rates,2PN fertilization rates,zygote transgene rates were observed(P0.05),but it was negatively correlated with the optimal embryo rates(P0.05) between the two groups.The implantation rate in DFI30% group was higher than DFI≥30% group,showing significant difference(P0.05).The abortion rate in DFI30% group was higher than DFI≥30% group,withour showing significant difference(P0.05).Conclusion: In IVF-ET treatment,the sperm DNA integrity has no effect on fertilization rate,2PN fertilization rates and zygote transgene rates,but has negtive effect on optimal embryo rates,implantation rate and pregnancy rate.It is suggested that sperm DNA integrity be used as an common indicator for sperm function analysis.


Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are the foundation of every major economy in the world. The majority of these industries are fighting for survival in a hostile climate. In the SMEs sector, the Lean models have been implemented with an emphasis on economic efficiency. The various Lean Models are used in SMEs as well as in large Industries. The Lean Models are considered for the improvement of company performance which includes production, productivity, inventory, raw material, quality, and customer satisfaction. therefore, in this research work which lean models are being implemented in SMEs of Sindh was investigated. The survey questionnaires were distributed amongst 70 SMEs of Sindh based on Six Sigma, 5S, Green Manufacturing, Kaizen, Poka Yoke, TPM, TQM, SCM, Standardize of Work lean models. The results conclude that 5's and Standardize of work are mostly implemented about 87.5% & 72.9% as compared to the other models. whereas PokaYoke Model and Total Product Management Model are considered as least implemented the model in SMEs with 18.6% and 10%. Moreover, in terms of location, Hyderabad seems highly impacted region in Lean Model Implementation


My research gravitates around digital documents: knowledge extraction, knowledge exploitation, and subsequent evaluation, both from a theoretical and an applied point of view. The genericity of the techniques employed is to the core of my works, with a particular attention given to issues of scalability. Notably, the algorithms presented are essentially applied to text, but they function for any type of sequential data. When it comes to text, the generality and robustness of the techniques allow for endogenous applications functioning for any language, any domain, and any type of document, or collection of documents. Subsequently, experiments cover languages written with different alphabets, and belonging to different linguistic families. The methods developed may be applied at the sentence, word, or character level. The document collections range from news feed collections to scientific articles, to vast collections of digitized books.


Foreign graduates in China are increasing rapidly these years and becoming an integrated part of graduates education enrolled. The whole educational process should be planned rationally and personally according to the educational backgrounds of foreign graduates from different countries. Special educational modes and evaluation systems ought to be tailored to them and be more flexible without compromising the overall quality of education. Moreover, some cultivation approaches are subject to be modified to become more suitable for them. Emphasis also should be put on training of teachers in English an communicative ability who give classes to or advisors of foreign graduates to meet the requirements of international education. In the case of foreign graduates' education, teaching is especially necessary in accordance of their talent and future career development. In order to enhance our competitiveness in graduates education internationally, some practical measures should be adopted to guarantee the educational quality for foreign graduates in China.


The abrupt migration of educational institutions into a more flexible mode of learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly resulted in students' difficulties. Such difficulties specific to mathematics flexible learning are generalized in this quantitative study. Using Principal Component Analysis, seven (7) factors were identified as the emerging students' difficulties. Further analyses reveal a moderate degree of seriousness for most of the components. However, the standard deviation suggests that the students' responses are spread across the measuring scale, indicating that the severity of difficulties experienced by other students is higher than moderate. Further comparison of such ratings shows that for students enrolled in advanced and major mathematics courses, difficulties emanating from inadequate learning materials and support, and difficulty in submitting requirements on time are more pronounced. These intertwined difficulties generally stem from the lack of planning and preparation, at the same time from the nature of mathematics as being complex, abstract, and notational. By considering these difficulties, adjustments may be prioritized by students and teachers in the hope of improving the current state of mathematics flexible learning. These improvements will eventually lead to sustainable and fully stable online academic programs that may be offered even after the pandemic.


We investigate an innovative sol-gel method that allows coating of mineral or plastic substrates with colloidal oxide-based materials and/or inorganic-organic composites and/or hybrids. To date, we have developed narrow and broadband antireflective coatings, multilayered dielectric mirrors, and a few polarizing thin films. These sol-gel optical coatings have demonstrated adequate performance for use in our proposed 2MJ/600TW (351 nm_ Nd:glass laser. To prepare such optical thin films, sol-gel technology offers outstanding technical and economic advantages over physical vapor deposition. Sol-gel technology opens new prospects in a variety of coating applications, and few areas offer greater payoff for interaction across disciplines than that of sol-gel-derived thin films.


The influence of the particle/resin and fibre/resin interfaces in the mechanical behaviour is analysed. Quantitative metallography was used to determine the interface extension of the aluminium particles with the resin. The quality of the glass and carbon fibre/resin interface was evaluated by the determination of the interfacial shear strength based on Kelly Tyson's model, in order to tailor the composite for RT applications.


Cross-city point of interest (POI) recommendation for tourists in an unfamiliar city has high application value but is challenging due to the data sparsity. Most existing models attempt to alleviate the sparsity problem by learning the user preference transfer and drift. However, they either fail to simultaneously model the preference transfer and drift in both long- and short-term user preferences or cannot accomplish the task of the next POI recommendation, which is crucial for a wide spectrum of applications ranging from transportation and urban planning to advertising. To address the limitation, we proposed a user preference transfer and drift network (UPTDNet) for cross-city next POI recommendation. UPTDNet excels at cross-city recommendations by learning the transfer and drift of both long- and short-term preferences. For short-term preference, dual recurrent neural network-based (RNN-based) branches are designed to model preference transfer from tourist's current city and drift among different user roles. For long-term preference, a mapping function and user similarity calculation are employed for preference transfer from the tourist's home city and drift among individual users. Experiments are conducted on the Gowalla and Foursquare datasets, and the results show that UPTDNet consistently and significantly outperforms state-of-the-art models by an average of 10.22% to 22.63% in the next POI recommendation task. Ablation study and further analysis validate the effectiveness and plausibility of considering both user preference transfer and drift in the cross-city recommendation.


The full use of the advantages of software will be used in conjunction with Autocad and Mastercam can improve design efficiency and shorten the design cycle.Through examples how to Autocad files into MastercamX file was described,and CNC machining is introduced in the Mastercam.


This study examines the effects of in-vehicle videotaping on the prosecution and adjudication of DWI (driving while intoxicated) cases for each of two cities: Binghamton (NY) and San Diego (CA). The analyses consisted of a set of comparisons between a program group, DWI suspects who were videotaped in the field, and a comparison group, DWI suspects who were not videotaped. The analyses included the use of logistic or stepwise multiple regression to determine the case characteristics, including the use of videotaping, associated with each outcome measure. The outcome measures included the rate of conviction, the violation of conviction, the elapsed time between arrest and disposition, and whether the case went to trial. The results for Binghamton support the hypothesis that the use of in-vehicle videotaping increases the likelihood of a DWI suspect's conviction during the study period 1991-1993. While having a prior DWI conviction increased the likelihood of a suspect's conviction for the charge of DWI rather than the lesser charge of driving while ability impaired (DWAI), having a prior conviction and being videotaped increased that likelihood even more. In-vehicle videotaping was not associated with either the elapsed time between arrest and disposition or the occurrence of a trial, although the small number of trials limited the ability to draw meaningful inferences. The results for San Diego indicate that in-vehicle videotaping was not associated with the conviction rate, the violation of conviction, or the occurrence of a trial during the study period 1991-1993. It should be noted that for each agency, 97% of DWI suspects, including those who were videotaped and those who were not, were convicted during the study period. With such a high rate of conviction, the marginal effects of any intervention, including videotaping, would be difficult to detect.


Main purpose of recent research is to survey of deferent aspects of military and security measures of authoritarian regime of Israel and focusing on environmental consequences of actions of this regime. Because, in despite of several research that has been done on measures and policies of Israel regime but in term of environment or environmentally, destructive actions and todays impacts of its security and military measures of this regime on the environment of occupation territories of Palestine and Israel neighborhoods and middle east has not studied in detail. This recent article tries to analyses this issue from deferent aspects in comprehensive. Findings of the research show that settlement-making and military measures of israel on environment of Palestine territories caused destructive consequences such as pollution of water resources of Palestine, destruction of plant and animal life, air pollution and transform of natural environment of Palestine by Israel settlers and as result creation economical insecurity and health problem for people of Palestine and other people of the region. It also causes destruction of cultural heritage of Palestine by road-building and constructions of Israel, pollution of dangerous solid garbages. Israel military and security actions of Israel also cause the pollution and threat of the Middle East environment. Military measures, canal construct, drainage of swamp, transport of heavy military vehicles, application of chemical, biological and conventional weapons against its neighborhoods(Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Jordan and other countries of middle east region) caused erosion of soil, remove of plant cover, air pollution and destruction of water and dry ecosystem and climate change of this region. Huge amounts of organic deposits has raised on soil surface and inflammation of this deposits led to development of new zones of deposits and in its subsequence, spread of soil and sand particles in air and spread of them in the regions countries. Also, warmongering of sad am and Americans and drying of swamp by sad am and transform of land surfaces and west hegemony on this region are another important factors of the environmental, social and economical threats in this region. Method of this research is causal- explanation method and method of data collection is use of library –documental resources.


The aim of this paper is to establish a theoretical framework for the modelling and simulation of chaotic attractors using neural networks. The attractor paradigm in this paper is the logistic map, which is modelled via neural networks in the convergence, periodic and chaotic regions. It is proved that, under certain conditions, the function simulated by the neural model is actually the logistic map with a different value of the λ parameter from the theoretical value. A two-dimensional system is defined and studied, facilitating the generation of the theoretical time series and the associated simulation error. The fixed points of periods p = 1 and p = 2 are identified and studied with respect to their stability. For higher period values, a theorem concerning the periodicity of the simulation error is postulated and proved. The minimum simulation error value is calculated using analytical methods, and the chaotic nature of the system with respect to Lyapunov exponents is described. Conclusions are discussed with respect to the experimental results obtained by the simulation models.


R allocating, and spending public resources are among the primary functions and policy instruments of any government. Government budgets, as well as off-budget fiscal instruments such as state-owned enterprises and sovereign wealth funds, profoundly affect economies, societies, and ecoystems. Decisionmaking around government revenues and expenditures has historically been shrouded in secrecy—the purview of heads of state, finance ministers, and central bankers, along with a few select officials in executive agencies. Often, other ministries, government branches (including parliaments), the business community, civil society organizations, and the broader citizenry have had little or no access to information on public financial management. The quantity and quality of engagement and the inclusion of these nonexecutive actors in fiscal decisionmaking and oversight processes have been severely limited. In recent years, however, interest and action with respect to transparency, participation, and accountability in fiscal decisionmaking have surged around the world. Indeed, over the past two decades, several broad trends have brought fiscal transparency, participation, and accountability into sharp focus:


A cost model for crossflow ultrafiltration and microfiltration processes is presented. The model incorporates separate correlations for several major categories of capital costs, thus accounting for different economies of scale associated with different equipment and facilities. In contrast to previous cost modeling exercises that have inherently assumed a constant economy of scale for capital costs, this work considers changing overall economies of scale of the entire membrane system with the design mix. The cost model is coupled with a previously developed permeate flux model to predict optimal system recoveries as a function of particle size and concentration in the raw water.


The primary cilium is a microtubule-based extension of the plasma membrane, which is present in almost all cell types. Ciliary microtubules extend from a basal body (or mother centriole), which docks at the apical membrane. Elegant studies have been carried out to determine the mechanism that regulates the docking of the mother centriole at the membrane for cilia formation. Cilia function as antennae of the cell to detect chemical and physical changes of the microenvironment [1-5]. Owing to their near-ubiquitous nature, cilia are involved in diverse cellular functions, such as patterning of left-right asymmetry (nodal cilia), limb development, bone morphogenesis, and neurosensory functions (mechanosensation, olfaction, and photoreception). Cilia are also implicated in several developmental cascades, such as Wnt signaling, sonic hedgehog signaling, and platelet derived growth factor receptor signaling pathways. Such functions of cilia are brought about by the ability of the ciliary membrane to concentrate a specific subset of membrane proteins in the ciliary compartment as compared to the rest of the cell membrane [6-8].


The present invention relates to a balloon used to make a space within the human body, which is formed by coating an elastomer onto a reticulated structure made from metal wire. The balloon can be used safely within the human body because the metal reticulated structure strengthens the pressure resistance, thereby minimizing the possibility of rupture during expansion, and makes relatively elaborate surgical operations possible because the metal reticulated structure itself shows on the X-ray monitor during operations and so makes it easy to ascertain the balloon's position, state of expansion and the like.


A list of 51 localities of fossil sea turtles from the Middle Jurassic, Early and Late Cretaceous, Paleocene, Eocene and Miocene of Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Ukraine is provided. For four localities in Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine presence of sea turtles is not confirmed by current data. Two new taxa, Dollochelys rogovichi sp.nov. (Cheloniidae, Eocene, Ukraine) and Turgaiscapha kushmurunica gen. et sp.nov. (Chelonioidea indet., cf. Dermochelyidae, Late Cretaceous, Kazakhstan), are described.


In this paper, first, two methods of positioning an indoor receiver with transferred global navigation satellite system signals from cellular base stations are proposed. Then, a technique of fusing the position results produced by the two methods through Kalman filter is introduced; thus, the positioning accuracy is improved. To mitigate the near–far problem generated by signals from base stations and satellites, a pulse shaping scheme and the strategy of assigning pulse patterns to base stations are investigated.


The objective of this work is to investigate different physical phenomena associated with multiphase viscous oil transport under offshore condition experimentally. These phenomena are emulsion formation due to ESP, emulsion transportation in flow line, shut-in and restart process, etc. The experiments were conducted on Statoil's multiphase flow rig in Porsgrunn. The live crude oils were used, and the experimental condition/procedures were defined to mimic real conditions of offshore production process. The experimental observations show that the classical physical models on emulsion viscosity give reasonable prediction of the data, oil-water flow regimes are dominated by dispersed and stratified flow. No emulsion generation is observed during cold restart experiment after the flow line is completely cooled.


This panel brings together leading scientists and scholars in various areas of cybersecurity to initiate a discussion on a very controversial issue: shaping the digital future of our society. Digital Responsibility of different stakeholders is considered and debated arguing for an all-embracing consideration to broaden the scope of what is commonly known as Critical Infrastructure. Drawing on the panel participants and the audience, we hope to set the ground for agendas in research, industry, and public policy in an interactive part of the panel to be collected and documented after the panel.


Covid-19 has shown how much scientific advice can differ from country to country. The world must work together better, Canadian adviser Rémi Quirion tells The BMJ


The HJ-1A satellite is the first satellite for remote sensing of environment in China and HSI is one of the main sensors. Striping noise is unavoidable for most HSI data because the responses of detectors are different. The striping noise is serious in the first twenty bands. It affects the quality of image and quantitative application of HSI data. This paper introduces the principles of histogram matching and moment matching and tries to remove HSI striping noise using these two methods. The final results indicate both methods are effective, but the histogram matching method is better. The result of this study is also applicable in striping removal of other multi sensor scanning's remote sensing data.


Going back to Firefox to see whether the new Omnibear works as well as I hope (and because Chrome really no longer suits my paranoia.


The delay of construction projects and the resulting cost increase is a common issue in civil engineering projects. These difficulties are often related to poor site supervision and project performance management [66]. The advances in computer science and 3D geometry scanning allow the construction of a dense point cloud which can be used to automatically identify the presence and absence of objects on the construction site. The automation of construction site progress monitoring is still subject to research and includes time-consuming computations. These problems include the alignment of two data sets in a common coordinate system and object recognition which both offer great acceleration potential through parallel data processing [8]. The automatic progress detection pipeline is analysed and an approach for the application of graphics processing units (GPU) to accelerate the processes of rigid point cloud alignment and building component classification is proposed. Implementations based on NVIDIA Cuda originally proposed by Tamaki et al. [58] for point cloud alignment and a new method for progress detection implemented with Microsoft's C++ AMP are compared with current automated progress tracking procedures. The evaluations are performed using data provided by Braun et al. [13] which was acquired on two different construction sites in Munich.


In view of high maintenance cost of regenerative heating furnace,analysis realized that the main reasons were the short service life of the heating furnace and unscientific maintenance.In production practice,through enforcing carried out the operation and thermal regime,establishing reasonable maintenance item and scheme,reducing the replacing of refractory lining of the regenerative burner by maintenance instead of replacing,and advancing the utilization of heat resisting sliding lump and refractory products etc,Jinan Steel Medium Plant economized maintenance costs 3 million Yuan per year each furnace.


Process development of AlN/GaN MOS-HEMTs is presented, along with issues and problems concerning the fabrication processes. The developed technology uses thermally grown Al2O3 as a gate dielectric and surface passivation for devices. Significant improvement in device performance was observed using the following techniques: (1) Ohmic contact optimisation using Al wet etch prior to Ohmic metal deposition and (2) mesa sidewall passivation. DC and RF performance of the fabricated devices will be presented and discussed in this paper.


We investigate the structural and electrical properties of Cu film and reveal their changes as a function of post-annealing temperature. Thermal annealing of a Cu film on a dielectric substrate can improve its crystallinity; however, high-temperature annealing also leads to a morphological transformation that hinders the precise measurement of electrical properties. The enhanced crystallinity of the Cu films is verified with x-ray diffraction as the annealing temperature increases. To examine the electrical properties of the Cu film after the dewetting processes, which promotes the formation of voids and agglomerations, we utilize both conventional micro four-point probe method as well as an advanced four-point probe scanning tunneling microscopy (4P-STM) technique to measure the conductance and evolution of the microscopic structural properties. We could eliminate a deceptive effect of voids with 4P-STM technique, and disclosed a significantly reduced resistivity (1.88  ±  0.07 µΩ·cm) of Cu nanostructure after post-annealing at 700 °C. We unveiled impact of crystallinity and imperfections of Cu nanostructure, and discussed the critical role of the twin grain boundaries of single-crystalline Cu (1 1 1) on an Al2O3 substrate. We anticipate that understanding the evolution of the structures and the enhanced electrical properties of the post-annealed Cu nanostructures would be important for nanoscale devices where Cu is used as an interconnecting material and could provide a new route to control the plasmonic applications.


Since the Doha Round stalemate after 2001, trade liberalization has progressed through regional trade agreements (RTAs) and East and Southeast Asia is not unfamiliar with this. Before assessing the effectiveness of recent trade agreements, the long tradition of trade exchange in this region that has lasted for more than 2,000 years necessitates an understanding of the evolution of intra-Asian trade across history. In this regard, this study contributes to the literature examining whether present intra-Asian trade is more or less intense than before 1938. This research outperforms previous studies using a gravity model that controls for changes in GDP and trade costs in the region across four different time periods (between 1840 and 2018). The results show that contemporary regional trade in East and Southeast Asia is slightly less intense than before World War II. A second question addressed is the relevance of trade agreements after the 1985 Plaza Accord on trade integration, compared with market determinants. A second gravity model for regional imports after 1986 is regressed on both policy and market indicators, indicating that the latest wave of intra-Asian trade is characterized by trade complementarities that are fueled by regional foreign direct investment, and free trade agreements are less effective. This result is validated through a network analysis demonstrating the symbiosis between trade and investment flows in the region, which should be considered in RTAs that are in place or in negotiation to take intra-Asian trade beyond its historical limits.


Under the general mixed linear model, linear admissible estimators for linear functions of fixed and random effects are considered, when the mean square error matrix risk is adopted as the criterion for evaluating estimators. It is demonstrated that advantage can be taken from well known results about linear admissible estimators for fixed effects only. The derived characterizations also provide the generalized and corrected version of an earlier attempt from Lin and Young [9].


In 2008, programs were initiated in the U.K. to immunize adolescent girls against human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18. However, data on rates of persistent HPV infection in the U.K. are lacking. Investigators analyzed swabs obtained from a pre-2008 study of subclinical pelvic inflammatory disease to determine prevalence, incidence, and persistence of HPV among 2185 sexually active college-aged women. …


Toxicological research on apoptosis addresses the questions if and by which mechanisms certain chemicals induce apoptosis and to which degree this contributes to adverse effects. Recent studies have shown that benzene upregulates pro-apoptotic genes in the bone marrow, uranium induces apoptosis in lung epithelial cells and fluoride causes apoptosis in osteoblasts. The elucidation of these mechanisms is highly important, but unfortunately knowledge of their in vivo relevance remains scarce. For example it would be interesting to know if long term excessive fluoride causes skeletal disease because of apoptosis induction. Or does benzene induced apoptosis in bone marrow contribute to its carcinogenic effect by inducing replacement proliferation? Although much has been published addressing apoptosis in vitro it remains important to learn whether this translates in vivo or rather represents a specific situation that only occurs under specific in vitro conditions. The table summarizes the conclusions of recently published articles on apoptosis in toxicological research.


Purpose: To report a case of recurrent keratoconus after penetrating keratoplasty (PK). Patient and findings: A 31-year-old male patient who had undergone PK in his right eye for keratoconus 10 years ago presented with gradually decreased vision in the right eye. Clinical, topographic, and histopathologic features of the cornea including irregular myopic astigmatism, central and paracentral corneal thinning, and foci of break and fragmentation in Bowman's layer were in keeping with the diagnosis of keratoconus. Conclusion: Slow recurrence of keratoconus characteristics in the corneal graft after PK may result from graft repopulation by recipient's keratocytes, graft aging or both and may occur along with the process of cellular invasion from the recipient and renewal of resident cells.


This paper outlines a framework that has been developed to assist in integrating components of a given face recognition system. By applying this framework, performance and restrictions of each component can be explicitly observed. Recognition performance of the resulting face recognition system can be clearly compared with components are replaced by other alternatives. The contribution of our work is a generalised framework for components integration of a face recognition system that facilitates: 1) examination of the effects of varying techniques and components to the recognition performance; 2) determination of suitable techniques, components and system configurations as per a given problem context. We have applied our framework to assemble different alternatives of a face recognitions system. Such applications reveal the effects when different components are included into a face recognition system and have shown insights into the relationship between dataset quality, techniques selected and recognition performance. This paper also outlines how the proposed framework can be applied to other biometric recognition systems.


Although trastuzumab has been widely used in patients with ErbB2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer,the majority of the tumors demonstrated resistance to this antibody. Preclinical studies have indicated several molecular mechanisms that could contribute to the development of trastuzumab resistance,which mainly include decreased interaction between trastuzumab and its target receptor ErbB2,activation of multiple receptor pathways that include EGFR family receptors or other receptors such as insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor ( IGF-IR ) and activated PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Novel therapeutics targeted against these resistant pathways could improve the effect of trastuzumab.


In this article, I discuss the analytical potential that the notion of the imaginary holds for anthropology as a concept that may capture some of the more subdued, yet socially vigorous, moods and sensations that hover where personal experience and socially salient forms of power merge. The ethnographic occasion for my inquiry is the eager uptake of new technologies for selective reproduction in Vietnam; technologies that are actively promoted by the party-state as an element in efforts to enhance "population quality." Drawing on nearly three years of fieldwork conducted in Vietnam's capital Hanoi, I frame selective reproduction as an issue of power and politics, investigating how people's fantasies, fears, and imaginings blend with the workings of state power in this realm. Attention to imaginary constructions of self and society, I argue, can further anthropological understanding of the ways in which state policies are shaped, implemented, justified, and received.


PTEN is a dual protein/lipid phosphatase.As a negative regulator of PI3K/Akt pathway,PTEN not only plays an important role in multiple cellular functions such as cell metabolism,proliferation,cell-cycle progression,but also modulates angiogenesis via down-regulating PI3K-Akt-VEGF-HIF pathway in many tumors.In this review,the recent studies on the roles and mechanisms of PTEN in regulating tumorigenesis and angiogenesis are discussed to explore PTEN as a favorable prospect target in the treatment of angiogenesis.

Key words:
Neoplasms; PTEN; Angiogenesis; Vascular endothelial growth factor


After reaching 6 billion in 1999 the world population will attain 6.5 billion this year and should total 7 billion in seven years time in 2012 or 2013. To inform the public about key population issues answer their most frequently asked questions and dispel a few myths an exhibition called "The world population… and what about me?" has been running since 5 April at the Cite des Sciences et de lIndustrie science museum in Paris. Gilles Pison and Sabine Belloc the exhibition organizers explain the shows content and approach. (excerpt)


When cochannel interference covers less than 100% of the spectral band of a signal, that interference can be totally spectrally excised without total excision of the signal. But severe signal distortion can result. When the signal is cyclostationary, some degree of signal restoration can be achieved by exploiting the spectral redundancy exhibited by such signals. For example, perfect reconstruction is theoretically possible for a BPSK signal with 100% excess bandwidth after 75% spectral excision. Several signal and interference scenarios are considered and the degree of signal restoration, after spectral excision, that is attainable using an adaptive FIR frequency-shift filter, is determined by computer simulation.


Abstract A combined reagent of DBU / bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide (BSA) was highly effective for the simultaneous and rapid removal of two 2-cyano-1,1-dimethylethyl groups from a bis(2-cyano-1,1-dimethylethyl) thymidine 3′-phosphate derivative.


A series of experimental Si-Mn series spring steel which has different vanadium content was smelt in laboratory by Fe-V or VN alloying. The penetration hardenability, temper resistance, surface decarbonization and mechanical properties of the test steel were studied. The results show that the steel alloyed by VN alloy has good hardenability and temper resistance. The strength of steel increases with the increasing of vanadium content. There is no obvious effect on surface decarbonization use VN alloy compare with Fe-V alloy to smelt spring steel.


An application of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to short-term load forecasting is presented in this paper. An algorithm using cascaded learning together with historical load and weather data is proposed to forecast half-hourly power system load for the next 24 hours. This cascaded neural network algorithm (CANNs) includes peak, minimum and daily energy prediction as additional input data for the final forecast stage. These additional input data are predicted using the first (ANNs) model. The networks are trained and tested on the electric power system of Kuwait. The absolute average forecasting error is reduced from 3.367% to 2.707% by applying CANNs as compared to the conventional ANNs. Simulation results indicate that the developed forecasting approach is effective and point to the potential of the methodology for economic applications.


Parental intuitive theories comprise values, goals, expectations, and cultural beliefs about the nature of parenting and its function for children's development of competence. This article introduces a research design to study mothers' intuitive theories about their socialization of children's emotions, as a means of understanding the cultural meaning of children's emotional development. The intention is not to present a traditional empirical report, but to provide a heuristic for future research. The authors illustrate the basic assumptions, methods, and approach to data analysis used in the research design, using a five-nation cross-cultural study as an example of this methodology. For purposes of illustration, examples of mothers' responses during interviews are included, about their intuitive theories of emotion socialization – that is, their attributions about child behavior, views about their parenting roles and socialization practices, and the salience of particular emotions relative to cultural models of independence and interdependence. This approach provides a more sophisticated sense of cultural similarities and variations within and between nations than has been available in prior research. The importance of parents' intuitive theories for the investigation of the cultural meaning of emotion socialization and future study directions are discussed.


The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between Human Resource Management (HRM) practices and the intention to stay. The HRM practices are career development opportunities, performance appraisal and compensation. This study also examines whether transformational leadership as a moderator gives an impact to HRM practices and the intention to stay among lecturers in private college at Johor Bahru. Regression results showed performance appraisal and compensation
has a significant and positive relation with intention to stay. Result also indicated
transformational leadership as a moderator has a significant and negative relationship between performance appraisal and intention to stay


Abstract : Flukes are distally located extensions of the tail, and from a biomechanical standpoint, function as a pair of wings (Vogel 1994). Flukes function to produce thrust generated as an anteriorly directed lift force as flukes oscillate vertically (Fish 1998a, b). Their cross-sections resemble hydrofoils. For a hydrofoil to be effective, a large lift must be produced while drag is minimized; this, in turn, increases the thrust generated (Weihs 1989, Vogel 1994). The hydrodynamic implications of fluke design can be studied by examining the cross-sections (i.e., parasagittal) of the flukes. Cross-section profiles taken along the horizontal axis exhibit what is a typical streamlined hydrofoil profile with a rounded leading edge and a long, tapered trailing edge. This shape is critical for the generation of lift for thrust, while minimizing induced drag (i.e., drag due to lift production; Lighthill 1970, Vogel 1994). The flukes are symmetrical about the chord (Lang 1966, Bose et al. 1990). The cross-sectional profile of the flukes is similar to symmetrical engineered foils (Fish 1998b). The similarity to engineered foils would imply that cetacean flukes would be capable of effectively generating large lift with low drag at higher angles of attack.


Phosphor materials with ultra-high color purity are highly desired in backlit display of various light-emitting devices. How to achieve high-purity three-primary emission in rare earth ions activated inorganic phosphors has become a hot topic of research. Herein, we reported extremely narrow band and highly efficient blue-violet-emitting Eu 2+ -doped Ba2B5O9X (fwhm = 31 nm) and NaBa4(AlB4O9)2X3 (X = Cl, Br) (fwhm = 43 nm) phosphors with peak positions around 424‒437 nm. Especially, the 31 nm-fwhm Ba2B5O9Cl:Eu sample is the narrowest one among the reported rare earth doped blue-emitting phosphors, whose color purity even exceeded 97%. The EXANES analysis revealed that the Eu mainly existed in the form of +2. The extraordinarily narrow band emission has been analyzed according to the Rietveld structural refinement, which should be attributed to the highly symmetric lattice structures with the flower-like polyhedrons in the studied (alumino)borate matrixes. Significantly, the color gamut of as-prepared blue phosphors combined with the standard green and red phosphors was almost close to that of Rec. 2020 display standards. Finally, the electroluminescence performances of the studied phosphors in WLEDs devices were systematically investigated, which present low color correlated temperatures (CCT = 2578 4836 K), high color rendering indexes (Ra = 91.297.6) and high luminescence efficiency (around 13.40 lm/W). All these results demonstrate that the as-prepared phosphors could be superior blue-emitting candidates for backlit display as well as WLEDs.


That TV Broadcast be flowed Digitalization, If it is became Digitalization, Field be happened very problem, Now document, Digital Block of complex Europe TV Broadcast be techniqued for development of Software Processes. C-Language changed before software composited of assembly, that It's tried system of simple, define and software became very stable. Before as Analog Circuit composited, Europe TV development changed digital circuit, add function part of software processes insufficiency, for assembly, bug happening of software program work, information processes ability of very quality, solved the same software modify difficulty part. Agreeably, for now document improved, digital block composite of complex europe TV broadcast processed better stable video module development.


Approximately 1.2 billion people lack access to electricity in the world today, of which 80% live in rural areas. 600 million are located in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) which is the only continent where this number will grow in 2030 reaching 645 million mainly because of an economic growth which can't follow the demographic one. In remote rural areas, the development of solar power electric microgrids is expected to partly fulfill this electricity access challenge. The mean solar resource was indeed estimated to be large enough for the development of such off-grid systems in most isolated locations of Africa. Driven by astronomic features and weather, the resource can however present significant temporal variability. The sub-daily variability and intermittency of the production, the seasonality of the resource or the frequency and duration of low resource situations could indeed prevent delivering a power service as reliable as expected. This can make the development of solar off-grid systems inappropriate for several locations.


Trustable Worst-Case Execution-Time (WCET) bounds are a necessary component for the construction and verification of hard real-time computer systems. Deriving such bounds for contemporary hardware/software systems is a complex task. The single-path conversion overcomes this difficulty by transforming all unpredictable branch alternatives in the code to a sequential code structure with a single execution trace. However, the simpler code structure and analysis of single-path code comes at the cost of a longer execution time. In this paper we address the problem of the execution performance of single-path code. We present a new cache organization that utilizes the principle of locality of single-path code to reduce cache miss latency and cache miss rate. The proposed cache memory architecture combines cache prefetching and cache locking, so that the prefetcher capitalizes on spatial locality while the locker makes use of temporal locality. The demonstration section shows how these two techniques can complement each other.


Brucellosis (Keluron disease) is a strategic infectious disease with zoonotic potential, one of which is genus Brucella abortus. This research aims to detect Brucellosis in dairy cattle FH in Pagu District, Kediri Regency. This research uses two serological tests, namely the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and the Complement Fixation Test  (CFT)  with descriptive analysis method. 30 cattle blood samples were taken from the coccigea vein. The blood was set aside at room temperature to form a serum. The serum that has been obtained is taken to the Department of Food and Livestock of Kediri Regency for  checking  the  RBT. The remaining serum obtained was sent to BBVet Wates for CFT examination. The results obtained show negative results on both tests. But one of the samples with the code S9 had gone through an abortion. This might occur due to other factors such as genetic disorders, the presence of viruses such as BVD, toxic agents and live vaccines during pregnancy.


In 2004 the Finnish Universities Act was amended to include a third strand as an essential part of research and teaching. This paper focuses on relationship building to explore whether this approach would be helpful in developing university–community relationships and educational public relations. By means of a dialogic community relations model the paper suggests that different forms of social interaction and communication strategies are needed in relationshipbuilding, maintenance and enhancement; but, when aiming at collaborative community relationships, priority should be given to the development of the two dialogic strategies.


Objective For further developing an assay for the detection of human mast cell carboxypeptidase(hMCCP) by ELISA,to express the truncated hMCCP(N terminal 110 ~ 227 fragment,hMCCP-N118) and to prepare the mouse antibody against the hMCCP-N118.Methods The DNA sequence coding for the hMCCP-N118 was amplified by PCR and cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pET28.The recombinant plasmid pET28/hMCCP-N118 was transformed into E.coli Rosseta(DE3)and expressed with IPTG induction.The recombinant protein hMCCP-N118 was purified through Ni2+-NTA agarose column and used as immunogen to immunize the mouse.The generated antibody was analyzed by indirect ELISA and western blot.Results The truncated hMCCP was successfully expressed in E.coli and purified successfully.The antibody against hMCCP-N118 from mosue was obtained,the titer of which was 1∶6 400.Western blot showed the antibody could bind with hMCCP specifically.Conclusion The mouse anti-hMCCP-N118 antibody with high titer and high specificity has been prepared successfully.


Curriculum implementation entails putting into practice the officially prescribed courses of study. Effective curriculum implementation results in both short and long term benefits to children. The study was designed to investigate the implementation of Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) curriculum in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in Turkana County, Kenya. The data was collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results from data analysis had revealed that the majority of the ECDE centres in the sub-county did not have adequate physical facilities and teaching-learning materials. The study also established that majority of the ECD Centres did not have feeding programmes and teacher-pupil ratio was very high and was having a negative effect on the implementation of the ECDE curriculum. As a result of the study findings it was recommended that the County Government should construct more classrooms, support the ECD centres with more thematic materials for making interest corners in class, and provide adequate food regularly.


I " I never guess. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. " Summary Today, following the eradication of human smallpox and its causative agent, variola virus, zoonotic infections caused by orthopoxviruses (OPV) are emerging as a potential human health threat. Especially cowpox viruses (CPXV), vaccinia viruses (VACV), and monkeypox viruses (MPXV) are gaining importance as a cause of infectious disease of man and livestock. These viruses differ considerably concerning their host range and their pathogenicity in human beings, which may be in part explained by their unique arsenals of immunomodulatory proteins. This study aimed to analyse and compare the gene expression profile of human (HeLa) cells following infection with CPXV, MPXV or VACV. Cellular genes were identified which were either commonly modulated by infection with any of the three viruses, or which were specifically modulated by one individual OPV. Particularly similar effects on cellular gene expression were observed in the case of CPXV and MPXV infection, which both induced the expression of several cytokine and chemokine genes. The biological consequences of this cytokine induction were further analysed using the example of CPXV infection. Especially interleukin-6,-8, and CXCL1 were strongly secreted by CPXV-infected cells but not by VACV-infected cells. Consequently, CPXV infection also induced a strong chemotactic recruitment of monocytes and macrophages in vitro in contrast to VACV infection. Especially macrophages are known to play a controversial role during OPV infection. On the one hand, macrophages are of importance for the control of the infection. On the other hand, infected macrophages also facilitate virus spread across the organism. Therefore, the capability of CPXV and VACV to replicate in macrophages was analysed. Thereby, the poxviral virulence factor p28, which is absent from most strains of VACV, was identified as an essential factor, allowing CPXV replication in macrophages. Characterisation of recombinant CPXV which either lacked p28 expression or encoded a mutated variant of p28 revealed reduced replication in a murine macrophage cell line, primary peritoneal rat macrophages and in human PBMC-derived macrophages. Absence of p28 expression resulted in a decreased expression of the cellular pro-survival factor Bcl-xL in infected macrophages. However, this did not result in apoptosis of the infected cells. Increased secretion of several cytokines like interleukin-6 rather suggests a potential activation of macrophages infected with CPXV lacking p28, which may subsequently …


This paper introduces a novel type-and-effect calculus, first-class effects, where the computational effect of an expression can be programmatically reflected, passed around as values, and analyzed at run time. A broad range of designs "hard-coded" in existing effect-guided analyses — from thread scheduling, version-consistent software updating, to data zeroing — can be naturally supported through the programming abstractions. The core technical development is a type system with a number of features, including a hybrid type system that integrates static and dynamic effect analyses, a refinement type system to verify application-specific effect management properties, a double-bounded type system that computes both over-approximation of effects and their under-approximation. We introduce and establish a notion of soundness called trace consistency, defined in terms of how the effect and trace correspond. The property sheds foundational insight on "good" first-class effect programming.


The ambit of Pakistan's relationship with the United States is based on convergence as well as divergence of interests, whereby the United States kept intense engagement followed by periods of utter indifference. Most of the times mutual mistrust and suspicions makeshift the policy parameters to the strategic impasse. Considering the trends of the relations, the US policy revolves around the struggle for global hegemony with policy parameters of off-shore balancing and buck-passing, and Pakistan is mainly focused on security imperatives. This piece of research investigates that what are grounds of conflicts between Pakistan and the United States relations? The study is conducted by explanatory and analytical approaches. Data sources are both primary and secondary where for primary source data was collected through Interviews with ministry of defence and foreign office. The United States and Pakistan relations remained uneasy due to mistrust and accusations and the US preference to India in the region in general and in Afghanistan in particular and the China's growing influence in the region. The need is to understand Pakistan's security concerns, an acknowledgment of the contribution to the war against terror and above all to revive cooperation for regional peace and prosperity.


Executive Summary: A 5-year follow-up study of mortality among non-smoking insurance applicants based on hemoglobin A1c level found that the mortality risk increases for everyone in a consistent linear pattern above 5.9%, irrespective of age and gender. The magnitude of the relative risk is different by age group, but the pattern of increased risk is similar at all ages. There is no difference in relative mortality risk by hemoglobin A1c level between men and women of the same age. Because this study looked only at insurance applicants, and because it is large (280,000+ subjects and 9,000+ deaths), underwriters can place greater reliance on these results for their underwriting approach to diabetes. Dolan


Validate praxis delivery,facility delivery draft system delivery are established rather than indication delivery and keeping appropriation in Chinese legislation.Facility delivery is a concept delivery in common sense while indication delivery and keeping appropriation are just stipulations between parties, which are not valid in laws.


A coupled bosonic massive Thirring model (BMTM), involving an interaction between the two independent spinors, is introduced and shown to be integrable. By incorporating suitable reductions between the field components of the coupled BMTM, five novel integrable models with various type of nonlocal interactions are constructed. Lax pairs satisfying the zero curvature condition are obtained for the coupled BMTM and for each of the related nonlocal models. An infinite number of conserved quantities are derived for each of these models which confirms the integrability of the systems. It is shown that the coupled BMTM respects important symmetries of the original BMTM such as parity, time reversal, global $U(1)$-gauge and the proper Lorentz transformations. Similarly, all the nonlocal models obtained from the coupled BMTM remain invariant under combined operation of parity and time reversal transformations. However, it is found that only one of the nonlocal models is invariant under proper Lorentz transformation and two other models are invariant under global $U(1)$-gauge transformation. By using ultralocal Poisson bracket relations among the elements of the Lax operator, it is shown that the coupled BMTM and one of the nonlocal models are completely integrable in the Liouville sense.


Summary: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be characterized as immunomediated chronic inflammation conditions in either form of a Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC). Although the exact cause of IBD is not entirely clear it is based on a widely accepted hypothesis of abnormal reaction of immune system towards physiological microbiota in colon and small bowel as pathogens. IBD has long been associated with increased risk of malignancies. The main risk is represented by IBD-associated colorectal cancer due to the chronic inflammation followed by other cancers (including extraintestinal) that may develop as a result of both, inflammation and the subsequent treatment by immunosuppressors/ biologics. The recent advancement in immunosuppressive therapies has significantly improved prognosis as well as quality of life of IBD patients. The longer survival, naturally, means a prolonged exposure to chronic inflammation as well as to immunosupression (biologics), which translates into higher risk of cancer development. Therefore in addition to the anti-inflammatory therapies, current strategies for management of IBD patients also include cancer prevention and treatment by surgery, systemic therapy, radiotherapy or hormonal therapy. The current paper is directed at major risk factors of malignancy in IBD patients, an overview of the most commonly occurring IBD-associated gastrointestinal cancers and their management.


Thirty-five % of the US population is affected by data breach occurred in the healthcare industry. It is a total of 114 million people affected in 2015. On average of 4 data breaches happens per week. Health care industry is losing 300 billion dollars each year in poor data integration. we can overcome this problem by bringing a decentralized system in the hospital organization. This prototype helps us to stop and prevent data breaching in the health care industry and to remove fake patient IDs in the hospital data base.


The scaling behavior of carbon nanotube (CNT)-organic semiconductor heterojunction enabled vertical field effect transistors are comprehensively examined by two-dimensional consistent device simulations. Tunneling current is modeled by introducing tunneling induced carrier generation into the current continuity equation. Modulation of both the CNT-semiconductor Shottky barrier height and thickness are examined. The tunneling current and thermionic current dominate at on-state and off-state, respectively. Barrier height modulation plays an important role and improves the on-off current ratio and sub-threshold swing considerably. Small diameter CNT is preferred for enhancing the gate control on the CNT-channel barrier height. Reducing the effective gate oxide thickness by either a thin oxide or a high-κ gate insulator gives improvement of device performance, but the former one works more efficiently. The channel length and CNT spacing should be carefully engineered due to the trade-off between device charac...


A patented remote-sensing technique for fast, complete real-time leak testing of supposedly gas- or liquid-tight components and/or large systems at manufacturing plants and in the field is described. The gas-imaging system permits the operator to actualy «see» a leaking tracer gas at rates as low as 2.7×10 −4 std cm 3 /s (50 g/yr). The location of a leak on the suspect component is quickly determined by simply pressurizing it with a tracer gas and observing its point of emission on a standard television monitor. The gaz-imaging technique is briefly described. A leak-dispersion model is developed which permits calculation of the gaz-imaging minimum detectable leak rate as a function of ambient airspeed. The model calculations are compared to experimental results obtained using the remote-sensing gas-imaging system and a controlled-leak facility


Abstract Ultrafast all-optical switches have attracted considerable attention for breaking through the speed limitation of electric devices. However, ultrafast and high-efficiency all-optical switches based on two-dimensional (2D) materials can be achieved due to their strong nonlinear optical response and ultrafast carrier dynamic. For this reason, we propose the pump-probe method to achieve an ultrafast optical switcher with a response time of 192 fs and a switching energy of 800 nJ by using transition metal carbide (Nb2C). The response time and switching energy are far smaller than that of the all-optical device based on the saturable absorption effect of 2D materials. It is believed that the Nb2C-based all-optical switch provides a novel idea to achieve a high-performance all-optical device and has the potential for application in high-speed photonics processing.


Objectives Discuss and analyze the application of the retroperitoneal laparoscopy combined with the abdominal small incision in the radical resection of the upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma.Methods 72 cases of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma diagnosed at our hospital were chosen from January 2006 to January 2013.72 patients were randomly divided into thetreatment group and control group,each group included 36 cases.The patients in the control group were given open radical resection;the patients in the treatment group were given retroperitoneal laparoscopy combined with the abdominal small incision radical resection.The clinical efficacy of the patients was compared in two groups.Results All the patients were operated successfully;the mean operation time,peri-operative bleeding volume,the time of gastrointestinal function recovery and average hospital stay of the patients in the treatment group were shorter than those of the control group.The differences between the treatment group and control group were statistically significant(P <0.05),and the incidence of subcutaneous emphysema in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in control group(P <0.05) ;The control group was significantly higher than in other related complication rate (P < 0.05).Conclusions The retroperitoneal laparoscopy combined with the abdominal small incision in the radical resection of the upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma has good efficacy,short operation time,less trauma and quick recovery from operation and is worth to clinical applied.

Key words:
Urologic Neoplasms;  Laparoscopy;  Abdomen


This article uses data collected for a study undertaken in the mid-2000s using the Technology Acceptance
Model (TAM) to investigate knowledge conversion processes in a Thai Government Ministry. The authors
re-analyse this study making use of the power of actor-network theory. The original TAM study, based on
technological innovation, investigated the relationship between technology support and management of the
knowledge conversion process in a government ministry in Thailand to increase knowledge sharing. The
original study found that a number of external variables impacted on the knowledge conversion process,
including personal details, training, tools of persuasion, national background and culture, management and
policies, employee behaviour, management, and policies and computing support. This paper briefly outlines
the findings of the original study and discusses how an ANT study would have approached this material. An
analysis is then made of how an Innovation Translation approach differs fundamentally from one using the
Technology Acceptance Model.


This paper studies the optimality of pooling and tranching for a privately informed security originator facing buyers endowed with market power (perhaps due to liquidity shortages). Contrary to the standard result that pooling and tranching are optimal practices, we find that selling assets separately may be preferred by originators. In this environment, originators sell securities separately to avoid being inefficiently screened by buyers with market power. Our results shed light on observed time-variations in the practice of pooling and tranching in financial markets, in particular, the dramatic decline in the size of the ABS market following the most recent financial crisis.


Soluble macromolecular conjugates for the controlled delivery of the strongly hydrophobic antitumor drug adriamycin (ADR) were prepared. The association behaviour of two types of these amphiphilic conjugates consisting of ADR bound to poly(L-glutamic acid) (PGA) in aqueous solution was investigated using absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy as well as GPC and lowangle laser light scattering (LALLS) measurements. ADR was bound via the aminoribosyl moiety either directly with PGA side-chain groups or via oligopeptide spacer groups. UV/VIS, GPC and LALLS data showed that in buffer solution both ADR conjugates associate intermolecularly. The data of the directly bound ADR conjugates are consistent with the presence of multimers of different degrees of association in equilibrium with single polymer chains. In contrast, spacer-containing ADR conjugates associate to give stable uniform multimers. UV/VIS and fluorescence spectroscopy performed at very low conjugate concentration show that polymer-bound ADR residues associate intramolecularly as well. The degree of intra- and intermolecular association of the conjugate-bound ADR molecules depends on the type of conjugate, ADR load and conjugate concentration as well as on ionic strength of the solvent, the presence of organic cosolvents and temperature. The data indicate that hydrophobic domains in spacer-containing conjugates are more stable compared with directly bound conjugates, probably due to enhanced flexibility and the presence of hydrophobic leucine residues. It is concluded that spacer-containing conjugates of ADR may have a potential for effective drug delivery under in vivo conditions due to their solution properties in addition to the biodegradability of the drug-polymer bond.


Fragile and conflict-affected states face daunting challenges for development. Aid has a greater importance on development in these states than in others, and therefore aid effectiveness –management and delivery of aid – bears serious consideration. Despite its significance, aid effectiveness is appreciably lower in fragile and conflict-affected states than in others. What are the key aid effectiveness challenges in these states and how can these issues be better addressed? As important initial steps, this paper aims to identify (i) aid effectiveness challenges facing fragile and conflict-affected states and (ii) good aid effectiveness examples using the results of the Survey on Monitoring the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness, which was designed as a mechanism to support global and country level accountability. Both fragile and conflict-affected states (recipients) and development partners (providers) are mutually accountable for aid effectiveness; therefore, this paper focuses on both sides. While the analysis confirms the significantly lower aid effectiveness performance in fragile and conflict-affected states -- especially on aid on budget, aid predictability, and use of country systems -- good performance examples in several of these states are identified. The aid effectiveness performance of development partners in fragile and conflict-affected states differs significantly across different groups. Multilateral development banks and other multilateral organizations perform better on average than bilateral organizations and vertical funds. Disaggregation of development partner performance at the institutional level and the partner country level enables the analysis successfully to identify good performance examples. In using the results of this paper to improve aid effectiveness, key additional steps should include (i) considering whether the identified challenges are essential; (ii) analyzing the factors/reasons behind good performance examples; and (iii) discussing whether good performance examples can provide lessons that can be adapted and applied.


ABSTRACT:The American/Medieval project began as an interdisciplinary faculty research seminar at Wake Forest University some ten years ago. It aimed to look beyond, or differently, at current understandings of medievalism and, in particular, to identify geographically distinct currents of connection between the 'American' and the Western-centric European 'Medieval'. The collaborative work of Wake Forest scholars and external colleagues who subsequently joined the project resulted in two co-edited volumes of essays, American/Medieval: Nature and Mind in Cultural Transfer and American/Medieval Goes North: Earth and Water in Transit (V&R UniPress, 2016 and 2019). This essay outlines the project's genesis and development and considers what direction(s) future iterations might take. How might it address questions about the ongoing effects of settler identity, environmental crises, systemic racism, and Indigeneity in the United States; about the continuing co-optation of the European medieval in white supremacist contexts; about the current divisions and exclusions within our field; about the pandemic-related revisions of our relations to community? The A/M project does not (yet?) look to the medieval as a solution to contemporary challenges but seeks to comprehend the entanglement that is American/Medieval and how our work as medievalists might be inextricably dependent on the contemporary moment in place and time, whether aesthetic, political, or both, or more.


Recent events have demonstrated the potential for catastrophic accidents at process control facilities, resulting in severe economic damages or loss of human life. Human operators play a central role in the outcome of accidents in process control plants, because of their responsibility to make decisions regarding the appropriate corrective actions needed to control the event. In recent years, researchers have been attempting to apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods for developing computer-based decision aids for process control operators. Much of this research activity has taken place within the nuclear industry. In order to assess the implications of expert systems for nuclear reactor operators, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) has sponsored a research program at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). Included in this program have been the development of a prototype expert system for nuclear reactor operators, as well as two experiments to measure the effects of the expert system on operator performance in simulated accident conditions. This paper briefly summarizes the experience gained during this research program and assesses the potential future of expert system decision aids for process control operators.


IoT(Internet of Things) itself is a very broad concept that includes various technologies that help the people to interact with the real life objects. With the growing demand of the electronic gadgets, it is very important for the researchers and scientists to improvise IoT in terms of energy harvesting. This paper contains various layers of IoT in architecture, domains of IoT, various applications etc. It also includes various energy harvesting techniques that uses various sources like solar , wind, vibration and piezoelectric for IoT. In this paper we will mainly discuss about Energy Harvesting Techniques.


Audiometers are electroacoustic equipment used by audiology professionals to measure the auditory acuity. The general and specific requirements that characterizes how it should be an audiometer is described in IEC 60645-1 (2012), including its calibration. However, this technical document does not allow the use of the audiometer at range of atmospheric pressure out of 98 kPa to 104 kPa. This means that approximately in cities higher than 290 meters altitude the audiology professionals may not use the audiometer. This paper presents correction factors for audiometric earphones coupled both with 6cc couplers (IEC 60318-3) as in artificial ears (IEC 60318-1). Measurements in a vacuum/pressure chamber were taken from sea level to equivalent atmospheric pressure at altitudes of 1600 meters. The different values at each altitude it enabled to determine the correction factor that lets audiology professionals can use the audiometer at different altitudes without the loss of quality of the results.


Poly(Nδ-4-nitrobenzoyl-L-ornithine) was obtained with average molecular weight 8.0 × 104 by reaction between the monomer N-carboxyanhydride and sodium hydride. The material was dipcoated onto platinum from dimethylacetamide solution and the behaviour of the coating examined in acetonitrile by cyclic voltammetry. Surface coverages in the range of 13.8 to 1.4 mmol cm–2 4-nitrobenzoyl residues were obtained by dipping from 0.6–0.07% solution, corresponding to from 20 to 2 layers of close-packed α-helices. The coated electrodes showed ipc proportional to scan rate. They do not show the severe ageing phenomena on repeated cyclic voltammetry that was associated with poly(NIµ-4-nitrobenzoyl-L-lysine). Expressions are developed which simulate the voltammograms by introducing activity coefficients for reduced and oxidised species within these multilayer films.


SummaryCultures of the solar UV-sensitive cell lines, DRP 36 and DRP 153, and of the parental ICR 2A cell line, were exposed to 150 kJ/m2 of sunlamp UV > 315 nm plus photoreactivating light. This treatment resulted in the induction primarily of non-dimer DNA damage. Following either a 0, 3, 6, 12 or 24 h incubation, the cultures were pulse-labelled with [3H]thymidine, and the synthesis of different size classes of replicon intermediates measured using the alkaline step elution assay. For all three cell lines tested, an immediate depression of low molecular weight DNA synthesis was observed. This was followed by an inhibition of all size classes of replicon intermediates. Within 12 h following irradiation, recovery of DNA synthesis was observed, which was generally most apparent for low molecular weight DNA. The ICR 2A cells exhibited a nearly full recovery in all size classes of DNA synthesized by 24 h. However, a much smaller recovery of DNA synthesis was detected for the DRP 36 and DRP 153 cultures. Thi...


Abstract. One can reverse the dislocation of material to be cleaned to the lower lying side of the sieve in response to changing field slope during combine harvesting. Inducing lateral oscillations by the cleaning shoe in combine harvester in addition to the existing longitudinal oscillation, it is possible to influence the direction of movement of particles on a sieve surface. It is achievable by bringing the frequency ration between the two oscillations to one and through varying the phase-shift between the two oscillations for different slopes of a field. As a result for a given slope of a field and finding the optimum phase-offset, by which no lateral conveyance of particles happen and result in uniform distribution of material to be cleaned across the sieve width by the combine cleaning shoe during working on sloppy field is achievable. This possibility is investigated and shown through simulation of the particle movement on the sieve by varying the different parameters. Additionally, some experimental laboratory tests were run to confirm the theory, modeling and simulation output. In which particle movement with varying parameters were recorded using Video Camera and tracing a particle movement and a comparison with the simulated particle movement showed similar pattern of trajectory and predictable particle position with small error. Real grain – Straw/chaff separation tests were run and up to 4% better cleaning performance was achieved on sloppy fields when lateral oscillations were applied than when not.


Abstract While identity formation is evolving during adolescence, migration poses additional demands and challenges as well as new choices. Apart from the coping and social support, there is growing interest in the effect of social competence factors on the mental health of migrants. The current study aims to examine mental health and the relevant correlates among local and migrant adolescents in China. It is hypothesized that empathy would have incremental influence on the local and migrant students' mental health on top of the commonly known coping and social support variables. Two hundred and eighty six junior secondary school students were recruited from a public school in Beijing. Hierarchical regression was conducted to observe the influences of these variables on their mental health. The coping variables were entered as the first block and the perceived social support variables were entered as the second. Empathy (including perspective taking and empathetic concern) variables were entered as the third block to determine their unique contribution to understanding the mental health value. Empathy explained additional variances of mental health on top of coping and perceived social support factors for both local and migrant students. Results are discussed in the context of enhancing perspective taking to help with migrants' adjustment.