The Companies Act, 1956 is replaced with The Companies Act, 2013 and 'corporate social responsibilities' (CSR) has been made mandatory for a particular class of companies. There has to be an all inclusive growth of the society with the growth of the companies. Perhaps keeping this in mind, Indian law makers brought this law. This research paper focuses on to understand the issues and challenges of corporate social responsibility. It has been very well understood by organizations that Government alone will not be able to succeed in its endeavor to uplift the down trodden society further compulsion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has filtered the myth that the ultimate goal is not profit making, rather trust building is viable and assert able with societal relationship and only long term survival mantra for any organization. This article tries to analyze the study of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) status in India, and it further provide an insight to what extent companies can follow the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). We would try to through light on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Indian organizations which would be helpful for both economic and social interest. Index Terms concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), issues and challenges. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________


In this essay grade was made an historical, regulatory, investigative and opinion survey on environmental policies to support and assist the public schools of Bogota, which has been made by the District Secretary of Education from 2008 to 2014; to the effect, international guidelines that excelled in different environmental summit, the national legal system that protects the environment and environmental management that makes the Secretary of Education of District were investigated.

From the research data, the need to remove the mandatory activities of the Institutional Environmental Management Plan for public schools is established, because do not correspond to the environmental issues facing each of the educational institutions of the district, also seeks to strengthen Projects school environment, being as these projects have a foundation of research and participation of the entire educational community, said it is evident that this mechanism responds to the environmental needs of the school.

It further provides that the Secretary of Education District should strengthen this environmental practices in district schools, by promoting environmental stewardship with pedagogy.

From this perspective I announce the contents of the essay, and put it under the Magnifier sane criticism and constructive reader.


Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer affecting women today. Ovarian cancer is a cancer that begins in the ovaries. The ovaries are female generative organs situated in the pelvis, approximately the size of an almond. The ovaries produce eggs (ova) for reproduction. In this research paper, Detect the ovarian cancer and found the stage of the cancer in the malignant cancer image. The proposed algorithm is used to feature extraction technique using SIFT algorithm. Any object there are many features, interesting points on the object, that can be extracted to provide and feature, a description of the object. In genetic algorithm used to optimize the extracted feature with the help of the fitness function. In fitness function depends upon three parameters i.e, each feature, total features and classification error rate. The detection of the ovarian cancer and stages found using a convolutional neural network. The accuracy is achieved with CNN classifier is 98.8% and with SVM is 85.01%. The performance parameters used are Sensitivity Specificity and accuracy.


Ancient prose movement of the Tang and Song dynasties was a movement to establish a new style. In setting up this new style, intellectuals explored the form, gathered the forms and gradually found the correct form in which art prose expresses people's feelings and conveys people's thought. From pre Qin period to Tang and Song Dynasty, China's literary world went through many repetitions from simplicity to complexity, and from complexity to simplicity——this process actually was that of style evolution and change, and underlying motivation of essay genre transformation.


: The effect of silicon (Si) on fitness and leaf consumption of the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith), has been observed in the laboratory, but the effects of Si on damage or defoliation reduction have not yet been determined under field conditions. Here, we evaluated the effects of amendment of soil with Si on defoliation by FAW and crop yield in maize. Two field experiments were carried out, with four doses of Si and a control (no Si amendment). Experiment #1 evaluated 150, 300, 450, and 600 kg of total Si∙ha -1 , with natural or manual infestation with FAW eggs, while Experiment #2 tested 600, 800, 1,000 and 1,200 kg of total Si∙ha -1 , with natural or manual infestation with FAW larvae. Defoliation reduction was observed with Si increasing in both Experiments #1 and #2. However, reduction was not observed in all evaluations, and it was dependent of infestation (natural and manual) and the time since manual infestation. Reduction in defoliation began at 600 kg Si∙ha -1 . In contrast, plant Si content increased linearly with increasing soil Si application. No effect of Si application was observed on maize kernel yield. The increase in leaf Si content reduced FAW defoliation, but it did not affect maize yield from 600 to 1,200 kg∙ha -1 of Si. Amendment of soil with Si can be used as a strategy to optimize integrated pest management of FAW in maize.


The high demand of automobiles has also increased the traffic hazards and the road accidents. Life of the people under high risk. This is because of the lack of best emergency facility available in our country. This paper will help to provide location tracking and collisiom detection.It will also provide parameter control ,sending of image with the help of dash camera to rescue team. In this system having use of IOT concept. The data will be stor in cloud system. By this paper safty environment of transportation is possible.


ABSTRACT Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has a remarkable kidney tropism. While kidney effects are common in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), data on non-severe courses are limited. Here we provide a multilevel analysis of kidney outcomes after non-severe COVID-19 to test for eventual kidney sequela. Methods This cross-sectional study investigates individuals after COVID-19 and matched controls recruited from the Hamburg City Health Study (HCHS) and its COVID-19 program. The HCHS is a prospective population-based cohort study within the city of Hamburg, Germany. During the COVID-19 pandemic the study additionally recruited subjects after polymerase chain reaction–confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections. Matching was performed by age, sex and education. Main outcomes were estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), albuminuria, Dickkopf3, haematuria and pyuria. Results A total of 443 subjects in a median of 9 months after non-severe COVID-19 were compared with 1328 non-COVID-19 subjects. The mean eGFR was mildly lower in post-COVID-19 than non-COVID-19 subjects, even after adjusting for known risk factors {β = −1.84 [95% confidence interval (CI) −3.16 to −0.52]}. However, chronic kidney disease [odds ratio (OR) 0.90 (95% CI 0.48–1.66)] or severely increased albuminuria [OR 0.76 (95% CI 0.49–1.09)] equally occurred in post-COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 subjects. Haematuria, pyuria and proteinuria were also similar between the two cohorts, suggesting no ongoing kidney injury after non-severe COVID-19. Further, Dickkopf3 was not increased in the post-COVID-19 cohort, indicating no systematic risk for ongoing GFR decline [β = −72.19 (95% CI −130.0 to −14.4)]. Conclusion While mean eGFR was slightly lower in subjects after non-severe COVID-19, there was no evidence for ongoing or progressive kidney sequela.


ABSTRACT Proper names are widely found in the linguistic landscape including shop names. They transmit factual information and are used to appeal to emotions representing 'symbolic rather than structural or semantic expression'. The current study investigates shop names in six Palestinian Arab localities in Israel employing quantitative and qualitative research methods. Photographs of 848 shop names from the six Palestinian Arab localities facilitated examining the type of names, scripts used, and the type of business. Six shop owners were interviewed about their shop names, types, and scripts. The findings reveal that Arabic is the most prominent language used, followed by foreign languages, with Hebrew far behind. Locality and type of business are found to be important factors, revealing that Palestinian Arab shop names are not homogeneous and certain languages are preferred in some businesses rather than others. Palestinian Arabs work on maintaining their Palestinian-Arab identity in the conflict-ridden Israeli reality. Besides, they are also influenced by Hebraisation through the exposure to Israeli culture and its values, as well as to globalization, which entails being connected with worldwide trends.


334 Background: Since 2010, the doublet gemcitabine and cisplatin has been standard first-line systemic treatment for non-resectable biliary tract cancer. In a phase I-II trial of the well-tolerated triplet of gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and capecitabine, the median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 6.9 and 12.5 months, respectively. Overall response rate was 34%. Since 2005 the regimen has been used in Denmark. We wanted to investigate the effectiveness of the triplet regimen given in daily clinic. Methods: We included 192 patients from two institutions. Patients had to have non-resectable biliary tract cancer and to be suitable for combination chemotherapy on doctor's discretion. Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 and oxaliplatin 60 mg/m2 were given every two weeks followed by capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 b.i.d. for one week. At one institution the oxaliplatin dose was 50 mg/m2 and capecitabine dose 650 mg/m2 b.i.d. continuously. One cycle included two treatments and was typically administered...


emerging developments and their cultural implications. Leonardo's 40-year history has been full of artists engaging technologies on the horizon that were only faintly grasped by the public. Here I focus on a development that promises to profoundly reshape our world and that cries out for more artistic attention: aging. While this is not a particular technology, it is an issue that emerges out of the interplay of many technologies and social structures. My awareness of the urgency of this trend was stimulated by participation in the World Technology Network [1]. Believing in the power of serendipitous encounters, James Clarke, the director of this organization, brings together innovators in diverse fields such as medicine, business, biology, materials science, government, art, venture capital and academia in a yearly conference. One of the most recent conference's speakers, Ziv Navoth, director of the Verve futurist think tank [2], identified several themes as critical for business and government to consider in long-term planning, one of which was the changing demographics of aging [3]. It struck me that the arts have been strangely quiet on this theme. Navoth noted that the combination of birth control and medical advances was radically altering the demographics of the developed world. For example, Italy and Japan's birthrates have shrunk below replacement rates, and Italy now has more people above the age of 65 than below the age of 20. Other countries will soon follow. Many countries face social-welfare crises because their systems are based on pay-as-you-go principles, with the shrinking younger generations expected to support the old. Many countries in the developing world still have the historical demographics of a high ratio of children to older people and relatively short life expectancy, although this begins to change as they develop. Biological aging and longevity research will accelerate these trends even further. Researchers are making progress on several fronts to understand and perhaps slow basic processes of aging. For example, they have discovered that cells seem to have a natural limit to the number of divisions they can undergo. Investigators have had some success in delaying the aging and death that seems programmed into the cells. In one study, worms were made to live (healthily) 5 times their normal expectancy—the equivalent of 400 human years! Another line of inquiry has studied peoples who enjoy extraordinary longevity, such as mountain peoples of Peru and Asia. A key factor was found to be chronic under-


An investigation was made of the temperature dependence of radiation-accelerated diffusion of the contact materials (rhodium, gold, and indium) in the surface layers of silicon Schottky diodes (Rh--n-Si, Au--n-Si, and In--p-Si) irradiated with x rays (V=50 keV, I=5 x 10/sup 12/ x raysxcm/sup -2/xsec/sup -1/, Phi/sub max/approx.3.5 x 10/sup 18/ x raysxcm/sup -2/). Two batches of these diodes were irradiated at the same time: one at 80 /sup 0/K and the other at room temperature. The carrier distribution profiles in silicon were determined before and after irradiation by the nondestructive method of capacitance-voltage characteristics. Irradiation was found to distort the carrier distribution profile in the surface layer, which was attributed to the radiation-accelerated diffusion of the contact materials into silicon. The diffusion coefficient of rhodium and gold was higher at room temperature than at 80 /sup 0/K. The reverse was true of indium. These features of the radiation-accelerated diffusion were attributed to the different mechanisms of the diffusion of rhodium, gold, and indium.


Radioiodine (l31I) is increasingly being recommended for the treatment of thyrotoxicosis, either as primary therapy ?r as treatment of a relapse that has followed a course o an antithyroid drug. It has two main disadvantages: a possible delay in control if an insufficient dose of radioiodine has been given and a cumulative incidence o hypothyroidism that necessitates long-term follow-up. The former problem is best overcome by giving patients who are severely affected, or have complications, a arge initial dose, recognising that for them the early occur rence of hypothyroidism is preferable to a delay in


prove consistent (or inconsistent) rates of movement on the San Andreas fault. The few control points for cumulative slips on limited segments of the fault, including the geologic time spans involved, probably are not yet precise enough for a comparison vt̂ ith the rates of sea-floor spreading (and they probably are episodic rather than continuous). The argument that the San Andreas is within a broad "soft" boundary zone between the Pacific and American plates and that the additional 1,150 ± km of right-slip on the zone required by sea-floor movements during the last 25 m.y. is on faults other than the San Andreas (with only 320 ± km of right-slip) is, in my opinion, a rationalization without evidence. The postulated two-stage histories of the San Andreas seem to me to be rationalizations contrived to accommodate the character and history of the San Andreas fault to interpretations of sea-floor movement in the northeast Pacific. Available geologic evidence does not appear to require an ancestral, or different, San Andreas fault. In my opinion, the referenced explanations for episodic continental deformations to accompan\ continuous sea-floor movements also may he rationalizations rather than inferences based on critical geologic relations. I certainly agree that the Murray fracture zone is not represented in the Transverse Ranges, but because it cannot be mapped into the continental crust, not because plate tectonics predicts it should not be there. I also agree that the term "quadruple point" is unnecessary, but perhaps it is just as real geologically as a triple point, or as an "inflnitesimally small" (short) transform fault. I expect that Matthews and I share with many others the view that more tests of the possible effects of ocean basin tectonics on the character and history of the San Andreas and associated structures need to be devised, because there should be relationship, even if not direct cause and effect, between oceanic and continental deformations. I anticipate, and welcome, more discussions of my paper to stimulate the acquisition of additional critical geologic data in the ongoing search for elements of the true global tectonics.


A sample of 6 intensive beef farms was selected according to the feeding plan adopted during the fattening period of Charolais bulls. Two farms did not include any corn silage in the diet (CS0), while corn silage represented 22% of the dietary DM in the second group of 2 farms (CS22), and it raised up to 44% of the dietary DM in the last 2 farms (CS44). Five bulls were randomly selected from each farm to be slaughtered in the same abattoir. Bulls age was similar across treatments but the CS44 bulls had a lower carcass weight (396 kg) than the other two treatments (436 and 446 kg for CS0 and CS22, respectively). Carcass fleshiness (SEUROP) and fatness scores were not affected by the level of corn silage in the diet. Meat quality was evaluated on a joint sample of the m. Longissimus thoracis, excised from the 5 th to the 9 th rib of each right half carcass 24 h post-mortem, after an ageing period of 10 d vacuum packaged at 4°C. Meat chemical analysis showed no variations in pH, DM, intramuscular fat and protein content due to the different silage inclusion in the diet. Only the cholesterol content was progressively reduced in the meat of bulls fed increasing quantities of corn silage according to a significant negative linear trend. Meat colour, cooking losses and shear force values were not affected by the diet. Therefore, based on these findings there are no substantial arguments against the use of a large amount of corn silage in the fattening diets of Charolais bulls.


Tucatinib is an investigational, orally dosed, small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is highly selective for the kinase domain of HER2 without significant inhibition of EGFR. In this report, we describe the activity of tucatinib alone and in combination with trastuzumab in multiple HER2 mutant driven PDX models. Tucatinib was tested in 6 HER2 mutant PDX tumor models derived from colorectal, non-small cell lung cancer, gall bladder and gastric cancers with L755S, V77L or S310Y mutations. MCF-10A cells were engineered to express the L755S and V777L HER2 activating point mutations and the potency of tucatinib was evaluated in each of these cell lines using HER2 autophosphorylation as an endpoint. The activity of tucatinib was also evaluated in G776V_G/C and G776_YVMA in frame exon 20 insertion mutations, including the G776V_G/C mutant non-small cell lung cancer line NCI-H1781 using both cellular signaling and cell proliferation as endpoints. Tucatinib significantly inhibited tumor growth in 5 of the 6 HER2 point mutant PDX models, whereas trastuzumab alone significantly inhibited tumor growth in 1 of 6 models and the combination of both drugs was significantly active in all HER2 mutant models. Tucatinib inhibited the phosphorylation of HER2 in a L755S mutant MCF-10A cell line and inhibited the growth of 3 L755S mutant tumor models derived from colorectal, gastric and non-small cell lung cancer. Tucatinib also potently inhibited the phosphorylation of HER2 in a V777L mutant MCF-10A cell line, and in a colorectal PDX model containing a V777L mutation, tucatinib alone or in combination with trastuzumab induced tumor regressions. In two PDX models containing the S310Y extracellular domain mutation of HER2, tucatinib alone, or in combination with trastuzumab, resulted in tumor growth delays. In exon 20 insertion mutant derived cell lines, tucatinib inhibited HER2 phosphorylation, but not EGFR phosphorylation, and inhibited the phosphorylation of HER2, HER3, Erk1/2, MEK1 and AKT in the G776V_G/C HER2 mutant NCI-H1781 cell line. These data demonstrate that tucatinib, a highly potent and selective inhibitor of HER2 signaling without significant inhibition of EGFR, is active in multiple HER2 mutant driven tumor models. Importantly, tucatinib is active in models containing the L755S HER2 mutation which has been associated with lapatinib resistance preclinically (1), and trastuzumab resistance clinically (2). Taken together, these results support the idea that HER2 selective inhibition by tucatinib can block oncogenic signaling elicited by mutant HER2, and that it could potentially provide clinical benefit in patients with cancers with activating HER2 mutations. References: 1) Kancha et al., 2011 PLoS ONE, 6;e26760 2) Zhu et al., 2016 Clin. Cancer Res. 22; 4859 Citation Format: Scott Peterson, Robert Rosler, Kevin Klucher. Tucatinib, a selective small molecule HER2 inibitor, is active in HER2 mutant driven tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 4222.


The recently developed mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG, also known as Pavement M-E design method) uses the nationally calibrated, binder viscositybased dynamic modulus predictive model for the design and analysis of asphalt pavements. In this study, this model is assessed for its appropriateness for asphalt-aggregate mixtures typically used in New Mexico. In essence, this study investigates the predictability issue of complex modulus of New Mexico mixes. A total of 54 Superpave mixes with different aggregate gradations, air voids, and binder grades were collected from the mixing plants and from the pavement construction sites. The loose asphalt mixtures were then compacted, cored, and sawed to cylindrical specimens and tested for dynamic modulus and phase angle in the laboratory. Independence assurance testing was performed to assess the precision and accuracy of the test results. The time-temperature superposition principle was applied


Background: The growth in Internet use for health care is paralleled by the increased prevalence of chronic health conditions that tend to be long-lasting, are often degenerative in nature and require management rather than curative regimes of care. Parkinson's Disease (PD), a progressive, and incurable motor system disease, affects over 100,000 Canadians, and is expected to increase in numbers as the baby boomer generation ages. Because chronic disease patients are expected to participate in the understanding and management of their illness; the Internet and Health 2.0 applications are important resources for gaining, gathering and sharing personal health information. While information privacy is regulated federally by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in Canada, the trend towards Internet-based healthcare has created a new set of privacy issues and concerns which have yet to be fully explored and understood. Mindful of the health care potential of Health 2.0 applications, an investigation of health consumers' perceptions of online personal health information privacy was warranted.
Objective: To explore the perceptions of online information privacy and confidentiality among older Canadians with chronic disease (Parkinson's Disease).
Methods: Using a descriptive qualitative research design, a convenience sample of community dwelling individuals with PD was recruited through PD community based groups. Participants self reported as Internet users. Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews.
Results: Ten (6 males; 4 females) individuals with a mean age of 71.4 years and 5.3 years since PD diagnosis were included in the study. Data analysis resulted in four major themes regarding participant perceptions: (1) 'Privacy Preferences' included discussions of private information, privacy exceptions, and preferred anonymity; (2) 'Online Information Safety' revealed media, family, and friends as valued sources of knowledge; (3) 'Privacy Concerns' included issues of physical vulnerability, the lack of 'people' online, and lack of awareness concerning privacy legislation and policy; and, (4) 'Internet Indifference' reflected a reliance on traditional information sources.
Conclusions: Study results highlighted a number of worrisome issues related to privacy perceptions of older individuals with PD that seemingly discouraged their use of Internet-based health care resources. The Internet was perceived to be mysterious and confusing which contributed to participants' fears about online information privacy and concern for information privacy breaches. Participants' views on information privacy were strongly influenced by mass media reports and by close family and friends. There was a lack of participant awareness of the policies in place to protect online privacy. The link between self-reported physical vulnerability due to PD, and privacy concerns about using the Internet, requires further investigation. Currently, we fail to address feelings of physical vulnerability in those with PD as it relates to their use of the Internet. With growing numbers of health care consumers turning to the Internet for information and support, this work points to the need for further inquiry into consumers' perceptions of online information privacy to ensure safe and user-friendly ways for older individuals with chronic diseases such as PD to gain support and knowledge through the Internet. []


The present study was envisaged to record the seroprevalence of brucellosis in cattle and buffaloes in Chhattisgarh, India by employing the three serological tests viz. Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT), Standard Tube Agglutination Test (STAT) and Indirect-Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (I-ELISA) and to compare their sensitivity and specificity. The study also aimed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of combination of long acting oxytetracycline and streptomycin in brucellosis infected cattle. A total of 250 serum samples; 176 from cattle and 74 from buffaloes were screened for presence of Brucella antibodies by RBPT, STAT and Indirect ELISA. The overall seroprevalence of brucellosis in Chhattisgarh state of India by RBPT, STAT and I-ELISA was 13.0% 19.8% and 31.2% respectively in cattle whereas 16.2%, 14.8% and 20.2% respectively in buffaloes. Cattle of >6 years age group showed highest seroprevalence followed by 4-6 years and lowest in 0-2 years age group. On the contrary, buffaloes of 4-6 years age group showed highest seroprevalence followed by >6 years age group. Seroprevalence was higher in crossbred than indigenous cattle and more in female animals in cattle and buffaloes. Sensitivity of RBPT and STAT was recorded 47.14% and 57.14%, while specificity was recorded 98.88% and 96.11% respectively. Thus, STAT was found to be more sensitive but less specific than RBPT. In this study, overall agreement of RBPT and STAT with ELISA was found to be 84.4% and 85.2% respectively. The therapeutic study of brucella infected animals revealed that long acting oxytetracycline and streptomycin combination had a significant decrease in the antibody titre on the 30 th day of post treatment.


This paper will present the research of the "state of art" from the survey of postgraduate programs in Brazil on linguistic studies, which articulate languages and digital technologies, in order to delineate master's and doctorate's theses on writing and Digital Information and Communication - DICT - from 1999 to 2010. Postgraduate courses were, then, identified in the main universities of the country and theses and dissertations were analyzed. We could establish some trends in the papers published as far as the first decade of the 21st century as well as notice that they highlighted the complexity of working with subjects related to digital. We, therefore, believe we can contribute to the knowledge of the field which has been established, understanding its researches and situating its linguistic studies.


The structure of the tri- and tetrathiocyanato-N-manganate(II) complexes in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution was determined by the solution X-ray diffraction method at 25 °C. The most probable structure of the tri-complex is octahedral with additional three DMF molecules in the first coordination sphere, while the tetra-complex is tetrahedral. The Mn–O and Mn–N bond lengths were determined to be 220 pm in both complexes. The structure of the octahedrally solvated lithium ion [Li(dmf)6]+ with the Li–O bond length of 195 ppm was also determined in an LiSCN solution of DMF.


This research was a classroom action research conducted at the second semester students of English Study Program IAIN Sultan Amai Gorontalo, academic year 2012/2013. This research was done into 2 cycles. The chief aim of this research was to investigate whether cloze test method can improve the students' reading comprehension. The data of this research gained from observation sheet of lecturer's activities, observation sheet of students' learning activities, observation sheet of retelling, and test to know students' reading comprehension in answering questions and retelling the reading texts. From analysis data of cycle 1 to cycle 2 it shown that the students' reading comprehension in answering questions achieved 77.78% while students' reading comprehension in retelling achieved 83,33%. It means that the action hypothesis the cloze test method can improve the students' reading comprehension at the second semester of English Study Program of IAIN Sultan Amai Gorontalo of academic year 2013/2014 has proved and can be accepted.


Background: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is a common malignancy that frequently harbors a high prevalence of somatic mutations in the oncogenic BRAF gene. As a novel prognostic molecular marker, this gene has drawn much attention in recent years for its potential utility in the risk prognosis and management of PTC. However, the contribution of the germline variants in this gene to PTC remains unclear. The study herein was aimed to investigate the potential association between the inherited BRAF variants and PTC based on a case-control study. Methods: We selected four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and took a systematic step to interrogate whether these SNPs of BRAF are associated with PTC risk by genotyping these SNPs from 368 patients with PTC and 564 healthy controls. Results: In comparison of cases and controls for the four SNPs, no differences were observed in the genotypic and allelic frequencies, nor was there evidence of an association between BRAF SNPs and overall risk of PTC. After stratification, however, we found a significantly increased risk of PTC attributed to the SNP variants rs17161747, rs1042179, and rs3748093 for those with a family history of cancer, for smokers, and for both those of age Conclusions: These preliminary results may provide evidence for the involvement of the common genetic variants scattered throughout the BRAF oncogene in the prediction of PTC onset and progression. In the future, enlarging the number of samples and performing functional studies in this gene may help to validate whether the association truly exists. Citation Format: Kexin Chen. Association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms of BRAF and papillary thyroid carcinoma in a Chinese population. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2215. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2215


In previous research, an analysis model named the 'beam on Vlasov foundation model' was proposed to theoretically analyze the compliance and energy release rate of sandwich single cantilever beam (SCB) test specimens. The validity of the analytical model was confirmed when it was applied to sandwich specimens with homogeneous cores. In this study, the analysis model is applied to the analysis of a sandwich SCB test specimen where the Young's modulus of the core varies along the thickness direction. The procedures to obtain the solution for two specific cases are described. One is the case that the Young's modulus of the core varies in the thickness direction as an exponential function. The other is the case that the Young's modulus of the core varies as a combination of exponential functions which is symmetric with respect to the midplane of the core. By comparing with finite element analysis, it is confirmed that the beam analysis model can provide reliable results even when the core is inhomogeneous in the thickness direction.


Discounting cash flows requires an equilibrium model to determine the cost of capital. The CAPM of Sharpe and the intertemporal asset pricing model of Merton (1973) offer a theoretical justification for discounting at a constant risk adjusted rate. Two problems arise with this application. First, for mean reverting cash flows the risk adjustment is unknown, and second, if the present value is compounded forward then the distribution of future wealth is likely right skewed. I develop equilibrium discount rates for cash flows whose level or growth rate is mean reverting. Serial correlation also largely eliminates the skewness problem.


Neural Networks are one of many data mining analytical tools that can be utilized to make predictions for demographic sequences. In this paper, we presented the application of a hybrid model that integrates Long-Short Term Memory-Recurrent Neural Network (LSTM-RNN), time series analysis and clustering techniques where time series analysis and clustering methods provide augmentation of sequences data for the training of RNN. Comprehensive characteristics of nations from UN database are used as input to the hybrid model to predict the nations future population. The results prove that, RNN combined with time series and clustering methods has outperformed mere RNN approach without time series and clustering analysis. In addition, the hybrid Time Series and Clustering-RNN with relevant inputs lead to 20% higher predictive accuracy, measured by Root-Mean-Squared Error, compared to results produced by RNN alone.


This article proposes a theoretical framework that is built upon extreme value theory to study three instruments (i.e. margin, capital requirement and price limits) for managing default risk in futures markets. Specifically, the exceedances over a price threshold are modeled using a generalized Pareto distribution, and the models are static (one-period). We incorporate the risk attitudes of clearing firms into the framework to investigate the efficacy of these instruments under several risk measures, including value-at-risk measures, expected-shortfall measures and spectral risk measures. An empirical study on the VIX futures (or VX) data shows that the effectiveness of these market instruments rests not only on clearing firms' risk attitudes, but also on the tail fatness of the futures price distribution. Moreover, the shift in the risk attitudes of clearing firms may cause interactions among these instruments, which casts new light on the economic rationale of price limits.


Teacher's questions are the chief verbal tool for shaping and modeling interaction in the classroom as well as the primary source of data for evaluating the substantive knowledge and intellectual skill of his/her students.
The present study, therefore, aims at:

Investigating the effect of using question based discussion technique in teaching English novel on students' achievement.
Finding out whether there are any significant differences in using question- based discussion technique at recognition and production level.
Finding out whether there are any significant differences in using QBD technique between male and female.

 Three null hypotheses have been stated as follows:
  1: There is no statistically significant difference between the meanscores of the experimental group and those of the control group in thenovel achievement   posttest.
 2: There is no statistically significant difference between the meanscores and the theoretical mean of students' recognition and production level.
 3: There is no statistically significant difference between the meanscores of male students and those of female students in the novel achievement posttest.
The sample of the study consists of 60 college students in the Department of English at the College of Education/, University of Kirkuk for the academic year 2016-2017. The two groups were randomly chosen one of these two groups was assigned as an experimental group (EG) which was taught novel by using Question Based- discussion strategy, and the other as a control group (CG) which was taught novel by using traditional method. The achievement test was carried out by the researcher to measure the students' progress in the dependent variables of the study. The statistical analysis of the results reveals that there is a statistically significant difference between the mean achievement scores of the EG and those of the CG in the novel achievement posttest. The research ended up with a number of recommendations. Furthermore, some suggestions for further studies.


_________________________________________________________ Cherry Li-Bugg, presenter SLO and the Community College: the Why, What and Who Cares SLO workshop presentation.pps . Krista Goguen, presenter Institutional level SLOs, faculty development and SLO ARC: The experience of Pasadena City College. s los at pcc overview2.pps . PCC SLO Resource page . Mary Hart, presenter SLOAC — How Miramar Does It SHOW.pps Mary Hart . Christina Goff, presenter Library Program SLOs and Library Instruction Program SLOs — the experience of Los Medanos College CGoffpresentation.pps . Sandra Rotenberg, presenter Library program and services SLOs and assessment—the experience of Solano Community College . Billy Pashaie, presenter Assessing Library One-Shots CCLSLOPashie.pps — the experience of Cypress College


The article reviews the state of the art and development of bridges as presented at the International Symposium on Steel Bridges held between 25 and 26 February 1988 in London. The symposium was organized by the AC3/ECCS and BCSA Committee for Bridges. (TRRL)


advances involving catalytic ACA reactions of alkyl metal (mostly dialkyl zinc) reagents, a number of critical shortcomings remain unaddressed. One noteworthy challenge concerns transformations of b-substituted cyclopentenones, processes that are often less efficient (vs. reactions of larger rings) but can deliver products that may be used in enantioselective syntheses of a variety of biologically active natural products. Previously reported approaches, involving zinc-based reagents, are only effective with five-memberedring substrates when the enone bears an additional activating substituent. Additions of trialkyl aluminum reagents to bsubstituted cyclopentenones catalyzed by chiral copper phosphoramidites have been shown to proceed in three cases. In only a single instance, however, is high selectivity observed (ACA with Et3Al; 96.5:3.5 e.r., 93% ee). [5a] Herein, we disclose an efficient set of protocols for catalytic ACA reactions of alkyl and aryl aluminum reagents with a range of unactivated b-substituted cyclic enones, including cyclopentenones. Reactions, promoted in the presence of a chiral bidentate N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) copper complex (5 mol%), are efficient (up to 97% yield) and highly selective (up to > 99:< 1 e.r., greater than 98% ee). In the case of transformations involving additions of aryl units, the requisite aluminum-based reagents are prepared in situ from commercially available dimethylaluminum chloride and the corresponding aryl lithium compounds. We began our investigations by examining the ability of NHC complexes 1–4 (Scheme 1), previously developed in our laboratories, to promote ACA of trialkyl aluminum reagents to cyclic enones. As the main objective of these studies is reactions of b-substituted cyclopentenones, we selected 6a to serve as the representative substrate (Table 1). Our focus on aluminum-based reagents is partly due to the higher reactivity as well as the significantly lower cost of this class of alkylating agents (vs. dialkyl zinc reagents). Through an initial screening study (Table 1), we established that the first two generations of aryloxide-containing NHC copper complexes derived from 1 and 2 do not


A thirty months European Space Agency project started in March 2008, whose overall purpose is to expand and assess the performance of broadband (11-15μm) quantum detectors for spectro-imaging applications: Dispersive Spectrometers and Fourier Transform Spectrometers. We present here the development approach and the progress status concerning the detector layer and read-out circuit. For Dispersive applications a 42K operating temperature is currently achieved, which can still be increased, to approach the 50K goal value. For FTS applications efficient broadband optical coupling is demonstrated.


Aims To investigate SAS Psychiatrists' opportunities for Balint-type, support groups and psychotherapy training opportunities nationwide, for which there is a lack of existing literature or established framework. Method An online questionnaire was sent to UK-wide SAS psychiatry doctors with the support of the RCPsych Speciality Doctors and Associate Specialist Psychiatrists Committee (SASC). The survey enquired about location, work experience, future plans, Balint-type groups, psychotherapy opportunities and support. Result 122 doctors completed the questionnaire, estimated to constitute approximately 8% of SAS psychiatry posts (or more if considering all vacancies), based on the RCPsych Census (2015), from across all UK nations.Time spent in an SAS role varied widely between months (10%) to over 20 years (5%), with the median and mode being 8–12 years (25%). Regarding future career plans 61% responded that they would be considering either the Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) route, or applying for future training or both. 24% reported being part of a Balint-type group whilst almost double this number (47%) said they would be interested to join but none were available. 31% were part of a reflective practice or support group whilst 44% reported that they were interested in joining but none were available. Only 7% said that they were not participating or not interested in either a Balint group or a reflective group. Free-response comments suggested these opportunities were usually reserved for trainees and service commitments prevented attendance. 76% of respondents reported access to an SAS Tutor, but only 21% confirmed access to a psychotherapy tutor. Half of respondents indicated they did not have access to information and guidance they needed regarding accessing psychotherapy opportunities, with only 27% thinking they did. 24% reported managing to gain experience in at least one psychotherapeutic modality, 44% of whom received medical psychotherapist supervision; whilst 13% said they did not intend to pursue this. Conclusion The results highlight that interest in joining Balint and reflective support groups significantly exceeds local provision. As these groups are not mandatory requirements for CESR application, the interest expressed (including amongst those reporting to be SAS by choice) suggests that SAS Psychiatrists value these opportunities for their recognised professional developmental and clinical benefits; these include peer support, understanding doctor-patient interactions and having a space to reflect on the emotional impact of clinical work. Trusts should consider supporting SAS doctors wishing to join new or existing Balint-type or other supportive reflective clinician groups.


An electronic circuit for measuring the contraction time of the Achilles tendon reflex as detected on the Lawson kinemometer is described. The instrument obviates the need for recording and reduces the installation cost.


With an ageing population and expected increases in the prevalence of heart failure, there will likely be more patients presenting with ischaemic mitral regurgitation (IMR). Multiple studies have shown that surgery can be performed safely in this patient population. Randomized trials have now addressed whether mitral valve repair should be performed concomitantly with coronary artery bypass grafting in the setting of moderate IMR, and whether mitral valve repair or replacement is superior in the setting of severe IMR. Novel percutaneous technologies to address the mitral valve are also in evolution. This chapter provides an overview of IMR including surgical indications, operative techniques, a review of randomized trial data, and percutaneous approaches for mitral valve disease.


Cux‐1 is a gene controlling G1‐S phase by repressing cyclin‐kinase inhibitors p21 and p27. CUX mice develop fibrotic damage in kidneys, testis, and liver by aberrant repression of p27. These mice showed pulmonary inflammation, vasculitis, bronchitis, bronchiectasis, and fibrosis (trichrome staining) in the bronchial basal membrane and arterial media. The heart shows inflammation, small myocardial infarctions, and a reduction of the lumen patency of coronary arteries with increase of media thickness.


This invention provides one first in first out buffer unit, which comprises first sub memory unit, wherein, first the memory sub unit comprises the following parts: first layer of buffer memory to receive first input data by input end; second layer of buffer memory to receive the data from first layer of buffer; third one to select the above data. This invention sub buffer memory unit receives data stored directly into first or third layers of buffer memory.


We develop end-to-end learned reconstructions for lensless mask-based cameras, including an experimental system for capturing aligned lensless and lensed images for training. Various reconstruction methods are explored, on a scale from classic iterative approaches (based on the physical imaging model) to deep learned methods with many learned parameters. In the middle ground, we present several variations of unrolled alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) with varying numbers of learned parameters. The network structure combines knowledge of the physical imaging model with learned parameters updated from the data, which compensate for artifacts caused by physical approximations. Our unrolled approach is 20× faster than classic methods and produces better reconstruction quality than both the classic and deep methods on our experimental system.


The LHCb detector located at the large hadron collider (LHC) at CERN will undergo a major upgrade in 2019-2020. The detector will be prepared to operate at an increased instantaneous luminosity and to read out full events at 40 MHz. This requires many changes in the detector hardware as well as the full software implementation of the event selection. A large tracker has been developed and will be installed for particle tracking downstream of the magnet. It is based on 2.5 m-long scintillating fibres (SciFi) with 250μm diameter read out by silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) multichannel arrays. A significant R&D effort has been devoted to tailor the technology to the large dimension and the radiation environment. I have developed the instrumentation for the characterisation of SiPMs with a focus on the measurement of the radiation-induced damage. We achieve a precision of 3% on the measurement of the gain and photon detection efficiency (PDE) of SiPMs irradiated to 6 ·1011 1MeV neq/cm, equivalent to the expected accumulated radiation in the LHCb SciFi tracker. The SiPM photodetector selected for the SciFi tracker features very low correlated noise (enabling a wide operation range) and a high PDE. The radiation damage is characterised by a dramatic increase in the dark count rate (typically 35 MHz/mm2 at ΔV = 3.5V and −40◦C for a device irradiated to 6 ·1011 1MeV neq/cm) which is counteracted by cooling (−40◦C), short signal integration time length (40 MHz read-out) and an efficient noise suppression algorithm (clustering). No significant change in gain, correlated noise and PDE due to irradiation has been observed. The expected light yield given by the fibres at the end of lifetime together with the estimated SiPM noise are in agreement with the required hit detection efficiency. The beam-gas vertex (BGV) detector is an instrument dedicated to beam profile measurements at the LHC. A demonstrator based on the SciFi technology, installed in 2015, provides promising results and validates this detector concept for the high-luminosity LHC project.


Commonsense reasoning says that quality teacher education relies on quality teacher educators. Yet, there is minimal attention to what teacher educators should know and be able to do. Unquestionably, teacher educators cannot teach what they do not know; but what should they know, and should they be prepared? This study of 293 teacher educators investigated the following: What do current teacher educators consider to be the foundation elements of their practice? How do they evaluate their own preparation in these areas? How can their experiences inform the preparation of teacher educators? We use Cochran-Smith and Lytle's theorizing about "relationships of knowledge and practice" to understand knowledge essential to teacher educating (a term we use to differentiate teaching teachers from teaching students). Our findings reveal that practicing teacher educators often feel unprepared to assume their role but can offer helpful insight into how we should think deliberately about quality teacher educator preparation.


samter's triad (st), also known as aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (aErD), is defined as the correlation of asthma, aspirin intolerance (ai) and nasal polyps (nP). the combination of these symptoms poses a challenge in clinical practice, i.e. difficulties in making diagnosis and managing treatment. the prevalence is estimated at 0.3–0.9% of the general population in the Usa, with a slight female predominance, whereas among asthmatic patients, the prevalence is estimated at 10–11%. the most common symptoms of st are nasal congestion, rhinorrhoea, sneezing, anosmia and sinus opacification with symptoms from the lower respiratory tract due to disease progression. less common aErD manifestations are cutaneous and gastrointestinal symptoms. the diagnostics is based on a clinical picture, Ct findings and provocative aspirin challenge. the treatment strategy is a combination of surgical treatment, aspirin desensitisation and biological treatment, such as omalizumab or Dupilumab. among the treatment options, the most beneficial strategy is aspirin desensitisation combined with FEss. the results of omalizumab and Dupilumab treatment are promising, though they need to be confirmed by further studies. our aim was to review the latest literature and compare the treatment options and their efficacy. we discussed pathogenesis, diagnosis, clinical picture, surgical and biological treatment options and aspirin desensitisation.

https://www.termedia.pl/Journal/-95/pdf-48113-10?filename=13 FM&PCR 4 22 - R - Nowińska - Samters Triad - 1236.pdf


In this paper, I develop a new version of the acquaintance view of the nature of introspection of phenomenal states. On the acquaintance view, when one introspects a current phenomenal state of one's, one bears to it the relation of introspective acquaintance. Extant versions of the acquaintance view neglect what I call the phenomenal modification problem. The problem, articulated by Franz Brentano in his Psychology from an Empirical Standpoint, is that drawing introspective attention to one's current conscious experience may modify its phenomenology. Failing to take phenomenal modification into account affects the adequacy of extant versions of the acquaintance view. The purpose of this paper is to develop a better version, the integration account, that meets the phenomenal modification challenge while preserving the merits of other versions.


Advanced materials for electronics, photonics, and energy storage represent a diverse set of materials and technologies. These include semiconducting materials with properties suitable for electrical switching, optoelectronics and photovoltaics, ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials, superconductors, electrochemically active materials for energy storage, electroactive polymers with desirable electronics and optical properties suitable for sensing, lighting and displays, engineered plastics with broad applications in microsystems packaging, specialty ceramic materials, and high-performance glass, and other optical materials that are used in imaging and lighting. As the scope of materials of interest to the readers of the PROCEED-


The Evolution of Dialectical Materialism: A Philosophical and Sociological Analysis. By Z. A. Jordan. (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1967. Pp. xvi, 490. $13.45.) Professor Jordan's polemic is aimed against the twin pillars of the edifice of Marxist theory: (i) the science of historical materialism (HM) and (ii) the philosophy of dialectical materialism (DM), the epistemological metatheory of the science. He conducts the polemic via a two-pronged attack:


THE FIRST PART of the volume is a concise, well-illustrated, and up-todate description of the structure and morphogenesis of baculoviruses and cytoplasmic po]yhedrosis viruses in insect cells. The second part deals with virus identification, followed by ultrastructural studies and descriptions of mixed infections, based, in part, on the author's original work. The final section deals with biological activity of viral insecticides, virus storage, and the importance of viral pest control. The 64 electron micrographs that follow the text are of good quality. Thirty tables summarize measurements of viral inclusion bodies found in Mamestra brassicae, Agrotis segetum, Autographa gamma, Hyphantria cunea, Erranis defoliaria, and M. oleraceae from the Moldavian Soviet Republic; Heliothis armigera from Uzbekistan; Lymantria dispar from different regions of the USSR and other countries; Dendrolimus sibiricum (USSR); Leucoma salicis (Poland); Cingilia caternaria (Canada); Horistoneura fumiferana (Canada); and Aglia tau and Arctia ca;a ("Coasta] population"). The text is rich with references to western and Soviet work. The bibliography contains 90 titles by USSR authors (in Cyrilic alphabet). These are of special interest because many of them have not been quoted by Current


The objective of this study was to investigate the macroscopic spray characteristics of different 0%–100% blends of biodiesel derived from drainage oil and diesel (BD0, BD20, BD50, BD80, BD100), such as spray tip penetration, average tip velocity at penetration, spray angle, average spray angle, spray evolution process, spray area and spray volume under different injection pressures (60, 70, 80, 90, 100 MPa) and ambient pressures (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 MPa) using a common rail system equipped with a constant volume chamber. The characteristic data was extracted from spray images grabbed by a high speed visualization system. The results showed that the ambient pressure and injection pressure had significant effects on the spray characteristics. As the ambient pressure increased, the spray angle increased, while the spray tip penetration and the peak of average tip velocity decreased. As the injection pressure increased, the spray tip penetration, spray angle, spray area and spray volume increased. The increasing blend ratio of biodiesel brought about a shorter spray tip penetration and a smaller spray angle compared with those of diesel. This is due to the comparatively higher viscosity and surface tension of biodiesel, which enhanced the friction effect between fuel and the injector nozzle surface and inhibited the breakup of the liquid jet.


River Kali-East, a tributary of river Ganga, is a non-perennial river of India which is highly driven by the discharge of sewage and industrial effluent. Twenty-seven locations on the entire stretch (approx. 550 km) of river Kali-East were monitored which indicated that color varied as 20-200 Hazen, dissolved oxygen (DO) as 0-8.16 mg/l, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) as 6.6-410 mg/l, chemical oxygen demand (COD) as 22-1409 mg/l, total suspended solids as 38-4386 mg/l, total dissolved solids as 180-2536 mg/l and fecal coliform as 4.9 × 102 - 34 × 107 MPN/100 ml. High BOD and COD in the river revealed untreated/partially treated industrial discharge into the river and the self-purification capacity of the river Kali-East has been inhibited for a long distance by heavy and undiminished influx of domestic sewage into the river. Twenty-six drains discharge a total organic load of 148 tonnes per day into the river. Maximum pollution load was contributed by Odean Nala (42%) in Meerut district. This study recommends strict regulatory norms for discharge of industrial effluents by the industries in the catchment area of the river, reduction in sewage treatment gap by utilizing alternative treatment technologies (such as constructed wetlands) and proper dilution of polluted river water to improve the overall quality of the river.


Modern high-speed links and I/O subsystems often employ sophisticated coding strategies to boost error resilience and achieve multi-Gb/s throughput. The end-to-end analysis of such systems, which involves accurate prediction of worst-case and stochastic eye diagrams, is a challenging problem. Existing techniques such as Peak Distortion Analysis (PDA) typically predict overly pessimistic eye diagrams because they do not take into account the coding strategies employed. Monte-Carlo methods, on the other hand, often predict overly optimistic eye diagrams, and they are also very time-consuming. As an alternative, we present BEE, an accurate and efficient computational technique that applies dynamic programming algorithms to predict realistic worst-case and stochastic eye diagrams in modern high-speed links and I/O subsystems - with neither excessive pessimism nor undue optimism. BEE is able to fully and correctly take into account many features underlying modern communications systems, including arbitrary high-level transmit-side coding schemes and strategies, as well as various low-level non-idealities introduced by the underlying channel(s), such as inter-symbol interference (ISI) and crosstalk, asymmetric rise/fall times, jitter, parameter variability, etc. Furthermore, BEE accurately captures the fact that different received bits typically have widely different eye diagrams when a channel is driven by correlated bitstreams generated by coding strategies. We demonstrate BEE on links involving (7,4)-Hamming and 8b/10b SERDES encoders, featuring channels that give rise to multiple reflections, dispersion, loss, and overshoot/undershoot. BEE successfully predicts actual worst case eye openings in all these real-world systems, which can be twice as large as the eye openings predicted by overly pessimistic methods like PDA. Also, BEE can be an order of magnitude faster (and much more reliable) than Monte-Carlo based eye estimation methods.


Highly collimated jets are observed in various astro- nomical objects, as active galactic nuclei, galactic high energy sources, and also young stellar objects. There is observational indication that these jets originate in accretion disks, and that magneticeldsplayanimportantroleforthejetcollimationand plasma acceleration. The rapid disk rotation close to the central object leads to relativistic rotational velocities of the magnetic eld lines. The structure of these axisymmetric magnetic flux surfaces follows from the trans-eld force-balance described by the Grad-Schl¨ uter-Shafranovequation.Inthispaper,weinvestigate the asymptotic eld structure of differentially rotating magnetic jets, widening the study by Appl & Camenzind (1993a,b). In general, our results show that, with the same current dis- tribution, differentially rotating jets are collimated to smaller jet radii as compared with jets with rigidly rotating eld. Dif- ferentially rotating jets need a stronger net poloidal current in order to collimate to the same asymptotic radius. Current-free solutionsarenotpossiblefordifferentiallyrotatingdisk-jetmag- netospheres with cylindrical asymptotics. Wepresentasimpleanalyticalrelationbetweenthepoloidal current distribution and magnetic eld rotation law. A general relation is derived for the current strength for jets with max- imum differential rotation and minimum differential rotation. Analytical solutions are also given in the case of a eld rotation leading to a degeneration of the light cylinder. By linking the asymptotic solution to a Keplerian accre- tion disk, 'total expansion rates' for the jets, and also the flux distribution at the foot points of the flux surfaces are derived. Large poloidal currents imply a strong opening of flux surfaces, a stronger gradient of eld rotation leads to smaller expansion rates. There is indication that AGN jet expansion rates are less than in the case of protostellar jets. High mass AGN seem to have larger jet expansion rates than low mass AGN.


transformative power of play in children's learning and development has been universally acknowledged by leading global institutions and experts. This consensus is not just based on intuitive understanding but is deeply rooted in extensive research and empirical evidence. As we delve into the global perspectives on play-based learning, it becomes evident that play is not merely an activity but a cornerstone of holistic child development


To build a long-term mechanism of socialist core value system is necessary for colleges to implement the Party's socialist ideology and cultural construction of major theoretical innovation,is also a must to strengthen the ideological and political education for college students. To discuss and think over the principles of socialist core value system of education is helpful to build a long-term mechanism of socialist core value system in colleges.


PURPOSE: Walnut cake containing fermented ripe and soft persimmon puree and a producing method thereof are provided to offer the functionality of fermented ripe and soft persimmon, and to improve the storage property of the walnut cake. CONSTITUTION: A producing method of walnut cake containing fermented ripe and soft persimmon puree comprises the following steps: mixing ripe and soft persimmon and water in a weight ratio of 40~60:60~40; adding 0.01~1%(w/v) of acid into the mixture to obtain ripe and soft persimmon puree; inserting 1~6wt% of yeast into the puree, and stir-fermenting the mixture for 10~24hours to obtain the fermented ripe and soft persimmon puree; mixing flour, sugar, eggs, salt, and backing powder; adding molten fat and the fermented ripe and soft persimmon puree into the mixture to form dough; aging the dough for 12~36hours, and making skins with the aged dough; and inserting red bean fillings and walnuts into the skins and baking.


Modernization in labor-saving cultivation and storage of self-sufficing feed is desired owing to the expansion of animal industry, and the importance of utilization of silage has been perceived particularly for the labor saving and intentional storage of abundant self-sufficing feed under the high temperature and rainy humid climate of Japan. As to the recent type of feed consumption, Hokkaido mainly depends on self-sufficing feed like in Europe and America, while a half of the feed consumption depends on the concentrate and 70 per cent of self-sufficing feed is consumed as soilage in the mainland of Japan; therefore, the utilizatin of silage is yet very little in Japani. When soilage consumption is too much, daily cutting of soiling crop needs much labor and yearly balanced feeding of self-sufficing f eed cannot be kept. Also the change of ingredient of soiling crop becomes large resulting in the decline of nutrient yield of feed . Through the whole year uti lization of the silo of self-sufficing feed is urged from these points of view•>.s>, the development of a simple


High‐resolution photothermal ionization spectroscopy has been performed on n‐type high‐purity silicon crystals. Two new shallow donors with binding energies of 36.61 and 36.97 meV, respectively, are observed for the first time, in addition to lithium (Li), lithium‐oxygen complex [D(Li,O)], phosphorus (P), and arsenic (As) donors. These new shallow donors show similar spectral features to Li, D(Li,O), P, and As, which implies that they are also hydrogenic shallow donors. These new complex centers are probably generated during crystal growth. In addition, previously unresolved transitions related to very high excited states of phosphorus as well as the above‐mentioned new shallow donors, have also been observed.


We present a consistent self-contained and pedagogical review of the CMB Gibbs sampler, focusing on computational methods and code design. We provide an easy-to-use CMB Gibbs sampler named SLAVE developed in C++ using object-oriented design. While discussing why the need for a Gibbs sampler is evident and what the Gibbs sampler can be used for in a cosmological context, we review in detail the analytical expressions for the conditional probability densities and discuss the problems of galactic foreground removal and anisotropic noise. Having demonstrated that SLAVE is a working, usable CMB Gibbs sampler, we present the algorithm for white noise level estimation. We then give a short guide on operating SLAVE before introducing the post-processing utilities for obtaining the best-fit power spectrum using the Blackwell-Rao estimator.


In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the prevalence  of food allergies. Pathological conditions associated  with a food intolerance are becoming an increasingly urgent problem of pediatrics. According to different researchers, allergic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract occurs in 25–50% of patients with such common pathology as an allergy to cow's milk proteins. The severity of diseases  associated  with food allergies and their prognosis  depend largely on early diagnosis and adequate treatment. Difficulties and errors  in the diagnosis  of gastrointestinal  food allergies  are associated  with both subjective  and objective  reasons,  primarily due to the fact that gastrointestinal  reactions to food are often delayed and non-IgE-mediated. The article describes clinical forms of gastrointestinal food allergy according to the existing classification. Diagnostic algorithms and modern approaches  to differential diagnosis of disease based on evidence-based  medicine and corresponding to international consensus papers are given.


Holocaust education is as vital as it is global in scope. However, museums cannot simply present the uninterpreted, vivid trauma of the Holocaust to young children. This challenge is then further complicated as museums must make the learning enjoyable enough that children want to learn it—a seemingly impossible task. To avoid Holocaust fatigue or traumatizing young audiences, I suggest here a triad model with which museum professionals should engage to create a meaningful and educational Holocaust exhibit for children. The triad model is based on participant agency, authenticity, and personal connection and can be seen in examples worldwide. In this article, I will focus on three main exemplars and specifically outline how they include each element of the proposed triad conceptual model in their exhibitions. To further illustrate its importance, I will close with a brief direct comparison to one recent Holocaust exhibit that does not engage fully with all the elements of the triad model and thus is a missed opportunity for youth participants.


The Germanic settlement in Štúrovo is situated to the north of the present-day Štúrovo in South West Slovakia, in the southern part of the lower Hron river basin, in the area of a former military training ground. It lies on the left bank of the river Danube, south-west of the strategically important confluence of the Hron and the Danube, approximately 5 km from the Pannonian Solva (fig. 1). The settlement has a particularly significant position among the Germanic settlements of the North-Pannonian limes studied so far. A rescue excavation was carried out in years 1956-1957 (T. Kolník). In total 66 settlement structures from the Roman Period (stages B2, B2/C1 and C3) and the Migration Period (stage D1) were unearthed. These include 12 huts and 44 pit objects (Kolník 1962, p. 357-362). The area of the Germanic settlement was largely disrupted by an Avar-Slavonic burial ground (280 graves; Točík 1968) and military training trenches. This was a major complication to the archaeological context, and led sporadically to a multiple damage of objects.


Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon.) is one of the most difficult weedy species to control in turfgrass because it's high tolerant to various environmental and management stresses. This experiment was performed to find the integrated weed management including cultural practices to suppress bermudagrass in Zoysiagrass matrella (L) Merr. As results, two sequential applications of Fluazifop-P-butyl 0.05 ml m -2 + Triclopyr-TEA 0.5 ml m -2 and Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl 0.1 ml m -2 + Triclopyr-TEA 0.5 ml m -2 applied on 20 days intervals were evaluated the primary option for bermudagrass suppression and turfgrass injury was acceptable in zoysiagrass. In both treatments, turf injury was observed during 30days after the first application and almost recovered at 40days. While Fenoxaprop-Pethyl 0.1 ml m -2 + Triclopyr-TEA 0.5 ml m -22 were lightly phytotoxic to zoysiagrass in chlorophyll content test, there was no growth inhibition of zoysiagrass. Verticut practice (4 mm depth) just before herbicides application where zoyisagrass is contaminated with bermudagrass was not helpful to reduce turf injury in this experiment. However, alone verticut management was utilized to decrease about 12-14% bermudagrass population. Thus the application of Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl 0.1 ml m -2 + Triclopyr-TEA 0.5 ml m -2 which are permitted for turfgrass after zoysiagrass is perfectly recovered from turf injury by verticut practice should be utilized for bermudagrass reduction in zoysiagrass.


Introduction: Kidney transplant recipients are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection due to poor response to vaccination and immunosuppression. Antiviral therapies are thus important to mitigate risk of severe disease. Nirmaltrelvir/ritonavir, an oral antiviral, has increasingly been used in higher risk patients with COVID-19. Unique to transplant patients is the risk of calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) drug interaction and potential for severe drug toxicity. Case Description: A 57-year-old male received a kidney transplant 8 months ago. Immunosuppression includes tacrolimus, mycophenolate, and prednisone, and he was fully vaccinated and boosted against SARS-CoV-2. He presented with headache, fevers, and body aches and COVID antigen test was positive. His primary care provider prescribed nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, and immunosuppression was continued. Two days later he developed nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue prompting emergency evaluation. It was unclear if symptoms were drug-related or due to COVID-19 infection. Given the high risk of severe COVID-19, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir was continued, and tacrolimus was held. Two days later, tacrolimus level was checked and resulted at 75.6 ng/mL, complicated by acute kidney injury. He was admitted, treated with intravenous fluids and phenytoin to enhance CNI metabolism. Symptoms and graft function improved, and tacrolimus level decreased but remained high 2 days later (54 ng/mL). Tacrolimus remained on hold at discharge and was restarted when level normalized. Discussion(s): Nirmatrelvir inhibits Mpro, a protease enzyme required for SARS-CoV-2 replication. As a potent inhibitor of CYP3A, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir may interact with drugs metabolized through this pathway, including CNIs. This patient's tacrolimus level was severely elevated even after 2 days of drug cessation leading to toxicity and hospitalization. Use of nirmatrelvir/ritonovir with CNIs requires extreme caution. The antiviral benefit may be opposed by risks incurred through drug interaction. If used, we recommend holding or reducing the CNI dose and close monitoring of levels. Providers and patients should be educated about this interaction, and alternative treatments may be preferable.


A constraint propagation (filtering) turned out to be an efficient method how to reduce search space for backtrack-based algorithms. This paper brings several improvements of filtering methods for batch processing with sequence dependent setup times. The first one is domain filtering based on a precedence graph—such filtering can be useful even when no precedences are given at the start. I describe how to easily detect all the precedences found by the edge-finding algorithm and how to maintain a transitive closure of the precedence graph in reasonable time. The results for the precedence graph hold also for the usual disjunctive scheduling (unary resource) because it is a special case of batch processing (without any setups). This paper also proposes a new, more effective version of the not-first/not-last filtering algorithm for batch processing with sequence dependent setup times.


In this paper, the application of phase-locked loop (PLL) a control strategy implemented in a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) to improve the control due to unbalance grid voltage in real-time grid synchronization. A traditional PLL based on dq conversion & also the impact of unbalanced voltage shown in this paper. All the simulations done in PSCAD software. The positive sequence component can be obtained correctly still the grid voltage is unbalanced therefore the PLL stability improved significantly. An improved PLL scheme proposes in this paper this proposed method is so fast and stable so that the wind generator system works constantly even if in main grid emergency conditions so this method employs in DFIG wind power system. Therefore, the system was modelled for both normal and abnormal conditions. Due to the application of PLL the system stability improved quickly.


The HEAPS study (Health Effects of Air Pollution in Antwerp Schools) was set up to evaluate the health impact of traffic related air pollution on school children. Two research goals were defined in this study: (i) To evaluate which health effects can be measured in children in relation to traffic-related pollutants in their everyday surroundings. (ii) To evaluate which traffic-related parameters are best for estimating exposures which may cause possible health effects.


Cellular and molecular analysis of megakaryocytopoiesis has been hampered thus far by the lack of pure and abundant megakaryocyte (MK) cell populations. In this study. hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs), stringently purified from peripheral blood, were induced to megakaryocytic differentia-tion/maturation in serum-free liquid suspension culture treated with a growth factor cocktail (interleukin-3 [IL-3], c-kit ligand, and IL-6) and/or recombinant mpl ligand (mplL). In particular, (1) the growth factor cocktail induced the growth of a 40% MK population, ie, 4 x lo' cells at day 0 generated 2 x lo6 MK at terminal maturation; (2) further addition of mplL increased the MK purity level to 80% with a final yield of 4 x 10' MKS; (3) treatment with mplL alone resulted in a 97% to 99% MK population, with a mild increase of cell number (to 1.5 x lo6 cells). In mplL-supplemented culture, morphological evaluation indicated the presence of putative mononuclear MK precursors and then of mature polynucleated platelet-forming MKS, peaking at days 5 and 12, respectively. Membrane phenotype analysis showed a EMATOPOIESIS IS sustained by a pool of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that can extensively self-renew and differentiate into hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs).'.' HPCs are committed to specific lineage(s) and are defined as colony-forming units (CFUs) or units (BFUs), ie, HPCs erythroid


Working closely alongside Donaldsons, employer's agent, and consultants White Young Green, CLAN Contracting was appointed as principal contractor to carry out a concrete refurbishment programme at Merseyway Shopping Centre for client, Hammersons. The primary objective of the scheme was to ensure that the building was structurally sound. A secondary objective was to improve the appearance of the building and create a more visually attractive car park area.


It is well known that direct measurement of the Fe content in seawater by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) is hardly possible. For open ocean water samples, typically, it requires a separation from the matrix associated to significant concentration factors. Furthermore, in the low ng kg−1 range, a correct assessment of the analytical blank is of crucial importance. Despite years of experiments and publications, blank estimation remains a fundamental analytical challenge for the realisation of reliable profiles of dissolved Fe data. Not only must this blank be low and reproducible, which is particularly difficult considering the ubiquity of Fe and the complexity of the seawater matrix, but also realistic. Thus, the complete analytical sequence must be applied to real seawater with zero concentration of Fe to produce a "field blank" (FB), according to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry terminology. This paper investigates the sources of contamination and describes two ways of establishing reliable field blank values for the isotope dilution (ID) ICPMS procedure described by Wu and Boyle (J. Wu and E. A. Boyle, Anal. Chim. Acta, 1998, 367, 183), based on a multiple steps protocol, including a co-precipitation with magnesium hydroxide after ammonia loading, and consecutive dissolution with hydrochloric acid. The analytical protocol is optimised to achieve reproducible separation–pre-concentration of ∼100% Fe under stable pH conditions. Typically, at ∼30 ng Fe kg−1 level a concentration factor of up to 15 can be achieved, leading to samples containing residual salinity ∼0.06%. The first approach proposed for field blank determination applies mostly to Fe mass fractions >500 ng kg−1 and results from the comparison of two IDMS-based Fe content values of an identical sample, where the first is produced by Mg(OH)2 co-precipitation and the second after a simple dilution. For the second approach, adapted to lower Fe content samples (down to 3 ng Fe kg−1), the absolute field blank is the intercept of a linear regression between sample masses and corresponding absolute Fe contents for a given set of sample replicates. The estimated field blanks for both approaches were 16 ± 12 ng kg−1 and 6 ± 2 ng kg−1, respectively. We found that manipulations (i.e. sample handling and the environment) are by far the largest source of contamination as they contribute ∼75% of the total. The 2% nitric acid used to dissolve the precipitate and the instrumental background come next, with, respectively, 3–10% and 5–9% contributions. The measurement procedure was validated through the use of reference materials, a systematic assessment of factors influencing the result, by calculating the combined measurement uncertainty, and from the results obtained on a test material of a recent inter-laboratory comparison.


DROUGHreTsea rch on groundnut conducted at
ICRISAT Centre (IC) over the past decade can be
grouped into three broad areas: screening and
evaluation of genotypes for drought tolerance;
strategic research on physiological mechanisms;
and some applied research on drought management.
Due to limitations of time, I wish to
concentrate on progress made in the first two
areas, which are relevant to the present workshop.
Drought research in groundnut at IC began in
1980, with experiments to examine the timing of
irrigation and plant population. Screening of
genotypes for drought tolerance began after the
198 1-82 post-rainy season.


A dual Banach algebra is a Banach algebra which is a dual space, with the multiplication being separately weak$^*$-continuous. We show that given a unital dual Banach algebra $\mc A$, we can find a reflexive Banach space $E$, and an isometric, weak$^*$-weak$^*$-continuous homomorphism $\pi:\mc A\to\mc B(E)$ such that $\pi(\mc A)$ equals its own bicommutant.


A 3-D model of Pelton turbine bucket is built for researching the motion characteristics of sediment particles in the bucket and the influence on inner erosion of bucket. With fluid analysis software FLUENT, an Euler equation is firstly calculated for the continuous phase turbulence model to achieve convergence, and then the coupled calculation of solid-liquid two-phase is conducted with DPM model. The results show that:(a) the greater impact velocity will lead to more serious erosion in inner wall of bucket under same sediment particle diameter and concentration;(b) the bigger particle diameter will lead to greater erosion under same impact velocity and sediment concentration; and(c) the higher sediment concentration will also lead to more serious erosion under same particle impact velocity and diameter. The erosion of inner wall of bucket is mainly determined by the combining effects of sediment particle diameter, impact velocity and concentration.


Although biodiversity conservation is a prioritized topic globally, agreements and regulations at multiple levels often fail to meet the desired effects due to insufficient knowledge transmission about and tolerance toward environmental protection measures among the public. To find effective measures to solve human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs) and promote a sustainable coexistence, it is essential to gain the public's understanding of the importance of preserving biodiversity. To spur progress in solution‐oriented conservation science, we examine how citizen science (CS) can complement research in the HWC field and coexistence/mitigation strategies. We find that CS (1) is an effective tool for gathering wildlife data and (2) empowers citizens to participate in or drive (in a bottom‐up manner) wildlife research and management. Each HWC has a unique social, economic, and geographical context, which makes it challenging to find appropriate mitigation measures. We developed a Global and Local Geographic (GLG) model that provides practical guidelines for implementing CS in HWC research. We argue that the inclusion of youth is fundamental to achieving coexistence between people and wildlife; thus integrating CS into formal education or including an educational component in CS projects can support the sustainable conservation of wildlife species and foster environmentally aware future generations.


The paper takes spaceflight test equipment management as research object and conduct a statistic survey on it.Based on analyzing its success experience and existing defect,as a result, the authors quite by the numbers analyze and summarize the characteristic of spaceflight test equipment management. Aiming at new position and new system,the authors put forward the six aspects of managing countermeasures of the spaceflight test equipment.


Some say that the financial crisis has launched a thousand PhD dissertations and perhaps just as many books. Anil Kashyap was on the case from the very beginning.


Abstract The evidence for early West African trade is reviewed. The development of trade is regarded as gradual from c. 1000 B.C. to c. A.D. 750. The early exploitation of gold resources was reflected in the affluence of the Senegambian and upper Niger regions with their large tumuli and megaliths. Reservations are expressed about the ninth‐century date proposed for Igbo Ukwu. A major expansion of trade occurred in the fourteenth century and was due to the exploitation of Ghanaian gold. Contacts between Mali and Ghana led to the development of a sophisticated brass technology and the use of Islamic weighting system amongst the Akan peoples. The results of excavations at the market town of Begho in Ghana, where the main settlement dates from A.D. 1350–1725, are reviewed. The evidence for local trade in pottery is discussed and the importance of intensive work on traditional potters is stressed.


In this paper, we define the notation of admissible hybrid

 Z

 -contractions in the setting of extended

 b

 -metric spaces, which unifies and generalizes previously existing results in literature. Furthermore, as an application, we discuss Ulam-Hyers stability and well-posedness of a fixed point problem.


Fact-checking is a challenging and useful classification task where a model evaluates the truthfulness of a natural-language claim. Researchers have taken a variety of approaches to building automated fact-checking systems, but recent work has introduced a paradigm that queries a language model to extract factual knowledge. We implement and evaluate several extensions to that pipeline, including alternate strategies for masking the claim and selecting the tokens that the language models predicts for masks. Evaluating these alternatives on a well-known fact-checking dataset, we find that they find that they have minimal impact on overall performance. Motivated by this finding, we construct a drastically simplified version of the pipeline — removing the language model — and find that its accuracy changes little. While its performance remains below state-of-art, these surprising results highlight difficulties in extracting knowledge from language models and introduce a new (to our knowledge) kind of entailment-based fact-checking baseline that involves no language model, corpus or knowledge base. 1 Key Information to include ¢ Mentor: Megan Leszczynski ¢ External collaborators: None ¢ Sharing project: None


The present invention relates to a depletion type MOS transistor, and a charging arrangement. One kind of a depletion type transistor comprising: a first conductivity type source and drain regions; a first conductivity type channel region is disposed between the source and drain regions; and a first gate electrode, It is disposed adjacent and electrically insulated from the channel region by a gate dielectric and dielectric channel region. The depletion type transistor comprises further a second conductivity type first discharge region, which is arranged adjacent to the gate dielectric and electrically coupled to a reference potential terminal. The depletion type transistor may be included in the charging circuit.


advances on mediators be amenable to targeting aging kidney and kidney diseases, including nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX), transforming growth factor- β (TGF- β ), renin-angiotensin system (RAS), nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), peroxisome proliferator-activated γ receptor (PPAR γ ), advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) as well as microRNAs and vitagenes. Of note, we conclude by highlighting some natural products which have the potential to facilitate the development of novel treatment for patients with myriad renal diseases.


The article analyses the problems and opportunities of developing learners' vocabulary. It discusses the links between language and thinking, the significance of the socio-cultural context in developing learners' vocabulary, as well as the opportunities of vocabulary development applying different methods and ways of explaining meanings. The article addresses the following questions: what is the context of the development of learners' vocabulary, what is the content of the (self-) development of learners' vocabulary; what are the ways of vocabulary (self-) development; what are the tasks for vocabulary (self-) development? Language and culture are inseparable. National culture is easily understandable for a representative of the nation; he/she can easily handle different socio-cultural situations. Within the nation, we use the mother tongue: it unites people, whereas using other languages we assimilate the cultural values of the world. The perception of structures and images rather than individual facts has a great influence on thinking; information is best understood if it is provided in contextual situations. A particular role is ascribed to language. The speakers of other languages need to learn / understand the phenomena of a new culture that are expressed by new words or are related to new linguistic situations (e.g. etiquette). In other words, the learner's competence is developed, which enables him/her to feel comfortable in a foreign society. A method has two meanings in foreign language didactics. In its narrower sense, it means a planned and consistent way of teaching and learning seeking for the attainment of a particular goal. In its broader sense, a method is a methodological-didactic conception, upon which educational process of planned and implemented. Keywords: language and thinking; sociocultural competence, sociocultural context, vocabulary development. DOI:  http://dx.doi.org/10.15823/zz.2017.6


"Political Interest in West European Women" is an analysis of the responses of women in eight European Community countries to yearly surveys taken from 1973 through 1978 to a basic question, "Are you interested in politics?" Responses were examined by sex and by nationality, and were also compared to earlier survey data from the 1950s. The pattern of political interest proved to be extremely interesting, as a correlation was found between present-day political interest of West European women and the historical background of the country in which they live. The most promising explanation for current interest seems to be whether or not the women were raised in a traditionally Protestant or traditionally Catholic country, a factor very much linked to attitudes toward women held by those countries. Although there are exceptions and complications, and also changes currently taking place, particularly in countries such as France, this hypothesis seems to be supported by the data, and well worth pursuing in futur...


Background: Disasters are a common occurrence in Nepal. This necessitates the development of baseline forensic anthropological data specific to the Nepalese population. Recent advances in the field of forensic medicine and sciences have somewhat reduced the relevance of forensic anthropology in the western developed world. The financial burden of these newer techniques, however, puts emphasis back on methodological examination of remains to establish identity.Objectives: To establish the sex of the individual from the percutaneous length of the fingers.Methodology: One hundred and twenty medical students (58 males and 62 females) were randomly selected and their finger lengths measured. These measurements were analyzed to establish discriminant functions to estimate sex.Results: The equation derived was Y = (1.822 x Left index finger length) + (1.141 x Left little finger length) – 19.211. Group centroids were calculated to be -0.933 for females and 0.998 for males. The sensitivity was found to be 76.9% and a specificity of 78.2%. Overall, the function correctly classified 77.5% of the original cases.Conclusion: Based on these findings, finger length is as reliable in estimation of sex of an individual as other longs bones and can be an ideal tool for examination, especially in remains where the skull and pelvis are absent or missing.


Uncertainties in load and availability of generation were firstly expressed by trapezoidal fuzzy numbers, then a fuzzy linear programming model was established for minimizing the fuzzy load not supplied and was translated into a parametric linear programming model which can be solved by the extended Bland's anticycling dual simplex algorithm. A numerical example of 24 bus and 30 branch system was also given.


Shape analysis has fundamental importance in computer vision, including surface matching, registration, tracking, classification, recognition, etc. Computational methods based on conformal geometry can map any 3D surface to a 2D canonical domain. They provide a novel approach to 3D problems by converting them to 2D problems, which greatly simplifies the computation process. With this framework, we present a series of matching and registration methods for general surfaces, especially with large non-rigid deformations and complicated topologies. In addition, we introduce a global and unique shape signature for shape recognition applications. Experiments on a variety of real scans from different equipments demonstrate the efficiency and efficacy of the conformal geometric methods in computer vision applications.


According to systematic observation on hilly slope land and olw hilly terraces,we found that the total and available water pools of latosol were both small,while the permeable water pool was large.Therefore,soil surface runoff was considerable.We also analyzed water potential and the distribution of water flow resistance in consecutive SPAC systems.


A common technique to prevent the propagation of fatigue cracks in bridge girders is to drill crack-stop holes at crack tips. Stress concentrations at the crack tips are reduced and fatigue life of the bridge is extended. The size of the crack-stop hole needed to prevent further crack growth is determined by using known material properties and relationships developed through experimentation. However, these equations often result in a crack-stop hole diameter larger than can be practically drilled; physical limitations force crack-stop holes to be undersized in the field. To improve effectiveness of undersized holes to that of full-sized holes, a method is needed to strengthen undersized crack-stop holes. This study investigated the potential of a technique to improve the fatigue life of undersized, crack-stop holes. It uses piezoelectric actuators operated at ultrasonic frequencies to convert electrical signals into mechanical work. The technique produced residual compressive stresses of the same order of magnitude as those produced by static cold expansion. A suite of finite element models was created to quantify and characterize the residual stresses surrounding the cold-expanded, undersized, crack-stop holes. Results were compared with analyses in the literature.


Objective Recent studies have shown a potential link between gut microbiome and colorectal cancer (CRC). Initially, a wide array of research into this topic was discovered from the past decade, illustrating a keen interest in the potential causal relationship between the gut microbiome and CRC. However, the cancer research community is lacking a summarised systematic review of this kind which aims to explore the evidence linking the human gut microbiome to risk of CRC. Design This systematic review was carried out with two independent reviewers assessing the database outcomes from Medline and EMBASE during May 2020. A meta-analysis was undertaken studying the link between Helicobacter pylori and CRC; processed through Stata. Results 31 papers were included in the systematic review, followed by 12 for the meta-analysis. From these papers, Fusobacterium and Bacteroides were reported most frequently as enriched in CRC versus control. The meta-analysis showed an Odds Ratio of 1.49 (95% CI 1.19 - 1.86), including a total of 20,001 events. This meta-analysis concluded that H. pylori infection significantly increases the risk of CRC, albeit with evidence of publication bias. Conclusions Bacteria have been discovered to increase the risk of CRC, however a definitive causal relationship cannot be concluded or excluded using case-control studies. To fully understand the potential link of the bacteria listed, alterations in research design and execution are required. The assessment found a need for a large-scale cohort study conducted over a significant period of time to thoroughly evaluate the potential relationship between gut microbiome and CRC risk.


One of the key tasks in the automation of the reactive magnetron plasma sputtering process is the data management and the development of a monitoring system. The study presents in detail the implementation of a particular multi-level monitoring system, the classification method of the various measurements, the selection of different backup frequencies, the integration of cloud type data servers with redundant backup and optimized usage, as well as the different methods used to access the system remotely with specific user rights and restrictions.


In this issue of the journal, 2 distinguished groups of investigators have published long-term (3-year) statistical models for predicting mortality following the 2 primary invasive treatments for coronary artery disease, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).1,2 The studies are noteworthy in a few respects: (1) they are huge in that they each comprise more than 340 000 patients who have undergone the procedure of interest; (2) they use registries maintained by national professional societies, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the American College of Cardiology Foundation; and (3) data from each of the registries are linked to mortality data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to obtain long-term mortality for patients in the study.

Articles see p 1491 and p 1501

In addition, the methods used in the studies are characterized by meticulous attention to all of the nuances that are recommended to ensure that the most accurate possible models are obtained—training and validation samples, investigation of proportional hazards assumptions and the consequent separation of models into different time frames, investigation of the functional form of independent variables, testing for interactions, imputation of missing values, and assessment of calibration and discrimination. For PCI, different models were developed for patients with and without ST-elevation myocardial infarction to acknowledge the fundamental difference between those 2 types of patients.

The finding that some risk factors are more important in the early stages following the procedure and others are more important later on, also noted by MacKenzie et al,3 is particularly interesting. Shahian et al1 found that some early predictors of risk (smoking, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and dialysis-dependent renal failure) increased over time, whereas others (emergency status, cardiogenic …