An experimental Study was conducted to investigate the size effect on the flexural behaviour of sand-porcelinite lightweight aggregate reinforced concrete one way slabs (SPLWAC OWS). In order to get a clear results, eight slabs were casted, and six of them were strengthened with carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips. To investigate the size effect, four slabs were of 300 mm width, 1500 mm length and 80 mm depth and the others were of 300mm width, 2000 mm length and 108 mm depth. The present study showed that the SPLWAC OWS showed a reverse size effect. The failure mode was by yield of steel for the control un-strengthened slabs, while it was by yield of steel followed by rupture of CFRP strips for the strengthened slabs. Also, the results of this study were compared with those obtained by the ACI equations. This comparison showed that the ultimate moment strength and deflection obtained by the ACI equations were always less than those obtained experimentally.


We propose a novel Bayesian learning algorithm, Bayesian clique learning (BCL), for searching the optimal electromagnetic (EM) design parameter by using the structural property of EM simulation data set. Our method constructs a new topological structure called statistical clique that encodes EM information, which reduces our search space by cutting down unnecessary data. Our BCL then search optimum design parameters by exploiting embedded cliques in the data. Our BCL allows us to reuse learning parameters from the trained EM data set to the new EM data set with little modifications. We classify our data in three ranges and run our learning to find range specific parameters. Our learning algorithm is scalable, and works on any general EM structure for automated design. We have given a bound for the computational complexity of our method and discuss the tradeoff of the complexity with the uncertainty. We compare the computational complexity of two different EM structures that has weakly linear negative correlated data sets.


Is there an "organizingforce"forpublic administration emerging for the 1990s? George D. Wagenheim and John H. Reurink believe that "customer-service management" will provide the organizing and operating strategy for the coming decade, and in this commentary they review the logic and components of that approach. By focusing on the needs of both external and internal customers, the organization devel-


During the last decades, social and computer scientists have been focusing their efforts to study the effectiveness of collaboration in both working and learning environments. The main contributions clearly identify the importance of interactivity as the determinant of positive performances in learning communities where the supportive dimension of exchanges is balanced by the interactive one. In this chapter, authors describe a method based on social network metrics to recognize the stages of development of learning communities. The authors found that the evolution of social network metrics such as density, betweenness centrality, contribution index, core/periphery structure – matched the formal stages of community development, with a clear identification of the forming, norming, and storming phases.


The dynamic development of computing techniques and communication tools and the improvement of network technology have increased the role of information as the main resource in society. The application of information communication technologies has stimulated the development of intellectual and scientific potential all over the world and has been successfully applied to all fields. Gestures are the only means of communication for hearing and speech impaired people. Automatic recognition of gestures in order to facilitate communication through gestures is an urgent issue from both scientific and practical point of view. This article highlights the static and dynamic gestures. The process of gesture recognition collects data by means of various sensor technologies. The article analyzes the image-based and non-image-based technologies and presents their advantages and disadvantages. It also comparatively analyzes the working principle of existing methods proposed for the gestures identification, explores their advantages and disadvantages and interprets the performance of the software which localizes the hand showing the gesture in the video frame. As a result, it develops a machine learning method based on neural networks for high accuracy identification of gestures. The developed method testing on database open for research shows high performance.


A filling unit for filling the product in quantities of one to the container elements (2) of the disposable capsule for extraction or infusion beverage (3) (33), the line for transferring containers element (2) (4) When, a station for filling the product of a single quantity (33) into the container element (2) (SR), one aliquot product undergoes at least one being designed as (33) a first confinement housing portion (S1), a sub-station for forming the inside one aliquot of the first confinement housing portion (S1) (33) (ST1), the first confinement housing portion (S1) an apparatus for releasing a predetermined amount of products to form a quantity (33) of one on the inside (6), release device (6), a hopper (38) for supplying the product, more of the blade (60A, 60B, 60C, 60D, 0E, at least one rotary element with a 60F) (40a; and 40b), a filling chamber (61), the rotating element (40a; disposed below the 40b), rotating element (40a; 40b) is supplied comprising said filling station comprises a substation having an emission device and a filling chamber that is configured to generate a feed flow of product towards the filling chamber (61) from the hopper (38), and a filling unit.


Abstract : An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the effect of exhaust plume thermodynamic properties on a nonaxisymmetric nozzle afterbody. The model consisted of a strut-mounted cone-cylinder with an isolated nozzle afterbody. The shape of the nozzle afterbody was generally based on the early configurations of the ADEN design. An ethylene/air combustor was used to vary the thermodynamic properties by varying fuel-to-air ratio. Data were obtained at four fuel-to-air ratios representing exhaust plume temperatures of approximately 500 F (cold flow, fuel-to-air = 0), 1,200, 1,500, and 1,900 R. Pressure measurements of the nozzle afterbody surface were obtained from which drag coefficients along the rows of pressure orifices were calculated. The investigation was conducted over a range of Mach numbers from 0.6 to 1.4 at a Reynolds number per foot of 2.5 million. Generally, the nozzle afterbody drag decreased with increasing exhaust plume temperature over the entire Mach number range.


Colorectal cancer associated to chronic colitis (CAC) has a different pathogenesis compared to sporadic or familial colorectal cancer and represents the major complication of IBD. IL-33 and its receptor, ST2, are important factors in the pathogenesis of IBD. Emerging evidence suggests the potential contribution to inflammation-driven tumorigenesis that can lead to CAC. The aim of our study was to characterize the precise contribution of IL-33/ST2 axis in the azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) model of CAC.

 C57/BL6 wild-type (WT), Il33-/-, T1/St2-/- and Nt5e-/- mice were given a single dose of AOM followed by two cycles of 3% DSS for 7d in drinking water. Vehicle-treated WT mice served as controls and were sacrificed at the same time points. Another group of WT followed the same protocol and received CD73 inhibitor i.p. treatment or vehicle. Disease Activity Index, endoscopic, stereomicroscopic and histological evaluations of colons were performed. IHC, immunofluorescence (IF), qPCR, and ELISA were done on full-thickness colons. RNA-Seq was performed on whole tissues from AOM/DSS treated WT, Il33-/- and T1/St2-/-. qPCR analysis was done on isolated polyps from WT, Il33-/- and T1/St2-/- for Nt5e (CD73) and adenosine pathway targets.

 Il33, Ilrl1(ST2L), and Ilrl1(sST2) mRNA transcripts, as well as IL-33 and total ST2 proteins were dramatically elevated in AOM/DSS-treated WT mice vs. controls. IHC and IF of treated WT mice revealed localization of IL-33 to the colonic epithelium and to cells within the polyp LP morphologically consistent with stromal and mast cells. Using IF, IL-33 co-localized with sub-epithelial myofibroblast markers Actin and Vimentin, or with mast cell markers Tryptase and MCPT1. AOM/DSS treatment in Il33-/- and T1/St2-/- mice resulted in a significant decreased polyp number and size vs. WT, with colonoscopy revealing the development of protruding lesions with abnormal vascular patterns, suggesting tumorous lesions in WT mice, while all deficient mice showed their absence with a more impressive mucosal inflammation, likely due to reduced epithelial proliferation and repair caused by the deficiency of IL-33 signaling. RNA-Seq identified a significant reduction of Nt5e and adenosine pathway targets in Il33-/- and T1/St2-/-vs. WT. qPCR on isolated polyps confirmed this observation. AOM/DSS-treated Nt5e-/- showed a significant decreased polyp number and size vs. controls. Therapeutic inhibition of CD73 produced similar results.

 Our results suggest that the IL-33/ST2 axis promotes tumorigenesis in CAC through the activation of CD73. Further studies are underway to determine mechanisms of action that support these findings.


An over-identified model could be defined as an exactly identified model that is subject to over-identifying restrictions. One could therefore define a constrained indirect least squares estimator for systems of equations similar to generalized least squares estimators under constraints for single equations. The estimator differs from three stage least squares in using the indirect least squares estimated covariance instead of the two stage least squares estimated covariance. With linear constraints, the estimator is linear. Under the overall null hypothesis with all constraints obtaining, the constrained indirect least squares estimator has the same asymptotic properties as the full infornhtation maximum likelihood estimator. The main advantage of the estimator lies in its easy adaptability to the multiple comparisonist's preferred testing procedure given the exactly identified model as maintained hypothesis. In this paper we stay with the likelihood principle and the corresponding preliminary Wald-type multiple X tests. 1. PROPERTIES OF SEQUENTIALLY CONSTRAINED MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD ESTIMATORS BELOW WE DEFINE a family of estimators obtained by adding one or a group of constraints after another. To verify the properties of these estimators, we first compare the covariances in the asymptotic distribution of maximum likelihood estimators of models that differ in the number of prior constraints on the structural parameter. References are [1, 13, and 14], but we state the comparisons in a form that shows more of the details. Let f( ; xt, 0) be the density of the endogenous variables yt E R G conditional on the exogenous variables x, E R K and the reduced form parameter 0 E R m. For a sequence (yt), t = 1, . n of n independently selected endogenous variables,


As the internal space of UAV is limited and the equipments are closely installed,the electromagnetic environment of UAV system is fairly complex and the deteriorative electromagnetic environment causes serious interferences among different equipments.Therefore,electromagnetic compatibility prediction is a very effective means to ensure the electromagnetic compatibility among the UAV airborne communication equipments.According to the characteristics of UAV,an interference margin analysis method is proposed,which is fit for the RF electromagnetic compatibility prediction among the UAV airborne communication equipments.The effectiveness of this method is verified by the mathematical model of the airborne equipments about frequency and amplitude forecasting,which provides an effective solution for analyzing the RF electromagnetic compatibility among airborne communication equipments.


1 The effect of various peptide antagonists on capsaicin‐induced (250 μg per ear) ear inflammation has been examined. 2 Co‐administration of the substance P (SP) antagonist [d‐Pro2,d‐Trp7,9]SP at 100 and 300 μg per ear with capsaicin markedly attenuated oedema, whereas a vasopressin antagonist was ineffective. 3 Using the same scheme, the mixed BK2 and BK1 bradykinin (BK) antagonist NPC 567 (d‐Arg[Hyp3, d‐Phe7]BK) did not inhibit oedema at 100 μg per ear, but did inhibit at a higher dose (300 μg). The BK1 antagonist [Leu8,desArg9]BK produced significant inhibition at both doses. 4 When BK was used to induce ear inflammation (30 μg per ear), the SP antagonist inhibited ear oedema. Both BK receptor subtype antagonists inhibited inflammation with the BK1 being more potent than the BK2 antagonist. 5 These results suggest that BK1 along with BK2 receptors are located on capsaicin‐sensitive fibres, where they may modulate the degree of neurogenic inflammation.


In medieval times rights were discussed in several different contexts. The object of this particular debate was the juridical definition of the ideal apostolic way of life, which had been developed within the Franciscan mendicant order. Bonaventure presented a significant legal formulation in his Apologia Pauperum. At the turn of the fourteenth century, however, the secular master Godfrey of Fontaines launched an original argument against the Franciscans. An interesting example of the use of the term "right" was given by the Franciscan Peter John Olivi in one of his disputed questions (questio disputata), which was later called Quid ponat ius vel dominium. Richard Fitzralph's conclusions concerning "dominion" and "right" were taken up and refuted by the French theologian and conciliarist Jean Gerson. The Summa theologia written by the Dominican Antoninus of Florence is an appropriate end to our enquiry into the medieval rights discourse for two reasons. Keywords:Antoninus; Bonaventure; Franciscans; Godfrey of Fontaines; medieval times; Richard Fitzralph


The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Intensive Filial Therapy in: (a) improving the self-concept of child witnesses of domestic violence; (b) reducing internalizing behavior problems, such as withdrawal, somatic complaints, anxiety and depression, of child witnesses of domestic violence; (c) reducing externalizing behavior problems, such as aggression and delinquency, of child witnesses of domestic violence; (d) reducing overall behavior problems of child witnesses of domestic violence; and (e) increasing communication of empathy between mothers and child witnesses of domestic violence. A second objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Intensive Filial Therapy with Intensive Individual Play Therapy and Intensive Sibling Group Play Therapy with child witnesses of domestic violence. The experimental group consisted of 11 child witnesses of domestic violence whose mothers received 12 Intensive Filial Therapy training sessions within a three week period and had 12 mother-child play sessions. The Intensive Individual Play Therapy comparison group, consisting of 11 child witnesses, and the non-treatment control group, consisting of 11 child witnesses, were utilized from the Kot (1995) study. The Intensive Sibling Group Play Therapy comparison group was utilized from the Tyndall-Lind (1999) study. Children in all studies completed the Joseph Preschool and Primary Self-concept Screening Test and the Child Behavior Checklist. Mothers who received Intensive Filial Therapy training conducted pretest and posttest play sessions for the Measurement of Empathy in Adult-Child Interaction. Analyses of Covariance revealed the children in the experimental group significantly increased in self-concept, and significantly reduced overall behavior problems. A comparison of t-test scores of the pretests and posttests revealed mothers in the experimental group significantly increased communication of empathy to their children.


This study examines whether eliciting self-evaluations from employees in a compensation setting context leads to higher or lower employer welfare when employees are not aware of their marginal contribution to firm welfare. The literature suggests that providing employees with a voice in the compensation setting process leads to greater employee satisfaction with compensation and higher productive employee effort due to such factors as increased employee perception of procedural fairness. Contrary to this position I propose that providing employees a voice in the compensation setting process when employees are not aware of their marginal contribution to firm welfare has the unintended effect of leading to less employee satisfaction with compensation, which results in lower employer welfare. Such an effect is due to self-evaluations leading to greater employee overconfidence in their performance resulting from a motivated reasoning process. I present experimental evidence from comparing a control condition without self-evaluations to three different self-evaluation reporting conditions, finding evidence consistent with the premise that self-evaluations lead to lower employer welfare. Data on employee perception of performance when self-evaluations are elicited supports the proposed motivated reasoning process. My findings show a cost to self-evaluations that thus far has not been sufficiently considered in the literature and provide an explanation for why this cost occurs.


ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate work productivity of adult Latin American patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with tofacitinib and biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) measured by the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) in RA questionnaire at 0- and 6-month follow-up. Methods This non-interventional study was performed in Colombia and Peru. Evaluated the effects of tofacitinib and bDMARDs in patients with RA after failure of conventional DMARDs. The WPAI-RA questionnaire was administered at baseline and at the 6-month (±1 month) follow-up. The results are expressed as least squares means (LSMs), and standard errors (SEs). Results One hundred patients treated with tofacitinib and 70 patients treated with bDMARDs were recruited. Twenty-eight percent of patients from the tofacitinib group and 40.0% from the bDMARDs group were working for pay at baseline. At month 6, the changes in absenteeism, presenteeism, and work impairment due to health were −18.3% (SE 7.7), −34.8% (SE 5.9), and −11.0% (SE 16.5), respectively, in the tofacitinib group and −19.4% (SE 8.0), −34.8% (SE 6.2), and −15.9% (SE 15.0), for the bDMARD group. Conclusion For patients who reported working, there were improvements in presenteeism, absenteeism, and work impairment due to health in both groups. Trial registration NCT03073109


In order to evaluate the factors responsible for accelerating lipid peroxidation in cultured fish tissues, the relationship of the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) concentrations of the ordinary muscle and liver from 3-year-old cultured red sea breams Pagrus major was investigated from July, 1986 through January, 1987. A comparison of the cultured fish and wild red sea breams was included. The cultured fish ordinary muscle gave relatively high TBA values from July through September and low TBA values from October to January. Their PUFA concentrations (such as 22:6ω3, 20:5ω3, 20:4ω6) and peroxidizability indices didn't vary greatly from July through January, except in August. On the other hand, the PUFA concentrations and peroxidizability indices of the liver from the cultured fish had relatively high values from November through January. However, their liver TBA values were quite low from November through January. Moreover, although the ordinary muscle and liver of the wild fish gave a higher PUFA concentration and peroxidizability index as compared with those of the cultured fish, the wild fish TBA values remained lower. Consequently, the re-sults obtained in the present study suggest that the accelerating lipid peroxidation in the ordinary muscle and liver from cultured red sea breams does not always depend upon their PUFA concentrations.


The objective of the present study is to prepare recombinant proteins of the major protein antigens of Rickettesia prowazekii(Rp)and to analyze their specificity in serological diagnosis of the rickettsial infection.The genes encoding 8surface proteins of Rp were amplified from its genomic DNA by polymerase chain reaction and the gene fragments were expressed in E.coli cells by molecular clone approaches.The resulting recombinant proteins were analyzed with sera from mice experimentally infected with R.prowazekii,R.mooseri,R.rickettsii,R.heilongjiangensis,Oreintia tsutsugamushii,or Coxiella burnetii in immunoblotting.As a result,four proteins,FtsZ,GroEL,Rp828,and EF-Ts,reacted with only R.prowazekii-infected sera and Omp reacted with the sera from mice infected with R.mooseri besides R.prowazekii.The result suggests that the four surface proteins are highly specific for R.prowazekii-infected sera and candidate antigens for serological diagnosis of R.prowazekii infection.


Abstract Recently A. Gutek, D. Hart, J. Jamison and M. Rajagopalan have obtained many significiant results concerning shift operators on Banach spaces. Using a result of Holsztynski they classify isometric shift operators on C(X) for any compact Hausdorff space X into two (not necessarily disjoint) classes. If there exists an isometric shift operator T: C(X) → C(X) of type II, they show that X is necessarily separable. In case T is of type I, they exhibit a paticular infinite countable set of isolated points in X. Under the additional assumption that the linear functional Γ carrying f ∊ C(X) to Tf(p) ∊ is identically zero, they show that D is dense in X. They raise the question whether D will still be dense in X even when Γ ≠ 0. In this paper we give a negative answer to this question. In fact, given any integer l ≥ 1, we construct an example of an isometric shift operator T: C(X) —> C(X) of type I with X \ having exactly / elements, where is the closure of D in X.


ABSTRACT Epoxides undergo rapid ring opening with cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone/thionyl chloride complex, under mild reaction condition to afford chlorohydrins in high yields.


The patient is a 44-year-old inmate with a 3-month history of unex-plained pancytopenia. Prior medical history is significant for treated bipolar disorder and a substance use disorder involving synthetic cannabinoids ("K2"), along with paper soaked with pyrethroid containing pesticides ("KD"), since his arrival at a new facility 3 months ago. Laboratory studies showed a white cell count of 460/ µ l (reference range: 4200–10,700/ µ l), a hemoglobin level of 10.5 g/dl (reference range: 13.5–17.5 g/dl), and a platelet count of 28,000/ µ l (reference


Humanoid robots have become more important in the military applications, space exploration missions and hazardous environments like mining. The purpose of a humanoid robot is to walk, jump, run, grasp the objects, manipulate the objects etc., Robotic hand plays an important role
for a humanoid robot. This thesis focuses on the development of robotic hand for the humanoid robot. It includes (a) Development of robotic hand (only four fingers)with tendons and servomotors, (b) Development of robotic hand only with the servo motors for practicing the human grasps and the heavy wrap has been demonstrated, (c) Design of robotic Arm and the experimental setup to conduct experiments for improvising the robot efficiency.


Abstract Lactose was crystallized from condensed whey under varying conditions of pH (3.76, 4.84, 5.59, and 6.43), degree of protein denaturation (4.2, 32.2, 46.9, and 78.4%), and casein addition (.2, .3, and .45%). Increasing the amount of whey protein denaturation in the condensed whey resulted in crude lactose containing more protein and ash, particularly when near the isoelectric point for whey proteins. Excessive whey protein denaturation increased viscosity of the mother liquor, decreased lactose crystal size, and made washing of the crude lactose more difficult. Casein had no adverse effects on lactose quality, yield, or crystal size. Generally, the yield of washed/dried lactose increased as whey protein denaturation increased from 4.2 to 46.9%; however, this was due mainly to inclusion of protein and mineral in the crystallized lactose, particularly at pH 4.84. Moderate protein denaturation (up to 32%) had no adverse affect on lactose quality. Washed/dried lactose prepared from condensed whey (pH 4.84 and 78.4% whey protein denaturation) contained excessive protein (5.0%) and ash (2.0%). Lactose quality improved with lower amounts of whey protein denaturation and crystallizing at pH on either side of the isoelectric point.


Acrosomes in mammalian spermatozoa can be labeled with tritiated fucose incorporated during spermiogenesis, some of which is associated with esterase activity akin to that exhibited by acrosin. In spermatozoa with swollen acrosomes an "umbrellalike" distribution of the label can be found, similar to the expected distribution of proteinase activity.


Acoustic signals propagate long distances in the ocean and provide a means for marine life and humans to gain information about the environment and for marine animals to exchange critical information. Innovation in underwater acoustic technology now permits the remote monitoring of marine life and the environment without the need to rely on human observers, the physical presence of an observation vessel, or adequate visibility and sampling conditions. Passive recordings of the underwater soundscape provide information to better understand the influence of environmental parameters on local acoustic processes, to assess habitat quality and health, and to better understand the risks of ocean noise on marine life. Active acoustic technology provides a high-resolution measure of biological and physical oceanographic processes through time series of backscatter measurements. The ability to obtain passive and active acoustic measurements contemporaneously, along with ancillary data to validate and enhance interp...


The objective of the authors is to analyse the results of students in their second year of study in Dental Medicine in regards to their fixed partial dentures (FPD) education. Material and methods: The article is based on an analysis of the work of94 students in second year in the Faculty of dental medicine Sofia (56 females, 38 males), who were rated using a test and practical work marks during the submission of the FPD's that they fabricated during the 4th semester practices. Results: The analysis indicates that only 2% of the students that were assessed with a mark "average 3" or "good 4" have found up to four correct answers in their tests. The percentage of students who's practical work was assessed with marks "very good 5" or "excellent 6" and gave five or more correct answers to the test is 83%. With 15% of the student, a major discrepancy between their theoretical knowledge and practical results was noticed. Conclusion: Further researches are needed regarding the introduction in the educational program in Introduction of Prosthetic Dentistry in the Faculty of Dental Medicine of brief test examination in the specific topics.


instructor has no control. This article presents a method of adjusting for these influences using multiple regression analysis, and provides an illustration of its application.


Telescopic belt conveyor (1) having a supporting framework (2) and with one or more in the same telescopically movable mounted in the transport direction telescopic sections (3a, 3b, 3c), the telescopic belt conveyor (1) at least two mutually arranged in parallel and separately operable conveyor belts (4a, 4b) having in each case at least one drive pulley (5a, 5b), at least one tensioning drum (6a, 6b) and a plurality of guide drums (7a, 7b) are supported, characterized in that the drive drums (5a, 5b) , tensioning drums (6a, 6b) and guide drums (7a, 7b) of the at least two conveyor belts (4a, 4b) are arranged to one another such that in each case at least two drums of the same type of mutually parallel conveyor belts (4a, 4b) on a common, is at both ends to the supporting frame (2) or on a telescopic section (3a, 3b, 3c) supporting axis (9) are mounted and at least two respectively adjacent arranged drive drums (5a, 5b), S panntrommeln (6a, 6b) and / or guide drums (7a, 7b) spaced axially from one another are rotatably mounted on the axle (9) and said axis (9) in the area of ...


In order to provide evidence for high yield and quality cultivation of flue-cured tobacco cultivar K326 and thus to expand its planting areas in Chongqing so as to meet the needs of cigarette industrial enterprise of tobacco leaf of K326,the transplanting density test of K326 was conducted in Xintian Village,Dianshui Town,Pengshui County of Chongqing City.The test set three transplanting density levels,i.e.13 500,15 000,16 500 plants per hm2,respectively,in a randomized block design with three replications.In this paper,the growth of plant and the tobacco leaf yield,production value,average price and chemical quality of K326 at different transplanting density were analyzed to determine the best transplanting density of K326.The results showed that all the differences of tobacco leaf yield,production value,average price and high-class leaves proportion among different transplanting density were significant at P≤0.05 or P≤0.01.At transplanting density of 16 500 plants per hm2,the tobacco leaf yield,production value,average price and high-class leaves proportion of K326 were the highest.On the other hand,the differences of chemical quality indices such as total nitrogen,reducing sugar,potassium,chlorine and sugar-nicotine ratio were not significant.At all the transplanting density the chemical components and their coordination of K326 were all very good.Based on comprehensive evaluation of the tobacco leaf yield,production value,average price and chemical quality of K326 at different transplanting density,it was suggested that the best transplanting density of K326 was 16 500 plants per hm2.


The (ESA) performs pre-Phase-A assessment studies as part of the definition of future space missions. To evaluate the benefits of the Concurrent Engineering (CE) approach to these studies an experimental design facility was created in the ESA Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) at the end of 1998 and used to perform the assessment of several missions. This article describes the adopted approach, the experience gained during the studies performed and highlights the benefits of the application of the concurrent engineering approach to space mission assessment and design.


: One of the main objectives of smart cities is to provide an efficient street lighting system. Lighting can account for 10% to 38% of the total energy bill in typically cities worldwide. Every year, a lot of money is wasted on inefficient lighting, and bad lighting also makes things unsafe. Every engineer who works in this field is interested in the idea of creating a new system for streetlights that illuminates large areas with the highest intensity of light while consuming little electricity. So we propose a next generation street lighting system using green energy to control and monitor the lighting infrastructure based on the traffic in order to ensure the efficient usage of conventional energy. The proposed system is also equipped with surveillance cameras to increase the security of people and also reduce the risk of accidents by ensuring that vehicles do not exceed the speed limit.


Objective: To explore the surgical treatment of V pattern strabismus and to observe their changes of stereo vision before and after operation. Methods: Based on the oblique muscle functions and the differences of deviation angle of up and down gazes, 52 patients were divided into three groups and treated with three surgical methods, namely, vertical transposition of horizontal recti, inferior oblique weakness without vertical transposition of horizontal recti, and vertical transposition of horizontal recti combined with inferior oblique weakness. The surgical effects of three procedures and visual function were observed before and after operation. Results: The differences of deviation angle of up gaze and down gaze were 21.10△±3.38△, 42.00△±7.72△, and 23.85△±6.50△ before operation, and 7.20△±3.10△, 7.13△±2.96△, and 7.02△±2.89△ after operation. Fusion functions had significant difference before and after operation. Conclusion: All the three surgical procedures for V pattern strabismus were effective.


The assessment of circadian changes of autonomic nervous activities by using spectral analysis of the heart-rate variability (HRV) during 24-hour electrocardiogram is described. Forty-five subjects (ages 20-81) and one patient (37-year-old male) who died suddenly during sleep were examined (sudden cardiac death: SCD). Spectral analysis of the HRV using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) has been used for the assessment of autonomic nervous activity (ANA). Respiratory peaks were most frequently observed at night. Marked day-to-day variations were observed in the respiratory peak of the HRV in the SCD patient. The respiratory peak disappeared during the night in the SCD patient one week before death. The fluctuations of heart rate were 1/f/sup 2/ at ages between 20 and 40, and 1/f/sup z/ at ages between 60 and 80. The mean slopes of the HRV at ages between 30 and 39 were -1.83 (ranges: -153 and -2.29). In the SCD patient, on the other hand, this value gradually increased from -2.13 (one month before SCD) to -1.05 (one week before SCD). Thus the assessment of circadian and day-to-day variation of the ANA might provide useful information for the identification of SCD-prone patients.<<ETX>>


Object-oriented languages fail to provide software developers with a way to say many of the things about their systems that they need to be able to say. To address this need, we have designed and implemented a language for use with C++ that allows software developers to express a wide variety of constraints on the designs and implementations of the systems they build. Our language is specifically designed for use with C++, but the issues it addresses are applicable to other object-oriented languages, and the fundamental software architecture used to implement our system could be applied without modification to similar constraint languages for other object-oriented programming languages.


The aim of this master's thesis is to examine how elderly people are depicted in a selection of literature for children up to 10 years. The subjects examined are: lifestyle, roles and attributes. T ...


Mebiol gel is an aqueous solution of newly developed thermo-reversible gelation polymer that turns into hydrogel upon warming and liquefies upon cooling. A preliminary experimental study of the growth pattern of Vero, HEp-2, HeLa, BHK-21, McCoy and CHO cell lines embedded in Mebiol gel was performed in 24-well tissue-culture plates with controls without the gel. The migration rate of cells through the gel, the rate of monolayer formation outside the gel and change in pH of the medium were determined. Rate of migration of cells to the margin of the gel varied from 4 to 8 h and the rate of monolayer formation outside the gel varied from 24 to 48 h between the cell lines. Cells grown outside the gel were healthy, without showing any signs of degeneration or cytotoxicity in the presence of Mebiol gel and the pH was maintained during the seven-day study period compared to the controls. The results of the experiments designed in this preliminary study may be useful to develop methods to harvest single cells or groups of cells outside the gel for specifically planned procedures and develop techniques to preserve viable cells within the gel at room temperature.


We demonstrate, that performing series of simultaneous TL/TSC (thermoluminescence/thermally stimulated conductivity) experiments it is possible to estimate the relative density of deep (thermally disconnected) traps in semiconducting crystals and other high-resistivity materials. The method is based on new, recently derived analytical formula for TSC. It is assumed that the crystal under study has an arbitrary number of discrete trap levels and one kind of recombination centers. The method is verified by means of numerical calculations.


In this paper, we have given new definitions and obtained the unique solution of a fractional causal terminal value problem by combining the technique of generalized quasilinearization in the sense of upper and lower solutions.


This study examined the relationship between the marital well-being and the general happiness of an individual across time and the relationship of one partner's marital well-being to the subsequent marital well-being of the spouse. The marital well-being and general happiness of individuals from 317 newlywed couples (161 African-American couples, 155 White couples) were assessed in the first year of marriage and again in the second year. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that the higher an individual's Time 1 marital well-being was, the greater his or her Time 2 general happiness became. For men, but not women, the higher their Time 1 general happiness was, the higher their marital well-being became at Time 2. Also, in general, the higher the individual's Time 1 marital well-being was, the higher the Time 2 marital well-being of the partner became.


Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung disease marked by accumulation of scar tissue along the alveolar wall. The excessive buildup of extracellular matrix (ECM) components impedes gas exchange between the external environment and the capillary bed, thus creating a shortage of oxygen supply to the body. The prevailing theory behind the onset of IPF points to aberrant reepithelialization and abnormal myofibroblast behavior. The persistence of myofibroblasts at the fibroblast foci is the main source of collagen, proteoglycans, and other proteins that form the scar tissue characteristic of IPF. We present a mathematical model to describe the process by which collagen deposits in the microenvironment of a wound site in an alveolus. Our model consists of a system of coupled, non-linear partial differential equations that describe the interplay between fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, and chemical species important in the progression of IPF. The results of numerical simulations exhibit essential features of developing IPF such as high fibroblast concentrations at the wound site, imbalance of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of proteinases (TIMPs), and the buildup of collagen in the alveolar space. Finally , we performed simulations to emulate the effects of proposed treatments such as Pirfenidone, Interferon-γ 1b, and HMG-CoA.


Many countries across the world embark on the building of SDI to facilitate the sustainable development of their country. However the challenge of developing such infrastructure to a large extent depends on its implementation, which is significant that no single sector can address alone without collaboration and partnership. Public Private Partnership (PPP) is among the strategies currently adovated for SDI development by various SDI experts. This research therefore analyzes SDI development with reference to the institutional arrangements, policy and technology components of SDI and PPP case experiences of Australia, Canada, United States and the Netherlands from developed countries and on the other hand, Egypt and South Africa from the developing countries. A questionnaire survey and literature review was carried out on relevant GI organizations to ascertain the status of the NGDI development and the potentials of PPP in the geospatial sector in Nigeria. The analysis reveals that PPP has a high level of acceptance among respondents as an approach in the future for the development of SDI in Nigeria. However, absence of SDI policy directive, coordination of donor funded projects in the sector are identified as major hurdles that has to be overcome for the success of SDI development through PPP in Nigeria. Moreover, comparative analysis of the selected cases shows some unique similarities and differences between developed and developing countries. Thus, it is acknowledged that public and private sectors, by nature are complementary and hence effective PPP can only be created through "mutually designed, analyzed and accepted instruments of cooperation and collaboration". In conclusion, for SDI development to be achieved successfully through PPP approach deliberate and sincere effort need to be made by the government to create enabling environment for the private sector participations in the sector. This, therefore, involves among others the passing of the long awaited GI policy in the country, creating better environment for dialogue between the government and the private sectors, promotion of talk shows and workshops for public awareness in new SDI concepts.


Currently, 792,000 16-24-year olds in the UK – 11.5% of the age group – are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), but not much is known about how this differs by local area. In this Briefing Note, we provide comprehensive statistics on NEET rates as well as transition rates from NEET back into education and employment for 150 small areas in England ("Upper Tier Local Authorities"), exploiting new administrative data linking all education and labour market activities at individual level. When looking at certain groups, such as those eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) during secondary school or people with low-level qualifications, we find wider variation of NEET rates across English localities than suggested by region-level analysis. Shown mostly in maps, local variations of both NEET rates and rates of positive transitions out of NEET reveal substantial geographical inequality in young people's opportunities. In our view, the place-based patterns of inequality suggest area-specific support for young people and greater efforts to ensure that fewer individuals leave school with very low levels of educational attainment.


We achieved the first room-temperature lasing in a InAs quantum-dot microdisk at a wavelength of 1.23 /spl mu/m by photopumping. We investigated its temperature dependence to estimate dominant factors for lasing.


Reasons of the water erosion creation in the Lankaran province and their complications have been investigated in this article. An influence of the water erosion on agrochemical and agrophysical indicators of the soil was learnt, it was known that the granulometric composition and even a quantity of humus and total nitrogen significantly deteriorated. Considering this, the proposals were put forward for protection and enhancement of the soil fertility exposed to water erosion.


This sub‐study of the SORT OUT IX trial sought to compare clinical outcomes between patients with diabetes randomized to implantation of either the polymer‐free biolimus A9‐coated BioFreedom stent (BF‐BES) or the ultra‐thin strut, biodegradable polymer sirolimus‐eluting Orsiro stent (O‐SES). Patients with diabetes have an increased risk of target lesion failure (TLF) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The impact of different stent types in patients with diabetes is still discussed. A total of 607 of the 3151 patients (19.3%) enrolled in the SORT OUT IX study had diabetes. Randomization was stratified by patients with/without diabetes; 304 received BF‐BES and 303 O‐SES. The primary endpoint was TLF, which was a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction (not related to other than the index lesion) and target lesion revascularization (TLR) within 1 year. After 1 year, patients with diabetes had higher TLF (7.2% vs. 3.7%, incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08–2.50), than patients without diabetes. TLF did not differ significantly between BF‐BES and O‐SES in patients with diabetes (8.2% vs. 6.3%, IRR: 1.17; 95% CI: 0.63–2.20). In patients with diabetes, cardiac death occurred in 2.3% of BF‐BES and in 3.6% of O‐SES (IRR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.23–1.45) and TLR occurred in 5.3% and 2.3% of BF‐BES and O‐SES, respectively (IRR: 2.12; 95% CI: 0.81–5.56). Definite stent thrombosis rates of 1.3% were found in both stent types. Patients with diabetes had higher 1‐year TLF rate after PCI compared to patients without diabetes, whereas TLF did not differ significantly between the two stent types BF‐BES and O‐SES in patients with diabetes.


ABSTRACTThe ability of sol-gel micro-nano biphasic calcium stent to repair oral alveolar bone defects was investigated in this study, and its osteogenesis performance was also analyzed. Biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) was synthesized by wet method, which was combined with
 chitosan (CS), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), and polylactic acid-glycolic acid (PLGA). Then, the BCP/CS/PAN/PLGA nanocomposite stent was prepared by vacuum freeze-drying technology. The micro-nano composite stent was combined with the bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) gene, so as to obtain the
 sol-gel micro-nano biphasic calcium BMP-2/BCP/CS/PAN/PLGA composite stent. Besides, the composite stent should be measured in terms of compressive strength, porosity, structure, and morphological features. The healthy female rhesus monkeys were taken as the research animals, and the iliac
 bone marrow was extracted by puncture. The mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were obtained by density gradient centrifugation, and their osteogenic differentiation ability was observed. The MSCs were cultured in vitro with BMP-2/BCP/CS/PAN/PLGA composite stent, methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium
 bromide (MTT) was applied to detect cell adhesion and proliferation, and the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was employed to analyze its osteogenic properties on stent materials. In addition, the expression of BMP-2 was detected by Western blot. The alveolar bone defect models were established
 and divided into group A (MSCs + BMP-2/BCP/CS/PAN/PLGA), group B (BMP-2/BCP/CS/PAN/PLGA), group C (BCP/CS/PAN/PLG), and group D (control group, reposition of gingival flap and suture) according to different implant materials. The changes of bone defect area in different groups were detected
 by gross examinations and X-ray, so that the new bone density was analyzed. The results showed that the BCP/CS/PAN/PLGA composite stent exhibited a porous structure combining multiple pores/small pores, with an average pore diameter (PD) of 400–500 µm, maximum compressive
 strength of 6.02 Mpa, and porosity of 86.82%. MSCs differentiated into osteoblasts under osteogenic induction conditioned medium, and the optical density (OD) of CS + MSCs/BMP-2/BCP/CS/PAN/PLGA cells was greater in contrast to that of MSCs/BMP-2/BCP/CS/PAN/PLGA cells on the 1st and 7th day
 of culture, showing a statistical difference (P < 0.05). The gross examination and X-ray of bone defect area in group A showed that its bone structure and density were very close to those of normal bone (all materials were absorbed, and newly formed bone cells were active); the CT
 value of alveolar bone in groups A, B, C, and D was 1,092.45± 15.87 g/cm3, 932.26± 16.75 g/cm3, 859.51 ±17.86 g/cm3, and 787.96± 16.54 g/cm3, respectively. There was no marked difference in CT values between group A and
 normal alveolar bone (P > 0.05), while the CT value of alveolar bone in group A was higher obviously than the value of groups C and D (P < 0.05). It indicated that the composite stent based on sol–gel micro-nano biphasic calcium BMP-2/BCP/CS/PAN/PLGA could promote
 the repair of oral alveolar bone defect and its osteogenesis, thereby providing a reference for the oral clinical treatment of periodontal bone defects.


Summary Planning for the public's psychological and behavioral reactions to a bioterrorist attack must address individual and community preparedness, response, and recovery. Bioterrorism raises issues requiring skilled risk communication and education including isolation, quarantine, administering vaccinations and distributing medications. The United States anthrax attacks, the international outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and the U.S. smallpox vaccination program offer useful lessons. The Iraqi missile attacks on Israel and the Tokyo sarin gas attacks highlight challenges of emergency medical evaluation and triage. Early public health interventions should identify symptoms and behaviors linked to psychological distress and suggest strategies to restore well-being.


The explosion in genome‐wide sequencing has revealed that noncoding RNAs are ubiquitous and highly conserved in biology. New molecular tools are needed for their study in live cells. Fluorescent RNA–small molecule complexes have emerged as powerful counterparts to fluorescent proteins, which are well established, universal tools in the study of proteins in cell biology. No naturally fluorescent RNAs are known; all current fluorescent RNA tags are in vitro evolved or engineered molecules that bind a conditionally fluorescent small molecule and turn on its fluorescence by up to 5000‐fold. Structural analyses of several such fluorescence turn‐on aptamers show that these compact (30–100 nucleotides) RNAs have diverse molecular architectures that can restrain their photoexcited fluorophores in their maximally fluorescent states, typically by stacking between planar nucleotide arrangements, such as G‐quadruplexes, base triples, or base pairs. The diversity of fluorogenic RNAs as well as fluorophores that are cell permeable and bind weakly to endogenous cellular macromolecules has already produced RNA–fluorophore complexes that span the visual spectrum and are useful for tagging and visualizing RNAs in cells. Because the ligand binding sites of fluorogenic RNAs are not constrained by the need to autocatalytically generate fluorophores as are fluorescent proteins, they may offer more flexibility in molecular engineering to generate photophysical properties that are tailored to experimental needs.


Abstract The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of using website in biology education. We have explored the World Wide Web as a possible tool for education about health and nutrition. The websites were teaching tools for primary school students. Control groups used the traditional educational materials as books or worksheets, and the experimental groups used prepared web-site as an educational tool. This experimental study confirmed the efficacy of computer-based nutrition education in nutrition knowledge. Nutrition knowledge score of the experimental group was statistically non-significant as compared to control group both in posttest and retention test, which means that using website in nutrition education has similar effect on nutrition knowledge as traditional teaching. Thus, traditional teaching is still valuable compared to ICT approach in nutrition education. Key Words ICT, Nutrition Education, Website. Information and communication technology has been used in a variety of ways at all types of schools. Especially, ICTfs has been used in education, organization of education, in the methods and forms of education and they are also integrated at management of schools. Considering that ICTfs are commonly used in everyday lives of young peoples, the use of ICT in schools is more and more common (Bahar, Ayd.n, & Karak.r.k, 2009; Ba.er & Durmu., 2010; Bingimlas, 2009; Erdogan, 2009; Juuti, Lavonen, Maija, & Meisalo, 2009; Kreisel, 2004; Ogilvie, Trusk, & Blue, 1999; Sorgo & Kocijan.i., 2006; Sorgo, Ver.kovnik, & Kocijan.i., 2010). Studies have also shown that computer anxiety, lack of confidence influence acceptance of computers and their use as well as the knowledge. Positive attitudes of teachers towards ICT are important for implementation and necessary for effective using of ICT in educational process (Camnalbur & Erdogan, 2008; Kubiatko & Halakova, 2009; Sorgo et al., 2010; Spernjak & Sorgo, 2009). According to Markauskaite (2006), using computers was primarily associated with programming and logical scientific thinking. Therefore, computers and ICT have been primarily viewed as a male domain (Brosman, 1998), especially in mathematics and technological disciplines. The number of researcher proved that boys are more interested in computers than girls and have more positive attitudes about computers and ICT. Brosman, (1998) and Sharpe (2004) found out that both boys and girls perceived ICT as males' domain and men were more outperformed in ICT skills. To the contrary, girls were less confident in using and about their ICT competencies (Fancovicova & Prokop, 2008; Graff, 2003). Interestingly, however, attitudes towards ICT among young people are generally positive (Kreisel, 2004; Ogilvie et al., 1999; Paris, 2004). Differences in attitudes toward ICT between boys and girls have not been only found at primary schools children, but also between students and teachers (Rosen & Weil, 1995). Teacher attitudes towards computer are very important factor related to the teacher s role towards effective use of computers in education (Palaigeorgiou, Siozos, Konstantakis, & Tsoukalas, 2005). Teaching biology is often faced with practical problems like keeping animals at schools, ethical concerns about animal dissections, etc. (e.g. Millett & Lock, 1992), thus the use of ICT in biology settings is hotly debated. Romi, Hansenson, Hansenson, & Gan (2002), for example, found that using computers in biology education resulted in more positive attitudes toward biology of participants. Many authors (e.g Kiboss, Ndirangu & Wekesa, 2004; Sorgo et al., 2010) point to using computer s program at education can be effective by increasing knowledge (Sorgo, Hajdinjak, & Briski, 2008), achievement in biology and attitudes towards biology as well. Acquisition of knowledge in the area of health and nutrition, positive attitudes towards nutrition and healthy eating habits are very important for the health of everybody. …


expressions with only partial and grudging acknowledgement. The series then went into hibernation, with only a fleeting breath of fresh air when in 1992 a lovely vol. iv appeared, containing facsimiles of all the remaining Copernican manuscripts — his letters, annotations in his books, copies of his treatise on currency, all three sixteenth-century manuscripts of the Commentariolus, and so on, as well as facsimiles of the books printed his lifetime. Thus these facsimiles related to vol. iii (Minor Works) just as the vol. i facsimiles related to vol. ii (De revolutionibus). Vol. iv appeared in Polish, English, Latin, French and Russian editions. Owing to very poor distribution, however, this volume appears to be rather rare in Western libraries. The importance of the Nicholas Copernicus complete works series is well demonstrated by the fact that this journal published three magisterial critical essay reviews of the English volumes: ii by Gerald Toomer (JHA, xii (1981), 198–203), iii by Wilbur Knorr (JHA, xxi (1990), 203–11), and iv by Emmanuel Poulle (JHA, xxvii (1996), 75–78). With Paweł Czartoryski's death in 1999 and Dobrzycki's in 2004 the series seemed doomed to be forever incomplete, in that the Latin texts for the minor works had never appeared. This gap is now at last corrected, though not in the most obvious way. The newly published Polish vol. iii is approximately half composed of original Latin (or German) materials. Finally Dobrzycki's Latin edition of the Commentariolus is available (along with a Polish translation). Copernicus's texts on currency reform are here, together with the "Letter against Werner" and his other correspondence. It is almost an act of heroism that the small band of surviving historians of astronomy and Copernicana in Poland have brought closure to this distinguished series. It is, however, rather sad that most libraries will regard this volume as an obscure Polish text rather than as a critical adjunct to the English Nicholas Copernicus complete works. The proper working group of volumes comprises the four English language texts (including the scarce vol. iv) plus the Latin vol. ii and the Polish vol. iii. We can only hope that Jerzy Dobrzycki's Polish introduction to the astronomical minor works will soon appear in English in a volume outside the now-completed series. And the Latin Opera omnia, like an Unfinished Symphony, is forever beautiful even without one movement.


Pipelining is an implementation technique whereby multiple instructions are overlapped in execution; it takes the advantage of parallelism that exists among the actions needed to execute an instruction. Today, pipelining is the key implementation technique used to make fast CPUs. However, most of the times, there are data dependencies that create problems during the execution and need to be solved. In this paper, we implemented pipelining in MIPS architecture and we observed the way that data dependencies were handled by our system.


The management information security problem is one of the weakness points of SNMP.SNMPv3 carried on in security and the management ability two aspects to expand SNMP,overcoming the SNMP with disfigurement and its shortage,provided the distinction,encryption and the access control function,and enabled it to have the practical application value.This paper introduced SNMPv3 in the strategy network management aspect application,among them quoted the concepts and models based on the strategy network management of the business rule,put forward the SNMPv3 management realization frame,and take this as basic to research the strategy network management implementation,and finally put forward strategy network management realization diagram based on the SNMPv3.


The applicability of procedural due process to administrative rulemaking proceedings is becoming an issue of some importance as administrative agencies take an ever greater role in deciding issues of widespread social impact. While much of the debate focuses on procedural rights beyond those of notice and comment participation, this Comment examines the need to recognize a due process right to notice and comment itself. The author argues that this problem is particularly pressing in light of section 553(a)(2) of the Administrative Procedure Act, which allows agencies to make many important policy decisions without any public participation.


This paper presents the research development of a new SBR/EVA composite flexible feedstock material by the injection moulding machine. The material consists of poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) in styrene butadiene rubber cross-linked by Dicumyl Peroxide. In this study, the mechanical behaviour of injection moulded SBR/EVA composite with different blend ratio investigated experimentally. The formulations of blend ratio with several combinations of a new SBR/EVA flexible feedstock was done by volume percentage (vol. %). Based on the result obtained from the mechanical testing done which is tensile and hardness the composite of SBR/EVA has the high potency to be fabricated as the flexible filament feedstock. The ratio of 80:20 which as an average hardness and tensile strength proved to be the suitable choice to be fabricated as the flexible filament feedstock. The study has reached its goals on the fabricating and testing a new PMC which is flexible.


Coronary microcirculation reperfusion plays an important role in coronary heart disease revascularisation therapy.This article summarizes the present experimental and clinical hemodynamic changes in microcirculation reperfusion,discusses the mechanism of action whereby microcirculation disturbance results in myocardial systolic dysfunction and coronary blood flow redistribution.The article also outlines the sensitivity index and detection methods to reflect the homodynamic changes in coronary microcirculation reperfusion.


With the development of the times,a college education has become an important education base for training personnel of the times,but in the modern impact of various factors,ideological and political education of college students gradually forgotten,many college students and university teachers are the ideological and political education in side,do not attach importance to the impact of the students thought.Especially the practical of education,it has become the lack of fundamental of ideological and political education.Therefore,this paper discusses the construction and implementation of the ideological and political education practice education mode.


This note considers tests of the hypothesis H that the off-diagonal elements of a correlation matrix are equal. A test statistic T3 proposed by Aitkin, Nelson & Reinfurt (1968) is shown to be asymptotically equivalent, under H, to a member of a certain class of quadratic forms in the sample correlations. The asymptotic null distribution of each member of this class is obtained, the distribution of T3 and of statistics proposed by other authors following as a special case. The asymptotic probability of type-one error for the critical region suggested by Aitkin et al. depends upon an unspecified null parameter in such a way as to make questionable the applicability of the test.


The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is establishing a local chapter of the University of California Energy Institute (UCEI). In order to most effectively contribute to the Institute, LLNL sponsored a workshop on energy and environmental issues in transportation. This workshop took place in Livermore on August 10 and brought together researchers from throughout the UC systems in order to establish a joint LLNL-UC research program in transportation, with a focus on energy and environmental impacts.


The invention discloses an infrared radiation light source system, which is characterized in that the infrared radiation light source system is provided with a Cassegrain telescope comprising a main mirror (3) of a parabolic mirror and a hyperboloid secondary mirror (4); a subsequent light path of the Cassegrain telescope is provided with a concave reflector (1) and a globar (2) sequentially; the globar (2) serving as an infrared light source of the system is positioned at a focus of the Cassegrain telescope and in the spherical center of the concave reflector (1); the luminous point of the globar (2), the central point of the concave reflector (1) and the central points of the main mirror and the secondary mirror of the telescope are coaxial; the globar (2) is of an n shape; the middle part is hollowed-out; one part of radiation light of the globar passes through a notch of the main mirror (3), is reflected to the main mirror (3) by the secondary mirror (4) and then reflected out to form collimating light; the other part is received by the concave reflector (1) at the rear end of the other part and reflected back from an original light path; part of the light participates in the reflection of the main mirror and the secondary mirror of the telescope through the middle hollow part of the globar; therefore, the infrared radiation light source system improves the strength of the emergent light of the system and facilitates remote reception..


FIELD: chemistry. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a method of alkylating aromatic hydrocarbons using aliphatic alcohols containing 1-8 carbon atoms. The method includes feeding a hydrocarbon and an alcohol from the top of the housing of a fixed-bed reactor operating in "trickle flow" mode, having at least one catalyst bed which includes a zeolite selected from zeolites with average pores and zeolites with large pores, where in the alkylation reactor, the aromatic hydrocarbon and aliphatic alcohol are in gas phase, and the alkylation products are in liquid phase. The invention also relates to a method of producing phenol. EFFECT: method increases the output of end products and reduces the output of by-products. 13 cl, 4 ex


The magnetic transitions in the stoichiometric dideuteride {beta}-DyD{sub 2.00} have been studied by cold-neutron diffraction and low-field magnetization measurements. We observe, below T{sub 2}=5.0(2)K, two sinusoidally modulated configurations, one for T{le}T{sub 1}, the other for T{sub 1}{le}T{le}T{sub 2}, with a partial overlap of about 0.5K between them. The transition at T{sub 1} presents a thermal hysteresis between 2.5 and 3.5K. The magnetic structure below T{sub 1} is nearly commensurate, with a propagation vector close to (1/4,1/4,3/4), {bold k}{sub 1}=(0.258,0.273,0.750), that between T{sub 1} and T{sub 2} is more incommensurate, with a {bold k}{sub 2}=(0.275,0.275,0.750). The {beta}-DyD{sub 2.135} specimen shows no magnetic long-range order but exhibits a broad bump in its spectrum, disappearing at 4{endash}6K and attributed to short-range ordered domains of {approximately}30{Angstrom} correlation length, confirming earlier resistivity and susceptibility measurements. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}


A LTHOUGH POLITICAL SCIENTISTS have devoted considerable attention to questions concerning the extent to which representatives in legislative bodies actually represent their constituents, there are few opportunities to determine by objective tests whether votes of legislators are consistent with the wishes of their constituents. Partisan factors, ideological principles, complex questions concerning the intensity of interested groups, and problems of interpreting polling results often make it difficult for observers to state with certainty whether a representative has represented his constituents in a given situation. Some developments in Wisconsin in 1957, however, have made possible a test of the extent to which representatives represent which has an objectivity which can seldom be found for political science case studies.' Wisconsin legislators were faced, with a bill in February, 1957, which would establish daylight saving time, subject to the approval of the voters in a referendum to be conducted during the non-partisan and local elections of April, 1957.2 The bill itself would establish daylight time, but would require the approval of the majority of voters to become operative. Most legislators regarded their votes on this bill as votes for or against daylight time. Their votes were, therefore, matters of greater concern than votes for a purely advisory referendum bill, which those legislators who, were in doubt could have easily voted for with the intention of determining what their constituents did want. A larger study of the 1957 Wisconsin Assembly, the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature, enabled the author to determine something about the extent to which assemblymen represented their constituents on this issue and to determine how assemblymen per-


Genome-wide screening using microarrays of DNA will be of great use in the early diagnosis of diseases such as cancer and HIV. It also makes use of gene discovery, pharmacogenomics, toxicogenomics, and nutrigenomics for other applications. A DNA microarray image lays out an orderly arranged specific gene regions called spots. Microarray image analysis consists primarily of preprocessing, spot area gridding, spot segmentation, and intensity extraction. The first two phases are focused on this work: preprocessing and gridding. The experiment is conducted on real composite cDNA microarray images. A composite microarray image is formed by suitably stacking a red channel image and a green channel image acquired from a microarray experiment either in the RGB domain or in the GRB domain. The blue channel is kept as zero. In order to reduce the challenging problems of microarray images, an efficient preprocessing algorithm is proposed here for these composite images. We have developed a fully automated gridding algorithm integrating global subgrid gridding and local gridding of spots. This technique extracts the structural information namely inter-subgrid spacing, inter-spot spacing and spot center position to achieve efficient gridding. The traits of a microarray image are evaluated using three parameters namely Mean square error, Naturalness quality image evaluator and degree of contrast. The accuracy of the experimental results indicates that this combined preprocessing and gridding technique performs better than existing competitive methods in SIB, GEO, SMD and DeRisi datasets which are most commonly used by the research community for microarray image analysis techniques.


The thesis deals with the slabs on columns, which are in some cases also supported by beams. In the first part of the thesis the two mezzanine structures are modelled and analysed from the reference books of the program SAFE. For this purpose the computer program SAFE is used. We are trying to find out how to model eccentricity of the beams, that the structure as computer model gives results as similar to ones in the reference books. Slabs on columns and beams are in this purpose modelled with different linear and planar finite elements. It turns out, that it is difficult to make a recommendation how to model the slabs on
columns and beams for numerical analyses by finite element method. Further on the thesis deals with the punching shear of slabs on columns. A comparison is made for three columns
of fictitious mezzanine structure between the results calculated by the program SAFE and by the »hand« calculation according to the standard EN 1992-1-1. The reasons for differences are identified between the values of the results of programme SAFE and "hand" calculation.
It turns out that ratios between the design shear force and the design punching shear resistance of slab given by the program SAFE are on the safe side. It also turns out that the necessary shear reinforcement for punching shear is not appropriately given by the program SAFE. Therefore this is properly determined by »hand« calculation. The last part of the thesis deals with the post-tensioned slabs.


National handicrafts are the unique history and culture of a nation,but in contemporary society,They encounter many difficulties on inheritance and development.Rapid grow of the creative industry in the world,to pro vide a realistic context for the development of national handicrafts.National handicraft industry of GuangXi should take "culture corporation + Artisans + NPO+ Government"to support the system,to pull with Project,carry brand strategy into execution,bring industrial agglomeration effect into play,inaugurating a new path on the Guangxi national handi crafts,which is"traditional handicrafts + modern design concept + Industrial management".


The effects of the introduction of apodizing filters for colour imaging have been calculated for the PSF and OTF tests. Diverse filters have been considered for the reduction of the chromatic diffraction effects and of the longitudinal chromatic aberration. The enhancement of the chromaticity is also illustrated by the experimental record of the PSF for the aberration free system.


IEEE 1609/802.11p standard obligates each vehicle to broadcast a periodic basic safety message (BSM). The BSM message comprises a positional and kinematic information of a transmitting vehicle. It also contains emergency information that is to be delivered to all the target receivers. In broadcast communication, however, existing carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) medium access control (MAC) protocol cannot guarantee a high reliability as it suffers from two chronic problems, namely, access collision and hidden terminal interference. To resolve these problems of CSMA MAC, we propose a novel enhancement algorithm called a neighbor association-based MAC (NA-MAC) protocol. NA-MAC utilizes a time division multiple access (TDMA) to distribute channel resource into short time-intervals called slots. Each slot is further divided into three parts to conduct channel sensing, slot acquisition, and data transmission. To avoid a duplicate slot allocation among multiple vehicles, NA-MAC introduces a three-way handshake process during slot acquisition. Our simulation results revealed that NA-MAC improved packet reception ratio (PRR) by 19% and successful transmission by 30% over the reference protocols. In addition, NA-MAC reduced the packet collisions by a factor of 4. Using the real on-board units (OBUs), we conducted an experiment where our protocol outperformed in terms of PRR and average transmission interval by 82% and 49%, respectively.


Accumulating empirical evidence on American managers shows that social-capital effects on performance are a function of the information and control benefits of bridging structural holes--the disconnections between nonredundant contacts in a network. Is that network form of social capital unique to Americans? France seemed to us a productive site for comparative research because the image from past research is that French managers are more regulated than Americans; more regulated by bureaucratic authority and more regulated by peer pressure, with both amplified by the greater reliance in France on internal labor markets. People comfortable with knowing their place in a chain of bureaucratic control could be uncomfortable with the negotiated control exercised by network entrepreneurs, so the positive association between structural holes and performance in the United States could be negligible or even reversed for French managers.We use network and performance data on two study populations of senior managers, one in France and one in the United States, to describe social capital similarities and differences between the populations. The network form of social capital is similar in the two populations: More successful French managers, like Americans, tend to have networks rich in structural holes. The French and American managers make similar distinctions between kinds of relationships. Relations that bridge structural holes are similarly detached from routine work activities for the French and the Americans. The interesting difference is that social capital develops differently in the two populations. The French managers operate with a less porous social boundary around their firm and associate negative emotions with bridge relations. Reinforcing Aix-en-Provence observations on the significance of adult education for Franco-German differences in organization, we find that exposure to peers in other firms via executive education is for our French managers the only factor positively associated with the social capital of bridge relationships.


A Thesis Submitted to the Postgraduate School,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
the
Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Construction Management in
the
Department of Building Faculty of Environmental Design, Ahmadu Bello
University,
Zaria - Nigeria


For measuring the exact distribution of metal atoms in the flame, HITACHI 207 atomic absorption spectrophotometer was modified to a single light path with a smaller diameter of the light beam. Using this improved spectrophotometer, the more detailed distribution of cobalt atoms in the air-acetylene flame was measured in terms of some cobalt(III) complexes.


Primary objective of the research was to study the factors affecting patient compliance in DM II patients and to suggest necessary steps to resolve the problem. Quantitative descriptive correlational study was conducted by stratified sampling method in 3 different hospitals of Hyderabad city. Data were collected by an approved questionnaire. A total of 140 known DM II patients with an average age of 53.79±14.72 years (BMI= 23.82 ± 3.8) were approached and the response rate was 93.33%. 63% felt unhealthy and 95% of them were not satisfied with their health condition. 29% of the patients were diagnosed as diabetic 10 years ago and 87% people are suffering from comorbid states as well. 73% of the patients regularly monitor glucose level. 67 out of 140 were on once daily dosing of oral hypoglycemic, 61% were on insulin. There was a strong association found between prescribed medication administration and habitual forgetful attitude (p <0.02). Majority of the patients responded that hypoglycemic agents would be more affordable if they are of lowprice (n=80) and if less in no: (n=92). Only 31.4% patients consult pharmacist. 88.7% of the patients were completely satisfied with the attitude and behaviour of health professional but still 60% felt that in rush hours health professionals avoid listening to their problems. The study showed different aspects of non-compliance with medications and the factors affecting medication compliance. The individual's stand point and objectives undoubtedly affect adherence to a medical treatment plan and cannot be over looked. By provoking social sustenance and presenting information about side effects, Compliance with drug therapy can be increased and this will lead to the development of better health care system in the society.


Abstract MARTÍNEZ CARRETERO, E., A. DALMASSO, J. MÁRQUEZ & M. MARTINELLI (2010). Plant communities and phytogeographical units from NW San Juan Province (High Central Andes of Argentina). Candollea 65: 69–93. In English, English and French abstracts. Vegetation of the High Central Andes of Argentina was studied in NW San Juan Province (MAB Reserve of San Guillermo) from a phytosociological point of view. Four new associations are proposed: two shrubland associations, Artemisietum paramilloensis and Lycio-Ephedretum rupestri, and two grassland associations, Jaravetum chrysophyllae and Jaravetum absconditae. The latitudinal and altitudinal boundaries of the Monte, Puna and High Andean phytogeographic provinces were established for the study area. This area constitutes the floristic and biogeographic transition between northern (Bolivia) and southern (Mendoza, Argentina) Puna elements, belonging to the Calamagrostietea vicunarum class, and to the Stipo-Lycietea class, respectively.


Phytochemicals viz. soluble protein, reducing sugar and phenols were quantified from tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) leaves after application of resistance inducing chemicals viz. salicylic acid, I²-aminobutyric acid, chitosan and 2,6- dichloroisonicotinic acid as 8 hr seed dip treatment or 2 hr seedling dip treatment or both treatment to study their effect on induction of resistance and inhibition of growth of pathogen. Soluble proteins and phenols were found maximum due to seed+seedling treatment of salicylic acid @ 1.5 mM concentration with 76.90 per cent and 102.68 per cent increase over control whereas reducing sugar was maximum for seed+seedling treatment of I²-aminobutyric acid @ 15.0 mM concentration with 61.38 per cent increase over control. The increased level of protein quantity had no effect on inhibition of Alternaria alternata growth, whereas the increased quantity of sugar inhibited the average growth of Alternaria up to 19.39 per cent. Among phenolic compounds catechol and the cinnamic acid (formed in shikimic acid pathway of phenol biosynthesis) was inhibitory to the A. alternata whereas tannic acid hadsome effect on inhibition of Alternaria growth (13.84 % fungal growth inhibition). The increased level of sugar+phenol tested against the pathogen completely inhibited the growth of Alternaria fungus. Thus, the increased level of reducing sugar and phenol in tomato leaves due to the application of resistance inducing chemicals seemsto be inhibitory to the pathogens multiplication and pathogenesis.


The construction of prestressed box beam involves high technology and great difficulty and its vertical control is also one of the keys to construction technical control. The construction method corresponding to the precision requirement of vertical control is presented. The influence of construction technology on vertical control is analyzed. The measuring scheme and procedure are offered.


The present publication details the works carried out for the delimitation of uranium anomalies in the Laguna Sirven Project, north of Santa Cruz Province. During the 70s the CNEA conducted studies aimed at defining areas with potential for uranium mineralization in the provinces of Santa Cruz and Chubut, including this Project. This site corresponds to a sedimentary deposit formed by rich uranium precipitations at the water table interface, creating calcretes of a large extent and typically tabular form. In most of these deposits, uranium comes from the weathering of volcanic rocks, which could be secondary uranium deposits. Uranium solubility is closely linked to oxidation potential, whereby under oxidizing conditions uranium is found as U6+ cation, highly soluble and therefore very mobile. However, in a reducing environment, the U6+ ion is converted into the insoluble form U4+. Thus, the uranium in solution flows through permeable strata until it meets reducing conditions and precipitates. Geochemically, uranium is an incompatible element, which causes it to be one of the latest elements in crystallizing from a magmatic fluid. Therefore, it concentrates in acid rocks formed at the final stages of magmatic differentiation. It is estimated that, in the deposit ____________________________________________ 1) Hytec Alto Americas S.A. 672 Reconquista St., 8th Floor (C1003ABN) Buenos Aires, Argentina. e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Tucumán, 2017 ISSN 1514-4186 ISSN on-line 1666-9479 Serie Correlación Geológica 33 (1 2): 129 142 model, the primary source of uranium is the Cretaceous pyroclastites from Castillo, Bajo Barreal and Laguna Palacios formations, belonging to the Chubut Group, and to a lesser extent the Jurassic pyroclastites from Bahía Laura Group. The studies conducted through remote sensing were based on LandSat 7 ETM+ and ASTER multispectral images, and Digital Elevation Models from SRTM images. Many products were generated from this image data set oriented to the delimitation of mineral and thermal anomalies, runoff patterns, source and deposition areas. Afterward, fieldwork was performed in the area, including a gamma radiospectrometry terrestrial survey and geobotanical sampling. The integration of all the information obtained into a Geographic Information System allowed us to move forward in exploratory works in this Project.


Genetic diversity was estimated for 51 Lagerstroemia indica L. cultivars, five Lagerstroemia fauriei Koehne cultivars, and 37 interspecific hybrids using 78 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. SSR loci were highly variable among the cultivars, detecting an average of 6.6 alleles (amplicons) per locus. Each locus detected 13.6 genotypes on average. Cluster analysis identified three main groups that consisted of individual cultivars from L. indica, L. fauriei, and their interspecific hybrids. However, only 18.1% of the overall variation was the result of differences between thesegroups,whichmaybeattributabletopedigree-based breedingstrategies thatusecurrentcultivarsasparentsfor future selections. Clustering within each group generally reflected breeding pedigrees but was not supported by bootstrap replicates. Low statistical support was likely the result of low genetic diversity estimates, which indicated that only 25.5% of the total allele size variation was attributable to differences between the species L. indica and L. fauriei. Most allele size variation, or 74.5%, was common to L. indica and L. fauriei. Thus, introgression of other Lagestroemia species such as Lagestroemia limii Merr. (L. chekiangensis Cheng), Lagestroemia speciosa (L.) Pers., and Lagestroemia subcostata Koehne may significantly expand crapemyrtle breeding programs. This study verified relationships between existing cultivars and identified potentially untapped sources of germplasm.


The Mekong River Basin (MRB) in Southeast Asia is among the world's ten largest rivers, both in terms of its discharge and sediment load. The spatial and temporal resolution to accurately determine the sediment load/yield from tributaries and sub-basin that enters the Mekong mainstream still lacks from the large-scale model. In this study, the SWAT model was applied to the MRB to assess long-term basin hydrology and to quantify the sediment load and spatial sediment yield in the MRB. The model was calibrated and validated (1985–2016) at a monthly time step. The overall proportions of streamflow in the Mekong River were 34% from surface runoff, 21% from lateral flow, 45% from groundwater contribution. The average annual sediments yield presented 1295 t/km2/year in the upper part of the basin, 218 t/km2/year in the middle, 78 t/km2/year in the intensive agricultural area and 138 t/km2/year in the highland area in the lower part. The annual average sediment yield for the Mekong River was 310 t/km2/year from upper 80% of the total MRB before entering the delta. The derived sediment yield and a spatial soil erosion map can explicitly illustrate the identification and prioritization of the critical soil erosion-prone areas of the MR sub-basins.


The ability of two structurally related small-pore metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) to capture CO2 was investigated by a combination of gas sorption measurements, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) ana...


The aim of this paper is to narrate an experience with participative classes. We argue that radical changes in the current methods of legal education are not always necessary in order to achieve positive outcomes. Sometimes the participative methods already used in brazilian legal education - we focus on seminars - fail to lead to good results either due to deficiencies in planning, or because they tend to replicate the most common problems associated with non-participative methods, such as: Focusing on arguments from authority; excess of lecturing and lack of debate; lack of incentive to critical attitudes, among many others. The replication of these problems, combined with the recurrent absence of the professor responsible for the course, seems to us to be the main cause of the widespread perception that seminars are a method of learning of minor importance. our experience, however, has shown that this scenario may change significantly if due care is exercised.


The Internet of Things (IoT) technologies enable connections among things with wider ranges. The development of such technologies in cyberspace promotes the convergence of physical space and cyberspace. The research on social attributes (e.g., relationships and social existence) that currently exist and on interactive behavior of physical things from the convergence of those two spaces can help to efficiently address certain social problems such as food safety, medicine source tracking, and traffic adjustments. This research on social attributes can also help to improve the serviceability of the IoT. At present, research on social attributes in the IoT has not modeled the relations of things in the IoT. In this paper, we formulate social attributes of thing, analyze the role of relations that is one of important social attributes in the IoT, and use super network architecture to present the complex relations among physical things. Based on these relations and relation architecture, we use an ontology-based approach to model the relations of things. Finally, we use a case to interpret the concrete application process of relations in smart home.


In two important papers from 1960 Graham Higman introduced the notion of PORC functions, and he proved that for any given positive integer $n$ the number of $p$-class two groups of order $p^n$ is a PORC function of $p$. A key result in his proof of this theorem is the following: "The number of ways of choosing a finite number of elements from the finite field of order $q^n$ subject to a finite number of monomial equations and inequalities between them and their conjugates over GF($q$), considered as a function of $q$, is PORC." Higman's proof of this result involves five pages of homological algebra. Here we give a short elementary proof of the result. Our proof is constructive, and gives an algorithms for computing the relevant PORC functions.


This article presents the results of a survey of 250 Canadian male consumers. In this study consumer judgements of products made in both highly and newly industrializing countries were obtained in a multi‐attribute and multidimensional context. The results show that younger and less affluent respondents react more favorably towards products made in newly industrializing East Asian countries. The country‐of‐origin image of East Asian countries is less negative for products that generate a medium level of involvement (e.g., a VCR). This negative image of East Asian countries is attenuated by providing other product‐related information to consumers such as brand name and warranty. East Asian countries are perceived more negatively as countries of design than as countries of parts and assembly. In comparison with products made in highly developed countries, products made in East Asia are perceived to be poorer in terms of performance, quality and originality but more economical.


A new multifunctional elderly-assistant and walking-assistant robot has been proposed in our lab to assist the elderly completing daily life and outdoor activities. The robot has two major functions, running as an intelligent wheelchair, and walking like a smart cane. When the robot assumes walking posture and the elderly is falling over, the robot adjusts to an appropriate position and supports the elderly giving balance thereby preventing fall. As a prerequisite condition that the robot supports the human balance, stability of the robot should be ensured. A dynamic model is proposed to present the stability of human-robot system. A feedforward-feedback compound control method is used to support the human balance and ensure stability of the robot. Model and simulation of the control system is conducted using Matlab/Simulink. The simulation results show the performance of fall prevention by the robot and provide a basis for the actual control system. The research process provides a reference for the stability of the elderly-assistant and walking-assistant robot system.


2. Secondly, companionship leads to assistance. There is in St. Mark 6, in the story of the storm on the lake which followed the Feeding of the Five Thousand, a good illustration of the helpful Presence of Christ in His servants' difficulties, with also a hint of how we may so easily miss His help. He was alone on the mountain prayirig : they were, according to St. Mark, win the midst of the sea,' I


In present study the procedure for successful synthesis of sodium heteropoly decatungstoterbate(III), Na9[Tb(W5O18)2]·34H2O, from acidified up to Z=ν(H+ )/ν(WO4 2– ) = 0.80 solution of sodium tungstate with a ratio of ν(Tb):ν(W) = 1:10 from aqueous-acetone media was elaborated.


Enriched 180mTa samples were irradiated by an intense 60Co source of 1.5 PBq and with 4 MeV bremsstrahlung. Using the well known 115In(γ,γ')115mIn cross section as a standard, we obtained a cross section of 0.52 mbarn for the 180mTa(γ,γ')180Ta reaction at 4 MeV, and established an upper limit of 14 nbarn (2σ) at 1.33 MeV. These results mean that 180mTa can survive at temperatures lower than ∼5×108 K, but that it is quickly destroyed via photoexcitation above 7×108 K. Accordingly, an s‐process production of 180mTa during stellar helium burning remains a plausible possibility. The respective consequences for the observed abundance of nature's rarest stable isotope are discussed by means of new cross section information.


By and large, most models of metaphor entertained in contemporary cognitive literature assume that metaphor is a relationship between two given entities whose attributes are defined prior to the relationship established between them. The metaphoric sense is produced through the selection of a subset of these attributes. In this paper I take issue with this view. My discussion is couched in the consideration of four basic cognitive assumptions: (1) the fixedness assumption, (2) the selectional assumption, (3) an assumption about the primacy of constituents over wholes, and (4) an assumption about meaning and interpretation. Against these assumptions I consider metaphors taken from literary texts, the semantics of non-metaphoric linguistic expressions, judgments of similarity, synesthesia, and patterns in both child development and the evolution of culture. An outline for an alternative view of metaphor is then presented, which is couched in the broader context of nonrepresentational psychology. In addition, the functional significance of metaphor is discussed and a pluralistic perspective on metaphor is proposed. Words have a soul. Most readers, and even writers, demand only that they should have a sense. One has to find that soul, which appears in the contact of words with other words. Guy de Maupassant The poet's task [is to] dislocate words into meaning. T. S. Eliot Poetics Today 13:4 (Winter 1992). Copyright ( 1992 by The Porter Institute for Poetics and Semiotics. CCC 0333-5372/92/$2.50. This content downloaded from 126.96.36.199 on Sun, 11 Sep 2016 05:50:08 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 660 Poetics Today 13:4


The effects of Hubei Qingzhuan tea on hypolipidemic rats were investigated. The results showed, compared with the hyperlipidemia control group, each tested group had significant reduction in the body weight of rats, the serum TC、TG and malondiadehyde(MDA) contents, and marked increase in the level of HDL-C , the activities of SOD and GSH-PX. On the effects of decreasing serum lipids, Qingzhuan tea was more significant than that of Xuzikang—a blood lipid decreasing medicine, and green tea, Qingzhuan tea stored for 10 years was more significant hypolipidemic effect than Qingzhuan tea stored for 1 year. The pathological observation on the liver tissue showed that each tested sample could lighten the denaturation liver cell. We conclude that Qingzhuan tea showed the effect of body weight decreasing, serum lipids decreasing, antioxidation increasing and liver cells protecting of hypolipidemic rats.


In redundant systems composed of identical units, common cause failures can significantly affect system performance. We show that the probabilities of common cause failure are architecture specific. We derive the probabilities for generalized dual and triplex systems. We analyze and compare three common architectures, i.e., 1oo2, 1oo2D and 2oo3, to determine the effects of common cause failure on system performance as measured by the indices MTTF, MTTFSafe, MTTFDangerous, Probability of Failure on Demand, and availability. We conclude that the 2oo3 provides marginally better availability than the 1oo2D. In all other performance indices, the 1oo2D provides superior performance.


The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of neuropsychopedagogical intervention (INPp) on the academic performance of students with learning difficulties (LD). A total of 4,184 children aged between 6 and 8 years (±7.23) of both genders participated in the present study. They were divided into four groups (A1 –1151 children who did not present LD and who underwent INPp; A2 – 1151 children without LD who did not undergo INPp; B1 942 children who presented AD and who underwent INPp; B2 942 children with LD and who did not undergo INPp). The INPP was developed through the systematic practice of 04 playful activities, in three weekly sessions, lasting 45 minutes each for 18 sessions (±2 months). In order to evaluate the effects of the INPP, the participants were submitted to the following protocols: a) Dual Choice Mental Processing Test (DMCPT) ; b) Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN); c) Assessment of academic performance in Portuguese and Mathematics. All protocols were approved by the UFRJ ethics committee (opinion no. 517,483) and carried out in the school environment. Our results show that children in group A1 when evaluated after INPp presented an 18% reduction (p<0.05) in the response time obtained in the DMCPT and children in group B2 presented a significant reduction (p<0, 01) 40% in response time. When evaluated post INPp in relation to RAN, children in group A1 showed a reduction of 14.29% (p<0.05) and children in group B1 a reduction of 23% (p<0.01) in automated color naming time. Finally, when evaluated in relation to academic performance, after INPp, children in group A1 showed an increase of 16% (p<0.05) and children in group B1 an increase of 46.23% (p<0.01 ) in the number of correct answers.


Energy management issues are very important in the context of ad hoc networks. Energy needs to be optimally utilized so that the nodes can perform th eir functionality satisfactorily. MANETs are energy constrained as most ad hoc nodes to day operate wit h limited battery power. So, it is important to min imize energy consumption of the entire network in order t o maximize the life time of the network. In this pa per we proposed load balancing method for the new on-demand routing protocol (Preemptive DSR). As per the method, the PDSR selects a route at any time based on the minimum energy availability of the routes an d the energy consumption per packet of the route at t hat time. The Simulation results shows that PDSR ha s increased packet delivery ratio and decreased delay compared with existing DSR.


We describe an experiment of inducing structural and oxygenation changes in small volumes of a thick YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (YBCO) film by subjecting the film to a focused Ar laser beam used as the pump source for a depth profiling Raman scattering system. The laser-induced changes were evidenced by high spectral and spatial resolution Raman spectra taken at different depths of the film, before and after the films' exposure. The irradiation and the measurement were done at room temperature in a regular air environment.