Health insurance, setting of care, geography, and primary disease all affect mortality among various populations in the United States.1,2 If medical care for these different populations were truly comparable, then we might expect similar mortality outcomes and attribute differences to random variation. Unfortunately, population-to-population variations in mortality are frequently observed and persist even after controlling for individual patient characteristics. This suggests potentially remediable differences in the content, organization, and delivery of health care may be important in shaping true variation.3–6 Such modifiable differences in health care–related mortality, if they exist, warrant special attention as clinical and public health problems.

This conceptual framework should be familiar to nephrologists. The national ESRD surveillance system, comprising the ESRD Networks and the US Renal Data System, consistently reports the likelihood of receiving a kidney transplant, mortality in hemodialysis patients, or incident ESRD differ in a nonrandom manner among patient groups, among geographic areas, and over time.7 Variations in patient care associated with these outcomes are reported as well,8 and interventions during the past 15 years to reduce variations in providing hemodialysis have substantially reduced mortality among patients with ESRD.9–11

An important question is the extent to which this conceptual framework extends to other aspects of clinical nephrology. One area in which new ideas are being piloted is in pre-ESRD care for stage 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently piloted surveillance and quality improvement activities to test the applicability of reducing variations in care in earlier stages of CKD among primary care physicians.12 If surveillance data can be used to direct targeted interventions to improve the care of patients with earlier stages of CKD, then nephrologists may be able to translate evidence-based clinical practice …


A new species in the ground spider genus Austrammo Platnick, 2002 is described from Barrow Island, A. barbaramarksae sp. nov., making it the second ground spider species to be described that is endemic to the island in addition to Barrowammo waldockae Platnick, 2002. Austrammo harveyi Platnick, 2002 is here also reported for the first time from Barrow Island.


Following the fourth target of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), education disparity is one of the graver concerns delaying substantial economic development, especially in emerging market-based nations. Despite numerous efforts to address this disparity, it has been a long-standing concern for many communities. It is important to note that the recent pandemic has changed teaching and learning approaches worldwide, where disparity is one of the most challenging issues. Although similar and/or equal access to technology has always been challenging, online learning practices were widely implemented with varying levels of success during the pandemic. Using purposive sampling on administrative data between 2020 and 2022 on undergraduate programs in public universities in Bangladesh, this study examines the effects of technology access on academic achievement. This study employs the difference in differences (DID) technique to analyze the data and finds that access to technology improves students' learning. Findings strongly suggest that technology access reduces disparity, mainly due to socioeconomic status (SES). Findings also imply that ensuring access to technology for individuals from poorer SES backgrounds should be prioritized to address education inequality-related challenges.


A theoretical study on the transient electroosmotic flow through a slit microchannel containing a salt-free medium is presented for both constant surface charge density and constant surface potential. The exact analytical solutions for the electric potential distribution and the transient electroosmotic flow velocity are derived by solving the nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann equation and the Navier-Stokes equation. Based on these results, a systematic parametric study on the characteristics of the transient electroosmotic flow is detailed. The general behavior of electroosmotic flow in a planar slit is similar to that in a capillary tube; however, the rate of evolution of the flow in a tube with time is faster by a factor of about 2.4 than that in a slit with its width equal to the tube diameter.Copyright © 2009 by ASME


Binary logistic regression with a sparsity constraint on the solution plays a vital role in many high dimensional machine learning applications. In some cases, the features can be grouped together, so that entire subsets of features can be selected or zeroed out. In many applications, however, this can be very restrictive. In this paper, we are interested in a less restrictive form of structured sparse feature selection: we assume that while features can be grouped according to some notion of similarity, not all features in a group need be selected for the task at hand. This is sometimes referred to as a "sparse group" lasso procedure, and it allows for more flexibility than traditional group lasso methods. Our framework generalizes conventional sparse group lasso further by allowing for overlapping groups, an additional flexiblity that presents further challenges. The main contribution of this paper is a new procedure called Sparse Overlapping Sets (SOS) lasso, a convex optimization program that automatically selects similar features for learning in high dimensions. We establish consistency results for the SOSlasso for classification problems using the logistic regression setting, which specializes to results for the lasso and the group lasso, some known and some new. In particular, SOSlasso is motivated by multi-subject fMRI studies in which functional activity is classified using brain voxels as features, source localization problems in Magnetoencephalography (MEG), and analyzing gene activation patterns in microarray data analysis. Experiments with real and synthetic data demonstrate the advantages of SOSlasso compared to the lasso and group lasso.


The advent of nanotechnology in the twenty first century opened a new branch of nanoscience known as nanofluids finding wide range of industrial applications especially in heat transfer. Though the theory of thermal conductivity of solids is well established, there is no such conclusive model to explain the thermal conductivity of nanofluids. In the present work we propose a generalized theory for thermal conductivity applicable to materials ranging from heterogeneous solids, porous materials, nanofluids, and ferrofluids. The model could explain the effective thermal conductivity of not only the combination of solids but also solid-fluid mixtures. The proposed theory could successfully link the existing models for porous solid materials and nanofluid as its special cases. The proposed model is verified against the experimental data by simulating the theoretical equations.


This paper explores the feasibility of active clamping techniques in isolated time-sharing multiple-input converters. Additional losses caused by energy transfer into the input switches from the leakage inductance in the isolating coupled-inductor are addressed with a common active clamping leg for all input legs. An active clamping technique is applied to isolated time-sharing multiple-input converters to minimize the additional switching losses, and the paper also conducts an operational analysis of a dual-input isolated single ended primary inductor converter (2IISEPIC) with the active clamping technique. Zero-voltage-switching can be achieved on the first-turned-on input leg and the active clamping leg with proper driving strategy and circuit parameter settings. Discussions on the effect of the active clamping technique to a multiple-input converter and the components stresses of the 2IISEPIC with the active clamping technique have also been made to assist in the design of time-sharing multiple-input converters. A prototype of the 2IISEPIC with the active clamping technique is built for efficiency and stresses verification, and it is showed that 94% efficiency is achievable at 200W output power and the component stresses are significantly reduced, especially the voltage stresses on input switches. An absolute 6 % improvement over the efficiency of the same circuit without soft-switching techniques is observed.


Abstract Background Genetic predisposition to COVID-19 may contribute to its morbidity and mortality. Because cytokines play an important role in multiple phases of infection, we examined whether commonly occurring, functional polymorphisms in macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) are associated with COVID-19 infection or disease severity. Aim To determine associations of common functional polymorphisms in MIF with symptomatic COVID-19 or its severity. Methods This retrospective case control study utilized 1171 patients with COVID-19 from three tertiary medical centers in the United States, Hungary, and Spain, together with a group of 637 pre-pandemic, healthy control subjects. Functional MIF promoter alleles (-794 CATT5-8, rs5844572), serum MIF and soluble MIF receptor levels, and available clinical characteristics were measured and correlated with COVID-19 diagnosis and hospitalization. Experimental mice genetically engineered to express human high- or low-expression MIF alleles were studied for response to coronavirus infection. Results In patients with COVID-19, there was a lower frequency of the high-expression MIF CATT7 allele when compared to healthy controls (11% vs. 19%, OR: 0.54 [0.41, 0.72], p < 0.0001). Among inpatients with COVID-19 (n = 805), there was a higher frequency of the MIF CATT7 allele compared to outpatients (n = 187) (12% vs. 5%, OR: 2.87 [1.42, 5.78], p = 0.002). Inpatients presented with higher serum MIF levels when compared to outpatients or uninfected healthy controls (87 ng/ml vs. 35 ng/ml vs. 29 ng/ml, p < 0.001, respectively). Among inpatients, circulating MIF concentrations correlated with admission ferritin (r = 0.19, p = 0.01) and maximum CRP (r = 0.16, p = 0.03) levels. Mice with a human high-expression MIF allele showed more severe disease than those with a low-expression MIF allele. Conclusions In this multinational retrospective study of 1171 subjects with COVID-19, the commonly occurring -794 CATT7 MIF allele is associated with reduced susceptibility to symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection but increased disease progression as assessed by hospitalization. These findings affirm the importance of host genetics in different stages of COVID-19 infection.


Kicking is an integral skill within Australian Rules Football (ARF) and the ability to kick with either foot is essential at the elite level. A principal technical factor in the kicking skill is the nature of impact between the kicking foot and ball (Ball, 2008a). This study compared characteristics of foot-to-ball interaction between preferred and non-preferred kicking legs in Australian Rules football (ARF). Eighteen elite ARF players performed a maximum distance kick on their preferred and non-preferred legs. From high-speed video (6000Hz), two-dimensional digitised data of seven points (five on the kick leg, two on the ball) were used to quantify parameters near and during impact. The preferred foot produced significantly larger foot speed, ball speed, work done on the ball, ball displacement while in contact with the foot and change in shank angle during the ball contact phase.


In this paper,we mainly study the existence of Hamiltonian -factor.Let be a balanced bipartite graph of order with k2,minimum degree at least and |X|=|Y|=n24(k-2)-3,n2,for each pair of nonadjacent vertices u and v of G,max{dG(x),dG(x)}n4+2,then for any given Hamiltonian cycle C,G has a -factor containing G.Based on this,we present another conclusion that Let k2 be an integer and G be a balanced bipartite graph of order n with minimum degree at least k and |X|=|Y|=n24(k-2)-3,n6.If each pair of nonadjacent vertices u and v of G,dG(u)+dG(v)n2+4,then for any given Hamiltonian cycle C,G has a -factor containing C.This conclusion has improved degree conditions in Hamiltonian cycle which have been drawn at some context,and has further perfected fact theory with Hamiltonian cycle.


In this paper, we propose a new method to extract boundary based on the combination of stack filter, Hopfield neural network and self-organization neural network in order to get all the advantages of the three methods. Compared to the boundary extraction method based on Hopfield neural network, the new method has a stronger ability to resist mixed-distributed noises and the result from boundary test is much better. The speed of optimal training on the stack filter is improved greatly and memory needed is decreased dramatically compared to that based on stack filter.


"For people in very precarious housing – homeless people, refugees, asylum seekers – the symbolic features of the home may actually be more pronounced when compared to the experiences of many people who are happily housed. […] we know from research with homeless people that even if they are living on the street, some of the things they take around with them, and also their ideas of what a home constitutes, are very important psychically. So, in a way the significance of the home can be more pronounced for people who haven't got a home, or whose relationship with the home is very precarious".


Laminar burning veloctities should be quated for stretch-free conditions and the effect of stretch on the burning velocity, given by appropriate Markstein numbers. The procedures for doing this are outlined. Flames are inherently unstable, but may be partially stabilised by thermo-diffusive effects at high Markstein numbers. At low markstein numbers thermo-diffusion can enhance the underlying hydrodynamic instability. Flame instabilities increase as the radius of a propagating flame and the pressure increase. The increases wrinkling of the flame associated with the instability results in an ever increasing flame speed as the flame propagates in uncomfined explosions. These effects can also be important in engine combustion. There are diffculties in defining the laminar burning velocity once the flame becoms unstable. Should the quoted laminar burning velocity include the effects of instability? There is increasing evidence that, to a good approximation, a turbulent flame of be regarded as an array of stretched laminar flames, but the consequences of any flamelet instability are not fully understood. Correlations of turbulent burning velocity are discussed and also the importance of the Karlovitz stretch factor, particularly in the context of reaction quenching and mixing.


A demonstration based on the serendipitous discovery that magnets shaped like discs or washers will replicate, in two-dimensions, the repulsion among electron pairs that underlie VSEPR theory.


The rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance by pathogenic bacteria underlines the need for new antibacterial agents from natural sources. With those objective marine actinomycetes derived novel compound was screened for antibacterial and antifungal activity by in-silico molecular docking studies. Twelve actinomycetes were isolated from marine soil samples collected from Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. All the isolates were screened for antibacterial activity against selected ATCC bacterial pathogens and the isolate VITAK1 showed significant antibacterial activity. It was characterized by molecular taxonomic and phylogeny and identified as Streptomyces species and designated as Streptomyces sp. VITAK1. The 16S rRNA partial gene sequence (1296 nucleotides) of VITAK1 was submitted to the GenBank under the accession ID: KF478916. Bioactivity-guided extraction, purification and characterization of the compound through GC-MS, FT-IR and NMR (H1and C13) lead to the identification of compound, [(3E, 5E, 7E, 9E, 11E, 13E, 15E)-16-(pyrrolidin-1-yl) hexadeca-3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15-heptaen-2-one] with a molecular weight of 295.41 Da and molecular formula C20H25NO. The extracted compound was found to be anovelbased on PUBCHEM and SciFinderdatabase. The compound exhibited the least free binding energy of -8.8 Kcal/mol with the fungal drug target enzyme N-myristoyl transferase and also showed the free binding energy of -8.14 Kcal/mol with folate synthesising enzyme dihydropteroate synthase. The results of the in Silico studies suggest that the novel compound PHDH exhibit antibacterialactivity by inhibiting folate synthesis in the target bacteria and antifungal activity by inhibiting the ergosterol synthesis.


CHRISTOPHER J. SULLIVAN, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor in University of South Florida's Department of Criminology. He completed his doctorate at Rutgers University in 2005. His research interests include juvenile delinquency, developmental criminology, and research and analytic methods. Recent publications have appeared in Criminology, Behavioral Sciences & The Law, and Youth Violence & Juvenile Justice.


The establishment of reverse genetic system of foot and mouth disease virus(FMDV) is important for study of the molecular pathogenesis and prevention of the foot-and-mouth disease.In this study,4 overlapped cDNA fragments spanning the entire genome of the FMDV O/YS/CHA/05 strain was assembled in a low-copy vector pOK12 and co-transfected into BHK cells with the plasmid that expresses T7 RNA polymerase.Typical FMDV CPE was developed following transfection.The rescued virus was identified by IFA,molecular Marker,and detecting one-step growth curve.This stable infectious clone is an important tool for study molecular pathogenesis of FMDV and development of novel vaccine against FMDV.


In order to adapt to the development of new situation, public security talents should possess nobel personality accomplishment and fine psychological quality, which belong to the category of EQ quality. Investigation, analysis and comparison conducted about EQ of the graduates from Chinese public security colleges show that the quality composition of Chinese public security talents is not quite rational, esp EQ quality, which has rather serious defects. In order to turn out high quality public security talents facing the 21st century, public security colleges should go in for curricular reform in a broad way: firstly, broaden the knowledge scope of the public security discipline; secondly, improve the teaching method of "two lessons"; thirdly, strengthen the curricula of the humanities, social science and arts, internalizing them into the nutritious elements to develop the students' nobel character;fourthly, reform police physical training, lying emphysis on training the "mind" while training the "body", thus turning public security college students into talents bestowed with the harmonious development of both EQ and IQ qualities.


With the continuously development of economic and environment pollution is getting worse,it has been important to emphasize the research of Environment Accounting(EA for short).During the process of dealing with data、 print outing and transmitting environment information,the related key issue is the measurement of EA.The measurement of Environment Cost is the most important segment of the research of EA.The fundamental methods and models are used to measure it in practice.The precondition of environment cost accounting is to measure correctly.Estimate the measurable parts in the nature resources owned by enterprise reasonably are helpful to satisfy the objective requirements of environmental problems from society.


We present the DIMPACT /dimpækt/ tool for environmental assessments of digital services. The tool enables digital media providers to calculate energy consumption and associated environmental impact across the entire product system, including datacentres, networks and user devices. It is based on accepted standard methodologies and applies state-of-the-art research. The DIMPACT tool is used by major media organisations for environmental reporting and to support development of strategies to reduce environmental impact. It has significantly advanced the knowledge of carbon emissions of video streaming. The tool is part of the wider DIMPACT project of companies that collaborate to exchange knowledge, engage suppliers and expand the scope of the tool. In this text we provide an overview of workings of tool and its methodological foundation.


The mechanism of speech is discussed under headings such as Speech and the Factors Involved Therein, The Act of Speech, The Mutual Relations of Language and Speech, and The Sentence and Its Form.


Using the Dirichlet theorem on the equidistribution of residue classes modulo q and the Lemke Oliver–Soundararajan conjecture on the distribution of pairs of residues on consecutive primes, we show that the domain of convergence of the infinite product of Dirichlet L-functions of non-principal characters can be extended from down to , without encountering any zeros before reaching this critical line. The possibility of doing so can be traced back to a universal diffusive random walk behavior of a series CN over the primes which underlies the convergence of the infinite product of the Dirichlet functions. The series CN presents several aspects in common with stochastic time series and its control requires to address a problem similar to the single Brownian trajectory problem in statistical mechanics. In the case of the Dirichlet functions of non principal characters, we show that this problem can be solved in terms of a self-averaging procedure based on an ensemble of block variables computed on extended intervals of primes. Those intervals, called inertial intervals, ensure the ergodicity and stationarity of the time series underlying the quantity CN. The infinity of primes also ensures the absence of rare events which would have been responsible for a different scaling behavior than the universal law of the random walks.


Based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI) and the actual observation data,the pasture production estimation models for different types of grassland in Qinghai Province were established and validated.The results showed that all the models had high precision,and the correlation coefficients(R~2) obtained from all regression equations were higher than 0.67,indicating that the models could be used to estimate the pasture production in a large area at a near-real time.By using the established models,the monthly pasture production on a cell scale in the province from May to August 2004 was retrieved.Based on the images of pasture production distribution retrieved in different periods,the temporal-spatial distribution pattern of pasture production was analyzed,and the results indicated that in Qinghai Province,the temporal distribution of pasture production was mainly determined by the pasture growth cycle and climate change,while the spatial distribution was related to the grassland type and its climatic attributes.


Abstract The chemical nature of solids incorporated into the drilling fluid can be very diverse, since it is related to the type of rock formation. As a result, it can lead to different impacts on the properties of the emulsions, which are the bases for drilling fluids formulation. In view of this, this work aimed to evaluate the influence of the chemical nature of finely divided solids on physical properties and interfacial phenomena of inverse olefin emulsions. For this purpose, emulsions were prepared using linear olefin and NaCl brine, as continuous and dispersed phases, respectively. Each emulsion was incorporated with limestone and clay, in the proportion of 5% v/v. The emulsions were characterized by means of optical microscopy, rheological behavior and gravitational separation tests. The results showed that chemical nature and particle size of bentonite clay ensures a more efficient interfacial interaction with emulsion droplets. The emulsion added with bentonite clay showed a significant increase in consistency index and smaller separated volume. Thus, the addition of bentonite clay to olefin emulsions resulted in changes on its properties, which contributes to emulsion stability. Graphical Abstract


An algorithm of Khachian type for deciding the consistency of m ≥ 2 linear equalities with integer coefficients is described. New iteration formulas for updating the center and the matrix that define each localizing ellipsoid are given. A much sharper bound than that in [1] and [2] for the radius of the initial sphere is given. The new bound depends on the dimension of the solution space, but does <u>not</u> depend explicitly on m. The algorithm is much faster than Khachian's original algorithm. The volume reduction factor in the new algorithm is, in a sense, optimal. Results of computer experiments on the symbolic mathematical system MACSYMA are included.


The effective strength of the socket part (threaded hole at both end of pole) at the joint constructed by two poles and one nipple of artificial graphite electrodes was evaluated by using finite element method (FEM) and measured under the uniaxial tension loading. The stress distribution at the socket was analyzed as a function of length of nipple using FEM. The stress at supposed fracture point of the socket was lower as longer the nipple was. The experiment by bending fracture showed that the socket with a long nipple gave higher effective strength than that with the nipple of the JIS size. The results of FEM analysis agreed with those of experiment. The socket with longer nipple is expected to have higher effective strength in electric arc furnace for steel making.


In this paper, the mechanism of anodic oxidation for magnesium and its alloys was presented, the development of anodic oxidation process for magnesium and its alloys was reviewed in two aspects: electrolyte model and power supply model. It was pointed out that the use of alkaline electrolytes without transition metals was a current trend and the anodizing current model had been developed from AC/DC to asymmetric AC.


Michael Bird reviews Adam H. Becker and Annette Yoshiko Reed (eds), The Ways that Never Parted: Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007).


The modal radiation efficiency of axisymmetric flexural vibration of circular plates with clamped,simply supported or free boundary condition is discussed by integrating the sound intensity over the surface of the plates.The numerical results are obtained by employing 10 nodes Gauss-Legender integration method.The modal radiation efficiencies with the same mode order but different boundary conditions of the plates are compared.The results show that(1)the modal radiation efficiency increases with the increasing of the frequency in the whole frequency range;(2)the modal radiation efficiency of the plate in low frequency range approaches zero,and the frequency range corresponding to the nearly-zero radiation efficiency becomes wider with the increasing of the mode order;(3)when the sound wave number of the medium is much greater than the flexural wave number of the plate,the radiation efficiency of various modes of the plate with various boundary conditions approaches 1;(4)for edge-clamped plate and simply supported plate,the radiation efficiency of the first order mode is much greater than those of the other modes,while the case is just the reverse for the free-edged plate;and(5)for modes with the same order,the radiation efficiency of the plate with clamped-edge is maximal,that of the simply supported plate takes the second place,and that of the free-edged plate is the minimum.


This paper presents a novel self-assembly method for 3D structures with orthogonal or tilted surfaces. The assembly is achieved in a two-step process: part delivery using fluidic self-assembly and part folding to assemble the 3D structure. A magnetic field is employed for both processes. The folding angle is controlled by adjusting the direction of the magnetic field. The parts are fixed with solder reflow once they are assembled. As a proof of concept, millimeter-scale pyramid and rectangular shaped structures with different folding angles are fabricated.


The heat transfer model of a micro Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (μDMFC) based on heat transfer mechanisms is presented. Three kinds of patterns of the heater integrated into a μDMFC are designed and simulated using the Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The simulation results illustrate that the different patterns of the heater cause different temperature distributions on the surface of the plate, which would induce different heating effects on a fuel cell and great influence on its performance. According to the results, an ideal heater resistance which causes a maximum temperature contrasts of 1.4℃ is applied to control the operating temperature in experiments, for it shows an improvement on the temperature uniformity. Moreover, the heaters with other two patterns produce the maximum temperature contrast of 2.1℃ and 3.0℃, respectively. Experimental results show that the μDMFC can generate a maximum power density of 5.55 mW/cm^2 at a temperature of 58.2℃ when a current of 53.9 mA is applied to the heater. This work would make it possible for a μDMFC to enhance the performance by adjusting to the temperature and to employ it in extreme environments.


The invention is directed to systems, methods and computer program products for increasing the power efficiency of a display. An exemplary system includes a transflective display that is operable in either a transmissive mode or a reflective mode, and an illumination source with one or more distinct peaks in the illumination source's transmission spectrum, wherein light from the illumination source is directed towards the transflective display during the transmissive mode of operation. For the transmissive mode of operation, the transflective display's transmission spectrum is configured to substantially match the illumination source's transmission spectrum such that one or more narrow passbands in the transflective display's transmission spectrum substantially overlap with the one or more distinct peaks in the illumination source's transmission spectrum. For the reflective mode of operation, the transflective display's reflection spectrum is substantially inversely related to the transflective display's transmission spectrum.


A new project is underway to improve mathematical learning by Indigenous students in Western Australias east Kimberley region. Six schools are taking part, all based in self-governing Indigenous communities. The project uses a learning model that was developed by Stanford University for use with disadvantaged low-performing students in the USA adapted to the Australian Indigenous context. It combines high-quality, challenging mathematics content, group work, use of the students' home language and allowance for different learning styles.


The distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints of 100 patients with definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis were studied for marginal erosions and joint narrowings. Fifteen percent had DIP joint affect...


This communication describes the parameter knowledge productivity, in what concerns national economies' and firms' sustainable growth. Taking knowledge, individual and social, as the foundation for value, it clarifies how society has a natural propensity to increase its value creation and, simultaneously, its value distribution. The discussion is about the optimum balance between value creation and distribution, the former being triggered by investment and the latter represented by labor costs and supporting consumption. The conclusions are, for whole economies, that society quickly distributes extra value in forms of salaries and social benefits increases, flattening the growth rate of knowledge productivity. However, for individual firms, knowledge productivity may increase steadily, what can be considered as a core strategy for firms' economic sustainable growth. I. INTRODUCTION Sustainable growth means constant or increasing growth for a long period. What is the right strategy to achieve this goal, at the firm's level? Many authors and models have produced a variety of answers, dealing with specific parts of the whole, like marketing strategies, R&D efforts, organization management, lean production and others. The aim is increasing profits, output, market shares, capital intensities, shareholders' equity, stakeholders' happiness, etc. However, is there an elemental and simple answer that defines a core strategy? I argue in this communication that the objective of increasing knowledge productivity is a good and simple basis for that. Data from OECD about Unit Labor Costs will be used to illustrate how knowledge productivity varies with economic growth and how society distributes value at about the same pace as creates it. The causal-effect relation between the two parameters, knowledge productivity and growth, will be justified by a logical argument, that shows how the increase of individual knowledge depends on action and work involving technology and capital. As such, investment should grow at least at the same pace as individual and social knowledge. On the other hand, consumption feeds individual knowledge maintenance and creates conditions for new knowledge, what leads to conclude that consumption is as crucial as investment. Finally, transferring these arguments to the firm's level, propositions will be outlined, relevant to the firm's growth strategy, which could be condensed in one only parameter - the increase of the firm's knowledge productivity. Two examples of economic sectors, from the Portuguese economy, will depict how the growth rate of knowledge productivity correlates with Gross Value Added (GVA) growth rate. I will use the term individual knowledge as the knowledge that exists and belongs to the individual and, as such, can not be directly assessed. It is expressed through work, therefore, indirectly valued. Social knowledge has a value attributed by society and may be recognized and accessed, as it is embodied in technological and capital forms.


Abstract Objectives Intrauterine testicular torsion is extremely rare and the exact cause remains largely unknown. It is the result of an ischemic insult intrauterine, which presents as either extra-vaginal or intravaginal testicular torsion. Urgent surgical exploration and fixating the contralateral testis is key in the management of this condition. Case presentation We present here the case of a two-day old neonate with in-born right scrotal swelling admitted at Children's hospital. The patient was born at term via cesarean section at a private hospital. Upon arrival in the emergency department, he was well hydrated, pink at room temperature with good perfusion. Upon examination, the right testis was found to be enlarged, tense, non-tender visibly reddish with overlying skin excoriation. Trans-illumination was negative in right but positive in the contralateral testis. Both hernial orifices were normal. Doppler ultrasound of the inguinoscrotal area found the right testis to be enlarged (15.6*9.4 mm) and showed heterogeneous hypoechoic texture with prominent rete testis and no flow on color doppler analysis. An urgent scrotal exploration was undertaken. Intra-operatively there was frank necrotic right testis with intravaginal torsion of the testis and minimal hydrocele. A right orchidectomy and contralateral orchidopexy were performed. Conclusions Intrauterine testicular torsion should be treated as a surgical emergency. We advocate early recognition of intrauterine testicular torsion, alongside surgical exploration and simultaneous contralateral orchidopexy.


ABSTRACT The current national community college redesign effort, Guided Pathways, focuses on the need for "clearer, more educationally coherent programs of study that simplify students' choices without limiting their options." In Redesigning America's Community Colleges, the authors Thomas Bailey, Shanna Jaggars, and Davis Jenkins offered general insights into student services redesign in support of constructing guided pathways. This article provides answers to some basic questions about the role of Student Affairs in the community college redesign effort commonly referred to as Guided Pathways. Specifically addressed is the focus on how and where Student Affairs executive teams start in the desire to advance the institutional change mandate.


Train runs on high speed and the concrete track is constructed. Rail fastening device needs to reduce elasticity, transferred load, noise, and vibration etc. Consequently, low elastic pad has a great impact of the durability and stability of the track. In this study, discussed in previous studies, static numerical analysis and real scale repeated loading test, followed by dynamic response analysis were implemented. The most distinctive characteristics of the model proposed is to simulate the real wheel behavior on rail. And the main analysis object is to evaluate and compare the deformation characteristics of the transition track while load reduction effect of transfer on roadbed assessed by various low elastic pad.


This study explored the effects of the kinds of ferrous salts,hydrolysis time,co-incubation time,mass ratio,reaction pH and temperature on the chelating activity of casein hydrolysate with ferrous salt,in order to prepare some basic data for preparation of a product rich in bio-iron.Peptides produced by enzyme hydrolysis of casein reacted with Fe2+.Results showed that the chelating activity of FeSO4 with casein hydrolysate was significantly higher than that of(NH4)2Fe(SO4)2 and FeCl2(p 0.05).The chelating activity of casein hydrolysate obtained at different hydrolysis time differed,and when hydrolysis time 7 h was the best.When the co-incubation time of casein hydrolysate and FeSO4,mass ratio,reaction pH and temperature were 10 min,1:2,6.0 and 40 ℃ respectively,the chelating effect was optimum.


The present work makes an analysis related to the current location of both bases of Special
Rescue Group of the Municipal Guard from Volta Redonda, in order to optimize the rescue time
of the traffic accident victims that has being growing constantly with increasing numbers of
vehicles. lt is worth emphasizing that the first moments after the occurrence of a traffic
accident are crucial in a victims life, hence the need of optimizing the time for the minimum
possible, which ends justifying the study conducted. The study also proposes the analysis of the possibility to have only one base of Special Rescue Group that covers the whole city. The bibliographic research discusses three techniques for location, which the method of Center of Gravity is considered the most appropriate for the problem analysis. Besides the field studies it is also carried out a survey about the number of accidents per district of the city in the period from July to October 2008. The results showed a good current location of the two bases that are located at strategic points in lhe city.


The National University of Water and Environmental Engineering (NUWEE) from Rivne (Ukraine) is implementing a program of energy efficiency on its own educational, residential and auxiliary buildings. The measures were implemented according to the following program: installation of 15 automated heat energy metering units; construction of a solid fuel boiler house; partial thermo-modernization of buildings; introduction of decentralized ventilation systems with recuperation; use of renewable energy sources; training and certification of specialists in energy efficiency of buildings and inspection of engineering systems; and provision of an energy audit. All this requires significant financial and material resources. Therefore, NUWEE participates in a number of grant and credit projects, and attempts to raise funds based on energy service contracts. The largest of these projects is the Ukraine Higher Education Project, which involves 21 universities in Ukraine. The main goals and preliminary results of the project are given in this paper as an example of the NUWEE subproject.


Phytohaemagglutinin was extracted by distilled water at 4 ℃ from crushed beans, and its supernatant was precipitated by(NH4)2SO4, ultrafiltrated by 100 KD molecular weight fiber membrane respectively. The supernatant solution,(NH4)2SO4 precipitation liquid, super and concentrated liquid of filtration were collected to test the hemagglutinin activity(HA), and the HA titer of which were 28,27,29,27 respectively. The conclusion indicated that ultrafiltration could be used as a preliminary purification of PHA.


In 1992, Heartland Community College (HCC), in Illinois, was granted candidacy status for accreditation by the North Central Association (NCA). In 1994, the college decided to seek full accreditation to ensure its place in the local community, ensure federal funding, and to show that it had grown since candidacy and was ready to fulfill accreditation criteria. Three factors suggested that the HCC was in a favorable position to achieve accreditation: the college had employed highly experienced faculty and staff; it had a capoble employee to direct the self-study process; and there was a strong commitment to the accreditation process by the board of trustees, executive management, and all employees. A climate of cooperation and commitment to the process was created throughout the college through visits from NCA personnel, the inclusion a cross-section of employees on committees, and meetings and updates. The climate was also fostered by HCC's organizational values, including the college's emphasis on a positive attitude; the importance of a collective contribution to the process; the focus on employee integrity, related specifically to preparing staff for the site team visit; and the institutional view of the site visit as an opportunity to offer valuable suggestions and promote positive development. Preparation for the site visit included disseminating information throughout the campus, lunch meetings, and close contact with the site team chair. In August 1994, HCC was granted accreditation. (TGI) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made frob the original document. **************;:*******************.i.*************A:d.M.**********A:. Lf1 tf") Cr) 00 (00 Cr)


This thesis describes the design and implementation of constructing a predictive maintenance system for a hybrid vehicle to meet the requirements of the STO (Société de transport de l'Outaouais). Thousands of sensors installed on the bus allow us to observe the real-time performance of the bus while it is running. Abnormal sensor values represent adverse operating conditions and bring attention to the inevitable failures of a bus's components. Therefore, by analyzing real-time sensor streams, predictive maintenance is accomplished based on the unnatural behaviour of a hybrid bus. Currently, transport companies still employ traditional methods of maintenance planning, such as emergency maintenance and preventive maintenance. Traditional maintenance strategies require a great deal of technicians and time to inspect the buses regularly and carefully. In comparison, predictive maintenance can monitor the performance of buses based on the condition of their equipment. To collect data from the hybrid bus and share data with the Internet, IoT technology is adopted to develop predictive maintenance architecture for a fleet management system. Our team devised an IoT architecture for the fleet management system, including the perception layer, middleware layer and application layer. My work focuses on the perception layer, which is responsible for analyzing sensor values, reporting failures of a hybrid bus and connecting with cloud-servers. As one of the predictive maintenance methods, the expert system (also known as a knowledge-based expert system) is built to store expert knowledge in a specific area. The expert system presented in this thesis can store failures of hybrid buses, symptoms of which were provided to us by technicians from the STO. Such breakdowns assist the expert system in predicting the malfunctions of the bus's components based on the symptoms. Inspired by the IDEA methodology, failure symptoms can be represented by active rules with three essential components: event, condition and action. These rules can also be translated into active database features like triggers and mapped into an active database. A gateway is installed on a bus and composed of four modules: data acquisition module, active rules module, rules management module and user interface module. Within the parameters of the architecture and the gateway, this thesis analyzes the entities, relationships and operations in the dynamic system and forms a relational database to store the information related to the bus and active rules.


THIS article investigates the effect on competition of mergers in industries that produce durable goods and shows how difficult it is to create market power through merger in a durable good industry.1 The implications of the analysis are that mergers in durable-good industries do not raise the same antitrust concerns as mergers in non-durable-good industries and, therefore, that it would be a mistake to blindly use the same type of analysis in a durable-good industry that has been developed to analyze mergers in a non-durable-good industry. Our results are separate from those in the recent theoretical literature on a durable-good monopolist and instead depend on the nature of competition in a dynamic setting with used goods.2 The implication of recent theoretical work following Coase is that one may not have to worry about monopoly or its creation through merger in durable-good industries. The reason has to do with the inability of the


The effect of the UASB reactor treating starch wastewater is introduced and the influences of primary influential factors are analyzed.The data collecting from the actual project show that the UASB reactor is effective and steady in treating starch wastewater.The COD and BOD5 removal efficiency is above 83% and 90% respectively and the effluent meets the requirements of succeeding aerobic process.The key factors of removal efficiency and granular sludge formation include the organic loading,pH,alkalinity,effluent recycle,SO42 and suspended solids.


Patchwork is a very popular classical aestheticism handicraft in the world. Patchwork is an art form developed from patchwork under a certain social economy and cultural background. Patchwork is a modern printing and dyeing of patchwork art. Contemporary form from the perspective of technology. With rotary screen printing as a technical support, the pattern design, textile fabrics and home textiles are organically combined, thus giving birth to a spliced pattern style. This article introduces the application of splicing patterns in the field of modern home textiles to obtain a unique and integrated effect of the finished product appearance. Due to the development of new materials and new technology, splicing design is "intercepting" and "integrating" to inject new vitality into modern home textile design visually. Therefore, this article explores and summarizes the innovative design and application prospects of splicing design in modern home textile design, and guides design thinking and creative methods in practice.


prevalent view, but gives no indication of the content of Brunt's argument, let alone a critical appraisal of it. More often than not, one is left frustrated by a refusal on M.'s part to offer substantive reflections on the state of scholarly debate. Mostly we are given little sense, other than some rather bland approbations, of M.'s views of the literature. As a result, readers who do not already know their way around the territory may feel short-changed. Even in cases where M. clearly has a view, there is an apparent unwillingness to argue his case in the scholarly context. For example, in relation to the debate about whether Cicero upheld a 'radical' or 'mitigated' form of scepticism, M. writes (p. 89): 'Thorsrud believes that . . . Cicero does not reach a point of radical scepticism, but falls back on a mitigated version of it'. A footnote (p. 89 n. 30) informs us that 'Unlike Thorsrud, Brittain 2016 . . . argues that Cicero is not a mitigated sceptic, but rather a radical or Carneadean sceptic'. As to the actual content of either Thorsrud's or Brittain's argument we are given no further information, even though the debate on the nature of Ciceronian scepticism has been one of the liveliest in recent scholarship on his philosophy and even though M. indicated earlier (p. 59) that he favours the 'mitigated' reading. Nor are we given a clear and concise setting out of what the terms of the debate are, so that readers new to it could orient themselves. Add to this that M.'s English is at times rather stilted and occasionally defies comprehension, and the volume, in terms of its treatment of the scholarship on Cicero's philosophy, while a useful compendium in some ways, must be judged a missed opportunity overall.


To provide a continuous annealing furnace and an annealing furnace using the method of continuous annealing of a steel strip, the dew point of atmosphere in the furnace can be rapidly reduced to a level suitable for steady-state operation, and possible to stably obtain small pickup defect generation, furnace wall injury fewer problems of low dew point atmosphere. Vertical annealing furnace configured as follows: add no partition wall between the zone and the soaking zone, and a portion of the suction gas is introduced into the furnace having a deoxidation refining apparatus and dehumidifying apparatus provided outside the furnace, the oxygen and moisture in the gas is removed thereby reducing the dew point, the dew point of the gas back to the furnace after reduction, wherein the gas purifier of the suction port are disposed in lower portion connecting zone and the cooling zone, and introducing the strip from the other portion of the lower portion of the heating zone since the vertical direction and a distance of 6m or less than the area of the heating belt 3m or less and / or the soaking zone furnace length direction distance, discharge from the refiner to the gas outlet of the furnace is arranged at a soaking zone and the cooling zone of the connecting portion high rolling line region, and from the center of the upper hearth rolls plus tropical than in the vertical direction from a higher position 2m downward region.


For the case that the prediction and update steps of sequence Monte Carlo Generalized Labeled Multi-Bernoulli filter (SMC-GLMB) require pruning respectively which causes large amount of calculation and low operation efficiency, a fast GLMB algorithm based on box particle filter for target tracking is proposed. First, a new recursive equation is derived based on the combination of prediction and update step, then the box particle filter is used to approximate the probability density of single target state, finally we use the new recursive equation to update the probability density of target state. Simulation results show that our proposed algorithm can effectively estimate the state of target, and the computational efficiency is significantly improved compared with the traditional SMC-GLMB filter.


What the earth obtain the energy annually is ten thousand times of the earth energy consumption at present,but the solar energy has a lower energy density on the earth's surface .solar energy is the main source of all energy The experimental research was conducted for the heating performance utilizing the solar-assisted heat pump experimental platform. Experimental errors will be caused to flow meter by different measured media and long time usage In order to improve measurement precision and reduce the experimental errors, this test use gravimetric method to calibrate the LZB glass rotor meter and MCE08-787 cumulative flow meter of indoors and outdoors pipes. The paper also presents flow correction coefficient to guarantee both the accuracy and reliability of the experimental results.


relatives questioned the point of rehashing painful and unpleasant historical memories. The key strength of Aguilar's work is the painstaking research that characterises much of her work, which this time around benefits from greater access to archives and libraries previously inaccessible to scholars. Consequently, a good deal of the book is devoted to expanding previous sections of the first book, such as the politics of socialisation under Franco. New to the book is the treatment of the rise of the movement for the recovery of historical memory, largely credited to the journalist Emilio Silva, whose search for the unmarked grave of his grandfather launched a nationwide movement to exhume and rebury Republican graves. This renewed interest in the past is regarded by Aguilar as evidence of Spain's continuing search for some type of 'coming to terms' with the past, a clear shortcoming of the transition from Francoism, and notwithstanding the legitimate reasons that drove the nation into collective amnesia, such as the negotiated nature of the change between regimes and the fears that opening old wounds could trigger the advent of another civil war and/or another dictatorship. While the book does an admirable job of reviewing the contrasting experience with dealing with the past of South America's new democracies (unlike Spain, countries like Argentina conduced military trials and convened truth commissions), it ignores much of the theorising about 'transitional justice' that has developed in recent years. This influential human rights movement has made reconciling the past through any of the available legal and political means nothing short of a pre-condition for effective democratisation by, among other things, arguing that holding the previous regime accountable for its political crimes is critical to the rise of a democratic public culture, consolidating the rule of law, and preventing history from repeating itself. In this text, Aguilar misses a great opportunity to employ her expert knowledge regarding the Spanish experience to challenge some if not all of these problematic assumptions. It is quite an irony that Spain, the paradigmatic example of success among newly democratic states, has been among the most reticent in facing the evils of its difficult and painful history.


The large-scale space structure during on-orbit assembly is a time-varying system. The dynamic modeling problem of such incrementally increasing space structure is investigated, and a modular dynamic modeling approach is proposed in this paper. The dynamic model of each substructure is first established, and then, a database is designed to store substructure models, which is used for subsequent dynamic modeling in the assembly process. The fixed connection relationship between adjacent substructures is described by constraint conditions, which lead to the coefficient matrices of adjacent substructures being decoupled. The substructures are assembled in a given sequence, and then, the dynamic modeling, to describe the large-scale space structure on-orbit assembly, is gradually completed via using the proposed modeling approach. The numerical simulation is finally presented. The results demonstrate that the extra calculation resulting from the coefficient matrices coupling of adjacent substructures is avoided. Moreover, the proposed dynamic model can accurately describe the dynamic characteristics of the large-scale space structure during on-orbit assembly.


The prevalence of HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) co‐infection is higher in Asia than in Europe and North America and varies significantly between different regions within Asia. Important routes of transmission of both these infections include high‐risk unprotected sexual contact, intravenous drug use, and transmission of maternal infection perinatally or in early childhood. While life expectancy among people living with HIV has been extended with effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), HBV‐induced liver injury and complications have emerged as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV.


In this paper, a new algorithm for accurate optical flow estimation using discrete wavelet approximation is proposed. The image sequences are always assumed to be noiseless in the computation of optical flow, since there is always a method that can perform such task. One of the main application areas of the wavelet transform is that of noise reduction in images. The basic technique is to transform the noisy input image into a domain, in which the main signal energy is concentrated into as few coefficients as possible, while the noise energy is distributed more uniformly over all coefficients. The choice of the transform is represent an important tool in optical flow estimation. In this paper, several algorithms of 1-D, 2-D and 3-D wavelet transforms are adapted for the estimation of optical flow for the first time. Keyword Optical flow estimation, gradient-based method, 3-D Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT).


To describe our endoscopic aortic valve replacement (E-AVR) technique and to evaluate its early results regardless of the type of prosthetic valve implanted and the patients' characteristics. From July 2013 to September 2018, 125 patients (76 males, mean age 68.8±10.9 years, mean EuroScore II 1.51±1.39) underwent isolated E-AVR due to a severe stenosis in 99 cases and insufficiency in 26 cases. The surgical access was a 3-4 cm working port in the second right intercostal space with no-rib spreading and three additional 5 mm mini-ports for the introduction of a 30-degree thoracoscope, the Chitwood clamp and the vent line. Cardiopulmonary by-pass (CPB) was achieved through a femoro-femoral cannulation. All patients successfully underwent E-AVR. Stended bioprostheses were implanted in 56 cases, Rapid Deployment and Sutureless valves in 23 and 46 cases respectively. Mean cross-clamping and CPB times were 87.5±22.1 and 126.1±28.4 minutes respectively and a significant difference between the types of prostheses was observed: 69.1±15.1 and 106.2±21.8 minutes (Sutureless) vs 93.2±15.1 and 135.5±21.8 minutes (Rapid Deployment) vs 100.6±17.2 and 138.9±21.9 minutes (Stented). Mean ventilation and ICU times and hospital stay were 10.9±39.3 hours, 45.9±58.4 hours and 8.3±9.3 days respectively. Thirty-day mortality was 0.8%. One patient (0.8%) needed a re-exploration for bleeding and three patients (2.4%) required a new permanent pacemaker implantation. No major neurologic events were observed. No paravalvular leakage was detected at discharge. E-AVR is associated with low mortality and few complications. Sutureless bioprostheses significantly reduce cross-clamping and CPB times. In dedicated Centers this approach may become a valid alternative to other minimally invasive techniques.


Objective To investigate the change of QT dispersion(QTd) in 50 patients with end stage renal disease undergoing maintenance hemodialysis(MHD),and therefore to study the relationship between QTd and ventricular arrhythmia in MHD patients.Methods 50 MHD patients were measured with 12-lead ECG before and after dialysis,then QTd and QTcd were calculated.Meanwhile,the ventricular arrhythmias were observation and statisitcal analysis were performed.Results Post-hemodialysis values of QTd and QTcd of MHD patients were larger than pre-hemodialysis values;QTd and QTcd before and after the hemodialysis in patients with ventricular arrhythmias were larger than patients without ventricular arrhythmia.Conclusion It is suggested that QTd level will increase after the procedure of dialysis in MHD patients,and might be related to the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias.Clinicians should pay more attention to the QTd for MHD patients


I. Sketch of the Progress of Selenography. (a) By Eye-draughts and Micrometry. 1. Beginning with the labours of Hevelius (1647), maps of the moon, embracing the whole, and signalizing special parts, have been repeated by Riccioli (1651), Cassini (1680), Lalande (1787), T. Meyer (1748), Lambert-Schröter (1791), Lohrmann (1824), Beer and Mädler (1836). 2. The degree in which these laborious efforts may be regarded as meeting the wants of "Selenography," is about equal to that in which the maps of England of the last century satisfy the requirements of physical geography; and in the same proportion as the great one-inch Ordnance Map of 1862 is superior to the old Chart of 1800, so should be the new drawings of the features of the moon to the older delineations.


TAMPERE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Degree program in Information Technology Institute of Communication Engineering CAZORLA AVILES, JAVIER: High Altitude Platforms for UMTS Master of Science Thesis, 92 pages. Examiners: Professor Jukka Lempiainen, M. Sc. Panu Lahdekorpi Department of Information Technology February 2007


The article presents a concise review of personnel policy of boards of Zemstvo self-government шт the Smolensk gubernia related to health care. The conclusion is made about average level and life quality of the Zemstvo medical personnel in one of typical rural gubernia of the Central Russia in the beginning of XX century.


A hybrid simulation scheme is applied to treat first-order Fermi acceleration in the neighborhood of shock waves. A steady-state hydrodynamic approximation that describes the shock transition is used to evaluate the evolution in position, phase, and pitch angle of relativistic test particles. The relativistic test particles are followed to obtain the distribution function for a specific time after injection. The hydrodynamic model has four components: the main background plasma, a minor relativistic particle population, an oblique averaged magnetic field, and self-generated MHD waves. Various physical parameters are analyzed as a function of time for different approximations to the diffusion coefficients and spectral indexes for the power law MHD turbulent spectrum (normalized to the wave pressure obtained from the hydrodynamic approximation). Results are applied to a proposed scenario of the main global acceleration mechanism of galactic cosmic rays from a few GeVs to 10/sup 5/-10/sup 6/ GeV. >


Two-dimensional (2D) Ruddlesden–Popper (RP) hybrid perovskites are among the most promising semiconductor candidates for next-generation highly efficient optoelectronic devices due to their impress...


Title of the thesis : "Growth Rates and Economic Analysis of Tomato Production in Satna District of Madhya Pradesh." Student's Name : Mr. Kamal Bhan Bagri Permanent address S/o Shri Ramlal Bagri Village-Mahkona, PostRajarwara, TehsilNagod Distt. – Satna (M.P.) 485001 Name and address of major advisor : Dr. A. K. Sarawgi Deptt.of Agri. Economics & Farm Management; College of Agriculture, JNKVV Jabalpur (M.P.) 482004. Degree to be awarded : Master of Science in Agriculture Year of award of degree : 2012 Major subject : Agricultural Economics & Farm Management Total no. of pages in the thesis : 48 Number of words in the abstract : 504 Signature of Advisor (Dr. A.K.Sarawgi) Signature of Head of Department (Dr.N.K.Raghuwanshi) Signature of Student


Wirtz, A., S. Lim, B. Wooding, E. Clouse, A. Petrozziello and A. Vu. Poster Presentation. "Assessing gender-based violence among Stateless persons in the Dominican Republic." Sexual Violence Research Initiative Forum, September 14-17, 2015 (Stellenbosch, South Africa).


Finds from excavations at Wodoku and Ladoku, the original home of the Nungwa and La people respectively are described, and their implications for the archaeology of the Accra Plains, particularly as they relate to the pottery sequence, Ga-Dangme origins, chronology of settlements, economy and subsistence practices are discussed. Institute of African Studies: Research Review Volume Research Review Supplement 17 2006: pp. 55-89


The author considers the need to monitor and regulate the development of the oil reserves of layers drained by horizontal wells. The article shows that the use of special technical means allows to adjust the flow of each trunk or its plot. The influence of bottomhole pressure on productive characteristics of horizontal well is discussed. Areas of the trunk and the bottomhole pressure are determined for maximum flow rate of horizontal wells. The author describes how to determine the optimal values of the depression for a reservoir.


This paper proposes a large-sample approximation of the maximum likelihood (ML) criterion for the joint estimation of nominal directions and angular spreads in the presence of multiple spatially spread sources. The key idea is the concentration on the exact likelihood function by replacing the parametric nuisance estimate, which depends on all unknown parameters at the critical point, by another estimate relying on only the angles of interest, such as nominal angles and angular spreads. Rather than the (3NS + 1) -dimensional optimization required by the exact ML estimator, the proposed large-sample approximation allows 2NS-dimensional search, where NS is the number of sources. To demonstrate the proposed estimator, numerical results are conducted for the illustration of estimation error variance. In the non-asymptotic region, the proposed estimator outperforms previous approaches adopting the 2NS-dimensional search.


Mounting substrate for a semiconductor light emitting device comprising: a solid metal block having first and second opposing metal faces, wherein the first metal surface having therein a cavity which is arranged so that it holds at least one semiconductor light emitting device therein, and light that is reflected from the at least one semiconductor light-emitting device that is mounted therein away from the cavity, and a cap having an aperture extending therethrough, the cap being arranged such that it is suitably fixed to the solid metal block adjacent the first metal face, so that the aperture is aligned with the cavity.


This study focused on the use of Impression Management (IM) in employment interviews from the perspective of interviewees and investigated possible antecedents of their perceptions regarding what is fair interviewee IM. Its rationale was largely based on the tenets of equity theory (Adams, 1963; 1965). Data from 163 potential interviewees (college students) approached in the UK and Portugal showed that, as expected, they tended to perceive as fair interviewee IM those IM tactics they also saw as fair for interviewers to use. Gender did not predict IM fairness perceptions, but IM use by the organization, Machiavellianism and Country did. Results regarding the influence of experience of job interviews were inconclusive. Finally, based on these findings, suggestions are made for further research and for the education of both interviewees and interviewers regarding behavior in the employment interview.


This is an accessible, timely, scholarly and sharp account of democratic citizenship and politics with/on the internet. The authors discuss a widely debated issue (Bennett and Entman, 2001; Bohman, 2004; Ferdinand, 2000; Hacker and van Dijk, 2000; Hindman, 2008; Oates et al., 2005; Shane, 2004) and argue that the internet 'possesses valuable potential to improve public communication' and to cure the weakness of modern democracy, namely the lack of 'mutually communicative and respecting relationships between governments and governed' (p. 166). In this book the authors revisit the proposal they articulated a few years ago (Blumler and Coleman, 2001) for the creation of a civic commons in cyberspace, and they attempt to update and present more thoroughly their argument that this space must receive sufficient and independent policy support in order to be sustainable and efficient. At the beginning of the book the authors introduce the idea of 'democratic citizenship', according to which 'the space of governance emanates from the demos rather than constituting it' (p. 6). This is arguably the type of citizenship that can critically advance conventional forms of the legal (i.e. official), political and affective elements of citizenship today. The authors aim to answer the question: to what extent 'should we think of the Internet as a potential space for the articulation of civic democracy?' (p. 7). They give a relatively optimistic account of the internet 'as a potential space for the articulation of democratic citizenship' (p. 3), and thus as the means to strengthen public communication. However, they see as a precondition the establishment of an independent public agency to promote, oversee and monitor online deliberation. Thus, they argue for an 'institutional innovation that could nurture critical citizenship and radical energy, while at the same time opening up representative governance to a new respect for public discourse and deliberation' (p. 3). Starting their analysis from a theoretical perspective (Chapters 1–3), the authors suggest that, in order for the obstacles to today's representative democracy and public communication to be countered, a direct representative system should be proposed. This proposed model lies between direct and representative democracy, goes beyond formal consultations on pre-established policy agendas, and stimulates an ongoing political dialogue between citizens and politicians in trusted spaces of everyday communication (p. 80). The authors consider that this model is favoured by the internet and its interactive characteristics: 'a key factor in making direct representation a realistic possibility has been the emergence of interactive, digital media' (p. 80). Although they acknowledge that the internet constitutes a space of power, which is 'vulnerable


The axial piston pump used as a high pressure pump is one of the most important component in small and medium scale Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) desalination projects. The pressure and flow ripple is an important factor which impacts the noise level of the pump. The axial piston pump for SWRO desalination uses seawater as its working media and the fluid properties of seawater are obviously different from mineral oil. In order to accurately simulate the dynamic pressure and flow of the pump, the special properties of seawater have to be considered. For this reason, the variational fluid properties of mineral oil and seawater were simulated and the results were compared. The model which describes the dynamic pressure and flow was presented. The pressure and flow characters of a single cylinder and a swash plate axial piston pump with five pistons were simulated using this model. From the simulation results, the delivery pressure and flow ripple when taking seawater as working medium are greater than the oil one if the geometry and boundary conditions are same. In order to reduce the pressure and flow ripple, the overlap angle of the portplate when taking seawater as working medium should be small.


When a large family agency reshapes its program and devises a new staffing pattern, it dramatically demonstrates an extension of service to poor families


The crystal structure of the title complex, [Cu(CN)(C 12 H 8 N 2 ) 2 ] 2 (NCS) 2 .C 12 H 8 N 2 .5.5H 2 O, consists of discrete [Cu(CN)(phen) 2 ] + cations (phen is 1,10-phenanthroline), NCS - anions and uncoordinated phen and water molecules. The two symmetrically independent Cu atoms are coordinated by four N atoms (from two phen molecules) and by one C atom (from the cyanide group) in the form of a distorted trigonal bipyramid (the C atom is in the equatorial plane).


Ventilatory response to carbon dioxide, as an index of respiratory centre sensitivity, was measured in 50 normal subjects. Their personality was documented in terms of extraversion and neuroticism scores by the Eysenck Personality Inventory. A significant correlation was found between extraversion score and ventilatory response to carbon dioxide in women (P < 0·005) but not in men. No correlation was found between ventilatory responsiveness and neuroticism score in either sex. It is suggested that the degree of extraversion may play some part in determining the level of ventilation adopted, and hence of arterial carbon dioxide tension, if and when women develop lung disease such as asthma.


Diabetic foot disease is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, yet patient awareness about the complication is low. To determine whether podiatrists and other healthcare professionals differ in their beliefs about good foot heath behaviour, and on which specific elements they differ, an online cross-sectional survey was carried out. Significant inter-professional differences of opinion on a range of foot care behaviours were observed, including methods of toenail cutting. In the continued absence of trial evidence, multidisciplinary consensus should be reached on basic foot care behaviours to provide clear and consistent advice for people with diabetes.


Raman spectra and NH3 vapor pressure measurements indicate that LiClO4·4 NH3 is stable for use as electrolyte in Li batteries below 80 °C. Density, viscosity, and conductivity data are reported for the temp. range 10-80 °C. In this temp. range, the activation energy of ion transport remains mainly constant at 0.26 eV.


The paper identifies, characterizes, and illustrates the phenomenon of exclusion caused by the academic mathematical discourse (dME), hence addressing the main subject of discussion that may develop on who and what is excluded in the educational act. We consider exclusion in a broader sense that the process of involvement of the individual to be out of certain group or lack certain rights, but because of access without being considered to be invisible. The dME is characterized by the hegemonic and utilitarian, devoid of reference frames, which imposes meanings, arguments, and procedures focused on mathematical objects. This avoids the functional nature of mathematical knowledge since the individual person builds it in their community. Therefore, we hold that the discourse has excluded us to build mathematical knowledge.


The theory of sound transmission through internal waves is used to develop a method for determining the geographical distribution of internal-wave strength by acoustic tomography. It is shown that short-term fluctuations of acoustic travel-time can be used to probe low-mode internal waves, whereas fluctuations of arrival angle measured by vertically separated hydrophones will probe high-mode internal waves.


This article investigates price asymmetry by using an ECM (Error Correction Model) to see whether gasoline prices respond faster to cost increases than they do to decreases. The data are obtained from the energy price dataset of the MOEA (Minsgtry of Economics Affairs, Taiwan). In contrast with the public opinion, the evidence shows that gasoline prices did not adjust more quickly to cost increases than to decreases. The fact might be owing to the government's low energy price policy and the intense competition following the entry of Formosa Petrochemical Co. into gasoline market.


Ksenia Rozhkova, Junior Research Fellow, Laboratory for Labor Market Studies, Faculty of Economic Sciences, National Research University Higher School of Economics. E-mail: email@example.com (corresponding author) Sergey Roshchin, Candidate of Sciences in Economics, Head of the Laboratory for Labor Market Studies, Faculty of Economic Sciences, National Research University Higher School of Economics. E-mail: email@example.com Address: 11 Pokrovsky Blvd, 109028 Moscow, Russian Federation. The article presents a review of literature systematizing findings on the contribution of non-cognitive skills to higher education choice-making. The concept of higher education choice-making in this paper embraces the decision to embark on a college degree, the probability of successful degree completion, the choice of academic discipline, and other related aspects. A priority focus is given to publications in economics since the economic approach differs a lot from approaches in other social sciences. In addition, the article explores the methodological characteristics of non-cognitive skills research in economics. The results of literature analysis point to the relevance of non-cognitive skills in explaining individual educational choices and allow drawing some inferences for education policy.


sociology course when used as a tutorial device. The question of the value of such programs takes on importance as technologies become available and are considered means for instructors to be innovative as well as responsive to student needs. Analysis of data indicates students who made use of the self-testing computer program perfbrmed better than nonusers on examinations covering this material. However, level of student ability and pattern of use were important factors. The findings suggest that computer-programmed self-testing may have positive effects for retention of less experienced, lesser skilled students as their performance scores improve.


OBJECTIVES
Zidovudine (ZDV) is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that could cause telomere shortening through inhibition of telomerase. We examined the association between in utero exposure to ZDV and telomere length (TL) at birth in HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) newborns.

METHODS
We selected 94 ZDV-exposed HEU children and 85 antiretroviral therapy (ART)-unexposed HEU children from the Surveillance Monitoring for ART Toxicities Study and the Women and Infants Transmission Study. We assessed relative TL in stored peripheral blood mononuclear cells taken in the first 7 days of life using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We used linear regression to compare relative TL between ZDV-exposed and ART-unexposed children. We additionally evaluated relative TL according to maternal and infant characteristics.

RESULTS
Relative TL was longer in ZDV-exposed children compared to ART-unexposed individuals (adjusted mean ratio difference 0.21, 95%CI 0.15-0.28, p < 0.001). We found an inverse correlation between maternal HIV RNA levels and infant relative TL (-0.06 per log10 copies, 95%CI -0.08 to -0.03, p < 0.001). Relative TL was not associated with maternal CD4 count, maternal age, gestational age, sex, sample storage time, or maternal substance use (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION
Relative TL was longer in ZDV-exposed infants. This difference may reflect beneficial health effects of antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy, since we observed an inverse association with maternal HIV RNA levels.


Business and professional communicators increasingly rely on visual thinking and design strategies to create effective messages. The workplace need for such thinking, however, is not readily accommodated in current pedagogy. A long-running study abroad short course for American students taught in London provides a model for meeting this need. Addressed to students in art and design and framed through principles of discovery learning, the course approach and assignments can be productively adapted to enhance the visual competence of students of professional communication.


A calculation for various watermarking in view of discrete wavelet transforms (DWT), discrete cosine transform (DCT) and singular value decomposition (SVD) has been proposed for social insurance applications. For personality verification reason, the proposed technique utilizes three watermarks as restorative Lump picture watermark, the specialist signature/ID code and demonstrative data of the patient as the content watermarks. Keeping in mind the end goal to enhance the strength execution of the picture watermark, Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) is connected to the separated picture watermark to lessen the commotion impacts on the watermarked picture. The security of the picture watermark is likewise improved by utilizing Arnold change before installing into the cover. Promote the side effect and mark content watermarks are additionally encoded by lossless number juggling pressure strategy and Hamming mistake revision code separately. The packed and encoded content watermark is then implanted into the cover picture. In this paper we proposed usage and execution investigation of two distinctive watermarking plans in view of DCT-DWT-SVD. Both are nondaze strategies. One depends on SVD of DC coefficients utilizing second level DWT deterioration and other is consider SVD of all DCT estimations of second level DWT creation of cover picture. To check effectiveness of both techniques for Imperceptibility and robustness PSNR and NCC parameters are used. Index terms – Digital Image Watermarking, Discrete wavelet transforms, Singular value decomposition, Stationery wavelet transform, Back Propagation Neural Network , Copyright protection, Robustness,PSNR, NCC


N,TV-Dimethyl-N-alky 1-D-glucaminium bromides, with the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain varying from 8 to 22, have been synthesized by an SN reaction of N;./V-dimethyl-D-glucamine with 1-bromoalkanes. The target compounds were characterized and their structure proved by NMR and IR spectroscopy. The effect on S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans was also examined and the antimicrobial activity expressed by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The structure— activity relationship was evaluated by the QSAR method using the Kubíny?s bilinear model.


Inspired by a true story, the film Extraordinary Measures tells the story of a father's determination to do everything in his power to save his daughter's life. Brendan Fraser plays the part of John Cowley, a father of two children, both diagnosed with Pompe Disease. John and his wife Aileen (played by Keri Russell) embark on a campaign to raise awareness and funding for much needed research into a possible cure for their children's disease.


TABIAS AND JESSOUR OF SOUTH TUNISIA AGRICULTURE IN THE MARGINAL ZONES AND PROTECTION AGAINST EROSION After some exceptional rainfalls have been observed, the author studied the minor hydraulic works in the Medenine area of southern Tunisia. He describes them and distinguishes the works in the mountainous zone resultingfrom a century-old experience from the more recent ones which occupy the glacis and cones of the Jeffara piedmont. A true protection of this piedmont against floods and erosion can be secured on@ i f the small scale hydraulic works in the mountainous zone are preserved and restored.


The importance of the research is provided by the need of choosing the optimal informational resources for studying Russian language as foreign one. Therefore this article is devoted to finding the effectiveness of using websites and mobile applications during studying a foreign language. The main terms connected with the subject are given: technology, information technology, information technology of education, website, and mobile application. Attention is paid to the advantages and disadvantages of information technology, as well as the rules and requirements for their use. Some websites and mobile applications that let you study Russian as a foreign language both with teacher and by yourself are given and analyzed. Methods and technologies, that are used in given resources are analyzed. The conclusion of usefulness and effectiveness of using web-sites and mobile applications in the process of learning a foreign language is


I was lucky to meet Yoichiro Nambu at the beginning of my scientific activity. The experience of working with him influenced my subsequent research and in the following I will try to convey what he transmitted to me. It was also a friendship that continued for decades in spite of the rare occasions to meet after our collaboration.


The rotating face mechanical seal principle is adaptable to serve a tremendous number of sealing needs standard mechanical seals can suit most requirements-including temperatures and shaft speeds through the choice of secondary seal and the combination of seal and seal face materials which are offered. Seals can be ordered in balanced configurations to seal pressures or used in a multiple for extremely high pressures or especially severe fluid services. Special mechanical seals can be furnished to meet the most demanding of industrial applications considering pressure, temperature, speed or fluid.


In this work,a series of polymer bulk-heterojunctions is fabricated based on the combinations of different donors(Ds)(P3HT and PCPDTBT) and acceptors(As)(PCBM,ICBA,and F8BT).Exciton quenching efficiencies of the D–A pairs are obtained in order to quantify charge-transfer between the donor and the acceptor via a modified approach developed in conjunction with experimental results of optical absorption and photoluminescence spectra.It is discovered that the exciton quenching efficiency in the combination of PCPDTBT:PCBM and P3HT:PCBM reaches 70% and over,but in PCPDTBT:ICBA it is about 12%.A relatively high △LUMOdonor-acceptorresults in a relatively high exciton quenching efficiency,which is responsible for better charge separation.The results agreed well with the photocurrent effect of the heterojunction layers.The work offers a convenient way to predict a potentially promising photovoltaic material with a selected D–A pair.


With the development of information technology and technology, more and more cutting-edge industries have come into view of the public, among which one of the most representative technologies is UAV. The emergence of UAVs has reduced the labor cost of some businesses, such as farming, forest fire prevention, maritime patrol and so on. In response to the common problems of long preparation time and poor maneuverability of unmanned aerial vehicles, this paper studies the aerodynamic layout of unmanned aerial vehicles and proposes a new layout. Firstly, the aerodynamic layout of typical UAVs is introduced and compared and analyzed. Then, a new type of compound wing UAV is designed by screening and analyzing the wing, flight analysis, main wing and UAV production process with Reynolds number. Subsequently, simulation experiments were conducted to analyze and optimize the aerodynamic layout performance of the designed UAVs, thereby verifying the reliability of the proposed method.. Finally, the entire content is summarized and analyzed.


White striping defect (appearance of white striations parallel to muscle fiber on surface of breast) is considered an emerging issue in chicken breast meat which is related to increasing growth rate of modern hybrid birds. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of white striping on chemical composition and nutritional value of chicken breast meat. During three replications, a total of 108 Pectoralis major muscles representing three degrees of white striping (absence=normal; presence classified in 2 levels as moderate or severe) were selected to determine proximate composition (moisture, protein, lipid and collagen) as well as sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar protein profile by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. The results showed that both severe and moderate white-striped fillets had higher fat content (2.53 vs 1.46 vs 0.78%; P<0.001), lower protein level (20.9 vs 22.2 vs 22.9%; P<0.001), decreased quality of protein as proven by higher collagen content (1.30 vs 1.37 vs 1.43%; P<0.001), and different pattern on myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic fractions when compared to normal fillets. Moreover, severe white-striped fillets exhibited higher energy content (450.7 vs 421.1 kJ/100g; P<0.01) with respect to normal meat. In conclusion, there was a large worsening of nutritional value of chicken breast meat following occurrence of white striping and this might impair consumer attitude towards poultry meat.


Data Center TCP (DCTCP) is an Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN)-based congestion control and Active Queue Management (AQM) scheme. It has provoked widespread interest because it keeps queuing delay and delay variance very low. There is no theoretical reason why Data Center TCP (DCTCP) cannot scale to the size of the Internet, resulting in greater absolute reductions in delay than achieved in data centres. However, no way has yet been found for DCTCP traffic to coexist with conventional TCP without being starved. This paper introduces a way to deploy DCTCP incrementally on the public Internet that could solve this coexistence problem. Using the widely deployed Weighted Random Early Detection (WRED) scheme, we configure a second AQM that is applied solely to ECN-capable packets. We focus solely on long-running flows, not because they are realistic, but as the critical gating test for whether starvation can occur. For the non-ECN traffic we use TCP New Reno; again not to seek realism, but to check for safety against the prevalent reference. We report the promising result that, not only does the proposed AQM always avoid starvation, but it can also achieve equal rates. We even derived how the sharing ratio between DCTCP and conventional TCP traffic depends on the various AQM parameters. The next step beyond this gating test will be to quantify the reduction in queuing delay and variance in dynamic scenarios. This will support the standardization process needed to define new ECN semantics for DCTCP deployment that the authors have started at the IETF.


This article presents a comprehensive study of the various structured Dielectric Resonator Antennas (DRAs) and also analyzes the effects generated due to change in material of substrate. Dielectric resonator antennas (DRAs) have received increased attention in various applications due to their attractive features in terms of high radiation efficiency, light weight, small size and low profile. Over last decades, various bandwidth enhancement techniques have been developed for DRAs. In this article, the attention is focused on a two type of DRAs that can almost same frequency 3.5 GHz frequencies and when replace the dielectric material of both antennas by FR4 having dielectric constant 4.4 there is a shift in frequency in antenna and another antenna having large bandwidth. Keywords— ―Backing cavity, Dielectric resonator antenna, Microstrip patch antenna, bandwidth, Resonant Frequency‖


Objective: To compare the antibacterial effect of 12 antimicrobial agents on enterococci of clinical isolates during 1997~1998 in vitro. Methods: Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidalconcentration of 12 antimicrobial agents to enterococci were examined with double dilution test. Results: 244 enterococci isolated in our hospital during 1997~1998 were collected in the study. Results showed that vancomycin and teicoplanin had the most potent antibacterial activity, with susceptible rates of 89.60% and 96.73%、respectively. Piperacillinampicillin and penicillin G also had better antibacterial activity. The resistant rates of enterococci faecium to 12 antimicrobial agents were higher than those of enterococci faecalis. MBC values of 12 antimicrobial agents to enterococci were as same as their MIC values or 1~2 times higher. MBC50 and MBC90 of 12antimicrobial agents to enterococci faecium were obviously higher than those of enterococci faecalis. Conclusion: Piperacillin, ampicillin and penicillin G had better antibacterial effect to enterococci. Vancomycin and teicoplanin were the best effective antibacterial agents in the examined antibiotics. Glycopeptide resistant enterococci were detected in the study and it is worth noticing.


Research into police misconduct traditionally considers the correlates and antecedents of misconduct among individual officers, as a means of disruption or prevention. However, more recently, deviance among police has been considered through network perspectives. This study considered 7755 allegations of misconduct accrued by 1495 officers from the Baltimore Police Department between January 2015 to January 2020. A social network analysis was employed to consider the characteristics and differences of misconduct networks between assignments and to identify key officers within these networks. Findings suggested that the misconduct networks of patrol assignments functioned marginally different to investigations or specialist duties. Discrete communities of misconduct were identified within each assignment, including a small number of officers that were particularly important to supporting these networks. This study holds practical implications for the identification and disruption of misconduct networks among law enforcement agencies.


The Space Shuttle Payload Information Source Compact Disk (CD) is a joint NASA and USA project to introduce Space Shuttle capabilities, payload services and accommodations, and the payload integration process. The CD will be given to new payload customers or to organizations outside of NASA considering using the Space Shuttle as a launch vehicle. The information is high-level in a visually attractive format with a voice over. The format is in a presentation style plus 360 degree views, videos, and animation. Hyperlinks are provided to connect to the Internet for updates and more detailed information on how payloads are integrated into the Space Shuttle.


The 2 mol% Er3+,0,20 and 80 mol% Yb3+ codoped NaYF4 upconversion luminescence powders were prepared by sol-gel method.The Er3+:NaYF4 was composed of α-NaYF4 and β-NaYF4 phases,Yb3+ codoping promoted phase transformation from β to α phases.The green and red upconversion emissions of Er3+-Yb3+ codoped NaYF4 were detected by a 976-nm semiconductor laser diode(LD) excitation in the wavelengths of 500~580 nm and 620~700 nm which ascribe to the 2H11/2/4S3/2→4I15/2 and 4F9/2→4I15/2 transitions of Er3+,respectively.With increasing Yb3+ doping concentration,green and red emissions intensities(Igreen and Ired) increased firstly and then decreased,the intensities ratio Igreen/Ired decreased and the two green emissions intensities ratio IH/IS which correspond to the 2H11/2/4S3/2→4I15/2 transitions increased gradually.The color output of Er3+:NaYF4 was modluated from green to yellow and red with increasing Yb3+ doping concentration.The effect of Yb3+ codoping on the upconversion multicolor tuning of Er3+:NaYF4 was closely related to the energy transfers between Yb3+ an Er3+.


The paper describes the experience and presents the results of a retargeting exercise aimed at replacing the PAL-implemented control circuitry of a high-performance multiprocessor with FPGA devices. While straightforward retargeting is easy to perform, it does not give good results with respect to speed requirements. In order to attain the desired speed performance, it is necessary to redesign the sequential circuits found in the original design.


Recently, product elemen of precast have known many people in Indonesia. Point stresses of product precast is a joint elements of precast. The question is how to minimize costing of grouting elements precast. In this paper have tested mixing grouting materials product sika grout 215 with coarse aggregate This research have tested about mixing for grouting materials product sika grout 215 with coarse aggregate. That materials have tested with procentage of coarse aggregate 50%,40% and 30% of weigth of sika grout 215. Result of compression stresses for procentage of coarse aggregate 50%,40% and 30% of weigth of sika grout 215 is: (1) prosentage 50% of coarse aggregate result average compressive strength 329,5 kg/cm2 for 7 days, (2) prosentage 40% of coarse aggregate result average compressive strength 372,8 kg/cm2 for 7 days, (3) prosentage 30% of coarse aggregate result average compressive strength 376,7 kg/cm2 for 7 days, (4) prosentage 50% of coarse aggregate result average compressive strength 359,7 kg/cm2 for 28 days, (5) prosentage 40% of coarse aggregate result average compressive strength 408,2 kg/cm2 for 28 days, (6) prosentage 30% of coarse aggregate result average compressive strength 482,2 kg/cm2 for 28 days.

Keynote : precast bolt joint,,wet connection


Review(s) of: Reference Renaissance: Current and Future Trends, Ed. by Marie L. Radford and R. David Lankes, New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2010. 312 pp. soft cover A$130.00 ISBN 97815557069876 (available from Inbooks).


Antifungal activities of a series of allylamines (Figure 1) were correlated with physicochemical parameters describing structural properties, such as lipophilicity, electronic distribution and steric requirements. A large number of physicochemical descriptors were calculated on the basis of a "possible" common conformation for all compounds studied. This conformation was deduced by crystallographic and theoretical studies. By an iteratively used, stepwise, multiple regression analysis (st-MLR), the initial set of 27 descriptrs could be reduced to a number of 8–9 with only minimal loss of information content. Hence, three highly significant regression equations were established, indcating distinct requirements for the antimycotic activity against three different families of fungi.


patients is unclear. Drs. Zeidler and Rihl further suggest that some cases of PsA, which is another SpA, might also be caused by chlamydial infection. We find it interesting indeed that they recently detected C trachomatis in synovial fluid from patients with PsA. Not only are the clinical features of PsA and reactive arthritis indistinct, but palmoplantar pustular psoriasis and keratoderma blenorrhagicum cannot be differentiated grossly or histologically (2). Finally, we stress the fact that 14 (88%) of the 16 subjects in our study whose synovial tissue was positive for chlamydiae by PCR analysis had an asymptomatic initial infection. This can and certainly does make classification of the specific type of SpA less clinically apparent. Taken together, data from our study and the important observations cited by Zeidler and Rihl help to support the hypothesis initially proposed by Dr. Denys Ford that one agent may cause different clinical syndromes, and that one syndrome may be attributable to many infectious agents (3). Indeed, we discuss precisely those ideas in terms of recent data in a manuscript that is now in preparation (4). We agree entirely that a concerted effort needs to be undertaken to precisely define the role of infectious agents in all types of SpA.


Abstract : New multifunctional monomers and copolymers and/or composites incorporating these monomer subunits have been synthesized and characterized for applications as third-order nonlinear optical materials or as light-emitting diodes. The chromophore units in the copolymer formulations are related to oligomeric segments of such fully conjugated polymers as poly(P-PHENYLENE VINYLENE), poly2,5-THIENYLENE VINYLENE, polythiophene and diphenylaminodiphenylpolyenes. The copolymers could be fabricated into thin-film light-emitting diodes with emission in the blue region of the visible spectrum. These devices exhibit low turn-on voltages and bright emission and are being considered for commercialization.